Tania Michele: November 2021

Monday, 29 November 2021

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Month

After the last couple of years where I'm sure we've all struggled, I've had to try hard to find some positives to keep me going. I've tried to find a good moment in each day, or a moment from the month that has made me smile and feel happy. Here are my 10 things from the past month or so that have put a smile on my face!

Putting up the Christmas tree and decorations early
Getting to see my friends
Having a really good meal at a local restaurant
Watching Moana on Disney+
Listening to 'Welcome To The Black Parade' by MCR on full blast in the car on my late night drive home!
Having a lunch day with my Mum
I'm A Celebrity is back on TV!
Having a week off of work
Having a shopping day at Bluewater with Nicola
Making my £1000 target in extra income this year! All from Depop, blog posts, MusicMagpie and other places.

What have been your positives from the past few months? Let me know! Hope you have a great day and keep safe :)

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Friday, 26 November 2021

Protecting Yourself When You Hit the Road*

Image Courtesy of Pixabay

There are many ways to travel, yet driving across a beautiful country or two is on the bucket list for most people. Take Route 66, for example. Is there a more iconic destination? However, before you set off on your grand adventure, you should be aware that protecting yourself when you hit the road is perhaps the most crucial part of your vacation. Protection comes in various forms and includes insurance, planning and respecting the weather.

Find the Necessary Insurance

Insurance is a vital part of travel. Anything can happen while on vacation, and you need cover for such things as theft, accidents and healthcare. For instance, you might find the best motorcycle accident attorney in the country useful following a collision. But without insurance, you will have a difficult time defending yourself. Additionally, with the Covid-19 pandemic still active in many nations, you must find cover for the illness. If you don't, you run the risk of expensive medical bills in a foreign country. There might also be legal penalties.

Always Take Supplies

Further to finding the proper legal representation and insurance, you will protect yourself more by taking adequate supplies. Being on the road is fraught with dangers, and anything can happen at any time. For example, you might get a flat tire halfway across an isolated desert road. And it could be twenty miles from the nearest help. Therefore, food, water and a heat source would be highly beneficial. Always try to think of things that can go wrong and what you might need in those scenarios. Just a blanket can mean the difference between life and death.

Be Aware of Local Laws

Depending on where you live, you might be liberalized and able to do pretty much what you please so long as it doesn't affect anyone else. According to your country's laws, you might enjoy the freedom of expression and free speech. Unfortunately, not everyone gets to indulge in such liberties. Some nations are strict about what you can do and say. For example, suppose you feel like a road trip through the Eastern Bloc nations. In that case, you must do your homework about local laws. For example, it is illegal to open a beer in the street in Poland, and food from the US is prohibited in Russia.

Know the Tourist Locations

There's not a single nation on the planet that doesn't have its criminal element. Typically though, most crime occurs in certain areas. And while tourist locations aren't free from corruption, you will be a lot safer if you stick to them. Fortunately, official and travel websites and blogs are excellent for local tourist information. Therefore, it is helpful to plan your journey through as many tourist locations as possible. This is also a great way to get to know a country since resorts, city centres, and family sites are often any nation's most culturally rich areas.

Plan Your Route

Further to know where the safest tourist locations are, it is highly advantageous to plan your holiday before setting off. Planning not only keeps you on track but allows you to take advantage of amenities along the way. For example, you can map out a journey that takes you through historic towns. Or you can plan so you are never more than a few miles away from help should anything happen. Traditional maps are a great way to prepare before you leave. However, modern GPS systems and apps like Google Maps provide specific information live updates.

Keep a Backup Phone

It's probably safe to assume you own a cell phone or smart tv device of some kind. As helpful as your personal phone is, purchasing a cheap but reliable backup phone might be beneficial. Keeping a backup phone will come in handy should something happen. Such things include losing your phone, having it stolen, or, more likely, running out of charge. You can get a cell phone very cheap these days. Just make sure you load it up with some of the apps you might need and fully charge it. Then switch it off and keep it somewhere safe until you need it.

Beware the Weather

As with travelling anywhere, you are beholden to the weather. We don't like to think we are held hostage by local climates, but we are. Fortunately, checking the weather report is easier than ever. With apps, internet connections and local TV and radio stations, you can get live updates concerning the weather wherever you are. However, you should still prepare for a change. For example, a trip through the rolling hills of the UK can change at the drop of a hat. The British weather is notoriously unpredictable, and there are many other places like it.

Thursday, 25 November 2021

Making Money Doesn't Have To Be Complicated*

If you have been thinking about ways to make more money recently, then you might be coming up blank. It’s true to say that when you are working and trying to balance everything else around you, it can get a little bit tough and sometimes you do have those brain freeze moments where you’re not sure what to do next. However, there are some options that you can consider to make everything a little bit easier for you. In this article, that’s what we’re going to be looking at, so keep reading down below if you would like to find out more.

Link Image - CC0 Licence

What You Love

The first thing that you are going to need to do is look at the things that you love. If you have a passion for something, you may well be able to turn this into something that you can make money from. There are people who won’t want to do this as they will be worried about tainting their passion in some way by involving money, but that’s entirely up to you. You need to think carefully about how you are going to turn the thing that you love into something that makes money though. For example, you might want to sell some of the art that you have created, or you might want to start a blog.

Think carefully about all of your options before you commit to one. For example, if you have a passion for gaming, then you might want to look into something on this side of things. Keep in mind that someone out there started the first high-performance Ark server hosting service, so why can’t you start something new?

Side Hustle

Of course, you can look into a side hustle to bring in some extra cash each month aside from your day to day job. The great thing about a side hustle is that they are entirely flexible, meaning that you don’t have to panic or stress about things overlapping. You get to choose when you work, and you get to choose what you charge. It works out well for everyone once you decide what you are going to do. A couple of examples of typical side hustles are dog walking, child minding, blogging and yard work.

Make sure that you are advertising your service so that people know who you are and what you are providing for people. Use social media to put the word out and you can even print flyers if you want to.

Extra Hours At Work

CC0 Licence - Pic Source

There is the option of asking your boss for extra hours, but there is no way to know if there is going to be any available at any given time. You would be rolling the dice here on whether or not you are going to get any, but if you know there is generally a lot of overtime available at the business you work for, this shouldn’t be an issue. Talk to your boss, let them know that you need some extra cash and hopefully they will see what they can do for you.

If nothing happens, go back and have another talk with your boss. We’re sure that there will be a few hours available at the very least.

Sell Old Items

The final thing that we are going to mention is selling your old items. This is a great way to get some extra cash and clear out your home at the same time. Go through the rooms of your home, decide what things you don’t want anymore, put them all together and then you can decide how best to sell them. There are plenty of online platforms that you can use that are pretty simple to grasp. You just take photos, upload them, enter your price and then see who is willing to purchase them. Or, you can head to somewhere like an organized event and sell your items there. It’s entirely up to you.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you can do in order to make money. One of the things that we want you to understand is that it doesn’t have to be as complicated as you are making it out to be in your head. It can be a simple process, you just need to know what you are doing and come up with a plan for success. We wish you the very best of luck.

Wednesday, 24 November 2021

November Playlist

Hello everyone!

Another month, means another playlist! I love sharing my songs that I enjoy each month with you, so here are some songs I've been enjoying recently!

Lady Gaga -Scheiße

The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

Elton John & Dua Lipa - Cold Heart

Taylor Edwards - Call Your Sister

Avril Lavigne - Bite Me

Gabriella Cilmi - Warm This Winter

Lil Nas X - That's What I Want

Jonas Brother - Who's In Your Head

Macy Gray - Witness

Have you heard of any of these song, and if yes, which ones? Let me know! Hope you have a great day and keep safe :)

Sunday, 21 November 2021

Ways I've Saved Money This Month

This month I have really been trying to save some money, or at least stop myself spending as much. I've been so bad in the past few months with my silly spending, that I finally had to have a little chat with myself about it and figure out a way to save some cash. There are definitely more ways that I could cut back and stop doing certain things, but these are the ones that have slightly helped me a little in the past few weeks!

Deleting Phone Apps

I hold my hands up to this and will admit that I have spent far too much on phone games and other apps since January, and it wasn't until the end of October that I realised just how much each month. It wasn't anything expensive, but the small totals of 79p and £2.99 here and there was adding up. As much as I enjoyed these games to pass the time, I chose to delete them all. I've kept a couple that I know I hardly spend anything on, or don't use as frequently, but the ones I was purchasing from almost daily had to go. And so they did.

Less Takeaways

I'm still struggling with this a little, but I'm trying my best to cut back on the spending on fast food, and actually eating what I have indoors already. I need to get back into food planning again! I try to limit myself to one a week at the moment, but this doesn't always go to plan... So hopefully this month I can try and get this down.

Selling Items

Buy selling my items via Depop and Facebook Marketplace, I had a room clear-out to see what I could get rid of. By doing this, I found a bunch of items and goodies that I forgot I had, and would have more than likely re-bought them or something similar. I've now been using these items a lot more and not randomly buying things I genuinely don't need right now.

Cancelling Subscriptions

A simple one for saving money! If it's a subscription that I no longer use or need, or maybe even used for a while, I've cancelled it. My Cricut monthly fee wasn't high, but I wasn't really using it at all to get the benefits. Cancelled it before this months payment.

What ways have you been trying to save money in the past month? Let me know! Hope you have a great day and keep safe :)

Wednesday, 17 November 2021

Budget Friendly Home Renovations The Whole Family Will Love*

Home renovations are a great way to add value to your property and make it a more comfortable, attractive place for you and your family. But not all home renovations need to be expensive to provide the desired result. There are many simple ways for homeowners with limited budgets, or skill sets can spruce up their homes.

Photo by Monstera from Pexels

1 New bathroom

New bathrooms are one of the most popular renovation projects among homeowners due to their high return on investment. However, it is not unusual for some homeowners to spend more than $10,000 when remodelling their bathroom, thanks to modern design trends and pricey fixtures. But there are ways you can keep your costs down without compromising quality or comfort by spending less money on essentials while also using inexpensive materials that will still look great after years of wear and tear. For example, ceramic tile makes a suitable alternative to expensive options like marble tiles because they're tough enough for everyday use in kitchens and bathrooms while providing an elegant appearance at almost half the cost!

2 Kitchen upgrades

Kitchen renovations are also widespread among homeowners, but this doesn't mean that they have to be expensive. There are several simple ways you can improve your kitchen without breaking the bank by simply choosing affordable options for appliances and fixtures while still getting what you need from them. For example, instead of going with stainless steel appliances that may cost hundreds if not thousands more than traditional models, consider white or pastel finishes that can add value to your home!

3 The nursery

A nursery in a new home is often one of the first rooms to be renovated by young parents. However, it's not unusual for them to spend more than $10,000 on building an impressive baby room which may include expensive cribs and dressers - but there are ways you can make this renovation budget-friendly without compromising quality or safety! For example, instead of buying that nursery glider chair with built-in storage at the mall (which costs hundreds if not thousands), why not consider refurbishing your old living room recliner because they're just as comfortable while providing additional storage space? You can even look at buying some viral baby accessories from Foryourlittleone to create the most beautiful nursery; when you use more accessories, you'll be able to play with more colours and textures than usual.

4 Some landscaping

It's a well-known fact that landscaping is one of the quickest ways to add value and curb appeal to your home. But it can also be expensive if you don't know where to look for affordable options! So, instead of going with traditional lawns or flower beds, why not consider using gravel which may cost half as much while still providing an attractive appearance? In addition, there are other budget-friendly alternatives such as ornamental grasses, which offer plenty of colour without breaking the bank!

There are many simple ways to improve your home even if you have a limited budget by just spending less money on essential items while still maintaining comfort, safety and aesthetics.

Monday, 15 November 2021

My Current A-Z Of Fave TV Shows!

If you've been on my blog for any amount of time, you probably stumbled across one of my many A-Z lists! I love trying this out for a range of categories, and I thought I would do a new updated one, as the last time I did this was in October 2017, and some of my answers are different now!

A - America's Got Talent
B - Bridgerton
C - Chicago Fire / PD / Med
D - Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making The Team
E - Ellen
F - Fbi / International /Most Wanted
G - Grey's Anatomy
H - Home Edit: Get Organised
I - I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!!
J - Jeopardy!
K - Keeping Up With The Kardashians
L - Law & Order: SVU
M - Married At First Sight
N - Naked Attraction
O - Office, The
P - Planet Earth
Q - Quantico
R - Rupaul's Drag Race US/ UK
S - SWAT
T - The Grand Tour
U - Unsolved Mysteries
V - Voyager, Star Trek
W - Witcher, The
X - X Factor, The UK / USA
Y - You've Been Framed
Z - (nothing for this one!!!)

# - 911 / 911: Lone Star

So other than a few where I had to cheat a little, this was harder than I thought! Very limited selection of tv shows beginning with certain letters... Like any of these tv shows yourself, and what would your answer be for each letter? Let me know! Hope you have a great day and keep safe :)

Friday, 12 November 2021

3 Things You Should Do When Bored*

pixabay.

Boredom is not something we can escape, sooner or later it will pop its little head out from under the carpet. When you're sitting at the hospital waiting for your appointment, or in line at the fast-food drive-thru, or when you are waiting for your spouse to finish trying on clothes at the store, you will want something to make the time fly by. So in the modern world there is no shortage of things you can do. You have a little rocket of a computer in your pocket, you can do anything with it. Here are some things that we think you should try out when bored.

Join GoodReads

Goodreads is an online book club that is perhaps the number one place to be if you love reading novels. They have every category under the sun, from fantasy, epic, mythic, horror, mystery, fiction, historical, magical, dystopian, etc. The book club is great for talking about books with other people, as they have open forums for anyone to join and chuck in their two cents. It's also where you can learn about new releases, what their stories could mean and you also get to hangout with the author. Many authors have question and answer periods on GoodReads which is where many of their fans gather to ask them about their books past and future. If you love to read and want to share your opinion about a book, then download the GoodReads app.

Card shark

If you love card games, then maybe checking out a few OnlineCasinos is the way to go. You can play games like blackjack, poker, go fish, gin, rummy and patience to name a few. All of these games are easy to pick up and play, they require skill to become good at and beat seasoned opponents but there is always some kind of luck involved. That is part of the right though, you never know what’s going to happen and you could get out skilled by an opponent and yet out luck them to take the pot. If you like to play other games too like roulette and craps, then you can play these games in the casinos online as well.

Read an essay

There are many good reasons why you should read an essay. It's not just to study how to formulate your own arguments, but also, there are some things that we need to know before we understand our own understanding of a subject. There are great essays published in established media outlets such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Times. They could be about climate change, social unrest, political dilemmas, the state of professions such as law, science and engineering. Or it could be about particular issues that concern the writer only. You can easily read 500 words in about 3-5 minutes so if you have time, you could get through a 2000 word essay in less than 10 minutes.

What do you do when you are bored? Do you find some new game to play? Do you read a book? Or do you concern yourself with contemporary talking points?

Tuesday, 9 November 2021

20 Lifestyle Blog Post Ideas | 2021

I've been blogging since October 2013, on and off anyway, I've done quite the variety of posts and topics over that time. I've also had a blog schedule where I crazily decided to post every day for over four months before hitting a dead end. It's the worst feeling having bloggers block!

I wrote a post a while ago with 100 Blog Post Ideas and then another 60, plus this one from 2017, but I have now come up with a few more to share, so here they are for you to use when you're stuck for a post!

A recent stationery haul
Budgeting tips
Workout playlist
Holiday photo dump!
Hairstyles for beginners
How to use cash envelopes
Best ways to relax
Top 10 fave board games
Movie night ideas
Ways to relieve anxiety
Unrealistic wishlists
Product empties (such as foundations, etc)
Staycation ideas
Travel wishlist (locations, accommodation, etc)
A letter to your teenage self
A charity you want to shine a light on
If you have a business, share it!
Worst dates you've ever been on
DIY hacks you've found to be helpful
What is in your work bag?

Hope these were helpful in some way for when any of you get a bloggers block! Are there any other ideas you think should be on the list? Let me know! Hope you have a great day and keep safe :)

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Tuesday, 2 November 2021

4 Effective Ways to Grow Your Blog*

woman placing sticky notes on wall

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

Although blogging seems a bit saturated these days, you can still become really successful at it. While blogging can be both emotionally and financially rewarding, the reality is that it takes time to get to that level.

If you’re currently starting out with your blog and are looking for ways to grow your audience, the tips you’ll read in this post can help. Done correctly, they can easily transform your blog into a moneymaking machine that continues to generate income for you for a long time.

Do Round-up Posts

Look for the industry leaders in your niche and ask them important questions about specific issues. A good example is this roundup post on handling media crises. Then, collate those answers and post them on your blog with links back to those high authority blogs.

Once that’s done, inform the people you interviewed that your post is live and they can tell their audience. If you did a great job during the initial contact, most people would be happy to do that.

Once they inform their audience about the post –usually with a link back to your website, you can be sure that some of that traffic will flow to your website. Do this at least once a month, particularly for hot button industry issues.

Publish Frequently

Most people often assume that successful bloggers are so lucky. That’s not true. Every successful blog is usually the product of so many sleepless nights, as well as, years of sweat and blood.

So, if you want to become a successful blogger someday, the single biggest thing you can do is stick with it and be consistent. Endeavour to post every day or as many times a day as possible –like this site: https://sportnews.in/Cricket. Your consistency will eventually pay off.

Remember to have realistic expectations. Is it possible for your blog to become really popular in one year? Not really –although there are a few outliers who have done it. But can it be successful in 3-5 years? Absolutely. As long as you keep plugging away and writing great content, it will build up such momentum that it’ll become impossible to fail.

Promote Your Posts

Many bloggers don’t talk about this a lot. But it works. Pay for ads to promote your blog if you can. It doesn’t have to be the whole site. It can be just one landing page or an in-depth actionable article. You can advertise on social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. These three platforms are great for driving blog traffic.

Stay on Top of Industry News and Happenings

Every month, there’s at least, one hot issue in every industry. Set up Google alerts and monitor growing trends in the industry –you can use Google Trends for this. When you spot one, create content around that issue, and ride the trend until it tapers off.

This is a super-effective way to grow your blog. If you do this once a month, your blog is likely to explode in popularity because of these kinds of posts

Monday, 1 November 2021

Christmas Party Outfit Ideas | 2021

It's about this time of the year that a lot of the workplaces around the country, start planning their Christmas parties. Or maybe you're heading out with your friends for a dinner as you're not all together on the big day. Here are some pieces for Christmas outfits that are perfect for the party season - or just for a novelty gift!

I've included a plus sized section too - aka my haven of where I love to shop - and also a men's section at the bottom! Hope you like all the ideas.

What items from the above do you like? Hopefully the men's section is okay for you gents out there - only the second time trying to find things for the guys too! How did I do? Let me know! Hope you have a great day and keep safe :)

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