If you have a baby shower to attend, you might be wondering what to gift the mom to be or new mom. You have so many options when shopping for an expectant mother and it would be so great if you grab her a gift that she will actually want and love! While there are so many cute and adorable gifts out there, choosing something that is also practical and purposeful for everyday care is important as well. Take a look below at some helpful ideas for gifts new moms actually want from baby showers, so you can be sure you choose a gift that she is sure to use for months, if not years to come.
Stuff for when Baby is Older.
One of my favourite gifts I received when my daughter was born was a gift from a group of friends that pooled together all sorts of things that my daughter could grow into. Such as a high chair, plastic bowls/plates/cups, clothes for 18 months and up. It was great because I found that I had to start buying clothes when she was about 18 months because I was gifted so many smaller things. Plus, it was really nice not having to buy those necessities once she was ready to start eating solids!
Diaper cream.
A new mom can never have enough diaper rash cream. My personal favourites were Penaten and this Sweet Pea Herbal Balm. There is nothing worse than a bad rash, a screaming baby, and realizing you are out of cream. Keep her well stocked with several quality tubes of diaper rash cream to make life more comfortable.
Gas drops.
Most moms know that in the early months, gas drops such as gripe waterand Ovol are used regularly to help with feedings. Those bottles can be a life saver, so why not include one in your gift? They will help baby feel at ease and it eliminates the need to run out for some when baby is screaming.
Diapers.
This is a no brainer, and surely to be appreciated! The average baby will go through dozens upon dozens of diapers each week. Gift the new mom a package of diapers to help ease the burden. You can even opt to gift a few sizes bigger than what she may need right away, so there are plenty in the months to come.
A Humidifier.
Humidifiers are usually what the doctor orders when the baby is congested or has a cold. Gift the new mom a humidifier so she can help baby and herself sleep a little easier. There are many quality brands to choose from with various settings and even night lights. This one from Amazon has great reviews.
Baby Wipes.
Whether she is cleaning her hands, change table, or the baby's bottom, the new mom can no doubt get plenty of use out of baby wipes. Heck, I'm still using baby wipes even though my daughters have been potty trained for quite some time now! Give her a giant box of wipes that will keep the stock going for a while, or even a small travel pack to keep in the diaper bag.
Sleepers.
Experienced moms will tell you that one piece sleepers are a must-have item. Give the new mom plenty of these so she has them after accidents, spills, spit ups, and everything in between. Fancy and super cute outfits are fun to have, but guaranteed, the baby will spend most of their time in sleepers. Mom will love having plenty on hand so she won’t feel like she is doing laundry all of the time. When my daughters were really young, I liked having sleepers with buttons, but as they got older, zipper sleepers were my favourite.
A Bouncy Seat.
Babies typically love their bouncy seats. Some especially love ones with a vibrating feature. They allow them to stretch, be active, and keep an eye on mom at the same time while mom is getting things done. A nice bouncy seat is sure to get used. Don’t worry if mom gets two, one is always perfect for travel (or Grandma's house).
Baby Wash Cloths
These are another item that mom will go through by the dozen, especially if she has a baby that spits up a lot. Baby wash cloths make a great gift. Gift the new mom a collection of easy to clean baby wash cloths so she is always stocked. I thought the ones from the dollar store were just fine!
Wet Bags.
I still use the wet bags I was gifted! When my daughter was small, they were perfect for containing messy/wet clothing and cloth diapers while we were out and about. Now, I use them for wet bathing suits!
Travel size toiletries.
Travel sized toiletries are perfect for the mom on the go. Travel lotion, wipes, baby wash, Tylenol, baby wipes, etc. can all come in handy. Better yet, make her a quick to-go bag that can be kept in the car or at home so if she is ever in a hurry she can just grab and go.
A sound machine.
A sound machine is a must have in our house! We travel with ours too because they are so small. Gift the new mom something she will come to love in the days to come.
Restaurant gift cards.
At the end of the day, the last thing a new mom feels like doing is making dinner. Give the new mom gift cards to her favorite restaurants, so she can enjoy take out and not worry about cooking or doing the dirty dishes. It's a splurge just for her that she is sure to love and get plenty of use out of.
While these gifts do seem simple, they are some of the gifts that I found most useful as a new mom. Keep them in mind when you're shopping for the mom to be or new mom. She is sure to appreciate them!
Do you love looking your best but find yourself with limited time and resources? If so, you could benefit from some creative beauty hacks! Beauty hacks are a great way to get glam without spending a lot of time or cash. Take a look at these 7 creative beauty hacks that you can start implementing into your daily beauty routine today!
7 Creative Beauty Hacks
1. Use your lipstick as blush.
Many blushes are of the creamy variety these days, much like lipstick. When you're in a bind you can use lipstick as blush just as easily! Start small as it is easier to add then to take away. Just dap a little lipstick on your fingertips and blend into the apples of your cheeks. Perfect!
2. Use Dawn dish soap to clean brushes.
Dawn dish soap is gentle on your brushes yet still cleans away make up, grease, and bacteria. Create a dish of warm soapy water, let your brushes soak for a few minutes, then rinse clean and allow to air dry.
3. Dry nails with ice.
A quick way to set nail polish is to dip your fingers in a bowl of ice water. The nail polish will quickly harden, reducing your drying time drastically. The polish may still be soft to the touch, so take caution. It will however be dry to the touch and won’t transfer.
4. Make faux eyelashes last longer by cutting them.
Chances are, faux eyelashes are too long for your eyelids. Instead, snip them in half and just use the segments on the outer corners of your eyes. Not only will you get two pairs out of one, but you might find this method looks more natural.
5. Behold the power of coconut oil.
Coconut oil is fantastic for removing eye make up, moisturizing skin, soothing rough feet and elbows, and it can even be added to your hair conditioner. Keep a jar of coconut oil on hand for these beauty uses and many others!
6. Reduce eye puffiness with hemorrhoid cream.
This is an old beauty pageant trick that works great! Add a few dabs under puffy eyes in order to soothe swelling and reduce redness. You will notice results quite quickly. Just take care to avoid getting any of the product in your eyes.
7. Use lemon juice.
Lemon juice can help lighten and brighten skin, lighten and brighten nails, and even lighten hair. Add a few drops to your moisturizer or hair products to achieve these results over time.
Keep these creative beauty hacks in mind when performing your daily beauty routine. You should find that they can come in handy often!
Do you have any creative beauty hacks you can share in the comments?
We’ve got a big one we’ve been saving for for quite some time now. A house! We’re hoping to put a large down payment on a house that’s a bit bigger than what we have now. 🙂 (more than two bedrooms…ha!)
I’m Wondering: What are you saving for in 2016? What are some steps you plan on taking to achieve your goal(s)?
Have you found yourself short on cash? Are you looking for quick ways to make a buck or two? Whatever the case or circumstance may be, there are plenty of legit ways to make some fast cash. Take a peek below at 7 items you can sell for cash right now, so you can have the money you need for your next utility payment, car payment, or whatever the case may be!
7 Items you Can Sell for Cash Right Now
1. Scrap jewelry.
Do you have broken or unused gold and silver jewelry? Gather it up and take it to your local jewelry store. Most stores will weigh it for you and make you a cash offer for it. It doesn’t matter if it is broken or unsightly, they just want it for scrap. So gather up that jewelry and see if you can get some cash for it!
2. Scrap metal.
Scrap yards pay for all sorts of metals these days. You can take your empty soda cans; scrap copper, aluminum, even silver flatware. They will weigh it and make you an offer, and you not only free up some space at home, but gather some cash as well. See what scrap metal you may have in the garage or shed that you can scrap and trade for cash.
3. DVDs, Video Games
Are you done watching some of the DVD’s in your collection? Are you tired of some of your video games? Pawn shops take both of these items and will offer you cash. You can even sell these items online via Ebay or Craigslist, or take them to a resale shop that specializes in their sale.
4. Old toys.
Many old toys are worth cash these days. Old dolls, Barbies, doll clothing, old board games, old metal trucks, cars, and a host of other toy items are worth cash. Sell these items to a collector via Ebay or Craigslist, or you can even take them to an antique shop to see if anyone is willing to make you an offer on them.
5. Old paper items.
Would you believe that old postcards, old photos, magazines, cookbooks, maps, and other paper items are worth cash? Collectors go crazy over these items and are always on the prowl for them. Sell these items to a collector via Ebay or Craigslist, or you can even take them to an antique shop to see if anyone is willing to make you an offer on them.
6. Designer accessories.
Do you have designer shoes, bags, belts, sunglasses, and other accessories? If so, savvy shoppers are looking for them! Sell these items on Ebay or Craigslist and see if you can’t get a few bucks for them. It will help if they are in gently used condition and accompanied with any paperwork that authenticates them.
7. Electronics.
Your old cell phones, televisions, and computer parts and pieces are worth cash. I've seen many people have success selling their old cell phones in Facebook buy & sell groups. Pawn shops and resale shops are always looking for televisions and computers, so consider those options as well when you need to make some quick cash.
The next time you find yourself in a bind, take a look around the house to see if you can find any of these 7 items you can sell for cash now. You might find that making a few extra bucks isn’t hard at all, plus you get will be getting rid of clutter in the process!
If you're like most people, you're probably trying to save some money this year. To make saving money easier for you, I thought I'd make a list of some items in life that you really don't have to pay money for. How does that sound?
Check out these 10 items you should stop paying for. It’s always nice to get free stuff from time to time, am I right? 🙂
eBooks
Believe it or not but there are TONS of eBooks you can get for free every day. You just have to be smart about when you get these eBooks. Amazon is my go-to place for getting free ebooks. Check out this postfor tons of other ideas on where to get free ebooks.
A Meal/Treat on your Birthday
Always be sure to sign up for the Birthday Club at all your favorite jaunts. So many places offer great birthday freebies. Ranging from free dessert, to cosmetics to meals. You should be able to find something that strikes your fancy for free! (Check out this list of Canadian Birthday freebies to sign up for.)
Water
Stop buying bottled water and use your tap water! You can buy a cheap filter if you’re worried about contamination or taste.
Gym Memberships
Stop forking over dozens of dollars each month for a gym membership, you can exercise right at home for free. Or if you need the accountability, find a group of friends you can exercise with or an online accountability group.
You probably get a ton of plastic bags when you go to the grocery store, instead of throwing these away re-use them around your home! I like to put them in the garbage cans in our bathrooms.
Books
Your local library has so many books that you really never need to pay books again! While you won’t be able to keep them forever, you can still enjoy them while you have them.
Movies
Speaking of the library, you can get free movies there as well. Again, you can’t keep them, but you also don’t have to pay to see them. 🙂
Car wash
Stop paying $8 for a car wash when you can simply do it yourself. You may even be able to pay your kids in cookies to wash the car for you. 😉 And the same goes for vacuuming your vehicles, you can also do this at home.
Clothing
Set up a clothing swap and stop paying high prices for items your family uses every day! This could especially work well for kids clothing.
Keep in mind that when you don’t pay for an item, you are able to put that money somewhere else. Whether that's for something else you want to purchase or into your savings account. It’s always nice to be able to save a few bucks when you can!
What items do you try to get for free? Let me know in the comments!
Being a stay-at-home mom is such a rewarding job! Unfortunately, while it pays in many immaterial ways, being a stay-at-home mom doesn't come with an actual salary. If you want to be a stay-at-home mom, you need to prepare for the financial changes that come with quitting your job and taking care of your kids all day instead. These tips will help you discover ways to Financially Prepare for Becoming a Stay-at-Home Mom!
How to Financially Prepare for Becoming a Stay-at-Home Mom
1. Lower Your Expenses
The number one thing you need to do to financially prepare for becoming a stay-at-home mom is to lower your expenses. Right now you're used to being a dual-income family, and your current budget may be working well. But, will it still work once you remove your income from the equation? Run the numbers, and then see what expenses you can lower or cut out completely to make everything balanced again. If you haven't been practicing frugal living before, this would be a great reason to start!
2. Save More
Less income means less money instantly available for emergency expenses and less money going toward long-term savings goals. If you want your family to be financially sound while you're a stay-at-home mom, then you need to make sure plenty of money is set aside in savings. Ideally, you'd have enough money saved that if all your current sources of income disappeared, your family would be financially fine for at least 6 months.
When you financially prepare for becoming a stay-at-home mom, don't forget your family's debt. When you're a stay-at-home mom, debts will have to be paid without any help from your income. Make things easier for yourself later down the road and pay off as much debt as you can now while your income can still contribute. That way, when your family is working off a single income, your monthly payments toward debts can be much smaller.
4. Practice
Practice makes perfect! To financially prepare for becoming a stay-at-home mom, make a practice budget excluding your income. Then try to live through a week or month with that budget. This will let you see first-hand what lifestyle changes you may need to make, and expenses you may have to cut. When the practice period is over, you'll be able to make a much more informed budget that will actually work when you make the switch for real!
5. Find Ways to Make Money at Home
Just because you're a stay-at-home mom doesn't mean you have to feel left out from bringing in some supplemental income! Depending on how much time you expect to have each day, consider starting a freelance career, or selling on eBay, or just doing some surveys for money each day. There are lots of ways to make money from home, regardless of how busy you may be! (Check out this post for more ideas on ways to make money from home.)
Have you ever been a stay-at-home mom? How did you make it work financially?
