The summer holidays are just around the corner (6 sleeps if you ask Boo) and with it comes a holiday, a birthday and over a month to fill with activities. I view the summer holidays as a mini new year (I’ve talked about how I’ve come to love January); as the perfect time to evaluate how the goals you set back in January are doing, and check in on finances and the household budget – something as the sole earner who is a self-employed I feel is super important to stay on top of.

Here are my top budgeting tips for summer…

1. Repurpose/Recycle/Resell

It’s no secret that I’m a a big fan of minimalism – having tried the minimalist game two years ago, I’ve found a way that works for me. It’s not all about living with one cup, one chair, it’s about creating balance and peace in your home. I want my possessions to represent me not define me. I find summer is a great time to get back into it and I’ll go though things that I no longer like or perhaps that Boo has outgrown and then sell them online (a great activity to get slightly older children involved with) or donate them to charity. Even if single items only sell for a few pounds an afternoon of sorting and listing will often earn my nearly £100 which is great for helping towards new school uniform.

2. Switch Utilities

Direct debits are a wonderful convenient thing and something that make modern family life just that little bit easier when it comes to budgeting. Utilites are like any relationship, we get comfortable and before you know it, you’re been on the same tariff with the same provider for years. I was guilty of this but I make a point every yer to go through my online statements and look at usage and if other tariffs providers would be better suited to out needs and budget; it really is amazing how much you can save each month and it takes less than an hour to sort from start to finish.

3. Seasonal Meal Planning

Cooking for one adult and one child can be bit tricky sometimes, and is definitely much easier if I plan especially if I wan to avoid food wastage (one of my biggest bug bears). Meal planning is one of those family life hacks that is as simple as it is great. Long summer evenings and an extra pair of hands around during the day means it’s time to rotate your menus to keep dinnertime fresh and take advantage of seasonal produce that is often on special offer, meaning new to you dishes that continue to save you money.

We all know that life and finances don’t go to plan and no matter how hard you try to be prepared there are occasion in life when you can’t budget for everything – that’s where Cash Lady comes in, offering a short term simple financial solution; as always it’s important you discover all the terms and conditions before deciding if this is right for you.

What are you top budgeting tips? Let me know in the comments below.

Disclosure: A fee was received for this post.

As parents, we all want the absolute best for our kids, and to get them off to the best start in life. Over recent years more and more focus has been placed on healthy eating, and not a week seems to go by without the press reporting on the growing ‘obesity crisis’ throughout the population. Meanwhile, as working parents, our lives just keep getting busier, and convenience foods are more readily available, so striking a balance between convenience and nutrition can be hard to achieve.

According to the ELNC (Early Life Nutrition Coalition), the first 1,000 days that span from preconception to toddlerhood is crucial to your child’s health. 

Over time children’s tastes can change, and a child that would previously eat anything that was put on their plate can become fussy, this can make ensuring that your child receives the right levels of nutrition even harder to achieve. If all this sounds familiar, and you are looking for ways to develop healthy eating habits in your children, then you may find these tips helpful:

Be a Good Role Model

Stress, comfort, convenience… there are many reasons why adults eat the ‘wrong’ foods. Many adults emotionally eat, and many parents are left feeling like hypocrites, especially when trying to make their children eat healthily while doing the exact opposite themselves.

As all parents know, kids imitate the behaviour they see from the adults around them, so if you want your child to eat healthily, you will need to practice what you preach and be an excellent food role model to them.

Add Some Variety

Trying new flavours and different recipes is an exciting thing to do together with the kids. Whether you are taking inspiration from cuisine that you have sampled on holiday, or have simply spotted a fruit that looks interesting at the greengrocers for you all to try, widening your child’s tastes is a great way to keep them open-minded about the food that they eat.

A child that is used to sampling a whole range of different flavours is less likely to be a fussy eater later in life, and will be more willing to sample the many different delicious foods there are out there, just ready and waiting to be tried.

Cook Together

Getting your child involved with cooking meals and baking has so many benefits. Cooking is such an important life skill, and knowing how to cook from scratch rather than relying on convenience food will set your child up for a healthy approach to both cooking and nutrition in adulthood. 

Children are usually much more likely to try foods that they have helped to cook and will feel a huge sense of pride to see the rest of the family eating something that they have prepared. Helping out with the cooking is not only beneficial from a nutritional point of view, but it is also a perfect way to spend time together working on a task and then sharing what you have created together.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

Working in the healthcare system can be one of the most rewarding ways to spend a career. Whether you’re working on the frontline as a doctor or nurse or you’re part of the administrative and operational side of the organisation, the contribution you make to people’s lives is enormous. In fact, the field of healthcare administration offers a much wider range of careers than many people are aware of. There are numerous options for healthcare administrators at all stages in their career. Here are five of the most popular career paths administration professionals may want to consider in the field of healthcare.

Hospital Administrator

One of the most well-known and highly regarded positions in healthcare administration is the hospital administrator. The administrator in this setting is responsible for the operational and financial management of the entire hospital. This includes maintaining levels of patient care through the optimization of procedures, processes, staff training and development, and technological advancements. To apply for a position as a hospital administrator, a candidate will often have a master’s degree in healthcare administration. Visit http://onlinemha.bc.edu/ to learn how to study online and what’s involved in the course.

Discharge Planner

The role of a discharge planner is also within a hospital setting but is a more focused role. A discharge planner ensures patients have the care and support they need to approve them to leave the hospital’s care. This includes medical and social support and requires a high level of collaboration with a variety of other medical professionals. The role also requires a deep understanding of insurance practices and documentation with exceptional organizational skills. Many discharge planners progress to the role of working as a nurse or social worker and often have a bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Healthcare Consultant

One of the most varied roles in healthcare administration is that of a healthcare consultant. This role involves working with a variety of healthcare facilities and professionals to advise them on how to improve their procedures and level of patient care. This could be by identifying inefficient practices and devising solutions, which will enable them to provide improved care and financial situation. This type of work is ideal for someone who enjoys meeting new people, problem-solving and would like variety in their role. A master’s degree in healthcare administration is often necessary.

Practice Manager

While a hospital administrator is responsible for a hospital’s operation, a practice manager is responsible for a private healthcare facility or a public healthcare clinic. This involves the training and supervision of staff, the maintenance of medical records in accordance with federal standards, and managing patient complaints. A practice manager will often have experience in office management as well as a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration.

Nursing Home Administrator

Similarly to the hospital administrator and the practice manager, a nursing home administrator manages the operations and care levels at nursing homes. This includes managing the finances of the organisation, supervising staff, and maintaining positive relationships with residents and their families. The National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards provides certification for this role and but the exact educational standards required to the exam vary depending on the state you are in.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

It can happen to anyone at any time. You’re driving along, minding your own business, being vigilant
and wary of other road users, then suddenly you hear a loud bang, you’re sent skidding across the
tarmac and you’re in a lot of pain. You’ve just been involved in a car accident.

Not only is being involved in a car crash incredibly traumatising, but it can also be made worse when
the driver who was at fault decides to place the blame on you. Talk about adding insult to injury…so
now, not only do you have to deal with hefty medical bills, time off work, getting your car repaired etc. You have to prove your innocence and ensure you get the justice you deserve!

This is when most victims reach out to a personal injury lawyer. After a crash, hiring a lawyer just
makes sense. But, how can you prove that you weren’t to blame? Here we’ll look at how it’s possible
to prove that you weren’t at fault after a car accident.

Camera footage

We live in a digitised world, which means that you’ll find cameras everywhere. And in scenarios like this, camera footage of the accident can prove you weren’t to blame. Your own dashcam footage or even the footage from someone else’s vehicle could add weight to your claim. Even CCTV outside
shops and other properties or even cameras set up along the roadside.

Witness statements

It might be your word against theirs. But if there were witnesses of the crash, they may be able to
add some much-needed clarity. This is why it’s important to gather names and contact details of
anyone who may have seen what happened. This could be pedestrians or other road users.

The police report

After the crash, the police should have been called so they could attend the scene. In doing so
they’re able to piece together a report of what they think probably happened and who they believe
was at fault. If your statement is backed up by the information gathered in the police report then
you’re more likely to be proven innocent and be able to pursue a personal injury claim.

Evidence from the scene

As mentioned above, gathering evidence from the scene such as witness testimonies can help your
cause. But you can also gather other evidence to help. Videos or photographs of the scene and the
injuries. The positioning of the vehicles when they came to a halt. The road conditions and even the weather can all help prove your innocence.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative guest post.