Poundland Sleep In Hair Rollers

Look what I found in Poundland! A potential dupe for the oh-so-expensive Sleep-In Rollers at a fraction of the cost (1/4 of the cost to be precise). I've also seen these in Primark too!

£19.50 for 20 or 4 for £1?!

I'm not going to lie, I love hair rollers, for me they are the epitome of old school glamour and sophistication. My fascination with all things vintage and obsessive money-saving combine in this one beauty product which women in the 1950s simply couldn't live without. The Sleep-In Rollers (£19.50 for 20) are a reinvention of classic rollers which traditionally have a hard plastic cage. This design would be fine if you had loads of time to get ready and could just sit around in them but most people would prefer to wear them to bed so you can wake up looking glam. These new foam inners means they are more comfortable whilst retaining structure.

Even my nephew loves rollers!

Despite my love for these things, there is absolutely no way I would spend £19.50 for 20 when I can get 4 for £1 in Poundland or 6 for £2 in Primark. Who would?! So if you were considering buying the ones from Sleep-In, don't bother because you can get them cheaper. Hats off to Poundland and other companies who are producing these because although they are a great product, they do not warrant the huge price tag attached to them.

What's your favourite Poundland Find? 

Zatchels Satchel Review

Today's post is a review of the beautiful bag that I received as a Christmas present that I thought I'd show to you all as they have some excellent deals on at the moment and I was really impressed with the service. At the beginning of January Zatchels had a 40% off sale so I took full advantage of this and bought myself a black satchel.

I'd been looking for a large over the shoulder black bag for when I start properly working after uni. I needed something that I could fit an umbrella and a diary in, but one that would also be compact and allow me to move more easily. I already have a black bag which suits a lot of my needs but I wanted one with a long strap which my other one doesn't. I also wanted a bag that would look smart but not be too formal so I could use it during the day. And I also wanted something that would last. After searching around for ages and finding nothing I liked I stumbled across Zatchels who I'd heard of before but always found that they were out of my budget, but armed with my Christmas money I went ahead and found a bag that I really really liked.

Showing off my fancy photography skills

I wasn't sure how the engraving would turn out but I think it looks really nice. The bag only took about 7 days to be delivered even though I'd requested my initials to be engraved (£20.00) and for the top handle to be added (£6). In total I paid £91 for a 13" full leather bag with added handle and engraving. Right now they have 60% off selected ranges which makes them excellent value. I was amazed with how sturdy the bag is and I'm confident it's going to last me a lifetime. The service was excellent too, I was impressed that it arrived so quickly and they were quick to answer me when I tweeted them a question.

Edit: I forgot to mention their free repairs service! They guarantee their bags for life, so if the stitching comes undone (which usually happens around the bottom corners) then all you have to do is send is back to them and they will repair it free of charge. How nice :)

If you are looking for a strong long lasting satchel which isn't going to cripple you, I can't recommend Zatchels enough! 

10 Motives e-cig Review

Today's post was made possible by the lovely PR people at 10 Motives who kindly sent me an a e-cigarette to try. Unfortunately I don't smoke, but I know someone who does so I let my friend review if for me as a follow on from my post about quitting smoking as a new year resolution. 

10 Motives offer a huge range of refillable and disposable electronic cigarettes including cigars and hookahs. I didn't even know that you could get an electronic cigar! Their cheapest e-cig is the Diamond Disposable Electronic Cigarette which is a mere £2.99 for the equivalent of 30 cigarettes. The one I was sent was the
Disposable Electronic Cigarette Regular which retails for £5.99 for the equivalent of 40 cigs. 

My friend absolutely loved trialling it and said "I'm definitely going to buy a few to help me quit". I knew she wanted to quit but it seemed unlikely because we have exams in a few weeks and she could easily do in a pack of 10 on a good day so I was shocked at how happy and eager she was about the prospect of switching from fags to e-cigs. 

The first thing that she was really impressed with was the taste of it, at first she was apprehensive about how different it would be. She was worried that the regular flavour might taste like plastic in comparison to a real cigarette but was pleasantly surprised. She also remarked that she didn't feel like she was missing out on smoking real cigarettes. For her the feeling was indistinguishable, although she did quip that it was weird not having to go out outside to smoke which could only be a good thing in this weather! Sadly, she dropped it in a puddle where it died an untimely death after about 4 days. So remember, they are good but they don't survive being drowned!

10 Motives e-cigarettes can be found at www.10motives.com.

10 Motives e-cigarettes represent amazing value for money and promote better health. If you are thinking about quitting smoking, give the 10 Motives range a try! 

New Years Resolutions: Quit Smoking

This is the final post in this series of ten posts that I am doing to cover the most common New Year Resolutions, this post will give you some information about quitting and help you decide what method is best for you. There are lots of methods and help out there to help you to quit smoking, you just need to be committed. 

So I'm guessing that if you are considering quitting smoking then you know what the health implications are but just in case you don't, here are 10 reasons to quit. From an economic stance, smoking is unhealthy for your finances. The average cost for a packet of 20 cigarettes in the UK is £7.77 (Office of National Statistics, May 2013), if we assume the average smoker smokes 13 cigarettes a day (2011 General Lifestyle Survey) you could save around £1,843 if you quit for a year. 

The cheapest way to quit smoking is obviously to just give up cold turkey. The NHS can provide you with a mobile app, text reminders and emails and a Quit Kit which contains information and stress relief techniques to stop you smoking completely free. 

If you can't just quit smoking completely it is advisable to cut down slowly. If you smoke 13 a day, over the course of the week try and reduce it down to just 12 a day. If you carried on reducing your daily smoking habits by eliminating one cig a day you'll quit in a matter of months. Here are 10 ways to help yourself quit. Another useful service is QUIT Skype Counselling, you will get one to one coaching for quitting absolutely free.

You can feel some of the benefits of not smoking while still maintaining your nicotine intake. There are nicotine replacement therapies which can be prescribed by you doctor. For more information about what is available to you click here.

There are other very cheap options out there if you'd like to quit without a hefty prescription charge. 10 Motives provide a huge range of inexpensive e-cigs. E-cigarettes are best for those of you who still want the feeling of a cigarette because other nicotine replacement therapies can't occupy your hands and mouth in the same way.

The NHS have provided a special guide for under 18s to help you quit. If you are under 18 please go and see your doctor.

I hope you've all enjoyed this series! To see all posts in this series click here

New Years Resolutions: Learn Something New

This is the ninth post in this series of ten posts that I am doing to cover the most common New Year Resolutions, this post will give you links to various websites to help expand your knowledge. Our school moto was 'learning is for life' and it is so true. You never stop learning but as time goes on I think practical, useful knowledge, becomes more necessary to learn. So why not try the links below and see where learning takes you.

Memrise - Completely free website and app that teach you foreign languages as well as a plethora of other subjects. It's all set up in a game style environment so learning feels less taxing. I'm using it to learn French.
10 Basic Things To Cook (The Guardian) - These 10 recipes will help you to get a handle on cooking so at least you can feed yourself.
MonkeySee - Probably one of the most complete guides to do just about anything. From science to beauty and fashion, it really is worth having a look.
TED lectures - Expand your knowledge on a variety of subjects with lectures given by the top minds of their field. I like to listen to these when I'm doing housework or if I'm researching a topic for a project.

Youtube EDU - Youtube is so much more than cat videos and a guy ramming eggs into an Xbox. It is a hub of educational resources which is not just limited to TED.
ehow.com - Combines DIY and craft with practical knowledge.
St. John's Ambulance - Learn to deal with basic medical ailments with understandable advice.
Channel 4 Food - This has instructional videos to teach you how to cook pretty much anything and will really take you from basic cooking right through to dinner party style.
Learn Something New Everyday - Available as a free app and presents facts with stunning and hilarious pictures.

hackaday - This is a great one if you like messing around with technical deelybobs and circuit boards.
iTunes U - Online academic courses for just about everything
Scitable - Online science Library.
Show Me Do - Learn computer programming and even basic computing skills. Prefect if you are thinking about retraining into another job.
British Sign Language - Sign language is amazing, it allows you to communicate with people who'd not usually be able to talk.

DIY Network - Home improvement ideas and how-tos, shows you how to plumb in a toilet which is no mean feat.
BBC Languages - It's the BBC so you'll probably be used to the teaching style, all our lessons pretty much used the BBC programmes and a large yellow text book
Khan Academy - Learn mathematics, science and economics. Very easy to follow information which is helpful!
First Aid - The Red Cross provide a number of different videos which could potentially help you to save a life. Personally I don't know why they don't teach first aid in school. Being able to save lives is preeeeeety important, even Sherlock needs it. "Just be yourself. But if you can be John Watson, be him instead", so why become one step closer to being Dr. John Watson.

I am obsessed with Sherlock, how am I going to cope :(

Let me know what you'd like to learn in the comments below or on twitter or facebook. To see all posts in this series click here

New Years Resolution: Be more Productive

This is the seventh post in this series of ten posts that I am doing to cover the most common New Year Resolutions, this post will give you some tips for being more productive and organised.

Keep a to do list
I like to use the Trello app and website to categorise tasks that I need to do. The app allows you to prioritise certain tasks and allows you to have several lists at once making it much easier to break down large tasks into smaller more manageable chunks.

Use a calender
Putting a time limit on tasks will allow you to prioritise and just being aware of deadlines will keep the tasks in your mind so you will be more likely to remember them.

Schedule time for tasks
Make sure you over estimate the time a task will take so you can ensure that you have enough time to do everything.

Don't attempt to multi-task
It just doesn't work, only work on one thing at once.

Have a schedule
If you have a plan for you day then it will make things easier. Plan to complete tasks in the most convenient time slots. If you like to exercise on an empty stomach make sure you plan exercise for the morning.

Drink and eat well
You aren't going to be performing at your best if you don't drink enough water or eat enough healthy food. You need to keep yourself well so you don't run out of energy.

Use your commute
If you take the train or bus you could use your commuting time to order your groceries, check your emails, read through some notes, complete some course work or check your diary for what you will be doing for the day.

Take a break
If you start flagging, there is a reason why. You need to take a small break but if you really are pressed for time just change to a different task.

Get enough sleep
You can't possibly be productive if you are tired. Get enough sleep, take a nap if you have to.

Wake up early enough
You need to get up early enough to do something, don't wake up at 3pm and expect to make it to the bank.

Prioritise
Remember there are more important things in life. If something comes up it's okay to veer off track as long as you work hard to make up for your lost time.

Check your emails in the morning
It means you can address immediate things and schedule anything that needs doing early on in your day.

Delegate tasks
If there is any tasks that you can give to other people then do so. Even if it just means ordering your food shopping online or getting your boyfriend to put the washing in the washer.

Don't wait on others
If there is something that requires someone else to take action then make sure you alert them to their role early on. That way you can move on to something else productive and get the first task over and done with early.

Work around others
I hate going shopping or to the gym when it is packed so work around busy times. Doing this will save you time on these kinds of tasks.

Let me know your suggestions for maximising your productivity in the comments below or on twitter or facebook. To see all posts in this series click here

New Years Resolutions: Spend More Time With the Family

This is the seventh post in this series of ten posts that I am doing to cover the most common New Year Resolutions, this post will give you suggestions for spending more time with your family time. It can be very hard to get to spend time with your family but there are solutions around it.

Manage your time better

People often get caught up in everyday stuff that they can't seem to make time for their family. I like to use the Trello app and website which was kindly recommended to me by a friend. I'd also recommend getting a diary and a calender so you know what you have to do each day. It just helps take the guess work out of everyday life and allows you to manage your time better. Once you've actually cleared some time from your schedule you'll want to do something fun together. 

Crafts

Doing crafts with the kids can be an amazing way to bond. Over Christmas my nephew cam to stay and we made some lovely decorations and it kept him occupied for a couple of hours. Pinterest has loads of crafts you can do with the younger members of your family.

Shopping

This is definitely one for the girls. We can bond over shopping any time, even if we don't buy anything. Many a day I have spent scouring charity shops for a bargain with my sisters. 

Films

Everyone likes films, most teenagers don't want to spend that much time with their family so this can be a sneaky way to get them to spend time with you. The BBC has loads of free films so you don't even have to spend money to have quality time. For cheap cinema deals click here.

Dinner

Click here for dining out deals. 

Sports

If you've decided to start working out as part of your New Year resolutions it might be good to get your family involved that way you are multi tasking and balancing your time better. You could also take your family out to a sports event if you are that way inclined. 

Cooking

Cooking and baking with your family can be therapeutic. Getting kids involved will make them feel like they have achieved something and if you are dealing with older teens, even if they don't want to bake with you, they can enjoy the benefits. Here are just some ideas for simple and cheap things you can bake with your family. 

Online and on the Phone

I rarely get chance to spend quality time with my family because I live away so I've started to make use of what I have available. You don't have to be with someone physically to be in contact. E-mail, facebook, phoning, face time even tweeting can just let someone know you appreciate them and want to spend more time with them. Just do it. You can fit in a quick text every once in a while. 

Let me know your suggestions for maximising family time in the comments below or on twitter or facebook. To see all posts in this series click here