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Baby Lullaby
~ The Best Time for Borning a Baby ~ Generally speaking there is no ideal time for borning a baby. Each couple has their own time they find ideal: you and your husband are ready to become parents, both of you are in good health and your financial...
Breastfeeding Your Baby while you work
I breastfed both my babies even though I had a demanding full time job. It is possible, but it requires a lot of effort. Determination. Willpower. And of course, a good breast pump. You can get that at...
Getting to Know Your Baby: Baby's Second Month Guide
Time has flown. Your little bundle of joy has been a part
of your home for more than four weeks now. The new dad and
mum are now more relaxed, confident, and really enjoy their
new responsibilities (at least most of the time). Here are a
few...
The Research, Findings and Benefits Of Baby Sign Language
The Research, Findings and Benefits Of Baby Sign Language
From all the studies conducted in this field the benefits of introducing your baby to sign language are vast.
Baby sign language;
· Can empower your baby to communicate with those...
Welcome an Adopted Baby into the Family with an Adoption Baby Shower
The addition of a new child to a family is a wonderous occasion! An adopted baby is just as much a miracle as any other and should be celebrated as such. And all babies need “stuff”, even an adopted child, so having an adoption baby shower for...
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Honey I can’t afford the kids
Sex has a lot to answer for … babies usually … which then with time and much financial investment grow up to be beautiful mutations of their parents. Yet as the family absorbs more money as it grows, the need for financial planning and protection becomes more important. So, where do you start and how do you move your finances forward?
First of all there are “The Considerations”:
* If surplus funds become available, could these be invested? If so, will you choose a medium or long term investment?
* Will you need an emergency fund?
* Will you need to save for short-term events such as Christmas, holidays and birthdays?
* Are you ready to save for a pension? Do you need to include your partner in a pension plan?
* How much financial planning do you want to do your children? For example, is private education an option or priority and do you want to start saving for university fees?
* How much borrowing will you need to do for buying a home and is it worth considering a mortgage payment protection plan?
* Is life insurance or life assurance worth considering as security for your partner and family?
* Do you need income protection insurance?
* Are all of your belongings and possessions adequately covered by household insurance?
Then there are “The Resources”:
* Have you taken advantage of all the family finance government initiatives involved? These include Child Benefit, Child Tax Credits, Child Trust Funds (CTFs) and the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) scheme. Directgov is an excellent resource for information on public services (http://www.direct.gov.uk/Homepage/fs/en )
* Do you have the best possible deal on your finances? This includes your credit card, any secured or unsecured loans, your mortgage, remortgage and insurance. If you’re not sure, it’s not difficult to do some investigative homework. Moneyfacts ( http://www.moneyfacts.co.uk ) and Moneynet ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk ) are two popular sites for consumer research on financial products. If you live in the US, the website
Lowermybills may prove helpful (http://www.lowermybills.com/ ).
And that’s just when the kids are still young. Once they’re well established at school, you may wish to still evaluate the emergency fund, medical insurance and protecting your income against illness. The risks may change as the family develops so don’t think that financial planning is a one-off event. Keep these issues in mind as your funds change.
As you get older you may wish to consider writing your will and inheritance planning, planning for long-term care, protecting your capital, continuing your income should anything happen to your partner and even indulging your grandchildren. There are a variety of publications from companies such as Which? that can help you tackle what may seem like impossibly complicated tasks.
If you’re aware that one of the above issues needs to be tackled, don’t neglect the gut feeling. Ask around for financial advice, but be aware that you need to be the decision maker, so gather as much information as you can and then make an informed decision. If the advice is conflicting, accept that financial success may always be based a little on luck and risk, though nothing excuses thorough research and planning. Read the papers, surf the web and ask around: the information is accessible!
Resources:
http://www.moneynet.co.uk/ (Moneynet)
http://www.moneyfacts.co.uk/ (Moneyfacts)
http://www.switchwithwhich.co.uk/ (Switchwithwhich)
http://www.direct.gov.uk/Homepage/fs/en (Direct Gov)
About the Author
About Rachel:
Rachel writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla: http://www.cashzilla.co.uk
Cashzilla is a personalfinanosaurus.
“Rachel” means sheep in Hebrew: “little lamb” or “one with purity”.
Cashzilla means financially savvy with great fiery ferocity.
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