Win a Samsung 50 Inch Smart Ultra HD TV

Today we have an incredible and amazing giveaway. You might not know this about me but I love to enter competitions and have been doing so for years. I have been so lucky and won some fantastic prizes. I am in a fortunate place to come together with some of the UK best and most talented bloggers to offer you the chance to win a 50 inch Samsung smart TV. This is an magnificent prize and I am actually a bit jealous of you getting to win it. Just kidding of course.  I can safely say whoever wins this amazing prize will be delighted with the TV. Imagine watching your favorite TV show on this bad boy. I wonder what the winners first will be? Will it be a Netflix drama like The Crown or maybe a children's film as the remote has been wrestled away? Whatever it maybe I hope you enjoy your prize and have a lovely christmas. 

Read on to find out how you could win this amazing prize in time for Christmas! Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers that have collaborated on this giveaway.

Bloggers Taking Part

Reinventing Neesha | The Parent Game | Kayleigh Zara | Mind Over Meds | Lottie Lately | Jodetopia | Lindy Loves | Melanie's Fab Finds | The Little Landeg | Don't Cramp My Style | The Christmas Blog | Lipgloss and Curves | Boring Mother | The Rare Welsh Bit | Wanderlust Weddings | Travel Bugs | Discover Kent | Miss L J Beauty | Pounds and Sense | Real Girls Wobble | Pretty Core | Testing Time Blog | Chilling with Lucas | Our Transitional Life | Pretty Big Butterflies | Probably Busy | Monethalia | Emily May | Skinny Spending | Lisa's Notebook | Nishi V | The Life of Dee | Funding Her Freedom | Reality in Reverie | Afshanesque | Wotawoman Diary | The Secret Life of Me | Stapo's Thrifty Life Hacks | Bulk Cook on a Budget | Codiekinz

The Prize

One lucky winner will win themselves a Samsung 50 Inch UE50TU7100 Smart Ultra HD TV worth a whopping £400! This Smart TV is compatible with the following smart apps: Now TV, Disney+, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime and YouTube.

Experience crystal clear colour HDR powered by HDR10+ as the film makers intended. Crystal Processor adapts to provide the very best 4K picture and targeted sound based on what you are watching. Works with Alexa and Google Assistant. Slim design with very narrow bezel.

How to Enter

To enter simply complete all or any of the rafflecopter entry options below. The more you complete the more chances you have of winning.

The competition ends at Midnight on Sunday 13th December and a winner will be drawn on Monday 14th December. If for any reason the chosen prize is out of stock at the time of the draw, the winner will be able to select an alternative prize up to the same value.

For full entry terms and conditions please see the rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck Everyone!

Things to Do at Home to Keep Your Mind Occupied

In this particular moment, when the world has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, most countries and states are encouraging people to stay at home to curb its spread. With certain orders and recommendations in enforcement, people's tendency to move out of their houses has been reduced. As such most people are spending the better parts of their days within the walls of their homes (which for some of us, is great!). Rather than spending the entire day watching news on TV and thinking of how the world will come out of this pandemic, or worrying about possible loss of employment. it is advisable to keep your mind occupied by doing other activities beneficial to your mental health!

Although the activities to keep your mind occupied during these trying times are limited, here is a look at five simple activities that may work wonders for you!

Look into and Educate Yourself in Sustainability

Whenever you are bored, think of keeping your mind occupied by educating yourself on various issues that are of interest to you. For example, you may learn about marine energy, what it is and how works, along with efficient ways of utilizing it for enhanced sustainability. If not marine energy, think of how solar energy can be used and how you can start using it around your home! Since you cannot go out to the library or resource center, consider using your phone or computer as your study materials' online sources. Be sure to choose a topic that interests you to increase your focus and concentration span.

Practice Yoga

Practicing yoga is a good way of relaxing and refreshing your mind and body. Therefore, next time you feel bored, consider some yoga sessions. Since you cannot go out following the stay-at-home recommendations, turn your lounge into an indoor yoga space. If you are not sure how to do yoga, you may get some lessons online, for example, through YouTube videos for free!

Give Yourself a Makeover

Giving yourself a makeover or a body treat helps break boredom and keeps your mind occupied. In this case, you may consider doing a pedicure or manicure makeover, a bathtub treatment or even a face beat to perfect your makeup skills. There are endless Youtube and Instagram bloggers like Hrush or Charlotte Tilburry (you can also try her incredible beauty products!). 

Cook New Recipes

Do you enjoy cooking? If yes, consider trying new recipes. It may be a recipe borrowed from a friend or colleague or one you bumped into in an online cooking channel. Other than keeping your mind occupied, trying new recipes also helps improve your culinary skills. It’s fall y’all, so try recipes involving pumpkin, warm apples, or chestnuts to get you in the Thanksgiving mood!

Search for Part-Time or Freelance Jobs

You may also use your stay-at-home or isolation period to do some freelancing part-time jobs. Some of the freelance jobs you can enroll in during this period include; transcription, data entry, programming and online writing. Additionally, these freelance jobs can also help supplement your income.

Try out the above activities to make your isolation or stay-at-home experience better until the world gets back to "normal”, hopefully sooner than later so we can go back out and explore the world! 

How To Find A New, Beautiful Lease Of Life

We often think of a new ‘lease of life’ as something that comes to us without us expecting it. Perhaps we get great news about a job opportunity, or perhaps we realize that our friend, otherwise suffering a difficult illness, is actually going to be okay. These things can put a pep in our step, of course, and those who often decry how unfair and difficult life is (while they can be right) often fail to mention how amazing and fortunate people can be, too.

But what about finding your own renewed lease of life? Is it possible to achieve this? Or is this effort just a means in which to delude yourself that everything is great when before it was only middling or average? Well, we’re happy to tell you that yes, indeed, finding a beautiful and renewed lease of life is more than possible - and you can bring it about yourself. It takes energy, discipline and determination, but with the following advice we believe that’s more than possible for you to achieve:

Learn A New Skill

Taking the time to learn a new skill is very important. It can provide you with the means to discipline yourself, and discipline of some kind of very important for people to ascertain their purpose. For instance, you may wish to take adult ballet at the RAD, which is more than just learning a new skill, but finding a new, professional potential, bettering your physicality and using past training to develop even further in that direction. Sometimes we need to give our all to something that will develop us - and you can be sure a new lease of life is to be found that.

Find New People

Ultimately, we mirror those we are friends with. We are a combination of our five closest and dearest friends. If your social circle is okay with things the way they are, or if they wish to hide from the challenges of life, or if they’re actively disinterested in limiting their toxicity (which home people find refuge in), then you’re going to be held down too. Finding new people can truly help you in the best possible sense - provided they have a worthwhile, forward-focused mindset. Don’t be afraid to tailor your social setting in order to prioritize this.

Challenge Yourself

It’s important to challenge yourself to the degree that you’re able. For instance, it might be that you wish to lose a certain amount of weight by this time next year. That helps you better discipline yourself. You may learn to cook in that time, or cook food that you otherwise wouldn’t eat. You learn about self-reliance, about being expressive regarding your needs when out to dinner, and more. This helps you put your path on a positive trajectory, which can completely counteract nihilistic thinking and instead gives you a better tomorrow to hope for. This is ultimately more important than what your scales say after twelve months have passed.

With this advice - we hope you can find that beautiful new lease of life, and on life, that you deserve.

Staples Italian and American Fashionistas Think You Need for Fall

With the fall officially here, the streets are about to get trendy! Fall experiences a lot of fashion experiments and trends as people try to fit in with the weather, and what the new fashion elites are donning. Top American and European brands are already stocking and displaying fashion statements to equip you in the most stylish way possible, exchanging notes on how to dress in either continent. Here are some items to get your hands on ahead of the season.

Leather Coats

Everyone knows that leather is a great friend in bad weather. You can wear the coat in rains, cold and in fall! If well taken care of, the trendy fashion coats are timeless and can serve you a lifetime. Buying the right leather coat requires one to engage in research and understand how to distinguish genuine from faux leather. When assessing the quality of the coat, check for ingenuity, stitching and the right fit. A beautifully structured leather coat is a piece you’ll have literally, forever. 

Leather Bag

Now that you have a coat, the next items to acquire are the handmade leather bags. Considering that the bags are handmade, you experience utter precision and quality as a user. Just like their leather coats counterparts, the bags are durable and give you that sassy, classy look. Additionally, the bags play a vital role in enhancing your fashion sense regardless of the environment. You can find some beautiful handmade leather bags from online shops like Mirta for example, that is based in Italy and ships local artisanal products. The best part is, Italian leather is the finest in the world, meaning you can relax knowing this bag can take you through all 4 seasons even! Find one with multiple compartments so that everything you put into the bag stays in the right condition.

Knit Dress

Knit dresses are a massive deal during this season. They are a warm and friendly look to pull without altering comfort and class. A wearer can choose to pair the knit dress with some sandals or sneakers. With the right fit and accessories, the breathable dresses are ideal for any occasion. Even when most are stretchable, you should concentrate on finding the right fit, texture, design and brand of the apparel.

Crisp White Button-down with Dress Pants

There’s no debate about it! Every person should own this in their wardrobes. Not only does white blend with all colors, but it also portrays a classy and sharp fashion statement. You can choose to fully-button and tuck it into your pants for work; if you have a date, you can pull the top and show some skin. The versatility of the white button-downs is immeasurable. This takes gender fluid dressing to new volumes, as you can style your outfit a bit oversized or more feminine with a tailored fit. 

Oversized Blazer with Shoulder Bags

The blazers go well with various outdoor outfits. One can wear them with skinny jeans, under a sweater, tee shirt, among other garments. The blazers not only keep you warm but also enhance your fashion sense and style; they can complement and couple up with any outfit.

Have you seen some of your fashion trends cycle back to today? You can invest in them now and see the trends cycle around in a few years. You never know, maybe in 15 or 20 years we will be seeing the same pieces! 

How To Finance a Home Renovation Project

Every now and then, a big home renovation project is a great way to shake up the appearance of your home and add new features. Whether you’re looking to add a loft bedroom or need more storage space, a home renovation can be a fantastic way to upgrade your home. However, they’re also fairly expensive depending on the type of renovation you’re looking for and how much time it’ll take.

Regardless if you’re looking to hire a specialist or do it yourself, we’re going to offer some advice on how you should approach financing your home renovation project. This should give your project a much higher chance of success and will make things much easier in the long run.

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/Te48TPzdcU8 (CC0)

Make a budget and estimate the costs of your renovation

First, start with a rough estimation of how much your renovation will cost. This will help you understand how much you should expect to pay for your renovation. You’ll want to get a few quotes from local contractors and specialists to figure out just how much you should be paying for someone to do it for you. Then you should consider looking at the material costs and how much time you’ll need to take off work. It’s also a good idea to add on an extra 20% to your budget in the event there’s an error or if you make a mistake and need to purchase more materials.

Certain types of renovations can be more expensive than others, hence why it’s a good idea to see roughly how much a renovation would cost before you consider funding it. For instance, if you’re looking to upgrade your kitchen, you might find that certain appliances are extremely expensive and need to be installed by a professional, resulting in much higher costs compared to adding some storage space to your loft.

Dig into your savings or look for other sources of funding?

Savings are usually the main source of money for a renovation. However, you might find that it’s beneficial to look at alternate sources of funding.

For instance, you may find that there are government incentives or plans to help you renovate a part of your home. You might be awarded some kind of help if you renovate your front yard or if you change something in your home for the sake of making it easier to live in for an elderly family member.

Alternatively, you could also consider funding a renovation with a specialised home improvement loan from services like Evolution Money. It’s a simple application process and can be a great way to secure funding for an expensive renovation if you deem it necessary to improve your wellbeing.

There’s also the option of a renovation mortgage. You may be able to borrow up to 95% of your home’s value and this will be added to your mortgage. You’ll typically have your property inspected before you can borrow any money, but it’s great for expensive and large projects such as roof repair and rewiring.

An anxiety and depression spiral what it really feels like

Let's talk about mental health. Yes, I went there. I do a lot to look after my physical health as much as I can but I suffer from mental health issues. Today is a day I am struggling. I am I said it and I went there. I have ups and downs like all humans but I also suffer from anxiety and depression. I have been stable you could say for a while. But something happened yesterday and it made me spiral. 

Something I have worked hard on for years may be taken away from me and I have no idea why. It is not the end of the world stuff and no one has died. There is a bigger problem in the world right now than me losing work so many people are going through so much worse than me but I want to talk this opportunity to tell you about what it feels like when something like this happens to a person with anxiety and depression. 

First I started uncontrollable shaking. My hand tremble terribly. I can not concentrate on what is going on only the worst-case scenario. I spiral negative thoughts fill my mind. There is no other option it is in my head. This will end in disaster. Whatever has happened is all my fault and I am in trouble. Just to be clear I did nothing wrong. Well, nothing knowingly I don't think. 

I had to get my husband to try to calm me down but to be honest they are not an easy task. I am worked up to beyond control. I am panicking. Think of something you are really scared off. Let's use sharks as an example. I feel like I am swimming with a shark hunting me and all of a sudden I am surrounded by them and they all want to eat me. I am terrified. This is how it feels when I get worked up. 

You can try to tell me it is ok, You can try and tell me it is not the end of the world. You can find solutions and help with the problem but my mind is already in the vortex of a spin. It is whizzing at 100 miles an hour and there is only doom and gloom for me in it. I did that stupid thing of googling my issue and it was all negative and worry filling and this, in turn, has made me worse. There seems to be no hope with my situation and that is the way the cookie is crumbling and I may never find out what the issue is or why but this is what I am left with. 

I feel sick to my stomach I get physical pains.

My husband helped me to do all I can to try and remedy the situation and now it is a waiting game but I am still in full spiral mode and without hope to be honest.

I did not sleep last night my brain will not let me have any rest. It is telling me every negative thing that can and will happen to me. I am at this time trying to calm myself down. I have tried to stay offline but online is my life I am in a habit of checking my phone every few minutes and my work is all online I do not want to miss anything. but I need a break I know this. 

I know I am not helping myself at this moment and I know in my rational mind that this is what it is and even if it is the worst-case scenario my world will not end. But I feel lost destroyed and worthless. 

This is my honest feeling and what is actually feels like. As I write this I am crying. Now I am not a crier unless my depression and anxiety are playing with me. 

I want you to know that if you are going through things like this you are not alone. I feel your pain. I understand what you are feeling and why you are feeling it. It is ok to not be ok. It is ok to feel your feeling and it is ok to not be sunshine and rainbows all the time. This is real life and we all are human. We are all being tested in our own ways at the moment. This is just another hurdle. 

I am fully aware as I have said this is not the end of the world stuff for most people but to me right now I am struggling and I am sick of hiding what I am really going through. Not that I have ever done this. I am so honest about my mental health and if this post helps you to start a conversation with your loved one then I am glad I have written it. 

I have many issues from my youth and I know they rear their ugly head at these times. I have a feeling of losing everything. I know this but that does not stop the pain or hurt I am feeling right now. 

What you can do if you are dealing with someone like me in a spiral.   

• Do listen to the person. 
• Do not criticise the person
• Be kind just because you don't understand the problem does not mean it is not a huge deal to that person. 
• Make sure they are eating and drinking. I will not remember to do this in a spiral. 
• Be there be present. You need to give them your attention. 
• Once they have calmed a bit try and talk about something else anything else. 
• They will go over and over the issue with you 1 million times you have to listen and reassure not tell them you dont want to hear about it. Going over it time and time again is what makes this a spiral
• Try to get them out of the situation. 
• Help with solutions 

I hope this has helped you understand a bit better and how to deal with a person like me. Here is a link to some NHS mental health recommended charities if you are in a bad place please contact someone to help you.  

How To Downsize Your Home

 Image Credit Pixabay.com License CC0 

Has your house outgrown you and your family? You may have bought your home when there was more of your living there, but if your children have flown the nest, or you have lost your partner, then these may be signs you're ready to downsize your house. 

When you decide it is time to downsize, you will have lots of work on your hands. 

In this article, we’ll talk you through how you can downsize your home. 

Declutter Your Home

The first step to downsizing your home is to declutter your existing home. You should start this process around three months or so before you are due to move into your new home. This will give you the time that you need to get rid of any unwanted items. 

It is important that you are ruthless when it comes to selecting items that you no longer want or need. With every item that you own, you should ask yourself when the last time you used it or even thought about it was. If the answer is that you have done neither of these things recently, then you should consider either selling the item or donating it. 

Sell Any Unwanted Items 

If you have items that are in good condition that you no longer want or need, then you should try to sell these first. Selling unwanted items can be a time consuming process. One of the quickest ways of selling a lot of items would be have a garage sale or a car boot sale. Be reasonable with your pricing and remember that you don’t want to keep the item. If you have more collectable items that you no longer want, then you should approach a specialist retailer and see if they would be interested in buying the items. 

For anything else, you could always list your items online on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, however, it can be time consuming waiting for your items to sell on these sites. 

Pick a Charity To Give Items Away To 

For anything that you cannot sell or that you are not interested in earning money off, you can donate to the charity of your choice. Many charities run local charity stores that will accept a range of goods and clothing. Be sure to check with the charity store to find out what type of items they will accept and whether they have any guidelines over the condition of the items. 

Avoid Renting Storage 

When it comes to downsizing, there is always a danger that you won’t fit everything into your new home. When this happens, many people will turn to storage as a solution. This is a costly solution and it won’t actually solve the problem. You need to ensure you sell or donate all of your unwanted items before you move. 

Maximize Vertical Storage

When you get to your new home, you will want to use more ingenious storage solutions. One of the best ways of storing items when you have limited square footage is to get taller cupboards and cabinets.