Holiday checklist guideline xoxo

Sun, sand, sea and cocktails on the beach! Yes it’s time to get excited beautiful women around the world, after all your saving, workouts and ‘I’m going  on holiday’ conversations the anticipation is almost over! And here are a few tips on what to fill your suitcase with xoxo 

At the beach or by the pool

Beach bag (the roomier the better)
Beach Towel

Camera (don’t forget to pack the charger)

Hair ties or hair band - essential for ‘sea hair'
Sunscreen

Bikini
Sunglasses
A book or magazine

IPod

A large bottle of water

Flip flops

Hotel Room

Travel adaptor - Essential for all electrical goods
Extension lead – So the majority of your electrical goods can be plugged in at once
Phone charger
Spare plastic bags 

Tissue

Stereo speakers to plug your IPod

Bathroom

Face wash
Moisturiser
Shower gel

Body scrub

Face flannel
Body lotion
After sun

Diarrhea tablets

Insect bite cream
Tweezers - Don't forget to pack these in your suitcase and not your hand luggage
Toothbrush and toothpaste

Mouthwash
Razor and shaving gel (If you haven’t waxed)
Shampoo and conditioner
Deodorant
Pain killers 

First aid kit 

Toilet roll 

Shower cap

On the plane

Book, magazine, cross words or word search

Snacks
A warm blanket as not all airlines will provide this

Comfy socks
Passport
Travel insurance
Travel pillow

Travel sickness tablets

Your holiday wardrobe

Dresses (Day & evening)
Slippers, wedges, sexy heels and trainers (in case you decide to climb a mountain or a similar activity)
Shorts
Skirts
Maxi dresses

Maxi skits

Vests

Playsuits
Tops
Scarves
Jewellery/ Accessories
Underwear sets, also bras that can be worn with everything
Cardigan - in case it gets chilly

Handbags

Makeup and beauty bits

Hair straighteners
Hairdryer
Hairbrush and comb

Grease

Grease 

Wrapping Foam

Make-up bag which contains all your make-up

Face wipes

Nail Polish

Nail Polish remover 

Cotton wool/ cotton buds/ nail file

XOXO

Take control of your finances... xoxo

Money is a powerful tool and having it means we can enjoy benefits such as houses, cars, food, clothes, shoes, holidays, and so much more... But with so many things on offer how do we do this without a little overspending here and there? How do we stay on top of our finances? How do we regain control?

Here are some great tips from Lloyds TSB to help you stay on top of your finances and if you are in debt these tips are equally as good, they will provide you with a structure to help you overcome your mountain xoxo

What's coming in?

Try keeping a spending diary for a month. You'll be surprised! Start by jotting down all the money coming in to your household each month, such as salary, tax credits, child benefit, etc.

What's going out?

Next, you should write down all your household’s basic living expenses. This includes regular commitments, everyday spending and occasional spending. To help you do this, use your bank statements.

Bank online

If you have access to the internet, most banks allow you to manage your bank account online. You should log in regularly to check your spending and balance. You can also go online to view your statements and/or print them off if you need to. Doing this will help you identify your incomings and outgoings. You should always check your bank statements for anything amiss and cross-reference it with your list of outgoings.

Ring-fence your money

Open an additional current account so you can ring-fence enough money to cover your bills from one account and leave the rest in your other account for everyday spending. You’ll always have enough money to cover your bills, and you’ll know how much you have left to spend.

Spread it out

You may find that spreading larger payments over the year (for example, your car insurance or TV licence fee) makes more sense for you. Setting up a monthly direct debit to cover these payments can help you avoid the burden of a large lump sum, which can be helpful if money is tight.

Start saving your money

If you have some spare money at the end of the month, you should think about starting to save. Because whatever crops up in your life, whether it’s an unexpected bill, a sudden repair job, or a shock redundancy, having some savings squirreled away can help take care of it. There are several different ways to save, but if you want to access your money at short notice, then an instant access savings account is a good choice.

Think ahead

Avoid impulse buying! However, you need to be aware of your weak spots and allow for a little unplanned spending now and again. If you can plan your spending in advance, you're less likely to buy things you don't need or can't afford.

Bank that bonus

Put part of any pay rises or bonuses into a savings account, as long as you don't have any outstanding debt. If you do have debts, you should think carefully about whether you ought to pay these off before you ring-fence your extra money. If you’re a tax payer, you could make the most of your yearly tax-free savings allowance by opening an ISA.

Live a cash-based life

Consider withdrawing a fixed amount from your account at the beginning of the week and using this for all impromptu spending. But don't carry too much cash at any one time – only take what you think you will need each day to cover small purchases.

Monitor your budget

Once you've completed a budget plan, you'll immediately become more aware of your outgoings and what you have available to spend. You should keep track of your budget each month and make sure you update it whenever things change (for instance, if your utility bills go up during the winter months).

Remember, this is a process; try not to be too hard on yourself if it doesn’t go exactly as you planned, giving it your best effort is what matters. Good luck lovelies’ xoxo

You’re on the verge of getting SACKED when you ...

1. Show up late for work on a regular basis

2. Conduct personal business at work, i.e. using the company phone for personal calls, browsing the internet outside your lunch hour etc.

3. Refuse to follow instructions  

4. Inconsistency, i.e. missing deadlines, lack of attention to detail, lack of productivity

5. High level of absence including sick & AWOL (absent without leave)

6. Undesirable attitude or behaviour for the position you hold

7. Conflicts with Co-workers or Management 

This might sound ridiculous, who in their right mind would behave in this manner; but unfortunately it happens more often than not.
Abusing the rules of employment is not cool,  I felt compelled to share this with you! All the above are within your control so understanding the things you choose today will affect your tomorrow, is imperative. If you struggle with any of the above then try to, turn your circumstance around; this behaviour will only lead you to your P45 and a bad reference! xoxo

New year, new vision!!! Where is your vision board??? xoxo

What is a vision board? A vision board is a place where you can pour out the desires of your heart. Things you want to achieve, things that make you happy, things that challenge you to be a better person and so much more. It could either be a large board or wall which has a collection of thought provoking images, statements and single words.

Habakkuk 2 verse 2 – 3

  ²Then the LORD answered me and said,
         "Record the vision
         And inscribe it on tablets,
         that the one who reads it may run.
 ³"For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
         It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail
         Though it tarries, wait for it;
         For it will certainly come, it will not delay. 
Habakkuk 2 verse 2 – 3 instructs us to write our visions on a board plainly, so that we can be reminded to strive for our goals and a day will surely come that they will manifest.

Before you begin, it is important you take the time to ask yourself what you want. This may sound easy but some people have no idea, so take the time to search the desires of your heart. I recommend you have a notepad and pen close by so if you mind becomes flooded desires you can empty them onto the notepad. My vision board consists of things that are important to me, family, God, friends, statements of affirmation health and fitness; it also consists of who I want to become, what I want to achieve, things I want to purchase, places I want to visit etc.

When putting together your vision board it is important you put a combination of short, mid, and long term goals! This is because it will encourage a continuous cycle of success.

Once you have a clear idea of what you want begin to collect as many magazines as you possibly can, try not to limit yourself to one specific kind, variety is good! Tips - Fashion, Property, Cookery, Financial and travel brochures. 

Things you need, A) Pin board B) Drawing pins, sellotape or pritt-stick C) Scissors D) A stack of magazines.

Step 1: Go through your magazines and tear the images from them. No gluing yet! Just let yourself have lots of fun looking through magazines and pulling out pictures or words or headlines that grab your attention. 
Step 2: Go through the images and begin to lay your favourites on the board. Throw away any images that no longer feel right. You are now creating the body of your board so refer to your notepad for the guidance of your hearts desires.  As you lay the pictures on the board, you’ll begin to know how you want it to look; an example would be assigning a theme to each corner of the boar or you may just want your images all over the board. 
Step 3: Say cheese! Yes, this is optional of course; but adding a photo of you to your vision board could bridge the gap between a fantasy and a reality.
Step 4:  Time to stick everything down and anything else you would like; i.e. scriptures, catchphrases, statements of affirmation etc... You can paint it on, or stick blank pieces of paper on your board and write it on with markers! It’s up to you. 
Step 5: Hang your vision board in a place where you will see it as often as possible.
xoxo