DIARY OF A WORK AT HOME MUM

  • Welcome
  • How I Earn
  • Money Saving Tips
  • Blog
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Flamingo Paperie
  • Matched Betting
  • FAQ
  • Welcome
  • How I Earn
  • Money Saving Tips
  • Blog
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Flamingo Paperie
  • Matched Betting
  • FAQ

Blog

Flamingo Paperie Papercraft Kits

25/11/2019

0 Comments

 
shop craft kits
Flamingo Paperie Papercraft Kits

New from Flamingo paperie, beautiful papercraft kits. They are great for mindfulness and make gorgeous gifts.

Each kit has an estimated making time on the back with making times from 3 hours up to 18 hours, depending on the level of difficulty for the kit.

Full making instructions are included plus scissors, glue and scoring tool. I have had these on my stall since the start of November and they have been selling really well with the sloth being the most popular and the roses selling well as gifts for ladies.

​Here are some of the kits made up! They look amazing!
I look forward to making one up after Christmas when I am less busy. I am not crafty at all so this will be a test for me!

​Love Teresa xx

www.teresa4cards.co.uk

shop craft kits
0 Comments

Recyclable and Biodegradeable Kraft Roll Wrap by Flamingo Paperie

31/10/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
I am delighted to be able to tell you about our new Kraft paper roll wrap from Flamingo Paperie. It is recyclable and biodegradable. It has beautiful deep dyed colour (colour goes all the way through the paper) for fantastic colour and it is coloured using vegetable based inks.

Rolls are 3m long by 70cm. £3.50 for coloured and £2 for natural. The colours available are gold, natural, silver, white, red, grey, moss green, french blue and sky blue.

I am really excited by this new product line, it has had a great response so far just from posting about it on my teresa4cards social media! I can't wait to see how it is received it at the first fair I take it to.

This is only available through Flamingo Paperie partners it is not on the website. Contact me if you would like to order a few rolls.
​
Perfect for Christmas or birthdays and recyclable and biodegradable too!
Order Kraft Roll Wrap
We also have a beautiful selection of Christmas wrap for this year, these are available in single sheets for £1.50 each.

And guess what? These are recyclable too!

These are excellent quality 120gsm paper, with a cutting grid on the back and they are 500mm by 700mm in size.

All of our birthday single wrapping sheets are also recyclable.

Look out for my next blog coming soon about our new Paper Craft items!

​Click the button to get in touch to order Kraft Roll Wrap (and anything else you would like too!)

​Love Teresa xx
Picture
Order Kraft Roll Wrap
shop teresa4cards
Become a flamingo partner
0 Comments

My 5 Top Tips for New Flamingo Paperie Partners

15/10/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Congratulations

You have started your own greetings card business with Flamingo Paperie! You have your starter pack, now what? How do I get started? HELP!

Here are my top tips:

1. Get the stock that is in your starter pack, put it in a basket and show it to people. The cards are £2 each or £1.60 each if they buy 10 or more. That is all you need to know to start showing the cards off!

2. Organise a home business launch, tell people what they are doing and ask them to come around and have a look! Set a date, invite people and talk to your sponsor. Don't worry if you don't know what to do at the home launch, your sponsor can help you with that.

3. Get your details on the brochures, write your details if you don't have stickers or a stamp. Put an order form in each brochure and start handing the brochures out to family, friends, neighbours and colleagues.

4. Meet with your sponsor. Set some goals with their help and start making a plan of how you can get to those goals.

5. Ask your friends to have a home event for you, call in some favours if you need to! 
Tips for Keeping Going:

1. Work consistently and try to touch your business each day if you can.

2. Remember: you won't earn if you don't work your business especially in the beginning!

3. Meet up with other local partners to share tips, help to motivate each other, to find out about what is working for them and general support.

4. Attend company events, even if that involves travelling and juggling other things to get there!

​5. Ask your sponsor for help if you need it.
How I can Help

I can help by coming along to your home launch if you are in my area or supporting you with some ideas for your launch. I can help you set your goals and your plan for the next few weeks or months. If you find an event you would like to go along to but you aren't feeling confident, I am happy to come along to your first event if you are in my area. I will help you by sharing resources with you and pointing you in the right direction for company resources. If you want weekly or monthly check in calls, I am happy to schedule those.

​I am here to support you in your new business, in whatever form that looks like for you!
Become a Flamingo Partner
If you want to know more about becoming a Flamingo Paperie partner have a look at my dedicated Flamingo website here, plus these two blogs Wanted - Flamingo Paperie Partners! and Your Chance to Shine.

You can also get in touch for more information, I will be happy to send you a pack.

Love Teresa xx
Picture
0 Comments

A True Story About Tights

7/10/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture

​BIG NEWS! I bought some tights! I hear you asking, what is she on about, how is this big news? Well, I don't wear tights as I don't wear skirts or dresses, I live in jeans and trousers.

So Why did I Buy Them?

I bought them because they were supposed to be really comfortable fitting tights which didn't keep falling down. I wanted to try them to see if that was true and thought ooo, I might get some skirts to go with them! I completely gave in to the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO), everyone else was trying them therefore I needed to or I was missing out. Amazing marketing by the tight company convinced me I needed them!

What Happened Next?

For lots I am sure these tights have been fabulous.

For me I wouldn't know if they are fabulous or not as they are still beautifully wrapped in the tissue paper that they were packaged in!! I have had these tights for around 9 months and still not opened them properly or worn them, or bought skirts to go with them!! What was i thinking?

For me they were a complete waste of money as I had bought something I did not need and I will probably never use. But a valuable lesson learnt, or more likely a reminder as I am sure I have bought many things in the past which I did not need or use!
Picture

Want versus Need Money Mindset

So from now on I think about the tights and I ask myself some questions. Do I need the thing? Will I use the thing? Am I buying the thing just because of Fear Of Missing Out?

Getting a handle on whether you actually need something, or whether you just want it will save you lots of money! In the case of the tights I wanted them, but I definitely did not need them!

For more money saving tips visit some more of my blogs:
50 Money saving Tips at Your Finger Tips
My Top 10 Ways to Save Energy
Saving Money on Food Bills

You can also join my mailing list here:
Join Mailing List
Can you relate? What have you bought recently which you clearly did not need? I would love to hear your stories!

​Love Teresa xx
0 Comments

50 Money Saving Tips at Your Finger Tips

3/7/2019

0 Comments

 
This is what I have been working on! My new Ebook, stuffed full of money saving tips all gathered together in one place for you. You can buy it now for just £1.99!

As well as 50 money saving tips it also includes a weekly meal planner and monthly budget planner which you can print as many time as you like!

Follow the link 'Buy Now' if you would like to buy and once you have purchased click on the link 'return to merchant' to get instant access to the Ebook which you can then save, and print as well if you like. I will also email you a copy.
Picture
For you FREE money saving tips direct to your inbox join my mailing list!
Join Mailing List
I hope you find some useful things there to help you. I would love to hear about your money saving journey!

​Love Teresa xx

0 Comments

Why I love Pre-Loved!

17/6/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Buying second hand or pre-loved items has always been a great way to save money, so I had to include it in my money saving blog section! We can save money and help the environment by re-using what we can.  Some examples of things I have bought pre-loved in the past include children's clothes, children's toys, furniture, shoes, books, jigsaw puzzles, games and of course my car! Most recently I bought a bike for my daughter's birthday. Second hand yes, but virtually no wear on the tyres! Saving about £60 compared to buying a new bike. At the age she is, she is still learning to ride a bike and growing so fast that it is likely to only last her a couple of years, so why buy new?!
​
​Why Buy Pre-Loved?
  • it will save you money
  • it is better for the environment
  • often things have a lot of use left but get thrown away
  • you might only need the item for a short period of time, so why buy new?
Re-using items is helping the environment too, preventing things being sent to landfill and reducing the amount of items needing to be produced as you will be buying fewer new items. As much as possible when I have finished with things I sell them or pass them on for free to someone who can make use of them and get more wear out of them.
Where to buy from?
  • Facebook selling pages
  • Ebay / Shpock / Gumtree
  • Children's pre-loved markets for example Little Monsters Preloved and Little Pickles Markets
  • Car boot sales
  • Charity shops

​These are also great places to sell your unwanted items to make a little cash! Or to donate your items too.
For more money saving tips visit my other money saving blogs. Including 5 Quick Ways to Save money.

For options to make money visit 'How I Earn' and also see my blog for 5 ways to Bring in Some Extra Money.
Love Teresa xx
0 Comments

Working from Home, Why do I do it?!

15/5/2019

0 Comments

 
I have had a work from home business for over 10 years. I have run these alongside other things I was doing at the time.  I now have two work from home businesses and I work on both part time. I have been running my teresa4cards business since 2011 and I started my Utility Warehouse business in October 2018.

So why do I do it? Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of working from home.
Just to be clear, the first picture is NOT me, I am responsible for the messy desk in the second picture!
Picture
Picture
Advantages of Working from Home
  • ​no childcare to pay for, or school holidays to cover
  • the work is flexible
  • I can be there for all the kids things
  • I am the boss
  • I choose the direction that my business goes in
  • I get to do what I love
  • no daily commute
  • more time at home
  • less pressure to rush around and do everything
Disadvantages of Working from Home
  • irregular income, especially to start with
  • never away from work, its always there and the temptation is there to always be working, checking emails etc
  • you are responsible for everything
  • you have to motivate yourself every single day
  • you have to deal with setbacks
  • you are constantly challenged to do new things which might be outside your comfort zone
  • you might have to deal with things which you have no knowledge of eg marketing, accounting, paperwork
Why do I do it?

​For some years I juggled work, nurseries for the kids and a part time home based business.  When my oldest started school things changed, whilst I could easily sort out after school care and breakfast clubs etc, but what did I do in the school holidays? As a then single parent, the options were not there for me.

I now work entirely from home because of the flexibility it gives me. It also allows me to avoid having to find childcare in the holidays and actually I rather like spending time with the kids, they are young for only a short time! I also love what I do and the variety that I get from working for myself.

And yes sometimes the thought of a more regular income does appeal! But the same problem remains, school holiday childcare!
Overcoming Problems

​I have learned over the years to put systems in place to minimise some of the disadvantages. In particular for me setting boundaries was important, so that I can feel like I do have time away from work and I am not constantly sat at my desk, or checking messages. During school term time I do very little evening work. This flips around when it is school holidays, where I do most of my work in the evening, as I am often out during the day with the children.

This year I have been working on getting more focus by working on my vision board and setting goals. The next step for me to grow is to outsource some of the things that I don't enjoy doing or could be done better by an expert, in order to free up some of my time.
To conclude, working from home is not for everyone, and it is certainly not the easy option. It is challenging everyday and I feel like I am constantly juggling, but I love it.

If you are thinking of working from home check out the Work from Home Tips section of my blog, for helpful tips and ideas.  Also check out the FAQ section.  And if you are interested in taking a look at either of the businesses I am involved in, click the relevant button for more information!
Flamingo paperie
utility warehouse

​Love Teresa xx
0 Comments

Flamingo Paperie Beautiful New May Designs

8/5/2019

0 Comments

 
With May comes some new Flamingo Paperie greetings card designs! All available at teresa4cards.co.uk Here are all the new cards launched this month:
Shop New cards
Don't forget, all the cards are £2 each or just £1.60 each when you buy 10 or more. So plan ahead and take advantage of the saving available!
As well as the new cards, our tags launched in March proved so successful that we have launched some new designs in May too! And they are gorgeous! All of these have matching gift wrap already in the range.
Enjoy browsing!

​Love Teresa xx
0 Comments

My Top 10 Ways to Save Energy

24/4/2019

0 Comments

 
Here are my top 10 ways to save money by reducing your energy consumption. Great for you as you save money and great for the environment too!

​Please note I am not an expert, these are just some of my thoughts and ideas!
1. Turn it Off

If you aren't using it turn it off! Lights, the TV, computer etc. Don't leave things on standby as they are still using electricity.

2. Turn it Down

Turning down your heating by just 1 degree will save you money. How about your washing machine? Can you wash at a lower temperature? And only boil the kettle with the water you are going to use! All these little things add up to help to keep your energy usage and costs down.
​3. Have Energy Efficient Appliances

When you need to replace any of your appliances, and are looking at new appliances, look for the most energy efficient ones. The appliance should have a rating sticker attached showing how energy efficient it is. In this picture A is most energy efficient and G is worst. You will also see A+ or A* which are more efficient than A.
Picture
4. Ditch the Dryer!

Tumble dryers use a lot of energy. I have never been a fan of tumble dryers for this reason and I don't like they way they make my clothes feel either. In winter I have a clothes airer that I hang my washing on, much like this one.

​When I lived in a flat and had nowhere to hang my washing out, I used it all year around.
​5. Get a Smart Meter

These are free from most energy suppliers and will show you where in the house energy is being used. This can help you to identify if you can save money in any areas. You can find lots more information on smart meters online which you can use to help decide if a smart meter will help you.  I recently had a smart meter fitted which came with a home energy display, showing you what electricity you are using. I then went all around the house seeing what I could turn off!
Picture
​6. LED Bulbs

LED bulbs use less energy, have a longer lifespan and are more efficient than other bulbs. They are also brighter than traditional energy saving bulbs. To learn more about LEDs, here are the links to two articles: 
Climate change: LED lights making dent in UK energy demand
LED Lighting

Utility Warehouse customers can qualify for free LED bulbs for life, contact me if you would like to find out more.

7. Only Heat the Rooms you Use

If you live in a large house and struggle to afford to heat it, then turn down or turn off the heat in the rooms you aren't using. Just heat the parts of the house that you are using.

8. Insulation

If you are a homeowner and aren't planning on moving for a while, invest in some extra loft insulation, to prevent the heat escaping through your roof.

9. Double Glazed Windows

Again for the homeowners. If you don't currently have double glazed windows, then consider investing in them. If you have double glazed windows check they are in good order to ensure they are still keeping heat in well. Although they are more expensive, triple glazed windows are also an option available.

10. Solar Panels

And finally for homeowners, consider having solar panels installed. Once installed these will generate green energy from sunlight to power your appliances. This will reduce your energy bills, but you will obviously have to pay for the installation. More information on solar panels can be found here.
I hope you have found something here that can help you. Click the button to join my monthly email newsletter with money saving tips sent straight to your inbox! 
Join Mailing List
Also check out my other money saving blogs for more money saving tips:​

​Setting a Budget and Sticking to it!

Saving Money on Kids Days Out

Saving Money on Your Food Bills

5 Quick Ways to Save Money
Picture
Love Teresa xx
0 Comments

Flamingo Paperie April Customer Club Offer

3/4/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Are you a member yet?

More great reasons to join Flamingo Paperie's customer club this month!

All customer club members receive 5 free cards on orders over £30. If you are already a member you will have had an email telling you about this offer already. If you aren't a customer club member yet then join today and order over £30 to take advantage of this offer.
join customer club
Here are the other benefits of being a customer club member:
​
  • receive a free gift with your first online Customer Club order
  • get fantastic Flamingo Paperie special offers
  • hear about products before they are launched
  • be able to help with product surveys, having your say on the designs you like
  • find surprise gifts in your orders
  • be part of the Flamingo Family and feel part of the Flamingo community
  • receive monthly / two weekly emails from Flamingo Paperie Head Office and you can unsubscribe at any time.

In addition you will still be supporting my teresa4cards business!
​
If you are interested in becoming a Flamingo Paperie Partner, there are benefits for you too as this is a great to help you to grow your online business.  You receive commission on all sales made through your website, so all orders made by your customer club members will bring you in commission.
To join my own mailing list click the button, you will get monthly newsletters and updates plus a brochure twice a year to browse.
join mailing list
Love Teresa xx
0 Comments

Wanted - Flamingo Paperie partners!

22/3/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
shop cards
How You Can Earn with Flamingo Paperie

Flamingo Paperie is a great business to be part of as it's products are easily affordable and the business is simple and totally flexible. The cards are unique thanks to our amazing artists and great quality too. What I love best of all is that the cards make people smile when they see them!

Flamingo partners buy the cards at a 30% discount and then we sell them, giving us great retail profit. The more you sell, the more you earn. This business is very simple, there is no detailed product information to learn. Once you get your starter pack, pop your cards in a bag or basket and show them to family and friends, the cards will sell themselves! You can also earn by starting your own team of Flamingo Partners and by growing and supporting your team.

There are no monthly targets so you can work as much or a little as you choose. Obviously the more active you are the more you will sell and the more you will earn. There are additional bonuses that you can earn once you reach certain retail levels.

Now is a fantastic time to become partner, there is so much business out there to be had. Many people have lost their old Phoenix Trader and are looking for what we have!
What Does it Cost?

Packs start off at just £45, with £95 and £200 packs available too.

For that you get:
  • some cards to sell
  • business sales aids and brochures
  • your own website
  • one years public liability insurance
  • help and support from me to get you off to a flying start

Pack 1 costs £45 and includes £54 of fabulous Flamingo Paperie products (30 greeting cards), and £13.43 of business sales aids and brochures.

Pack 2 costs £95 and includes £144 of fabulous Flamingo Paperie products (80 greeting cards), and £32.13 of business sales aids and brochures.

Pack 3 costs £200 includes £367.50 of fabulous Flamingo Paperie products (200 greeting cards and 5 sheets of gift wrap), and £60.51 of business sales aids and brochures. This qualifies for a £20 retail bonus.

​Sell all of the contents of your pack and you are instantly in profit!
learn more
Want to Know More?

More information can be found here, or you can contact me if you have some questions before you join.

​I love this business, it is so flexible and people love the cards! It is perfect to do alongside a job, or other part time business as you can fit it in around lots of different things.

​Love Teresa xx
Picture
0 Comments

Setting a Budget and Sticking to it!

19/3/2019

0 Comments

 
​#moneysavingtip

A great money saving tip, as many people will tell you, is to set yourself a monthly household budget and stick to it! Most people think that sticking to the budget is the hard bit, but actually I think setting the budget in the first place is harder. Let me tell you why.
​Click here for your FREE budget planner to get you started with budgeting
FREE budget planner
Picture
Budgeting

​Budgeting is a difficult process, it makes you look at all the income and expenses you have, and if the expenses are more than the income it can bring home to you that you will have to do something about the situation! This may mean cutting back on some of the things you love in order to reduce expenses. Or it could mean you have to find a way to bring in more money. These are hard decisions to make.

If you are forced to face up to having more expenses than income, it can be really hard to see a way to change that situation. For this reason I believe setting a monthly budget can be a really hard process.

It can also be hard to know exactly how much you usually spend on some essential items, like food and fuel. I want to encourage you to make the best estimate you can so you can get a place to start from.

Deciding you need to cut back on what you are spending can also be a challenge. How do you decide what needs to go? Some costs are essential costs like bills, food, fuel, clothes which are pretty fixed and there is not much you can do about it. In this case it can be a case of trying to reduce your spend perhaps by buying second hand clothes for example.
See my blog post on saving money on your food bills
Free meal planner
Aside from the essential bills, it is then up to you to choose and prioritise which things you are paying for that are important to you.
I would like to encourage you to start setting a monthly budget to see what situation you are in, especially if you always seem to have too much month at the end of the money!
Problems Sticking to your Budget?
  • Perhaps you underestimated your expenses. Check what you have been spending and if those essential costs have risen then revise your budget. For example council tax in the UK usually rises in April each year. Or maybe you spend more on your food shopping than you realise.
  • Have you overspent this month? Perhaps eaten out more than usual. Or maybe the kids have been on school holidays and you have had more days out than usual. Is it a one off or likely to continue every month?
  • ​Or maybe an unexpected cost landed this month.
For more money saving tips go here and for how you can earn extra money from home go here.
I hope this has helped you to get started with a budget. If you would like to ask anything feel free to contact me. Don't forget if you are experiencing financial difficulties you can get help from Citizens Advice, who can help you with debt and budgeting.

​Love Teresa xx
0 Comments

Saving Money on Kids Days Out

13/3/2019

0 Comments

 

​The Easter holidays are approaching and it has got me thinking about getting out and about with the kiddies. So I thought I would just share with you some of the things I do with my kids on a budget and hopefully it will give you some ideas and perhaps some money saving ideas too. I get lots of ideas from other mums when I am talking to them so please add your ideas in the comments as I sure I will find them useful!

Days out don't have to be expensive.  Here are some pictures of my two out and about at some free things!
Free Days Out

My first choice is always free days out! There are so many examples, here are a few:
  • ​Park
  • Bike ride
  • Picnic
  • Visit family and friends
  • Visit the Library and keep an eye out for free events being run in the library
  • Walks in the woods
  • Other local walks, we are lucky to have Chew Valley Lake nearby and Shearwater is not too far
  • Go to the beach, sand and water keep my kids occupied for ages!
  • Our local Church organise many free children's events, including fun-days, messy play, and pancake parties
  • Our local Baptist church organises a children's festival during the Summer holidays which is all free, Nfest
  • Free places to visit for example near us we have Nunney Castle, Bath City Farm

Cheap Days Out

There are many cheap options out there which will keep your little ones busy for a couple of hours, or you can combine with some of the ones from the free list to make it a longer day out!
  • Swimming
  • Soft play
  • Cinema, often cinemas will have cheaper kids films on in the mornings
  • Outdoor adventure centres, eg my kids love tobogganing at Mendip Outdoor Pursuits
  • Local events eg we have a local steam train station which we often visit especially when they have special days planned for example Easter Egg Hunt!
  • Local fairs, fetes, family days
  • We are local to Bookbarn International and my daughter will spend ages browsing the books while I drink tea!

Pay for an Annual Pass

Buying an annual pass is more expensive in the short term but it means you can have free access as many times as you during the year, which is ideal if you choose somewhere which is quite local to you. We have annual passes for Longleat, which are expensive initially, but actually are well worth it for the number of times we visit during the year and the number of events we are able to attend using them.

​Choose somewhere near to you that you kids love visiting and invest in an annual pass. Then next year go for somewhere else so they don't get bored! Or invest in National Trust or English Heritage membership to give you free access to lots of different places.

Food

Pack a picnic, drinks and snacks, this will be much cheaper than buying food while you are there. I always have to carry food with me as my kids always state they are hungry at inconvenient times!!
Avoid the Gift Shop!

I don't need to add anything here! 


​I hope you have found some useful ideas here.

Love Teresa xx

0 Comments

New March Cards from Flamingo Paperie

4/3/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Flamingo Paperie March New Cards

We have some lovely new cards, gift tags and two new gift wraps now available in our March launch. So I thought I would do a little showcase to show some of them to you. Don't forget when you buy 10 cards or more they are just £1.60 each, a 20% saving! #moneysavingtip

There are animals, Easter cards, good luck cards, birthday and lots more. Here are the cards, I hope you like them!
shop now
We also have some new gift tags, in packs of 5 for just £2! Mix and match with our gorgeous range of gift wrap. I love the Flamingo ones!

​And finally we have two new gift wrap, balloons and unicorns, which are certain to be popular!!
Picture
Picture

I hope you have enjoyed browsing!
​
Love Teresa x
0 Comments

Saving Money on your Food Bills

27/2/2019

0 Comments

 


​We all know that cooking from home is cheaper than eating out or getting takeaways. So why am I talking about it here? It's obvious right? Think about it for a while......how often do you pop to get a sandwich while you are at work, or a coffee on the go? It is surprising how all of these add up!

With some planning and preparation you could save lots of money on your food bills.
Picture

Here are my ideas for saving money on your your food bills:
  • Cut out takeaways, or make them a treat not a regular option.
  • Reduce eating out, make going out for food a treat maybe once a month.
  • Prepare lunches to take out with you, or picnics if on days out.
  • Take a bottle of water (or even a flask of coffee), better for your wallet and better for the environment!
  • Cook in batches and freeze for some quick meals when you are busy.
  • Plan your meals for the week, have a menu on the wall!
  • Shop with a list of everything you need for the weeks meals.
  • Shop around for your food and use discount supermarkets.
  • Shop yellow stickers, many reduced items can be frozen for when you need them.
  • Use your local market stall holders. I used to have a fabulous fruit and veg stall which I visited once a week in my town. He has sadly stopped trading due to the long hours. I used to save lots of money on my fruit and veg every week, easily saving me £10 a week and quite often more than that
  • Reduce your food waste. Freeze leftovers or use them the next day. Cook only what you need. Have use up meals to use up all your leftovers, you get some random combinations but it can be fun!
  • Make your slow cooker work for you if you are out all day. You then have a meal ready for you when you get home making it less likely that you will reach for the takeaway menu!
Now I LOVE eating out! I like cooking at home, but now and again I just want a break from it! So I am trying to now treat it as a treat and not do it so often.

The key to being able to save money on your food bills is really in planning your meals. I have attached a lovely freebie here for you to print off, to help you to start planning your weekly meals, just click the button to download it! 
Get my Free Meal Planner
I hope you found some useful things there to help you. I would love to hear our ideas too, comment below!

Love Teresa x
0 Comments

5 Quick Ways to Save Money!

25/2/2019

0 Comments

 
I have had many times when money has been short for one reason or another. Sometimes this is due to an unexpected expense, other times there is just too much going out and not enough coming in!

Also have a look at my blog post on My Top 5 ways to bring in some Quick Extra Money.

Here are 5 quick ways you could save some money each month:
Picture
Subscriptions

Check what subscriptions you are currently paying for.  Are there gym memberships you pay for monthly but don't get full use out of? What subscription boxes are you paying for that you don't use any more?  Then look at the ones that you use, but could perhaps manage without for a while. Whilst I pay for Netflix and Spotify and I use both regularly, I wouldn't hesitate to cancel them if I was struggling to find that money each month, or needed that money for something more important.

Last year I paid for an online exercise app, which surprise surprise I don't now use! I thought it was a one off payment, but no.....there it was in my recurring payments in Paypal. I cancelled that pretty quickly!! So a top tip is check Paypal for recurring payments!!
Direct Debits

Do the same for direct debits as you did with subscriptions.  Some will be essential like your water, utilities and other bills. Are there others there that you don't need? When I was really short of money I cut the direct debits back to the bare minimum.  I also found it more flexible to pay some bills when I knew the money was there rather than paying by direct debit, but if you do this still keep on top of the bills.
Have No Spend Days

See if you can go a day without spending any money at all, then try to see how many days you can do in a week! Including all those coffees, sandwiches and snacks! It is surprising what you can cut out when you are going for a no spend day!
Pay Off your Debts

Firstly always pay the minimum on your debts to avoid charges being added. Pay off your debts as quickly as you can, without leaving you short for your daily living. Pay the debts that have the highest interest rate first and take advantage of balance transfer rates if you are able to.

If you are struggling to pay your debts then please seek help from your providers or Citizens Advice.
Stick to a Budget

Make a budget and stick to it! Plan as much of your spend as you can. Allow a little extra for some unexpected expenses.  Budgeting is hard! It may take you a while to get all your income and expenses worked out.

It will be worth it as it will help you to identify any areas in which you are spending too much, or where you think you could cut back. You may be surprised with what you find!

See my recent blog on Setting a Budget and Sticking to it!
Picture
Join Mailing List

​I hope you have found something useful here among my suggestions. Look out for more money saving blogs coming soon!  Join my mailing list for monthly money saving newsletters and My Top 10 Money Saving Tips free download!

​Love Teresa x

**​If you are struggling to pay your debts then please seek help from your providers or seek financial advice from Citizens Advice.**
0 Comments

Top 5 Ways to bring in some quick extra money

18/2/2019

0 Comments

 

​Sometimes money is short, we need extra for bills or an unexpected expense and just don't know where to find the money from!

​Here are some of my ideas on how you can bring in some quick extra money in the short term:
Picture
Rent out a room

If you have (or can make) a spare room in your house, a great way to bring in some quick extra money is to rent out a room. This can be for short periods, or you could decide to do it for longer term if you find the right person. Air bnb make it very easy to find people who are looking for short term stays as a cheaper alternative to hotels.

This is a very easy way to bring some quick money in if you need it.  The disadvantage is that you will have someone you don't know in your house.  In the past I have had friends renting rooms from me, which is great as this takes away the problem of having someone you don't know in your house.

Sell your Time

​Much like a traditional job in that you are swapping your time for some money, but much more flexible. You can work in the gig economy earning by making deliveries, or taxi journeying, or working through agencies which specialise in the sector in which you have experience.  For example, there are agencies which deal with care work or home help work and you can take on work on a flexible basis. You could also see if people you know need cleaning done, or gardening, or other jobs which you could do for them.

The disadvantage is that the work may not be available at the times when you are able to work or want to work.

Matched Betting

If you are able to follow instructions then you can do matched betting. I have done this in the past and it brought me in good money every month for over two years. It is not gambling as there is no risk involved if you follow the instructions.

The disadvantage is that you will need to find some money to get started, although you will quickly get this back and lots more! I have blogs on my matched betting journey here.
Picture

Sell Some Stuff!

I am sure you have stuff around the house that you don't need or don't use anymore. Sell it! Don't put it in the loft for when you might need it, use it to get some extra money coming in. There are car boot sales, ebay and of course Facebook selling sites, all great ways to shift the stuff you no longer need. And you will feel great for having a good sort out and declutter too! I have done this with lots of children's stuff that they have out grown, clothes, toys and larger items like a travel cot and car seats.

The disadvantage is that you can only do this once every now and again!

Writing Sites or Survey Sites

These are usually free to join and you earn by writing short articles, or answering surveys. Income can vary depending on the sites you use, so look around and see which ones might work for you.

The disadvantage of these is that you may have to invest a lot of your time to earn decent money.
I hope some of these ideas get you thinking. Most of these are short term solutions. If you find you are short on money on a regular basis you might need to consider other longer term options, perhaps training for a new job, looking for more hours or starting your own business from home alongside what you are currently doing.

Sometimes a quick look at how your money is being spent can help too! See my Blogs on Money Saving Tips.

Love Teresa x
Find out more about my flexible home based business:
Picture
0 Comments

I LOVE Mondays!

4/2/2019

0 Comments

 
Today I commented on two 'oh no its Monday' facebook posts, that I LOVE Mondays! For me Monday is the start of a new week, giving you a fresh start, and bringing lots of opportunities in the week ahead. I love planning for the week ahead, which I often do on Monday. Sometimes I do my planning on Sunday and then on Monday I am just ready to crack on!
Picture
What My Monday Looks Like

I start the day as I always do during the week, with getting ready for school and doing the school run. Then I spend an hour at school listening to some of the children in my daughter's class reading. It is only an hour of my time out of the week, and I am there already anyway dropping my daughter off. I find it so rewarding and it is a great way to start my Monday and start my week.

I get home about 10 am and start on my to do list, looking at my diary to see what I have coming up and what I need to prepare for as well as looking back at last week's list to see what I have left to do or finish.  I prioritise what needs doing.

I also spend some time on Mondays catching up with customers, contacts and team members, seeing if they need any help, letting them know when their orders will be arriving and so on. Anything coming from that gets scheduled and put in the diary or on the to do list.

I then start working on the three Most Important Tasks from my list. Sometimes I like to tick off some quick and easy jobs first, this then gets me going on the harder tasks on my list. I usually manage to get lots done on a Monday!
​What if Monday isn't going well?

Things don't always go to plan and sometimes I get blocked and can't get things done. This usually means I need to clear my head! I do for a walk, the fresh air helps and I can often be seen talking things over with myself walking down the street! Don't worry I am having a team meeting!
I also use my journal to get through blockages, often a brain dump will help to clear any brain blocks and will help to generate my to do list for the week. Scanning through my journal will also remind me of ideas I have had but not implemented yet, or things I have started working on but not finished. I love this journal by Emma Holmes!
Do What You Love #lovewhatyoudo

It hasn't always been like this for me. I remember when I dreaded going to work on a Monday morning, so much so that it ruined my Sunday as I was filled with anxiety and dread for the next day. I only lasted 15 months in that job! That was in 2001-02, I have been self-employed ever since.

So if you HATE or DREAD Monday morning........talk to me! OR have a look at my part time options which you can grow alongside your job until you can leave your job!
If those options aren't for you, then look around for other options. Find something you love doing. Just don't go on hating Mondays!

​Love Teresa xx
0 Comments

Why I Now Love January!

1/2/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture

​January for me is now an exciting time, full of plans and excitement for what the year ahead will bring. It wasn't always that way, I used to dread January, being short of money and struggling to get to the end of the month. This year I have felt so much more positive and excited for the coming year.  I think a lot of that mind shift has come from putting proper goals and plans in place for 2019.

I started by setting up a vision board with all the things I would love to see in my life in the next year, 5 years, 10 years and beyond. Then I put timescales on some of those things, some are not achievable in this year but it doesn't mean I can't be working towards them. Others are very achievable for this year, and some I am nearly there already. For example I have a new cooker on my vision board, I have out the money aside but not decided on the one I want yet! I am also have paying off my debts on my vision board, I have been working towards this for a while and I am very nearly there, with May being the deadline!

From these visions, and putting timescales and I started to set some goals for this year, which I then broke down into monthly goals. Some of these are personal goals and financial goals, others are goals within each of my businesses. With my goals in mind I could then start to plan what I needed to do each month to work towards those goals.
Picture
Did I achieve my goals for January? Not quite, but I had a much better January than last year with my teresa4cards business. I didn't achieve my goal of losing 4 lbs either, I need to try much harder with this one!!

​I will continue to work consistently and take small actions every day to work towards my goals. I now have a framework in place which I hope will help to keep me on track for the rest of the year.
​Good luck with your goals for this year!

Love Teresa xx
0 Comments

New Flamingo Paperie Greetings Cards

15/1/2019

0 Comments

 
Flamingo Paperie have started the New Year with 43 beautiful new greetings card designs, which I am excited to adding to the teresa4cards.co.uk stall in the near future! Click on the slide show to view all of the designs. Don't forget all of our greetings cards are 100% made and printed in the UK!

I am looking forward to seeing the new designs when I get my delivery, I know they are going to be even more beautiful 'in real life'!
shop now

Don't forget, planning ahead will save you money! All of our cards are only £1.60 each when you buy 10 or more assorted cards. Who do you know who has a birthday coming up soon?
BUY CARDS NOW
​As well as the greetings cards also new this month are a range of note cards, which I can't wait to see. They are going to be available at the end of the month, so just a couple of weeks to wait!

I also have a new brochure now available. If you prefer to browse a paper copy rather than browsing online then click the link to be added to my mailing list.
Join mailing list
That's all for now!

Love Teresa x
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    Hi, I am Teresa.  I am mum to two gorgeous children and I work from home.  This blog is about my journey working from home.  I hope to be able to help others who are looking for an additional income, or are looking for ways to save money.

    Categories

    All
    1. Money Saving Tips
    2. Working From Home Tips
    4. Teresa4cards
    5. Make Money Options

    Archives

    November 2019
    October 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly