Tag: finances

Family

It’s Not Morbid to Pre-Plan Your Funeral. Here’s Why

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There is nothing morbid about planning for end of life arrangements, but there are plenty of people out there who will tell you that there is. It’s not something we all like to openly talk about or think about, but we are all going to end up in the same place, which means that discussing it is not bad luck and it’s not going to bring about the end of all endings. 

When your time earns on this earth, it’s not going to be a problem for you because you won’t be here. But your friends, family and loved ones are the ones that will be gathering together to remember you and to celebrate your life. They will share their memories of you and they’ll say goodbye at your ceremony that honours you.

They’ll talk about your impact.If you don’t have your funeral set up with companies such as Academy Funeral Services, then it can be a difficult time for your friends and family even more so. You don’t want anybody to have to plan your final farewell, but you. It’s your last grip of control before you die, and it’s allowing you the time to be able to think about what it is you want for your farewell. Pre planning your funeral is a smart plan and here are the reasons why. It’s not morbid to do that.

Image source: Pexels

  1. You’ll get what you want. You won’t get an extra shot at life, but your funeral will give you the chance to say goodbye to your friends and family in your special way. When you work with the right funeral planner, you can ensure that you have all the arrangements that give you the chance to have the final say in what your departure means. From your music choices to your religious options, you’ll be able to put the decisions in your own hands for pre planning your funeral.
  2. You don’t have the burden of expenses put on your family. A pre planned funeral means that in the event of your untimely and unexpected death, your funeral is already paid for. This avoids you having to be the one to put the load on your family when they’re already going to be grieving for you. Preplanning can give you that relief to know that your loved ones are absolved of that responsibility.
  3. Funerals are not cheap. The costs associated with funerals can be quite significant depending on what it is that you want. If you have planned in advance, you should be able to get around some of these costs. Plans allow you to pay in full for your future funeral, but you can pay them off in installments, which means you can get what you want. Your family is absolved of any of those costs, and it won’t break the bank.
  4. It’s a smart investment. With regard to your personal estate, planning your funeral in advance allows you to ensure that your estate is taken care of properly. You don’t have to worry about any funds being deducted from your estate to pay for your funeral. You can then pass your estate on as you always intended it to be.
Money

How To Turbocharge Your Savings Goals

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It’s all good and well being able to meet your everyday expenses, but it’s also important to keep an eye on the future. That’s going to come one way or another, and you’ll find it much easier to weather whatever it may bring if you’ve made the effort to put together a substantial amount of savings.

Of course, for most people, that’s easier said than done. It’s not easy to save when you’re not overflowing with money. But with a little bit of creativity and smart planning, you’ll find that you can turbocharge your savings and give yourself a sizable safety cushion. 

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Set a Target

It’s one thing to say that you’d like to have a lot of savings. After all, who wouldn’t want to have plenty of cash in a savings account? It’s another thing to actually do it. You won’t build your savings if you’re only motivated to save your cash for a month or so. It should be a long-term project. One way to stay motivated and on the right lines is to set a target, for example setting a goal to reach an amount of money within a set period (say: save £5,000 in the twelve months). You’ll find that it’s much easier to save when you know that you’re working towards something specific. 

Automate Savings

The problem most people have with saving is that they only do it when they’re in a strong position to do so. It might be easy to save in January, when there are no fun plans to join in on, but will you be just as eager to put money into your savings account during the summer months?

Consistency is paramount for building savings. It’s much better to put £25 into an account each week, every week, rather than waiting until you feel inspired to move money to your savings account. The best way to do this is to automate the savings process. Simply set it up so that money is moved to your savings each week, and you’ll be building your savings without even noticing it. It’s recommended to use one of the many ‘round-up savings’ apps that are available; they’re an easy and effective way to turbocharge your savings. 

Get a High Yield Savings Account

You’ll make your savings go much further if you put it to work. What do we mean by ‘put it to work’? Keeping it in a high-yield savings account. Not all savings accounts are the same. Some offer low interest rates, which means that you won’t get as much money from the account as you would if it were in a high-yield interest account. There’s a host of options available online, so take a look at what’s available and see which ones suit your needs best. You’ll typically get a better interest rate if you choose an account that doesn’t allow easy access (for instance, having to wait 30 days for a withdrawal).

Uncovering Cash

If you’re finding it difficult to make ends meet, then the idea of saving might not sound like a realistic goal at the moment. But remember that most people usually have at least one additional source of cash that they haven’t yet explored. For instance, could you rent out your driveway or even a room in your home? HP claims and injury compensation claims are also typically overlooked; if you’re eligible, then you may be entitled to hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds. You can put this money directly into a savings account.

Reduce Your Spending

Most people find it difficult to live frugally. But building your savings account doesn’t mean having to live frugally forever. If you close your wallet for a month, for example, then you’ll likely be in a position to add much more money to your savings account. All the cash that you’d ordinarily spend on coffee, lunch, and other treats could, instead, be used to safeguard your future. 

Don’t Touch It

Finally, perhaps the best way to really make your savings account grow: don’t touch it. It can be tempting to withdraw money from your savings to travel or buy something nice, but you’ll find it much more difficult to build a substantial amount of savings if you’re constantly dipping into the piggy bank and making withdrawals. It’s best to simply automate your savings and then forget about them — within a year or two, you’ll find that you’ve got a small fortune, which you can then use to do something that’s a lot more exciting than a week-long holiday. 

Home

Plumbing Emergencies and Tips on How to Deal with Them

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Photo by Timur Shakerzianov on Unsplash

Plumbing problems are common, especially when you live in an old house. While a good plumbing system can run with minimum maintenance, there are still many things that could go wrong. In a worst-case scenario, you may have to deal with a plumbing emergency in the middle of the night.

Knowing how to deal with the most common plumbing emergencies is something that everyone needs to know. Taking the right first steps helps to prevent those emergencies from becoming bigger problems that aren’t always so easy to deal with. To help you prepare for the next plumbing emergency, here are some of the things you need to know.

The Right Tools for the Job

Before you are forced to deal with plumbing-related issues, you want to make sure that the right tools are available in the house. Simple things such as a forced cup and plunger can be very handy; not having them, on the other hand, can make dealing with plumbing emergencies difficult.

You also want to have a big enough bucket and leak-sealing tapes. These let you deal with leaks before you can contact the best plumbers available for the job. At the very least, you can prevent water from spreading before the emergency plumber arrives.

Other tools are more common; you probably have them around the house already. Some Allen keys, wrenches, a set of screwdrivers, and a tool caddy for keeping them organised are all useful tools to own. Complete the set by adding blind caps and towels or rags.

Know Your System

Next, you want to equip yourself with some basic knowledge on how the plumbing system is set up. At the very least, you need to know where the main water shut-off valve is located. When there is a sudden leak, you can shut off the water immediately and prevent further damage. Leaks at home are one of the primary sources that contribute to wasted water yearly in the United States. This water conservation infographic provides useful information on the matter.

A good plumbing system also has a number of isolation valves. Their main purpose is so you can shut off the flow of water to certain areas around the house, making dealing with specific issues easier. For example, there is usually a shut-off valve below a sink, so you can isolate the taps without turning off the main’s water supply.

When working with the plumbers, it is also a good idea to have professionals inspect the system thoroughly.

Who to Contact

24/7 plumbing services are handy because the best service providers can be contacted at any time. That said, you want to find the best plumbers to contact so you don’t have to go through the hassle of searching for one when you have an emergency to deal with.

Asking the plumbers to inspect the system prior to dealing with an actual emergency is a good idea for this very reason. If you’re looking for a recommendation, you can start by contacting the Bristol plumbers at Plumbing Care Services. You can get a fast quote by filling in the contact form on their website or simply give them a call if you have an emergency. They strive for a 60 minute response time so are a good option to consider if you’re in an emergency.

Having the number of a reputable plumber to hand prior to an actual emergency also allows you to compare quotes and estimates better. By the time you need their services, you already have their day rate and know how much the job is likely to cost.

The Right First Steps

Shutting off the main valve or the isolation valve to a specific area is always a good first step to take when you have a plumbing emergency to deal with. However, it is far from a permanent fix. In fact, leaving the master valve closed for too long is inconvenient.

Remember that you have more tools to use, which means you can deal with many emergencies yourself. In the event of a leak, for instance, you can use Teflon tape to seal the leak temporarily. You can also use blind caps as a quick-fix for broken fixtures.

Wrenches are handy for when you have loose pipes, or when you need to replace some fixtures yourself. You can use a plunger to fix a clogged drain or toilet. Use a cup plunger for smaller drains, or a forced cup plunger for sinks and toilets.

Keep a bucket handy, especially when you need to open fixtures or drains. Even when there is no water visible from the top, the system may still have water inside. Opening pipes and drains could mean letting a lot of water out of the system, something you want to do with buckets and rags handy.

Here’s another reason why knowing who to call is a must: you can ask for first-aid advice over the phone. If you are not sure about what to do in the emergency, contact your local plumber and ask for a step-by-step direction.

With the main issue solved – even when it is only temporarily fixed – you don’t have to worry about the plumbing emergency turning into a bigger problem or damaging other parts of the house. You can then sit back and wait for the plumber of your choice to come and deal with the bigger repair.

Opinion · Parenting · Personal

The True Cost of Parenting

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The True Cost of Parenting

Some friends of mine and Husband’s are expecting their first child at the beginning of next year, and they had us over for dinner at the weekend. We were going through the usual baby-related chit-chat (and I swear, I have tried to lay off of baby-talk as I know it’s maddening for a Mum-to-be to have the same conversation with every single person she speaks to) and we got to the subject of shopping. Or more accurately what they were planning to buy, to prepare for their new arrival.

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