That Eric Alper

As a single parent, this means that you will need to use your money differently than those in two income households. Keeping your children happy, healthy, and safe should be your number one concern, so if you’re struggling to make ends meet, here are a few useful budgeting tips that can help you get back in control of your finances.

Create a Simple Budget

To get a better understanding of how much money you have left over once all the bills have been paid, creating a simple budget is the best place to start. Tracking how much money is coming in and going out will help you to establish whether you’re under-spending or over-spending. There are tools online that can help you draw up a simple budget and help you make small but subtle changes that can free up some cash.

Prioritise What’s Important

Every single parent will have a different way of thinking. While some will put feeding their family as their top priority, others will focus on ensuring all the bills have been paid first. Once your paycheck comes in, you need to decide what is most important to you. As long as you have a roof over your head, and food to eat, luxuries such as mobile phones, laptops, and holidays should be an afterthought.

Look for Cheaper Alternatives

Whether it’s food, clothing, or items for the home, there are lots of ways to save money on everyday expenses. When you’re next out shopping, going to different food outlets to do your weekly shop can make a huge difference and help cut down costs. Children don’t understand the concept of money, so if you find your little ones are after the latest gadget, try and reason with them so they are aware of your situation and appreciate the things they already have.

Set Up an Emergency Fund

There are many unexpected expenses that can creep up when you least expect it. Whether it’s household bills, an unexpected car repair, or any other emergency situation, having the funds to cover any costs is crucial. As a single parent, you will only have one income to foot the bill, so you may want to check out websites like LoanPig.co.uk who may be able to help you. Having cash set aside for any eventuality can help reduce stress levels and put your mind at ease.

Start Saving

Once you’ve devised a simple budget and made minor lifestyle changes, the cash you have leftover can be stored in a savings pot. Creating another bank account and putting money aside each month can be a great way to save. We all have dreams and goals for our children, so whether you want to own your own property, or go on a family holiday, having something to look forward to can keep you motivated with saving money.

If you’re a single parent, there are lots of budgeting tips that you can take onboard to ensure your child is well-fed, clothed, and safe.

When the end of the term approaches, most students start getting ready for final exams. This is a hectic season. There are a lot of notes and books to read and review. And for many, there is a long playlist to listen to.

During this time, many students hire an essay writer service such as SmartWritingService to help them with their academic papers fast and professionally. This way, they can devote more time to going over their course notes. Nevertheless, it is important to discuss the effects that listening to music has on students before the exams. Is it a good thing to do? Or, does it distract students and make them lose their concentration?

The opinions vary. Some students argue that listening to music helps them to relax and release the tension caused by the upcoming exams. For others, listening to music while studying before exams is an absolute no. Hence, let us first take a look at the pros and cons that some students claim to experience.

Pros of Listening to Music before Exams

The students that prefer listening to music while studying for exams argue that this practice is beneficial. There is little doubt that in general, listening to music is good. It reduces anxiety and helps to relax. But some claim that, listening to music before the exams also:

• Improves memory and concentration;
• Foster your creativity, especially if you listen to classical music. Many refer to this phenomenon as the ‘Mozart Effect;’
• Helps you to ignore outside distractions. Thereby, you can stay longer at your desk studying for your exams;
• Keeps the good mood and the spirits high. In such a favorable mental state, the retention of information is significantly greater.

The so-called Mozart Effect has been demonstrated to improve the spatial-temporal reasoning of those who listen to Mozart’s compositions. This claim has been extended to say that, in general, listening to Mozart music makes you smarter.

It is clear, however, that not all the students will listen to classical music. Thus, let us take a look at the opinions of the detractors of the benefits of music while studying.

Cons of Listening to Music before the Exams

Some students claim that listening to music while studying for upcoming exams do more harm than good. This is particularly true if the student has concentration problems. Some research results suggest that silence is better than any type of music for demanding tasks like studying. Hence, this invalidates the Mozart Effect.

Listening to songs can have an even more damaging effect. Some students claim that they soon lose concentration and pay more attention to the lyrics of the songs. As a result, they end up singing along and forget about the preparation for their exams.

A scientific study about the effect of background music on the ability to memorize was performed in 2010. The results demonstrated that the type of music plays a role in memorization performance. However, the people that were not exposed to any kind of music performed the best.

Whether you like or dislike the music while studying plays a role, the study found. But still, avoiding music gave the best results. The study also identifies that music without many variations in pitch and acoustic level has a less detrimental effect.

Should You Listen to Music While You Study for Your Exams?

In light of the two conflicting positions, it is you who must have the final answer to the question. There are scientific studies that have found cognitive benefits from listening to music. Other studies contradict these claims.

Hence, why should not give it a try and decide for yourself? You know yourself better. If you are good at multitasking, you probably will not have any problem listening to music while you study. But if you have problems in getting concentrated on something important you are doing, silence can be your best companion.

Next time you find yourself studying for an exam, turn on your favorite music. How do you feel? Are you relaxed? Are you more alert? Does not music make any difference? See whether music gives you more motivation and energy to continue studying. Or if, by the contrary, makes you feel lazy and unmotivated to go on.

More importantly, do you notice any change in your concentration? Do you feel distracted? But even if you think the music is distracting you, you can try listening to a different music style. Perhaps you should turn the volume down. Eventually, you may find the optimal playlist to study for exams.

Listening to music is one of the greatest pleasures in life. Try to find out whether you can enjoy music and study for your exams at the same time. Optimize your playlist and settings for this goal.

id you know that San Diego is home to nearly 1.5 million people?

If you’re ready to experience west coast living or you’re looking for an upgrade in a better neighborhood, house hunting in this bustling city can be overwhelming. With so many people there, it’s easy to feel lost as you look at the thousands of different homes for sale.

Are you ready to find the perfect house for you in San Diego? Keep reading for five tips that can help make the house-hunting process less stressful and time-consuming.

1. Think About Realistic Renovations

When you’re browsing, it’s hard not to imagine buying a house as-is. In reality, almost every house you look at will have some flaws.

Learning to distinguish between homes that you can happily and realistically renovate and homes that are a lost cause will help you narrow down your options. Instead of holding out for a home that is exactly as you dreamed it would be, think about looking for homes that you can make perfect without too much effort.

2. The Perfect House Should Stay Perfect Long-Term

Since buying a house is a big investment, you should try your best to limit your search to homes for sale that will be able to grow with you for at least 5 or 10 years. For example, if you plan on having kids soon, you might want to look at homes with more bedrooms so your family can stay comfortable.

3. Consider Hiring an Inspector Who Knows What to Look for

There are so many things you need for a house to stay safe, which is why it’s always worth hiring a professional to inspect your potential homes. With their experience and knowledge, they’ll be able to point discreet things out that could be major deal breakers for you and save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

4. The Right House Will Also Be in the Right Location

Even if you find a gorgeous house that’s perfect from the inside out, you’ll have a hard time building a happy life there if the location isn’t convenient or safe. Buying a home that can cut down your commute to work is a huge benefit that saves you lots of time over the years. If you have kids, you’ll also need to consider the safety of each community and where they’d end up going to school after the move.

5. Can You Afford the House Over the Years?

Lots of people are prepared to take on a mortgage because they’ve done their research on how much money it takes to close a deal. One detail that might slip your mind is that you’ll also need to stay on top of your regular monthly bills along with your mortgage. Asking the current owners for a copy of their utility bills for the last year can give you a better idea of how much money you’d be spending at this new location.

This Buying a House Checklist Makes Hunting Easier

If you follow these five tips on how to find the perfect house, you can move into your dream home in no time.

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