Win the whole cost of your online shop with cashback site Boom25

Posted on 8:50pm Saturday 22nd Sep 2018

If you know me or read my blog then you’ll know I’m an advocate for cashback sites. Getting cashback on purchases that you are going to make anyway is simply a no-brainer. Those who don’t use cashback sites are simply throwing free money away! In over two years we’ve made over £800 from cashback, but what if we could make even more? There’s a cashback website called Boom25 and they do things a little differently. In this blog post I am going to share with you how you can potentially win back the full cost of your online shop with Boom25 cashback.

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Boom25 is a cashback site with a difference. If you place your online shopping orders through them then you have a 1 in 25 chance of winning all your money back on your purchase! This is in stark contrast to some other cashback sites that only offer a percentage worth a few pence on some cashback offers. Looking today, they also have plenty of special offers which they call 'Hot Deals' with various retailers where your odds of winning are even higher, such as 1 in 8. A major benefit also being that I can see some retailers on Boom25 that don’t offer cashback on the regular sites, so this is a great reason to get signed up today!

If you’re sick of only receiving pence from other cashback sites and enjoy a bit of fun, at no extra cost to you, then simply shop through Boom25 links for a chance to win cashback of your full order amount. It’s so simple and after reading some online forums of customers who have been at it for ages, I can see that they regularly win the cashback and many claim they win so much more than when using other sites.

At the time of writing this they have 871 retailers, have paid out £590,060 in winnings with the largest win being £4,225 and they have 200,260 members. 200,261 now as I’ve just signed up and can’t wait to get winning. As a bonus for signing up, you’ll have 50p added to your account straight away.

It’s quick, easy and free to sign up. Then just remember to shop through their links when making your online purchases. By clicking via their links you’ll be automatically entered with a chance of winning the full cashback amount as soon as you make your purchase. Winnings are paid out to every 25^th shopper, or more if in Hot Deals, and then if you’re a winner you’ll receive an email and cash will be sent via PayPal. Simples.

Boom25 aims to be a less boring cashback site and add the thrill back into earning cashback for online shopping. I certainly think they have achieved this with their exciting platform.

They say ‘Every 25th shopper – BOOM! – free money. Sounds like fun? Imagine you just got a £1400 for a hotel stay in Paris or a £400 refund for a new smartphone! Boom25 provides the highest likelihood of earning cash back when you shop online. Why not give it a shot?’

As an added bonus you can earn £3 for each friend you refer! You have nothing to lose, but lots of money to potentially gain.

Click here to sign up: https://boom25.com

Tips to get beautiful healthy hair naturally at home

Posted on 11:30am Friday 21st Sep 2018

I’ve recently had my hair cut to the shortest length it’s ever been. It’s been getting shorter and shorter at each hairdressers appointment over the past year and I think I’m not happy with the length - above shoulder, but long enough to tie up. I love to go the gym almost on a daily basis and running is my favourite. It was becoming such a pain to have long hair (my hair was always below breast before, so far down my back) when running as it distracted me. Plus trying to wash it every day I gymed was such an effort. I wanted a style that was no longer in my way or so challenging to wash so regularly. Going shorter has been so much more convenient for me and I actually really like it. I think it quite suits me.

My hair isn’t yet greying (well, the odd one) and it’s always super shiny. At 33 I’m very aware that I may start to grey soon and my current natural hair regime may come to an end. I don’t currently dye my hair and it’s in much better condition for it. I worry that when it greys I’ll want to dye my hair, but I hope I can find a suitable natural and lesser toxic alternative to the mainstream dyes. My hair does seem to be thinning slightly, or perhaps I am imagining it! If it ever did get really thin then I’d definitely look into some alternative options such as wigs or gentle hair extensions. If hair loss was ever extreme then there are options such as a hair transplant or for men there’s even a procedure called Advanced Tricho Pigmentation which creates the impression of more hair follicles and hair than there actually is. It’s good to know nowadays that we do have options to allow ourselves to feel confident in our own skin and with our own hair.

Luckily for now my hair is still enjoying a youthful glow and is in great condition. I want to share with you my tips for how to get beautiful and healthy hair naturally at home:

Don’t dye it

I think this is a hard one for most people, especially females. I think every female I know, aside from me, dyes their hair on a regular basis! I always think how awfully damaging that must be to the environment. It’s become normal for everyone to dye their hair all the time. I see pictures of me when my hair was long and dyed and it looks in poor condition. I did originally use temporary dyes and they made my hair look amazing, but it was the dye that made it look amazing. I had to keep dyeing it every few weeks to keep up with the glossy amazing hair. It didn’t last otherwise. Now my hair is dye-free it is naturally in good condition and stays that way. Plus you'll save so much money!

Use natural products

Most mainstream brands use harsh chemicals in their products, which is probably so your hair comes to depend on them and you have to keep using their products. That's their plan! Many of the chemicals are not really good for your hair and they are not good for the environment or even your health. I always use natural plant based products for my hair and have done since changing to a natural beauty regime perhaps five years ago. My hair is in better condition for it and it stays that way. Dyeing hair and using chemical products is quite literally poisoning your hair and scalp!

Drink lots of water

We all know drinking lots of water is good for us to stay hydrated, but it also gives us great skin and glossy hair. Water is not all equal though and for nine months I have been drinking distilled water at home which is pure H2O. I’m sure it’s taking effect as my skin is clearer than it’s ever been and my hair is healthier too.

Use soft water if possible

If you have soft water then it’s a lot gentler on your hair with less mineral build up. It’s even possible to wash your hair with water only if you live in a soft water area. I did try it, but we have hard water and I had a lot of build-up in my hair. There are lots of claims that the ‘no-poo’ method works well with soft water. I’ve even investigated having a filter attached to the water entering our home to make our water softer.

Eat a nutrient rich plant based diet

“The healthiest diet for your hair is the healthiest diet in general—one that is based on real, whole foods and mostly plant-based.” — Maria Marlowe, nutritionist (source)

Though the hair we can see is not alive, the hair follicles it comes from and the part of the hair within the follicle is very much alive and needs feeding! A diet rich in raw fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, legumes and wholegrains that nourishes all parts of your body with all the vitamins and minerals you need will keep your hair looking great.

Choose a gentle brush

I currently use a tangle tease sort of brush that has soft bristles without balls on the end. It’s very gentle on the hair and with multiple layers and lengths of bristles it helps to pull the natural hair oils through the hair giving a nice gloss finish.

Avoid hot showers

Opt for a warm shower instead of a boiling hot shower. Extreme temperatures can be damaging to hair. As much as a scorching shower might be pleasurable, it’s not always great for your hair.

Wash your hair less

I’m guilty of not always following this one, but because I’m regularly at the gym. I get so sweaty that my hair looks greasy if I don’t wash it, so often I have to wash it every da. If I don’t go to the gym for a couple of days then I won’t wash my hair and it always looks in amazing condition. I always find hair looks best the day after it’s washed. Washing too much can strip hair of its natural oils and then you depend on the shampoo to make your hair look great instead.

Basically going back to nature is the best thing for our hair; eating natural foods, using natural products and being gentle to it. These tips aren’t going to be a quick fix, but over time they will be totally worth it.

More hair raising articles:

Why I stopped water only hair washing after 11 weeks
Review: NEEM Sweet Orange and Cedarwood Shampoo
How a healthier lifestyle in 2018 could affect your hair

The best natural hair and beauty products for the summer
A peek at my new short hair and the most fashionable styles for 2018
Hair mistakes you are probably making

Essential items for a minimalist hair care routine
Where to get affordable hair extensions that don't ruin your hair

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My very honest review of Cotswold Wildlife Park

Posted on 9:45am Friday 21st Sep 2018

At the end of August I visited Cotswold Wildlife Park with the kids, my mum and sister. It’s a place that I’m familiar with and I’m sure I’ve been once per year since having the children. We have fond memories of going with my late mother-in-law and enjoying a picnic in front of the rhinos. It was at that moment we told her we were expecting another baby - Reuben. I’m sure we went a second time with Ben’s mum and we also went with my mum. Bella even went on a school trip there! In this blog post I will share my very honest review of Cotswold Wildlife Park.

I even remember the first time I went with my husband Ben as we totally planned it wrong! Having been to a few other zoos and wildlife parks that only took a few hours to wander around, we decided to head to Cotswold Wildlife Park near to lunchtime. Big mistake! There was so much to see that we couldn’t fit it all in! According to the website today it says they are home to one of the UK’s largest zoological collections.

You can probably guess this is going to be a highly positive review as I’ve been so many times! I usually prefer to go somewhere once and then try somewhere new, but this is a place we like to return to every year as it’s such a wonderful family day out.

There are so many animals to see. Bella absolutely loves the penguins and my favourites are the giraffes and wolves. The experience with the animals is very interactive. It’s possible to go up to head height with the giraffes to really experience them. For the wolves there’s a wooden bridge over their enclosure.

The children’s farmyard is also great. It’s a petting zoo and you can even go in with goats! We have more great memories here such as a little perhaps two year old Bella clinging to Ben as she was scared of the Pygmy goats!

One part of the park I love is the gardens, plants and flowers. It’s exceptionally maintained and always looks beautiful. I can always tell a lot is invested into the upkeep and it’s always spot on. Some gardens in similar attractions leave a lot to be desired, but at Cotswold Wildlife Park they are always on point. The cactuses and tropical flowers always stand out to me as well as the ginormous leaves which look larger than our three year old Reuben!

For the kids there’s also a humongous activity playground which is hard to drag them away from! For around 50p each, if I remember that correctly or maybe one pound, we had a ride around the park on the Bella train! It’s actually called Bella!

The park is always so clean and well maintained which definitely makes a big difference. We normally take a picnic, but there’s plenty of food options there with a large restaurant.

It’s a great family day out and I really can’t think of any recommendations for them or any negatives, which is rare. I’ve barely even touched on the number of different animal exhibits, but visit their website for more information and to learn more: www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk