Gift Ideas for Hard Working Mums

May 19, 2017 No comments Article

Whether it’s a birthday or an anniversary, mums need to feel valued and appreciated by their children and partners. It can be very difficult to sum up your affection for the mother of your children or the mum who has cared for you throughout your childhood in a single gift, which is why some people find buying for mums a daunting task. However, this doesn’t have to be the case and there are plenty of mum-friendly gifts that will put a smile on her face when the birthday or anniversary date comes round. You could also use these gift ideas for spontaneous surprise presents throughout the year. Who needs an occasion to spoil their loved ones anyway?

Handmade Gift Ideas

Presents that have been constructed by hand are often the most cherished of all. Everyone loves receiving a gift that has had time and care spent on it, and it can be much more special than a shop-bought item. Allow your creativity free reign and scour the internet for the most unusual handmade gift ideas. Creating a collage of meaningful family photographs or framing a collection of pressed flowers is always appreciated. You could also use scrabble letters to spell out a name or phrase and have this framed.

Pamper Her

Mums often spend the majority of their time looking after members of their family and it’s common for those in caring roles to forget to spend time pampering themselves. If you’ve got the budget, why not invest in a spa day for your partner and one of her friends? Grown up daughters can accompany their mums on spa trips and use the excursion as an opportunity to bond. For those on a tighter budget, you could pay for a massage or acupuncture session, or simply choose some delicious bath and shower goodies.

Spiritual Matters

If your partner or mother is interested in alternative spirituality, there are plenty of great gift ideas that will tie in with this. You could purchase an online tarot or psychic reading if this is something she would appreciate. Make sure that you choose a company or individual reader with plenty of positive feedback. Exploring the spiritual dimension is becoming a fashionable contemporary pastime, and there are more ways than ever to use alternative spirituality as a method for gathering information about your individual journey and the influences that affect you decisions and motivations. 

Healthcare Products: Save or Spend?

May 18, 2017 No comments Article

With the culture we live in so obsessed with beauty and wellbeing, it’s little surprise that spending on cosmetic and healthcare products takes a large chunk out of the average pay check each and every month. Whether it’s mascara or sports supplements, neither sex is truly more guilty than the other, but everyone would like to save a little extra money.

The question is; which products can you afford to skimp on, and with which ones should you stick with the specialist offerings? With this in mind, here are six items and why you should or shouldn’t go for the cheapest option:

Save

Sports Supplements – Unless you’re looking for a very specific ingredients, many of these powders contain exactly the same things. Whey powder for instance, is pretty much the same across the board, so just buy what’s cheapest, and try comparing prices online before going to a physical store.

Painkillers – It’s amazing how many people don’t read the boxes on painkillers. Branded products can often cost ten times the cheapest offering, and in nearly every case they’ll have exactly the same active ingredients. It’ll take you a second to check, and will save you some change.

Vitamins – Vitamins are vitamins. This one is another no-brainer; check that what you’re looking at contains the correct things, and there’s no difference. Don’t get sucked into the marketing hype – it’s often cheaper to buy several basic packs of individual vitamins than a packet of special all-in-one tablets that claim to be the next big thing.

Spend

Sun Care – We all know that a higher SPF rating will help protect you from the sun’s harmful rays, but few people stop to think about how well the product is going to cover you. Some low-cost alternatives can be easily rubbed or washed off. Buy what’s best, especially for kids.

Paternity Tests – Believe it or not, some retailers such as British high street chain Boots actually sell paternity tests in their stores for around £30. With something this important though; is it really worth taking the risk? Stick with an accredited specialist like GTLA DNA.

Hair Dye – Whether you’re looking to go darker or lighter, there’s a lot of opportunity to go wrong here, and many colours you could end up living with for a while. It’s not recommended you choose anything other than the most well-known brands for this one.

 

 

The Top 5 Places to Longboard in Europe

May 14, 2017 No comments Article

Longboarding is a form of skateboarding which is characterised by the board the skater rides on. A longboard is longer than a standard sized board, and therefore has more stability. Longboards aren’t meant for tricks – they’re preferred by skaters who like to do freeriding and downhill skating. There are many techniques which can be used when longboarding, such as tucking and sliding, but you won’t see many longboarders doing jumps or grinding.

Longboarding Destinations

Because longboarding is so great for downhill skating, longboarders typically prefer to visit locations which feature an abundance of sweeping, gently curved roads and a lack of traffic. Some longboarders will even go further afield to fulfil their passion, venturing out into Europe and further afield in search of the perfect longboarding territory. For these intrepid skaters, this list of top longboarding destinations is pure gold.

The Col de Turini, Italy

This majestic sweep of road became famous after being featured on TV program Top Gear. Its 6 miles of smooth tarmac are a dream for any longboarder, and the abundance of turns should prove challenging enough to be exciting, but not so dangerous as to be off-putting for mid-weight skaters. Possibly not one for beginners though.

Vulkanradweg, Germany

This stretch of road is perfect for beginners, but interesting enough for intermediate skaters as well. The incline of the slope is fairly relaxed but at 8 miles it’s still long enough to achieve a pretty decent speed. The road has become so popular with longboarders that there is even a bus service, operating on weekends only, which shuttles people to the top of the road.

Houyet Freeride, Belgium

A downhill skate competition which is held in Belgium every year, the Houyet Freeride is the perfect place to meet other likeminded skaters and brush up on your technique. Not only that but Houyet is absolutely beautiful and the roads in this region are a dream for longboard enthusiasts. Teams come from all around the world to compete at Houyet so when you’re done practicing your own moves, you can take a load off and watch the professionals at work.

Castle Drive, Falmouth

This vibrant university town has burst onto the UK skater scene and is quickly becoming recognised as one of the best places for downhill skating in the country. Castle Drive isn’t as long as some other courses but its spectacular view, enjoyable incline and broad corners make it a fantastic ride for beginner and intermediate downhill skaters.