Teaching your kids is one of the greatest joys of being a parent, and is something which most people relish the opportunity to do. You will help them with their homework, take them on education days out, and spend loads of time talking to them to broaden their knowledge of the world. Of course, though, when it comes to money, a lot of people start to struggle and will have no idea how to get started in this area with a child. To make this easier for you, this post will be exploring some of the key methods which can be used when you approach money with someone young.

The Value Of Money

Understanding what money is worth is crucial when someone is trying to manage it properly. You can’t get this by having cash thrown at you, though, with earning some for yourself is the best way to achieve this goal. When your child is old enough, the should be encouraged to get a job of their own. While this won’t pay any of the bills, it will give your kids the chance to test themselves, with the items they want to buy only being accessible once they’ve earned them.

The Power Of Research

A lot of people experience problems with their money which can be easily solved, but they will still find themselves struggling as time goes on. To overcome this, a little bit of research is usually all it takes, and anyone with an internet connection has the power to do this. If you want to use a company like Credit Wise, for example, it will be worth comparing it with others in the same field. This is well worth passing onto your kids, as it can also help them to do research in other areas of their life.

Savvy Saving

Putting money away for the future is an incredibly important part of keeping yourself secure. When you’re spending as much as you earn, though, it will be impossible to save, and this is something which a lot of modern people are experiencing. Saving money on purchases is a great way to handle this. Teaching your child to use coupons and deals, buy items which are on sale, and move onto cheaper brands is a great way to solve this part of their life.

Some Exposure

Of course, you can teach your child loads about money, but they won’t learn properly until you’ve given them the chance to be exposed to it a little bit. Letting your child handle money from an early age is a great way to make them responsible for it. Pocket money is an excellent approach to take, but you should have them earn it as best they can, completing chores and helping you with housework to make the money they want to spend.

The modern world can be hard for a young person, especially when it comes to money. As the world becomes more consumer-driven, it gets harder for everyone to avoid spending too much, and this problem is only going to get worse. Of course, though, with some early training, you can make this part of life a lot simpler for your little ones.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

There are various career paths to choose from, and sometimes it can be hard to know which is the right one to follow. Not only do you need to find a role that challenges you and that you enjoy, but you also need to think about how well this career can provide for your future. Yes, there are many things to choose from, but one option is to focus on a data-focused role. This might sound tedious to a lot of people, but data research and analysis can be very interesting, and these careers can certainly offer a lot. Below are four reasons why you should consider pursuing a career in data.

1.   Demand

Data has always been important, but there have been advancements in the way data is collected in the last few decades, giving the business a much more in-depth look at consumer patterns. Being able to follow, and even predict, trends has helped countless companies stay relevant and lead the way in their respective industries. As a result, there has been an increasing demand for data scientists, analysts, engineers, and so forth. This demand has been on the rise and continues to be so, with no indication that it will be slowing down anytime soon.

2.   Salary

Money isn’t everything, and your career needs to be about more than that, but no one can deny that a good salary makes things a lot more comfortable. Data-focused job roles tend to offer generous salaries. For example, the average data scientist salary in the United States is $123,888, which is more than comfortable. If you did want to pursue this career path or a similar one, you would need to get a college-level education in a relevant subject, like maths or computer science. You may also need a master’s degree or equivalent for certain roles. If you have a relevant bachelor’s degree but want to get a master’s in data science, most colleges offer MSM online admissions for your convenience and further information on the course.

3.   Specialism

Another great reason to pursue a career in data is that these roles are specialist. Working in a specialist role can provide better leverage for negotiation when it comes to job interviews and salary arrangements in some cases, and can reduce the size of the competition when it comes to other candidates. This isn’t to say that you won’t still have to compete with other data specialists in your industry, but as it requires expertise, it isn’t a job that will be open to just anybody.

4.   Job Security

Finally, as there is an ever-growing demand for data experts, this can provide you with peace of mind that the job will remain secure. Even if you don’t stay with a specific company for the entirety of your career, you shouldn’t struggle to find a new job role somewhere else if that ever did happen. Businesses in every sector will always be looking for data analysts and scientists to help them develop their strategies and operations, so it’s a career path that you know you can stick with until you decide to retire.

There are plenty of career options available, but a career in data might be one of the most well-paid and secure paths to follow, which is why it’s worth your consideration.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

I worked with Premier League Primary Stars earlier this year to celebrate the publication of Try Try Again – a collection of poems by children. I’m excited to be working with them again. Premier League and Primary Stars provide educational campaigns across England and Wales using Football to engage children.

The Premier League Writing Stars poetry competition returns for its second year to inspire children aged between five and eleven to get creative and pen their own poem on the theme of diversity. With Boo’s health hurdles, I was delighted when Premier League Writing Stars still wanted to work with us despite Boo not being able to enjoy PE at the moment as it shows they really are championing diversity and inclusion. Football doesn’t have to be your child’s ‘thing’ for them to take advantage of this amazing opportunity.

A poem, Beautifully Different, Wonderfully the Same by Joeseph Coelho has been specially written for the Premier League Writing Stars poetry competition, check out it being read out by an all-star cast, it’s a lovely poem with words that resonate with both adults and children alike.

Primary school children can then write a poem based on the theme of diversity and enter the competition with some fantastic prizes to be won: –

• A Premier League Trophy visit to your school
• A visit to your school by a children’s author or poet to lead a poetry workshop
• Winning poems read aloud by one of our star judges
• Poems published in an official Premier League Writing Stars book with bespoke illustrations
• An invitation to a national celebration event and the chance to meet other poets and special guests
• A framed version of the winning poems
• Poetry book bags for all winners’ school

The judging panel for this year includes former Premier League footballer Rio Ferdinand, singer and songwriter Olly Murs, Waterstone’s Children’s Laureate Lauren Child, poet Joseph Coelho.

Former Premier League footballer and BT Sport presenter, Rio Ferdinand, said: “Diversity is a really important topic for young people to explore and write about, so I’m very excited to be a part of this year’s Premier League Writing Stars judging panel. As a former Premier League footballer, I’ve shared a dressing room and a pitch with people from different countries, cultures and backgrounds. Football has an amazing ability to unite us, as players, as fans and as people. As a parent with an interest in poetry, I think Writing Stars can inspire children to openly discuss and celebrate their differences and similarities both at home and in the classroom.”

You can sign up and enter here

Poetry is one of the first ways I was truly able to express myself as a child and I’m so glad that Premier League Writing Stars is helping to bring this to children – here’s a snap of Boo being Boo, because to children, celebrating the wonderful differences of each of us is second nature and something we could learn to do more of from them.

The deadline for registration and submission is 21st December 2018 – Good luck!

Disclosure: A fee was received for my time.

It’s not easy being a parent and running a household. Not only do you have to make sure that every family member is happy, learning, and well-fed, but you also have to manage a budget. That budget can be the cause of a massive amount of stress, which is why it’s always a good idea to check over your monthly bills and look at ways to reduce them. The less money that you waste, the more than you can save for special occasions. If you’re looking at your monthly expenses and wondering how you can start spending less without a reduction in your quality of life, here are some excellent starting points.

Saving on Your Commute

Commuting is expensive. If you travel to work every day, then you’re paying a consistent amount of money every month that could be put to far better use. You have to go to work, but it is possible to make your commute cheaper. Consider cutting your petrol costs by trying out the following options:

• Use public transport: Often cheaper than your car insurance and petrol costs, getting the bus or the train might help reduce your overall spending.
• Car share: If possible, take it in turns to drive to work with others in your neighbourhood. That way, everyone saves! Not only is this financially responsible, but it’s also better for the environment too!
• Remote working: You might be able to cut your travel costs by asking if it’s possible to work from home a few days every week. Remote working is easier than ever thanks to technology, and it’s becoming a popular way of reducing travel costs.

Reducing Your Insurance

Having insurance is a fantastic safety net that you don’t want to fall behind on, but that monthly payment can be very frustrating, especially if you’re being overcharged on your insurance options. Shop around, and look for the insurance type you need at the price you can afford. Look at sites like Insurance Geek and make sure that you’re getting the best deal for your money. Don’t make the mistake of cancelling your insurance policies, but making sure that you’re sticking within your budget is essential.

Entertainment Costs

Nobody wants to cut out their entertainment, but you might be spending more than you need. Consider cutting some of these regular expenses:

• Cancel subscriptions: While having a monthly delivery of your favourite magazines is convenient, do you really need them delivered to your door?
• Stop buying: You don’t need a vast DVD collection when everything you want to watch is online. It’s the same with music and books as well. Your local library is an incredible resource for getting the latest bestsellers, and they also have music and films as well. What’s more, your kids will learn to love the weekly library trip!

Running a home is rarely easy, and worrying over your finances is common. Make sure that you take the time to check your monthly expenditures, and trim the fat where you can. There’s no need to go without the essentials, but with some shopping around and some out-of-the-box thinking, you can make sure that you and your family have more money left over at the end of every month.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.