Lifestyle

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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This Christmas, I am trying to really think about where I am putting my money when I buy gifts for people. Whilst I will still buy things from the high street, I am also making presents, giving vintage gifts, and shopping ethically from independent stores.

We are now more aware than ever about the impact our actions have on the environment, and Christmas brings with it a major surge in the amount of plastic and general household waste we produce- so it’s a great time to make a few changes.

If you’re also thinking about giving some more ethical gifts this Christmas, this guide has you covered from vegan gifts, to plastic-free gifts, to sustainably sourced gifts.

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Christmas is a time for giving- we all know this. But we often tend to give to our friends and family and don’t necessarily give a thought about those who might need our help the most. Before now, I honestly hadn’t considered donating to my local food bank at Christmas- but this year, that will change as I am taking part in the #FoodBankAdvent campaign with many other UK Money Bloggers, you can find out more about the history behind #FoodBankAdvent here.

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As you can probably guess, the whole reason I write this blog is to help other people manage their finances and achieve their goals- but did you know that you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you regularly write them down? You could also use motivational quotes to inspire you to to reach your goals.

It all comes down to accountability and visualisation.

At the end of the day, if you aren’t 100% sure on what your goals are, and the steps that you need to take to achieve them, then how are you ever going to get there?

I’ve created three completely FREE productivity and goal planning printables that you can use to help you to achieve your goals- whether that’s saving for your first home, or growing your business.

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We all can find ourselves spending more money in the height of summer- whether that’s due to suddenly finding ourselves with nothing weather appropriate to wear, having drinks in the sunshine, or even entertaining children during the school holidays.

I know that I’m guilty of throwing my budget out of the window in the summer and saying yes to every invitation for drinks or dinner that comes my way, splashing out on wedding gifts and trips out of the city. Not only that, but I tend to want to buy myself treats all the time- some SPF moisturiser here, a new pair of sandals there- it takes some restraint not to give into the summertime ‘treat yourself’ mentality.

So, if you’re anything like me, instead of heading out and buying yourself some treats- why not enter a giveaway to win some?! Enter the competition below to win a gorgeous M&S hamper, all courtesy of the UK Money Bloggers….

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