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5 Ways to Improve Financial Security for your Family

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Improving your family’s financial security does not have to involve a huge change of lifestyle. Your family might already live comfortably, or you could be living modestly just to get by. Small changes, no matter what your circumstances, are possible and do not have to be drastic and difficult to manage. Here are a few simple ways to get started.

Ways to Improve Financial Security

Plan for the Future

While it’s never pleasant to think about, there may come a time when you can no longer provide for your family due to illness or death. A will can be the difference between a clear, civilised proceeding in which your exact wishes are fulfilled, and a messy squabble that can cause nothing but stress and heartache for your loved ones. There are many legal specialists, such as Turner Freeman , who can help you set this up.

Impulse Spending

Identify unnecessary spending in your life. Does your family tend to spend impulsively? Set out a plan and think about areas where you could cut back. Is there a daily coffee run, or do you eat out several times a week? Treating yourself every so often will not break your bank, but you could be spending unnecessarily when cheaper options are available. Discover ways to entertain your family that are inexpensive, or even free.

Be a Smart Shopper

Make a list of all of your expenses. When you buy groceries, there are usually generic brands that are cheaper, and quite close to the name brand. Seek out coupon books, or consider how you can cater on-special items to your family’s lifestyle. Put your family under a one-month test: only buy necessity items without any extras. At the end of the month compare what was spent and where you can incorporate the extra savings and cutbacks on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

Develop a Debt Plan

Do you have multiple debts, credit cards, or bills looming? Develop a debt elimination plan to make your debt more manageable. Organise what you owe from largest to smallest. Each month pay a little bit back on the highest amount. Little by little this debt will be eliminated and then you can move down the list with your payments. Slowly decreasing what you owe might take a long time, maybe even years to achieve, but by keeping at it, the numbers will look more manageable, and your family will be more secure. When you get rid of one, celebrate!

Pay Bills Immediately

Whenever you get a bill, pay it right away. This will help you to not spend the money meant for a utility, or house payment. By paying immediately, your regular budget expenses are taken care of, so for the rest of the month, you do not have to worry about having enough, or accidentally spending money meant for something else. Try online automatic bill payment so that each month, the expenses come out without you having to think too much about budgeting around the items that are due.

By adopting simple steps, you can help your family to save and become financially secure for when it counts.

Have you developed tricks to save money? Share your story below.

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5 tips to save money on your electricity bill

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Everyone wants to save money any way they can and it’s no secret that electricity has become one of the large expenses in our day to day lives. There are some very simple things that can easily save money on your electricity bill that require little to no extra effort.

5 tips to save money on your electricity bill

1. SHOWERS

  • Purchase a kitchen timer. These are fantastic to monitor and control the time spent in the shower. We put one in our main bathroom for the kids and set it to 4 minutes. It has not only saved money on our electricity bill but it has also reduced our water usage.
  • Use energy efficient shower heads. Again this not only cuts your electricity bill by lowering your water heating costs, you will also save money on your water bill.

2. UTILISE THE SUN

  • Avoid using the clothes dryer. Yes it is convenient and I am guilty of using it as my preference (especially in winter) however it is a money drainer. The sun is much more efficient; it’s faster and free. It is definitely worth the few extra minutes it takes to hang your clothes on the line for all the money you will save.

3. FLICK THE SWITCH

This is probably the most commonly talked about way to save money on your power bill because it is easy and it works.

  • Switch off lights as you leave the room, if no one is in the room there is no need for them to be on.
  • Flick powerpoints off when you aren’t using the device. Things like toasters, kettles, hair dryers, DVD players, TVs and washing machines aren’t in constant use which means they aren’t required to be using electricity 24/7.

4. SOLAR PANELS

  • Solar panels are a great investment. Yes there is some start-up cost however you will see instant savings on your electricity bill.
  • You could potentially even make money by selling additional energy back to the grid ~ now that’s a bonus worth considering.
  • There are a couple of options to suit your needs – Grid Connect Solar System and Stand Alone System. A1 Battery Pro explains the difference and how each one has its own benefits.
  • For more incentives check out Australian Government ~ Clean Energy Regulator. 

5. RESEARCH

  • Shop around the electricity/power companies for the best deal available in your area. Energy Made Easy is a great free website that allows you to compare electricity and gas offers in a few simple steps.
  • As you receive each bill compare it to your last one so you can see what is working. As your bill is reduced it will give you incentive to continue finding ways to save money on your electricity bill.

Do you have a great tip that could help others save money on their bill?
I’d love for you to share them by leaving a comment below ~ nothing is too small, every cent counts.

Mother’s Choice offers 20% discount

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The iconic Mother’s Choice is celebrating their 40th anniversary and they want to share their excitement with you by offering a 20% discount off everything online. I remember when I first found out I was pregnant with B1 (8 and a half years ago); it was the shock of a lifetime. Like a lot of young families we didn’t have a lot of money so we went in search of good quality products that didn’t cost us more than we afford. We found a Mother’s Choice car seat similar to the Emperor convertible seat on sale and after researching safety, touching for quality and checking our budget, we purchased it. It was reasonably priced and suited our requirements perfectly. It provided enough padding that bub was going to be comfortable, it was easy to keep clean, simple to adjust and stress-free to install.

People often assume reasonably priced baby equipment means poor quality however we had that particular car seat for years. It had many spills, hours of babies/toddlers travelling in it and it eventually became the extra seat in our second car for when family and friends needed a babysitter. We never once had an issue with wear and tear, poor quality or have anything negative to say about the Australian nursery brand Mother’s Choice because as a company they catered to our wants and requirements when we needed it most.

There is a reason why brands like Mother’s Choice are able to celebrate the amazing achievement of turning 40 and it’s not sheer luck. It is determination, knowing what your customers desire, what they need, remaining innovative, up to date and wanting the best for their consumers while remaining budget friendly. Congratulations on this wonderful milestone, I expect to see many more in the future.

To take advantage of this great 20% deal please click the Mother’s Choice link above to view the website and use the CODE: 40th_20%_Discount
(Valid till end of August)

Disclosure: This post was written in collaboration with Mother’s Choice however all opinions are my own.

My Best Friend Is a Bag – Leather Nappy Bag

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Baby bags or nappy bags as many know them as have come a long way in the past few years; they no longer look like daggy old bags designed specifically for carting around nappies, wet wipes, bottles, spare clothes, snacks, etc. They now look like stylish handbags; yet they are still practical for the needs and requirements of a newborn or toddler.

My Best Friend Is a Bag has a gorgeous range of baby bags that double as handbag. When you are lucky enough to go out alone her name is Victoria and when you have your little ones in tow she is known as Harper. I love that regardless if you are using for yourself or for your baby it caters every need. It can hold all babies things with room for your essentials as well; all while looking fabulous and downright stylish. Oh did I mention they are top quality Napa leather? Which ultimately means it is easier to keep clean, it’s as simple as giving it a quick wipe down.

I love the range of colours available in this handbag / leather nappy bag; there is definitely something to suit everyone. I have been reviewing the giraffe animal print which is absolutely adorable but there are many others to choose from that I wouldn’t say no to owning either! The colour selection includes: Burnt Orange, Chocolate, Giraffe Animal print, Truffle or Watermelon Pink. It is very hard to pick a favourite colour.

 The Harper/Victoria Leather Bag  (leather nappy bag) would make a great gift for baby showers, Mother’s Day, birthday or even anniversary because it is so versatile. They retail for $295-$320 but they are all currently reduced to $160!! That’s half price for a great quality, practical and stylish handbag/baby bag.

You can visit the website here to see what other fantastic products are available or like them on facebook here.

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