Christmas is just over a month away and it can be a very stressful time, especially on your bank balance! Here are some great tips that will help you stay within budget, allowing you to enjoy a happy, stress-free Christmas.

Make a list and check it twice!
Write a list of everything you think you’ll need to purchase for the festive season. Include presents, food, drink, decorations and travel expenses. Once you have it all written down in front of you, you will be able to juggle your budget to accommodate everything you want to purchase. It will also help focus on what you need as well...

Christmas can be a frantic time for mumpreneurs who are trying to juggle pressing commitments and urgent tasks. Here are some savvy tips to help save you time and enjoy the festive fun!

Make a list

Write down everything you have to do and create a schedule to follow. Don’t leave anything to chance. Add everything to your schedule and allocate the amount of time required to get the job done.

Use reminders

Duplicate your list so you can set reminders across your mobile phone, computer and diary. Set reminders at the start and end of each task so you can easily move on to other jobs...

When life runs at a million miles per hour, it is common to feel out of control and unfulfilled with life. Mums spend so much time trying to keep up with their routines that they leave little or no time for fun or relaxation. When this happens, it can be difficult to find a way to get back on track but with reflection and a revised schedule, you can be enjoying an easier, more fulfilling and happier life in no time!

Find your ideal balance.
Not everyone’s ideal of life balance will be the same. If you’re trying to live life according to someone else’s principles,...

Running a successful business takes a great deal of effort. Here are some top tips to help you get it right!

Plan and plan again Setting up a new business or launching a new product takes time and good planning. Ensure you enter the business world with your eyes wide open. Be aware of the potential pitfalls and have a contingency in place if things don’t go to plan. Doing this will prevent you from wasting time, over-spending and it will focus your mind on better opportunities.

Define your brand

It can be difficult to offer something for everyone. It is often easier and more...

Running a business takes more than selling products and offering services. It takes careful planning and sound business management. Successful business owners learn from their experiences, maximise opportunities and continually identify bigger and better ways to attract new custom and ultimately increase their sales. Are you doing this for your business?

Plan for sales

When you first establish your business, it is best practice to outline the key goals you are keen to achieve. Creating a comprehensive business plan will give you a platform from which to launch your business. If you have...

If the life you’re living seems too fast-paced, you’re working at a job that gives you no satisfaction and you find yourself constantly saying, “I’ll do that later" or “We’ll do that soon”, it is likely you’re feeling underwhelmed with your current lifestyle! Modern families tend to lead hectic schedules full of monotonous routines, dashing from activity to activity with little fun or enjoyment thrown in. If this sounds familiar, perhaps now is the time to make those all-important changes that will bring confidence, balance and joy back into...

Despite all that is easily available on the Internet and High Street, the demands of a hectic, modern and competitive lifestyle can leave you feeling unfulfilled and unsuccessful. However, if you truly analysed what you do have, you would probably feel both humbled and happy.

The excesses of modern living and the influence of celebrity lifestyles will, inevitably, impact on the desires of people the world over. Wanting what others have is not a new phenomenon but it can often leave you feeling drained and anxious, which will ultimately impact the relationships with those closest to you.

The...

A very successful way to attract business is via word of mouth. Having customers who recommend you is a wonderful result, especially when it drives new business through the door.

It is possible to harness the power of these recommendations and ensure they have a greater reach by requesting testimonials from satisfied customers. On completion of a successful project, remember to ask your customers for their comments about how much they have enjoyed working with you. Inform them that you wish to use their words within promotional material, such as your company brochure and website. A great...

Living the life you really want is about making choices that are right for you and your family. If you considered all the decisions you made during the last week, it is likely many of them considered the needs of others – the people outside of your immediate family - before your own. If this is the case, you are not necessarily making choices that are congruent with your desired lifestyle.

Living the life you want is not about being selfish. It is about finding a balance; ensuring your own needs are met as a priority, whilst keeping others happy, or at the very least, satisfied with...

As your shop window to the world, your website is one of your most vital business assets. It is the way you can communicate with your prospective customers, informing them about all aspects of your business.

Brochure websites that promote your products and services have their place but they can be static and costly to maintain. Paying a little extra to have a content management system built during the development stage of your website is a worthwhile investment. It allows you to update key sections of your website yourself on a regular basis. This functionality is particularly useful as it...