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The Expense of Going to School*
In England, children start school the September after they turn four. For me, it’s too young. It’s too young to be in school 5 days a week for over 6 hours a day. Not only that but it’s so much more structured from the very start in comparison to when I went but I guess in a way, my daughter needed it. When my daughter started school, I was not prepared for the sheer cost of a child in primary school. Yes, I know from experience that being in University is an expensive business, but I did not anticipate how many hidden costs there would be of a child in…
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4 Ways to Get Money, Fast*
When I was a kid I never thought for a second that by nearly 30 I’d still be budgeting my money. In fact I think I budget more than ever. I like to take LM on adventures rather than buy material possessions and for that I have to live to a financial line every month. I need to earn enough to pay all my bills and put away enough to afford our adventures. Some months I do it, some months something happens and I’m frantically trying to make some more money in that last week of the month. Being self employed is hard, and it requires a lot of strength,…
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10 Easy Ways to Save Money*
Tomorrow is November, which brings us into what I find the two most expensive months of the year, the run up to Christmas (then I also have Little Miss’ birthday in January!) like the Asda advert constantly reminds us “every little helps” and with Christmas in mind, this is so true. I have to admit, I’m pretty terrible at saving money unless I have a deadline in mind like paying off a holiday. So here are 10 easy ways I use to save money. 1. Check that you’re paying the correct amount for gas & electricity using a website like Compare the Market. Sometimes there are even bonuses available if…
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Tips for Saving Money Part 2 – Adapting your Lifestyle*
Yesterday I posted the first in this two part series about saving money, that was about ways around the home to save money, today I’m looking at changes you can make to your lifestyle to save money. Yes, this isn’t for everyone.. at the end of the day it’s all about taking a good look at what you’d prefer to get out of life. For me the most important thing at the moment is taking my daughter on wonderful adventures, that’s my priority. If yours is going out partying every Saturday night, you won’t be able to manage to save for a Florida holiday if you’re on a low income,…
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Tips for Saving Money Part 1 – Around the House*
I often get asked how I fund my lifestyle as a single mother who works from home and relies on the unstable wage that comes with being self employed. In fact I’ve had some snide remarks that go alone with it, but aside from a few lucky breaks I’ve had in regards to travelling. I live on a very very strict budget and I’m always looking for ways to save money either in the now or in the long run. With the way the country is going, I’m never going to be rich, I’m probably never even going to own a house, but that doesn’t mean I want my daughter…
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Funding a Happy Life as a Single Mum*
I have now been a single mother for three years and I’ve lived alone with my daughter for almost two. For a while now I’ve been classed as self employed as I couldn’t face going back to shift work with the uncertainty who was going to be there for my little girl. I have retrained as an accountant, but while living in a small town there is limited jobs. I saw self employment as the best way to juggle both my finances and my family. Going back three years ago, I had no idea how I was going to survive on my own. I had lived away from home since…
