This time last week I spent 24hrs in Keswick as part of my cousin’s birthday. Although it wasn’t long, it was definitely a much needed break after a stressful Summer with lots of ups and downs. I also took the time away to stay off social media a little bit which did me the world of good.
We arrived in the early afternoon on Friday to Low Briery which is a holiday park with a mixture of caravans and log cabins to cottages and apartments. We stayed in one of the cottages which was very cute and cosy especially over looking the river. For dinner, we went to Lakeland Spice Cuisine. I went for a cheese omelette because I’m not really an Indians fan but it was nice never the less.
Saturday marked my cousins birthday but the one thing I wanted to do was go and watch the sunrise which didn’t really happen because it was too cloudy. I got up with my Aunt and we went down to Derwent Lake with the dogs. Although it was cloudy and I didn’t get to see the sunrise, it was nice to spend some quality time with her. Before heading back to the cottage, we stopped by the Co-op and picked up some pastries for breakfast – best idea ever!
The art student inside of me fancied spending some time at the Derwent Pencil Museum which to a lot of you reading this probably sounds so boring but I really enjoyed it. I got to learn about the history of the graphite pencil as well as how coloured pencils were made. I bet you didn’t know that the longest pencil is 7.91m long and is surprisingly yellow! Before I left, we went on a boat trip around Keswick. It made for some beautiful snapshots from my camera too. I definitely want to go back to Low Briery and spend some time in those camping pods as well as explore the area a little bit more with my camera.
Have you been to the pencil museum before? What’s your favourite little town in the Lake District?
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Now that evenings are finally getting a little colder, thank you Britain for a gorgeous Summer; we can start thinking about those nights in where we can well and truly pamper ourselves. Grab yourself a cuppa and pop on your favourite Netflix series kinda nights.
My evenings usually begin with a bath and pyjamas before the anything else. I’ve been using Sainsbury’s Baby Bubbles because they are cheap and make my skin feel super soft. I tend to pamper myself up whilst laying in the bath with a face mask and a hair mask as well. Have you used The Body Shop’s Banana Mask yet? It smells amazing and leaves my hair feeling well nourished and shiny.
So your snuggled into your pyjamas and wrapped up cosy warm in your blankets, what are you going to watch? Well Netflix have some pretty awesome chick-flicks on right now including Sierra Burgess is a Loser, The Kissing Booth, Angus Thongs And Perfect Snogging and, of course, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. If your not in a film mood, I recommend The Good Place. It’s third season is coming out later this month which I am super excited for. The Bodyguard over on BBC iPlayer is a good little series too.
Next on the agenda is comfort food. Whether that be your local takeaway and some nibbles or your favourite dinner dish. My personal choice is a pizza followed by some delicious chocolate. Sometimes I make my classic Nacho dish which is basically crisps with plenty of cheese melted on top – yummy! I was lucky enough to be sent some of the new vegan products released from Gourmet Chocolate Pizza and believe you and me, they taste heavenly. The Devilishly Dark Vegan Chocolate Slice is one of my faves but I have to admit theHot Chocolate stickwith vegan friendly Marshmallows was a firm favourite too.
Finally, I think the most important thing about a pamper night is to turn your phone off. Try not to spend the majority of your night glued to your phone. Social media can be so positive at times but when you are wanting to relax have a technology free night is probably the best way forward. I know from my experience it usually leads to an amazing night sleep as well.
What is your idea of the perfect pamper night? Is a good book usually your thing?
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The one fashion piece that I’ve always wanted to pull off has been a pair of dungarees and the lust has grown when I found myself flicking through some old toddler photos I came across a couple of weeks ago. It is such a 90’s look which I’ve adored for such a long time. I’ve tried many a pair of dungarees but they just never looked right until now. I found myself this pair of black denim dungarees and they fit like a glove!
I usually pair them with a lightweight jumper or tee and some Converses. All that’s missing is Rosie & Jim on TV and my afternoon snacks that I used to have when I was a child. Mine used to be Nesquik chocolate milk and a packet of raisins. When I am trying to dress them up a bit, I like pairing the dungarees with a nice shirt and some loafers for a smarter look. I just find them so versatile. I would love to find a pair of blue denim dungarees for wardrobe too.
Are you a fan of dungarees?
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Last week, I was invited to Giffgaff’s Game Plan event which was held at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead. The event was to introduce Giffgaff’s financial service, Giffgaff Game Plan as well as offering money advice from some rather successful money bloggers. The Life Goals workshop included three topics: Bad Credit, Mortgages and Everyday Saving. It was something completely different to what I am usually used to but I thought it would be super helpful and it exceeded my expectations.
The first workshop I attended was Bad Credit ran by successful money nerd Miss Thrifty who started her blog in 2008. Her session was extremely informative. Personally, I know that I have a really bad credit rating so I knew as soon as I was invited to the event that this is the workshop that I definitely wanted to go to. Within the session, she explained a bit about credit scores, some helpful tips for maintaining a good credit score and ways in which you can repair your score.
So for those of you who are unsure what a Credit Score is, it’s for lenders to evaluate whether we, as customers, are likely to be a good customer. The Credit Reference Agencies (CRA) usually have a number that represents as good or excellent however lenders don’t usually use the scores but are more interested in the report that you have. Lenders require a credit report if you are applying for a mortgage or rental agency, utility bills, insurance, phone contracts or loaning something out. I had to have one done when applying for my New Look Store Card.
There are three main CRAs that you can use to check your credit score, these are: Experian which 76% of lenders use, Equifax which 54% of lenders use and Transunion (credit karma draws records from) which 30% of lenders use. Some lenders tend to use multiple CRAs to check your credit score which you can find more information on the Money Saving Expert website. Miss Thrifty explained that it would be helpful to get your score from each of the agencies and that it should be quick and easy and you shouldn’t have to pay. If you are a Barclaycard user, you can access your Experian Credit Report for free via the app. Credit Expert do offer a monthly subscription which may be helpful when your are applying for a mortgage or if you are a victim of identity theft. ClearScore is another useful website to use as it gives you more data about your spending and borrowing, as well as being free.
So what are Miss Thirfty‘s top tips to rebuild and repair your credit score?
Pay your bills on time – never miss a payment! I have wrote down in a notebook when a bill is due to be paid and tick it off every month when I’ve paid it. It’s an easy way to keep track of when you’re paying it as well as the expenditure that you have.
Register to vote. If your ineligible, send all three Credit Reference Agencies proof of your residency.
DON’T TAKE OUT PAYDAY LOANS! It screams to lenders that you are desperate for money which is not what you want.
If you rent, opt into the Rental Exchange Scheme. It’s an incentive brought in from Experian where you pay them your rent money then they pay it to the landlord.
Make purchases on your credit card however don’t use more than 25% and pay it off the following month. You can use a credit rebuild card to help build up your credit score.
Understand the difference between a hard search and a soft search. A hard search is one done by the lenders which will leave a footprint on your credit report whereas a soft search doesn’t leave a mark. It can usually be an enquiry on compare websites such as compare the market.
Schedule your applications. It’s best to not apply for too much within a six month time frame, no more than one or two applications.
Finally, keep an eye on your credit file. It takes time to rebuild your credit score so you do have to be patient. It won’t be a quick fix!
The other workshop that I was interested in attending was Everyday Savings. Now if you know me, I am rubbish when it comes to budgeting and spending. If I see, a new outfit in New Look or River Island then I will go in and buy it because I feel as though I need it. I struggle to save any money because of the high bills that I have coming out every month so by the end, I am usually using the £50 that I put in my savings account at the start of the month.
This session was ran by Eileen Adamson, a financial coach and PE teacher as well as money blogger based in Scotland. She is passionate about encouraging people to talk about money and why it matters. She wants people like myself and you to feel confident and in control of our money. Her session was very motivating and interactive with little games to help us along the way.
Not only did Eileen get us talking about what gets in the way of saving money and why it matters but what it means to us individually. It could be something as simple as retirement or dreams of going travelling or buying your own house. She explained that if you had a credit card with a maximum of £2,000 at 17.9% and you paid the minimum payment every month then it would take you 24yrs to pay it off as well as paying an extra £2,580 in interest. Now if you paid a fixed payment of £60 per month, it would take you 3yrs and 9months to pay it off with £698 interest. I was so surprised with these figures that it has encouraged me to save money. After the event, I transferred the £50 that I usually save back into my savings account and I know it has only been a week but it is still in there.
Meal plan! You can save up to £800 a year just from planning your meals. For someone who likes to be organised, it’s surprising to know that I find it difficult to plan meals but I’ve started this week and realised how much money I actually spend on eating out because I don’t have a meal plan.
Haggling can save you up to £725 per year. Firstly, research on comparison sites for the best deals and then get in touch with your current provider via the online chat or email/phone. Make sure you remain polite. If you are unsure, just state you’ll think about it and try again in a week’s time. If that still doesn’t work you could always be passed through to the Retentions Team as they want to keep you. My phone contract runs out later this month. I’ve been with O2 for four years so I believe I have room to haggle my way into receiving some money off. I was thinking of trying this technique so I’ll let you know how I get on.
Do you have a long commute to work, university or college? Market research websites are great for earning money just from completing surveys. There are so many sites on the internet that offers this however there is a list of them on the Save the Student website.
TopCashback and Quidco are affiliate marketing websites that give you a percentage of your money back when you buy something with retailers. For example, when I brought my Canon 77D I sent an image of my receipt to the cash back provider and they gave me £80 back which I paid towards my camera.
Fiverr is a handy little website if you have some spare time and have a skill that’s worth sharing. It takes minutes to set up and you can earn money from simply sharing your skill with others.
Simply analyse you’re spending. There are so many apps and websites but you could also write everything down. Personally, I heavily rely on my banking app to see where my money goes but at the moment I am also trying to write down my expenses for the month in my notebook too.
Finally, Plum & Chip. The majority of you are probably wondering what the hell these are because I know I was struggling when it was mentioned. Plum is a read only application via Facebook Messenger whereas Chip is an app that you can download on your phone. Both applications take money without you even noticing to help you save money. You can withdraw that money whenever you need to but the best thing is you don’t even notice it. It’s definitely something that I am going to take a look into when I have some regular money coming in.
Overall, I really enjoyed the event. I gained so much out of it that it was definitely worth going, it wasn’t just the nice cheesecakes either. Unfortunately I didn’t really get many images because I was trying to take in all the information however there was a photographer on the night. The sessions I attended were very informative and both Eileen and Miss Thrifty were enthusiastic about what they were talking about. I highly recommend checking out Giffgaff’s Game Plan as you can easily check you credit score, access your credit report, compare loans, credit cards and insurance, and learn some handy money tips from experts.
♥
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This is going to be a bit of a girly chat kind of post so I want you to feel as comfortable as possible. Perhaps read this while you’re in the bath with a face mask or siting down with a cuppa and some biscuits on a Sunday morning.
Everybody worries about their health. It’s a well-known fact. After dealing with Laryngitis and Tonsillitis many times, I’ve become a bit of a worrier. I know that it’s all in my head but then sometimes it is okay to be worried when it comes to your health.
I don’t tend to speak about periods and girly things to anyone that much. I still don’t feel 100% comfortable about going for a bra fitting in M&S every couple of months. Anyway, I’m rambling a bit, of course when I got that letter inviting you for your first smear test you could only imagine where my head was at. The first thing that popped into my head is how am I going to feel comfortable when I get anxious about going to a regular doctors appointment? The second was what if the results came back abnormal and I needed more tests. Well I am here to tell you about my experience and, in advance, it was fine!
Back in July, I went for my first ever smear test. Everybody told me the procedure is fine and over within seconds. It felt slightly uncomfortable but nothing that you should feel worried about. However, I’m not going to lie to you and say that I didn’t feel anxious and filled with fear. You are going to feel like this especially for your first smear test because it’s the unknown. I’ve had six tattoos in total so I can deal with pain and discomfort but no one is particularly going to enjoy whipping out their downstairs garden for someone you don’t meet on the regular. The procedure was fine! Under recommendation from friends who’ve also had to deal with the awkward situation, I wore a light weight dress so I could cover my dignity up a little bit. It was over pretty quickly and it definitely didn’t hurt.
They explained that the results usually come back after a week or two of waiting. It seems like forever during the time frame but life goes on. You keep yourself busy by doing the usual things like working and socialising so you are likely to forget about them until the letter arrives. Don’t just assume that if you haven’t heard by now everything will be okay. Sure enough my results came back and I was invited for a Colposcopy appointment because they had found abnormal cells. The one thing that I was nervous about. There could be many reasons for this which could include: abnormal cells like myself which usually go away on their own, an infection called human papillomavirus (HPV) which means the cells are less likely to go away, after several screening tests that were unable to give any result and the nurse/doctor thinks your cervix doesn’t look healthy.
I waited about two weeks for the appointment and I was secretly a nervous wreck. The name made me feel uncomfortable and unsafe. I didn’t know what to expect and kept asking myself whether I should be worried or not. I didn’t really have anyone to talk to about it which kind of made it worse.
My appointment was on the 2nd of August. I was 100% dreading the date but with me being so busy recently, it helped take my mind of it just a little. On the day of the appointment, I arrived a little bit early which probably wasn’t the best thing because I sat there panicking. The doctor sat me down and carefully explained the procedure to me.
I had a Punch Biopsy done which, in short, is a tiny skin sample taken from the surface of your cervix. I was extremely uncomfortable no matter how many times the doctor said relax, I would constantly tense up but looking back over the experience it really wasn’t that bad at all. It just felt like a nipping sensation as if you were to get a tattoo but the pain was not half as intense. It was more awkward rather than anything but that might be because I was seeing a male doctor which had me on edge already. He gave me a leaflet explaining that they may be some discharge or bleeding and to not have sex for 2-3 days. The results came back confirming that there was no evidence of cancer and that they would like a further smear test done in 12 months time to just monitor it.
So girls, what have I learnt from this experience? I’ve learnt that smear tests aren’t scary at all. They are there to help detect something that could be life threatening but as long as you have screenings it will be fine. These screenings will prevent you from potentially getting cancer and that’s why they are so so important.
As soon as you receive your letter inviting you for your screening just book it there and then, it might even save your life. Don’t leave it, JUST GO FOR YOUR SCREENING. If you are worried about yours or want to ask me any questions, feel free to message me on any of my social media platforms or email me! It’s all on my contact page.
♥
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