My top 10 money saving tips.

Hey readers, 

Who doesn't love to save a bit of cash when? you can with my top money saving tips.

1. Supermarket closing. 

Check out your supermarket before closing time. Grab them yellow stickers, don't worry they won't hurt you. You can freeze them, did you know you can freeze bread and milk, amazing how much you save by just doing that.

2. Online coupons.

Before buying anything that you need to check online for coupons and discounts. simply just type in the item and see where the cheapest price is if you say you want a specific TV you can save a couple hundred if you look around carefully. don't just go someone, it is always important to do your research beforehand.

3.  My supermarket app. 

Download my supermarket app it is amazing to compare food from leading supermarkets and see where the cheapest price is to get that item. 

4. Hotdeals Uk.

Another great app is Hot Deals UK. On the app, you can see each product and the different prices from the major retailers on one page You can also get notifications when new deals come in.

5. Electricity. 

To save money on your electricity bill one easy way is to simply turn off your tv from the socket to save money. Why have the TV  on when you are not using it? You will be amazed at just doing that one trick will save you money.

6. Travel Mugs.

Invest in a travel mug so you can take your own hot drink when you are going out, saves so much instead of going to Starbucks. There are some really cool designs in travel mugs and you are not wasting it on cups so helping the environment too win-win. 

7. Cash. 

If you do plan to go to supermarket or shop then take a set amount of hard cash and leave your money card at home, therefore you are forced to budget and not be tempted to impulsive buy items that you may not need. 

8. No Spend.

 Make it a habit to have one day a week where you do not spend anything, you will be amazed at how easy it is to once you start doing it. I have also found that I am more likely to do productivity things that I need to do that I normally put off as I have that free time to use up.

9. Emails.  

 How many emails have you got that you receive from companies trying to entice you to spend? They like to remind you of what they have to try to seduce you. Don't fall for it and unsubscribe then there less junk and you can get on with saving.

10. Packed lunch.

Instead of eating out or buying lunch at work invest the time to make your own lunch, plus it is much healthier for your instead of eating high fat processed food. 

What is your favourite money saving tip, I would love to hear in the comments?

Cheers for reading X 

   

How to do Easter on a budget

Hey readers,

With social media being a big influence on most it can be hard not to be persuaded do things to extremes. But let's be honest most of us haven't the money to splash about. So, here are some of my tips on how to stick to a budget but still having a lovely time for Eater. 

1. set a budget. 

Sometimes it is good to plan especially when you need to budget. So, be realistic in working out what your disposable income is for Easter then stick to that amount. Sometimes, working out and writing it down is more concrete and can help keep our focus and stick to our budget. 

2. Latest deals. 

One of the best ways to save money on things that you want is to check out the latest deals online before spending the cash impulsively. There are many fab websites that can give you information on the latest deals such as Martin Lewis site or my supermarket.com which compares the prices of products with the leading supermarkets (Asda, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Tesco, Iceland, Morrisons etc). 

3. Cash. 

Another brilliant tip to keep you reined in when out shopping for Easter stuff is to take cash out and leave the bank card at home. Therefore you definitely won't overspend and you can relax knowing that you are in control and staying within your budget. 

4. Plan. 

Planning is key to winning when it comes to your budget. Before dashing about on impulse plan head and what you want to do and how much you need plus the money that you can afford to spend on items such as Easter eggs or craft. 

5. Pressure.

Don't get sucked up in the hype, I know it can be hard with pressure on people outperforming one another on social media. However, in the end, what matters is you are happy and do what is right for you. Everyone is different so don't put the expectations on as long as you have a good time and relax surely that is the most important thing. Remember Easter is only a couple of days and before you know it to be forgotten and moved on to the next thing, such is the society that we live in. 

How do you budget for Easter? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Cheers for reading X 

How a Fitbit helps me and my mental health.

Hey readers,

Only recently have I invested in a Fitbit and it has been a real motivator for me to get up and move.

 As a person who has mental health problems, I find that having something like counting steps every day to reach a goal has helped me feel a bit better about myself. 

Even though it is a small positive change, it has helped me a great day in my mental health journey. 

Waking up every day and knowing I want to achieve something as a realistic goal gets me moving, gets me out of bed and does something for me which has helped.

 Especially when talking about mental health getting out of the house is something good, getting away from the same four walls can be a breath of fresh air.

 Doing something productive is a biggy for me instead of brewing on the negativity and my thoughts that just go round and round. 

Having a Fitbit has provided me with a focus and a distraction from the feelings of giving up and feeling what is the point? 

Having a reason to leave my home is a big help. I have a purpose though it is just numbers it is more than that to me. 

I have a goal that I know I can aim for, it allows me to focus on walking, and getting exercise helps release feel-good hormones.

 Doing something for me gives me a lift in my mood, knowing I am taking action when I force myself out of the home and doing exercise.  

Improving my health and stamina with fitness has made me feel better about myself because I have regained that control because I AM doing it, I am getting out in the world and exciting. 

I know I am not perfect but seeing progress in pushing myself and getting out of the home is a step closer to improving my mental health. 

Getting out in the fresh air allows me to clear my head of the thoughts, it allows me to think of new things because I have a different scenery allowing me to think of new ideas instead of staying at home festering on the negativity. 

Alongside going out for walks to increase my step count there is another element to Fitbit which is a target to walk 250 steps each hour between 9 am and 5 pm and it is a visual cue to get up. 

It gives you the competitive motivator to move every hour so instead of sitting down for hours on end. 

Seeing the many visual aids to help you stay motivated on the fitness app does give a feel-good buzz. 

You want to get up and move because you can see the result. 

You can see the rewards and trophies that you can get via the Fitbit app which again boosts your mood.

 This is because you know you are doing something for yourself and you growing in strength not only physically but mentally. 

Therefore, I am glad that I chose to purchase and Fitbit. 

Yes, there are bad days of course but baby steps are key and a Fitbit helps with that for me and my mental health journey.

Cheers for reading X 

My Sunday photo 07/04/2019

I told the boys to shake their tic tacs. Their face makes me laugh so much. :) 

9 ways to help a child be resilient.

Hey readers,

How can we help make our children resilient when faced with stress and adversity, below are my top tips. 

1. Independent Learning.

It is easy to give in to a child but sometimes allowing the child to be independent. However, allowing a child to do things for themselves, without first jumping in is a great way to build their confidence and learn. 

2. Support. 

Give the child support when they need but let them come to you rather than the other way around. Believe me, they will as long as they know the support is there without judgement. 

3. Self-Discovery. 

Don't constantly answer the questions that the child asks you, get the child to explore for themselves. It is easy to take the quick root and answer but actually the best way sometimes to grow as an individual is to test out and learn through your own self-discovery. 

4. Mistakes. 

Teach your child that mistakes happen and not everyone gets it right. Let's face it no one is perfect and we can't be good at everything as that would be boring. We need diversity and it is important to focus on the strengths that the person can bring to the table. 

5.Risk Taking.

It is important to not get in the mindset of trying to cotton wool our children as sometimes you need to allow risks so that they can learn and understand the boundaries. The more you child to shield a child, the temptation for them to do that thing will be greater. 

6. Delayed Gratification. 

Teach a child delayed gratification - where you have to wait before you can enjoy the rewards you have reaped. This will make them appreciate the reward much more than getting the reward straight away. 

7. Problem-Solving. 

Let your child learn to problem solve, don't just go for the easy answer but allow them to explore the problem and find their own solutions, they will be thankful in the long run. 

8. Catastrophic Thinking. 

Don't go down the catastrophic root with a problem a child is facing. It can be easy to think about all the gloom but it is important to get a well-balanced view of the situation and think positive about something new. Your child wants to explore, instead of being negative with saying that is ok if you can't do that but instead opt for a positive approach with saying how fun it will be and you can make friends say if you go on a camp trip as an example of being positive. 

9. Selective.

Don't give your child everything they ask for (toys, trips etc) even though everyone else has it. They need to learn that they don't need everything and that you can enjoy the things you do have even though you don't have everything because at the end of the day it is just materialistic item. It is much better to be a good person in my eyes anyway. 

What techniques have you used to help a child to be resilient? 

Cheers for reading X 

March favourites

Hey readers,

It is now the fourth month of the year that we are in. So, I am going to reflect over the past month (March) of things that I have been loving. 

1. Fleabag. 

Regarding television programmes that I have been watching in March, I have been really enjoying Fleabag on BBC one. It is the second series and still carrying on brilliantly. It is about the life of a woman called Claire living in London dealing with the tragedy of losing her friend. It is dark, it is funny and really well timed as well with the observations and comments. 

2. Blossom.

Now that the horrific wind from storm Gareth has left, the sunshine has been shining high and allowing growth in nature. There is blossom growing everywhere on trees and it is just a breath of fresh air to see the new season working its magic. 

3. Clocks. 

Of course, only the other day the clocks went forward an hour which though on the day we lost an hours sleep *boo** means that the days are getting brighter and more change of warmer weather and opportunities for going outside and soaking in the sunshine. 

4. Selling on Facebook. 

I have been really enjoying selling odd bits of stuff that we don't really need any more on Facebook. Not only is someone getting a bargain and we are getting some cash back but also means more space, less clutter about. 

5. Hot showers. 

Only recently hubby treated us to out rainfall type shower head and I can confirm it absolutely bliss to have a hot shower with the rainfall head above you. My boys love the new shower and love the idea of the fact it feels like rain. 

What have you been loving over the past month of March? Love to hear your comments down below. 

Cheers for reading X 

How to deal with the feelings of FOMO.

Hey readers,

As a person who has experienced feelings of FOMO due to the increasing social media presence of this idea of a perfect mother, I know how tough it can be. Of course, there is no perfect life but when you are bombarded with constant images of happy families constantly doing something and you’re at home not doing a great deal you can feel like you are missing out.

I know the FOMO (feelings of missing out) is a common problem with the internet generation as there is always something going on and it natural to compare but where do we draw the line.

The dictionary definition of FOMO is:

Anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media.

Here are some ways have helped me come to accept my life and know it is ok not to be perfect.

Be kind to yourself.

I think there is this need in society to have the next best thing, to constantly be doing amazing things on social media but sometimes you know what it is good to stay in and do nothing. Don't beat yourself up for this, your allow to not do anything or go anywhere doesn't mean you are not living, embrace and actually let go and enjoy it. I now do this and I cut that pressure off and it feels amazing. I slow down and just unwind and it really does the world of good for your mental health.

You’re not alone.

This may sound obvious but believe me when you are engrossed in the feelings of FOMO you lose your ability to rationalise, you assume everyone is doing something other than you. You get intrusive thoughts that you should be doing what everyone is doing and that social pressure feels very strong and the urge to comply is there. I found that actually not looking at some of the individuals who for whatever reason have much cooler life than I helps. 

I remind myself I am not alone and I also look around on the old social media to see that others doing similar stuff to me and that it is ok to be that. It is all about putting things into perspective realising that most people that you check out on Instagram are just one-sided and you don't see all their lives. Try to unfollow people that make you feel inferior - ignorance is bliss. Find other accounts that are similar to you and you can relate to. It will make you feel so much better and also contribute in helping come to accept your life in a more positive way.

Distractions.

Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed with all the online information that is out there. The constant notifications that sometimes the best thing to do is mute the distractions, turn your phone on aeroplane mode or even better still turning your phone completely off. Even if it is just for an hour you will be amazed at how much better you will feel.

What things have helped you deal with FOMO?

Cheers for reading X