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I Would Miss

November 10, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

Despite being born in the city of Bristol, I am very much a country girl. We moved, shortly after I was born, to Wakefield and then three years later after my brother was born, to a small village called North Somercotes in Lincolnshire. As a family, we lived and ran a small village newsagents for ten years and I attended both a village primary school and village secondary school. Back then, there was no mobile phones and internet, so I’ve no idea what signal or coverage would have been like. Phoneboxes were incredibly common and I remember that my full telephone number (landline) was only seven digits long, including the area code. Gas came in tanks, either tall reds ones or large landscape white ones – those are both very strong childhood memories.

I’m in my thirties now – almost my fourties and I have watched life change a lot. In my teens the internet came about and so did mobile phones. The internet was pay per month and per minute for dial-up, while mobiles were chunky and only offered text and call time minutes. We moved from a small village like North Somercotes, to a town called Louth and eventually from Louth, we moved to the city of Lincoln (or at least a village near by). Since leaving home at 19, I’ve lived in a variety of towns and villages and even Lincoln city itself once, but I’m most at home in the countryside – with windy roads, poor signal phone signal and a good distance to travel to decent shops. That said, I’ve definitely been on holiday to places that felt even more remote and I often think we take for granted what we have on a day to day basis.

I was challenged by Flogas, to discuss what I would miss if I had to live in a really remote area – completely out in the sticks. As I child I would joke that North Somercotes was out in the sticks, and compared to many places I’m sure it would feel that way to many people. However it really wasn’t and probably if I went back now, it would just seem like any other quiet village. I’m sad to say though, that the first thing I would miss (or would have an issue if it was lacking) would be my mobile phone signal. I check social media sites and my browser, more times than I can possibly count in a day. When I got on holiday, especially abroad, and signal/internet/data is lacking, I’m always a bit lost without the use of my phone. After that and related to that, would be my internet. Our family often jokes that we could forgo running water and heating, even a roof over our heads, so long as we could connect to someone’s wifi.

My partner Chris is pretty handy but I have to admit we’d all probably be a bit lost if it came to changing a gas canister. I once lived in a house that had oil to run its heating and that needed a lorry to come and top it up every time it was low – I ran out twice in the time I lived there – once over a very cold Christmas and I can’t say I’d be in a hurry to repeat that. The girls and I also love our baths and if running water wasn’t available, that would be an issue for us too. Admittedly we don’t bathe every day, but there is four of us who would need to bath at least 2-3 times a week.

While I definitely don’t think I would be lost, living out in the sticks (as I said, I’ve lived quite rurally), my kids and even my partner (he’s from Luton) would probably struggle. Also I think I’ve got a little too used to luxuries that are now classed as necessities, to want to give all that up.

What would you miss the most if you were stuck out in the sticks?

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Winter Safety on Two Wheels

November 9, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

With the weather getting colder, snow forecast for this week and Road Safety week just around the corner (week commencing 21st November), I wanted to share a few thoughts about those driving around – especially those on two wheels instead of four.

When I first met my partner Chris, four years ago, he was riding a motorbike as his main mode of transport. He hadn’t been riding very long, but he had passed his test and was a good driver. However as soon as the weather took a turn for the worst and morning roads were covered in frost, the accidents began. At first it would just be the odd slip or a grumble about other drivers on the road. However on icy mornings I would be filled with dread about him even managing to get to work in one piece. On several occasions he came off his bike at the end of our road, as we lived in a village that didn’t get all its roads salted and on one particular instance, he skidded right across the road, got thrown from his bike and injured his back. It was at this point that we had to consider catching the train and bus, to and from work, instead of risking his bike but there were times he still had to rely on his bike, when shifts ran too late for public transport. I bought him a fluorescent jacket and ruckstack for Christmas, but it still never made me feel 100% confident.

I’m happy to say that Chris has since learnt to drive a car and I feel much happier with him driving to and from work nowadays. However that’s not to say its foolproof either. I’ve personally had two bad accidents in snow and ice in my car, so I never take driving in the winter for granted.

In association with Jefferies Solicitors, who are specialists with death by dangerous driving solicitors, I was asked to share this infograph about Winter Safety. On top of this, I ask that you please all drive carefully this winter, whether four wheels or two.

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Making the most of your spare time

November 4, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

We all know that running a family home can leave us with very little in the way of spare time. So that’s why it’s a good idea to try and make the most of whatever time we have left after the meals have been eaten and the kids have gone to bed.

In the summertime, it was nice to take long evening walks. But now that the darker days have drawn in, we have to be a little more creative about how we choose to spend our time.

But thankfully tablet technology means that we can still do anything from planning parties and holidays to playing online games so that we never need to rely on those boring TV schedules anymore!

Online window-shopping is something that is not only endlessly engrossing, but it can also lead to some bargains later on. Whether you’re looking for the ultimate Christmas party dress, or some Disney gifts for the kids, there’s nothing like a bit of a bargain hunt on an evening!

There’s a great range of online fashion retailers that have sprung up in recent years, with the likes of Asos and Boohoo being amongst my favourites. And Pinterest is a great way to find things that you wouldn’t normally come across. By creating a virtual pinboard of fashion, recipes and pretty pictures, it’s helped millions of people to organise their wishlists and spend an evening in a vaguely productive way.

Even something as simple as video games can be made a little more useful. Although Fitocracy is a workout app, it cleverly uses gaming elements to help you stay in shape without noticing. And the live casino and slots games that you can find at Red8s are so engrossing that it’s easy to forget that they can provide a little extra money on the side!

Although it’s probably unlikely that most of us would become professional slots players from these online casino sites, the winnings can be used to make a future holiday fund. Thanks to travel sites like Skyscanner it’s really easy to search around to see what flight destinations are cheapest at particular times of the year.

So whether you’re planning a quick Christmas getaway to beat the winter blues, or are daydreaming about a dream trip to the casinos of Las Vegas or Disneyworld in Los Angeles, it all shows that we can all use our spare time in a productive way!

Doubling up on room functionality and why it is really not that bad

October 31, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

We seem to have finally accepted the idea that easy living is not about grandiose dining rooms, immense back gardens and countless other rooms that more often than not are rarely used. In the time-poor world of the 21^st century, very few of us have the inclination to manage a stately home when we can live in a much more versatile, open-plan space in the city – close to work and the buzz that only somewhere like Edinburgh can offer.

While apartment living can be exciting and relatively low maintenance, it does require homeowners (or those renting a space) to think a little smarter about the rooms they have at their disposal.

The concept of double-duty rooms may be off putting for some, but with the right know-how your home will remain clutter free and just as spacious as homes twice its size. Not only that, smaller spaces mean spending less time on household chores and less money on energy bills. With a little imagination and a savvy eye for design, we don’t think there’s any need to swap a functional and stylish apartment space for a draughy old detached in the sticks.

More and more apartments are designed with open plan living in mind. Kitchen, dining room and lounging space all flow into one another, making a home feel instantly more spacious – and making hosting a large group a doddle.

What furniture will you need?

A long narrow fold out table pushed against the living room wall, can be used as a dining area, studio and office space depending on your needs. Attach shelves above the table and you have yourself a place to store plates and cutlery, or books and office supplies Alternatively, hide the office behind shutter doors in a repurposed wardrobe and stack all the necessary items on racks above the computer. Whenever you need a break, you are only ever a few steps away from the cosy couch and its welcoming pillows.

If at all possible, the bedroom should only be used for its primary function, to sleep. This may seem inefficient in terms of multifunctional space however this also means that the majority of clutter can be removed from little bedrooms. With a mountain of research showing that using a daytime space for sleeping can significantly impact quality of sleep, this is one area you don’t want to mess with.

However, corridor space can be used for extra storage or a beauty station. Hovering shelves or drawers can be used as a discreet make up stand that does not harbour unnecessary floor space.

Feel that you want to divide areas of your apartment off without building entire walls? Stand alone book shelves, plants or dividers can be used to divide up different areas in a more subtle, fluid fashion.

Playing around with the layout of your furniture can transform a simple room into a stylish multi-purpose space. Think about creating a ‘wise corner’ in your kitchen by installing a couple of shelves with your favourite books just above an armchair. Add a couple of modern wall racks for your cookery guides, mix them with supports for wines and spirits and your modern library is complete.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to apartment living. Treat your home as a blank canvas bursting with opportunity and let your imagination run wild as you plan out your layout.

If you like the idea of a 1,2, 3 or 4 bedroom luxury apartment in Edinburgh’s coolest postcode, why not find out more about Quartermile today? Simply visit www.qmile.com.

Avoiding Debt this Christmas

October 28, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

At the beginning of the year, in my Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016 post, I spoke a little about the debt I was in and how I hoped to get out of it during the year. I am pleased to say, that with almost ten months of the year passed, I definitely have less debt now than I did at the beginning but it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. At around June-July, my money problems hit an all-time low, with phone calls from my bank and the worry of losing my account altogether. It really helped me pull myself together but it was a mess I could have avoided. While too much spending and not enough earning was the main route of the problem, transferring money backwards and forwards between Paypal accounts was what really caused the red flag on my account. Using a short term loan company would have avoided all the hassle I had, as that could have bridged the gap when I needed money and didn’t have it coming in till later. Instead I had money coming in and going out every few days as my Paypal transactions cleared, meaning a lot of unusual activity in my account which ultimately lead to it being put under scrutiny and all my transactions monitored.

Having worked really hard, to get myself out of the mess I caused, it made me realise how much I didn’t want to get back into it, with Christmas around the corner. I have to admit that Christmas is actually my biggest weak spot, especially with the kids. I always want to give them the world and I know that sometimes I spend more than I have. Over the last few months I’ve found that one of the best ways to not spend, is to actually not look. Sites like Hot Topic and Disney Store, my two biggest weaknesses, are best to just avoid altogether and therefore not be tempted to spend. However at Christmas time, its all about browsing the shops – whether online or in person. To avoid getting into a mess, I’ve set my mind to a few certain things.

Making a list in advance and adding up the total, even before buying.
It’s hard to decide how much to spend on a person at Christmas, especially a child. I always see so many things for my best friends, my partner and my kids – making it hard to pick just one or two things to get and not go completely over budget. However this year as neither of the girls have much they want, I’m setting myself on gift vouchers and the odd gift as I think about it. I’ve started to make a list of ideas and eventually I will palm off ideas to relatives and keep some for myself. I’m going to set myself a budget and not go over it – meaning I will need to swap things in and out of the list, instead of just adding things on.

Adding to a cart (or real life shopping basket) and then taking time to think about it.
It’s not as easy when you’re shopping in person, but I have been known to put the whole contents of my basket back on the shelves. I’ve definitely abandoned online carts without checking out too. Sometimes its good to go through and browse, adding the things you like but then walk away and think on it. Often I’ve come back and taken half the items out, realising I don’t really need them. Other times I’ve realised I need none of it and haven’t checked out at all.

Just because there is a voucher for it in an email, doesn’t mean you have to buy something.
Recently I’ve had a few discount codes and I know coming up to Christmas there will be plenty more, especially with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, not to mention last minute sales. I always open up the sites and see what bargains I can grab, especially with 20% off or whatever the discount might be. Just remember that if you didn’t intend to buy it in the first place, do you really need it now – just because it has discount? Also does the discount really outweigh whatever the postage costs will be, or if you could find it elsewhere for cheaper.

Buy as and when you can afford it.
This is really the biggest one for me this year. As much as I love the idea of shopping early and getting everything organised, if I can’t afford it then I shouldn’t try to attempt it all at once. While spreading the cost is a great idea – I’ve definitely started picking up the odd bit here and there – it’s not worth getting everything in October just so you can say you’re done, if it makes you hard up for November and December (possibly even having a worse knock on effect). With my work, I have a lot of stock to build up for a Christmas Market doing. At the moment, all my spare cashflow goes on that. While I do want to get gift buying and not leave it all to the last minute, I also know I will probably be better off, after the Christmas Market has passed.

I’m sure if you were to google “avoiding debt this Christmas”, you would have loads of sites giving you some great ideas but these are just the ones that I’m aiming for. I’m hoping that by being open and accountable here on my blog, it will help me not to get all crazy and blow what little money I have and not make increase my debt back to where it was at the beginning of 2016.

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Wedding Wanderlust – Fall

October 20, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

I love traveling so much but I have to admit that recently my desire to save money for things closer to home, have stopped me even considering a holiday. I’d love to move house, treat myself to a new car and of course I would really like to get divorced from my ex, since we’ve been separated for 6 years. With my two best friends finding themselves in new relationships and another friendship couple getting engaged, I have to admit my mind wanders to weddings, despite not being especially fussed about getting re-married (for a third time) myself. That said, I thought it would be fun to make a post every season, with a few ideas for rings, dresses and even venues/places that I would like.

A while back I shared a post about some Disney rings that I would absolutely love, some of which would make nice engagement rings, especially with a Halloween theme. In all seriousness though, I would want a proper wedding band, definitely made from white gold or platinum as I’m not really a fan of the gold colour rings. Orla James makes some beautiful Platinum Wedding Rings which would definitely be a consideration and I would probably therefore have to have a more sensible engagement ring too.

My partner is a huge fan of things like skulls and zombies, so with an Autumn wedding, a Halloween theme would work well for both of us. I’ve also been married twice before so doing the whole white dress thing would be a bit weird and I would love to do something more crazy or costume. There are loads of really great choices for a wedding dress and while I wouldn’t want to go full on corpse’s bride, I would love something black (and of course slimming).

I throw murder mystery parties all of the time and I’ve often considered how fun being an events organiser would be. I think having a Halloween themed wedding would be incredible and there would be so much choice for decorating. You could go all black, orange and green, using many of the Halloween decorations found in stores, or you could go more classy with blacks and creams, with big candelabras, dripping wax and cauldrons with steam. I personally would sway more towards a Harry Potter theme I think, aiming for a wedding in the Great Hall feel.

Of course with an Autumn wedding, you could go for a Fall theme colours with greens and oranges, burnt red, all the colours of the leaves too. I used to love wearing all those colours as a teenager as I felt they went with my hair/eyes/skin etc and so although I would prefer the extremeness of a Halloween themed wedding, I could definitely go for a general Autumn theme too. It would be quite beautiful having it somewhere outside with all the natural colours for your palette.

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Fruit Smoothie Recipe

October 3, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

This week the girls and I tried out a Fruit Smoothie recipe, adapted slightly to our taste. The recipe itself came from a cookbook by Bright Horizons nursery and since it’s always great to get the kids involved, we all worked together to make the smoothie.

As its one of the recipes that doesn’t require cooking, it’s great to do with the kids as they often get bored waiting for things to cook or bake. This one just meant we got to chop up fruit and even better, use the blender!

Ingredients
– 200g Oranges
– 200g Apples
– 150g Pineapple
– 200g Bananas
– 150g Raspberries (but we used strawberries instead)

Instructions

Start by washing, peeling and chopping the fruit into 2cm dices. Place the chopped fruit into your blender and pulse. Once the mixture has been turned into a pulp, blend thoroughly until the mixture is a drinkable texture. Chill the mixture completely before serving.

There were lots of great recipes in the cookbook we were sent and we hope to try some others like the risotto, paella and carbonara. This post is in association with Bright Horizons nursery in Tytherington.

How travelling can bring you and your family closer together

September 28, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

A great holiday can create memories that last a lifetime, and what better way to create these memories than by spending time with your family? Upon your return, you might be surprised at just how much the dynamics of your family have changed. Here are our top reasons looking at how travelling can bring your family closer together.

You can discuss plans beforehand

Before you jet off, you might like to get the whole family together and construct a list of all things you’d like to do on holiday. This is a great way of including everyone in the preparations and ensuring that all interests are catered for. This technique promotes dialogue – something that is often hard to achieve in a busy family home where everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Bali is a destination that has something for all tastes. You can book your flights to this Indonesian paradise through an operator like Imagine Holidays.

You may have to learn as you go

If you’re planning on taking your family abroad, then it’s vital that you all work together to ensure the trip goes smoothly. For example, you may have to work together to navigate your way around a strange city or work out how to order food off a local menu. This is a great opportunity to encourage communication and teamwork, and you may even discover that family members have hidden skills that would not have been required back home.

You’re exposed to a new atmosphere

Arguments can be pretty common at home, and that can lead to ill-feelings developing among family members. A great holiday takes you away from that toxic environment and gives everyone a chance to clear their heads and focus on what’s really important. You could find that the anger that had built up at home suddenly disappears from the moment you get on the plane – allowing you to wipe the slate clean and just concentrate on making magical memories with one another.

The memories will last a lifetime

When you return from your trip, you may find that the experiences you shared as a family are still being discussed for months later. This keeps your home filled with goodwill and preserves that foundation of communication that had built up during your trip. Even the most mundane of events could remain a talking point for years to come. Travelling is a great tool; the more you travel as a family, the more memories you make.

You learn to compromise

When travelling, you and your kids may be forced to share the same hotel or B & B room. This can present many challenges for you all to overcome. Space can come at a premium and issues may start to appear when everyone wants to get their own way. However, these conflicts will need to be sorted quickly because they could ruin the rest of the holiday. This situation, although unpleasant for a small period of time, teaches everyone about conflict resolution and compromise, and these techniques can be utilised back home to create a more harmonious environment.

Technology will not be as intrusive

Technology is a huge part of family life, and this can mean that family members become disconnected from each other because they’re too distracted by what’s happening in a virtual world. When you go travelling, the role that technology plays will surely decrease.

First of all, you will all be too busy taking in the surroundings and embarking on new challenges to worry about what’s happening online. Secondly, you could be in a remote location that does not boast an internet connection or phone signal, so your so devices will become redundant. This factor means that your family members will be able to spend genuine, quality time together – and this can only be a good thing.

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The Best Places To Go On An Adult Holiday

September 21, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

Everyone loves a good holiday, especially when you’ve managed to take a week off work and relieve yourself from the stresses of general day-to-day life. There are plenty of fun filled holidays available that are catered specifically for adults in this day and age; here are three of our favourite destinations that should be considered for an 18+ adventure.

Ibiza

The beautiful island of Ibiza is located in the Mediterranean Sea and is one of the most popular tourist hotspots to date. With plenty of entertainment available, travellers have the opportunity to hit some of the biggest and best night clubs in Europe.

There are many popular nightclubs on the island but Privilege is by far and away the biggest and most famous venue. According to the Guinness World Book of Records, Privilege is supposedly the biggest nightclub in the world with a capacity of 10,000 people – and dance music lovers have the chance to mingle and enjoy their night with tourists from all four corners of the globe.

Las Vegas

If you’re visiting North America, you MUST visit Las Vegas, Nevada; the city that never sleeps. The Las Vegas strip is a once in a lifetime experience with its themed hotels, countless casinos, and the general hustle and bustle of thousands of tourists.

It is customary to attend a casino or two when visiting this marvellous state and it might be wise to play some online roulette at Betway’s website prior to your visit. You’ll need to practice before you hit the big tables in Vegas!

If you aren’t a big gambler, the nightlife is just as good. With hundreds of nightclubs to choose from, you are sure to find one to your taste. A popular one amongst tourists is Hakkasan, located in the MGM Grand complex. It attracts thousands of visitors per month due to its popular location and the residency of the world famous DJ Tiesto.

The Maldives

If you prefer a relaxing getaway with your partner, the Maldives is a must. Popular for its beautiful blue lagoons and reefs filled with wildlife it has grown to be one of the most popular tourist destinations for adults in the world.

There is an extensive list of activities available on these magnificent islands, including snorkelling and paddle-boarding. If you fancied a more of a relaxing activity, there are yoga classes available on the gorgeous sandy beaches.

With a fabulous variety of food available in the evenings, including the freshly caught sea food, you can’t beat this location for an enjoyable, relaxing and classy trip.

Dare I mention the C word yet?

September 16, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are mine.

Okay so it’s mid- September now… is that too early to mention the C word? By that I of course mean Christmas. While on the one hand, it seems crazily early to be thinking about it (we only just moved past Summer right?) but on the other, its nice to start saving and planning – making sure you have everything you need and of course the cashflow to get it!

As a single mum (or at least the person singularly responsible for buying the girls gifts), its important that I at least start to think about it early, even if no purchasing goes on yet. Here are my top tips for planning out the perfect Christmas present purchasing!

Get organised

Grab a pen and paper, start making notes on a pad. Or open up that notepad app on your phone and start a page there. It doesn’t really matter where you do it, but start a list and add to it every time you think of something. When the kids say “I really wish I had….” or when they’re watching tv and the adverts come on with “oooh I’d love one of those…”. Jot it down and that way you’ll remember it when the time comes to purchasing. You can of course think about the things you want them to have – that will save you money in the long run if you get them for Christmas. A new school bag, clothes, pajamas etc.

Make a Wishlist

There are loads of great sites for making a wishlist. Amazon has a very simple one to use, as does My Greedy Book. There are other sites like Polyvore, Giftster etc. that all do the same thing. Do some searching of the internet in your free time and add the items you like to the wishlists – you can even set up a list per person. It doesn’t really matter if you plan to shop online or in person, its still a good way to keep track of the actual brand you’ve found and the prices you’ve found it at. The lists are also really easy to edit if you find something different – swap, edit, delete etc.

Keep an eye out for vouchers and sales

As soon as you’re ready to think about actually buying (and preferably once you have some spare money), start to keep an eye out for bargain opportunities. There are many sites like Vouchercode or Groupon Coupons that will offer you good discount options for your shopping. Keeping an eye on these sites will help you to get your items at a lower price than you would have regularly and may even offer you options like free shopping – which then makes shopping online both easier and cheaper.

Sites often have sales in the run up to Christmas – think Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday, both of which are great times to grab bargains both in store and online. If you’re brave enough to leave your shopping right up till Christmas Eve (which I’m definitely not) I believe you can grab several bargains then too.

Shop Secondhand

Finally, if you have any flexibility and can get away with secondhand or refurbished, places like Ebay or CEX are a great idea to check out as well. Most kids won’t even notice that it’s not in a box or proper packaging, as they’ll be too pleased to have the gift. This is a great idea for electricals especially as you can really drop the prices for yourself.

I’ve already started my lists and will be soon starting to buy the odd thing here and there. Despite the fact it’s only September I hate not being organised and I would hate even more for the kids not to get something they’d like, all because I didn’t plan well. Good luck with your Christmas planning and even more good luck if you attempt to tackle sales like Black Friday!!

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