14 Money-Saving, Mommy Proven Tips That Actually Work

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"Save money, build wealth, retire like a boss in your own corner of heaven and watch the sun go down as you sip on your super Shirley temples." Sounds easy when the experts on CNN are talking about it, but in reality, saving money is difficult.

Throw children into the mix, and the savings mountain becomes that much harder to climb. Think about it, raising a child born around 2015, to the age of 17 years will cost you a whopping $233,610 as per the U.S Department of Agriculture statistics. This enormous amount that could boost any retirement package magnificently does not take into account the huge costs of education of putting a child through college or university!

Saving…with children

For parents with more than one child in the brood, saving cash and providing the best care you can afford can be two difficult balls to juggle.  Did you know that over 25 million U.S households live paycheck to paycheck? There is really not enough money to go round and have much left after the needs and wants have been met.

Statistics show that 70% of mothers with kids under 18 years have to work, with most taking on full-time jobs to fend for their families. In fact, 74% of the households with children under 18 are solely dependent on their moms as the sole income earners.  So can mothers pursue the virtues of savings, while they juggle busy work lives and parenting? Below are tried and tested saving tips backed by mothering experience.

How to Calm a Cat in Heat

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Female cats in heat will do anything to mate. They will spread out their legs, raise their behind, and pull up their tail to show readiness. If there is none at home to mate with, they will call out to the neighborhood tomcats and spray the front door with pungent urine. Tomcats can become aggressive and restless upon hearing the queen’s call.

Felines express their desire to breed incessantly. You will soon find yourself looking for the escape artists who went out to breed and be bred from. If it is your first time dealing with a cat in heat, you should know that not all cats calm down on their own. They need you to soothe them, distract them, and shower them with extra attention.

How you can help

Depending on your cat’s temperament, extra brushing and lap sessions can help calm it down. Exercise and play can also wear them out. Then again, some cats need to be left alone. If you have ‘intact’ tomcats at home, it is wise to isolate the queen in heat. Also, secure all possible escape routes to prevent unwanted pregnancy by feral cats.

When cats are in heat, their cat parents will have loads of work to do. You can distract your cat with predatory games, play soothing music, and offer more lap time. Expect to clean up after spraying cats as well. The strong odor of cat spray cannot be mistaken for pee and cats eager to mate will spray on furniture until they are allowed to mate.

If you cannot eliminate previous sprays or use ammonia-based cleaners, this will encourage cats to keep spraying. Pheromone blockers can help prevent spraying. You may need to clean the litter box more often during the estrus phase or heat period.

How often will this be a problem?

Female cats go in heat as often as every two to three weeks. The heat phase can last a week on average. If the cat is unable to mate during this period, the cycle will repeat until the cat successfully mates.

It is possible to delay the heat cycle by inducing ovulation. You see, cats release an egg or ovulate during intercourse. Your vet can stimulate your cat’s vagina artificially so your cat can ovulate without getting impregnated. Never do this on your own. The process can buy you a month or up to 40 days before the next heat cycle will commence.

Hormonal therapy is another option. Certain hormones like prostaglandin and estrogen may help avoid unwanted feline pregnancy by stopping the heat cycles. Do know that hormonal therapy is often long-term and can have adverse effects on your cat. If you opt to medicate your cat before it goes in heat, consult with your vet for specific instructions.

Can I prevent my cat from going in heat?

It is inadvisable to let your cat mate every time it is in heat. Even if you intend to breed your cats, it is not wise to let a cat mate and get pregnant every time it is in heat. If you knew how long a cat is pregnant and how fast they get pregnant, you will do everything to prevent your cat from getting pregnant when it is in heat.

You can also put an end to the heat cycle by spaying (removing ovaries and uterus) your female feline. If you own a tomcat, consider having it neutered (testes removal) to prevent unwanted impregnation of intact female cats in the neighborhood.

GETTEES Review & GIVEAWAY!

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I received samples directly from GETTEES for the sole purpose of this review

I'm a huge proponent of supporting local. When I found GETTEES on instagram and then discovered they were fro Metro Detroit, Michigan, I had to reach out. 

Turns out they're only about 12 miles from me and I was super excited about that. 

Inspired by Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, they built their own factory and set out to make quality, American-Made clothing By the People, For the People, while being honest about every aspect of their business.

I received the Heavyweight Crew in Royal and the Campus Crew in Cherry.

I'm almost always a Medium, but based on their size chart I went with a Large in both.

20 Cute & Easy Spring Wreaths to make Yourself!

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1. Spring Wreath with Felt Flowers

2. Framed Spring Wreath

3. Spring DIY Wreath

4. Raffia Wreath

5. Simple DIY Spring Wreath

6. DIY Spring Wreath with Flowers (NO GLUE)
7. Bird Nest Spring Wreath
8. DIY Spring Wreath
9. Terracotta Pot Spring Wreath
10. Dollar Store Daffodil Wreath
11. Spring Burlap Wreath
12. Easy Spring Wreath
13. Floral Grapevine Wreath

14. DIY Spring Wreath
15. Simple Twig Wreath with Spring Flowers
16. DIY Embroidery Hoop Spring Wreath
17. Clothespin Wreath
18. Simple DIY Spring Wreath

19. Simple Spring Wreath
20. DIY Spring Wreath

4 Ways you Can Get the Exterior of your Home Ready for Spring

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You might have noticed that the mornings aren’t as dark as they once were, thee sun is often out and giving off some much needed warmth, the birds are singing and you might have even spotted some daffodils and other spring blooms beginning to spout up through the cold, hard ground…yes! Spring is finally here!

Our gardens and homes often take a back seat during the cold winter months, usually because things in our gardens go to sleep ready for their Spring revival. Our homes get battered with poor weather, leaves clog up the drain pipes and as we’re spending so much of our time cleaning up the inside of our homes – especially when the little ones are trapped indoors – the outside of our homes just doesn’t even come into our minds.

So, with that in mind. We’ve rounded up 4 ways you can get the exterior of your home ready for Spring!

Invest in some good signage

You might see loads of signs around your neighbourhood, from Keep off the grass to speed bump signs to slow drivers down – but did you know you can get some gorgeous signage for your home as well? A gorgeously ornate house number or a beautiful house name plaque. The possibilities are endless really, and the good news is that signage for your home doesn’t have to cost a fortune and it’ll really give your home a boost.

Bring back some colour

Your flower beds might be looking a little sparse after the winter, especially if you don’t have the luxury of wild daffodils growing nearby. So, take matters into your own hands and treat yourself to some big planters, tubs and flower pots and fill them with gorgeously colourful flowers!

It’s a super simple way of making your home look well looked after and really pretty. It’s a fun activity which you could get the little ones involved in too. Just don’t forget to water them and if the weather turns cold/snowy again, bring them into your garage or garden shed to protect them from the elements.

Add some lighting

Sure it doesn’t start to get dark until much later now but investing in some outside lighting will really make your home look magical in the twinkling Spring and Summer evenings that are to come. You could line your garden path with some solar powered lighting and even add one or two into your flower pots or garden shrubs to really create some magic. Having outside lighting is a good security measure too.

Check your property

Bad weather means broken roof tiles, clogged gutters, dirty doors, grubby windows and broken paving slabs. So take a weekend to inspect all areas of your property and see if anything needs attention. Don’t be afraid to get on a ladder and clear out your gutters, and if you see a broken roof tile, call in an expert. Having clean, sparkly windows and spotless window frames will really make your property look well looked after.