Ghostwritermummy

Health is the new wealth

Work, Rest & Play: 6 Essential Apps for Busy Mums

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One of the defining challenges of being a mother is simply finding enough time within a 24-hour day to complete the myriad tasks on your list. Staying organised, getting stuff done, and looking after your wellbeing can feel like an immensely complicated juggling act, especially when you have a family to raise. 

Thankfully, technology is here to help. There are tons of great apps designed to make the days of people like us easier, more efficient, and a lot more fun. Here are the six absolutely essential apps that every busy mum should have on their phone. 

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Top 4 tips to help you save for the future

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Are you worried about your financial future? Not to worry, you’re not alone – especially in this time of uncertainty, as you’re bound to have doubts regarding your financial situation. However, despite the unknown future, it is still vital that you make a savings plan to create stability for your future. 

Top 4 tips to help you save for the future

It may be that you haven’t even saved up a penny, but this should not stop you from making small changes which will benefit you further down the line. Read these top tips to help you save and reach your financial goals in the future. 

Reduce your household bills 

If you’re particularly bad at saving, the easiest way to start is by cutting down your utility bills. Some people may not even realise how much they can save by making a comparison with their current provider, and all it takes is a simple internet search or phone call. By doing this, you can significantly reduce your outgoings, resulting in leftover expenditure which can be put towards your savings. 

Another way to reduce your bills is to cut down your usage; for example, you can vastly cut down your energy bills by becoming more eco-friendly. You can do this by simply switching off lights or electronics when they’re not needed and turning off radiators in rooms that are not in use. All of this can help you reduce your energy consumption, resulting in less money being paid out. 

Cut down on luxury spending 

Another way to reduce your outgoings is by reducing the amount you spend on luxury purchases, such as expensive holidays, high-end clothing and even food shopping. Instead, you should consider cheaper alternatives that fit within your budget for such items, preventing you from overspending on things you want rather than need. 

That’s not to say that you should completely deprive yourself of luxury items, as you can always find bargains during certain times of the year, so before making an impulse buy, you should do your research and be patient. This way you can still live somewhat of a luxury lifestyle, but it will be within your financial means. 

Make a sensible investment 

If you have the funds to do so you, you could consider putting your money into a long-term investment, which if successful, is great for paving the way to create financial security. There are several investments you could consider. However, the property market is known to be one of the most lucrative and secure sectors to enter into. 

If you’re unsure how to invest or where the best locations are, you should seek advice from property specialists like RW Invest, who are known for their expert buy-to-let advice and luxury developments in the North West. By working with professionals, you can guarantee that your investment will be secure, enabling you to make significant savings that could take you through to retirement. 

Set yourself up for retirement 

One of the main reasons why people save is so that they can be financially comfortable during their retirement without the worry of paying off debt or bills. The best way to do this is to plan and save early on by putting your money into a pension plan. This can be done via your employer, as many introduce payment schemes where a percentage of a wage is set aside every month and is not accessible to the worker until their retirement. 

You may be in your twenties and think it is far too early to think about retiring. However, if you think about it you will actually benefit more if you enter a pension plan, as the earlier you do it, the more money you will accumulate. This retirement account will offer automatic savings, as you will not be able to use this money for anything other

Three Ways to Banish Driving Anxiety

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Three ways to banish driving anxiety_Ghostwritermummy.co.ukThree ways to banish driving anxiety_Ghostwritermummy.co.ukRegular readers of the blog will know that around two years ago I started CBT therapy, and was more or less pushed into it by a crippling and growing fear of driving. Since I’m a mum of four with a husband who works away and various places I need to get to, this driving related anxiety needed to be dealt with. I’d let it go too long;  it was starting to interfere with every day life and making the smallest of tasks seem like the hugest mountains that I just could not climb by myself. Long story short, the driving was just the tip of it all, but that’s another post. I made great progress, but there are still some elements of getting behind the wheel that can stress me out, and I know I’m not alone. I’ve learned some great techniques for dealing with anxiety and worry, and today I thought I’d share my tips for my fellow nervous drivers out there. We can do this! Here are three ways to banish driving anxiety.

Tyres, tyres, tyres!

Do you know how to change a tyre? Do you know how to check them for air pressure and wear? Do you know what tyres are right for your car? If you answered no to any of those questions then I want you to get up right now to go and find out. Having the right tyres for your car is vital, and if you’re not sure there are professionals out there who will help and guide you. Go to a reputable place and make sure you have them fitted correctly. For example, Fife Autocentre stocks branded tyres in Stirling. Make sure to book your next tyres with them and you’ll be very good hands. It’s worth it, believe me. Which leads me on to my next tip…

Learn how your car works!

Your car is a very powerful machine, some may even say a potential weapon. Why on earth would you get behind the wheel without the first clue on how to operate it properly? Driving lessons are great, but they only teach you how to manoeuvre the car along the road, and how to reverse park into a tight space amongst other skills. All vital, but where are the car maintenance tips? I’ve been in the position of having a burst tyre with three kids in the car, hundreds of miles from home and clueless. This situation actually triggered the whole driving anxiety, so believe me I know its not a position you want to be in. Take some time to actually learn how your car works, and what it needs to maintain it well. Good places to start:

  • Know what your warning lights mean when they light up!
  • Know how to change the oil and other fluids.
  • Know how to change a tyre, or who to call and where to go when you need to.
  • Keep your owner’s manual handy- and read it from time to time.
  • Check the tyre pressure regularly.

I’m not saying that you need to take up the study of cars and mechanics, but you need to have at least some clue of what’s going on with your car and when you need to take it in for a service. Think of poor, terrified me- stranded with a burst tyre and no idea what to do. I was so lucky to flag down a helpful stranger, but it could have easily been such a different story.

Don’t be afraid to take refresher lessons

If you are nervous behind the wheel but you need to be able to drive to certain places every day, then it can honestly be crippling and such a strain on your very day life. Planning out your route, obsessing over every roundabout, traffic light or potential wrong turn. But the worst thing you can do is to simply give up and leave your car to gather dust on the driveway. Taking refresher lessons might be the answer for you here, so please don’t feel afraid to do this. We all need a little guiding hand now and then and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

What are your top tips for banishing driving anxiety?

*This is a collaborative post

It All Matters

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It All Matters_Ghowritermummy.co.ukIt’s a phrase heard by so many women and families, and one that many of us are now keenly aware of, trained to avoid and to challenge at all costs. A simple, well-meaning phrase that can shatter, destroy, devastate. Think I’m being over dramatic? I’m not. Telling a new mum that the horrendous, life changing experience she has encountered is ‘just one of those things’ can be hugely damaging. Telling her that her feelings are not valid, she’s not entitled to feel that way and she needs to focus on the positive can be huge damaging. Telling her all that matters is a healthy baby can be hugely damaging. Because the thing is that is all matters. All of it. Every word spoken, every note written, every slight glance given. This is her experience, her moment and her once in a lifetime pregnancy. It’s not just another day. It’s not a little blip in the road towards a positive outcome. It’s not all that matters….

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