I wasn’t a popular child. This was never more obvious than during PE, where the combination of my reputation as a boffin and the fact that I was comprehensively terrible at sports meant every lesson I was unable to skip due to “tonsillitis” became an interminable exercise in doing the bare minimum, and having no-one…
Health & Beauty
The cost of being ill
We all get sick. It sucks. Whether it’s manflu or something more serious and life threatening, in our fast paced world, it’s sometimes hard to take the time to recover, or enjoy the time we have. The last thing you want to do when you’re ill is worry, but money worries can crop up. Having…
January is a bad month to become a healthier you – here’s why
It’s January again, the month of food angst, apathy, and opportunism. We’re carrying more weight than we’d like. Dark days and seasonal illness make us sluggish. Dreaded tax returns and bills beckon. And this miscellany of midwinter delights is underpinned by an all too familiar new year reality: January is a very long month, and…
My husband has been diagnosed with autism – and it could be threatening his livelihood
Throughout my schooling career, there has been one line that stuck out to me. One day, on a breezy autumn afternoon, my science teacher stood up and declared: “Revision is the new rock and roll! You rock through it, get good grades, and roll through to a good job with good pay!” Looking back, I…
The Ultimate Guide to Going Out and Having Fun for Less
Fun never seems to be on the agenda if you’re constantly working. Add trying to save money into the mix and the concept seems a very, VERY long way off. Don’t worry. It is possible to lead a fun life while also keeping your finances in check. It can’t all be work work work… plus…
Money & Mental Health
Mental Health has been talked about a lot so far this year. The fact it is being spoken about is fantastic and is helping to break the attached taboo and stigma, yet people still struggle to open up about it. Financial worries are also something people often keep to themselves. In this blog post, I…
Why the UK needs ‘Baby Boxes’
Every expectant mother in Scotland is eligible for something called a ‘Baby Box’. In the Scottish Government’s own words: “The Baby Box is a welcome gift for every baby born and living in Scotland. It’s packed full of all the essential items your baby will need to give them the best possible start in life.”…
2018 – the year I gave up public transport in London
In January this year, I moved for the fourth time in two years. Not through choice – I was happy where I was – but because my lovely landlord needed his flat back, and my other two flatmates were buying their first flats. Given how much I hate moving house, I decided to live in…
Smiles cheaper – the secret to white teeth…on a budget
I’ve always been an avid drinker of tea. Green tea, red tea, camomile – you can’t beat a soothing cup of something hot. It’s one of life’s few simple pleasures. When I got my braces at the age of seventeen, I was cautioned against this habit; while the benefits of drinking green tea are plenty,…
Our NHS is a modern miracle – and we shouldn’t need “Call the Midwife” to remind us
Recently I’ve discovered a new show that I can binge on. It’s not really new, but it’s new to me – Call the Midwife, based on books of the same name by Jennifer Worth, a midwife who began her career in the 1950s. Reflecting true events that happened in the period, this drama opens up a…
