Top tips for new mums.

Hey readers, 

About to become a parent or recently welcomed a newborn? Well, check out my advice on things that I thought were important things. 

Things that I wish people would have shared with me when becoming a parent for the first time. 

See their top tips for ditching the guilt, keeping stress at bay and embracing the chaos of new parenthood.

 1. Keep. It. Simple!!!

 Your task is simple. The early days feel incredibly overwhelming. 

Keep in mind that your infant requires four things: milk, sleep, warmth, and love. 

Avoid letting the countless self-help books, tools, and routines you must follow clog your head. Just focus on those essential care needs.

2. Trust your instincts.

The best advice for a new mum is to follow your instincts. Being a new mum, doubting yourself is simple because you've never done this. I wish to advise you to believe in your instincts and your mother's wisdom, nevertheless.

You were designed with the abilities needed to be a mother. Therefore, you should consider any internal cues that suggest something is off or that everything is fine. 

Don't question your judgement! Mothers are always right, as the saying goes.

3. Stock up on essentials. 

Stock up on the necessities. Have these products on hand, so you won’t have to run to the shop in the middle of the night. I suggest packing three different bags or sections within your bag with the following:

During your recovery, postpartum products like peri bottles, sitz baths, cold packs, painkillers, and witch hazel pads can help. Additionally helpful are pads and disposable undergarments.

Feeding essentials: These include breast cream and burp towels—a bottle of water, a phone charger, and food for yourself. Even if you want to breastfeed, have sterilised bottles and formula available to be on the safe side. 

I couldn't manage to breastfeed, so glad I had the bottle; my mottle is best fed. Breastfeeding has a steep learning curve and is not something every woman can do.

Nappy station: Stock up on nappies, wipes, and lotion for nappy rash in a separate container. You can change the baby on the sofa since it can be too much trouble to even go upstairs to the nursery, depending on your birth outcome.

Purchase your preferred granola bars and other healthy snacks in quantity, and if you are breastfeeding, it makes you very hungry.

4. Hormones. 

Your emotions will be all over the place. So if you cry, laugh, and sob, don’t worry; it’s natural. 

However, if you have feelings of sadness or anxiety beyond the standard “baby blues”, you may be having postnatal depression, and you need to get professional support from your doctor or baby health nurse.

5. Poo. 

It’s not a topic you EVER thought you’d talk about, but as soon as you become a parent, you’ll realise your new fixation with baby poo. 

Or, to be more precise: the frequency, colour, and normality of your child's bowel movements.

The poop of your child is significant and might reveal information about their general health. 

Here is everything you need about baby poop, from the newborn meconium through the various consistencies.

6. Guilt.

This is a hard one, especially when hormones and tiredness are high but don't put too much pressure on yourself. 

You won't enjoy every moment with your baby, and you know what? That is ok. I used to get so stressed trying to hold on to every little thing, but you can't but yourself. 

I know what you can do is enjoy the simple moments that bring happiness. 

Have you got any tips for new mums that I have missed and are worth mentioning in the comment section? I love to hear them down below.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 30/04/2023

 

My youngest son got his new glasses this week :) 

How to do soft boiled eggs in the air fryer.

 Hey readers,

You can practically do anything in the air fryer, and what is good news to your ears is soft-boiled eggs. 

It is so easy to do and makes it so much easier than the traditional way to do it. Check out my recipe below on how I do soft-boiled eggs perfectly in the air fryer. 

Ingredients. 

* Eggs.

Directions. 

1. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature.

2. Place your eggs into the basket of the air fryer. 

3. Turn the air fryer onto temperature 180c and switch to the air fryer setting.

4. Cook for 7 minutes.

5. Be careful when taking the eggs out as they are hot, and place them into egg cups. 

6. Thee you have perfect soft-boiled eggs. 

Cheers for reading x

Overcoming the cost of living.

Hey readers, 

We all know that the cost of living affects everyone. The pinch can be felt,t especially when you have to pay the bills and food.

 Here are some innovative ways to save on your household finances.

1. Turn down your thermostat. 

Heating and hot water expenses account for over half of total energy bill prices. You might save up to £80 a year by reducing the heat in your home by just one degree.

 A 17-degree drop in temperature on your thermostat can make a huge difference. Before turning on the heating, putting on clothes and blankets can also help ward off the cold. 

Here are additional suggestions to keep you warm this winter, including insulating your home and making traditional hot beverages.

Also, there are a lot of incentives available to you to assist with growing energy costs. 

This year, households might receive as much as £350 to help with rising energy costs. The Warm House Discount Plan is another option, and it might save you £140 on your winter electricity bill.

In cases where existing benefits are insufficient to cover housing costs, local authorities may grant claimants a discretionary, constrained, and temporary housing payment.

2. Look around for the best gas prices.

With fuel costs rising, use comparison tools like Confused.com's Petrol Price Comparison Tool to find the best deal in your neighbourhood.

 This tool allows you to look up nearby gas stations and their fuel prices. You can ensure you always receive the most terrific deal when filling up at the pump by utilising this tool. 

When making lengthy car trips, try to prepare ahead and avoid purchasing petrol at highway service stations because they typically impose an extra fee.

3. Grow your own. 

Develop your own: Growing food for one person is more straightforward than for a large family. Put a £1.50 Wilko Italian leaf grow bucket on your windowsill to start growing salad greens.

4. Check up on your subscriptions. 

It is essential to consider the subscriptions and services you already use and pay for monthly or annually. It can be very economical to cancel the ones you no longer use.

Requesting your bank statement and reviewing each standing order that leaves your account is a practical approach to accomplish this.
You may save hundreds of pounds a year by cancelling even a few.

5. Food shopping bills.

 
One of the most significant expenses you must factor into your budget is your food purchasing. 

You could find it simpler to cope with rising food prices by looking for methods to save money.

 Prepare and cook your meals to save money because they are typically less expensive and healthier than takeout or prepared foods.

Create a shopping list for any necessary items and a weekly meal plan using the ingredients you already have on hand.

 Shopping online can also help you save money. Saving money can also be achieved by batch cooking and selecting vegetables over meat and seafood.

Have I missed any good money-saving tips to help with the cost of living?  

Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 23/04/2023

 

How to make a toasted cheese sandwich in the air fryer.

Hey readers,

The comfort food classic you grew up with has been given a modern makeover with crispy air fryer cheese toastie sandwich. You will enjoy how crunchy the bread is and how you get perfectly melted cheese right out of the air fryer and will leave you feeling like you are in cheese heaven!

Ingredients.

* Sprinkle of ground pepper. 

* Two slices of tiger white bread (or whatever bread have available). 

* Butter or mayonnaise whatever suits you. 

* Boursin garlic spread. 

* Few slices of red onion. 

Directions. 

1. Butter both sides of tiger white bread (can use alternatively mayonnaise if you Like).

2. Spread Boursin (garlic) onto one side of the house bread as wanted flavour.

3. Then place some grated cheese, a few slices of red onion and ground pepper on top.

4. Finally place the other slice on top. 

5. Place the sandwich into the basket/tray.

6. Turn the air fryer onto 180c air fryer setting for 6 minutes and then flip over and cook for a further 4 miniatures.

7. That is your grilled sandwich done. 

Cheers for reading X

How to make money from home

Hey readers,

Many people will look for ways to increase their income in 2023. Below I have devised seven ideas for making some extra money this year.

1. Dog walking. 

A dog walking business can be the perfect side gig for someone who loves pets. It takes a few hours out of your day and is an excellent way to earn money while getting some extra exercise.

Even some well-known apps enable you to locate those looking for a dog walker rapidly. To find out what's available in your area, check out Rover and PawShake. Take a closer look at how to launch a dog walking service after researching and identifying demand in your neighbourhood.

2. Make money online with micro-jobs. 

If you don't have specialised skills, one of the finest ways to earn money online without investment in 2023 is through micro-jobs. You only need rudimentary internet knowledge and occasionally solid analytical skills for microtasks.

You can earn money by doing simple things like joining a newsletter, liking something on Facebook, or Tweeting at websites that provide Micro Jobs.

Additionally, several Micro Job websites list positions that need analytical abilities. You will be required to categorise products on various websites, find information online, assess the tone of tweets, gather data from a document or an invoice, etc.

Micro Jobs can be found on several websites. However, the two websites listed below are well-liked for finding micro-employment. Amazon Inc. Micro workers use Amazon Mechanical Turk or Mturk.
Because Amazon Inc. runs it, Amazon Mechanical Turk is regarded as the best of the websites above. For citizens of some nations, however, there may be restrictions on signing up with Amazon Mechanical Turk.

To increase your earning potential, you should register with Microworkers regardless of your ability.

3. Rent stuff. 

If you're not using it, rent it out. It might be your extra room or even your driveway. You might earn several thousand pounds more per year as a result.

Using websites like YourParkingSpace and JustPark.com, drivers can charge other road users for using their driveways. You should inform your mortgage provider if you own your house and want to rent a room. Make careful to seek your landlord's approval if you rent your home. With the Rent a Room program, you may make up to £7,500 per year tax-free by renting out your room.

4. Cashback. 

Cashback websites give you money back when you make purchases online, as you can guess from the name. Two of the most well-known are TopCashback and Quidco, where you can occasionally make hundreds.

Make sure to click through the websites while you shop to get extra money. You can get widgets for both, so you always remember. Although they are free, you may upgrade to a plus membership for £5 per year to receive a higher return.

5. Online surveys. 

Online surveys are a well-liked technique for people to earn money in their leisure time. To participate in surveys and test new products, research organisations are constantly looking for additional participants globally.

You can easily earn a couple of pounds for a few minutes of form filling, which is given as cash or prizes. For some surveys, you might earn up to £3 ($5).

OnePoll, i-Say, Opinion Outpost, YouGov, Prizerebel, Marketagent, InboxPounds, Valued Opinions, The Opinion Panel, Mingle, Opinion Bureau, Maru Voice, Panel Base, Y Live, and Survey Junkie are a few worthwhile options to consider.

6. Share your skills. 

Several online websites can help you earn money in your leisure time using your skills. For instance, if you're good at DIY, you could use Taskrabbit to become a "tasker." The website connects individuals with time and expertise to those who need help with odd jobs. You can also utilise websites like Fiverr to advertise an online service, such as graphic design expertise.

7. Review music for cash. 

If you love music, you might jump at the possibility of getting paid to write about undiscovered performers.
You can accomplish that, thanks to Slicethepie. 

There is no restriction on the number of artists you can review, and users get compensated according to the calibre of their ratings.

What do you think about my list of ways to make money from home? Is there anything I have missed on the list that you think is an excellent way to make money from home? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Cheers for reading X