Sunday, 21 February 2021
Top Tips for Buying Perfect Age-Appropriate Presents for Children
Thursday, 18 February 2021
Period Pants from ModiBodi - Perfect for Stress-Free Periods
Maxi-24hrs Absorbency Pants for Adults and Youths
Tuesday, 16 February 2021
Planning a Short Break in Hampshire - The Test Valley or South Downs National Park?
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Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay |
Saturday, 13 February 2021
Pensions Advice to Help Tackle the Gender Pension Gap
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Image by Alexander Kliem from Pixabay |
{This post was commissioned by Profile Pensions and Mumsnet}
Did you know that the average person who takes pensions advice will increase their pension wealth by £31k? (1) That is a pretty massive amount, right? If you live frugally that is enough to keep you going at least another couple of years, or maybe you want to splash a good amount of it on a once-in-a-lifetime world cruise or the car of your dreams. Whatever it is that you choose to do with your money, there is no denying that £31K can make a big difference to the average person's life.
The Gender Pension Gap
Friday, 12 February 2021
Sustainably Surviving 2021: Buying Used Cars!
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Image by Dũng Nguyễn from Pixabay |
{This is a collaborative post}
The
coronavirus pandemic has affected every country on earth and almost everyone
has felt the impact in one way or another, whether that is directly or
indirectly. And most of the direct impact has been financial – even for those
who have lost loved ones to the virus, money worries have also surfaced in the wake
of their bereavement.
A Warning
Some people are taking the pandemic as something of a warning from nature, fed up
with humans exploiting the resources of the planet, and sadly, all too often,
wasting them! From being an instant gratification population who sees something
new and wants it, often discarding last week's 'must-have' items in order to
make space for it, we must turn, or so the experts say, into people who are a
great deal thriftier with what we have been. Learning to recycle, reuse and
repurpose our items instead of continuing the never-ending quest for newer,
bigger and better material possessions is essential.
Driving Force
One of the ways that we can each make a dramatic difference to our impact on the environment, and quite coincidentally save money at the same time, is by opting to buy a used car rather than a new one. There are many advantages to getting a used car that are often overlooked in the tempting allure of a shiny new vehicle, but consideration of these advantages is actually worth a moment or two of your time.
Wednesday, 10 February 2021
Lockdown Exercise Options Recommended by Teenage Girls
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Miss E is enjoying her resistance bands from Neon Sheep |
This lockdown seems to be so much harder than the original one last Spring and as such motivation can be lacking to get outside and do all the things we enjoy and most importantly keep us fit and are good for our bodies and minds.
I'm lucky that my twin girls have been enjoying having the time to focus more on their fitness but it is just such a shame it keeps raining so much at the moment. I asked my girls to share what they (and their teenage friends) have been doing to exercise during this lockdown -
Chloe Ting Workouts on YouTube
Miss E is loving the Chloe Ting workouts, there is a massive variety and they all seem easy to do from home, all you need is an exercise mat. There are workouts to target all areas of your body and challenges that last a few weeks, so the variety is good and will keep you going for some time. Best of all, her content is all free.
Miss E didn't have an exercise mat so she was chuffed when Neon Sheep sent her a grey yoga mat for use when she is exercising. She was also really pleased that it is a good size, as at 5ft 7" tall she wondered if it would be long enough for her. This lightweight mat is currently on sale at £10.
The Body Coach Workouts
Joe Wicks, AKA The Body Coach is another person with a great YouTube channel. My girls were keen for me to emphasise that it is not the PE with Joe Wicks that teens like but his other workouts, especially the 7 days of sweat. Have a look on his chancel and again, you'll see a great variety of workouts.
Roller skating
Miss E loves to rollerskate and this is great for your core strength and general balance. It's something you can do alone or with friends and you don't need much space outside. Paths, parks or cycle trails are all good places to go skating and if you manage to improve your skills during lockdown, it will be useful for when the roller discos open up again later in the year.
Yoga
Yoga is not only great for helping with your physical fitness, but it is also a wonderful way to help calm and centre yourself. You can feel the stress leave you and a new sense of mental clarity take over, which is just perfect for this unpredictable and stressful time we find ourselves in.
We have been using Yoga with Adriene on YouTube and again it is free content. She has a great 30-day program on there at the moment, called Breath. Miss E is loving the cute little pink yoga socks from Neon Sheep, they are £3 and have little rubber dots on the bottom to ensure you don't slip.
She also received these workout leggings and matching bra top. The leggings are available in size XS to L and they retail at £19.99. Miss E is wearing a size medium. They have sweat-wicking and quick-drying properties and Miss E says they have been really comfortable to wear. I can confirm they have also washed well too. The sports bra is available in the same size range and sells for £16.99. I really like the mesh detailing on the back and it gives good support in the bust area.
Cycling
Cycling is another great form of exercise during this lockdown as you can do it alone or with members of your family. Or even meeting with one other person for the purpose of exercise outside. Start small if you haven't cycled for a while as you may find you'll ache in odd places the day after and then slowly build up your stamina, distance and route.
Going for a Run
The Couch to 5K app is really useful for people just starting out on their running journey, as it gives you a safe way to build up how far you'll run and with what intensity. Of course, your teen may already be quite fit and not need an app like that, but always remember to do some stretches and a short warm-up before any exercise.
Footwear is the most important thing when running so make sure it is comfortable, well-fitting and not too heavy on the foot. Then why not grab a running armband to put your phone in and head off to enjoy some music or a podcast as you take in the fresh air.
Create your own Workout
There are loads of great article out there about creating your own HIIT workout and it is easy to do this as you don't need any equipment. You can even use a site like Interval Timer to plan your time intervals and have an auditory reminder of when it is time to change activities.
Miss M likes to plan circuits with her twin. So she'll get out any exercise equipment they have like a gym ball, weights, kettlebells or resistance bands and then they decide which exercises they'll do in which order and sort times out. This kind of workout is good as you can change it every time and it stays fresh and fun. It is also nice to do it with another member of your family, as you can then have a bit of friendly competition and compete against each other.
You can see Miss E with a resistance band in the very top photo. This is one of a set we received from Neon Sheep. For £12.00 you receive five different length/ resistance bands, a door anchor, 2 padded foam hand grips and 2 ankle straps, all supplied in an easy to carry nylon bag.
There really are so many ways to keep fit during lockdown, it doesn't have to be boring and even if the rain never lets up you can exercise in your house or even the garage if you want a bit of fresh air but to stay dry.
Do share with us any different ways you've been keeping fit during lockdown.
Why not pin this post for later?
Tuesday, 9 February 2021
Reading and Bonding During Lockdown
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Image by 2081671 from Pixabay |
Reading and Schooling
Monday, 8 February 2021
Enjoying Lockdown in Femme Luxe Loungewear
{This is a paid collaboration with Femme Luxe}
As we're all spending so much time at home right now, loungewear is definitely the order of the day. My teenage girls have been spending their days in fluffy pyjamas and tracksuits, so when Femme Luxe got in touch and asked if I'd like to collaborate again, the girls were over the moon. Last year they had some great T-shirts from them and they are wearing and washing really well.
I have to admit that as a larger lady it's not a site I've ever had a look at, their clothes are definitely for the smaller and more trendy lady. Some items go up to a 16 but many just seem to go up to a size 14 and it is one of my pet peeves when clothing manufacturers call a size 12/14 an XL. You can't possibly call a size woman extra-large, but I'll save my rant for another day as this post is about the clothes the girls have received and they do actually really like those.
Trendy Loungewear
Friday, 5 February 2021
Stylish and Practical Black Praper Backpack from Gaston Luga: Review
Ordering & Delivery with Gaston Luga
Wednesday, 3 February 2021
Spa Day at Bannatyne Hastings During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Here are some of the deals I've bagged in the last couple of years via Wowcher:
- £29.99 for day spa access and 25-minute treatment
- £69 for day access for 2 people and 3 mini treatments each
- £49 for day spa access and 3 treatments
- £95 for day access for 2 people and 4 mini treatments each
I shared my thoughts on a day spa visit that my husband and I took in January 2019 and this is now an updated review on how a half-day spa went for me in December 2020 between the two lockdowns in the UK. This was my early Christmas present from my parents and I went alone. After doing lots of spa days with friends and my husband I actually think I enjoy the days I go alone the best, as I only have myself to suit and I do love to relax and read.
Bannatyne Hastings
The centre itself feels more like a gym/ sports centre than a traditional spa, so make sure you have the right expectations when you book for here. If you want the kind of experience you'd get at Champneys then I'd say don't bother. On the last two or three visits, the reception staff have seemed pretty new and not very clued up. I've even had a couple of rude ones and certainly, it appears, some like to chat with each other more than help you, but I take it with a pinch of salt as the actual spa and the treatments I've received on every occasion have been exceptional.