Anxiety and overthinking have long been a part of my life, they existed long before any eating disorders took hold and for 15 or so years were controlled largely by a carefully balanced cocktail of medications (with a dash of therapy here and there). Since the end of the last year I made the decision to come off the majority of medications, knowing we were going to be starting the IVF and being in a much better place generally, I didn’t just want to find pregnancy safe medications, I wanted to use the coping mechanisms I’ve learnt over the years and try to come off as much as possible. It’s worked, mostly. There was the two weeks where I slept little more than an hour a night (good practice for what is ahead right?), andI am still on an anti-depressant, but everything else is gone and I am surviving.
It’s not always plain sailing though, and recently there have been a few things triggering cycles of overthinking. Thankfully an email arrived from a wonderful company called Adbra at exactly the right time and I’m getting myself right back on track again.
Adbra are a small company that was founded by Adel and Libby after they faced their own mental health challenges. They decided to use their experiences and research to create toolkits that could help others take control of their mental wellbeing.
As soon as I read this I kind of fell in love with Adel and Libby, they are my kind of people! They got in touch to introduce their “happiness habits jars” and very kindly sent one out to me, which literally could not have arrived at a better time. There are 7 jars in the range and the one that I was sent was the “mindfulness” themed jar which I have been using religiously ever since.
This little jar has got me back on track so many times, and for £12.50 it’s an absolute bargain. I always used to be so sceptical of this kind of thing, but eventually a couple of years ago decided to stop being stubborn and give it a go and I’ve not looked back!
These jars make a wonderful gift for a friend or family member, or as a self-care investment for yourself. I’m definitely going to look at getting the “self kindness” jar for once baby is here as I think it’s going to be very easy to forget that I need to be a priority too.
What tools do you find help the most when it comes to mental health? I’m a very visually orientated person so this kind of thing is almost certainly guaranteed to be a success over say, a podcast.
Box gifted by Degustabox This is a PR box, this means there will sometimes be additional flavours or products than you’d get as a subscriber, I will highlight this within my post.
By the time the May Degustabox arrived the worst of my morning sickness/nausea had eased so I was even more excited than usual to get stuck in to trying the contents. This box had an outdoor and BBQ theme to it and contained some products which have now become firm favourites and staples in this house- read on to find out which ones made the cut…
I’m a massive Hippeas fan and have raved about them multiple times on the blog so I was super hyped to see their new tortilla snacks included in this month’s box. Whilst I definitely prefer the original puffs, these are definitely fabulous. Made from chickpeas and packed full of plant-based protein, these are super crunchy and the chilli kick certainly packs a flavour punch! I look forward to seeking out the other flavours- especially the cheesy nacho ones! £1 RRP from hippeas.com, Amazon, Booths, Boots, H&B, Ocado, Planet Organic, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.
Sweets are a bit hit and miss with me at the moment but the new Dessert Pastilles from Rowntree’s instantly appealed. I loved the texture of these, and the flavours are really unique. My personal favourite was Mango Sorbet but there wasn’t any that I didn’t like. £1.29 from major supermarket chains.
We didn’t get very far with the drinks in this month’s box I’m afraid. Obviously I passed on the Echo Falls Strawberry and Pink Pepper Rosé seltzer although it sounds like a fabulous summer drink for a gathering. These sell for £1.80 per can from Asda and independent stores. Having lived on lemon drinks for the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, the very sight of them now makes me heave so sadly this gorgeous looking can from Pip Organic had to be banished for now. This is an organic sparkling lemon drink which comes in at under 75cal and counts as one of your 5 a day. A great treat for the designated drivers/kids at a gathering. £1.50 per can from Abel & Cole, Amazon or Ocado.
For me these little biscuits from Telstar/Not too Naughty stole the show this month. To the point where I sent Bob straight to Amazon to bulk order me a mixed pack of the Telstar mini cookie stars. These are lovely little bites, the caramelised mini stars especially remind me a bit of baby rusks in their texture and I am obsessed. They come in at 50p for a single pack, £10 for 25 (I picked up two of these!) from Amazon and I highly recommend everyone looking for a cheeky little biscuit break does the same. I cannot say enough good things about these.
Bob inhaled this Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme Bar before I could even tell him I needed his thoughts on it. I did manage to get a “was good” out of his though! And I agree. Whilst I dislike Hershey’s chocolate there is something about this bar and I often pick one up when I see it (when I can stomach chocolate type products that is). These are around 89p from most supermarket chains as well as discount stores.
Here we have a great little assortment of products that have all become pantry staples for us (yes, we have an actual pantry!). Bob and I love the Rosemary and Onion seasoning from Knorr (£1.80 from Tesco, available in four flavours). I’ve been chucking it on roasted new potatoes and roasted veg, but you can literally pop it in anything and it gives a great, rich flavour boost. I have a long-standing phobia of Olive oil (or any oil) so I rarely cook with it, but I do manage to cope with the spray versions so we’ve made great use of this Bertolli spray- our current obsession is using it on Asaparagus alongside balasamic glaze and griddling it. YUM! £3 from Ocado and Amazon. I’m more of a ketchup on salads kind of girl but I do make exception for this Hellman’s fat free vinaigrette dressing which I have tried and bought before. It’s perfect for adding some pizazz to a salad, I also like to dip cucumber or celery sticks in it. £1.65 from Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Co-op and Morrisons.
Bob and I already use a lot of microwave rice pouches and really rate them but sometimes it’s nice to change it up a bit. I especially loved these Mexican Spicy Grains from Whitworths- a vegan, protein packed pouch of goodness that only takes two minutes to prepare. Great as a base for a salad bowl or as a side for our favourite vegan chill as a change. Will be stocking up on these! £2 from Tesco, Morrisons and Ocado.
I’ve tried both of these Graze products before and often grab them for a snack on the go. The smoky barbecue crunch is a long time favourite for the mix of textures and the great salty, smoky flavour- £1 for a punnet or £2.99 for a share bag. The cocoa vanilla protein oat bites are a really good on the go snack for handbags- a sweet little treat with a boost of protein to keep you full, but with 45% less sugar than similar products. £1 per bite or £2.49 for a 4 pack. Both available from major supermarket chains, with other flavours also available.
Finally a couple of products that have been saviours for random bouts of nausea. I already knew I loved Nairn’s sweet oatcakes, so I had high hopes for their savoury offering of Cheese & Smoky Chipotle. They definitely did not let me know, and oddly I found them amazing for settling my stomach! £1.50 from Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and health food stores. Another odd solution to nausea was brioche, as I found out when we were trying out these Brioche Pasquier Brioche Rolls- also great for hot dogs or with nutella/peanut butter! £1.50 from Tesco, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Co-op and Budgens.
If you’re persuaded to give Degustabox a go (and really, you should) you can claim £3.00 off of your first box (making it just £9.99!) by entering the code XOQGC at the checkout. It’s been a pleasure to work with the brand regularly over the last couple of years and it’s without a doubt something that I will continue to purchase long after our partnership ends. I love the monthly surprise and excitement as well as the chance to discover products I’d otherwise pass up on the supermarket shelves.
I’m one of those people who, when presented with an obstacle in life always jumps to the potential negative outcome rather than the positive. Having kicked most of the bad habits in my life, this is one that still stubbornly remains and one I would really, REALLY like to kick before our baby arrives.
Enter the positive day planner (gifted). This little note book is a 21 day (the time it takes to form a new habit) journal that encourages you to practice daily gratitude, spill out the contents of your brain and generally help you turn that mental frown upside down.
I’m always a little bit sceptical of this kind of thing; can putting pen to paper really help all that much? My experience so far says yes, and I’ve only regularly been using this for a few days so far.
I love the layout of the planner, often I find it hard to structure my thoughts so having it ready laid out is ideal and the bold design actually helps keep me focused by drawing my eye back to the page.
The Positive Day Planner was established by Leanne Pero, breast cancer survivor and founder of The Leanne Pero Foundation and Black Women Rising, who used positivitiy and journalling to help her after going through cancer. “I put the Positive Day Planner together after cancer. Writing down what I was grateful for, my hopes and wishes for the future, planning the day ahead really helped settle some of the anxieties. It’s a place where you can create your own happiness, because we are in control of that.“
The Positive Day Planner is available in 5 different styles, including a limited edition Breast Cancer Awareness Month Planner, where 40% of profits go to Breast Cancer Charities.
Each planner costs £10 and makes for the perfect self-care themed gift either for yourself or for a friend/loved one. You can also pick up a mini gratitude journal for £6 (next on my list) plus wish bracelets or healing rose quartz for £3- the entire website is basically a ready made gift package!
I’m so grateful to the positive day planner for stepping in at a time when I actually really needed some guidance, this is a habit I’m definitely hoping to keep!
Box gifted by Degustabox This is a PR box, this means there will sometimes be additional flavours or products than you’d get as a subscriber, I will highlight this within my post.
So the April Degustbox happened to arrive at the peak of my morning sickness/nausea, and the food aversions that have come with pregnancy are very much still present. This means that this isn’t the greatest post you’re gonna read from me, but Bob helped where he could, and we both agreed that this was a top-notch box!
I’d say that this Dorset Cereals nutty granola (rrp £4.15) was one of our favourite products this month. We’re both a big fan of the brand and do treat ourselves when it’s on offer. This is crunchy, sweet breakfast perfection and quite addictive too. Available from major supermarket chains.
So my biggest food aversion at the moment is chocolate…I know right?! So this is one of the products that has so far remained un-tested. I’ve been eagerly anticipating the Aero dark&milk launch so not being able to stomach it is a real downer! I can’t wait to finally be able to demolish this bar- rrp £1 from major supermarket chains. I’ve loved other dark milk chocolate products and I’m excited to see how it works with the Aero texture.
Thankfully spicy, bold flavoured foods are still on the menu! I love Chipotle- it’s great for chicken and fajitas and I also recommend it with sweet potato chunks too. This paste makes it super easy to coat your food with that deep spicy kick- a new pantry staple (£2 from Tesco). We are saving the Bull’s-Eye Habanero Hot Sauce for a BBQ (we had one planned but rain spoilt play) and I’m so excited for the powerful punch this promises. It costs £1.99 from Tesco, Ocado and Morrisons as well as from getmorevits.com and Amazon. I’ve had great experience with this brand before so hold high hopes for this.
I’m so desperate to try these Noodl Plus instant noodles- unfortunately the black colour of the charcoal noodles is enough to send my pregnant belly flipping over so I’m waiting for now but will definitely report back on these as they are right up my alley! I’ve never heard of the brand before but they have me intrigued…£2.50 each from Amazon and Ocado. Jasmine rice is my favourite rice so this limited edition Tilda teriyaki one seemed very appealing until I realised it had water chestnuts in…still, I picked those out, chucked on some chicken and otherwise enjoyed the experience! £1.59 from major supermarket chains.
Another untried product here, I’m not sure how I feel about my vitamins coming from chewing gum! It sounds convenient I suppose but I’ve not actually got my head around testing it yet. Each piece of gum boasts 25% of your daily dose of 10 essential vitamins though which is impressive! £1.50 from getmorevits.com and Amazon.
Dark chocolate orange almond sounds like a flavour match made in heaven right? I passed this KIND bar on to my Grandad who loves them as much as I do and he gave it two thumbs up. I can’t wait to try this for myself when I can face chocolate again. £1.30 from Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.
These biscuits were the Degustabox product of the month and are still sat in my kitchen taunting me. I can’t bear for anyone else to try these first so I’m just waiting for that day when I feel like I can eat one, or six to give them a thorough test. I already know they are gonna be good though…McVities know their onions when it comes to biscuits and flavours and chocolate HobNobs are already top of the biscuit tier. £1.59 from major supermarket chains. I am so excited for these!
I’d say these pancakes from Brioche Pasquier were Bob’s product of the month. Individually wrapped in packs of two these were great for him to take on the road with him for work, and equally enjoyed warmed through and served with crispy bacon and loads of maple syrup! £1.65 from Co-Op.
Finally some drinks, and very much his and hers taste test! Bob sampled the Gunna Drinks Ginger Rebel (Ginger Lemonade) as a mixer for rum and thought it was good. It’s less than 5% sugar so has less calories than other soft drinks and is also free from artificial colours and preservatives…£1.50 a can from Amazon, Ocado, Holland & Barrett, Co-op and independent retailers. I really enjoyed the Get More Vits Vitamin D Mango and Passionfruit drink. It came at a time that fluids were very tricky for me but this served ice cold went down so well and gave me some hope that there was a drink out there that wouldn’t make me extra queasy! £1.50 a bottle (and I would have paid three times that at the time!) from most major supermarkets, getmorevits.com and Amazon.
If you’re persuaded to give Degustabox a go (and really, you should) you can claim £3.00 off of your first box (making it just £9.99!) by entering the code XOQGC at the checkout. It’s been a pleasure to work with the brand regularly over the last couple of years and it’s without a doubt something that I will continue to purchase long after our partnership ends. I love the monthly surprise and excitement as well as the chance to discover products I’d otherwise pass up on the supermarket shelves.
Saving up money is hard and certain mistakes could stop you from reaching your savings goal as quickly. Below are just a few savings mistakes to avoid.
Skipping contributions
Saving up money requires making regular contributions – either every month or every week. Every time you skip a monthly or weekly contribution, you extend the time that it will take you to reach your savings goal. For instance, if you’re saving up for a new car, that’s one more month you’ll have to go without a new car.
By setting up a standing order you can ensure that your money is automatically contributed each month. It’s worth contributing this money straight after payday so that you don’t have a chance to spend it (you could even ask your employer to pay it straight into your savings account).
Dipping into it for other purposes
You can also stunt the growth of your savings by constantly dipping into your account for unnecessary expenses. This could include paying for new clothes or a takeaway meal using money that you’ve been saving up for a holiday.
Make sure that you have a clear purpose to your savings – whether it’s a deposit on a house or a rainy day fund – and stick to this purpose. Don’t dip into your savings unless it’s an absolute emergency. You could even consider looking for an account that has withdrawal penalties.
Not shopping around for better interest rates
You can grow your savings faster by putting them in a high interest account. Interest rates may change over time. Subsequently, an account that once has an interest rate of 1.5% may one day change to 0.5%. You’ll usually receive a warning when this happens. At this point, you should take the time to shop around for savings interest deals.
You don’t want to keep putting money into an account that’s earning you very little interest. By constantly switching to whichever account has the best interest rate, you can build your savings at a much faster rate.
Not considering other investment options
A high interest account isn’t the only way to make a return on your savings. In fact, there are many other investment options that can make you a much bigger return.
For instance, you could make a 10% return on your savings by investing in stocks. Alternatively, you could use a platform like MetaTrader 5 and start investing in forex, which could also make you a 10% return in a year. Such investment options are more risky, but you could make much bigger earnings on your savings.
Failing to declare tax on earnings
Some savings accounts are tax-free. Others are not – this means that any money you earn through interest can be taxed. Income earned through stocks and forex is also taxable.
Not paying tax on this income is illegal, so make sure that you’re making a record of it and including it in a tax return each year.
