Money Saving Tips & Ideas!

Before we get started, I just wanted to highlight that I'm definitely not an expert here. I'm a 21 year old with two jobs, who's quickly learning how to manage her finances and budget for nice things. It's not really something we're taught at school but luckily with things like the internet, I've discovered loads of great ways which work for me as a young person to save my pennies!

1 ♡ Get organised, have separate accounts & utilise banking apps!
I love having separate accounts so when payday comes along, I can move and organise my money accordingly and it really helps.

2 ♡ Sell your unwanted things!
I've done carboots in the past which, if you have the patience and time, are a great way to shift your old toys and clothes. I've also used eBay and Depop but you often have to watch those charges Paypal take too! There's loads of website these days to recycle your old DVDs, CDs, books and even phone handsets too.

3 ♡ Making cuts that work for you
This is a really personal thing but for me, I had to cut on things like magazine, getting my nails done and buying lunches. I even noticed I was picking up bottles of water which was unnecessary! As a young person, I don't have lots of bills but I did take the time to check my contracts and packages for things I pay for and surprised myself that I didn't need to be on the middle package for Netflix. There's tonnes of ways you can look at your current situation and start making cuts and better choices.

4 ♡ Saving on shopping
Why not get your haircut at your local college instead of the salon? Have you considered a railcard if you take the train a lot? Don't forget to scan your loyalty cards everywhere you shop, you could really save yourself some money! Especially supermarkets and price comparison vouchers they print for you.

5 ♡ Socialising
I've cut back on going out for so many meals and budget each month for 1 or 2 lunches and/or meals out with my friends. You can still invite them over and have a great time. However, when I do go out I love to use Voucher Codes to see if I can make a saving again.

6 ♡ Writing & sticking to a list
This will help you only buy what you need. It's so easy to get distracted, especially in supermarkets. Oh and if you're food shopping, don't go on an empty stomach! HAHA.

7 ♡ Managing your budget
I tried writing things in a notebook but it didn't work for me. I found an app called OnTrees which connects to my bank and shows me how and where I've spent and overspent each month. It works for me but look into ways you can calculate how much you earn and how much you can spend each month 

8 ♡ Piggy bank!
Pop your cash in a jar and away from your purse and you're less likely to spend it.

9 ♡ Walk away from things
When my friend Grace said to me in a shop recently, "I feel like I wouldn't miss this dress if I walked away" it made me realise I need to do this more often. Take a step back and think, "do I REALLY need this?".

10 ♡ Set yours goals & you'll get to where you want to be
I'm not here to tell you how or what to spend your money on but if like might you want to go on a big trip or you're saving for something like your wedding, whatever it is, try focusing your mind and money better and you will honestly get there in the end.

11 ♡ Unsubscribe from mailing lists
I noticed that whenever I get an email through from a brand with a deal, special offer or new collection, I more often than not click through and start online shopping for things I don't actually need. By unsubscribing, it's less tempting!

12 ♡ Earn some extra cash!
There's lots of great ways you can earn some extra cash, I've previously done surveys online and used websites like Quidco which give you money back when you buy things. I've also done mystery shopping in the past and if you're 18/19, it's worth checking out Serve Legal. You get paid to buy alcohol and see if they ID you. I did it for about 6 months at college. Or simply, you could just do some babysitting or dog walking for a neighbour or friend, it all adds up.

13 ♡ Keep your receipts
It's a great idea to keep receipts and go through them each month to make sure you're sticking to your budgets. Having it on paper in front of you is a really good reality check.

14 ♡ Credit cards & loans
To help buffer my funds for America, I got myself a credit card but you have to be super careful and responsible. If your credit rating is bad you can look at guarantor loans or borrowing from friends and family, if that's an option for you.

15 ♡ Haggle with your car insurance company
I recently had to renew my insurance and instead of just accepting the price they've-quoted me, I rung and asked what they could do. I saved £93 in about a 2 minute call, win!

So there we have it, loads of great ideas for helping pay off your debt, saving for that something special or if you're living within a tight budget. Whatever the case, we can definitely be better together and I hope this helped!

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Outfits for America | #SplashedByGeorge

If you've been following my YouTube and/or blog for a while, you'll know I'm off to America next month for three weeks trekking around the West Coast! In preparation for my trip, George at Asda kindly let me choose some clothes for my trip, to show three different ways I'd style a pair of denim shorts. For me, shorts are such a staple piece for a summer wardrobe, and there's tons of ways you could dress them up or down. Asda have a great range of jeans and denim right now! Read on to find out what I'm packing in my suitcase!

LUNCH IN LA

My first and last destination on the trip is LA. I'll be there for a day before my trek starts and a few days after it ends. LA is the type of place you can literally wear whatever you like however, as it'll still be a holiday for me, I wanted a nice bright top to keep me in the holiday vibe. This palm print cami is gorgeous and will work great with the shorts. I've also paired with a white cardigan and clutch as I wanted the focus on the top, as well as a little watch and sandals. I love the gold bar on the shoes, they look so much more expensive than they actually are. Plus, George do half sizes so I picked up a 6.5 which is a total win for me!

HIKING IN YOSEMITE

During my trek, we're stopping at the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Parks for a few days. I spotted this gorgeous navy/spotted pattern and couldn't resist the sports bra and the top! The sports bra is almost like a crop top though, so if you're feeling brave enough, you could just wear that and the shorts alone. However, I'll be mixing it up with a plain white tank top, or have the option for the top too. I also thought this bum bag would make a great addition for days when we're not walking far and I just want a few things on me. Pair with some trainers and this is an awesome outfit!

POOL IN VEGAS

To be honest, I'm not even sure we'll be chilling by a pool in Vegas however, if we do, I'm totally prepared now! Black is such a slimming colour and this bikini fits like a dream. I've paired with this black kimono which looks so nice together. When you're walking around and getting drinks in a hot country, sometimes popping your shorts on over your bikini makes you feel a bit more covered too. 

Massive thank you to Asda for providing me with all these lovely items for my trip! I'm so impressed with the choice, quality and price for everything, I'm definitely popping into my nearest store again very soon!

*PR Samples

Beauty Con 2015 ♡ #BeautyConLondon

What a weekend. I'm seriously gutted it's over! Beauty Con was a complete whirlwind of an experience and I loved every single minute of it. I stayed up in a hotel on Friday night and used my first Uber to get to the venue for the evening. Uber's are SO awesome, if you haven't got the app, DO IT. NOW. Oh and use my code for your first ride free? 0z924. You're welcome. ;D

Anyway, I stopped by the Style Haul Pre-Party at Dirty Bones and was so overwhelmed with how many YouTubers were in one room! There were so many massive names literally getting cocktails next to me, I was fangirling so much, hahaha! I managed to be brave enough to talk to and ask for selfies with a few of my favourites, but the evening was filled with a free bar, photo booth and meeting lots of lovely people. Great fun.

Saturday was Beauty Con day. Before I headed to the venue, I used an app called PRIV who kindly sent a stylist called Crystle to my hotel room to do my hair for me. We spontaneously decided to cut it and I'm SO glad she did, I felt a million times better on the day. It's amazing how something as small as having your hair done can give you a confidence boost. Massive thanks to PRIV for that, you brightened my day. 

I had low expectations of the day because I've done IMATS before and found it crowded and poorly organised. With Beauty Con though, everything ran SO smoothly and I stayed from 10am - 5pm. Once again, the amount of familiar faces that turned up was insane! It was like the place to be!! I was lucky enough to be on the Guest List for the show as 'Talent', meaning I had a purple wristband which got me backstage and in the Talent Lounge. I didn't do any panels or anything but when we arrived, the lovely staff asked if we wouldn't mind having a bodyguard whilst we mooched around the show. Jess, Tasha & I explained we aren't very big YouTubers and therefore didn't need one, but she said they had them ready and we'd look important with one. So YOLO and all that, we said okay and Miles our bodyguard quickly became our new buddy for the day. In fact, he actually came in super handy for photo moments, skipping queues and answering our questions. Not going to lie, we felt very VIP.

The day was amazing. I got to meet so many subscribers who watch and love my videos. They gave me such nice words of encouragement and we took lots of selfies. I was even asked for my autograph...twice! Bit of role reversal and I also got to do the same with some of my favourite YouTubers too. I smiled all day long and continued to fangirl when I saw people I knew and watched. It was honestly like my whole YouTube feed in one day.

Every single person I met was friendly and welcoming, the staff at Beauty Con were amazing and the day itself was super memorable. Massive thank you to anyone who said hello to me, my lovely management for organising, Jess & Tash for being the best company for the duration of the day, the brands who gifted me products, the friends who took photos with me and finally YOU, for making days like this possible for me.

Until next year!

My Trek Backpack | Steve Madden

I've been on the hunt for a perfect rucksack for my Trek America trip for quite some time. I originally bought a brown leather-looking drawstring one at the beginning of the year but it wasn't very practical for getting things in and out. It's stylist, and great for a day out, but not for trek. Plan B I got a proper material style rucksack in bright pink. It wasn't very expensive and I love it and use it for work all the time. I thought it would be my perfect trek bag, but the thick straps are a bit awkward putting on and off and pink just doesn't go with everything (sad, but oh so true...)

Plan C I knew exactly what type of bag I wanted, something that had elements of the other two, so you can imagine how pleased I was when I spotted this Steve Madden bag for £29.99 in TK Maxx. It's got these cool black straps that are easy to adjust, a large zip compartment and two front pockets. The colour is an almost off beige with contract coral on the zip and top handle. It's the ideal kind of bag for my trip, I'll fit everything I need inside and it's super comfy on my arms too.

Have you found any gems in TK Maxx recently? Be sure to catch up with my Trek America posts here!

See you at Beauty Con! ♡ #BeautyConLondon

How do I even begin to word this post without screaming with excitement? Okay, here it goes...
I'M COMING TO BEAUTY CON, YAY! 

Few. Sorry 'bout that. WAY too excited. Next Saturday 23rd May 2015, I'm going to be attending Beauty Con which is being held at London Olympia Exhibition Center. When I got the email asking if I'd like to attend, I legit thought it was so I could fan girl and meet some of my favourite YouTubers which to be fair, is pretty a cool invite I'd never say no to. Then I reread and realised, I'm on the guest list! How cool is that?!

For those unaware, Beauty Con is an event connecting to the heart of the internet. Similar to Summer In The City and VidCon, Beauty Con is a great opportunity to content with YouTubers, content creators and celebrities. There will be panels, Q&A's and a chance to meet lots of lovely people! Alongside stands with plenty of brands to visit and say hello to too.

Although I'm on the guest list, I'm not scheduled in for any panels so just keep an eye on me wondering around! Be sure to come and say hello so we can take a selfie, or tweet me and I'll let you know where I am! 

If you'd like to get tickets, click here!

See you there,

TOP 10 REVISION & EXAM TIPS! ♡

Exams, eurghh, no one likes exams. I used to get so nervous and worked super hard during my GCSE's to get all A-C's. Good news is, it's not THAT bad. Once they're over, you can have an amazing Summer and forget all about them. For now though, let's focus on getting through the next couple of months!

1 ♡ GET A CALENDAR! (or print one from Google)
I still do this now because I found it so helpful during my GCSE's and A Levels, but having a monthly calendar and jotting down all your exam dates is really going to focus you and make it nice and clear right in front of you. I also find a calendar handy for scheduling in revision slots. For example, for me when I was doing GCSE's, Monday would be School 9-3.15, revision 4-5pm, dinner and shower etc, then revision again 8-9pm before watching 90210, which used to be on at 9pm on E4. (OH THE MEMORIES). Anyway, print yourself a calendar and get organised. Which leads me nicely onto the second point...

2 ♡ ORGANISE.
Organise everything. Your time, location, notes, folders and life in general during the exam period. Even if you aren't really an organised kinda person it's going to really help you stay focused if you can plan and stay on top of everything. I even used to plan WHERE I was going to revise, because that'll help you stay focused too. Try and avoid your bedroom if you can and keep that as an area you sleep and relax in.

3 ♡ HOW TO REVISE.
There are tons of different ways to revise, you almost need to try a few to see what works for you. I personally used a variety during my exams. For French, I use to write parts of my speaking on A4 pieces of paper and stuck them all over my bedroom walls to help remember it. However, you might find that you work better studying in a group or speaking out loud to someone. Other techniques I loved were mindmaps/spider diagrams, lists and bullet points. I often re-wrote my notes out again which helped as I was actually taking the time to read them.

4 ♡ STATIONARY.
I know this might be an obvious one but having the right stationary is also going to help your revision. Sticky notes, book tabs and pukka pads are SO helpful and keep you focused. Speaking of stationary, you'll need to get yourself prepared for the actual exams too, which means a clear pencil case, spare pens and pencils and if you're doing a subject like Maths, you might need a proper scientific calculator too.

5 ♡ RESOURCES.
There are SO many resources around you these days so utilise them! BBC bitesize is just one of many websites which I personally loved using, I believe there are even apps these days too which might work for you and some of your subjects! Other helpful resources include revision guides, books and past papers. Make sure you check your exam boards and see what questions they've asked before, chances are yours might be similar.

6 ♡ TAKE BREAKS!
Don't overwork yourself. Simple. Remember to take those breaks!

7 ♡ REWARD YOURSELF.
Like I mentioned earlier, I used to revise up until 9pm on a Monday and reward myself by watching 90210 after. Maybe you can do the same and stick your favourite show or YouTuber on (plug plug hint hint ;) hahah) after you've finished revising. This will keep you stay motivated and encourage a nice healthy school/life balance.

8 ♡ STAY HYDRATED & HEALTHY.
It's so easy to pig out and eat loads of comfort food during exams but it's really important you keep your diet consistent and healthy. Don't skip breakfast and fuel up on something like porridge, those oats are going to give you energy. Try and avoid too much sugar and chocolate because the temporary high you get from the sugar-fix will be shortly followed by crashing blood-sugar levels, which can cause fatigue. Go for snacks like berries and nuts. It's also really important you try and get a good nights sleep, especially the nights leading up to your exams. 

9 ♡ WHAT'S THE WORST?
I think its really important to remind yourself this. If you put 100% into your revision and exams, really, what's the worst that is going to happen? If you fail (which you won't), you can re-sit exams, it's honestly not so bad. Lots of my friends re-did their Maths and/or English in their first year of A Levels so don't worry yourself so much.

10 ♡ DO IT FOR YOU!
It's easy to feel pressured by parents, teachers and even friends, I know first hand. Education is honestly one of the most valuable things you're going to be given and you should do it for you, because YOU want to succeed in this life. I know some of my friends had seriously pushy parents or teachers during exams and if that's the case, remind them you appreciate their encouragement but don't let anyone make you feel overwhelmed. My personal biggest problem when I was doing my GCSE's was comparing myself to all my friends. I ended up with all A-C's (which I was, and still am, proud of) and at the time was confused why I never got those A*'s. Simple answer is, at the end of the day you can only do your best, so don't compare yourself to others and do it for you.

I really hope these tips helped you and I wish you all the luck in the world with your studies! You'll smash them!

Collection 7 Day Wear & Long Lasting Nail Polishes ♡

Collection 7 Day Wear Nail Polish - £1.99* | Collection Long Lasting Nail Effects - £2.99*

Ooohhh, new nail varnishes!! *insert heart eyed emoji*. When these landed on my doorstep I literally had a little squeal. Collection are a brand I love a lot, they're so affordable and the quality never fails to disappoint me! Claiming to provide up to 7 days wear, these new nail varnishes are available in a range of 27 shades (RIP to the yellow one which broke in the post...) and an extra seven Long Lasting Nail Effects too.

So far, I've been trying White Frost and I'm SO impressed. I painted them in a total rush and two coats later they look really nice. With any nail varnish, I can normally get 2/3 days before chipping but I squeezed 4/5 days out of these without a top coat! Collection have a gorgeous 2 in 1 Top & Base Coat too so next time, I'm going to use that I'm pretty confident I'll get the full week's wear out of them.

For £1.99, you can't go wrong and with such a great colour range, why not pick up a few?! They're available in Superdrug from May 6th and in Boots from May 13th.

*PR Sample

Southampton Smashbox Event | #smashboxmeetup

[From left to right: Mandy, Ami, Brogan, Alice, Jess & Sarah]

On Thursday, I stopped by the Smashbox counter at Boots outside West Quay in Southampton. The lovely ladies Jo & Katie talked us through all the gorgeous new goodies from contour sticks to lippies!

As there were only six of us, it was great to get a more one-on-one chat starting with a lesson on contouring! I have to admit, I've never been good at doing the full contor, brozing, blush and highlighting before. I mean, I obviously know what they all are but when it comes to my face shape and applying on myself, I normally wing it! We learnt where to apply and the best use of the products. Jo showed us how easy contouring can be with these new sticks, the product glides on the skin and is super easy to blend. They're £35 for all three, including a shapener. They looked and sounded amazing! I also noticed how she applied underneath make up, and Alice's skin looked so natural and glowing!

Alongside the contor sticks we also talked about the new Primer Water which I LOVE and have already reviewed here (Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water). It's an amazing product for priming and setting make up. There's also a few new lipsticks, the colour Mulberry being my favourite. If that's not enough, we also got to try the new Photo Angle Pure Pigment Gel Liners which are super pretty too. Jo applied the purple one on Sarah and it looked gorgeous with her glitter gold shadow, I wish I got a close up now!

I'm so impressed with how many new products Smashbox are releasing and can't wait to try the few I got in my goody bag too! Thanks again for having us Smashbox, see you next time!

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water - £20.00

For someone who has really dry/eczema-prone skin, I love primers and setting sprays. They're great to prevent foundation from going patchy (eurgh, never a good look!). I've repurchased and loved MAC Fix+ for a few years and never really come across anything similar which I personally felt was worth purchasing over. I'd heard so much about Smashbox primers, so when I saw this I instantly added to my wishlist and for my 21st birthday, decided to splash out and pick it up. Here's my verdict...

First impressions I wasn't sure, I couldn't work out if it was actually doing anything. It wasn't until about two weeks later that I started spraying it before AND after applying make-up, so essentially using as a primer and a setting spray. I then really started to notice how amazing my skin was! Even during my 'time of the month' when my skin always breaks out, it was clear and fresh. I had more make-up free days than normal because I was feeling so confident.

I couldn't understand why my skin was so lovely because my diet hadn't changed and neither had any of my skincare or daily make-up. The only thing I'd changed was this and now after a solid 6 weeks of using it, I can honestly say I'm quite confident it's the source to helping keep my skin clear AND keeping my make-up on! WIN!

I went to a Smashbox event for the launch of their new contour sticks last night and I was chatting to the make up artists about it. They explained that it's because the product is silicone-free and contains a thing called electrolytes to wake up skin and restore moisture, hence why my face has probably been feeling fresher!

If that doesn't highlight just how much I love this well then...I love it. A lot. MAC Fix+ is very much on par, I like them both but this actually primes my face too which is amazing. It's a super light-weight mist with a gorgeous rose scent too. I know it looks like water in a bottle but honestly, I'd 100% recommend.