How Important is Family Life Insurance?

24.8.20

Whether you have one child or three like we do, family life is busy and hectic. When you're running around after little ones or trying to fit in housework around work, it can be really hard to get life admin done. But if you haven’t already arranged life insurance I really urge you not to put it off any longer.


Taking out a life insurance policy might sound too much like hard work, but protecting your family is always worth taking the time for. Think about it like this; if something were to happen to you or your partner now, how would that impact your children? Aside from the emotional trauma of losing a parent, there may be financial struggles that come with a total change of lifestyle and one less income. No amount of money could ever replace you or your partner but it can really help regain some sense of normality and security during the worst times, to cover costs and lessen the financial stress of losing someone you depend on.

Why is life insurance so important for parents?

Of course life insurance is important for so many people, but generally speaking if you have people who depend on you, you probably should have life insurance. That’s why life insurance is important for parents. Young children need all the care and attention that you can possibly offer. Not only this, but raising children costs money (more money than you might realise before going through it yourself). So having a regular, steady income is pretty vital when clothing and feeding a growing child.

And what about a roof over their heads? Mortgage or rent payments are arguably the most important outgoing each month, so if these cannot be comfortably paid with one less income then a life insurance policy becomes all the more important. The last thing that your family is going to want to deal with alongside a death is potentially losing their home because they cannot keep up with payments.

It’s also important to consider any debts and loans that you may have. Unfortunately, these don’t just disappear when someone passes away. They are passed to your dependents. This is just one more thing for them to worry about having to pay. Again, with a life insurance policy you can make sure that these debts can be paid off.

How do I get a life insurance policy? 

The first step is to make a few decisions about the life insurance policy that you wish to take out. Would you like a joint policy between you and your partner, or two single policies? A joint policy works out cheaper, however there can only ever be one payout and one claim. Hopefully, this is all you’ll ever need! But consider that something could happen to both you and your partner at the same time i.e. a car accident. It’s horrible to think about, but sensible to factor in. If you can afford the extra premiums, a single policy for each parent will give you maximum protection.

You also need to think about whether to choose a decreasing term policy or a level term policy. Decreasing term policies are designed to cover a debt that decreases over time, such as your mortgage or a loan. As your debt decreases, so does the payout designed to cover that cost. This makes it a cheaper option than a level term policy, as this pays the same agreed amount and lasts for the length of time that you choose. If you know that your family will need financial support for the next 18 years, then you’d take out a policy that lasts 18 years. It’ll payout enough to cover the important costs and help your children get by until they are financially independent. You could also buy whole of life cover. As the name suggests, this policy will last your whole life so that you are guaranteed a payout. This is of course the most expensive option though.

The next step is to find yourself a life insurance quote - easy enough to do via a life insurance broker. They’re experts in the industry so will know exactly how to find you the right policy at a price that works for you. And of course the final step is to take out your policy! 

Do you have life insurance?

This is a collaborative post.

Celebrating a Birthday with Moonpig

18.8.20


I have been a user of Moonpig for many years now, mostly using their site to send birthday cards to family and friends when I couldn't send one in person. It was extra useful during lockdown when I couldn't simply pop over to my mum's house on Mother's Day or see my niece on her birthday. Their personalised cards still meant that I could send something special and thoughtful.


It was only until recently that I realised that Moonpig actually offer much more than just personalised cards. Moonpig also have a whole selection of gifts, balloons, flowers and even experience days that you can send to your loved ones. I recently celebrated my birthday and Moonpig kindly sent me a selection of their wonderful gifts - and even a lovely personalised card - to help me celebrate.


I am a complete chocoholic and Moonpig definitely have you covered if the recipient of your gift is too. This giant birthday Cadbury's bar is going to last me a long time (unless I get help from three certain little people), and this Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Co. letterbox gift has such a lovely selection too. 



As well as food gifts Moonpig has a whole selection of traditional gifts suitable for any age and gender. I received this fantastic Friends themed Monopoly, which is going to be so much fun to play with family. They have a few other versions too if you're not into Friends, as well as other games such as Top Trumps and puzzles. If you're searching for a younger relative they do have child friendly gifts too. I also received a gorgeous Yankee Candle in the Vanilla Cupcake scent, but they have a huge range if you're looking for something less sweet or girly.


Moonpig also have a whole range of flowers you can send alongside a card or gift. My husband was supposed to be working on the day of my birthday, so he surprised me with a Moonpig card and flowers (completely unrelated to the gifts Moonpig sent to me), and I love that they fit through the letterbox so it didn't matter if I was in or not when they arrived. You can even add balloons too for that extra special touch!


Did you know that Moonpig have an app to make ordering easier and quicker? I didn't! If you download the app to your phone or tablet (it's free!) you can make use of their offer to save 30% on personalised cards. They have thousands of custom card designs to choose from, which you can upload photos to directly from your phone. They deliver worldwide too so they are perfect for any occasion!

I received products in exchange for this post. All opinions are honest and my own.

3 Ways to Keep your Carpets Looking Fresh

5.8.20

As a family of five (plus a fluffy little member too) there are obviously certain areas of our house that look a little worse for wear than others. High traffic areas such as the stairs, dining room and bedrooms for example take most of the damage - especially as these carpets have had to suffer through weaning children and potty training too! Like most we have tried many different methods to tackle the carpets in these areas and in this post I'm going to share my top three.


Vacuum Cleaning
Of course the fastest and most affordable way to remove dust from carpets is to use a vacuum cleaner. Household appliances are only designed to deal with dust - they cannot cope with dirt and stubborn stains. Of course you can use washing vacuum cleaners, however these can usually be an inconvenience as you have to dry the floor for a long time afterwards, and the machines can be cumbersome and difficult to use.

Professional Carpet Cleaning
Possibly the best way to deal with any kind of dirt is to hire a professional carpet cleaner. Using special products, not only old stains are eliminated, but any unpleasant, stubborn smells are also removed - leaving the carpet looking as good as new. But why is deep carpet cleaning needed? You can only superficially clean the carpet with the help of available tools at home. It will not be possible to penetrate into the deep layer of pile, where dirt accumulates most of all without professional equipment. For this reason, in order to put the carpet in full order carpet steam cleaning is required. Professional carpet cleaning London is necessary in case of unpleasant odour from the carpet and tarnishing of paints.

Products
If you need to refresh between deep cleans or if there's an accident then certain cleaning products can really help. You can either try store bought sprays and products, or try to make natural cleaners at home. All are easy to use and very convenient, especially if you only have a small patch to clean. Another positive with these is that you can usually use the carpet immediately after cleaning which helps when you have children.

I thought it might also be helpful to share some basic rules for domestic carpet cleaning. Firstly, before applying any products to your carpet it is recommended to use it on an inconspicuous area to make sure there's no colour damage or fading. Make sure to only use warm water (never hot) and avoid hard brushes too as these can damage the pile of carpets. And most importantly if you think your carpets aren't able to be saved by yourself it's probably best to call in the professionals like Cleaning Services London so you don't cause even more damage!

This is a collaborative post.