Tag Archives: Lifestyle Blog UK

4 Incredibly Thoughtful Gifts

July 4, 2017 By in Lifestyle Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 23 Comments

I love giving and receiving incredibly thoughtful gifts. I like the idea that a loved one took out the time to think of a perfect gift for me. The price tag rarely ever matters, although I must confess, I do like a bit of luxury, and they tend to be expensive, but then again, it is the thought that really counts.

I have recently come across a few online retail shops that sell some of the most thoughtful gifts ever. One of these stores is Uncommon Goods. I have been busy browsing the websites for some unique gifts for men, as well as other gifts. I have a few events coming up, so I need to get some amazing gifts sorted as soon as possible.

Uncommon Goods is all about products that contain recycled components. You will never catch them selling products containing leather, feathers or fur, as they are committed to selling products that do no harm to people or animals, which I think is brilliant.

Here are some thoughtful gifts that caught my eye –

 

PhoneSoap Smartphone Sanitizer

PhoneSoap Smartphone Sanitizer Image

I think this is a very thoughtful gift. We all know how dirty our smartphone gets, and majority of us hardly remember to give it a good wipe every now and again. That is where this PhoneSoap Smartphone Sanitizer comes in. I like the compact look of it, it would be very useful around here. I would love to be able to clean my phone on the go, and it would make a great gift as well. What do you think?

 

60 Hour Candle

60 Hour Candle Image

I love having candles around the house. I love the fragrances of most and I think they make great presents for candle lovers. This 60 Hour Candle looks amazing. It is designed to burn longer than traditional shaped candles, so it is a good value for money. I have never seen anything like it. It is definitely a great gift idea. Do you agree?

 

Personalised Cutting Board

Personalised Cutting Board Image

I saved the most thoughtful gift idea for last, with this stunning personalised cutting board. I think it would be a great personalised wedding present idea. I would love to have this in my kitchen. I have a kitchen space it would fit in nicely.

 

Kissing Lovers Sculpture 

Kissing Lovers Image

I love this Kissing Lovers Sculpture. The tender soapstone sculpture hand-carved by Shona artisans in Zimbabw, is a beautiful art, shaped from a single stone. This sculpture illustrates the unbreakable bonds of love and it would make a great anniversary gift.

What do you think of these gifts? Sound off in the comments section below.

Thanks for reading.

*Collaborative post.

The Best Time to Freelance is Now

July 1, 2017 By in Freelancing/Self-employed Tags: , , , , , , , , , 44 Comments

I always tell people how fortunate I am for being able to freelance. Ever since I decided to leave my 9-5, my life has changed for the better. I am able to do more with my life and be there for my family while making sure that all our needs are met.

 

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Many people have come to embrace the laptop lifestyle of freelance writers. And once they made the shift, they never looked back. If you are contemplating going freelance, I would advise you to go for it! It is the best thing that ever happened to me.

Here is a list of the reasons why I would continue to freelance until I am old and grey.

 

You’re able to work from anywhere

The first thing you’d notice about working as a freelancer is that you are no longer restricted to a cubicle. This gives you a sense for freedom. You can literally take your work anywhere you go. From your favourite café down town, to the beautiful sandy beach in a magnificent resort, you can turn anywhere into your office. This is something that you don’t get to do in your 9-5.

You are your own boss

Instead of being an employee in someone else’s business, you have a business of your own. You determine your starting and closing time, the salary you give yourself and how much work you want to do. Being your own boss gives you a sense of control. You do not work under anyone and you are not subject the dictates of anyone.

You make the major decisions in your business and you can run your business the way you want to. The type of projects that you take up is at your discretion. You can choose the type of projects that you would like to work on. You also have the freedom to choose the clients you want to work with.

 

 

Coin Necklace Picture

Flexible working hours

Since you are your own boss and that you can work anywhere you want to, you also have control over the time you spend working. You’re the one who calls the shots on your own working hours. You can work the whole day if you so with or work all through the night. You can choose to work weekends or weekdays.

Being a freelancer gives you the opportunity to set your schedule. The flexible working time gives you a chance to spend time with the family and be there for them any time you wish. The means that you never have to miss your child’s dance recital or any special moments.

You determine your level of income

Unlike a brick and mortar institution, where you have to wait or work extremely hard to get a raise or earn a bonus, as a freelancer you are in charge of how much you earn. If you want to earn more money then you can either raise your rates, boost the levels of your sales or offer more services in order to get the income that you desire.

 

Are you a freelancer? How are you finding it?

 

 

An Expensive Taxi Ride

June 29, 2017 By in Lifestyle, Travel, True Stories Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , 25 Comments

The holiday season is upon us and most of us are getting ready to jet off. I am badly in need of a holiday; a break from the real world, so I have a few holidays planned for the rest of the year, and I shall be sharing more on that soon. I have not done as much travelling in the last few years, but I am hoping to make up for that in the coming months.

Speaking of holidays, one of my most memorable trips was my first trip to Dubai a few years ago. I have been to Dubai twice now, and I think it is a great holiday destination for everyone. There is so much to do and see in Dubai; it is a country I don’t think I would ever get tired of visiting.

 

Dubai Dessert

 

Having said that, I remember my first time in Dubai, and the first few hours not being as amazing as I imagined it would be. After the incredibly long wait at the airport to get through immigration, we quickly grabbed our luggage and got a taxi to our hotel. We got into a taxi that ended up being a nightmare. The taxi driver informed us that he was charging us separately for the ride to our hotel. I found this weird, and deep down, I knew he was trying to play a fast one, but it was late at night in a country we have never been to, and I was too tired to argue, so we agreed.

I insisted he gave us receipts to confirm payments, which he reluctantly did, After speaking with the concierge at the hotel, it was confirmed that the taxi driver cheated us by charging us twice the amount for our trip. We later spoke with the taxi company and the police even got involved at some point. To cut the very long story short, we got our money back and the driver was giving a warning from the police.

I recently came across this infographic by The Taxi Centre, and I saw the funny side to it. It got me thinking of how expensive taxi rides can be, and how the fares quickly add up when you are on holiday. Especially if you are unlucky enough to get scammed like we were.

Most of us are usually left at the mercy of taxi drivers on holiday, especially when travelling with young children or when your hotel is not close to any other means of transport. We are left hopping from one taxi to the other, and it can leave a massive hole in our holiday money purse.

The cost of the taxi fares on this infographic are exorbitant, but I do get the message. If taxi rides are expensive for people like us, I can only imagine what the footballers and their managers have to pay out.

 

Football-Infographic-image

 

The figures on this infographic made me laugh. I am very aware of how much money goes on taxi rides, so I am very observant when I am in a taxi, especially in a foreign country. I check the meters, if any, to make sure I am paying the right amount, and not an amount the driver thinks I should pay. And I will never be made to pay a taxi fare twice ever again.

Do you struggle to keep up with the cost of taxi fares when on holiday? Do you have any tips or horror taxi stories to share?

 

 

*Collaborative post.

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