Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Accepting Submissions For The 2019 Holiday Gift Guide!


Wow, I can't even believe that this year will be our 9th holiday gift guide! I cannot believe that we have been blogging that long and I can't believe how much our life has changed in that short period of time! But, believe it or not, it's time to start accepting submissions for our 2019 Holiday Gift Guide!! If you have a product, service, website, etc that you would like for us to feature for the 2019 Holiday season, this is your chance! Please email me at burton40444@gmail.com and let me know what you have in mind, and I would love to chat with you about how we can partner to make this holiday season the best one yet!

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Date Nights For New Parents (The Reality Versus Expectation)




When you’re new to parenthood, and you and your partner are thinking about how you’re going to fit
date nights into this new family life, your expectations may be a little high at first. You may see your
friends dropping the children at the babysitters and rushing off for a nice meal together. But this isn’t
always the case when it comes to date nights as a new parent. So what is different about date nights
after you’ve had children? You may be reading this as an impending parent, I’m thinking “it can’t be
that difficult?”, but depending on your child, it may not be as simple as looking for babysitters and
going out for the evening. And here is why.


Energy levels
Children tend to come with unlimited amounts of energy, is often joked that they drain it directly from
their parents, and this is funny because it’s true. Parents do everything they can to make sure that the
precious children are loved, educated, clean, tidy and well-behaved. And that takes a lot of energy on
its own. Before you add in the extra things such as work, and keeping the home tidy and clean, and
possibly the pets on top of that. So by the time you get a babysitter and a little bit of space to go out,
you may not have the energy at all. The days of all-night partying unnecessarily over, but they aren’t
quite as appealing as they used to be.


Money
This may not be the same for everybody, most people, however, will find that having children bring
some significant financial changes. Whether that’s because one of you has had to take a cut in work
hours, or if it’s because you didn’t realise how much they cost and equipment, and clothing, and
everything else that they bring. Either way, you do have a financial responsibility to the new tiny human.
This means there may be a little less cash available for nights out. So working around this, and coming
up with some different ideas that may cost a bit less, will help you out here. If you used to eat fancy
restaurants, why not try the cinema now. If you do have a little extra for the luxuries, however, you may
find you appreciate them a lot more with your newfound limited time.


Effort
Quite often, even though Parenting is quite obviously exhausting, taking time away from them can be a
little bit tricky. Those maternal and paternal instincts kick in, and going out of the house without them can
seem like a bad idea. Depending on the age of your children, of course. But when you’re a new parent
leaving the little baby at home while you go out for a meal, might not feel like a priority. In this case, why
not come up with some ideas that will enable you to be near to the baby, and have quality time with your
partner? Once the baby is in bed, maybe you could have a movie and takeaway night instead? Many
parents admit that this is their ideal date night, and it works for everyone.


Ultimately you know what’s best for your family, and keeping a connection with your partner after having
a baby, can be done with a little imagination, so enjoy your next night out, or a night in together.


Wednesday, September 11, 2019

How To Make Money Going Minimalist

How to Make Money Going Minimalist

Everyone likes living in an organized and clean space — with cleaning gurus like Marie Kondo rising in popularity,
minimalism has become especially trendy. The idea is simple: only keep in your home what gives you distinct
pleasure. 


You don’t need to be a fanatic about it, but sometimes purging your home of things you don’t use anymore can
be beneficial in itself, and it can also net you some extra money on the side. Here are a few tips to help you
make some money reducing the clutter from your home.


Sell Old Valuables

There are reputable stores willing to give you a very good price for valuables such as gold or silver jewelry,
diamonds, high-end watches, and even designer purses. If you have any such things lying around that aren’t
used, and don’t carry important sentimental value for you, consider selling it.


C:\Users\user001\Downloads\How to Make Money Going Minimalist - image.jpg


Make sure that the store you sell to is transparent about market rates. They should be discreet and totally safe,
and never pressure you into selling anything. The longer they’ve been in operation, the better — you can
learn more at Pinto Cash for Gold about how to identify the reliable sellers from the rest. 


Hold a Garage Sale

For items of lesser value, consider doing away with these objects in a way which nets you some pocket money
while also giving these things a second life. It’s also a great way to help people in your community get useful
things inexpensively. 


You can set up a table outside your home or on the lawn in front of your apartment or condo building and
peddle your wares! It’s a nice way to chat with the people of the neighborhood.


Sell Your Old Things Online

Somewhere in the world is a person looking to buy exactly what you are trying to get rid of, and the best way to
find this potential buyer is to look online. There are several very popular marketplace websites that let you post
objects for sale.


Make sure you always represent the nature of what you’re selling accurately. If it’s not in perfect condition,
that’s OK! Just say so. Be deliberate when you make an advertisement for your old things: make sure to show it
in the best light possible, by polishing it up before snapping a photo and, indeed, before putting it up for sale.


You want to avoid a situation where an eager buyer sees the object in person and walks away without buying it,
disappointed, because they thought they were getting something else. This is simply a waste of everybody’s
time. Re-selling in this fashion is important: it may be a very minor action in the scheme of things, but society’s
over-consumption of newly produced goods such as clothing is causing environmental and humanitarian crises.



Clear your house of things you don’t need, and find the method of dispensing with it that best suits you and
the scenario. You’ll feel better with less clutter in your home and more money in your wallet!

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Budgeting As A First Time Mama

Have you got a bun in the oven? How much is it going to cost when it comes out? And are you always
going to be able to cover the costs to make sure your little bun is fed, clothed, and kept warm? Don’t
worry, it’s something every single new parent out there gets worried about, so you’re definitely not
alone! 


But if you’re about to be a first-time mama, and you’re getting worried about the cost of a baby, this
post is here to soothe you a little! Budgeting can be hard to do as a parent, even when there’s two
of you, but it’s definitely possible when you know what you’re doing. 


And so, here’s just a couple of things you’ll need to think about when crafting your very own budget -
it’s something that’s highly personalized, so make sure you only use these points as a general guide! 





First, Think in the Long Term


You’re going to be providing for your baby for at least the next 18 years of their life, and that means
you’re going to have to think in the long term first of all. You want to be sure you can provide for that
length of time, to make sure your child always has a safe and healthy base to come back to, even
when they’re moving into adulthood and making their own way in the world. 


Of course, this is a long way away for the time being, but it definitely bears thinking about. On average,
a baby can cost well over $200,000 during these early and adolescent years; do you think you’ll have
the funding on hand to make sure they’re covered for that whole period? Because you might need to
operate on a very strict budget otherwise; to get a ballpark figure, take a look at what you spend on a
yearly basis now, and then factor in that sort of number alongside your average expenses for the next
18 years. 


It May Take Hundreds to Cover Your Weekly Costs


And then you can look at the weekly costs. Newborn babies have a lot of needs, and those needs can
get very expensive, even on a 7-day basis; you’re going to need plenty of newborn diapers on hand at
least! 


And if you’re planning to breastfeed for a good while yet, which cuts back on the amount you’ll be
needing to spend on formula, you’ll probably need to invest in a breast pump. These can cost upwards
of $60, even on a cheaper budget, and who knows how long one will last for? So, think about the
quantities of items you’ll need, and the kind of schedule you’ll need to buy them on - in general, try to
bulk buy to keep the cost down. This is a good basis for working out your weekly budget with a new
baby in the house! 


If you’re about to be a first-time mama, don’t sweat too much! Just prepare! 

Friday, September 6, 2019

Medical Training Options

Below, we take a look at two popular medical training solutions…




Flu Training


With flu vaccinations far more visible than ever, it is hoped that more people will take up such
jabs. For this reason, it's essential your staff receive flu vaccination training that has satisfied
the mandatory levels set out by the government. With flu circulation generally at its peak during
December, it's important to make sure your staff are prepared for this, the busiest period of the
year for vaccinations. You may want into look into numbing products, like Emla cream, to make it
more comfortable for patients. While mandatory rules state that staff performing flu vaccinations
need only be trained in the relevant procedures every two years, it is good practice to offer a
refresher course to keep staff up-to-date – this can usually be done via an online medical
training website.  This is best done before the first cold snap to ensure staff are prepared for that
busy winter flu season. Why is it important? Well, confusion can easily occur due to uncertainty
when it comes to, for example, remembering the differences between products. The Fluarix and
Fluenz Tetra brands are both different vaccinations; one is a nasal vaccination (Fluenz) while
another is an arm injected vaccination (Fluarix) for those at risk, 65s and over, children and
pregnant women. Mistakes like this have, can and will be made – so a refresher course can help
reduce risk.


CPR And First Aid Training


CPR and first aid training is essential in some workplaces – such as those working with harsh
chemicals. But in other environments, the provisions for first aid can be rather basic. Companies
can be reluctant to invest in staff training as it is, so why provide more than the essentials when
it comes to first aid?


Basic medical training and CPR training can save lives. It's a very powerful thought. While money
might be spent on many different training courses, it will often be the case that these skills fail to
transcend the workplace. But CPR and basic first aid training can do just that. This can help
motivate staff and can be seen as a way of encouraging further engagement in other training
courses. It also shows a commitment towards your staff's safety, demonstrating to them that
your company cares about their well-being. Additionally, you may be an organisation that has
many clients and customers coming through your doors. Given that cardiac arrests can happen
at any time and to anyone, your staff may end up saving the life of a valued customer or client.
If a staff member or customer were to suffer a cardiac arrest in your workplace, it undoubtedly
would have a profound effect on staff – as well as their productivity. Training of these basic
techniques can help staff feel that they're prepared for scenarios that would otherwise be out of
their control. Essentially, a potential tragedy can be averted and its negative effects on all
involved can be mitigated through such training.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

3 Ways To Keep The Kids Out Of Mischief

As our brood grow older, they can become bored more easily. On those Saturdays when we have very
little planned, it can be difficult to keep them occupied. Many outings are expensive and it is nigh on
impossible to plan a jam packed weekend at the end of every week. Often we need to relax a little bit
ourselves. So, how do we keep the kids out of mischief without having to spend a small fortune?




Educate


Often we want to keep any outings that we do partake in a little more educational than usual. While
trips to a water park are fun, we can’t head to the same place every week. Sometimes, more cultural
excursions can be a perfect way to keep the kids occupied and have them learn something useful at
the same time. Consider checking out the local events that are on. Many of these are free and plenty
are exclusive. Some galleries run children’s workshops, a pop up museum might specialize in
interactive and hands on exhibits for kids, and sometimes open air plays and park events can be
cheap to attend for kids.


Get Outdoors


A trip to your local park to kick a ball around will be loved by your kids, especially if you and your
partner take them. While they might act all aloof, teenagers adore spending time with their families.
Quality family time like heading to the park for a picnic or venturing into the back garden for a
barbecue is a perfect way to while away the hours with your offspring. These moments allow you to
make memories and are totally free. All you need to do is light the barbecue or fetch the football from
the garage. You might want to head on a bicycle ride together or venture out into the countryside for
a hike. Whatever it is that you do outdoors, the fact that you are doing it together as a family is a
perfect way to keep the kids out of mischief.




Theme Parks


There’s nothing better for kids than to feel like they are going on a big adventure. For some children, a
theme park can be a daunting place. Theme parks don’t tend to be places that are visited on a  regular
basis, so this outing would be a real novelty. Encourage your brood to try new things. Perhaps they
can go on a roller coaster for the first time, experience the joys of the log flume, or try to win some
prizes in the amusement arcade. When you celebrate firsts, you are making worthwhile family
memories. If you have kids that love thrilling white knuckle rides, perhaps you can use a trip to a
theme park as a great incentive for good behavior.

Being a responsible parent means that you want to provide your little ones with meaningful life
enhancing experiences. Sometimes, we just don't have the means to do it all. However, follow this
guide, and you can keep your little darlings out of mischief.

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