Category: Being a Mumpreneur

If there is one thing a single mom knows, that is nothing comes cheap. From the diapers on that little person to the constant need for clothes as baby grows seemingly by the day, there is always something needed, something wanted and something not wanted but an absolute must when you have a child. Some single mothers want to stay home with their babies at least until they reach preschool age but there never seems to be enough money to manage that so how to do this and still forge that oh-so-important bond with baby? Here are some suggestions for getting through early childhood as a single mom.

No Matter What You Forego – Keep that Internet Going!

As a single mom you may be tempted to let go of that Internet payment because money is tight and it seems as though there are more important bills to be paid. Actually, that one single Internet connection can be worth more than you know. Not only can you meet up with other moms who can share advice and life hacks for those early years but you can actually make a living online and all from the comfort of your home. Every tip from here on out is based on having Internet, so whatever you do, keep that internet going!

Combine Studies with Cash Aid

Many single mothers dream of having a career but opt to have that baby instead of furthering their education. That can always be done later, right? Actually, there’s no need to wait because you can get government grants for women that not only pay your tuition but also provide money for books and living expenses as well. Have you always dreamed of becoming a nurse?

Why not check out the online nursing program here that is from a respectable, nationally acknowledged school of nursing at a leading university? You may qualify for student loans or even government grants that are 100% free money and also be able to study for an online nursing degree. It’s a way to make ends meet while staying home with baby and also studying for a career that is among the most ‘in-need’ professions around the world.

Working Online from Home

You can also find a way to work online around the hours that baby needs you to be there for her/him. Many mothers have taken up writing content for web development companies and other innovative moms who are an entrepreneur at heart set up online storefronts to earn an income. Money doesn’t come quickly at first but as you build up a name for yourself and develop your own personal brand, you can make more money than you believe while taking care of baby and studying in that online RN program.

It is no longer a societal stigma to be a single mom raising a child by yourself. The only ‘stigma’ involved is if you throw up your hands in despair and fail to help yourself out of dire financial straits. You can stay at home with your little one if you plan well and find innovative ways to bring in the bucks. It’s also possible to gain a future career at the same time so turn this time around to your financial benefit! You made a wonderful and loving choice to be a single mom so now it’s your turn to shine and show the world how it’s done!

Although you may be wondering why this post is advising you to do something you’re usually discouraged from doing – growing plants around your tank – there are actually several benefits to greening the area around it.

A word of caution

You have to be careful with your planting, however, as there are various space and access considerations to take into account before you start sowing anything.

You shouldn’t let any plants grow too close to the tank or its base, or let them climb over it. If plants are too close to the tank they can make access difficult or even impossible, and fallen leaves or other debris might present a fire risk.

The idea is to camouflage the tank with tall-growing plants or trellises, maybe even some fast-growing trees. A good rule of thumb is to place your plants at least two feet away from the tank so that you and any technicians, as well as delivery drivers, can get to it. Your tank will have people, including you, visiting it regularly throughout the year, so you all need to be able to reach it, with ladders and hose if necessary.

Which plants are best?

The simplest way of camouflaging your home heating oil tank with plants is to use trellises with creeping plants or even roses. Not only do these plants grow rapidly, but they’re particularly attractive if you’re looking to cover up that big old tank. If you opt for roses, make sure you don’t choose an especially thorny variety – while deterring thieves is a definite advantage to growing plants around your tank, you still need to be able to get to it! Some types of creeper rose can be invasive as well, so you could end up with a hostile (although fragrant) takeover in your garden.

An alternative to creeper roses and other climbing plants is ornamental shrubs or grasses. If you choose grasses, you need to choose a type that grows high enough to effectively cover your tank. Pampas is a good choice as it grows fast and high and also has some nice sharp leaves that will discourage anyone from mooching around in the dark!

If, on the other hand, you decide on shrubbery, then make sure you choose a fast-growing evergreen, as then you’ll get all-year-round cover. Oil thefts increase in winter, so bare trees won’t help one bit!

Make sure you maintain your greenery

If you go to all the effort of planting around your oil tank, then you should make sure it carries on looking good and that you keep it under control. Creepers and evergreens don’t need a huge amount of maintenance, but roses may well do. You also need to remember that you need to regularly trim back overgrowth so that you can get to your tank to monitor, inspect and fill it.

Just think, not only are you covering up an unsightly tank at the bottom of your garden, but you’re also helping the environment by providing a mini habitat for birds and insects – everyone benefits here!

The day has finally arrived! Months of planning and budgeting are finally about to pay off because you’re starting The Great Kitchen Remodel Project. It’s exciting, but it’s also the most difficult part because your kitchen, the heart of your home, is going to be out of action for a couple of weeks or maybe even longer. If you have a young family it’s particularly tough, so how do you get through this bottleneck? It’s easy (ish) if you follow these tips.

Find a kitchen-substitute

You can’t eat out all the time, as this will become tiresome and unbelievably expensive. You also need to prepare snacks, school lunches and maybe even pour the odd glass of wine. Choose a suitable spot – it could be a corner of the garage, or a spare bedroom that doesn’t get much use – and deck it out with folding tables and chairs, a kettle and some storage boxes. Hey, it’s something! This temporary kitchen should be as far away from the construction site as possible; maybe you should order some notices from My Safety Sign to remind everyone that there’s no real floor in there right now…

Park your fancy cooking gear for a while

You’re not going to be making Totoro-themed bento or a crab soufflé while you remodel – it’s just not happening. Think about the utensils that you can’t do without and put everything else away. Yes it hurts, but it’s not forever.

Think about small appliances

If you have a slow cooker, or an electric griddle, you can still get creative. Think about what you can do with your slow cooker and reframe the experience as an adventure.

Invest in a mini-fridge and chest freezer – someone may be able to lend them to you – or look on Craigslist. These scaled-down appliances can go in your temporary kitchen.

Think about how you’ll wash up

You may have to use the bathtub, or a picnic cooler with hot water and dish-soap. You could even press the garden hose into service. A big help is disposable plates and cutlery. As long as they’re biodegradable you shouldn’t feel too guilty.

Use your outdoor grill

Your outdoor grill can do most of the things your oven can; and you’re having an adventure, remember? Get the corncobs on the grill, slap on a few steaks, crack open the shop-bought potato salad and have some fun. Try out some old-fashioned recipes like skillet pies and s’mores.

Disclaimer: this might not work so well in November…

Keep a snack box

Peanut butter and crackers, instant noodles, canned meats and stews, dried fruit – they all fill a gap and if you get home and you can’t face washing up in the paddling pool and firing up the grill again, well, it’s food.

Get out of Dodge

If you’re able to, why not get away for a few days. You could go on holiday, visit relatives, or schedule that business trip. Most people, knowing you’re remodelling, will be glad to treat you with some real home-cooked food.

Get some perspective

It’s a few weeks of chaos and inconvenience for years of kitchen comfort. If you plan ahead – a week of barbecues, then a week at Aunt Ada’s, then a week of slow cooker meals – you can turn it into an adventure and maybe even come up with your new signature dish.

There’s no denying that having a family and running a business can be two very strong opposing forces. One pulls you in one direction, and one pulls you in another. The danger is that one is always going to lose out. What though if there were another way? What if there was a way of combining the two? Is it really possible to run a business and enjoy the precious moments of your family all at the same time?

Keep the business in the family

More and more families are finding their way into blogging and web-related businesses. The reason is very simple. It is allowing them to share the worlds and ages of their children as well as starting to lay the foundations for a business. It makes sense after all that you will be interested in the things and issues that are relevant to you and your family. This goes into the world of product endorsement and comparison.  But it also crosses into building a business around a family based on relevant services and information. This is all about sharing and it would seem that the appetite for this is rising all the time. So particularly if you have a very young family, you might find that this approach suits you.

Family related businesses

If you just love being around children why not consider running day care or getting involved with a creche facility? But there are many options related to children in the world of afterschool activities that could make a great business. Dance schools, for example, are a popular way of combining a skill, with a family oriented business.

Then again you could think about skills and talents that you possess and have had or time to focus on such as baking or crafting. Many successful businesses have started this way in a kitchen or on a living room table. Creating youtube videos is just one way of promoting such a venture. You could very easily apply these skills to a blog or website. Don’t let the technical side of things prevent you from thinking big. IT companies can offer you all the tech drive, security and backup you will ever need. It’s like having your personal division behind your enterprise.

Finding time

Perhaps the biggest problem with a family and business is finding the time. It may be that you have aspirations to run an empire! Take your time, as your children grow you will find that more time becomes available to you. You can encourage the process by starting to build small pockets of time into the day. It maybe that you can arrange or exchange a few hours a day to focus on a business based on secretarial, accounting or even editing skills. These are the sorts of tasks that that you can pick up later in the evening, if you have the energy!

You can also use this time for invaluable research and development. No one is better placed to understand the markets and needs relating to families than a hands on Mom or Dad. And that kind of makes you an expert, which is an invaluable business skill.

 

It’s notoriously difficult to find a balance between work and family life. This proves infinitely more difficult when you’re the head honcho. How can you lead by example if you aren’t putting your every waking moment into your business? The simple truth is that some of us get so wrapped up in work that we neglect our other duties, and that shouldn’t be the case.

It may be incredibly easy to lose focus among the pressures of running a business. But, it’s just as easy to take back control of your life. You just need to be willing to embrace a few of these smart strategies that will change how your business operates on a day to day basis.

Don’t Be Afraid to Seek Help

At times, operating a business can feel like you’re doing the work of two jobs. Just when it seems like you may be able to start unwinding, you can guarantee that some problem will rear its head. And guess who is charged with dealing with it? Yep, you guessed it. It’s you. But does it really have to be that way?

The short answer is no, it doesn’t. At least, not if you’re clever about the way you operate. Imagine if there was a solution that you could incorporate that means you aren’t the first port of call when a problem arises. The good news? Well, there is!

Consider outsourcing some of your processes and there will always be a middle man to pick up the pieces on your behalf. Marketing campaigns, IT support, accounting services. All of these things are readily available for outsourcing. There are plenty of companies that are willing to pick up the slack and ensure your business runs efficiently. Even in your absence.

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Allocate Yourself Time Away

I’m sure you’ll be able to testify that when you run a business you’re never truly able to switch off. Even when you get home, you can bet you’re glued to your phone or email inbox, just waiting for something to crop up. And, well, the longer you look for something, the more you’ll find.

One of the biggest proponents of this mindset is guilt. If you’re not giving your business your full attention, you feel a sense of culpability. Sometimes for even twenty-four hours per day. This is not the right approach; I assure you.

Set yourself a time each day where you can kick back and relax. Turn off your phone, close the laptop, and just recharge your batteries. If that guilt starts to creep in? You’re doing your business a favour. A clearer head means better working conditions.

Have Faith in Your Staff and Their Responsibilities

This is paramount. If you can’t trust your staff to ensure the ship runs smoothly without you, why did you even hire them in the first place? If you’ve been able to gather the best employees you could, and there’s no reason you shouldn’t have, put your complete faith in them.

Take pride in your staff and allow them to assume their responsibilities. You’d be surprised by how they can take the initiative when left to their own devices. Of course, for this to work, you’ll need to have created a strong sense of unity among your workforce.