Top 5 Money Saving Tips

Here are my top five money saving tips... because let's face it you're probably wasting money on things you don't need when you could be saving to go somewhere sunny and far away!

1. Get Yourself a Lunch Box!

Apparently having a packed lunch is seen as uncool is the adult world... I have no idea why! When I've been at work in the past and pulled out my packed lunch, a sense of confusion has washed over the faces of my colleagues. WHY? Because everyone seems to think it's better to go out and spend money on lunch? I mean it may seem like such a simple thing but believe it or not, you're at work to earn money! It confuses me when people go out and unnecessarily spend a lot of money on lunch when you could get up 10 mins earlier (or even do the night before) and make a nice little lunch for yourself! It also means you can spend your lunch break doing something productive or that will help you destress. Work out how much money you spend on lunch a week and you'll soon see where a lot of your money is disappearing!

2. Stop Buying Coffee out All the Time

Yes, it's nice to do every now and then but if you're doing this every single day think how much money you are spending in a week! Treat yourself to a funky flask, make it at home and take it with you! Tip: You can even buy a Starbucks one and fill it yourself, pretends it's Starbucks and no one will ever know!

3. Compare and Bargain Hunt!

Shop around and find the best buy! This applies to a lot of things; food, cosmetics, insurance etc! I find this particularly with beauty products, even if it is just comparing between Superdrug and Boots!  A lot of the time Superdrug have "better than half price" deals and if there's products you always use it's worth stocking up. It may take a bit of extra time to shop around but in the long run you'll end up making quite saving! Plus nothing feels better than getting a good bargain, right?!

4. Set Yourself a Realistic Budget

I'm not the best at doing this myself but I recommend doing it in some shape or form! Knowing what you have to spend on what will help you not to overspend. Make sure you have enough money set aside for the important (and boring) stuff i.e. bills and rent but then make a plan of what to do with the rest of your pay check. I think it's important to set aside a little bit for treats but also to make sure you're saving! Even if it's £50 you can put away it's better than nothing! 

5. Treats! And Knowing the Difference Between "Want" and "Need"

One thing I've taught myself to do is not to spend money aimlessly or just because I feel like it! Instead reward yourself, for example, if you're at Uni tell yourself you can treat yourself to one thing off your wishlist once you complete a piece of work or that if you work with no breaks in the morning, go out in the afternoon and treat yourself to a coffee. Also one thing that's helps me save money is thinking about what I want and what I need! Instead of impulse buying, think before you buy. This sounds a bit odd but after working in retail over Christmas, people have seem to got a bit credit card happy now they can use contactless and a lot of people laugh and say it feels like they're not spending money! Just ask yourself, do I really need this? If the answer is no, put it back and walk away...it's all about self-control!

What are your tips for saving money? Let me know in the comments or tweet me @_bowsandbuttons

Hayley x 

Staying Positive

Do you ever have those days where everything seems to suck and go wrong? Well I've had a whole week of it, it seems like one thing after another! As soon as one thing is sorted, boom, something else happens or breaks. I won't go into the miserable details of everything as y'know some of it's personal! However, as bad and annoying as things are, there are silver linings and things I'm really looking forward to which makes me feel a bit more positive.

It's less than than a month til I go to America again! I'll be jetting off to Connecticut to visit my boyfriend's family and hopefully take a trip into New York City! I'm soooo excited! Apparently they've already been having snow flurries! Also I can't wait to be reunited with Sephora, not sure my bank account is looking forward to the reunion though...

♥ Christmas is soon! Need I say more? Get Halloween out the way so I can start feeling festive without the guilt. Bring on the mince pies!

♥ Some of the annoying things that have happened have given me an opportunity to spring clean and have a much needed de clutter. 

♥ I'm enjoying my new job and I'm not saying anything more than that because I don't want the internet knowing where I'm working! But I'm pretty happy at the moment and that's all that matters.

♥ I've managed to blog every single day of this month which is a huge achievement! I've never been the most consistent blogger, however much I've wanted it to be, it's never been my priority. However as I had the time this month I challenged myself to blogtober and have managed to blog every day (so far) wooo

So even though I didn't spend this weekend relaxing as hoped, I've got lots to be grateful and happy about! What are you looking forward to at the moment? Let me know in the comments or tweet me @_bowsandbuttons

Hayley x 

Post University Update

If you asked me if this is how I thought things would be after Uni I would have said a resounding no. 

I wasn't sure what I was going to be doing but this was not it. How do I feel about this? I'm not sure yet. It has made me realise though, if you are student thinking once you leave University everything will fall into place and you'll land the high paying and fulfilling career straight away, then you're probably wrong. 

People might say to me that I haven't got enough experience perhaps. In some ways they're right and getting experience is hard, however it is something I've done since leaving University. In the subject of my degree? Of course not! 

Honestly, it's not that I'm really unhappy with where I am. At the moment I have a job which although not a graduate role is helping me gain plenty of skills which future employers will hopefully...respect. My problem is I don't know what I'm working towards as I haven't decided on a career path. 

From all this ranting and what sounds to be negativity, I want to tell you something. This message isn't just for the students and graduates but for everyone and it's the one of the most important things I've learnt...

  Look for opportunities and find your own ways to make yourself stand out.

 You can't just expect things to work out for you and you definitely cannot expect your dream job to present itself to you out of "luck". Although this sounds obvious, what I mean is, you won't get anywhere if you don't talk to people and create opportunities to gain the experience. Sometimes you find opportunities in the most unlikely situations!

Hayley x 

The Perfect Sunday

"A Sunday well spent brings a week of content"

I'm a stronger believer in lazy Sundays. Saturdays are for adventures... or more realistically getting things done that you didn't have time to do during the week! Sundays are reserved to get into snuggley clothes, or maybe even just stay in pjs, then do whatever you want to do to relax before another week begins! Being the crazy 21 year old that I am, you won't find me hungover on a Sunday as I like to make sure I can do more than just waste the day curled up in my duvet #grannylife.

And this is how my perfect Sundays go...

9:00am 

Drag myself out of bed, gone are the days of being a student when a lie in meant not getting up before 11! To me, getting up at this time makes me feel like I've caught up on sleep but not wasting too much of my day cocooned.Then it's time for pancakes! My cooked breakfast skills are minimal and I'm not usually in the mood for a fry up but I have recently mastered pancakes. These will be traditionally filled with lemon and sugar or less conventionally, smothered in Tesco Bourbon spread (if you haven't tried this you are missing out!)

10.30am

After breakfast is all done and cleared up, time to have a nice long shower! Maybe then even do a face mask, do my nails etc! Then find something to do until lunch.Today has so far consisted of chilling out with the boyfriend while he watches the Grand Prix.

1.30pm

Make some lunch - usually whatever we can find as we've been too lazy to go food shopping. After lunch continue to chill out! If I wasn't too lazy and it was truly a perfect Sunday, I'd probably have a nice pasta salad!

3:00pm

Usually around this time I'm in need of some fresh air so I'll head down to the beach. Only a ten minute walk to the cliff top it would be rude not to head to the beach for a stroll (and maybe a mister whippy ice cream). My weekends aren't complete without visiting the sea, I can't imagine the sadness I would experience if I didn't live near the coast!

5:00pm 

The perfect Sunday definitely includes not having to cook but eating a scrummy roast dinner so I'll 

head over to my parents to catch up and eat dinner there. Tonight my Mum is making apple crumble
oh yeaaaaah!

8:00pm

Back home and to Face-time my boyfriend’s parents , who early this year moved to the US, and be jealous that they're still having nice weather, say hello to the puppy and catch up on any news! I can't wait to go over there again in November!

9:00pm

 TV on and I'll find something to watch for a little while and feel sad about the miserable fact that tomorrow will be Monday boooo. While suffering pre Monday blues, I'll usually write a to do list for the week to make myself feel organised and motivated for the week ahead.

10.30pm 

Get ready for bed and snuggle up with my kindle and read a few chapters of a book. I'm currently reading  Every Day by David Levithan, it's okay so far but has really got me gripped yet. If you've got any book recommendation then please let me know!

11.00pm 

…And sleep! Zzzzzzz

How would your perfect Sunday be? Let me know in the comments or tweet me @_bowandbuttons

Hayley x 

My Little Box- September

Let's start on a positive note... I adored this month's My Little Box! 

Now prepare yourself for whinging and whining. This box was supposedly dispatched on the 2nd September, it arrived today on 17th! Now, okay, fair enough the email did say it will be delivered by 20th September so technically it arrived on time. I could have accepted it and moved on if it wasn't for the fact that My Little Box posted spoilers on their Facebook page! Therefore I knew what the main item in the box was which totally ruined the surprise! I don't really know why they thought this would be a good idea when a lot of subscribers had been complaining that it was yet to arrive and that one of the main reasons why a lot of people love this box is the element of surprise. Admittedly, being impatient and upset I would be getting not be getting a surprise, I was thinking maybe this subscription isn't worth the hassle. But then this box of loveliness turned up at my door (delivered by the lovely delivery man who I've seen nearly every day this week, who must think I'm absolutely bonkers - one day I panicked because I couldn't see to sign the screen as I just got back from having tests done on my eyes at hospital and then other days I've had huge boxes delivered). Well that was a bit of a tangent...

The amazing contents of the September "My Little Fashion box" consisted of...

My Little Scarf
Mini Bottle of Cointreau
Nail Stickers
L'Oreal Keratase Hair Spray
La Roche-Posay BB Creme
"Red Dingue" My Little Beauty Lip Cream
Cocktail Recipes

I love all the products in this months box, although there are some products I will definitely use more than others! The scarf I will definitely wear, it's perfect for the transition between seasons and will go with absolutely anything. In some boxes this scarf was blue but I'm so glad I got the black and white pattern! The product I'm probably most excited about is the La Roche-Posay BB cream, I've never tried anything from the brand but I've heard good things and never found a BB cream that I've liked or that has suited my skin tone. This looks light enough for my skin and if the brand is as good as people say I'm sure I won't be disappointed! As for the nail stickers, they are something I might play around with but they're something my sister will probably be more interested in than me. Again, the lip cream, I don't ever feel confident enough to wear a red lip and think it brings out the redness of my spots (highly unflattering!). I am a bit disappointed that it couldn't have been a different shade seeing as there was a very similar shade from a different brand in the last box!

The cherry on top for me was the cute little bottle of alcohol and the cocktail recipes as it just such a good little added extra. Although I must admit I find it slightly confusing that it's in a September box when I'm thinking about cracking out the hot chocolates rather than mixing up a cocktail! Also slightly concerned that I think this went in all boxes despite the age....I may be wrong but I'm still not sure if its appropriate but all the same I love the extra touch!

Overall, I loved this box and despite the long delivery etc I will be continuing my subscription for another month. I'm already excited about the October box eeeeek!

Are you a subscibor of My Little Box? What did you think about this months box? Let me know in the comments or tweet me @_bowsandbuttons!

Hayley x 

September Summary

September flew by, I know everyone says that about every month but seriously, I literally don't even know where September went, especially as I usually find its a month that is a bit of a drag! I've been loving the start of the autumnal weather and tried to make the most of my time before entering the third and final year of my degree (scary!)

All in all it was a great month! The most exciting and biggest achievement was that I FINALLY  passed my driving test!! To some people this may not seem much but it was a real struggle and I thought I could never do it, but using all my determination and positivity I managed it! It's amazing what the results a positive attitude can have! (I think you can probably tell my excitement over this by the excessive amount of exclamation marks oops!)

After passing my driving test I was able to move back to my University home in the lovely Plymouth. I'm so happy to be back, and after a summer of working and driving lessons, I've finally got to spend some quality time with my boyfriend and just had time to relax. We also celebrated our two and half year anniversary this month, crazy!

Also for the first time since being at Uni I visited Cornwall, my boyfriend and I drove down to Looe which is a lovely little seaside place with lots of little touristy shops, rock pools and pasty shops. I definitely need to try to get down to Cornwall more before I move away from Plymouth next year!

Another first for this month is that I went to my first ever live rugby match (Exeter Chiefs vs Harlequins), to be honest I wasn't keen on the idea of going, but, I am surprised to say I actually really enjoyed it! I would even consider going again (and that's saying something!) I must admit I didn't understand all the rules but understood enough to know Exeter won (wooo).

Last month I said that I wanted to try and be a bit healthier during in September, I've got as far as purchasing an exercise bike and was being good at regularly using it but now uni has started up I'm not being as good (tut tut!).

One last thing that happened this month; I had a bit of a spur of the moment thing and had a fringe cut in, not sure I'm loving it that much and doubt it's going to be staying around to long!

Finally, my goals for October include continuing my attempt at being healthy, cracking on with dissertation work and also setting up society at University with my fellow blogger friend from Sweet Heart Fashion- which I am very excited about!

What did you achieve in September? Have you made yourself any goals for October?

Hayley x

August Summary

August has been a month of ups and downs, I haven't really accomplished anything significant but I have been working towards long term goals such as learning to drive and saving up money for my last year at University (scary!).

The time I have had free in August, I've definitely tried to make the most of, even if I just have a few hours free I'll make sure I spend some quality time with my loved ones, especially my lovely boyfriend. Living apart over Summer while not at Uni has proven to be pretty difficult with us both working and catching up with old friends in our home town. I've treasured the moments I've been able to spend with friends, my boyfriend and others but cannot wait until I finish my job next week and seeing everyone before returning back to University! 

This month's foodie photos featured above express my fight I've been having to stay healthy, I've tried and tried (and tried) to eat healthy when possible but my job gives me free (not so healthy) food and when I'm working 10 hour days it's extremely hard to resist. The magic stars represent eating and treating myself due to stress, it's not comfort eating exactly, more just nibbling in the evening as I haven't had the time to eat regular meals! I've set myself the goal of eating more healthy once I return to Uni, hopefully this will make things easier as I will be controlling what is in the cupboards! I also plan to start exercising in September... something that hasn't happened at all this month! It's not so much about losing weight just regaining body confidence and feeling healthy.

The top right photo is a picture I snapped before work one day, it's sometimes hard to see the silver linings but living near a place so beautiful is certainly one! I'll miss seeing the sea everyday and the peace of the mornings when no one is around. I definitely should take more time to appreciate this beautiful view more!

The last photo (an extremely grumpy selfie!) shows my determination to perfect a winged eyeliner look! I'm slowly getting there, I think it's looking pretty decent in this photo, if I say so myself! But some days it just doesn't go to plan, just me that has an inconsistent skill level in relation to winged eyeliner?! Other than that I've been keeping my makeup pretty natural but cannot wait to whack out the berry lip shades for Autumn/Winter!

September is full of hope and goals, I can't wait to pursue all the opportunities it will bring! During in this month I start back at Uni and begin the final year of my Psychology degree! Scary and stressful stuff but I can't wait for it! I also plan to make a schedule for posts for my blog and maybe start up a blogging series which once I'm back in a routine I will find time to do!

Have you done everything you wanted in August? What are your goals for September?

Hayley x 

Time for a Chat ❤

So, I realized I haven't actually done a chatty post on this blog yet! Therefore, I thought I'd formally introduce myself and just let you know a bit about me, the person behind this blog. I'm not sure where to start, maybe by the fact I'm suffering from shock that it's already March, I have literally no idea where time is going! I have one and half weeks of lectures left for this academic year, then I face horrendous exams and the realization that I only have one year of University left! As much as I enjoy University, I cannot wait to get on with my life and see what the future has to offer. I've been in education my whole life and I'm fed up of my life being defined by achieving grades; numbers and letters on pieces of paper! Although arguably University is a challenge in itself, I want to start challenging myself in ways that are worthwhile and achieve my goals. I guess you could say the aim of University is to get a good classification in order to get a job, but is it really that simple? I don't think so!

Anyway, bit about me and the future for this blog! So, if you are wondering I'm currently studying Psychology, regarded by many as a pointless subject, but of course I'd argue otherwise. I personally think it provides important insight and explanation to behaviour and reveals the capabilities of the human brain and body. Even if you wouldn't consider studying Psychology, I highly recommend for you to read about it, you might even discover for yourself how exciting and interesting it is!

On this blog, I don't just plan to talk about beauty but to express my thoughts and discuss topics which are  current and of importance (maybe even a few book reviews!). Of course, if you've read my previous posts it will be very clear that I'm a bit of a beauty junkie, in particular, in love with LUSH and I am highly supportive of their campaigns, which I'm sure I will discuss on this blog in the future. Other than that there isn't much else to know; I love living near the sea, writing and going shopping (obviously!).

I plan to regularly blog and I'd love to hear suggestions of what content you'd like to me to post!

Hayley x