If you follow me on Twitter you may have cottoned onto the fact that I’m currently flat hunting! Unfortunately, despite my deposit-saving mission, I’m not yet looking for a flat to buy, but rather a flat to rent. Although I moved in with my parents a year and a half ago with the intention of never Read more
Inspired by Fearne Cotton’s decision to post a ‘no-makeup selfie’, last week the Loose Women gang decided to remove their makeup while on the show. Equipped with face wipes, they scrubbed their faces clean and were applauded for their ‘bravery’. The way the media harped on about them ‘taking their faces off’ it made it Read more
Last week a Yelp/Eat 24 employee living in San Francisco wrote an open letter to her employers that expressed her anger at being paid just $8 an hour after taxes. The post went viral and she was fired from her job. In the letter, customer service advisor Talia Jane explained how difficult it is to Read more
Once you’ve sold your old clothes on eBay and donated your books to charity, it can feel as though you’re well on your way to tidying your home and simplifying your life. However, there’s one aspect of our lives that many of us forget to spring clean - our digital devices. If your phone is Read more
If you’ve been following my blog in recent weeks you’ll know that I’m having a major decluttering marathon at home. I’m getting rid of stuff left right and centre in a bid to simplify my life and be that little bit more minimalist. While sorting through my room today I realised that there are certain Read more
When embarking on a decluttering mission, I bet you often make up excuses to keep things that deep down you know you should get rid of. No matter how often you reassure yourself that clutter “will come in useful one day”, in reality, the items you cling onto are probably more trouble than they’re worth. Not only can Read more
As great as it can be to sell your old clothes on eBay and walk your neighbour’s dog in exchange for cash, there’s no denying that one of the best ways to boost your income on a consistent basis involves getting a pay rise. Unfortunately, though you may daydream about getting called into the boss’ office and Read more
A quarter of a million UK students are using an app that hooks them up with ‘sugar daddies’- rich men that shower them with gifts in exchange for dates, companionship, and sometimes, sex. Many students have signed up to the dating app, Seeking Arrangement, in a bid to pay their way through university and minimise the amount of student Read more
Despite earning £74,000 a year, Tory MP William Wragg has moved in with his parents because he claims he cannot afford to put down a deposit on his own home. Wragg, who claims to be part of the ‘boomerang generation‘, is the MP for Hazel Grove in Stockport. Coincidentally, just a few months ago I Read more
I’m on a mission to declutter and simplify my life and over the last few weeks I’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from The Minimalists aka Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus. These two really are the experts when it comes to living on the bare necessities and both claim their lives have improved since they Read more
**In light of the George Osborne’s 2016 Budget announcement, I will be updating this post very soon** Whether you’re already saving for a deposit or you like the idea of buying your own place in the future, you’ve probably heard people talking about the Help to Buy ISA over recent months. So what is this mysterious new Read more
Whether you kick-start your morning squeezing onto a packed train or attempting to beat the rush hour traffic, commuting can feel like a huge waste of your time. What should be an eight hour working day can be transformed into a 10 or even 12 hour day if you have a hefty commute to contend with. Thankfully, Read more
Being a freelancer and working from home might sound like the ultimate dream. You can get up whenever you like, you can work hours that suit you, and you don’t have to answer to anyone. However, as much as I’ve loved spending the last fortnight in my PJs and I certainly haven’t missed wasting 3 hours Read more
As a money saving blogger, I regularly receive outreach emails from brands looking to promote their websites and services on Can’t Swing a Cat. Whether a business is inviting me to an event or offering me money in return for some promotion, I LOVE receiving these emails. Sometimes though, I receive emails that offer me nothing but a Read more
Guys. I have a confession to make. A fortnight ago I handed in my notice and quit my job without another one to go to. I know quitting without another job lined up is considered hugely financially irresponsible but after months of stress and anxiety, I decided to prioritise my happiness and relationships over my Read more
Research suggests we have £30 billion worth of unused clothing lurking in our wardrobes and we’re guilty of not wearing 1/3 of the clothes we own. According to WRAP, if we were to use our clothes just 9 months longer, each item’s carbon, waste and water footprint would be reduced by as much as 20-30%. In Read more
Whether they long to tell their boss what they really think of them or dream of flipping their desk in a moment of rage, many people fantisise about quitting their jobs at some point or another. However, actually quitting without another one to go to has long been considered the ultimate career sin. It’s just something Read more
As first time buyers, we’re pretty new to the world of mortgages, estate agents, and surveys. Since we’ve never bought a house before, the whole process can be a little confusing, overwhelming and stressful. Thankfully, there are lots of people out there who can offer us advice and break down the property-buying lingo for us - from friends Read more
At the end of the week my brother is moving to Madrid. He might go for a year before coming back home, he might go for a few months before moving to another part of the world, or he might end up staying there forever. He’s just going to go and see how he gets on. Over the Read more
1. Binge watching a show on Netflix is a great way to spend your time as long as you enjoy every second of it 2. Life is all about making things. Whether you’re making money, making blog posts or making your own jewellery, find something you enjoy making and make as much of it as possible. Read more
Pigs in blankets, Yorkshire puddings, mince pies, Christmas pudding, Miniature Heroes, cheese and biscuits - I’m not saying Christmas is all about food, but let’s be honest, it kind of is. When you’re unable to eat gluten, however, suddenly Christmas becomes a little bit of a struggle. Whether your colleagues are planning a delicious Christmas meal at Read more
From a young age we’re told not to talk to strangers. Even as we get older and learn that very few strangers are dangerous, our reluctance to reach out and speak to people doesn’t seem to subside. We’re lovely people, but whether we’re on public transport or in a coffee shop, we tend to keep ourselves to ourselves, only really Read more
With so much to do with such a small budget, charity shops are crying out for volunteers to help with everything from sorting through donations to operating the till. However, with charities now under increasing pressure to embrace the digital world, many are looking to volunteers to help them win over social media users. If Read more
Did you know that the average recruiter spends just 6 seconds looking at a CV before deciding whether to offer a person an interview or not? For this reason it’s vital you grab the employer’s attention and leave them wanting to know more. Here are 5 ways you can make your CV stand out from the crowd and ensure you get an Read more
Whether they’re making sandwiches in Subway by day and playing bass guitar in a bar at night, or spending Monday-Friday teaching Spanish and selling delicious homemade cakes at the weekend, we all have at least one friend who constantly seems to be working. Some people pick up extra jobs simply to make ends meet, while others work outside of the 9-5 in Read more
Ever since I started saving for a house deposit I’ve been convinced that I’d buy my first property in Salford, a metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester. After all, many towns within the City of Salford have the following perks: You can find houses for less than £100,000 These houses are often larger than those you’d get Read more
We’ve got less than two months left of 2015, and if you’re a resolution-maker (and perhaps breaker) you’re probably already planning all the ways you’ll improve yourself in 2016. But why wait until 2016 to kick-start your goals? Why not make a start right now? Whether you’re hoping to find a new job, improve your fitness, Read more
Ever since I was a child the subject of organ donation has been something that has both broken my heart and filled me with positivity in equal measure. I don’t know when I first decided to join the organ donor register, but I remember watching an episode of Casualty with my mum and being amazed Read more
Now that our days are shorter and our nights are colder, if you’re anything like I usually am at this time of year, you’re probably planning a huge winter shopping trip. You’ll stock up on coats, hats, gloves, scarves, thick socks, cuddly PJs and Minion onesies. But STOP! Do you really need all this stuff? What’s Read more
When thinking about buying a house, the first thought that generally pops into a person’s head is the deposit. With a 5% deposit on a £150,000 property standing at a £7,500, saving this money is by no means an easy fete. However, the deposit isn’t the only financial hurdle associated with buying a property. In fact, there Read more
