Password Protected Word Document for Confidential Files

Hi Fellow Mums,

For those of you who are using Microsoft Word regularly, perhaps you are already familiar with this topic but I'd like to share this idea to our fellow mums who haven't tried saving their word document with a password.

Ok, so there are times when we have to put a password on a document we created in MS Word purely because of confidentiality reasons. So you'll start by creating the document itself and then follow the steps below:

1) Once you're finished with your document, click File (top left), Save As

2) On the next screen, click Tools at the bottom, then General Options

3) Enter the password and click Ok.

4) When sending / sharing the file with others, make sure you share the password only to the intended recipients / readers.

Quick and easy. I hope you find this helpful! Thank you for reading.

Having Trouble Remembering your Passwords? Read On!

Hi Fellow Mums,

We all have a long to-do list everyday and we can't help but forget some information that we really shouldn't be forgetting. If you're a Mum who's got different social media accounts (like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram), or have multiple email accounts for business and personal use, it's so hard to remember different passwords.

Today I'd like to share with you an online password keeper. It's called Passpack. I don't work for them but I am a Passpack user and majority of my office passwords are kept in here. I have been using this since October last year and I think it's pretty good.

Here is the link https://www.passpack.com/online/. Just like any other accounts, you first need to register.
The line in red text on the left says Sign Up for Free. (screenshot below)

It's very easy, all you need to do is to fill out this form. 

Next is you have to create Packing Key. This is a message or a sentence that you will never ever forget. For example:

1) I love and hate my husband

2) My kids are my life, my everything.

or you can even use your favorite lyrics like

3) you are the wind beneath my wings

4) when you're happy and you know it clap your hands

Anything! This must be a line that you would never ever ever forget. 

Once you're registered just follow the prompts if it requires you to verify your email etc.

Now, when you login to Passpack, it will then ask you for your username, password and packing key (When you type this, it should be exactly the way you set it up including spaces and punctuation marks.) 

You can then start adding your username and passwords for your different online accounts.  

Before you log out, click save at the top right hand corner. The system will also automatically save your changes but I click Save anyway. There are other features this program has but I guess for basic use, get familiar first in adding your login details. Once you're comfortable you can group them but personally I don't use the grouping feature. I just add and save. Simple.

Alright! Now all you need to remember is you Passpack Username, Password and Packing Key. All the rest of your login details are inside so you don't have to keep them in your head.

A word of caveat though, I only store my passwords for work and online accounts but not for financial ones. Like I said I am not from Passpack and I've read the security policies they have in place but I still keep my financial details out of it. 

It's entirely up to you whether you want to use this program or not. I am sure there are other similar programs that provide you the same service. This is just another option for you and I hope this is helpful to you! Thank you for reading! =)

The 7 Minute Workout for Mums

Hi Fellow Mums,

Do you have toddlers who run around and you end up catching your breath chasing them? Whether you are working mum or stay at home mum, we hardly have time to exercise. So I thought maybe it's worth sharing what I have been using for the past months. I am not a fitness guru nor have a sexy body (I wish!) but for all of us who are busy 24hrs a day, 7 days a week, here's something that will suit our schedule.

If you have your smartphone and internet connection, you might want to download the app called The 7 Minute Workout". YES! It only takes 7 minutes. Can you spare 7 minutes of your time? Maybe while baby is asleep, or we wake up 7 minutes earlier than usual? Ok here we go.

Whether you are using Samsung, Iphone or HTC (you can try any other smartphone brand)

1) Go to your AppStore



2) Click the Magnifying glass and type in 7 Minute Workout. it looks like this:



3. It should say Free, the click Download. Wait til it's finished. The icon will appear in your list of application on your mobile.

There are different exercises in this app and each one takes only 30 seconds. I personally think this is a good one for those Mums who are just starting simply because it has a PAUSE option. So you can stop for a minute or two, then you can resume.

I have this app in my phone and I believe it's a great app to keep. I hope you find this fit for you too! =)

Thank you for reading =)

P.S. You can also download this from your Ipad or Ipod. I just mentioned the smartphones so you can keep the workout guide handy, anytime anywhere.

Out of Office Reply - for working Mums going on a holiday

Hi Fellow Mums,

Today I'm going to give you a basic feature in Microsoft Outlook. Whether you are working from home or in an office, it's good to have your Out of Office (or what others call Auto Reply) when you're unable to respond to the sender immediately. This is great to use when you'll be away from work for few days, weeks or even months (e.g. Maternity leave). I hope you'll find this useful.

To begin with, log on to your Microsoft Outlook. At the top left corner of the homepage, click File

Then go to Info / Automatic Replies

Select the radio button "Send automatic replies" (screenshot below). 

Set the date you'll be away. Make sure to set the start and end date (screenshot below).

Create your reply message 1) within your organisation and 2) outside of your organisation (best for home based entrepreneurs / self employed. 

Press OK when finished.

Very easy! I hope you find this helpful! Thank you for reading! :)

Debit/Credit Card Skimming - Beware.Be Aware.

Hi Fellow Mums,

This entry is mainly for Australians and/or New Zealanders banking with ANZ. A couple of weeks ago, ANZ bank sent me text message to say they cancelled my credit card to protect me from fraud. They asked me to call a 1800 number and discussed the issue with them.

Apparently, someone has been using my debit card in the US. They've recorded 4 transactions that happened in US. The first transaction was $1.25 AUD. Then the others increased to $15, $51 and $129 and these three last ones were used for petrol. I told the ANZ staff I haven't been to the US (although I'd love to) and I asked them how did it ever happen?

Here's the thing, the debit card they were referring to was sitting in a box at home. Never been used physically and never used for online transactions. This is when I found out from them about debit/credit card skimming. I asked around the office and there are 3 out of 8 staff became a victim of this scam. In Australia, there is what they call a "Falcon" which is supposed to pick up these kinds of scenario but unfortunately for me, the Falcon failed. If you want to know more information about credit card skimming, here's the link Australian government has and hopefully this will give you a better understanding on how it works.
http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/tag/CardSkimming The guy I spoke with even said this is a "common" issue that's been happening for a while now. He cannot answer me though how it happened when the card was just in a box and never been used.

ANZ guaranteed they will give the money back but it takes 15 days for them to process it. With the latest technologies today, we all better be vigilant.

So fellow mums, beware and be aware! For us Mothers, every single cent counts.
Take care!

V

Emailing large size files - problem solved!

Hi Fellow Mums,

You might find this one very basic but I thought I'd share it with you regardless. Okay, in our workplace we exchange files with people and usually companies have a limit on the filesize you can attach in your emails. Sometimes we get the message "Message too large" or "Item too large" or something similar to that.

Two options you have when squeezing your files into a small one is using 1) Zipped file (commonly used) and 2) Rar File (WinRAR). Personally I use Winrar because if you have a fairly large size file, you can split them into chunks unlike zipped which will only compressed it into a single file.

I think Windows have .zip by default so this one, you don't have to download. If you want to know whether your computer has WinRAR installed in it, click Start on your computer (or press the microsoft windows icon on your keyboard). In search box, type winrar. This is how it looks like

If you don't have it, you've got to install it. You can simply download this from the internet for free. http://download.cnet.com/WinRAR-32-bit/3000-2250_4-10007677.html

The key in using the two is the recipient must have either Winrar or Zip on their computer before they will receive the file you're sending them. So as a form of caution, when sending large files ask the recipient if they are using any of the two so you know which one to use.

Easy steps in using these tools. All you need to do is to right click on the file (e.g. PDF, word or excel), Send to - compressed (zipped) folder.

Winrar is a bit different, you will right click on the file, click 'Add to sample file.RAR'.

Okay so these are the basic steps in compressing large files. As soon as you've compressed them, you are then ready to attach it to your email!

Feel free to post below if you have more questions!

Enjoy!

Tax Time! Lodge Online

Hello Fellow Mums! It's tax time again and some of us have very tight schedule making an appointment with our accountants. Usually we pay an average of $100 for processing but I've got an alternative option for you. Recently, I lodged my tax online without any hassle. I was able to get my tax refund back in 6 working days.

If you're someone with a very straightforward salary - payg - work deductions kind of scenario, then you can do you own tax using MyTax https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Lodging-your-tax-return/Lodge-online/MyTax/   When I saw it on ATO's website I hesitated but as I have been lodging my tax via e-tax previously, I thought why not try MyTax this year. And so I did. Sure enough, it worked well for me and it might be the best option for you too.

Before you use MyTax, make sure you create your MyGov account first. Here's the link for you https://my.gov.au/LoginServices/main/login?execution=e3s1 It's very easy and convenient because you do have the option to see your ATO, Centrelink, CSA (if applicable) and other government accounts when you log in.

Going back to MyTax, basically what you need is of course your PAYG certificate, your claims (e.g. laptop, stationery, laundry allowance, uniform, phone bills etc) all these you can enter in MyTax. The limitations it has is if you have other income (locally and overseas) you won't be able to cover it in MyTax. You've got to use E-tax which is more comprehensive than MyTax. If you decide E-tax is best for you, here's the link  https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Lodging-your-tax-return/Lodge-online/e-tax/Downloading-and-installing-e-tax/


So remember,
 simple and straightforward - MyTax
 comprehensive - E-Tax

If you use MyTax, feel free to post your experience in this site!
I hope this helps! Thanks for reading!

V