Happiness

How to get round to doing the things you never get round to doing

I bet you’ve got loads of things on your to-do list that you WANT to do, but don’t really NEED to do, so they never get done. A third of people say completing a to-do list is one of their top ‘little wins’ so here’s how to start ticking things off…

DIY

Quick and easy lap tray makeover with wood-effect adhesive vinyl

If you’re using a lap tray for your lunch or to hold snacks during film night, it’ll probably get sticky & icky quickly. Even after wiping them down regularly & being careful with spills, they still ended up with little stains & grease marks on the surface. Here’s how to give a lap tray a quick makeover with self-adhesive vinyl…

Art & Photography

4 Ways I’ve personalised my gallery wall with custom artwork

While it’s incredibly cool to have a gallery wall in your home, it’s also great when the images mean something to you. There are plenty of ways to include customised artworks in your home and here are a few options to help you fill your home with pieces you love…

Sewing projects

How to customise your existing clothing with uplifting slogans

If ever there was a time for a motivational slogan tee, it’s now. Obviously, I’m not going to the shops to buy one, but that doesn’t stop me from making one (or two!) at home. Here’s how to customise your t-shirt with an uplifting slogan…

Days Out

How to keep the whole family entertained, engaged & active at home

Today I’m sharing some ideas for keeping your whole family entertained, active & engaged – both indoors and outdoors. There’s inspiration for exercising in the park and getting active in the garden, as well as some enjoyable, educational and FREE things you can do indoors. Enjoy..!

THRIFTY LIVING

4 Positive changes to society that are here to stay for a long, long time

The world has been a very different place of late but one thing that has been incredible to see is how quickly we have adapted. Services that were only ever delivered face to face have shifted & we’re able to do more things online than we would ever have been able to before. Here are just a few…

LOW-COST RECIPES

How to do a pantry audit & my top 10 store-cupboard meals

You have more food in the house than you think. You just have to plan ahead, & the most important step is doing a cupboard inventory. Here’s how to turn those store-cupboard items in your pantry into healthy meals for your family…

DIY

How to DIY a bin store using leftover timber or pallet wood

If you’re spending more time in the garden and need a project to work on, here’s an easy DIY that you can complete in a day. And, if you’re anything like me, you probably already have all of the materials you need lying around on your wood pile, or perhaps you’ve got a pallet stowed behind the shed? Here’s how to turn that old timber into something useful…

HOME DIY

How to keep your home super-clean + the health benefits

With a many of us staying at home and all the hygiene advice we’re hearing, I thought it would be prudent to write about household cleaning today. The good news is that there are so many things you can do to keep your family and yourself healthy simply by doing a few jobs around the house – so why not get everyone in the household cleaning together?! Here are a few things you can do, and the unexpected health benefits from doing these tasks…

Blogging

How (& why!) to start a blog, design a website or run an online shop

Whether you’ve dabbed with blogging in the past, or are completely new to it but would like to start sharing your ideas online, maybe now is the time to give it a go. If you’re planning to start a blog, website or even build an online shop, here’s some advice from someone (me!) who has been doing it for over a decade..!

Money Saving Tips

How to stay sustainable (and frugal) on your next holiday

While you might not be thinking about travelling anywhere at the moment, that doesn’t mean we can’t think about our future travels. In fact, it’s the perfect time to take stock of the way we travel & to give you something lovely to look forward to..!

Money Saving Tips

Three passive ways to discover discounts when shopping online

There are savings to be had by shopping online, but there are even bigger savings to be made when you know how to tap into special discounts and deals. Here are three easy ways to save money on products that you already want to buy – by simply letting the offers come to you..!

LOW-COST RECIPES

How I saved money & reduced food waste with the #FoodSavvy challenge

I’ve been doing the #FoodSavvy challenge throughout February and it’s been an eye-opener. Firstly because I couldn’t quite believe just how much food and plastic I had been wasting before the challenge and, secondly, because I was surprised at how easy it was to change my habits to create a more food savvy kitchen. Here’s what I discovered…

LOW-COST RECIPES

Why I’m taking on the #FoodSavvy challenge in February 2020

Did you know that in Norfolk and Suffolk alone 113,000 tonnes of food is wasted each year? It’s such a shame that we are wasting so much food – both financially & environmentally. The aim of the #FoodSavvy challenge is to reduce our food waste by 20% & decrease single-use plastics by 10% within a month. Can it be done? Here’s my plan…

HOME DIY

6 Ways to automate your household chores & adulting tasks

There just aren’t enough hours in the day, are there? You’ve got work, cleaning, family, cooking, household chores and bills to pay so there’s never any time left over for you. That can’t be right, can it?! There must be a way to minimise the chores you have to do and free up some time for yourself. I’ve come up with some interesting solutions to get the time you spend ‘adulting’ back, so that you can use it for the more enjoyable moments in life…

DIY

Why my boiler breakdown made me appreciate my home more

January is probably the worst time of year to be without heating, right? It’s frosty outside today, I shivvered my way around the shops yesterday and the wind is whipping around the house. However, now that I’m indoors with the heating on, I’m nice and cosy despite the cold temperatures outside. But that was a completely different story last week when our boiler broke down…

Blogging

Happy new decade! – and some exciting changes to my thrifty life…

Happy new year! How was your Christmas and new year? What plans do you have for 2020? And the coming decade, for that matter?! If you’re anything like me, you’ll be raring to get started on your goals for the year and will be excited about what the year brings. So I thought I’d share what I’ve been up to, along with some plans for my life and blog…

Happiness

12 Prompts to help you start journaling in the new year

If you’re looking for a New Year’s resolution that’ll improve your mental health, help you track your goals and take you back to basics, why not consider journaling? You only need to do something for 21 days to create a habit so maybe you can start tomorrow by picking up a pen and noting down your new years resolutions in your journal.

Money Saving Tips

Four ways to save money on your petcare budget in 2020

When looking for ways to be frugal, it’s a good idea to look through all the categories in your budget as there are always some places you can save money or some bills that could be a little lower. While it’s essential to get the optimum care and products for your pet, shopping around and being a little wiser to better deals means you can cut a substantial amount from your petcare budget. Here are 4 ways you can look to reduce your petcare outgoings…

Money Saving Tips

Interesting ways to save for a more secure financial future in 2020

Thrifty living is a great way to make your money go further but it’s only a part of the story. You need to ensure that the cash you save works as hard as possible for you. That means saving and investing that cash wisely – starting in January! Below is a brief overview of the various ways you could do this…

Books

What is intuition & how can you listen to it? Plus a Review of The Intuition Journal

Whether you’re new to journaling or have been doing it for a while, this newly published book is for you. It’s both a self-help guide that’ll inspire you to connect to your higher inner wisdom AND a usable journal where you can make notes and complete daily journal entries. The aim of the book is to help you feel more decisive, creative, fulfilled and work toward achieving your goals and dreams.

HOME DIY

Three tips for taking care of wooden furniture & accessories

If you’ve had a hard time maintaining that “like new” condition of your wood furniture and accessories, the good news is that with these simple tips, you’ll be able to prolong the lifespan of your wooden treasures, and pass them on to future generations…

Blogging

How to create motivational quote images to share on social media

If you’ve ever wondered how bloggers and Instagrammers create those beautiful quote images to post on their social accounts you’ve come to the right place. Today I’m sharing a step-by-step guide to DIY your own digital images with motivational mental health quotes ready to share on your story, grid, feed or board – here’s how…

Money Saving Tips

Pros & cons of leasing a family car when you’re on a budget

Without the worry of maintenance and reliability, car leasing can be a handy way to stick to a budget while still driving the latest vehicles. But what if you have a family? Is leasing a good option if you have kids? Here are some of the pros and cons:

Books

How to make cute and fluffy emoji pom-poms

Think you know how to make a pompom? Today’s crafty blog post will take your skills up a notch with this step-by-step guide to make cute, fluffy, blushing, heart-eyed emojis. PLUS I’ve got three copies of newly published craft book ‘Pom Pom Pom’ by Henry Le to giveaway to three lucky winners so read on to the enter the giveaway today..!

Personal development

Reading week tips: 6 Ways you can help your teen to settle into university life

If your teen has gone away to uni this year, what can you do to help them prepare for their life at University? Sure they might already be settling in, but they’ll be home for their first mid-semester ‘reading week’ soon and with many first year students having second thoughts about their choice of university or course, this is an important time to support them and help them stay in uni. Here’s some advice I could have used when I was studying…

Money Saving Tips

Easy maintenance tasks to help save money on car bills – even unexpected ones

Simple maintenance tasks that to ensure that your car keeps running smoothly. Not only will these fortnightly, monthly and yearly checks help to keep your vehicle in good condition, they’ll also allow you to solve any problems as soon as they arise – and before they become bigger, more costly issues. Here are some vehicle maintenance tips that might help you cut the cost of car ownership:

Festive

3 Scandi-style Christmas decor projects to DIY with second-hand finds

Do you enjoy making things? Do you love to save money? Do you want unique decorations that no-one else has? Then it’s time to make your own! I’m getting a head start on my Christmas preparations this month and have made three scandi-style decor projects that you can easily replicate at home. Or you could use these ideas as a starting point for your own designs – it might be the inspiration you need to get you started on crafting your own festive decor…

Money Saving Tips

When you get the urge to shop do these 5 things instead…

I sometimes just get the urge to shop. Even as a wannabe-minimalist and thrifty gal (whose job relies on it!) it is sometimes just too hard to resist the lure of the high street. If you’re trying to stash the cash (like me) but sometimes just get the urge to shop (also like me) here are 5 things you can do instead to satisfy that urge to shop while still saving money…

Bedroom

6 Hacks for sleeping well (even when you’ve got little ones!)

How did you sleep last night? Do you feel rested? Are you enjoying your day today? Getting a good night’s sleep is so important for your mood, productivity and health, but it’s not just an issue to consider alone; it is a family issue. Here are 6 sleep hacks to help you sleep well as a family…

Money Saving Tips

5 Monthly financial commitments I don’t have (+3 I would never give up!)

Did you know that in 2017-18 the outgoings of households in the UK was greater than their income for the first time in nearly 30 years? I was reading a report by the Office of National Statistics and it got me thinking about those financial commitments many people have that we could perhaps lower (or scrap altogether) in order to make up that shortfall and live within our means.

Days Out

4 Unexpected reasons why travelling by train = a low-cost day out

On my recent short break I went on a couple of train journeys. Not only was it very enjoyable to sit back and take in the scenery rather than having to drive and navigate, it also turned out to be somewhat of a money-saving venture too. Here’s why travelling by train can save you money in some rather unexpected ways…

Money Saving Tips

How to cut the cost of buying kids clothing – yes, it CAN be done!

If you’ve got kids, you’ll probably agree that kids’ clothing essentials soon add up and can take a big chunk out of your budget. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a more frugal way of shopping for your youngsters. I’ve chatted with some of the mums I know and have found out how they manage to save money on clothing every day, even though they’ve got babies, toddlers and children to look after. Here’s a handful of hacks to help you cut costs on clothing with a family in tow…

Money Saving Tips

How to start planning for your retirement… right now!

Have you ever wondered what you can do to improve your retirement income? It may feel far away for some of us and for others it might be fast approaching. Either way, you’ll want to feel secure in your retirement and make sure you have enough money to live on, so how can you add more to your retirement fund right now..?

Kitsch Kitchen

4 Simple steps to a greener and more environmentally-friendly kitchen

While more and more people every day are looking for new methods to go green at home, many start with their own kitchens. You may be surprised to learn that each kitchen is adding to the nation’s environmental damage every day and even the smallest of changes can make a significant difference. To give you a few ideas, here are four simple tips that can make your kitchen a greener and more environmentally friendly place…

HOME DIY

Why timeless furniture choices can save you money time & again

Timeless decor items will be different for every person, but once you find them it can give a sense of comfort and permanence to your house. Plus, I’m a firm believer in ‘buy well, buy once’ so it’s a good idea not to follow interiors trends with your bigger investment pieces, such as the sofa, storage, tables etc. You can, of course change up your style over the years using soft furnishings and paint colours, but having those classic pieces as the basis for your future designs will save you money throughout your lifetime. Here’s how to figure out your style before you invest…

Money Saving Tips

How to customise your summer t-shirts to wear all year round

So you’re coming to the end of the summer and it’s time to put those tees away for another year. Just a sec… why don’t you give your t-shirts a new lease of life by upcycling them for autumn? Here are four easy ways to revamp your summer wardrobe for the new season…

Money Saving Tips

How to save money for your life goals & back-up fund (the easy way)

If saving money was made easier, you would be much more likely to do it. So I’ve come up with some of the easiest possible ways to ensure that you save rather than spend and, if you follow these tips, your savings’ account should soon be full and you won’t have to worry about having money for those essentials that come up from time to time.

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