4 Ways To Save Money As A Busy Mum

 Being a parent is one of the most fulfilling things that you can do in life. However, it is rarely inexpensive. Children are constantly growing out of clothes and accidentally breaking things. And then there is the usual cost of day-to-day living. Quickly, you will notice that money is tighter than it was before, so how do you save money? Here are four tips to help you learn how to manage your money better.

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Buy second hand

As stated previously, children are continually growing out of their clothes, which means that very quickly, you end up with a load of clothes that they are now too big for. Therefore, you should limit how many items of clothing you buy, but look into buying second-hand clothes for your children. Not only is this better for the planet, but they are less expensive to buy so you will not be spending a lot of money on clothes which get little use. When you have finished using these clothes you can also put them back into charity shops so that someone else can benefit from them. 

Enjoy time at home with the kids

Everyone loves a good day out with the kids, but trips to the swimming pool, the cinema, and shopping all begin to quickly add up to quite a lot of money. So, if you are trying to save money, you should look into fun activities that you can do with your children at home. For example, you could rent Christmas movies from your local library’s DVD section. In the summers, you could arrange homemade picnics or set up a tent in your back garden; your children will love spending the long days in a tent with their toys. 

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Do your own repairs

Whether your car has broken down or your kitchen table has collapsed, it will always be cheaper to find the parts to repair them yourself. Whilst this will likely take more time out of your day, the savings may be great, and you will have learned a new skill along the way. If you’re not good at doing repairs by yourself, you could ask any friends or family members who you know are good at that sort of thing and treat them to a nice homemade dinner afterwards to say thank you. 

Ask friends and family for any of their children’s old toys

When it comes to buying toys for your children, they are often quite expensive. However, if you have nieces and nephews who are older than your children, you could ask their parents if they have any of their old toys lying around that you could give to your children. This way, a toy gets a new lease of life and your child gets some new toys to play with that have not broken the bank. Children often grow tired of toys very quickly, so it seems silly to spend a lot of money on every toy you give them.

Simple Self Care Steps To Take Before Bed

 

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Self care is one of the core things we should be doing every day to help us feel more relaxed, healthy, and refreshed in our lives. There are so many amazing ways that you can practice self care in your life, and today we want to consider some evening steps that will make you feel renewed and relaxed ready for a good night's sleep. 


Here are some of the things you can do this evening to make yourself feel fresh and wonderful before bed. 



Have a warming bath 


There is nothing better than a warm bath, and especially as we enter the winter season it will warm you to the core and make you melt into your sofa for the evening after. Add a lovely bath bomb or some Epsom salts to help relieve tension in the body and then get ready to wrap up cosy and warm. 


Wear a Dressing Gown


After a relaxing bath, the last thing you want to do is get into a tight pair of jeans and a shirt. That’s why when you get out of the bath you should wrap up in your cosiest dressing gown and make the most of feeling renewed and relaxed. A soft dressing gown will make you feel like you are wrapped up in bed and this will help you to feel chilled out and get you ready for the next part of your pamper session. 


Pamper your skin 


Once you are out of the bath and you have cleansed the skin, it’s time to apply some other products that will renew and rejuvenate. The first of these products is a toner. Use a gentle toner to help balance the pH of the skin and reduce the appearance of your pores. You can then add a serum or oil to help make your skin feel super soft and youthful. Finally, it’s time for you to apply a moisturiser. Try to pick one that has things such as collagen and vitamin e in it because both of these things will do wonders for the skin and help it to feel refreshed and renewed. 



Drink a cup of peppermint tea 



If you are wondering how to get a good night's sleep when you have a busy life and kids running around all over the place, it’s all about calming the body and mind to help you slip into that perfect sleep. Peppermint tea is a herbal tea that is amazing for relaxing the mind and it will help you to unwind from the stresses of the day in no time at all. Drift off in bliss and enjoy a wonderful night of sleep. 



Place hair in a protective style 


The final step to your night time self care routine is to put your hair into a protective style for the evening. It is important to do this because it will help your hair to stay soft and supple and will prevent split ends. The most popular protective hairstyle is a braid, and this will not only protect your hair but it will allow you to wake up with beachy waves in the morning!