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This year we’ve decided to go on a few holidays.  By ‘we’ I actually mean ‘I’.  Me and Ben have only ever been on an abroad holiday once together for a babymoon.  To be fair, I was pretty hormonal and miserable most of the time!  We have been abroad with the kids several times to visit family, but never for an actual holiday. 

If you’re looking for a fun holiday destination for adults and children alike, you don’t have to look too far. Just a couple of hours from the UK by plane, Italy is the perfect destination to have an adventure with your kids there are plenty of activities that can be enjoyed by all the family!

Here are some of the best spots in Italy that both adults and kids can get excited about for your next summer holiday.

Hello, welcome to my Money Making Mums Interview.  Please tell me a little about who you are, where you’re from and where you blog.

Hello! I'm Kaya, 34 from Margate. I blog over at earningbythesea.co.uk  and I mostly blog about ways to 'make & save money at home'. The main focus on my blog is helping other families achieve their financial goals and find as many ways as possible to make a good wage from home.

This series is all about mums being able to make money from home.  Can you tell me what you do from home to make money?

Including my blog I have multiple income streams which I believe is key to me being a successful work from home parent. I have been selling second hand clothing on eBay for a decade now. I also really enjoy matched betting to top up our monthly income, mystery shopping and task apps. 

What makes it suitable for mums?

I go to bootfairs to buy eBay 'stock' on a Sunday morning and mostly I am home before my daughter, Willow, has even finished her breakfast. The rest of the week I set my alarm for an hour before she wakes to get my work planned for the day (this is new as previously there wasn't much sleep!) and I also work when she is in bed at night. I've never really needed to rely on anyone else for childcare and I have flexibility which as a busy mum makes life a lot easier! 

What do you love about working from home?

Again the flexibility has meant I could stay at home with Willow who has just started school this year. I also love that with a stay at home business you get back what you put in and there are no limits to your success. 

What are your top three negatives to working from home?

I have to really push myself to take time off from thinking about work, or I'll be reading eBay messages at 3am. 

It can be lonely at times but mostly I quite like my own company, plus with Willow, five cats and a dog at home 'helping' me work I quite like my little team! 

No works Christmas night out. 

If you could only pick one, either working from home or working in an office for the rest of your life, which would you pick?

Working from home. I do the odd temping job but I would hate to go back to work for someone else full-time. 

Lots of people say they’d find it hard to stay motivated if working alone at home.  What keeps you motivated?

Making a list of monthly goals really helps as I find it motivating crossing things off it as I have completed them. I stay motivated with my blog by the messages I get from readers, it blows my mind every time I get a message thanking me for the information on my blog and of course wanting to provide the best life for my own family helps! 

Do you have a favourite quote to keep you inspired?

"Thoughts become things" I truly believe in the law of attraction so I try to keep my thoughts positive and open to attracting good things into our lives. 

Do you have any advice or words of wisdom to share with mums wanting to make their own income from home?

Create multiple income streams! I learnt this watching so many other eBay sellers lose their accounts over the years and their business is gone overnight. Concentrate on the work that makes you happiest. 

Thank you so much to Kaya for taking part in my guest series!  

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Having ran both my own online store and also worked as an ecommerce order fulfilment manager for several years, I am only too aware of the impact shipping costs can have on profits.  Nowadays there are several choices for dispatching goods which give companies the option to negotiate the best deals and maximise revenue. Both small and large companies can benefit by regularly reviewing the costs they incur for having items shipped to clients and customers. The parcel delivery sector is fiercely competitive and this should be taken advantage of in order to keep costs down.

Here I consider how businesses can monitor and control the costs of their shipments:

Moving house.  Eugh.  With all the paperwork, anticipation, legalities and possible rejections or chain collapse, it’s no wonder it’s rated one of the most stressful experiences in life.  However, with a bit of preparation and knowing what you should do to get your house ready to sell, you can certainly eliminate some of this stress by reducing the time taken to sell your existing property.  Everyone wants to get the best sale price for their home, reduce costs and sell quickly.

Here are some great suggestions of things to do when putting your house on the market.  Making your house more inviting to potential buyers is a key part of the home selling process. Use these tips to get your house ready to sell.

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It’s that time of the year when everyone starts making New Year’s resolutions and for the most part people aim to lead a healthier lifestyle in the upcoming year.  One great way to do this is to upgrade your usual daily coffee or regular tea for a healthier green tea instead.  Green teas are full of health benefits and loaded with anti–oxidants.  Plus, if you think you’ve tried green tea because you’ve simply purchased a box of tea bags from a supermarket, think again. 

The end of 2017 is fast approaching, this brings festive periods and a special countdown before the next hear ahead. So it is time to plan where to spend your New Year’s Eve countdown, perhaps you want to spend it somewhere different?

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A relationship can be a beautiful thing. But, over time, it can become a little less beautiful. One of the main reasons for this is kids.  There’s no doubt about it - having kids is going to change the dynamics of a relationship.  No longer can you devote all your time and attention to your other half.  Late nights and broken sleep can affect mood and stress levels, as well as decrease any expected precious evening time together you may have had planned.  Babies and children are unpredictable. 

Even with a five year old and two year old, we never know what the day or night will bring.  Illnesses suddenly spring out of nowhere and though they may mostly sleep through the night, we’ll suddenly go through a patch of them refusing to go to bed or waking up with growing pains for nights on end.  Often we plan to spend an evening together with no work or social distractions, once the children are in bed, but by the time they are asleep we’re both practically asleep too or too shattered to interact!

That being said, I feel like our relationship is still strong and perhaps even stronger since having children.  One friend with older children once told me if we can get through the early years of having kids, we can get through anything!  

So, how do you make sure your relationship stays strong after having kids?  Here are three things I think help to keep a relationship strong after having a baby.