Lauren, a sleep consultant from Little Sleep Stars shares a fantastic article on getting your little one ready for the clock change this weekend.
In the midst of the Corona-crisis, you could certainly be forgiven for having forgotten that the clocks change soon! That’s right…at 1am on Sunday 29 March, the time springs forward by an hour.
Traditionally, I have detailed three approaches to managing this shift, enabling parents to choose the one best-suited to their child’s age, stage and temperament. But, the unprecedented times in which we are living call for something a little different this year…
The challenge of springing forward
Of the two-yearly clock-changes, parents tend to fear this one less than it’s autumnal sibling. And it’s clear why as 6am becoming 7am is way more appealing than it dropping back to a rather inhumane 5am! However, it’s actually the harder one for little body-clocks to negotiate, largely because it requires the advancing rather than delaying of sleep – an altogether trickier biological exercise!
Age and stage
For babies and younger toddlers, and/or those little ones with very fixed sleep/wakes times, an incremental approach remains the safest. Starting today, edge naps and mealtimes forward by just 5-10 minutes where possible. Then commence your bedtime routine 15 minutes earlier than usual. This time difference is barely noticeable to a body-clock, especially when the usual pre-bedtime routine is completed in full, providing the familiar cues for sleep. Wake your little one 15 minutes earlier than usual tomorrow morning and then repeat the process of pulling timings forward, culminating in bedtime starting 15 minutes earlier than tonight – 30 minutes earlier from where you originally started. Repeat the earlier wake up on Friday and so on until you are putting your child down a whole hour earlier than usual on Saturday night. When they wake on Sunday, voila, they are adjusted to the new timings.
For older toddlers and those with more flexible routines and/or temperaments, the unusual times we find ourselves in mean many families can be altogether more relaxed…
Go with the flow
For older toddlers upwards, or even younger if you are currently really out of their normal rhythm, the ongoing reality for many families of children being cared for exclusively at home, provides a more flexible opportunity. Between now and Saturday, look for any opportunities to get your little into bed earlier – perhaps they seem ready to nap a little earlier one day and/or their nap is a little shorter than usual on another. Utilise these to move bedtime up, even if it’s just by 15-20 minutes – it’s all heading in the right direction. If bedtime has crept later recently, make a concerted effort to pull it back to at least its usual time by Saturday night.
If bedtime hasn’t moved significantly by Saturday, do what you can in terms of achieving an earlier one that night. Getting out in the fresh air, as much as social-distancing allows, during the day will help. Home-made obstacles courses in the garden are just as good as a long walk! Avoid screen-time from around 4pm and consider a sleep-boosting evening meal, assuming the supermarket shelves haven’t been stripped bare of the best foods for sleep, which include: fish especially fattier versions like salmon and tuna, complex carbohydrates such as wholewheat pasta, cottage cheese, nuts including nut butters and in particularly almonds and walnuts, and some fruits including kiwi, bananas and cherries.
Forge a new path
Whether you have achieved an earlier bedtime on Saturday night or not, adopt the “new” time on Sunday and forge ahead with meals at their normal times. For little ones who still nap, you may have to make some accommodations to absorb the change across a few days. Here is an example:
A child of 18 months who usually naps 12-2 and sleeps 7pm-6:30am, goes to bed on Saturday at 6:45pm, waking at 7:15am on the clock. Aim for their nap to 12:15/30pm and, assuming it is of its usual length, aim for sleep around 7:15/30pm on Sunday evening.
Whichever route you choose, within a few days of moving to the new time, almost all little body-clocks will have adapted. Babies and young children cannot tell the time and are driven by what time if feels like. This means that if you make it feel like bedtime, the time on the clock matters more to us than to them. With this in mind, if you don’t already have curtains or blinds that remove all light from the room where your little one sleeps, invest in some as soon as possible – that way your little one can happily settle to sleep, and you may be able to squeeze in an hour sitting out in the garden!
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/When-Will-My-Toddler-Stop-Needing-a-Nappy-at-Night-1.png10801080carlal@mybump2baby.comhttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Logo-1-300x81.pngcarlal@mybump2baby.com2020-03-25 15:14:462020-03-27 08:19:48The Challenge of Springing Forward - Little Sleep Stars
At MyBump2Baby we feel it is important to share real-life stories to raise awareness and support other people going through similar experiences. Today Elizabeth, a blogger shares an honest blog about her own personal child loss and grief experience.
Child Loss and Grief by Elizabeth Dee
Losing a child is different to any other loss. My child died, and on every possible imaginable level, that is wrong. The death of a child is not something anyone is prepared for or should ever happen. As a mother, the instinct to protect your child is always there. Not being able to protect your child; or save your child from dying goes against everything that motherhood stands for. This is not the natural order of things, and goes against the normal cycle of life.
Watching my child die was the most traumatic thing I have ever encountered; it will haunt me forever. Living every day without Edward is something I must endure for the rest of my life.
The anniversaries are difficult, and to be honest, the days, weeks in the lead up to the anniversaries are difficult; and this is a different difficult to the everyday difficult.
The everyday difficult of one less place to set at the table; the fuss over whether there will be something served which would normally cause a fuss; the chaos on the school run; the chaos tearing around from club to club after school; the noise in the house; the sibling rivalry and arguments; the incessant nagging for us to do things. All gone.
One of Us is Permantly Missing
There’s also the difficult times we do things as a family … conscious that one of us is permanently missing. Doing things, going to places, knowing Edward would love them, hate them; new places, familiar places; places with memories … beautiful, special memories. There are those who have told me to never go to the same place on holiday again. Let me tell you this, that there is no place on this Earth I could go to without my heart and soul screaming out for my boy to be with us still. Wondering if he’s ok. Asking if he’s ok? Shouting it out. I don’t shout it out loud, I shout it in my head, my heart aching for an answer, my soul searching for an answer.
Edward was funny, witty, clever, sporty, very mischievous, very cheeky, ever the joker, with a wicked humour and a laugh to match. He did so many things, activities, clubs … competition swimming, rookie lifeguard, triathlons, music, and he lived and breathed scouting. He was a wonderful loyal friend, super fun, he’d have your back, and would put his neck on the line for you. He was so full of life and lived life to the full.
Edward was my middle child … the age gap between his brothers is now so glaringly huge, even that is a constant reminder that Edward is no longer here with us. When I line the boys up for the photos, there’s a space for Edward … a gap. That gap … that emptiness … that void is enormous and impacts in every aspect of our lives … and the silence of Edward not being here is so overwhelmingly loud; so noisy that it becomes a presence. Watching Oliver wearing Edward’s clothes, I sometimes catch a glimpse and see Edward, and in that brief moment I’m suddenly taken to that special place in my mind to relive that beautiful memory.
I miss him. I miss every minute of every day he’s not here. But in everything I do; everywhere I go; he’s with me. In the memories, and in the thoughts of what he’d be doing, or saying, or wanting to do. He comes with me everywhere and his spirit guides me in all I do.
There are an enormous amount of people who support me, who support what I do, who understand completely what I am trying to achieve, and how I go about it. There are those who support me emotionally, practically, even financially. And there are those who drift away, leaving me to grieve their friendship on top of grieving my child. People spout advice, trying to tell me what I should do, ought to do .. and indeed what I ought not to do. Wondering why I still grieve, why I haven’t moved on, why have I not stopped pushing myself, and gone back to the same job, the same routine, the same life as before Edward died. They cannot understand that I will grieve forever. “Time will heal” they say, “You won’t always feel like this”, “The pain will ease”, “You’ll feel better after the first year … that’s always the worst”. Trying to take away my pain; trying to fix me. But you can’t take away my pain, and I don’t want you to. Professing to me about other people they know about, comparing me to others, comparing my grief to others who have lost parents, grandparents, step parents, pets. Being challenged, having my decisions and my actions questioned, putting up with insensitive and hurtful comments, which happen more frequently than people would think. Let me tell you this … that however well-intentioned your words are, or your advice is … it isn’t helpful … quite the contrary. All this tells me is that you think I’m wrong for feeling as I do, it invalidates every emotion I have, and leaves me feeling both anxious and exhausted, and it adds to the weight of the grief I already carry.
There are also those who wonder how I continue, how I smile, how I laugh, how I carry on … how can I do these things when I’ve lost my child? What choice did I have?
I am lost too, and will likely be lost forever, and I will search for my child forever. He’s nowhere on Earth, and yet he’s everywhere. I sense him everywhere. At times I feel him; at times I see him; at times I smell him; and yet he’s not there. Every little thing I do in my life, every place I go, every little item I own has a memory or a thought of Edward. Either what was, or what might have been. There is no aspect of my life that Edward’s death has not touched; Edward’s death changed my life; Edward’s death changed me.
I imagine him, what he’d like, what he’d look like, what he’d be doing at school, what running, swimming, cycling he’d still be doing, what races he’d be winning. I imagine him still with us, just that I’m unable to see him.
My life was normal, but now it isn’t. Nothing feels real anymore, even the reality of my other children. I can’t fathom how life can carry on at full speed around me, when for me my time has stopped. Sometimes I carry on at life’s fast pace; sometimes I am stopped in my tracks. Sometimes I smile through the pain; sometimes I am completely overwhelmed, consumed and debilitated by it.
Have I moved on? No. Never. How can life move on? Moving to a future without my child is not something I’m interested in. But life has moved … it hasn’t stopped still … and neither have I. The truth is that I am alive. I have a life to live. I have a family. I have a home. And I live that life, with my family, with my broken heart. A heart that is full of love for my family, but with a piece missing, a piece which will never be found, a hole like an open wound which will never heal. I will never stop missing or loving Edward. Moving on is just a ridiculous suggestion. I will continue to live, because I continue to live. I will change, and grow, and experience, even if I don’t want to. But I will always love. My love will not move on. I will continue to live with this love, now and always.
I founded a charity in Edward’s name, The Edward Dee Fund. I try and educate others by raising awareness of meningitis and sepsis, the diseases which took the life of my boy. I don’t want any other families having to go through what we had to; I want research into these diseases to continue; I want to keep Edward in the heart of the community where he would be if he were here; and I do all this with Edward by my side … and what a huge and great legacy he is leaving. For those who’d like to have known Edward, the song which the charity commissioned sums him up perfectly. Jay Stansfield wrote the music and lyrics to “A Song for Edward”, and every penny from this song being streamed or downloaded goes directly to the charity. I hope that this song is played and talked about for many years, that people ask who Edward was, hear his story, and learn about meningitis and sepsis.
I have found a new hobby in writing. Not only have discovered a love of writing, but it has led me on a journey of self-discovery which I have found both liberating and cathartic. I write about all manner of topics, anything and everything which comes to mind and flows through me. My mind is full of so much stuff from trauma, sadness, and grief to all kinds of busy mum stresses and worries, as well as the mundane and the insignificant. All my thoughts and memories articulated and offloaded in my own way can be found on www.elizabethdee.me which you can also follow on Facebook at Life Chez Dee.
I haven’t moved on from Edward’s death, but I have moved with time … adjusting to a new normal, a normal where all my children are still part of my life … two physically with me, but one always by my side spiritually. I am incredibly proud of all my children, and am privileged and proud to be their mum … and so it will always be… always.
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Child-loss-and-Grief-by-Elizabeth-Dee.png563850carlal@mybump2baby.comhttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Logo-1-300x81.pngcarlal@mybump2baby.com2020-03-01 13:45:392020-03-05 19:41:49Child loss and Grief by Elizabeth Dee
At MyBump2Baby we love supporting businesses with useful tools, templates and training, visit our shop for more information. If you would like to get instant support with growing your business, we now sponsor the Facebook group ‘Business Ladies Group‘ . Today we share a business blog from expert Lianne from Social Giraffe telling us all about how Pinterest can grow your business.
We all know how awesome Pinterest is for researching decorating the house and planning parties and weddings right?
But did you know that it is one of the best platforms for your Business on the internet? No? Well, Pinterest is four times more effective at generating sales than other digital campaigns!
So buckle up and pay attention ‘cos I will teach you how to grow your business!
Firstly, Pinterest is not a social media platform. It is more of a social media search engine that allows you to share images and pin them to your own boards.
The images you can share are called “Pins.” A pin is an image added to Pinterest via a website using a Pin It button or uploaded direct from your computer. The pin is aimed to be attractive enough to make someone click onto the pin and hopefully click onto your website which drives traffic there.
When it comes to writing your Pin descriptions, there are many do’s and don’t:
Avoid using URLs in the description.
Avoid discussing sales, prices or promotions within the description. As pins stay around for a long time, the description may not be accurate at a later date.#
You have up to 500 characters and generally speaking, the more characters used; the more chances that it will show up in home feeds.
Always include keywords so your ideal client can find your pin when searching Pinterest. Put them in your title AND description.
When writing the description, think about what your customers would want to know about your product/service before they make a purchase. Make sure it’s clear what the Pin is about, otherwise Pinterest won’t know where to place it in their feed and the pin will do badly.
Add 5-6 hashtags manually to the end of each pin description. (Please note, hashtags are added not for people to read, but for the algorithm to understand what the pin is about.).
When it comes to your Pin boards, you can never have too many! The more the better in my book.
With more boards to share your pins to which gives you more chance to be seen by those who have similar interests!
What are Pinterest Group Boards?
A Pinterest Group Board is a board that is owned by one user, who has given other people permission to add Pins to their Board on the basis that they follow the group board rules, usually requiring the Pinner to share one pin for every pin they add themselves.
You can find group boards by looking for subjects relevant to your business and to then refine the results to look at boards only. Those that look like they have a pie chart in the bottom left corner means it is a group board and you can follow their instructions to join them.
Try looking at other Pinterest profiles in your industry to see which group Boards your competitors are contributing to as in indicator as to the more active, popular ones.
All pins shared to the group Board can show up in the home feed of every Pinner who follows it. This means more exposure for your Pins and likely a lot more traffic for your website. So only share your own content, its pointless sharing any other peoples work to a group board as it negates the strategy behind using them!
Use Pinterest Analytics
There is a analytics section in Pinterest where you can see how well your Pins and boards are doing; here it is broken down via impressions, saves, clicks, close-ups, re-pins and so much more.
It really gives you a sense of which Pins work and which ones can be changed. You also get to amend the dates so you can go back to previous months to compare pins and boards. This of course is essential to any business to progress in the right direction.
If you needed further convincing as to how Pinterest could grow your business, then have a look at these statistics:
Half of users say they buy something after seeing a promoted Pin.
90% of users state it helps them make their purchasing decisions.
55% of Pinners log on specifically to find products.
47% of Pinners log onto the site specifically to shop, making it nearly four times more effective at generating sales than other social platforms.
1 in 2 people make a purchase after seeing a promoted pin.
Did you know that 85% of women on Pinterest use it to plan life moments? This is compared to 44% for Instagram and 53% for Facebook. So if you’re in the wedding industry or have products suitable for pregnancy, newborns or new parents; this is definitely a site for you!
Pinterest is a platform used for inspiration, with 89% of Pinners using it as part of their path to purchase. So whilst they may not purchase then and there, it’s likely they’ll return and purchase at a later date.
If you are interested in finding out more about how pinterest can grow your business you can follow Social Giraffe on the following social channels and please feel free to get in contact with Lianne directly
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/How-Pinterest-can-grow-your-business.jpg540960Carla Letthttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Logo-1-300x81.pngCarla Lett2020-02-18 11:20:332020-02-24 07:40:24How Pinterest Can Grow your Business
At MyBump2Baby we are proud to work with financial advisers throughout the UK to raise awareness of the importance of good financial advice for families. Jane Capper our Financial Adviser in Shipley, Ilkley and Skipton shares a bit more about her and why you should consider contacting her if you would like financial advice in the Shipley, Ilkley or Skipton area.
The value of my Financial advice for Families in the Shipley, Ilkley and Skipton area
Good financial advice and planning helps people to protect their families and loved ones and build their assets for the future, make the most of their investments, protect what is most important to them and help to achieve the goals and lifestyle they desire.
Establishing priorities
Every client I meet has a unique and varied range of financial planning needs, so it’s important to establish priorities right from the start if we are to create a meaningful and relevant plan.
As time passes, your financial plan will need to evolve, and regulatory changes can impact the effectiveness of any structures already in place. That’s why I recommend a regular review to ensure that your plans remain on track and relevant.
The importance of ongoing advice and service
If you choose to receive ongoing advice and service from me, I’ll invite you to regular meetings where we will monitor the progress of your plans and discuss any adjustments required in the light of changing circumstances.
I believe that ongoing service can help you continue to make well informed choices and give you the best chance of achieving your goals through key life stages.
How my advice process works in practice to achieve your financial goals
Even a seemingly straightforward financial goal can involve numerous decisions and a lot of time and effort getting it right. Whether it’s buying a home, investing for the future or protecting the people and things you cherish, I’m here to help you make the right choices for your needs. Here are some of the services I provide, which my clients have told me they value the most.
Mortgages
With so many mortgage lenders offering products on the high street and online, it can seem an overwhelming process to do it yourself. But when you’re making such a huge financial commitment, professional guidance can be invaluable, particularly if your needs are out of the ordinary. As well as arranging your mortgage I can also recommend specialist professional services that can help with other elements of your home-buying process, including solicitors and surveyors.
Protection
When using comparison sites and direct insurers, how can you be sure their “off-the-peg” solutions meet your specific needs? Using my expert product knowledge, we can help you find the right solution for you. Whatever your particular need – be it income, family or mortgage protection – I can access high quality products from a range of handpicked providers; providers we have selected because they are proud to stand behind claims when it matters the most.
I can help you become a superhero in the eyes of your family!
When she was younger one of my daughter’s favourite questions was; “if you could have any super
power, what would it be?” She loved the idea of being a Superhero.
I think, deep down, we all like the idea of being a Superhero. Being able to do things others can’t; amazing things to help those around you.
Now I can’t grant you any superpowers (sorry) but I can help you do something amazing to help those you love. Best of all there’s no need to be bitten by a radioactive spider, hit by a strange space mist, or hail from a different planet.
And there’s no need to be a heroic billionaire looking to save the city with an arsenal of high-tech gadgets. No, your new superpowers are just going to need a little money.
How do these powers sound to you?
If you die unexpectedly for any reason your family has the mortgage paid off, or there’s a lump sum available to help them out
If you are struck down with a serious illness and need to take time off work, someone else pays the bills – and maybe they clear the mortgage too
If you have an accident and break a bone (maybe whilst fighting crime?) someone pays money into your bank account to help ease the financial pain a little.
Now, I know it’s not like you can stop a bullet, or run faster than the speed of sound, but they’re still pretty useful powers for your family.
Best of all, there’s no need to pay for them in one go. You can rent your superpowers for just a little each month. In fact, you might be surprised how little it could cost to become a superhero.
This is what I help my clients do every day (and have been making superheroes of my clients for over 20 years) my passion is to help protect you and your family now and throughout your family’s journey.
When MyBump2Baby asked me to write an article on money matters for the ‘growing family’ they listed various headlines to spur my imagination. I chose two of these to concentrate on, and soon realised that rather than an article, perhaps I should write a book!
‘Financial Planning for Families’ and ‘Financial Protection For A Growing Family’ are both worthy chapter headings, but perhaps they’d appear nearer the middle of my book on financial advice than the beginning.
The following is my idea on where I’d begin my book
Hopefully it will start to introduce some of the building blocks we should consider in this all-encompassing area of our lives.
I suspect I’d begin with ‘What is financial Advice’ and follow it up with ‘Why do I need a Financial Adviser and what do I need to know?’’
First things first, let’s try to understand what we’re talking about and get some of the basics right:-
What is Financial Advice?
Money is one of those areas where everyone has a view. Everyone knows someone. It might be Uncle John who’s done rather well for himself, or it could be the bloke down the pub with the fancy car.
As a financial adviser I like it when my clients buy life insurance, start a regular savings plan or a pension because I get paid!
But, before I even consider which products might be appropriate to you, there’s a lot of information I need from you, the client, before I can honestly, hand on heart, say I have considered your circumstances, provided you with the best advice and presented the right bespoke solution for you, the individual.
Financial Advice is personal
Everyone’s different, the advice I give you is not going to be the same as the advice I’d give your parents. Your job and that of your partner might affect the order of the advice I give you in comparison to how I might advise a single parent even though your long-term goals may be broadly similar.
Advice will reflect the changes in your circumstances!
It sounds simple, but not always appreciated.
As you grow older and move from education to work, your financial requirements change. Your banking needs will probably increase as you go from an occasional saver to requiring monthly direct debits or standing orders, perhaps you’ll enter into your first overdraft arrangement and start building up student debt whilst at University.
When buying your first car, insurance is a legal requirement and is possibly your first experience of insurance as a product.
Simply put, when buying insurance, you are paying to protect the value of your possession should it be damaged, lost or stolen. Specifically, car Insurance might pay the cost of repairs to your vehicle if you’re in an accident or replace it if stolen. If you are deemed at fault, it would pay the cost of repairs to the other parties vehicle or property and compensation if injury or death occurred.
As you progress in your career, build your savings, buy a home and/or start to build your pension savings, the financial advice you receive is going to change, it will be different to the advice given to someone who is coming up to retirement having paid off the mortgage and already has an investment portfolio.
Do I need financial advice?
Some people will go through life never having had or sought financial advice.
But, will they be better off?
Well, there are a number of surveys that show those who have received financial advice use their tax allowances more effectively, they accumulate more in wealth in liquid financial assets and are more likely to have larger pension savings and income.
So whilst some people will feel that they can get through life without seeking financial advice, for the majority of us, it’s likely that at some point, an adviser will be able to point us in a slightly different direction. This may ensure we arrange a more appropriate level of insurance cover, help us decide on the best mortgage deal for our circumstances and help identify the most tax efficient and the best way to save for our old age.
Financial Advice – the very basics
KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid.
Initially at least, financial advice should be simple. You don’t need anyone to tell you you‘re spending more than you’re earning.
Budget
By fully understanding your costs and monthly and annual expenses and comparing them to your income you will be in control and properly able to make spending decisions.
Rather than trying to fund an annual cost such as car insurance when it is due for renewal, set up a separate account and pay into it every month. Try to make sure you are earning interest on this account. Every little helps!
We’re used to the idea of checking out the cheapest car insurance or mobile phone data deals on comparison websites, making sure we’re not overpaying for a particular service will help you budget your monthly expenses and maybe free up a little cash to pay off debt or start saving.
Pay off your high cost debt.
As a society we have got used to the concept of renting rather than owning. Credit is more available now than ever, but debt is still a debt regardless of your credit score!
If you have a debt, a personal loan, an overdraft or a credit card, it’s likely that the interest you are paying every month is more than you could earn if you had the same amount in a savings account.
If you have a credit card that’s charging you 16, 17 or 18% a year on your borrowings, pay it off before you save anything, don’t keep utilising your overdraft to pay a standing order into a savings account paying you 0.5% on your balance, that’s what the banks want you to do !
Build up an emergency buffer.
Now that you’ve paid off your debt and have regained control of your money you can think about the next step. Building an emergency cash buffer to cover those unforeseen expenses.
Ideally, your cash buffer should be enough to pay all your bills and expenses, pay your mortgage or rent along with any other weekly or monthly payment commitments you may have for at least 3 months.
How much do I need? It’s a personal number, we’re all different and will all have different requirements.
How much would you need if you were unexpectedly made redundant? How long would your current employer pay you if you fell ill and couldn’t work for a year? How long could you maintain your current lifestyle and meet all your financial commitments if you couldn’t find a new job, or weren’t well enough to go back to work?
As a rough guide we’d normally suggest a minimum of enough savings to cover between 3 and 6 months expenses. However, ‘be realistic’ is good advice.
This emergency buffer should be money that is easily accessible, ideally in instant access deposits. Keep it separate from your normal bank account and definitely try to avoid the temptation of dipping into this emergency pot for ‘life’s little luxuries’!
So, you’ve read all the above. You cannot understand what all the fuss is about, it seems easy, common sense really.
You’re happy in your job, maybe going for promotion, and your work contract says if you’re ill you can still get full pay for 3 months and half pay for another 3 months. Between you and your employer, you’ve even got a pension started.
What do I need you for I hear you say.
Financial advice -What’s important and what do I need to know?
Regulation
All financial advisers must be registered with the Financial Conduct Authority, (FCA).
The FCA are the financial industry’s policeman. We all have to be registered by them, as an individual or as a company, if we are not registered, we are not allowed to conduct business or advise clients.
Make sure you check your potential adviser is ALLOWED to give you advice.
Anyone can go online and check any individual adviser or their company and see if they appear on the FCA register. Against my own registration number and name there is also a list of what I am allowed to advise you on as well as my previous employment history.
Restricted or Independent?
If a company or adviser is an independent financial adviser, an IFA, or you are offered independent advice, then this means that the advice you receive and the products you can buy could come from ANY provider in the market.
The alternative is restricted advice, and as the name suggests a restricted adviser can only recommend products from certain providers.
Whilst this may sound like you are limiting your choice, it is very unlikely that a restricted adviser will offer you just one product provider to choose from. Most likely they have a selection of companies that they trust and are happy to promote to their clients. Do ask them which companies they work with and why.
How much will Financial advice cost me?
If you purchase an insurance product such as life, critical illness or income protection insurance policy via a financial adviser, there will be no fees to pay. This is because the company providing the product pays the financial adviser directly from the premiums that they charge you.
If, however, you are seeking advice on savings or pension products, then fees can be charged in a number of ways.
You can pay a flat fee for the advice, based on the time it takes the financial adviser to consider and make a recommendation. If you are paying fee based advice on a product then it is most likely that you will be charged VAT in addition to the agreed amount. Always check with your adviser.
Alternatively, and the most common way an adviser will charge you is a percentage fee based on the amount of money you invest or you wish to be managed. You will pay an initial fee and, most likely an ongoing percentage charge all the time they are continuing to manage your money.
You should always be told, prior to seeking or accepting any advice exactly how you will be charged for the service you seek and it should be agreed with you before any advice is given.
You could also speak to family and friends, find out if they’ve used an adviser before, do they know or would they recommend anyone in the local area?
Ring the adviser up and have a chat. Find out what sort of advice they offer and which products areas, if any, that they specialise in.
Most advisers will offer a free introductory meeting so you can get to meet them and understand if you could trust them.
You will be spending money, (possibly a lot of it over time), with this person, so don’t be embarrassed about asking pointed questions and getting comfortable with them.
Remember, this is someone who you are going to have a very open and honest relationship with. You will be discussing very personal subjects with a financial adviser, including money, family and health.
This is someone who you are asking to help you make informed investment and protection decisions for you and your family, so take the time to make the right choice for you.
An adviser will help ensure you are using your annual allowances as effectively as possible. Everyone, taxpayer or not, has annual allowances available to them and they should always be considered when making savings and investment decisions.
For instance, did you know:-
-You can earn £1000 a year Interest on your savings tax free if you are a basic rate taxpayer or £500 as a higher rate taxpayer?
-As a basic rate taxpayer, for every £80 you save in your pension the government puts in £20 making it £100 in total, if you’re a 40% taxpayer the government will pay you £40 towards your £100 pension investment!
-You can start saving into a private pension for your child or Grandchild and the government will add 20% a year to your contributions up to a total maximum £3600 ?
-The first £2000 a year dividend income is tax free for a normal rate taxpayer?
-ISA income and gains are tax free.
-Parents, family or friends can save up to £4,368 a year in the Junior ISA, (JISA).
If you are self-employed or you own your own business, your financial adviser should be able to work with your accountant or legal advisers and suggest ways for you to save tax efficiently.
Simply put, because I like helping people make a positive choice.
I enjoy working with my client’s, getting to understand their needs, helping them protect their families against the worst, helping them save and grow their assets whilst assisting them to plan for the future and their financial independence.
What do I hope to get from my client? I’d hope they consider me to be one of their ‘hubs’. Someone they refer to when they have a financial query or are considering taking a financial decision so I can help them avoid costly tax mistakes. I’d hope they consider me to be someone they can trust and recommend to others.
Who knows, if there’s sufficient interest, I might just get around to writing another chapter or two?
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/mybump2baby-family-protection.png960960Carla Letthttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Logo-1-300x81.pngCarla Lett2019-12-03 11:49:172019-12-12 10:33:28Financial Advice, what is it, do I need it?
Only 51% of parents with children under 4 have any kind of life insurance in place*
Of these, only 16% have critical illness insurance*
Only 14% of the above have any form of insurance to protect their income*
Most people know what life insurance is and what it does. But the statistics above show that the UK population, especially younger people, are grossly underinsured.
Is this due to the cost? – Life insurance is as cheap as chips!!
The sooner you take out insurance cover, the cheaper it is! If you sat down and thought about what this means financially to those who would be left behind, life insurance would be a no brainer.
Where there is an even bigger gap in the insurance market, is the lack of people who have NO cover in place, should they be unable to work due to accident or illness. Younger people should really think about this as, statistically speaking, they are more likely to suffer a serious illness than die in the foreseeable future. The uptake on life insurance, all be it low, is larger than critical illness insurance. This should be reversed. Younger people should consider the implications of not being able to work due to a serious illness.
Here is an example of a situation one young couple found themselves in due to lack of insurance:
Jake, 34 and Chloe, 32 had both worked full time until the birth of their daughter, Alice, 18 months earlier. Chloe had opted to take 6 months’ maternity leave from her job as a marketing assistant in a small electronics company as she earned less than Jake, a software engineer. They lived in a two bedroomed flat near to Chloe’s mum who lived on her own and worked part time, which meant she was able to spend time with the baby, which she loved.
Alice was now attending a private nursery near to home 5 days a week which was expensive but it was the nursery that Jake and Chloe liked and thought best suited to Alice, who seemed happy and settled there.
So when Jake had an accident and was diagnosed with a severe back problem, he was signed off sick and couldn’t continue with his job. As a result, he was entitled to 3 months’ full pay and following on from that, Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for the next 3 months, currently, £94.25 per week. As Jake was the main breadwinner, they soon began to feel the pinch. They fell behind on their mortgage payments which in turn affected their credit rating; their ability to remortgage in the future was affected and nursery costs became a huge problem and they reluctantly had to give up Alice’s place.
This was a terrible situation for Chloe and Jake. How could they have avoided this situation? Jake, in the knowledge that he would only ever receive 3 months’ full sick pay, could have set up an Income Protection Policy to pay him 65% of his full salary, payable after 3 months, until he was able to go back to work or retire. This policy would have cost Jake £32.64 per month. To put this cost into context, Jake and Chloe paid £110 per month for their TV and sports package.
It’s all about priorities!!!
The scenario above is unfortunately very common across the UK. According to the Financial Conduct Authority, only 6% of 18-34 year olds took financial advice in 2017** and only 16% of mothers with children under 16 and 24% of fathers with children of the same age had critical illness cover in place. If you’ve been thinking about getting some advice, don’t ignore it or put off until another day. Go ahead and contact a professional, impartial financial adviser who will normally offer you an initial, complimentary financial review to provide you with sound advice. Your financial adviser will be able to make sure that you and your family have the right protection in place at the right cost, should the worst happen.
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/protection.jpg28284242Carla Letthttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Logo-1-300x81.pngCarla Lett2019-11-28 10:54:472019-12-03 12:25:50PERSONAL PROTECTION: Can you afford NOT to have it?
Everybody wants their child to be able to do what they want when they grow up. To follow the career that suits them best.
Unfortunately, achieving this costs money, in some cases, a lot of money. If you want your child to be able to go on to further education, it is very important to start saving for that eventuality now. Below are several ways that you could go about doing so.
Open junior ISAs for each of your children
One of the best options is to open a junior ISA for each child. For most people, they are still a tax-efficient way to save money for their children.
Plus, there is no limit to how little you can save, which means they can work for virtually any family. You can start them with as little as £100. Often, you will receive at least that as gifts, when your child is born. So, if you can, open an ISA for them using that money.
Close family members can contribute to their ISA accounts too. Some grandparents put a percentage of the cash they would normally gift for birthdays and other special celebrations into these savings accounts. Even if it is just 10%, with interest payments, across 18 years, that can add up to a lot of extra money for your child to use as an adult.
Teach them about managing money
Being able to manage money well is an important skill. Teaching your children how to handle their finances will save them a lot of money throughout their lifetime. They are less likely to make the mistake of stretching themselves financially and getting into debt.
Prepare them for the world of work
An important part of teaching your children about money is providing them with an allowance. Handling even a small one can still teach them a lot.
When they are old enough, give them the chance to get more by doing work around the home. Doing this helps to prepare them for the world of work.
It will also help them to learn new skills and help to boost their confidence. Manual jobs like gardening will help to keep them fit and help their mental health too.
If they show an interest in learning a skill like hairdressing or cooking, do everything you can to encourage them. Many regard this work as menial and forget that even in a deflated job market there is usually still a strong demand for these skills. Hairdressing is a particularly good skill to learn because you can always work for yourself. It is also a job you can be fitted in around other things. Encourage them to learn things that will make it easier for them to secure work on the side, for example, while they are studying at university or raising their own kids.
Helping your child to set up a small business is another good idea. They will learn a lot by selling online or making cookies and selling them locally. Even selling their old stuff can teach them a lot about the world of commerce. Knowing how to do these things will also help them how to make money during those times in their life where they cannot find steady employment. If this idea interests you, click here to learn more.
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/naming-ceremony-lytham-st-annes-3.jpg38405760Carla Letthttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Logo-1-300x81.pngCarla Lett2019-11-27 11:14:322019-12-03 12:49:31Four ways to provide your child with a more secure financial future
Life insurance seems to be one of those things that you don’t really think about until it’s too late, but that shouldn’t be the case. Everyone seems to know why it is so important to us all, BUT a lot of us choose to ignore what would happen if we were to die suddenly without having any life insurance in place. If this was to happen without us having life insurance in place, it could potentially have devastating effects for your family which could result in being left with a large bill to pay for your final expenses, or even worse, losing their family home because they can’t afford to repay the mortgage.
Unfortunately, I lost my mum last year on 9th December and honestly life insurance was not something I had ever thought about until this day. You don’t realise how important life insurance really is until you’re on the other side of it. On top of dealing with the sudden loss of my mum, we had to plan the funeral and all of the expenses that came with it. I never realised how expensive it was to organise and pay for a funeral! My mum and dad have always been good with money and savings, so whilst we didn’t rely on the money to pay for the funeral, it was still a worry to think about how expensive a funeral could be.
I have two children myself who are nearly 3, and one and a half, and at the time of my mum passing I still lived in the family home with them, my partner, my mum, my dad and my sister, and whilst the house is like Mary Poppins’ handbag, it was definitely a squeeze for us all to be living there. I’ve always wanted a house of my own to raise the girls and make our own memories but with the cost of houses these days it never seemed to be a possibility. Whilst losing my mum was the worst thing I have ever gone through in my life, I will always be thankful that something good came out of it – in a weird kind of way. So, my dad decided that once we had everything sorted he was happy to split the money between myself and my sister because he wanted us to get on the property ladder. Thanks to my mum we now have our first family home, mortgage free, so there is no stress and worrying about paying the mortgage, which with two kids can be so stressful to worry about! It makes me sad that mum isn’t here to pop round for a coffee and see the house and make more memories with us but I will be forever grateful that because my mum had her life insurance we were able to use it to get our first family home.
That’s just my own personal story, and I know that everyone’s stories differ but the importance of life insurance really is paramount to your family. Life insurance can help your family to pay off your debts, provide for your children, give peace of mind to your family financially, even if your life insurance is for a small amount it will mean more to your family than you could ever possibly imagine.
To get in touch with your local MyBump2Baby financial adviser please fill in our contact form with your name, telelphone number and town name and we will pass your details on to your nearest financial adviser.
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/21.jpg11271689Carla Letthttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Logo-1-300x81.pngCarla Lett2019-11-16 11:55:502019-12-03 12:45:19The Importance of Life Insurance - A True Story
I was feeding my baby in the early hours of the morning, when I saw a Mini First Aid post pop up on Mummy Social! I am a trained nurse but was on maternity leave at the time, so it sounded like a fantastic opportunity to try something different whilst still using my nursing skills.
Why did you decide to buy a Mini First Aid franchise?
I’ve been a qualified nurse since I was 21 and have always worked in healthcare. I loved my job but I wanted something that was more flexible to fit around family life – my boys are still young and there’s only 17 months between them, so I wanted to spend more time with them but still earn a living. Mini First Aid enables me to do this.
What do you enjoy most about working for Mini First Aid?
The flexibility it gives you is amazing – I feel very lucky to have found a job that I can fit around my family, but that is also very rewarding and fulfilling; seeing parents, grandparents and guardians going away from a class with confidence they didn’t have at the beginning is really great to see.
The support from head office and the other franchisees is incredible – it feels like a big family. We all have different backgrounds, but we use these different skills and experiences to help each other out
.
Have you faced any challenges with your new career?
There will always be challenges when you have young children!
I’m often answering calls and emails whilst entertaining my boys. However, you wouldn’t be able to do that with another job, so that’s what makes Mini First Aid such a family friendly job!
How many days do you work?
I currently run on average 1-2 classes per week although this does vary greatly. I still work on a more flexible basis as a nurse to keep my skills up to date. As Mini First Aid is so flexible – you can choose how many hours you want to work and when – I can fit this around my nursing shifts and childcare really easily.
Finally, what would you say to someone who was thinking about joining Mini First Aid?
Just do it, you won’t regret it!
If you’re looking for a flexible job that you can fit around your family, with great support, then I really don’t think you can beat Mini First Aid.
Click here to find out more about becoming a Mini First Aid franchisee or trainer
Click here to find your local Mini First Aid class
https://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/mini-first-aid-review.png225225Carla Letthttps://www.mybump2baby.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Logo-1-300x81.pngCarla Lett2019-10-29 11:33:282019-10-29 11:34:08Beckie’s Story – Why I Love Working for Mini First Aid
