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Expanding your knowledge and qualifications is vital to keep progressing in your career; however, finding the time to do this can be taxing. Thanks to technology we can listen to audiobooks while driving rather than trying to find the time to sit and read to educate ourselves. We have access to an endless stream of information and answers to our questions at the click of a button; but what about more in-depth training and studying?

Trying to fit a part-time course around a full-time job isn’t easy and if you have children, pets or parents to look after, or you have hobbies and friends to see, then studying for qualification can seem almost impossible. However, you don’t need to be put off, if you are determined, then it can be done, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home.

As the choice and caliber of online courses continues to improve, skepticism has subsided, and results have shown that online learning can be just as good as face-to-face education. Nearly three million students are currently enrolled in fully online programs, and six million people have opted for at least one online course as part of their degree. But is it for you?

Some of the benefits of online learning are obvious; it provides convenience and flexibility; you can learn from your own home, in your own time and plan your study time around everything else. You save on travel time, and with all the course material accessible online, it’s not often that you’ll have to make a trip to the library. It enables you to have a healthier balance of work, life and study.

There is also less pressure from online courses as you don’t have to participate in class – something many students worry about. There are no class discussions, and while that might seem like a negative and something you’d miss out on, it allows for far more concentration.

To succeed in studying online, you have to be more self-disciplined which is never a bad thing. You would also have to be self-motivated and be able to manage your time which are all excellent skills to have.

There is also a more excellent choice of online courses than there is in face-to-face learning. You can go to any university in the country – and some cases even in other countries. You can study and earn a qualification from Colombia or Yale without ever having to go there physically; thus opening up a whole world of opportunity and access to courses you might never have dreamt of before.
It’s not even just the locations which widen the choices, but the topics and course lengths vary so much more online as well. For example, you could opt for an online MSW from Florida State University and choose from a two year or three-year course; you could even select a nurse midwife program. The choices are endless.

health, finance, financial, family, tips, advice

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Of all the areas of your family’s budget, few are quite so as important as your budget for healthcare. With medical expenses one of the leading causes of bankruptcy, the needs to protect your family’s financial future and ensure their good health and well-being are inextricably entwined.

Below, we have put together three simple, straightforward tips that all families can implement in an effort to keep control of both their health and, subsequently, their medical expenses too.

#1 – Find the right insurance coverage

It is estimated that just over 12% of Americans do not have health insurance, which is an extremely worrying statistic given how severe the costs of essential treatment can be. However, while anyone reading this is almost certainly aware they need insurance, it’s important to note that bad coverage is not particularly useful in and of itself.

In a busy world with a thousand and one different demands on your time, it’s often tempting to buy the first policy you can afford and consider the matter settled. However, it’s worth setting aside some time to research in depth, checking to see if your children are eligible to enroll in CHIP, and reading through every page of the terms and conditions of any policy you are considering buying. Consumers Advocate .org has online reviews of providers and coverage’s that are an excellent resource. This extra level of research should mean that you can find a genuinely useful policy, and also helps to ensure maximum value for money from any premiums you pay.

#2 – Focus on “prevention” over “cure”

Even with the right insurance, medical bills can be expensive, so it can be hugely helpful to focus on proactively preventing illnesses. Here are a few ideas to help achieve this:

- Cut down on your alcohol consumption

- Improve your diet, perhaps by considering scientifically-backed options such as a Mediterranean diet

- Avoid added sugars and processed foods

- Use sunscreen, even on cloudy days

- Keep your vaccinations up to date

- Exercise at least three times per week; recent research has shown that strength training is particularly beneficial for overall well-being

- Wash your hands after touching public surfaces, such as door handles

- Use lumbar support to ensure proper posture when sitting at a keyboard

Try to get between six and seven hours of sleep per night

#3 – Explore natural remedies for mild conditions

Some conditions, such as the common cold, ‘flu, coughs, and throat infections frequently do not require medical treatment or antibiotics. It’s therefore useful to have an idea of natural remedies that can ease the symptoms of these illnesses while you wait for your immune system to do the rest. For example, rather than spending $10 on cough syrup or far more on a doctor’s visit, you could use honey and lemon; tests have shown that this combination is just as effective as cough syrup, and it’s cheaper too.

However, there are a few caveats to this point: if your symptoms last for over three weeks, or you are taking prescribed medications, seek further advice. For children, natural remedies should be checked with a doctor prior to use or avoided altogether.

In conclusion

By focusing on a mixture of sound financial management, combined with a focus on developing and sustaining good health habits, you should be able to ensure that these two so linked – and so important – areas of your family’s life are always protected.