Do you struggle to find the right gifts for your kid's friends or put a limit on how much to spend on kids' birthday presents? If you are not alone and have many school friends' parties on the horizon, not to mention family birthdays, it can become pretty expensive to keep buying those gifts, especially when you don't know the child too well.
These tips can help you to manage the birthday party stress and ensure you have a decent gift each and every time.
Set A Limit
It doesn't matter who it is, whether they are having a big party or not, you need to set a strict limit on how much you are willing to spend on each child, or it can get out of hand. While many people say the value should vary from child to child (of course, you will want to spend more on your child's best friend than a class member they don't know too well), the experts agree that anything in the $20 to $50 range is ideal. That being said, the best limit is one you can comfortably afford.
Shop Sales
Avoid last-minute overspending by trying to pick up items you see on sale throughout the year and building a stockpile; this is especially handy if you have multiple children. A few dollars here and there for items on sale is much easier to pay out for than finding the whole lump sum for a present at the last minute. So if you see something that would make an excellent generic gift throughout the year and it's at a really good price point, then snap it up. If you don't use it, you can always donate it or sell it in the future.
Buy Bulk
Buying smaller cheap items in bulk can often be a great way to keep costs down and your supplies topped up. It can be anything and everything from school supplies to buying initial key rings so you have a letter for each friend's name and then a few extra just in case, or you can stockpile treats to build gift bags and so on. What you stock up on is entirely up to you, but having bulk supplies means you will have items for those last-minute invites for surprise parties you didn't know about but need something for. Don't forget about birthday cards here, too; always have a pile of birthday cards in.
Cash
Cash is by far the easier route, especially when you're busy or stumped for ideas. You can put cash away for these scenarios like you would have supplies of presents and gift wrap. Set an amount for each child, say $20, then put money away periodically to help you build an emergency fund specifically for kids' birthdays throughout the year. Honestly, most parents would rather their child get money than toys they might not use, so don't feel bad about giving cash. This way, the child can buy exactly what they want, and everyone is happy.
Managing the stress of kids' birthdays when your child is in school isn't easy and it will seem like there is a party every 5 minutes sometimes. These tips can help you to be more prepared for each one that comes along so it doesn't cause too much stress and worry.
Are you going to be changing careers? Perhaps you are tired of the career that you have or had, and you’re now looking for something new in your life. If this sounds like you, then you’re in the right place. Also like others though, it’s entirely normal to feel overwhelmed or unsure about what your next steps are going to be, but that doesn’t mean that you can give up. Just because something is hard, we don’t have to give up, even though it might feel like the only way.
In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at three of the considerations that you should make when choosing your next career. Keep reading if you would like to find out more.
What Would Make You Happy?
The first consideration that you need to make is what would make you happy. You need to think carefully about the kind of things that would bring joy into your life, and then figure out if there is a way to make a career out of them. The reason for this is because you don’t want to dread going to work all the time. We spend so much of our lives at work, that it’s a huge waste to spend so much of it so miserable.
You want to do something that makes you smile, that challenges you, but that makes you feel good more than anything else. For example, you might decide that you want to become a carer, and sites like care.com can really help you get there.
What Are You Qualified To Do Already?
You may already have some qualifications, and if so you need to think about what they are and what jobs they could help you get. Some people don’t want to go back to education as they didn’t like it the first time, and that’s absolutely fine, but it will mean that you are limited in terms of what you will be able to do. Unless you get a job that provides the training for you and you train while you work because that is also an option.
What Works Around Your Life?
If you have commitments like kids, you’re going to have to figure out a career that works around your life. You can’t just fold on the responsibilities that you already have, so you’re going to need to find a job that can offer you the hours you are able to work, with any kind of flexibility that you need. Don’t be disheartened by this, because there are jobs out there that will!
We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the considerations that you need to make when you are choosing your next career. There are, of course, more things that you’re going to have to think about, but these are the main ones that we have come up with off the tops of our heads. The main priority is finding a career that makes you happy, so as long as you focus on that, everything else will hopefully fall into place.
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