Mums Finance

My partners’s mother is into her eighties and despite a few niggling things that go with such age she is not too bad – though the memory side of things is starting to show some wear and tear. It is a good thing though for young women these days to observe an elderly woman for no reason other than to get an idea of how to avoid certain conditions later on…even though we think we are invincible and never going to get old.

Take osteoporosis for a good example; we all know that alcohol and smoking increases the risk of brittle bones later on and women are developing this condition in their forties now which is frightening. Increasingly we are seeing more supplements for joint pain remedies appearing alongside beauty cosmetics on the shelves now which tells you how much of a problem this is becoming.

You can look after your joints by taking omega 3’s and staying active – and don’t forget the calcium girls.

Popularity: 5% [?]

It is a final demand that will come as a shock to most of us  -  we will pay out almost £1million to cover essential bills during our adult lives. Currently we pay an average of £1,541.91 for gas, electricity, telephone, mortgage or rent and food. This equates to £18,502.86 a year, or £962,148.72 between the ages of 18 and 70. According to the price comparison website confused.com, which questioned 3,000 people, the annual figure has risen by £642.12 in the past 12 months, up by some 3.5 per cent.

Given that millions of private sector workers have suffered a pay freeze or reduced income due to a cut in hours, the rises are putting a real squeeze on living standards. Just this week it emerged BT is putting up landline call charges by 10 per cent to counter the effect of customers switching to mobile or internet calls. And despite gas and electricity bills being lower than a year ago, suppliers stand accused of failing to pass on the full benefit of falls in wholesale prices.

Popularity: 5% [?]

And it’s all animal-products and alcohol-free! which to many of you would sound like a great thing as we are all so environmentally conscious these days.

Halal meat for Muslims has been readily available in the UK for years, but now a business woman has gone a step further by launching a range of halal make-up. The cosmetics – which includes everything from lipstick to eyeliner and blusher – are made in strict accordance with Islamic law, using plant extracts and minerals instead of alcohol and animal products.

The business was started by a muslim lady named Samina Akhter living in the UK. Samina, who runs the business from her home in Birmingham, started importing the make-up from Australia six months ago.  She now has more than 500 customers as well as interest from America and Indonesia. The cosmetics are shipped in from Australia and certified by the independent Halal Certification Authority Australia. Prices range from lipsticks for £8 to full make-up packs for £65.

Samina Pure make-up is the first company in the UK to sell halal certified make-up however I think Annita Roddick of The Body Shop got in first with the animal-friendly cosmetic range…

Popularity: 7% [?]