30 Ways To Save The £'s

To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the £1 coin, moneysupermarket.com is running a competition for bloggers to share their 30 ways of saving money. You can see details of how to enter the competition here. A winner will be picked randomly when 1000 entries have been submitted so get cracking on your own 30 money saving ideas!

This competition has come at a very appropriate time because I am about to start saving my ass off! I’ve just booked to go on a Mediterranean cruise with the boyfriend’s family next summer which should be a great celebration for the end of my university finals. Exciting times! However, this holiday isn’t going to be in any way cheap and I’m aiming to save as much money as possible between then and now so it doesn’t cripple my car fund too badly. And, to be honest, going back to university next year after my placement finishes will probably be a massive shock to the ol’ bank account; I’ve got way too used to having money when I want it. I need to get back into the student mind set, the mind set of a cheap-skate. So I’ve put together 30 ways to save money when you’re a student.

1.  Don’t go food shopping on an empty stomach

2.  When things you buy regularly are on offer, buy them in bulk

3. Make a list before you go shopping. And then stick to it

4.  Swap items like DVDs, books and clothes with your friends instead of buying brand new

5.  Sell old course books to the new influx of students

6.  Have a pot to add small change to, it can build up surprisingly quickly

7. Shop around for the best student bank account deals. Mine came with a free young person’s railcard 
which is renewed for every year I am a student. It must have saved me hundreds of pounds in the last two years

8. Don’t be a snob about supermarket own brands. Asda chopped tomatoes wont taste any different from Circo when it’s in a chilli con carne

9. Eat less meat. You’re save money, save carbon and stay healthy

10. Use discount cards, loyalty cards and vouchers

11. Ask for student discount whenever you pay for anything, more places take money off student purchases then you might think

12. Invite friends round for tea. Cooking together and sharing the cost works out much cheaper than buying and cooking for one, as well as making a fun night in

13. Use the washing line rather than the drier. One load every week for one year at university can cost £50.

14. Make a packed lunch. Buying lunch on campus each day can cost more than an entire week’s worth of packed lunches

15. Get a library card rather than buying books

16. Use iplayer and 4od rather than forking out for a TV license

17. Use cash to pay for items rather than card, it’s easier to keep track of

18. Stick to the allowance on your phone contract. The charges once you go over the limit can be extortionate

19. Take advantage of society and club taster sessions and introductory socials before you pay membership

20. Make the most of early bird and weekday deals when eating out or getting a takeaway

21. Use Orange Wednesdays. Use and abuse any friends that are on Orange if you’re not

22. Cold? Don’t turn the heating on. Wear a jumper. And then man up.

23. Make gifts for people’s birthdays and Christmas. Everyone loves homemade cake and it’s so much more personal

24. Make a motivational wall. When I was saving up to go to New Zealand I got a big map of New Zealand, marked out the route we planned to travel and tacked it up on the back of my door. Every time I was about to leave to go on a midnight Spar run for chocolate supplies it reminded me that maybe my pennies could be kept for better purposes

25. Walk to lectures. Yes, it may be up a hill but just think how you will also save money on not needing to go to the gym later now either

26. Make Friday nights in the new thing. A film, a girl friend and a bottle of wine. Bliss.

27. Ok, so you need to go out? Pre-drinks rather than headed straight to a bar can save a bomb

28. Break expensive habits. Smoking, for example, is a financially crippling habit. And also a grim habit, in my opinion

29. Look after your body. Dentist bills and prescriptions are really costly

30. Bored? Get into the outdoors. Its beautiful and totally free!

Posting your own 30 ways of saving money? Share a link below in the comments so we can all look at each others and get even more ideas!

April Wishlist

This afternoon I have ventured out into the world in search of that elusive wonder, the internet. It seems that an entire period in history may come to pass before the broadband company get their act together and reconnect our wifi after we've moved house, so until then I've taken up residence in the local Weatherspoons. Yes, I am that cheeky person who only buys a pint of coke ("is Pepsi ok?") and hogs a table for an entire afternoon to stalk you guys on bloglovin and put together a wishlist for this month. Da-dah!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

I was going to include some a denim dungarees playsuit on this month's playlist because I keep seeing them in shops and on other people and thinking I want one. But every time I try one on I look ridiculous, like an perversely overgrown child. Awkward times! So I didn't include one though I am still secretly yearning...What does everyone else think of this dungarees trend?

The Internet Hermit

Oh, woe is me! In all the chaos of moving house I will be disconnected from the internet, possibly until next week. I have now entered the realm of the internet hermit. I am resigned to hurriedly type this in a quicky work break.

Although this does mean that there'll be no posts this week, I'm planning on using the time to decide on what new regular features I might start soon, compose my April wishlist, and maybe even spruce this template up a bit as it was only ever meant to be temperary but then I got distracted by all the actual writing of the blog. And of course, live my life; I'm thinking house warming party, Iron Man marathon with the girlies, maybe a bit of baking. I should probably start unpacking what will hopefully morph into my new and improved bedroom at some point too. And no doubt there will be mucho stalkage of you guys on bloglovin during my lunch breaks at work.

Have a good week everyone!

And enjoy this random picture of a ninja turtle!! (I couldn't think of an appropriate picture which I could quickly add to the post...)

 

Thankful Thursday

This has been a bit of an up and down and round-about week. But there's always something to be thankful for, so here's my list of thankfulness for this week:

The Boy is arriving in Lancaster in fifteen minutes!!

Bank holiday weekend round the corner

People who come through for you when you need them to

Keeping my cool in a sticky situation, whereas I would usually just freak out

My giant wall calendar, how can anyone ever organise their life without one?

Super generous parents

The snow is finally melting from Moor House

Theo is back home after his doggie holiday in the kennels

Significant dissertation wordage

Ben and Jerry's for only £2

Though it's not really something I would normally immediately think of, after watching the news this week I am incredibly thankful for my health and the health of all the people I love. Thoughts and prayers go to those in any way affected by the tragedy of the Boston marathon.  

End on a more happy note though.

Excited to go and pick up the boy!!

/

Awkwardly ate some garlic bread for tea though. I'm sure he'll enjoy a bit of second hand garliciness...right...?

Hope everyone has a great weekend. I'll be back to posting next week when the Boy treks back to Wales again. Toodle-pip!

Ten Things I Would Tell My Past Self

I was thinking that it was about time I did another Ten Things post as I haven't done one in a while and they're great for when I'm suffering a bit of bloggers block and don't really know what to post. Buuuuut then I was totally uninspired as to what I could list 10 things about! Then I saw Chrissy's post  about the things she wishes she could tell her 16 year old self. So that got me wondering, if I stumbled across a time machine (as you do on the average Wednesday evening...), what would I want to tell the past me?

1. Wear sun cream. You're ginger, for God's sake! Slather it on like there's no tomorrow. Especially on your face otherwise you will end up with a seasonal freckle mustache. 

2. Don't waste time worrying about everything. Everything will be fine. Don't let it hold you back.

3. Get the maximum student loan for all your time at university. Then what you don't use you can throw it into savings until you need it for your Masters degree. Future you has a pitiful amount in her Masters fund and wishes she had thought of this earlier.

4. Triple vodkas for a £1 is not a good idea. You will not enjoy hugging the toilet all of the next day.

5. Don't be such a pushover. Man up girl! 

6. Don't go to the hairdressers thinking you'll be adventurous. I can guarantee that full fringe won't seem like such a good idea two months down the line when its super wonky from where you tried to trim it with nail scissors.

7. You don't get anywhere sitting around on your ass all day. Grab every opportunity that comes your way and get involved in everything that takes your fancy. Go out there, put in some hard work and make some memories while you're at it.

8.  When you go skiing, listen very carefully to the instructor about how to stop before you head off down the hill. It is awkward when you take out an entire group of other skiers with your blatant lack of skiing ability. 

9. Hello ickle baby Holly! When you grow teeth don't start biting your nails because it'll take you 20 years to break the habit.

10. Don't hug that man at Manchester airport. From behind he looks very much like your dad but he's not, they just have the same coat and are both bald. Carry on walking past him and you will avoid the most embarrassing moment of your life.

My beautiful mother and myself at about 3 years old. This is one of my favourite photographs from my childhood.

What would you want to tell your past self?

Versatile Blogger Award

Last week the brilliant Becca over at RebeccaRuby (check her awesome lifestyle blog out!) nominated me for a Versatile Blogger Award. Big thanks to Becca! This award is basically to share the blogging love and get more people clicking their way over to new and exciting pieces of the blogosphere in five simple steps:

1. Thank the person who nominated you.

2. Include a link to their blog

3. Select 15 new blogs or blogs you've recently discovered

4.Nominate these 15 blogs for a Versatile Blogger Award, provide a link tho their blog, and comment on their most recent post telling them they've been nominated

5. Post this along with seven things about yourself

So I tried to select people who hadn't been nominated before (sorry if you have, you're obviously just that good!) and also to pick some relatively new blogs as I know how exciting it is to see blog traffic picking up when you've been linked to by others. And also because I'm nosy and want to learn seven random things about them!

Here goes with my 15 blogs then. You should check out what all these lovely ladies have to say! 

Tea Party With Alice

Chrissy Lilly

The Uni Student

General Mess

Love, Wish, Blog

The Soubrette Brunette

That's What Sophie Said

Lisette Loves

The Cup and Saucer

Cupcakes and Cherries

Wanderlust

Love, Tilly

I Am Daisy Alice

Ex, Ox and Inbetween

Lottie Loves London

Guess I'd better think of seven weird and wonderful facts about yours truly then...

1. I am obsessed with biscuits. I could eat them forever! Especially chocolate covered malted milks. Om nom nom!!

2. I'm a complete perfectionist. I like people to think that I am cool and laid back whereas really I'm freaking out because of every slight imperfection in the world

3. On day I will own a house in the country surrounded by fields and I'll live there happily ever after with a handsome man, a few kiddies and a dog.

4. My favourite place is an otherwise deserted beach at sunset, standing at the point where the land meets the sea. 

5. I get way too attached to fictional characters.

6. I live in my pyjamas when I'm at home. In through the door, pyjamas on, let the good times roll!

7. I hate tea. I know, I know, I can't possibly be a sane human being! But it just tastes of dirty water...

Back Home for the Weekend and Ready for a Boots Haul!

View of Northumberland from the train. May have used instagram to make it look less grey and miserable, more stormy and mysterious

This weekend I headed home to Northumberland in search of fun and good company. And of course, the joys of a full fridge. Oh, and help with my student loan application for next year, because I may technically be an adult but also still need someone to hold my hand as I agree to another seven grand of debt. Gulp.

Friday night I met with my friend Rosie for a drink, a catch-up and to steal chips off her plate when I thought she wasn't looking. As always, our conversation was all about boys and boys and boys. Apparently there are enough boy issues in the world to keep us talking for several hours and we have yet to ever exhaust the topic. Was lovely to see her again anyway. This afternoon I've been horse riding for the first time in ages as it just seems impossible to get to the stables in Lancaster. Its been nearly a year since I've ridden I reckon and within, ooooh, about five seconds it felt like my thighs were on fire. Looking forward to walking like a cripple for the next week, but totally worth it to get back in the saddle.

Yesterday I went shopping in Newcastle with my mum, as is becoming tradition when I come home for the weekend. We are both a complete sucker for all new, shiny and pretty things and the shops of Newcastle are a treasure trove of newness, shininess and prettiness. However, I was quite good and restrained the spendage yesterday; I got these few things from Boots.

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub

Apparently summer is around the corner. Though I see no evidence of this (oh, hello snow, still hanging on in there I see!), I bought this Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub and a body scrubber ready for when it's time to dust off the shorts and the nation get there legs out. This is an excellent scrub, really dense and my legs were really soft after I used it last night. A month or two down the line and people will be flocking from miles around to come and see the softness of my legs. Actually, they're so white that people don't even need to flock, you can spot me in a sea of tanned folk a mile away! The awkward ginger paleness strikes again...

I also set out to get a nail polish in a mint shade, but they had a 3 for 2 offer on all beauty produces am who am I to refuse that?! I got these three shades (left to right); Jaded by Sally Hansen, Buff Pink by Models Own and Magnetic Burgundy by Barry M. 

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Jaded

I absolutely adore this shade!! So pleased with it. However, I found this polish so difficult to put on because the brush was quite wide and flat, and the consistency of  the liquid was really runny. In the end I did three very thin layers so that it didn't run off the sides of my nails everywhere, but its still a little patchy in places and took ages to dry. Essie have an almost identical shade of polish so I would get that next time. Still, so pleased with the colour that I don't care that much.

Models Own in Buff Pink

I got also wanted a pale pink so that could have natural looking nails without them looking too dull as they sometimes do when bare. There was so much choice but I got this one and am loving the colour of it. It will be nice to opt for a nude nail design for when nothing is really happening but I want them to be painted, as sometimes I find myself going back to nibbling them when they have no polish on and I refuse refuse refuse to go back to having ugly nail again!

Barry M in Magnetic Burgundy

I've heard some people mention about magnetic nail polishes so I thought I'd try out this one for fun as it was my third and therefore free nail polish. The magnet forms a sort of stripey design when held over the polish straight after application; its quite subtle so I'm glad I got this gorgeous deep red colour to make it a bit more interesting.  Has anyone else tried a magnetic nail polish by another brand to compare them?

When I get back to Lancaster tonight James should be back from his holiday, and that means we get the doggie back tomorrow so yey!! And then it'll be a week of packing for moving to the new house next weekend. 

Thankful Thursday

So I was quite looking forward to this post this week because I've just been totally uninspired with what to post. I think it was down to how utterly boooooring the last few days have been. Literally cannot wait until the good ol' flatmate James gets back from his jollies on Sunday. And then we can go and get the dog from the kennels and our happy little household will be back together again, ready to move house next weekend (our landlords are being uber annoying and are selling the house so we have to leave, but we've found an almost identical house just down the street, so yey!). Guess I should be grateful this week has been a bit slow going bearing in mind how chaotic the move might be but really I'm just excited for it, especially as my main man Elliot is coming up to help.

Other things I'm thankful for this week:

I'm going home tomorrow for the weekend. 

The sun shined for our tough snowy walk on the moor yesterday

The parents are getting a puppy in August!! Excitment doesn't even cover it!

Finding a frozen home cooked meal in the freezing when you can't be arsed to cook

Finding a Wispa in my desk drawer

Seeing definite progression with the dissertation writing. Now just need this snow to bugger off so I can get sampling my streams again!

The attractiveness of Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing.

I'm finally going horse riding this weekend after over 6 months out of the saddle. This might hurt...

Noticed how quite a few people are doing this sort of post, my bloglovin feed was full of thankful-ness today. Keep up those happy thoughts!

The fish are my buddies. You can see how bored I've been...

Packed ready to head back to the bosom of the parental home tomorrow. Amazing home cooking, come at me!

A Thoroughly Delicious Weekend

This weekend might finally herald the beginning of spring! What is that? That bright thing in the sky? The sun!? No! It can't be! Funny how just the sight of a blue sky can make you feel all optimistic.

A dose of optimism was definitely in order after the amazingness of last weekend in Liverpool and Lancaster being much empty of exciting people because its still the Easter holidays. So I found myself at a bit of a loose end and utterly bored this weekend. So I cleaned the house to within an inch of its life. And then I filled it with beautiful smells by cooking and baking. Here's some of the deliciousness that I concocted in last two days.

Chicken Hoisin and Garlic Stirfry

1 small chicken breast

1/2 red pepper

handfull of broccoli trees

handfull of mushrooms

Sharwoods chilli noodles

Sainsburys hoisin and garlic stirfry sauce (or similar)

OK, so this was a bit of a cheat as I used a pre-bought hoisin and garlic sauce from Sainburys but it tasted so good I don't even care! Basically, just fry up all the ingredients until cooked and chuck the noodles in a pan of boiling water for several minutes until soft. Toss everything through the sachet of sauce and heat for a minute or so. And volia! Nom it down!!

Butternut Squash Casserole

 1/2 butternut squash

1 sweet potato

2 large carrots

1 large onion

tablespoon of paprika 

tin of chopped tomatoes

300 ml of stock

2 garlic cloves

cup of quinoa or couscous

a sprinkling of cheese

Last month James bought a butternut squash and made this amazing looking and smelling casserole. So I thought I would be adventurous; even though I'd never cooked with one before, I bought a butternut squash too and attempted to copy the dish. 

Firstly, chop and cook boil the sweet potato, squash and carrot until just beginning to soften. Meanwhile fry the onions and garlic, adding the paprika once the onions are soft. Then toss everything together in a big casserole pot and add the chopped tomatoes, stock and seasoning. Simmer for 15 minutes. Then add the quinoa before simmering for another 15 minutes with the lid over the pot. The quinoa absorbs the liquid and saves the texture from being altogether mushy at the end. 

I served this with some curly kale. Getting more adventurous with the vegetables these days, that's what living with a vegetarian will do to you! And, course, must not forget a grating of cheese. I used Red Leicester as that's just what I have in the fridge but parmesam would be perfect. Totally completed it. This amount of ingredients makes enough for about 4 generous servings so I like to put some in the freezer for when I can't be bothered to cook. 

Sorry - poor quality photo because of the steam. Best served  hot hot hot so the cheese will melt.

Millionaires Shortbread

Shortbread Base

125g butter

55g caster sugar

180g plain flour

Caramel

can of condensed milk

150g butter

150 brown sugar

Chocolate Topping

400g milk chocolate

Preheat the oven to gas mark 5/190 degrees. To make the shortbread cream the butter and caster sugar until smooth and then add the flour, working it together into a firm dough with first a wooden spoon and then your hands. Roll out flat at the desired thickness and bake in a brownie tray for about 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

For the caramel middle gently melt together the butter and the sugar in a pan. Add the condensed milk to the pan and bring to rapid boil. After several minutes the mixture will thicken. Pour over the shortbread base and chill in the fridge until set firm. 

Break the chocolate into pieces and melt. Pour it over the caramel and chill in the fridge until set. I say to use 400g of chocolate but this is taking into account the fact that I ate at least 30g whilst breaking it up for melting. And then there's the fact that some of the chocolate gets stuck on the spoon and in the bowl  and requires licking off. Ahhh, baking is such a chore!...

Now I'm watching a film in my lovely clean house, full of delicious casserole and millionaires shortbread. Perfect end to the weekend.

What have you all been up to?

Thankful 'Thursday

I know, I know! "It's Friday" I hear you cry. Well, I was busy yesterday evening and by the time I got home I was shattered and went straight to bed so this week I'm being thankful on Friday instead. And yes, I did also neglect to do a Thankful Thursday last week, But I have a good excuse for that too; I was in Liverpool, without the best internet connection and, to be honest, too busy enjoying Easter with the boy and his family to worry the lack of blog posts too much. I'll try and make up for it with a fortnight's worth appreciation of the beautiful things in life this week. So I'm thanking the world for:

Bank holiday weekends

Walking hand in hand on the beach at dusk

Springer spaniel puppies

Putting aside technology and enjoying a good old game of Scrabble

The prospect of a wedding next year, and the accompanying excuse to buy a dress

Planning for the future

M&S food

The appearance of the sun, finally!

Long text conversations with friends

The amazing strength of community spirit

A good book that you cannot put down

Cheese and onion crisps

I'm feeling pretty grotty this evening and my flatmate is away sunning himself in Saudi Arabia (lucky devil!) so am curled up in the corner of the L-shaped sofa (the best place in the world) with a duvet, chocolate digestive biscuits and season 4 of The Tudors. My friend from university was supposed to be coming to visit this weekend but is unable to make it now so instead tomorrow I'm going to make like a housewife with the spring cleaning and baking of delicious goodies. Sunday will be spent watching a bucket full of films. Ahhh, these are the lazy days!

Stay thankful guys!

Easter With The Scousers

Helloooo, helloooo!
Happy belated Easter to you all. I hope you all had a lovely long weekend scoffing Sunday roast and chocolate eggs until fit to burst. Or however you chose to spend it.

Seeing as this time a year ago I was in Queenstown, New Zealand (the most incredible place I've ever been), whizzing around on a jet-boat, drinking from tankards in a cowboy bar and galavanting with kiwis (the birds, the fruit, the people, you name it!), this year's Easter had a lot to live up to. And live up to it it did! I've spent the last 6 days in Liverpool with the boyfriend and his family. And it was an absolutely b-e-a-utiful Easter weekend! We did all those fun, lazy things like walk along the beach and play board games and get far to emotional about Deal Or No Deal on TV. I love going to stay down in Liverpool because Elliot has such a big family which is such a contrast to my teeny, tiny one. There's always big family meals or some sort of gathering going on. And there was even an Easter Sunday engagement!

And there are so many cool places to go in Liverpool. So I thought I'd put together a bit of a collection of my favourite places to visit and things to see when down that way.

Pub and Bars
There are too many pubs, clubs and bars to say which one is my favourite. Actually, that's not true - my absolute favourite is Scream. Its just such a great, lazy student sort of atmosphere with some good drinks deals and a few pool tables. We usually start the night here whether its a an evening of casual drinks or a proper night out. Whether we are out or out-out, as they say. Just down the road is another good'un is Hannah's Bar; they've got some amazing cocktails and get some pretty good live bands. And then of course there's The Cavern which claims to be the 'cradle of British music', most well known for being a popular with the Beatles (what legends!) who gigged there over 300 times. Now the Cavern has live music most nights a week, including a Beatles tribute band every Saturday. The place is a bit cave, but a pretty epic cave nonetheless. Make sure to take the obligatory photograph with the John Lennon statue outside.

John Lennon at the Cavern Club/Pub

Culture
There are several museums in Liverpool and I've been to a few. My favourite is the Museum of Liverpool at Pier Head. We went when it first opened in 2011 and I'd love to go again to see when new things they've got there now. Another is the Beatles museum at the Albert Dock. To be honest I've never been as tickets are pretty pricey but I'm sure it'll be on the cards one day. Albert Dock is worth a visit without going to the Beatles museum anyway. There's the Tate Gallery which whiles away a few hours and its free.

View of the Museum of Liverpool (middle) from the Albert Dock

The Fresh Air
There's loads of pretty places in and around Liverpool. This weekend we took the dog for a walk in Sefton Park, and then again at Crosby beach. I absolutely adore the iron figures which are dotted up and down the beach. The are Antony Gormley's Another Place which consists of 100 real size cast-iron naked figures. I love how some are out to sea and some are on the sand, some of which are half buried. And how this is continually changing as the tide comes and goes. We were feeling pretty loved up and content with life as we walked along the beach on Easter sunday which probably helped me fall in love with it that little bit more. Formby Point just along the coast is also a beautiful beach with massive sand dunes.

Antony Gormley's 'Another Place' at Crosby beach. 

Sport
Its got to be Goodison Park. I have loyalties to Elliot, and therefore to Everton.
And, as a horse fanatic, to go to the races at Aintree is on my bucket list. We drove past the racecourse yesterday and saw that they were getting it ready for the Grand National this weekend. I had my face smooshed up against the window like a toddler driving past Disneyland.

I'm back in Lancaster now though (sad face). Definitely wasn't ready for this weekend to end so soon. Got quite a bit of the dissertation introduction written this afternoon though but I am absolutely knackered now, so I am monging on the sofa. Might even crack open an Easter egg.

Anyone else from Liverpool or been there recently?
And where have other people been for Easter weekend?

Discalimer: I took none of these photographs. Oh, the joys of Google images. 

.