Category Archives: Featured

Tips For Having Family Fun Without Blowing The Family Budget

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Blowing The Family Budget

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Photo credit: Jerry Wang

The new year is finally here, and people everywhere are excited to start a new chapter in life. The past year was quite a challenge, and we are anxious to see what we can do better this time around. Of course, many of us will be starting with a little less. Our bank accounts may be a bit more lean than usual, and our options, while plentiful, are a bit less certain than we are accustomed to. So we are starting out intending to keep a close watch on our budgets. An article published on Lottoland gives some great tips on how to save money that will benefit everyone.

As the year moves on and you feel the need to venture out with your family, how can you enjoy your time together without spending too much and blowing your fragile budget? We will give you some tips that we believe will help you do just that. 

What’s happening in the area?

Ask around and find out what events are going on in the area. Check with the library for special speakers and shows. Look for music productions, plays, free classes, and children’s films being shown. If you are in Dorset, go to www.visit-dorset.com for tons of ideas that are free and inexpensive. They also have a list of things to do with your kids when it is raining (or sunny), so you are never stuck inside. There is always something going on, and with just a little effort, you will be able to entertain your group with fun and educational activities that won’t cost you anything.

Eating

Food is expensive and it is always a challenge. Sometimes the challenge is finding something your kids will eat while you are on the go. Then there is the expense. In 2022, a lot of parents are buying in bulk and prepackaging their kid’s food in advance. Inexpensive, reusable containers make this the responsible way to handle the issue. Letting the children help teaches them to be mindful of waste and keep the planet healthy. But, for those times when you are going to be out for the entire day or longer, you may not want to carry lunch and dinner with you. In that case, plan your itinerary. Decide ahead of time where you will be for lunch and dinner. Check the restaurants in that area for “kids eat free” times. Take advantage of the schedules. Check the menus online. If they do not have anything, your child will eat, speak to the manager and ask if they will prepare a meal and get a price. Many times they will put together a toddler plate of finger foods for free with your purchase or in the place of your salad or side. 

Let Them Do – Not Watch!

One mistake parents make is taking kids places where they watch others have fun. No kid wants to go to a fair or a carnival and watch other kids ride the rides or play the games. This makes them feel left out. No kid wants to watch other kids jump in a trampoline park, skate in a skate park, or climb on a rock climb knowing they cannot give it a go. So, don’t take them there if you do not want to spend the money to let them participate. Instead, make a trip to your discount or thrift store. Pick up some cheap painting supplies. Then take them to a nice park or beach and surprise them with a painting contest. Make a scavenger hunt listing common things found in a forest and take them to a trail for a family scavenger hunt. Have a photo-taking contest with cell phones. Even if your kids do not have their own phones, you probably have enough old phones around to use, and even 4-year-olds can work a cell camera. You will be amazed at some of the photographs you will see, and it is loads of fun and laughs. The point is, get creative. Try to think like a kid again. Kids do not think about money. They think about having fun. The spare change to buy a soda or a candy is a treat. It is the adults in the group that load everything down with money. 

We are blessed with a brand new year. We are given the opportunity to embrace those we love and to show them what they mean to us. We are given another chance to prioritize our lives. Money is important, but it is not the most important thing in our world. The most important thing is loving and being loved. This is what we need to remember in the coming year. Everything else will fall into place where it will. 

Collaborative post with our partner.

Frost Loves: Roccabox Beauty Box + Tia Roqaa’s tips on Nighttime Skincare

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I love Roccabox. It is a fabulous box of carefully chosen goodies that brighten every single month. January’s box includes products that are all about cleaning up your beauty act with products that are as clean in their formula as they are in their imprint on the planet. February’s is all about getting a good night’s sleep. January’s box contents are worth £81, but available for £15 on roccabox.co.uk and includes the following:

Tia Roqaa, Founder, Roccabox
Roccabox’s ‘Perfect Night’s Sleep’ box goes on sale 1st February

How does skin work when we sleep? And why is it important to have a good night skincare routine?

When we’re asleep our skin goes into recovery mode, a time of intense repair and regeneration. Dermatologists consider the hours of 9 to 11pm to be the time when skin is at its most optimum for absorbing – making evenings such a prime opportunity to use your topical treatments. Throughout the night while your skin is warmer your skin is also more permeable, allowing it to absorb products more effectively. This is also the time when DNA repair is boosted. An effective nighttime skincare routine should create the perfect environment to allow all this to happen most effectively. The rise of melatonin, the ‘sleep hormone’ that occurs at night, also plays an important role in your skin’s repair: it helps to balance out the damage caused in the day by aggressors such as UV light, Blue Light and pollution. Finally, HGH – Human Growth Hormone – also kicks in overnight, and this helps to increase the skin’s cell regeneration process. A good quality and effective skincare routine works in two ways: it prepares your skin by creating the conditions that will allow it to optimise these processes. Secondly, a regular skincare ritual at night will help create a sense of calm, that our bodies start to associate with winding down and preparing for a good night’s sleep. Better still, a routine that incorporates some form of facial massage will really help to alleviate tension in the face and neck muscles and encourage a deeper sleep.

Order to use skincare at night?

Firstly, you need a thorough cleanse to detoxify the skin and remove traces of make-up, daytime products, SPF, environmental pollutants, grime – pretty much most of what has accumulated throughout the day. This will prepare the skin for the topical products that should come next: these could be retinol, to boost collagen production and support the cell renewal process; or glycolic acid if you’re looking to exfoliate and remove dead dull layers. These should be fairly light formulas: lightweight lotions or serums. Next you need to compensate for the moisture loss that occurs at night – your skin loses water overnight thanks to its increased temperature, which is why you’ll often notice skin is at its driest first thing on a morning. A hyaluronic acid will deeply hydrate to counteract this effect, although drier skin types will really benefit from a nourishing skin oil as well as or instead of. ‘Locking in’ these ingredients with a night cream or overnight mask will be the final step in your nightly routine. This should be your thickest formula of the routine.

What happens to skin, mood, body if we don’t get enough sleep?

I think we can all agree the effects of just one bad night’s sleep are pretty instant and noticeable on everything, from your complexion to your mood! If skin can’t go through its usual repair process due to interrupted sleep or a lack of sleep, and if this then happens on a regular basis, it will lead to an increase in fine lines and reduced elasticity. Skin starts to look dull and loses its glow and ‘bounce’. Cortisol levels in your body can then become dysregulated following a lack of sleep or poor quality sleep: which puts your body into a state of ‘stress’, where your blood

sugar levels struggle to stay balanced and you lack energy. Over time this can lead to increased appetite, weight gain etc, as well as poor mood, bad concentration etc.

What’s your bedtime routine to ensure you get a good night’s sleep? Any rituals, what do you recommend, skincare tips etc?

For me, avoiding my phone from 7pm is crucial. It’s not easy at all, but if I make sure it’s in another room it makes it easier. Avoiding the blue light from your phone screen is so important for allowing your body to fall into its natural sleep state. My aim this year is also to start setting a regular bed and wake time, as I can be guilty of lying in on a weekend or staying up too late bingeing on Netflix, and I do notice that regular sleep and wake-up time over time drastically improves my ability to fall asleep and rise naturally. My evening routine is really designed to encourage better sleep, so I indulge in a long hot soak, at least an hour before bedtime (your body needs to be able to cool down properly afterwards – this is what encourages sleep mode, not the heat, which people often incorrectly think!) and I will ideally elevate that bath with some bath salts or a bath oil that contain magnesium, to ease muscle tension and induce calm. At the moment I really love Skin and Tonic’s Bath Soak. I will burn my favorite Neom Sleep candle as I massage in Paul Yacomine’s really indulgent body oil. I find the whole process of massage so meditative. Next, on double-cleansed skin I’ll use my ‘nightime’ wardrobe of products: I switch between retinol, which my skin loves, and salicylic acid, if my skin is going through a hormonal outbreak, followed by a nourishing facial oil, as my skin can get particularly dry overnight. Finally, I like to spritz Feather & Down’s Pillow Spray – which contains a dreamy blend of calming ingredients – onto my bedding and whatever I’m wearing for bed. Only then do I feel truly ready to sleep!

 

ZAG: The Soft Drink That Stops Dry January From Being So Dry

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Dry January is probably getting boring now, so grab a ZAG. ZAG gives the experience of a beer or fizzy drink without the alcohol or sugar. We tried it and loved it.
Are you underwhelmed by alcohol free alternatives or unhappy with imitations of your favourite beer or wine?
ZAG is guaranteed to take the ‘dry’ out of Dry January (but still keeping it alcohol free). A sensational soft drink that’s low sugar, low calorie; it’s not too sweet and perfect drunk in place of your usual beer or wine.
zag , alcohol free,
A complex blend of ingredients gives ZAG it’s unique flavour with  herbs, citrus, and cucumber flavors, as well as a unique hoppy hint that makes ZAG completely unlike any alcohol alternative you’ve tasted before.

Bored of trying to find a non-alcoholic drink that you actually might like? Or fed up with soft drinks that give you sugar crashes, furry tongues and a bunch of additives? Then it’s time to ZAG. A grown-up soft drink, that’s low in sugar, high in taste and the closest thing to freedom in a can you’ll ever find! 

Forget compromising with sugary soft drinks that make you feel like a kid again (and not in a good way) and try the individual drink for people who do their own thing. Not drinking means that evenings out are way more memorable for all the right reasons, plus knowing you’re not knocking back tonnes of sugar as well as alcohol could make you the life and soul of the party! 

ZAG literally defies description because, thanks to a stunning and unique blend of ingredients, it tastes different for everyone.  Not only that but because it has less sugar than other leading soft drinks, you can start 2022 without the sugar crash or the hangover.  

Many people who give up alcohol in January may be drinking far more sugar than they would normally.  An evening spent drinking an average fizzy drink would be equivalent to 9 teaspoons of the white stuff.  Fruit juices, whilst healthy in many ways, are not low in sugar.  The fibre which would normally allow our bodies to digest the fructose (the main type of sugar in fruit) is absent meaning we are consuming more than the recommended daily amount of sugar in drinks alone. *

We can tell you what’s in this curious tipple, but we can’t tell you how it will taste for you, because the beauty of ZAG is in its uniqueness.  It’s like nothing else on the market.  Botanicals, hemp, citrus, cucumber and kombucha are blended to create a completely different kind of flavour.  It’s got to be tried to be believed. 

Let 2022 be the year you start to ZAG – do your own thing and do it with flair. No more compromises, no more sugar crashes and no more hangovers (unless you want one of course!). 

ZAG is available online at www.zagdrinks.com price: RRP £17.49 for 12 pack of bottles. 

 

6 Fun Things to Do in Chicago

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Chicago, also known as the Windy City, has been listed as an alpha global city for its economy, high standard of education, and tourism. 

It is one of the top-visited cities in the USA as it has some of the most stunning attractions 

and several famous landmarks. It is also famous for its delicious food, varying further than the Chicago dog and deep-dish pizza. 

If you are new to Chicago, AmericanOtels.com can assist you with finding the best deals for your stay, one with cab facilities and close to where you want to explore!

While there are many exciting things to see, here are the 6 fun things you can do in Chicago.

  1. Visit the Museums, a few honorable mentions are:
  • The Field Museum: It is home to anthropological and biological collections. This enormous natural history museum covers 480,000 square feet. The main attractions include the ancient Egyptian artifacts and the “Evolving Planet” exhibit.
  • Art Institute of Chicago: Thousands of sculptures, paintings, drawings, and photos are displayed throughout its vast halls and galleries. If it’s your first time, be sure to visit the Modern Wing for contemporary art collections. Other notable mentions are the works of Van Gogh and Andy Warhol and the Thorne Miniatures Rooms in the basement. 
  • Chicago History Museum: Formerly known as the Chicago Historical Society, this museum has a range, it exhibits historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln down to the city’s delicacies like the Chicago-style hot dog! It houses several artifacts, photographs, and publications, documenting the city’s rich history.
  1. Don’t miss out on the street food
  • Deep dish Pizza and Hotdogs: The iconic deep-dish pizzas and hot dogs are commonly associated with Chicago, and rightfully so! They can be found anywhere in the city. The pizza is cheesy and comes with a variety of toppings and the Chicago dogs are seasoned with sweet and spicy sauces, spices, and herbs. They are commonly found in tourist spots such as malls, bars, hotels, and parks.
  • Italian Sandwiches: They are a very integral part of the street food in Chicago as they were created here. It is a must-try! 
  • Food trucks: The best way to truly enjoy the street food in Chicago are the food trucks. You can choose from a wide variety of food options: tacos, empanadas, grilled cheese sandwiches, ice-creams, and burgers. Cuisines from different cultures are available too such as Cajun food,  Korean delicacies, Indian delicacies, etc. 
  1. Ice Skating

If you’re in Chicago for the winter, you have to add ice skating to the bucket list. If it’s your first time and you’re not so sure if you’ll be able to, you’re in luck! Skating rinks in Chicago take into consideration both first-timers and pros alike. 

They have beautiful views of the skyline while nearby, serving hot drinks and snacks. Hyde Park for example has a massive rink that is an affordable option. 

  1. Music and Nightlife

There are so many options to choose from as Chicago has a plethora of bars and nightclubs.  There’s the Underground; the city’s most affluent dance club, Flash Dance Club; inspired by Andy Warhol’s Factory, The Second City Theatre Chicago described as surreal, musical, and entertaining all at once, The Whistler is a cocktail lounge bar that has an art gallery, in-house record label and is a live music venue weekly jazz series, DJs, LGBTQ dance parties, and so much more! 

  1. Learn of the City’s Gangster Era

Delve into Chicago’s gangster tour, visit historic crime scenes, and learn of infamous criminals like John Dillinger and Al Capone. Combine it with a ghost tour to get an added bone-chilling experience!

  1. Helicopter and Architecture Tour

The Windy City by day can be seen in its picturesque glory but by night, the skyline is absolutely magical when seen from a bird’s eye view. The pilot provides fascinating insights into the culture and history of the city.

Coming down to the waters of the Chicago River, there’s no better vantage point to admire the architecture, which is historic and unique. You’ll pass the Willis Tower, the old Post Office Building, the East Bank Club, and plenty more.

So, there you have it. Not everything in this beautiful city can be witnessed in one visit, use this as a guide to see as much as you can! 

Collaborative post.

The Beauty Of Oils

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I love beauty oils and have noticed such a difference to my skin since I started using them. Protect your skin this winter with oil-based products. Hydrating and nourishing, adding an oil-based product to your routine will ensure your skin stays glowing throughout the winter months.

Embryolisse Beauty Oil, £24.99, feelunique.com

  • Enriched with active vegetable oils, the Embryolisse Beauty Oil moisturises, nourishes, and beautifies the skin and hair.
  • The lightweight formula leaves a non-greasy, satiny veil with a sweet floral scent.
  • A mulit-purpose product, this oil can be used on your hair, face, and skin

 

COSRX Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule, £32, feelunique.com

  • Formulated with 83% of Black Bee Propolis Extract
  • Moisturising and soothing
  • A lightweight formula, makes it perfect for those with an oilier skin type who are wanting to add an oil-based product into their routine
  • Fast absorbing, this ampoule will leave your skin glowing and hydrated throughout the day.

 

Freshly Cosmetics Red Velvet Oil Serum, £35, freshlycosmetics.com

  • Enriched with 15 plant-derived oils
  • Treats wrinkles, scars, blemishes, and redness
  • Hydrates and nourishes the skin
  • Vegan and cruelty free

 

Triology Hemphip Balancing Oil, £22.50, thefragranceshop.co.uk

  • Nourishes and balances combination skin types
  • Reduced excess oil
  • Formulated with salicylic acid to mildly exfoliate the skin
  • Enriched with omega-rich rosehip, jojoba, and grape seed oils to nourish, lemon myrtle to help reduce shine

 

Last minute Christmas gifts: Gifts under £15

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It’s almost time people so here are some fabulously gifts under £15.

Cawston Press & Adnams have teamed up for this limited-edition modern mix of shandies for the festive season – the perfect gift for the beer aficionado in your life. Featuring x3 exclusive pairings between Cawston Press’ delicious, pressed fruit sparkling drinks and the ale innovations from Adnams in a beautiful, limited-edition box, it’s a great stocking filler or special something for your beer-loving friends & family. With limited numbers available, get yours before they’re gone!

dawson

RRP £12.99 – pre-order yours from Drink Station

 

 

This winter, Bahlsen wants to tempt you to three new expertly crafted creations, perfect as stocking fillers for those who love sweet treats! Introducing the indulgent new Messino Pink Gin & Tonic, and the return of the wickedly delicious Choco Leibniz Baileys and Ohne Gleichen Baileys! Equal parts naughty and nice with an affordable price tag, these delicious treats are perfect for indulging on while opening presents. But be quick – they’re only around for the festive season, so you’ll have to act fast to snap these up before they’re gone!

 

125g per packet, RRP £1.49-£1.79, available from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, ASDA, Morrisons, and Co-op

 Pimms, sundowner

This year, iconic British drinks brand Pimm’s introduced a brand-new spritz option; Pimm’s Sundowner, a perfect aperitif for adding a little sparkle to the celebrations with friends and family this winter. With a vibrant, red festive hue, Pimm’s Sundowner expertly blends rich redcurrant and raspberry flavours to deliver a delicious, bittersweet tasting aperitif. 

 

70cl, ABV 18%, RRP £15 

 

Mind, Health And Money: Positive Changes That You Can Make To Your Lifestyle This Year

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This is the time of year when we take a look at our list of New Year’s Resolutions and ask ourselves what we are going to be able to keep to and which ones are going to fall by the wayside. It is time to commit to a fresh start and start making some positive changes, but we have all found ourselves in the position of telling ourselves that maybe this was never the year that we were going to learn how to make our own sushi. Maybe next year will be the one for travelling more. 

One of the main problems with these resolutions that we make is that we aim too high with no real idea of how we are going to get there. We know that it can be difficult to make sure that the big plans that we have for the new year make it past the spring, which is why the best way forward is to think about the simple things that you can do to bring them closer to reality. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither were big lifestyle overhauls. Here are a few tips to help you make healthy and productive changes in the new year.

Embrace A Daily Routine

This may sound like a slightly boring point to start off with, but it is also true that it can feel like control slips out of reach during the winter months. We stay in bed as long as possible because the days are short, and the weather is appalling. We work late because we are overtired, and the to-do list seems never-ending. We put off meeting friends or going to the gym because energy levels are low, and motivation is even lower. 

While creating a daily routine may not solve all of these problems, it will help you to have a firmer grip on your schedule. Make sure that you are getting up at the same time every day. Give yourself enough time to prepare for the day properly before you start work, especially if you are still working from home. Check your diary before making any commitments and be honest about whether you have enough time for them. 

Improve Your Work-Life Balance

Following on from the point above, we have all had a hard time with separating work from home life since remote working became the standard. When your workstation is in your home, it can be very tricky to make sure that you keep that line separating the two parts of your day clear. This is one of the biggest reasons why so many people have faced burnout over the last few months. Fixing this is on a lot of our New Year’s Resolutions lists and there are several simple steps that you can take towards achieving that goal. The first is to stop checking your work emails and messages when you have signed off. Don’t just close your laptop screen, turn it off. Take your lunch breaks and try to make sure you get outside during that time, or at least stop eating your lunch at your desk. Make plans for the weekend and keep them. 

Look For The Best Deals Out There

Given how tough the last couple of years have been, it makes sense that a lot of us are factoring our finances into our resolutions. If you are wondering how you can save some extra cash in 2022, one of the most effective and simplest ways to do so is to make sure that you are shopping around for the best deals. Take your energy bills, for instance. Could you save money by switching to a different supplier? Are you spending too much on your broadband package for bandwidth that you are not actually using? 

And when it comes to plans, phone packages are often one of the biggest culprits. So often we discover that there is a nasty bill surprise waiting for us at the end of the month, or that we can’t get out of our contracts because we’ve signed up for a lot more than we originally bargained for. If you want to make sure that you want what you are paying for, then a SIM-only plan could be the perfect choice for you. If you are looking for the best SIM-only deals, Lebara offers a range of different plans to suit your budget, and its international minutes are applicable to 41 countries around the world.

Make Tweaks To Your Diet

Some of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions are the ones that are related to our weight and our diet. Now, it’s probably because we have just eaten and drank our way through a series of festive feasts, not to mention all the unhealthy treats we consume to try and power through the grim winter, but it is always a good idea to take a look at what we are putting in our bodies and try to make some positive changes. Now, we all know how going cold turkey tends to go, so instead of announcing that it’s nothing but salads from here on out, why not try making some strategic swaps? We should all be trying to eat less red meat for both our health and the planet, so think about swapping one or two meaty meals out every week for a veggie alternative? Think about what kind of health snacks you could replace those sweets and salty treats with such as dried fruit, nuts, and crunchy vegetables. 

Finally, one of the big switches we should all be trying to make is cutting down on the amount of alcohol we are drinking. We know that the holiday period tends to be when we all go harder on the booze, and we have all been leaning on drinking a lot during the last two years, but in the new year it would be a healthy choice to try and limit the amount that you are drinking. Alcohol is a depressant that is loaded with empty calories, and it can seriously disturb your sleep. Look at alcohol-free replacements. 

Guest post from our partner.

The Cocktail Society – Perfect Last Minute Cocktail Gifts

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the cocktail society, cocktails, ready madeWith just over a week left until Christmas,  The Cocktail Society’s range of delicious and wonderfully simple bottled cocktails and cocktail kits will make the perfect present for anyone left on your gifting list. Order by midday on 22nd December for Christmas delivery.
The Cocktail Society are the UK’s leading cocktail delivery and cocktail subscription box service. With a range on offer that includes everything from cocktail gift sets, bottled cocktails and cocktail discovery subscriptions.
Cocktail Kits
 
The Cocktail Society cocktail-making kits include all the ingredients needed to make the world’s most popular cocktails, as well as an item of cocktail-making equipment, a snack and a recipe card.
The full range includes:
Pornstar Martini Cocktail Kit | Espresso Martini Cocktail Kit | Negroni Cocktail Kit | Old Fashioned Cocktail Kit
RRP: £39.00. Available from: The Cocktail Society 
Bottled Cocktails
The Cocktail Society’s bottled cocktails are the perfect gift for cocktail lovers and are made with premium ingredients, taste delicious and are beautifully designed.
The Cocktail Society’s bottled cocktails are created by bartenders, who have mixed each bottle at their HQ in Oxford. The Cocktail Society drinks are made with clean ingredients without additives and taste as delicious as they would if made in a top bar or restaurant.
The Cocktail Society work with brands such as Chase Distillery, Buffalo Trace, The Missing Bean and Gibson’s Organic Liqueurs to create their products.

THE BOTTLED COCKTAIL RANGE:

Coconut & Kaffir Lime Leaf Daiquiri – ABV: 16.4% | Hibiscus & Elderflower Martini Bottled Cocktail – ABV: 18% |  Negroni Bottled Cocktail – ABV: 19.30% | Oak Aged Sloe Negroni – ABV: 18% | Passion Fruit Martini Bottled Cocktail – ABV: 14% | Tommy’s Margarita Bottled Cocktail – ABV: 18.30% | Salted Caramel Espresso Martini – ABV: 17% | Smoked Old Fashioned – ABV: 24%

RPP: £12.00 – £28.00. Available from The Cocktail Society