Lifestyle

AD- some products which appear in this guide have been gifted for review

What a year it has been! Suddenly it is December and time to buy gifts for your loved ones. This year I am trying to shop small where possible, and support small businesses after this crazy year that we have all had. This gift guide includes lots of small business owners who have nature at the core of their ethos. Shopping with them not only supports the makers and designers of these products, but also gives back to the world in an ethical and sustainable way.

So without further ado, let’s take a look at some top picks for eco-friendly, natural gifts…

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We’ve recently spent a whole lot of time indoors, finding new ways to enjoy our home and connect with the people we share it with. But as the months tick on, we become closer and closer to spending more time outdoors with family and friends, so what better time to spruce up your outdoor space to get it ready for some guests to come over? Summer is in full swing, and with measures being slowly lifted, there’s no time like the present to get ready to have a few members of your family over for a BBQ or garden party at a distance! So with that in mind, how would you like to win an incredible new BBQ set?! A Cosmogrill Gas Barbeque worth £335 is up for grabs in this big summer giveaway. Read on to find out how to enter to be in with a chance to win. …

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When you move to London, it can be a lonely place if you don’t know anyone. The city is boomingly large, everyone is in a rush, and god forbid if you ever make accidental eye contact with someone on the tube.

Londoners aren’t known for being friendly folk. It’s true that in other parts of the UK you might be on more familiar terms with your neighbours, people might start a conversation with you on the bus, and you may be on first name terms with the local corner shop owner. But there are friendly faces to be found in this city, you just have to find them.

Meeting people in London usually requires some effort on your behalf- if you’re not putting yourself out there, you’re unlikely to meet anyone new.

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With regular cinemas closed for the foreseeable- where can us film buffs go to get our fix of new release movies? London usually has a huge number of outdoor cinema screenings during the summer months, however with the current situation that we find ourselves in, some of these film festivals and outdoor screenings have been cancelled until next year.

That said, there are still several places that you could go to watch films outdoors at a distance! Many cinemas will be opening their doors later this year- and perhaps even as early as July!

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If you’re about to become an international student in London for the first time- this is such an exciting time for you! London has so much to offer, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by everything that you can do in see in London alongside your studies.

But before all of that, you need to prioritise all of the admin to make your transition into London life as smooth as possible.

One key piece of admin is to open a UK bank account. Opening a UK bank account is an easy enough process in itself, but you’ll want to read up on the best student bank accounts around before making your decision. With a little help from this article, you’ll find the best bank in London for international students- by finding the international student bank account that is right for you.

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Times are tough at the moment for small businesses, many of which can be found on Etsy. To support their sellers, Etsy has created the #StandWithSmall campaign to help encourage people to buy from small business owners and help them out at this uncertain time.

Today I am focussing on sustainable clothing brands on Etsy, but for more inspiration you can check out the #StandWithSmall Editor’s Picks.

If you are conscious about the ethical and environmental impact of clothing, Etsy is a great place to head to as many of the independent sellers will be selling clothes they have made my hand, upcycled or sourced responsibly. Plus, you’re more likely to find something unique and interesting that almost no-one else has.

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We’re on lockdown, and we can’t to the things we might usually do to keep ourselves feeling good. All we have is the same rooms we’ve been living in for weeks- so what can we change up about our routine to feel like we are taking care of ourselves at this weird time?

Money is also a worry for many people at this time- worries about job security, loss of income and redundancy. Meaning, now is not a brilliant time to be shelling out money on things to make yourself feel better. It’s time to look at some free self-care ideas for isolation.

Things that will make your mind, body and soul happy- without needing to spend a penny.

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Spring is nearly upon us! And with that means lighter evenings, flowers in bloom, lambs frolicking in fields and most importantly… sunshine!

I love the arrival of Spring each year, and this year is no exception.

And with Spring, comes Easter- the best excuse to eat ALL the chocolate without remorse. This year, the UK Money Bloggers have teamed up to give away 5 M&S Easter hampers. And we all know how great M&S are at Easter- from cute biscuits, to inventive chocolate eggs, to hot cross buns like no other.

It’s all up for grabs this year, read on to find out more about how you can win…

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If you’ve followed my blog or Instagram page (@thriftylondoner) for a while, you will probably know that a big goal of mine is to own a property. My partner and I have gone back and forth about what, where and how to buy for a long time.

Our most recent plan was to buy a house below market value, renovate it, and then sell it on for a profit. We were almost sure that this was the best route for us to take, and even started viewing properties on the market.

That was until we realised how much bathrooms could cost! It stopped us in our tracks. The cost  was a lot more than we had bargained for, and we discovered that almost every older house we looked at on Rightmove needed a new bathroom. Since neither of us are handy with a toolbox, the renovation route wasn’t going to be worth the effort for somewhere that we were going to sell on.

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Today is December 1^st, and I don’t know about you, but that means that my tree is already up, presents are already bought, and wine is already mulled. I am KEEN for Christmas, and this year is no exception.

But despite the general feeling of joyfulness around this time of year, Christmas can also be stressful. The cost of gifts, socialising, travel and hosting can all add up to a big bundle of stress which can often take away from the Christmas cheer.

My best advice is to plan, plan, and plan some more. Give yourself a break and stop being so hard on yourself. So you don’t make it to every Christmas invitation you are given, you don’t have 3 varieties of pudding on offer on Christmas Day, or you mutually agree with your sibling that you won’t buy gifts this year. All that really matters is being happy- it’s cheesy but true. And in order to be happy, you have to be kind to yourself.

So whilst you’re busy doing everything for everyone else this year, why not enter a giveaway for the chance to treat YOURSELF instead this Christmas? There are 8 delightful M&S hampers up for grabs, all courtesy of the UK Money Bloggers. Our last UKMB Summer giveaway was a fantastic success!

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