Here is a really useful site that has great tips on budgeting in different circumstances, with a emphasis on getting out of debt - useful for everyone!
http://www.readyforzero.com/resources/budgeting-tips/
Even if you save a dollar here and there, it all helps in unexpected situations!
Wednesday 12 June 2013
Saturday 18 May 2013
Make money posting on forums
Hey guys! I know you have all probably trawled the internet for money making opportunities, but I will share the site I use with you. It is not a spamming site, it is all done in partnership with forum owners.
It does pay quickly, all you need is good english grammar and the ability to follow instructions. It can take 24 hours for approval but once you are set up you can start posting on forums that are relevant to you. The site gives you points which you can redeem any day (once you have reached 100).
If you are a slow typist you may not make much money, but if you can reply and type quickly you can earn your self a little pocket money daily.
Try it and see if it is for you.... just go to the link here:
http://www.postloop.com/
I have a policy of only endorsing sites that I have used personally and I really think this one might be worth sticking with. A little extra money is better than no money!
Sharing the love if you will haha
It does pay quickly, all you need is good english grammar and the ability to follow instructions. It can take 24 hours for approval but once you are set up you can start posting on forums that are relevant to you. The site gives you points which you can redeem any day (once you have reached 100).
If you are a slow typist you may not make much money, but if you can reply and type quickly you can earn your self a little pocket money daily.
Try it and see if it is for you.... just go to the link here:
http://www.postloop.com/
I have a policy of only endorsing sites that I have used personally and I really think this one might be worth sticking with. A little extra money is better than no money!
Sharing the love if you will haha
Friday 3 May 2013
Easy and Cheap Recipes
One of our partner sites is an awesome place to find the quickest and easiest (and cheapest) recipes around. Please support them as they start up :) and you could even submit your own recipes!
http://www.easy-cheapyrecipes.blogspot.com
Also please don't forget to like our pages on Facebook up there on your left.
Thanks so much :)
Single Parent Counsellor (and friends)
http://www.easy-cheapyrecipes.blogspot.com
Also please don't forget to like our pages on Facebook up there on your left.
Thanks so much :)
Single Parent Counsellor (and friends)
Wednesday 1 May 2013
Playdough and Slime!
Can't go wrong with these easy recipes - I have tested them myself and you don't have to spend much money, or any, if you already have the ingredients.
PLAYDOUGH
You will need:
3 cups of flour
1 1/2 cups of salt
6tsp Cream of Tartar
3 cups of water
Food colouring
Put it all in a pot. You will need to slowly heat the mixture on a low/med heat. Stir the whole time - it doesn't take long for the dough to start pulling away from the sides. Take it off the heat at this stage and let it cool a little. You can add food colouring at this point, you could make two or three colours even. If you store this recipe well (in an airtight container) it will last a couple of months.
There are other recipes around that don't involve cooking but they are not as good as this one.
SLIME
Easy Peezy this one.
All you need is cornflour and water (and food colouring if you like). 2 cups of cornflour will make enough for a couple of kids to play with, but you can always increase the amount to make a bulk lot.
Slowly add water to the cornflour. For 2 cups of cornflour you will need approx. 1.5 cups of water, but check the consistency as you go.
Try and store the mixture in the fridge and if the cornflour settles in the bottom just give it a stir and it should go back to slime :)
Great for rainy winter days! Feel free to post any other tips or similar recipes in the comments.
PLAYDOUGH
You will need:
3 cups of flour
1 1/2 cups of salt
6tsp Cream of Tartar
3 cups of water
Food colouring
Put it all in a pot. You will need to slowly heat the mixture on a low/med heat. Stir the whole time - it doesn't take long for the dough to start pulling away from the sides. Take it off the heat at this stage and let it cool a little. You can add food colouring at this point, you could make two or three colours even. If you store this recipe well (in an airtight container) it will last a couple of months.
There are other recipes around that don't involve cooking but they are not as good as this one.
SLIME
Easy Peezy this one.
All you need is cornflour and water (and food colouring if you like). 2 cups of cornflour will make enough for a couple of kids to play with, but you can always increase the amount to make a bulk lot.
Slowly add water to the cornflour. For 2 cups of cornflour you will need approx. 1.5 cups of water, but check the consistency as you go.
Try and store the mixture in the fridge and if the cornflour settles in the bottom just give it a stir and it should go back to slime :)
Great for rainy winter days! Feel free to post any other tips or similar recipes in the comments.
Tuesday 30 April 2013
Thinking of studying?
It can be a bit daunting trying to decide what to do with your life, especially when your time is limited day to day. Here are some tips to getting started....
1) Request a free brochure/ guide from every training institute that is close enough to get to. Spend an evening looking through all your options and make a list of everything that stands out to you.
Ask other people what they think you might be good at but ultimately you have to do something that YOU want to do, otherwise it will hard to keep the motivation up.
2) Once you have an idea of the area you would like to study in do an internet search for any correspondence courses on offer as this may be easier if you have pre-schoolers etc.
3) Look at part time and full time study options in your chosen topic and be realistic about what you can cope with. If you have limited childcare options then you will need to look for something that has class times that will work for you.
4) If you are on a benefit have a talk to the right people about how studying could change your entitlements (it may or may not). In fact government agencies are often really happy to hear you are studying something useful.
5) Keep an eye out for any free short courses on offer around your area, this may be a good way to test out a topic before committing to a longer course.
6) If you are needing to get a loan for study make sure the course you want to do fits the criteria of the loan. You don't want to be disappointed after you have signed up if you find that your course is not eligible for student loans.
7) Some training institutes offer childcare on site so keep that in mind.
8) Don't be put off by courses that require lots of essays and assignments, every training institute has student support services that can help you if needed.
Finally, don't be afraid to try something new - 'the expert in anything was once a beginner too' - and take advantage of any help that is offered. In the long run you are setting up a better future for you and your kids, isn't that awesome!
1) Request a free brochure/ guide from every training institute that is close enough to get to. Spend an evening looking through all your options and make a list of everything that stands out to you.
Ask other people what they think you might be good at but ultimately you have to do something that YOU want to do, otherwise it will hard to keep the motivation up.
2) Once you have an idea of the area you would like to study in do an internet search for any correspondence courses on offer as this may be easier if you have pre-schoolers etc.
3) Look at part time and full time study options in your chosen topic and be realistic about what you can cope with. If you have limited childcare options then you will need to look for something that has class times that will work for you.
4) If you are on a benefit have a talk to the right people about how studying could change your entitlements (it may or may not). In fact government agencies are often really happy to hear you are studying something useful.
5) Keep an eye out for any free short courses on offer around your area, this may be a good way to test out a topic before committing to a longer course.
6) If you are needing to get a loan for study make sure the course you want to do fits the criteria of the loan. You don't want to be disappointed after you have signed up if you find that your course is not eligible for student loans.
7) Some training institutes offer childcare on site so keep that in mind.
8) Don't be put off by courses that require lots of essays and assignments, every training institute has student support services that can help you if needed.
Finally, don't be afraid to try something new - 'the expert in anything was once a beginner too' - and take advantage of any help that is offered. In the long run you are setting up a better future for you and your kids, isn't that awesome!
Monday 29 April 2013
Parenting tips
I came across this article a while ago and although it is meant for those who are new to single parenthood it applies to us all. I am impressed with how much it encourages 'self-care' as this can be overlooked. If you are in a good space then your children will benefit and parenting will be easier.
http://singleparents.about.com/od/support/tp/Single_Parenting_Tips.htm
Parenting is hard enough in a two-adult family unit but even harder when you are on your own. Make use of other stable people around you if you can - 'it takes a community to raise a child' so don't feel like you are failing by asking for help, in fact having a wider pool of good role models will only be of benefit for your children as they grow up.
Have a good week everyone.
W8SGSTV2DBFM
http://singleparents.about.com/od/support/tp/Single_Parenting_Tips.htm
Parenting is hard enough in a two-adult family unit but even harder when you are on your own. Make use of other stable people around you if you can - 'it takes a community to raise a child' so don't feel like you are failing by asking for help, in fact having a wider pool of good role models will only be of benefit for your children as they grow up.
Have a good week everyone.
W8SGSTV2DBFM
Sunday 28 April 2013
4 Ingredient Recipes
I thought we would start with some a link to some easy recipes. In Australia recently there were a couple of women who released some recipe books where everything was based on 4 ingredients only(http://www.4ingredients.com.au/). They were SO easy and cheap and really tasty too. If you can't afford (or find) the books then there are a few sites that will give you some similar recipes, often submitted by readers. So here are a couple of good links:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,4_ingredient,FF.html
http://busycooks.about.com/od/fiveingredientsorless/a/500fiveingredie.htm
Let me know what you think, I have tried some of these myself. You can add your own embellishments or whatever else you have in your pantry. If you have your own 3,4 or 5 ingredient recipe that you would be willing to have posted on this blog you can email me :)
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,4_ingredient,FF.html
http://busycooks.about.com/od/fiveingredientsorless/a/500fiveingredie.htm
Let me know what you think, I have tried some of these myself. You can add your own embellishments or whatever else you have in your pantry. If you have your own 3,4 or 5 ingredient recipe that you would be willing to have posted on this blog you can email me :)
Welcome!
Well we single parents are a proud bunch, we don't always like asking for help so this blog is all about resources we can use ourselves to improve our situation. We will cover topics like budgeting, parenting, difficult relationships, working and more. On my other blog (www.singleparentcounsellor.blogspot.com) I will concentrate on more of the emotional stuff but this one is all about proactive tips and advice.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)