Mums Finance

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Just leading on from the previous articles about holiday time; many of you ladies out there will probably be trying to shift those extra few pounds before you head off to stun in the sun. But are you going about it the right way?

We all know that the best way to lose weight is sensible eating and exercise but when you only have a few weeks to go before you leave and are getting desperate it is natural that you turn your thoughts to something more turbo-charged. There’s been endless articles written about the diet pill industry and it is the easiest thing in the world to go online and purchase anything which promises to turn you into a supermodel.

But tread very carefully. Even though I am sus about diet pills myself, (the majority work simply by giving you the runs and turning you into a quivering insomniac), you are best to judge for yourself. At least check them out first. You can do this by having a look at this site which focuses on diet pill reviews; they are all priced in $US so are relatively reasonable cost-wise, but health-wise? judge for yourself.  But take care and let your doctor know before you take them.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Holidays are a time for fun, relaxation, new experiences and a general recharging of the batteries. However they are also synonymous with accidents, tummy bugs, long miserable hours on the loo and in some cases ‘the worst’.  As a Mum who holidays with small kids I stick to a course of action which sees us safe and healthy throughout our trip - a few other tips here could help do the same for you.

Health Insurance:

Need I say more? don’t tempt fate and go without it - just don’t risk it - and if you travel to the USA without health insurance then you deserve everything you get.

Start off on the right foot:

Going away next week or soon after…? deal with any coughs, runny noses, temperatures, eczema outbreaks, etc NOW!  I always pack a supply of child paracetemol (the box of individual sachets of calpol are great) as I am a bit sus of buying foreign medications for the kids. My young son suffers from eczema flare-ups so I bombard his skin with creams in the weeks before we go; and I make sure I have a fresh supply of his cortisone and moisturiser cream from the doctor to take with us - once again I prefer to use our own familiar medications.

Girls - buy your tampons/pads from your usual outlet and take them with you; some countries have very inferior alternatives.

A bit of advice from a mother in the hotel industry: if you or hubby, or especially one/all of the kids starts with a fever, temperature, severe cough within 48 hours of getting on the plane then have a really good think about things. Is it wise to go at all? - now I understand that many would say “what about the money we would lose if we cancel?” - I prefer to think about it this way. Such symptoms can take on epic proportions once on a plane/train or in a new environment and the results can spell anxiety and sheer misery for everyone concerned. I have seen this happen believe me - parents arriving with fevered distressed kids who were already ill when they left home. If it were me I would prefer to postpone/cancel rather than risk a hospital stay in a foreign country. The kids matter more than the money.

Girls (once again) and guys - pack those contraceptives; the one’s you know and trust.

Vaccinate:

Update those tetanus shots and I’d be inclined to consider a hepatitis shot as well - do this at least a month before you leave, not at the last minute.

Fill those cavities and treat any problems:

Ever wondered what it would be like to visit a dentist in far-eastern Turkey or Bangkok…no? thought so. Get to the dentist in good time and ensure any little issues are fixed before you leave, that goes for the kids too. I am not talking about major reconstruction of course, but just one abcess or cracked tooth could spoil your entire trip. Given the NHS waiting list though spend some money and go private if you can - could save you a lot of hassles when you are away.

Popularity: 9% [?]

I thought I would write a few lines about a common problem right now, well, one that needs highlighting. Acne and stress. This problem ,as many adults will know, is not just confined to those in their teenage years but rather many more adults are now suffering from this uncomfortable and rather embarrassing condition. One of the main causes for this though is stress, and it is often work-related.

One in five women between the ages of 25 and 40 suffers from this condition and whilst there are a range of known triggers the main two are 1) stress and  2) overuse of skincare products (cosmetics). Despite what you may have read in the past things like chocolate and cheese do not cause it but eating very hot/spicy foods can exacerbate it (notice how your face feels hot after a curry?). The idea is not to overdo it with the makeup or the skincare products; seek out the best acne treatment that suits you and follow through with the programme. If it is bad enough to warrant you taking time off work due to the outbreaks then maybe you need to take a look at your lifestyle and how things at work are affecting you.

Very often, when stress is behind this condition, just a few changes to your lifestyle or workload can make all the difference and in a relatively short space of time.

Popularity: 9% [?]