February 22, 2012

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Advice for a busy working mum

January 3, 2012 By

If you are a busy working mum then it can often feel as though there are simply not enough hours in the day. This is especially the case if your partner works too and more so if you are bringing up your children on your own.

Two of the biggest concerns for working mums are time and money. We need to work in order to support our families and yet this can often mean we don’t have enough time to do other things, such as housework. After all, once we come home the last thing we want to do is spend all evening tidying; we want to spend time with our children.

Save yourself time and money by investing in a few key household products that no working mum should be without. One of the best buys is Fairy Liquid. Other brands or shops’ own versions may be cheaper but (as the advert rightly says), it’s a false economy as you will end up running out faster because they don’t work as effectively. Save money by using Printable Coupons to get money off quality products, rather than opting for cheaper but less effective versions, and save time by benefiting from the quality that these products provide.

Washing up liquids aren’t the only things you can save time and money on. Use money-off coupons to save money on a whole host of everyday family products, such as groceries, clothing, nappies, baby formula, restaurant meals and even fabulous family days out.

As a busy working mum, it is important to spend time with your kids when you can, so a good tip is to look out for those money-off vouchers that offer fantastic discounts on family days out, such as to theme parks, animal parks or children’s museums, and make the most of them! Spending time with your family doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and you will feel all the richer for it.

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How to decorate your tenants’ properties

October 14, 2011 By

If you’re a landlord, you’ll realise the importance of making sure your properties look perfect every year, so you attract new tenants.

There are some rooms which are more important than others when it comes to shared houses, namely the bedroom and the living room. Bedrooms are where people can get a bit of privacy, so they want them to be relaxing and comfortable for lounging around in. While the living room needs to be both practical and sociable, so people can really feel at home in their rented property. Chances are people will often have guests coming to stay with them, which is when sofa beds make a useful addition to any living room. You’ll want to find some which are comfortable to sit and sleep on; otherwise they’ll be a fairly redundant feature of your room.

Even though the perfect bed is often a matter of choice and preference, it makes sense to look for beds for sale every couple of years to update the ones you’ve got in your properties. You want some which are fairly firm and will support someone’s weight well. It’s advisable to try out a few different beds before buying one – you want your tenants to get a good night’s sleep. When it comes to decorating, you probably want to find fairly neutral colours, so nothing you choose clashes with the things your tenants bring to the property. Go for creams around the house, perhaps adding a feature wall in a few rooms where there’s less likely to be much tenant input – the living room, for example.

A lick of paint can make a big difference to a space, so make sure you update your décor regularly in order to attract prospective tenants to your property year after year.

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Reduce your firm’s carbon footprint with a shredder

October 6, 2011 By

If you’re starting a new business, you could get it off on the right foot by ensuring it has good green credentials.

Increasingly, there’s a huge emphasis on being green and making sure companies’ carbon footprints are reduced by being more environmentally friendly.

Using office shredders is a great way to be more eco friendly. You’ll be able to recycle the paper you’ve shredded, which will help to save some of the millions of trees which are felled every year in forests and rainforests around the world.
It is estimated that recycled paper uses significantly less energy and causes less air pollution than creating the same amount from wood pulp.

As well as the boost to green credentials, using paper shredders helps to protect valuable data and information. It’s vital for all companies to look after the data of their clients and dispose of it in the correct manner. Organisations of all sizes now have a responsibility to protect their customers’ information and you can do this most effectively if you have shredders in your office.

Through shredding information, you’ll stop any valuable data getting into the wrong hands. If your business is one which sends packages regularly, shredded paper could prove to be extremely useful. Instead of using foam, you’ll be able to pack paper into parcels instead to protect whatever you’re sending from being damaged.

The most inexpensive way of shredding is having your own within the office. This will allow you to use it whenever you need it and not be reliant upon an external service. It’s a one-off cost as well, once you’ve purchased one, you’ll be able to use it time and time again.

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Business Woman Versus Estate Agent

October 1, 2011 By

It never ceases to amaze me how men and women approach business issues from entirely different perspectives. I am not about to man-bash and say that they get it all wrong, just that we assess things differently and definitely have alternative priorities when it comes to certain decisions. Property being at the forefront of my mind as I write this…

The differences were brought home to me recently when I went looking at various premises with a view to moving my smallish business employing ten people to slightly larger offices with an eye on slow, sustainable growth – a phrase my bank manager has drilled into me from day one. The adventure began when the (male) estate agent met me at the first possibility and proceeded to give me a detailed run down on how the heating worked and which company serviced the lifts. Hang on I thought, but I want to see the staff room and check out the kitchen cabinets. I want to look out of the windows and see what the view is like, and on top of all that I can’t possibly rent this place because I can’t hear a word you’re saying over the incredibly hideous and loud patterned carpet!

Premises number two was much, much better but unfortunately way out of my price range. A luxury kitchen and staff area was topped only by the beautiful glass-walled office which would have been mine had I been able to find the funds. Irritating to have my hopes raised by my over-eager companion but at least he seemed to have got the message that a glazed look accompanied by slight dribbling translated directly to ‘please shut up about available plug sockets and move on’.

More properties to view tomorrow so cross your fingers for me. I’m sure the right place is just around the corner…

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From My House To The High Street

October 1, 2011 By

I am one of those women who run a business from my dining room table. It’s a cliché I know, but it is also a reality for many Mums who are juggling their business brain with family life. I am often to be found knee deep in bits of paper, old coffee cups and wearing a less than flattering woolly cardigan whilst thanking my lucky stars that video conferencing is not required to do my job. I have always been quite comfortable working in this way and it has created a great balance for the kids.

Lately however, I am looking to emerge from my self-induced isolation and take my online business on to the high street. With solid sales established over the internet I want to see if I can make a go of a bed linen shop in the real world, and whilst the number of empty shop units in my area is so high I am anticipating favourable terms from competing landlords. Some people will think I am mad but I have got the itch now and need to see it through.

Bedroom furniture is my passion, and particularly the bedding that goes along with it. I live and breathe throws, pillows, cushions and thread count and am never happier than when immersed in the latest offerings on the wholesale market. More and more consumers are becoming sophisticated and demanding about their requirements and the need for a specialist bed linens outlet seems to have arrived.

Fitted bedroom furniture has made a comeback recently as well and there is even an emerging market for bespoke designs to fit unusual bed and mattress requirements: round, oval and square have been requested already. Fascinating isn’t it?! With an eye on expanding into gift and home decorating items I am keen to give it a go so cross your fingers for me and watch this space…

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Remember the importance of data protection in business

September 23, 2011 By

Whether you’re a newcomer to the world of business, or you’re an established veteran, you need to pay close attention to the importance of data protection.

It’s absolutely crucial for you and your company to do everything possible to look after any personal information and confidential details you hold on record from your clients and customers.

In the UK, the Data Protection Act stipulates that companies have a legal obligation to protect the information of others. If they are found not to be doing this, they can be subjected to a fine, which can be especially damaging to your business if you are just starting out.

When handling data in paper format, you can reduce the risk of theft and loss by using a shredder. Paper shredders are very useful in the workplace, as they will help you to dispose of valuable and confidential information in a safe manner. You’ll also be able to recycle the paper you’ve shredded, playing your part in the fight to save the environment.

As well as protecting the data of others by shredding it, you’ll be helping your own business. None of your competitors will be able to access any of your confidential information if you shred it, which is particularly good to know if you’re just starting out in the business world.

This is the best way to protect your valuable information offline, but you should also be trying to do as much as possible to look after it online too.

Your data could be exposed to hackers on the internet if you do not have adequate protection in place in the shape of anti-virus software and encryption. Having these things in place could really boost your data protection, making it more difficult to lose any confidential information relating to your own business, as well as your customers and clients.

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How to make a student property more appealing

September 12, 2011 By

If you’ve chosen to invest in property to rent for students, you’ll be looking to make the house you own as appealing as possible, to guarantee there are renters every year.

So bearing this in mind, it’s worth spending some time and money updating the rooms around the house and the bedrooms are a great place to start. Some students will live with people they do not know very well and even if they get on like a house on fire with their housemates, they will still value their private space too. This makes the bedrooms very important to students, so it’s a good place to begin when doing some refurbishments.

It makes sense to go for white and cream paint or wallpaper in all of the rooms. This is not only neutral, it’s also easier for students to put their own stamp on, through putting up posters and things around the room. Cheap furniture for the bedroom is fairly easy to find nowadays and this is definitely the way to go with student homes, as it may well get broken, so it’s best not to have invested too much money in the first place.

Make sure you put double beds in all the rooms if they are big enough, as this is bound to increase the appeal of the property to potential renters. As well as this, try and choose comfortable mattresses for them to sleep on, as this could also prove to be a big selling point.

However you decide to decorate the rooms, it really will be worth it in the end. With so many students out there and so many properties for them to choose from, it’s vital to make sure your investment really stands out, so bear that in mind when you’re forking out for refurbishments.

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Why not set up your own catering firm?

September 12, 2011 By

If you’re a bit of a foodie and you enjoy nothing better than going out for a slap-up meal every weekend, why not turn your love into a great business idea? With the effects of the recession slowly easing off, it’s a fantastic time to set up a new business with an innovative idea or concept.

You could turn your passion for food into creating a high-quality and locally sourced catering company. People are increasingly looking for quality food for their parties and weddings which doesn’t cost the Earth, but is nice and tasty. Bearing this in mind, you and a group of friends could perhaps put your fitted kitchens to good use. To start off with, think small, as you don’t know how much money you’ll be able to get your good-quality produce for and you don’t want it to fall down as an idea at an early stage.

But once you’ve got a firm idea in place – think about the type of cuisine you’re going to offer – you should then try out some concepts and creations in order to see which ones work best. After you’ve decided on the best menu you can offer, try and make the dishes on a small scale, finding good local suppliers and making the meals as economical as possible. Once you’ve tried these things out in people’s kitchens, you’ll be able to test it on a larger scale, perhaps offering tasting experiences to your friends and family to get some much-needed feedback at an early stage.

Marketing your business should be fairly straightforward and not too expensive, since you should be able to harness the power of social media, setting up a fan page on Facebook and promoting your new catering enterprise through Twitter as well.

Set up a website and get ready to receive a barrage of emails and requests about catering events around your local area!

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Women and Work/Life Balance

September 9, 2011 By

Work/life balance is the Holy Grail for many people and particularly working women if they also take on the majority of family commitments such as school runs and housework. One of the ways to approach this elusive concept is to consider working for yourself and managing your own hours around your children.

If you are working at a senior level and trying to look for a part-time alternative to the 80 hours you are currently doing then you will be well aware of the lack of employed options. Unless you can negotiate a scaled-back version of your position or arrange a job share then it is almost always impossible to find what you are looking for without compromising the level you are currently at. A depressing thought, and one some recruitment genius out there should really apply themselves to…

The alternative – working for yourself – can be a daunting prospect, but something that more and more women are considering in order to take charge of their own lives. Make sure your business ideas are sound and that there is a viable market for what you are offering. Consider webhosting reviews, set yourself up with a shop front online and away you go! It’s also vital that you have your antivirus software installed and up to date, because if you are sending files back and forth with clients, you can’t afford to take the risk. Kaspersky antivirus offers free trials, so you don’t have to spend a fortune on expensive software unless you are convinced of the benefits of the product. If you stick to what you know well then with the experience and the contacts you have you will find that the transition from employee to employer is easier than you anticipate.

Don’t forget to check out the competition as well – what are they up to online? Who is buying their goods or services and who is running their sites technically? Check out their web hosting reviews to find out more. You may well find that saying goodbye to corporate hell and setting up on your dining table is the best decision you ever made. Go on, you won’t regret it!

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Eating healthy at work

September 1, 2011 By

If you’re trying to lose weight it is well worth giving thought to what you are going to have for lunch the following day. Many of us have to leave home at some ungodly hour to get to work and, unless you are an early riser, it is often difficult to make the time in the morning to pack a healthy lunch so do it the night before.

Sandwiches made at home can often be pretty boring compared with the ones sold in shops. With a bit of thought and with some ideas from innovative online recipes, though, you can make your own sandwiches every bit as tasty and far healthier than a shop bought one, to say nothing of the money you can save. Forget the sliced white bread. Opt for an interesting (and healthy) granary bread, a wrap or pitta bread. Instead of using butter choose a low fat spread or low fat mayo. If you want to use salad in your sandwich it is better to take that to work separately. No-one wants a sandwich that has turned into a soggy mess thanks to the tomato or cucumber. If you are bored with salad then supplement your sandwich with some raw carrot sticks, chopped pepper and celery sticks; these are also handy to nibble on if you are hungry mid-morning. If lunch just isn’t lunch without a bag of crisps to go with your sandwich then look for a low fat version.

If you’re lucky enough to have a microwave and fridge at work then the sky’s the limit. Why not make an extra portion of your favourite healthy low fat dinner recipe and heat it up at lunch time?

In the winter months what about substituting a lovely bowl of soup for your usual sandwich? All you need is a blender and some good vegetarian recipes – pretty much any kind of vegetables can go into your soup. All you need is a good vacuum flask to keep the soup piping hot, if you don’t have access to cooking facilities.

If you need a pud with your lunch then fruit salad can be made the night before although bananas are notorious for discolouring.

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