There are sooo many expenses for families at this time of year; Christmas, school holidays, the plethora of summer ice creams and activities, chased by the Back to School series of shopping expeditions. January can put a massive strain on the family finances. Postie+ surveyed …
The past 3 weeks have felt long and luxurious. Work has slowed after a manic end to 2016 and I’ve been rediscovering (and prioritising the things that make me happy; my family, my health, my home, travel and……..reading. I’m on my 6th book since December …
Forget everything you thought you knew about Macaroni Cheese. This is the easiest, quickest, most delicious Macaroni recipe you will ever make. One pan. One step. Forget about boiling pasta, making a sauce, draining the pasta, combining the ingredients, baking……………this is too easy! Dave and I whipped this up in 20 minutes, seriously.
Press play to watch the 1 min video and check out the recipe below.
[yumprint-recipe id=’12’]
Despite my sensibilities saying otherwise, packing up the kids and heading to Queenstown the Monday before Christmas was a genius idea – a trip I’m keen to repeat each December as a respite from the madness that is Auckland during peak retail season. Trading the …
January and all of the new beginnings a fresh, unsullied year brings leads to much self-reflection – sometimes. It can also lead to complete and utter flagellation of self as we go nuts on the bubbles, the bbq’s, the ‘amazing sales’, the realisation that the …
I’ve written before about certain milestones that signify the one-way, no-turning-back transition into adulthood; purchasing a brand new bed (this is HUGE!), making a will, solving problems with wine, admitting that Friday nights in with Netflix trumps all etc, etc.
Possibly preceding all other mature financial decisions is the realisation that we need to protect the things we love and those we’ve worked hard to acquire.
We need to insure our stuff. Fact.
My initial experience with insurance was when I took proud possession of my first car – a 1977 Ford Escort Station wagon purchased for me by my parents. They insured the car for me with their provider and I kid you not, 20 years later our vehicles are insured with the same provider!
Convenient? Yes. Smart? Maybe not.
I had a firm perception that shopping for insurance was a boring, expensive, confusing and arduous exercise – possibly why I hadn’t bothered to shop around for my vehicle policies in over 20 years lol?! Forget the ‘need’ for a broker and forget about ‘Insurance Apathy’, it’s easier (and more important) than you think to get your insurance ducks in a row and do it at a great price.
Continue reading Smart Money – Make Insurance a Non-negotiable Expense
Baking with kids is awesome at any time of year but the mess is exponentially MORE enjoyable when you get the littlies in the kitchen at Christmas time. I bake shortbread every Christmas to gift to our neighbours, my Scottish Pop, kindy teachers and anyone …
I’m seeing a lot of awesome new products each week so thought it was about time I curated these new releases into a regular ‘Hot List’ that’s short and snappy, giving you guys the lowdown on the latest and greatest from brands we love. What’s …
‘IF’ I was an organised shopper and had nearly finished purchasing, wrapping and hiding gifts (I’m not, I’ve barely begun my Christmas Shopping!), then I’d probably be ready for the fun of filling the stockings with those ‘little’ things that often bring some of the biggest smiles on Christmas Day.
I think a really good Christmas stocking is a combo of those things your recipient needs, but always forgets to buy, wants (but may not need) and fun things they just straight up don’t know they want or NEED lol.
Plus scorched almonds of course – don’t forget those.
So, I’ve done the legwork for you here and put together the Ultimate, never to be bested, Guide to Stocking Stuffers under $20. These items are all in stock at Not Socks (at least until you guys go shopping and clear them out!) and are ready to be hustled over to your place, in time for Santa’s arrival.
Have a browse and look out for how to win yourself a $50 voucher to spend at Not Socks this Christmas!
Waterproof Phone Bags $19.95, Simple Sucker Phone Mount $14.95, Chocolate Christmas Crackers $19.95, Shower Drink Holder $21.95, Beer-o-Meter Fridge Magnet $17.95, Gasmate Digital Probe $14.95
Omg Dads and husbands are the hardest to shop for right? I’ve been married 12 years and still have not perfected the art of man-shopping, but I’m pretty certain that you’re good to go with ALL of these ideas. That shower beer (cocktail/wine?) holder is genius!
Hello, It’s Tea Travel Mug $17.95, Avo Seedo $19.95, Aqua Notes Waterproof Notepad $14.95, 3m Charging Cable $11.95 (Android here), MOR Marshmallow Hand Cream Christmas Cracker $14.95, Diamond Life earrings $14.95, Boho Glass and Copper Trinket Box $19.95
Ahhh, shopping for Mum. That would be me. I know you’re probably looking at the image above and thinking wtf is a phone charging cable doing smack-bang in the middle, looking special. At the end of the day, when I’m exhausted (but will end up spending at least an hour squinting at my phone in bed) I don’t want to have to snuggle up to a powerpoint, just imagine the freedom of a 3 metre long charging cable? I imagined it……..and I bought it. Mum will love it I promise x
Glow your Own Paint $12.95, KidLife Tee $19.95, Monkey Emoji Pillow $19.95, Unicorn mood Light $19.95, Quoit Set $19.95, Emoji Lip Gloss $7.95, Emojinal Liquid Pencil Case $15.95
I find shopping for kids over 8 years old almost as difficult as shopping for a Dad that doesn’t drink beer. There are only so many iPhones you can put in a Christmas stocking before enough is enough – Ha! I have a 12 year old boy and he would be stoked to get an emoji pillow, apparently his whole life can be summarised using emojis! Seriously, take my advice – it’s a winner folks.
Mini Ice Cream & Pear Decorations $9.95, Finding Dory 35 Piece Puzzle $6.95, Superman Bib with Cape $17.95, Play n Store Toy Bag $19.95, Baby’s First Smart Phone $17.95, Inflatable Crab Arm Bands $19.95
Ahhh little people. The easiest to shop for. They LOVE everything you give them………except for clothes. Toddlers hate getting clothes for Christmas. My top pick out of this bunch is the drawstring toy bag, no more dangerous Lego waiting to maim a bare foot this summer sounds like a Christmas Miracle!
Wouldn’t you love to finish (or start, no judgement here!) your Christmas shopping with some relaxed online gifting at Not Socks?
To enter to win an e-voucher, leave me a comment below and tell me which gift from the ‘Ultimate, never to be bested, Guide to Stocking Stuffers under $20’ would you choose for one of your loved ones this Christmas.
Competition closes 16th December 2016 NZ residents only.
Thanks to Not Socks for teaming up with me on this post.
A couple of things happened online this week here in the New Zealand ‘blogger/influencer’ scene that really got me thinking about what it means to be ‘working’ in this online industry that is built upon…..um……nothing really. Nothing but a bit of talent and if talent is …
