tips on dealing with impulsive buying

Hey readers,

I think now and again we have all acted on impulse. It may be the odd item that is impulsive but a lot of people impulsive buying turns into a regular occurrence. 

So, it might be a good idea t put in strategies to stop yourself from having a desire to spend impulsively so regularly. Here are my top tips below. 

1. No spend days.

I do this twice a week and it is really great to train yourself to have a time where you don't spend money. 

It is like a reset button and helps make you think before you spend. It also gives back control of your situation and makes you appreciate the things that you already have around you.

2. Newsletters.

Unsubscribe to company newsletters this stops the urge especially when the company try to entice you in with some sort of sale. Out of sight, out of mind is key and if you don't think about it then do you really need that item in your life?

3. Shopping list.

It helps to plan ahead and one way of doing this would be to have a shopping list beforehand of all the things you need. 

It is important to stick to this method and not deviant away from what you plan to buy. This helps keep you in check with your finances.

 Having a shopping list gives you back control which will inturn in the long run give you confidence that you are keeping your finances in check. 

4. Ask questions. 

If you are seeing something in a shop and feel the desire to buy right here, right now then a good way to decide is to ask yourself, do I really need this? will I use it? can I  afford it? 

Giving yourself that time to think about it instead of instantly caving and buying can help stop you in your tracks and again gives you back control as your not acting but deciding on what to do first.

5. Plan your purchase. 

If there is something that you desperately want then plan your purchase.  So for example, if you need to get someone a birthday present plan beforehand, set an amount you want to spend, what you are going to buy and find the best present by researching around.

 This way you are in control and you can save money buying finding the best price before going shopping. 

6. Goals.

If you want to save up for something (e.g. earphones) then it might be a good idea to set up a fund to save up each week with a set amount. Yet again it reinforces the sense of control but also gives you delayed gratification, which personally I think s better than impulsive gratification. 

Having delayed gratification means you can enjoy for example the earphones when you have saved enough money. You have waited and known that if you put the effort into saving you will be rewarded. Therefore there is more pleasure as you have worked hard to save for the wanted item. 

What do you think about impulsive buying? Have I missed a tip out on my list that you think is a good way of controlling impulsive buying? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below. 

Cheers for reading X

Love for daylight hours

Hey readers,

Have you remembered to forward your clocks? Isn’t it wonderful to get lighter evenings now and I am happy about this change, let me tell you why?

I suppose the first obvious reason why daylight saving time is good because it is lighter evenings and lovely to see the beautiful sunsets you get during the summertime.

It is lovely to have more motivation as there is more light, which means getting more things doing.

Having more time to see things in the evening if I am out and about.

I really enjoy the calm of the lighter evenings, especially if it is dry and you can go for a lovely evening stroll.

Better change (if dry) to eat Alfresco, especially if it is a picnic at the park, makes my boys in particular super happy.

For a parent, the dream of having a quicker time to get the washing dry, meaning more loads completed in a smaller time is the dream!

That being said you don’t need to live in your home if you have some open space, a lot more quitter for us parents and the boys to play together outside without getting under your feet. Which is always an added bonus ;)

I find that if my boys are out playing in the fresh air later in the evening they sleep better during the night-time.

You feel happier when it is lighter and less likely to want to stay on watch TV, maybe because you are more energetic.

Have more desire to get out of the house and less sluggish.

During light times the golden hour is a beautiful time to take attractive photos.

With the lighter mornings, you’re more motivated to get up and not need as much sleep during the lighter months.

What things do you like about Daylight Saving Time? Love to hear your comments in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X

Stuffed potato skin recipe

 Hey readers,

Looking for a recipe that is comforting but also popular with everyone in the family? Then you need to check out these stuffed potato skin recipe. It doesn't cost the world and they taste so delicious. 

Did I not mention that is easy to knock up perfect if you are wanting something quick and easy for a meal in the week. 

What you will need.

* 4 baking potatoes.

* 4 Bacon strips.  

* A dollop of Sour cream on each potato.

* 20g of chopped chives.

* 100g of grated cheddar cheese. 

* 1 tbsp olive oil. 

* clove of garlic. 

* 1 tbsp butter.

Method. 

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C. 

2. Prick the potatoes and cook them in the oven for an hour.

3. Take the potatoes out of the oven and leave them on the side to cool down for five minutes.

4. Then cut the potatoes in half, scoop out the middle section leaving the skins empty. Put the potatoes in a bowl and leave to the side.

5. You can put the skins back into the oven to keep warm. 

6. Next you will be concentrating on making the stuffing. 

7. Get a pan put some olive oil into the pan. cut up some garlic and add the bacon. When that is cooked mix into the potato mixture, add the cheese, chives and butter. Mash it all together so that it is blended in well.

8. Then take the skins out of the oven and scoop the mash into the skins and mould it to fit.

9. Put back in the oven for 15 minutes. 

10. Take out of the oven and add a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of chives on top.

11. The stuffed potatoes are ready to be served.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday photo 21/03/2021

Spring I blooming love you

Hey readers,

Tomorrow (20/03/2021) marks the first day of Spring Equinox so here is a list of things I love about Spring.

This is the time when flowers start to bloom and blossom can be found everywhere.

Sadly, the blossom is short-lived but is beautiful seeing blossom like confetti blowing in the air.

What is lovely about spring is more colour dotted about and the sense of lightness that it brings through flowers, pastel colours in fashion to lighter meals that we eat.

Lighter evenings gives a sense of calm and wanting to stay out later. If the weather is good it is pleasurable to eat Alfresco.

Spring brings a mixed bag of weather but a lot of the time we are blessed with warmer. Therefore, meaning higher chances of being outside, making it a lot easier to look after children compared to being stuck indoors.

Something magical to do during the springtime is going to the woods and see the area covered in bluebells, so picturesque.

Spring marks the start of new life and it is lovely to see the new baby animals slowly emerging in the wildlife. You don't have to go far to find baby animals, I have to find the coots already making nests locally to me.

As wildlife slowly migrates back in England you get more of an opportunity to hear the birds calling and singing that takes place during the mating season.

One of the best things about the warmer weather is not having to wear heavy clothes making it more comfortable not to be so covered up.

 Plus, as the warmer weather occurs during spring we can finally get to wear sandals. I just love the sensation of fresh air brushing against my toes.

What are your thoughts on Spring? Love to see your comments in the comment section down below. 

Cheers for reading X

7 most useful websites

Hey readers,

The internet is a vessel of information from trivial to serious. I thought I would share n this post some really useful websites that are really helpful for me and they are of some help to you. 

1. Pixabay.

Now as a blogger I use Pixabay a lot to source royalty-free images that can incorporate into my blog posts. 

It is great they are free and there is a ton of images ranging from all sorts of pictures such as nature, people to buildings you name it probably find a picture at Pixabay.  

Also, you don't have to worry about crediting as anyone can use them in any setting and gives you confidence that you are doing legal and in the correct way.

2. Is it down.me. 

You know sometimes when you visit a site and it is not working is it your internet or is someone else have the same problem. Well on Is it down.me lets you check a website address to see if any issues have been reported by anyone else.

 The website also does a check to see if it is working and how long does it take to load a page performed on their survey, not your machine. 

4. CopyChar.

If you like me have a chrome book and don't have the options of emoticons or some icons such as a pound coin sign check out CopyChar.cc. 

It is a simple website but does a fantastic job that displays a variety of icons that you can copy and paste on a device that doesn't the available icons. 

5. Adblockerplus.

Fed up with ads on youtube videos or websites then adblocker plus is a brilliant option to block out adverts. Adblockplus is an extension to add to your machine and blocks any ads. 

You won't regret this one as it has made my life so much better getting rid of the ads when clicking on a site.

6. Canva.

Canva is a free graphic design tool website (though the option of professional with a fee). You can create many designs from youtube thumbnails, pin designs even Instagram posts. 

There are many free items you can use to create visual delights for you to use. There are thoughts of pictures, fonts, and colour schemes. 

If you struggle there is plenty of templates to get you inspired and can be used for your own purpose. 

7. Documentary Heaven. 

Love a documentary? Documentary Heaven is a place you should start as it holds a catalogue of free documentaries in one place for you to explore. 

There are so many documentaries for you to watch free online from history to political the choice is yours. 

What do you think about my list of useful websites? Have a missed any good ones that you deem useful?

 Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below. 

Cheers for reading X

Observations from having two children

Hey readers,

I am lucky enough to be blessed with two boys. I remember in the earlier days of having my second child how completely different my world turned, compared to just having one bundle of joy.

Firstly, when having two children you need to have skills in multi-tasking and making sure each child has their own needs met. For example, when it comes to playing having suitable aged toys available to them. 

An example of this would be a playmat for the baby but for the toddler more advanced toys such as stacking blocks.

Online shopping or having the opportunity to take one child out is a blessing. 

I found it so hard trying to navigate a child and a pushchair. I am really lucky enough to get my hubby to look after one child whilst I went shopping with the other child.

 This situation really good for me right now as my eldest needs a lot of one-to-one attention when it comes to practicing writing. Therefore, I don't feel as guilty. But I am slowly learning for everyone's sanity is it is ok to ask for help.

Make sure if you have two children of close age to make sure that whenever you chose something for them make sure that the item is exactly the same. 

Even if it is the same colour beaker, trust me the arguments over silly minor things like having a different colour cup are shocking. It keeps things calm and it protects your hearing from all the squabbling, win-win!

If you have electronic devices make sure there are two. I will one day persuade hubby to get another tablet because really it gives us all peace. Currently, I dread when one child asks can they have the tablet, it is a nightmare. Sod the art of learning when it comes to technology, I opt for peace if I could. Until that day I am very much miffed at hubby, 😉.

A good thing about having two children is that the second time around you kinda know generally what to expect. I felt more relaxed and confident as a parent with things like potty training and weaning.

Having a second child close in age is fantastic as my boys have such a strong bond and have a play partner. Not saying that they always get on as Pickering often happens but I know they care and love one another. I don't think you can ask for much more than that as a parent of two children.

Cheers for reading X