Mommy Has to Work

Financial Services That Are Essential For Families

October 7, 2021 By Anne

Running a family can be similar to running a business. You need to make sure that outgoings aren’t too high, while also maintaining a steady income and keeping everyone happy in the process. Of course, though, you don’t have to do all of this work on your own. Instead, there are loads of financial services out there that can be essential to families in the modern world. To help you to choose the best options for you, this article will be exploring the different services you have available along with the help that they can provide.

Savings Accounts

Putting money into savings is something that everyone should aim to do, but it can be especially important for families. You need to make sure that you have a pot of money in place for emergencies, giving you the chance to escape financial challenges that could leave you in a very rough spot. Having a savings account that has restricted access can be a great way to approach this.

Life Insurance

Life insurance comes out of your account as a monthly payment. When you pass away, your family will be given a lump payment that reflects what you have paid into it over the years. This can make life much easier for your loved ones when you pass away, even if it isn’t nice to think about this part of life. Looking at PHP Agency reviews can be a good way to get started with this, but you should explore a range of companies as you look for this product.

Mortgages

Buying a house is an aim that a lot of people share in life. Of course, though, houses are very expensive, and it’s likely that you will need help along the way. Mortgages can provide you with the help you need to secure your home, giving you the chance to put money into something that will stick with you throughout life rather than throwing it into rent that you will never see again. This can help your children in the future, too.

Home Insurance

Much like life insurance, home insurance is a monthly payment. Rather than covering you when you pass away, though, this type of insurance will give you a payout if something happens to your home or the possessions within. Fires, break-ins, and a range of other incidents can result in loss of possessions, and it will be much easier to get back on your feet if you have insurance to help to cover the loss.

As you can see, there are a lot of financial services out there that can give you what you need to protect your family. It can be hard to know what you need to keep your family in good shape, but there are loads of handy guides and articles around the web that can help you through this process.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Health and Fitness Tips for Busy Moms

October 1, 2021 By Anne

It’s often said that a mother’s work is never done. From packing lunches to dropping the kids off at various practices, there’s a lot to fit in. This can make it hard to find time for health and fitness, but with these tips, even the busiest Mom can squeeze in a little self-care.

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Schedule Your Workouts On The Calendar

Planning ahead is essential. Write your workouts on the calendar so you have time set aside for them in your busy week. If you’re a busy woman, don’t want for that to change, because it likely won’t. Plan ahead. Having your fitness classes in the calendar should also help the family to realize you’re not available then too, instead of available to deal with any of their demands.

Pack Your Lunch

More people are becoming aware of the dangers of a lot of processed food. Most parents are working on feeding their kids better, but what about yourself? Take care of yourself too. When you’re carefully packing a healthy lunch for kids, make one for yourself as well, to make things easier when you’re busy during the day. If you have something ready in the fridge, you’re more likely to eat it, rather than grab something fast and unhealthy because you’re pressed for time or too tired to cook.

Do Burst Training

This is one the most effective methods of training, especially when you’re busy. Even a stripped down workout can burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time when you workout like this. This is exactly what busy people need. Burst training is a form of internal training, that is very effective for weight loss. It works by quickly elevating the heart rate for a short period of time before it returns to normal.

Set Your Push-Up PR

Your PR is your personal record. Start off on your knees or your toes, and do as many consecutive repetitions of a push-up as you can without stopping. When your muscles have given out, and you can’t physically manage another pushup, write down that number. You will need to put the maximum amount of effort that you can into this, as it will only take a few minutes to complete. When you’re busy and short on time, the intensity of this exercise can make up for it. When you’ve found your PR, work on beating it. This is really motivating and a good way to track your progress.

Get Plenty Of Sleep

Try as best as you can get enough sleep at night. Six to eight hours of sleep every night is very important for physical, mental, and emotional health. A lot of moms accidentally stay up late after the kids are in bed to catch up on TV, or just get some alone time, but try not to do this. Instead, head to bed at a sensible time and get some sleep. If you’re sleeping better, you have more energy, which will help you to be more productive with your time.

Tell Your Friends Your Plans

When you tell people what you are going to do for your fitness routine, you set yourself up for success. If you’ve told someone, you will feel embarrassed to admit that you didn’t get it done, so it can be a good way to keep yourself motivated and on track.

Use An Online Workout

The good thing about using an online exercise program is that they are usually super cheap, if not free, and it can save you a lot of time and effort. There are lots of options, depending on your ability, amount of free time, and the style of exercise you enjoy.

Set Your Plank-A-Day PR

A plank is a wonderful core exercise. Do one plank every day and see how strong your core muscles can become. Just like the push-up PR goal, this doesn’t have to take you very long. Always aim to beat your time from the previous day by pushing yourself to last for at least one second longer than you did the day before. Soon, you’ll be amazed by how long you can manage to go.

Drink Water In The Morning

Did you know that drinking your body weight in ounces of water can help to speed up your metabolism by up to 30%? Studies show that having heightened metabolic activity is directly linked to your hydration levels, so make sure you’re staying well-hydrated. Drinking water first thing in the morning, before you’ve even had your morning coffee, will rehydrate you after the night, and boost your fat-burning potential for the day.

Anne

Want to Attract More Customers? Ways to Upgrade Your Airbnb

October 1, 2021 By Anne

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Do you want to attract more customers? Are you looking for ways to upgrade your Airbnb property so that your guests will have a better experience while staying with you?

If so, this post is perfect for you! You will learn unique ways to upgrade your Airbnb and increase the chance of getting more bookings. Keep on reading.

Your Furniture Speaks Volume

Your furniture speaks volumes. It shows that you are a responsible host, have good taste, and care about quality. Upgrading your old stuff with minimal cost can significantly improve the overall image of what your guests will see when they come over for their stay.

Think how nice it would be to finish an already great experience by being greeted with a beautiful, clean, well-equipped apartment.

Have More Kitchen Appliances

You can get more customers by having kitchen appliances. They want to feel like they are at home and cooking a nice meal. So, make sure you have a stove, oven, microwave, and dishwasher.

Also, get some nice plates, silverware, and cups if you do not have enough in the house already. People are looking for a place to cook when they rent out an Airbnb space, so offer them what they need!

Buy a Noise and Smoke Detector

Noise and smoke detectors can help you protect your guests and ensure that they can sleep. The last thing anyone wants when visiting a new place is for them not to get any rest! As such, you need a good AirBnB noise detector to help keep everyone safe in case an issue arises. An excellent smoke detector can help protect your guest and your investment.

In addition, having these detectors is also good from the perspective of local government regulations. Some areas have started requiring that Airbnb hosts purchase noise and smoke detectors to list their space on the site. This is to ensure that guests are well protected, which will then provide peace of mind for the hosts themselves!

Be Diligent with Cleaning

A clean house is always nice if you are inviting strangers into your home. However, Airbnb hosts need to be diligent with cleaning even when they are not hosting guests because the competition for customers is very high these days!

Several things can make a host stand out from other hosts on this site, and one of them is being meticulous about cleaning.

Go Green

Another way to attract more customers is by going green. Using organic bedding can be an easy change for increasing your customer base, mainly if you are in a city where sustainable practices are essential to residents.

Residents also care about what they sleep on and may prefer the comfort of natural fibers over artificial ones because they provide a more breathable sleeping surface. If you are interested in offering organic bedding to your customers, be sure that it is 100% natural and chemical-free. This means there was no use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers to produce the cotton or other types of fibers you chose for your hotel beds.

The main takeaway is that you should focus on the basics. Make sure your listing looks good and there are no errors before you try to upgrade it. If done right, upgrading could be an excellent investment for anyone who hosts their own Airbnb unit or space online.

Anne

Autumn Charcuterie Board

September 27, 2021 By Anne

Who doesn’t love a good charcuterie board?

Presentation is what creates a great charcuterie board. On this board we chose a fall theme. We looked for shapes, colors and fall flavors such as maple shaped cookies, cranberry, and cinnamon. It was important to us that both sweet and savory flavors were available.

Our cheeses were:
Cinnamon Cranberry Goat Cheese
Mild cheddar cubes
Sharp white cheddar slices
Mozzarella balls

Meats chosen:
Prosciutto
Salami
Pepperoni

Fruits:
Raspberry preserves
Pomegranate
Apple slices
Dried Dates

Nuts:
Praline Pecans

Additions were pumpkin seeds, grape tomatoes, a variety of crackers and a bit of basil for a great burst of color and flavor.

There are no hard rules for charcuterie presentation. Make it with your own taste in mind, change it up, think outside the box!

A few fall suggestions you may want to include on your next Fall charcuterie board: apple butter, pumpkin hummus, figs, or pears. The options are endless.

Share with us your favorite charcuterie board foods in the comments, we’d love to try them!

Written by Nicole Valenzuela

Anne

Babies and Breast Milk – 6 Incredible Facts New Parents Should Know

September 27, 2021 By Anne

Photo: Dave Clubb/Unsplash

Ever wondered why prenatal classes have a breastfeeding segment to them? It’s because breast milk is literally liquid gold for babies. As a new parent, it’s important to understand its significance in your child’s life and development.

Considering the essential nature of breast milk for babies, it’s a good idea for parents to learn as much about it as they can. That’s why we’ve compiled some of the most fascinating facts about breast milk for new parents to enjoy. Keep reading to learn more.

Breast Milk Contains a Medley of Important Hormones

Have you ever wondered why a hurt baby immediately settles when you feed them breast milk? It’s because breast milk passes endorphins to your baby that keep them feeling content while easing any pain.

Along with those feel-good endorphins, the hormone melatonin is also passed to your baby. This is this hormone that controls our sleep-wake routines, and this is what makes breast milk more suitable for children than even the best formula for newborns.

Of course, where breastfeeding isn’t possible, formula is a perfectly good substitute that offers all the nutrition a baby needs.

Mothers Are Capable of Producing the Best Food for Your Baby

The fact that your body can produce all the nourishment your baby needs is one of the most profound miracles of life. Breast milk contains every one of the essential nutrients that your baby needs to grow and develop.

What’s more, the act of breastfeeding helps to strengthen the relationship between mother and child. Not only are you a source of nourishment for your baby, but you’re actively forming an unbreakable bond with them.

Breast Milk Protects Your Baby From Illnesses

Towards the end of a pregnancy, the body produces colostrum, which contains up to five million white blood cells. White blood cells provide protection against illnesses, so you can imagine how much protection you are offering your little bundle of joy just by breastfeeding them.

Feed Colostrum First, Then Mature Milk

Most people don’t know this, but a mother’s body produces milk in a manner that adapts to the baby’s changing needs. The first milk your body produces during the last trimester is called colostrum, and as mentioned in the last point, this is a big part of helping your baby’s immune system.

About two weeks after giving birth, your mature milk will be produced, and it contains an amalgamation of fats, vitamins, and zinc. These are all vital ingredients that your growing baby needs. The fat content contained in your breast milk will continue to change to meet your growing baby’s needs.

Bacteria Transfer Is Important

The thought of transferring bacteria to your baby may make you shudder, but when bacteria from your breast milk passes to your baby, it actually helps with the little one’s immune system development.

Milk Has a Distinct but Ever-Changing Flavor

Mothers who suffer from swollen breast glands might notice that their babies seem reluctant to drink. That’s because breast milk can get sour and babies can actually smell the change.

The mature milk produced tastes slightly vanilla in flavor, and your baby is bound to enjoy the taste. To make sure that your breast milk continues to taste great, stay clear of spicy food and extreme flavors. Remember, everything you eat can be tasted by your baby in the form of your breast milk!

Breast milk has the ability to tell a story, passing an intricate narrative from you down to your baby. Make the most of this special time, and appreciate your ability to nourish your child in this way.