Showing posts with label Value. Show all posts

Showing posts with label Value. Show all posts

Not gonna lie - I am, unashamedly, a social media broadcaster. My personal Facebook feed is regularly updated with statuses (mainly about life fails and back-of-the-head pictures of minor celebrities in London) and I'm one of those irritating people who constantly takes shots of food and cool-looking cocktails on Instagram. Soz.

Yes, yes it's most likely some deep seated link to self perception and social anxiety but WHATEVS - I could write a whole post on that and it's NOT today's topic. Love it or hate it, it's up to you, but fellow broadcasters and social media mavens will completely understand when I say - there is no time where I want to do this more than when I am on HOLIDAY!

Being on holiday is the epitome of "yo, look what I'm doing!" opportunities but this is normally all dependent on whether WiFi is available. Yup, the cost of mobile activity abroad is blimming expensive isnt it?

Well, from TOMORROW - 1 July 2014 - the EU is cutting the price caps for data downloads by more than HALF. Yup, it's going to be cheaper to use the internet abroad!

But that's not it - the cost of texting and calling is also going down and there's big news ahead for roaming charges too! Read on for deets.

Instagramming those holiday pics? New Mobile Data Rules in The EU!

Here we are in the middle of June and, along with the premise of dodgy tan lines and excessive sangria consumption, the holiday season is fast approaching. HOORAY.

With hotels, flights and overseas spending to save for, my friends and I have been talking a lot about smart holiday spending (see my post on How To Get Cheaper Flights)

But there's one question that not many people consider and that's how to save money whilst ON holiday. Don't miss a trick here - there's plenty of small changes you can make now to save yourself some money while in the house AND away from it.

It's not rocket science but it's stuff that we never really do because a) we can't be bothered or b) we don't understand just how much of an impact it can have. For me, it's a little bit.. mainly.. always a)

But then I thought about the real impact of it all and now I do it every day, saving myself probably about £100 just by making some small changes. And you could do them too!

The crux of it is simple: don't pay for energy that you're not using when at home, and especially when on holiday. Voiilaa

Here's some examples of what I mean:

MONEY MONDAY: Holiday Savings... At Home!

MONEY MONDAY: Top 5 Finance Admin To Get Done This Bank Holiday

I love Public Holidays. When I was a student, I used to use them for some serious snooozing (and serious boozing), but once you start working 9-5, you realise that Bank Holidays are for doing things which you don't normally have time for.

I'm talking about doing that pile of dishes, washing your clothes, fixing that squeaky chain on your bike - all the boring admin stuff. That's why, for me, Bank Holidays are also the perfect time to re-consider your financial admin too. Can you hand on heart remember what balances are earning what? And have you thought about looking at how much you're spending on the food shop lately?

It's that "should" feeling which we all know, but we keep putting off - I know you know what I mean! Your financial future deserves your attention so be smart with your cash and devote some time to sorting your financial life out.

Here's my Top 5 Finance Admin To-Do's, for those Bank Holiday "Sort Out My Life" moments.

1) Is your money in the right place?

MONEY MONDAY: Top 5 Finance Admin To Get Done This Bank Holiday

MONEY MONDAY: Nicer ISAs? What's a NISA?

So we are well into the new tax year and, as with all new years, I MUST have new year resolutions. Whether it's lists or notes, I love setting targets for myself - they keep me aiming forward and they make sure I'm on track with "THE PLAN" - oho how fun do I sound right now?!

But in all seriousness, if you're going obsessively try and over-engineer anything, it may as well be your money. You've got way more control over it, plus it requires far less self-control than a diet! Also, I figured if I manage my money well, I can just buy lipo right? I'm kidding!! We all know I'd spend my well-managed money on Laduree Macarons and MORE makeup....

Moving on. One week into the new tax year and what's the plan Batman? The Budget told us some stuff about ISAs, some stuff about pensions and then there's general "must save money" on top of that. Where to begin?

I've already talked a couple times about general spending such as choosing a credit card and curbing my shopaholic tendencies so today I'm going to cover savings.

My last MoneyMonday- A Story About Tax got a huge standing ovation by way of exactly 5 tweets from other people ha, so today I'm going to put my accounting qualification to good use and do another one of these explaaaaaining posts. The subject? It's all about ISAs and the NEW ISA.

Come on dudes, I'll try and make it fun- let's go for it.

So ISAs. Step 1 - the basics. What is an ISA? If you already know all this business, you go right ahead and skip onto Step 3- WHATS NEW?

MONEY MONDAY: Nicer ISAs? What's a NISA?

MONEY MONDAY: A Story About Tax

So the Budget happened last week. I don't know how many of you were interested enough to tune in, but given that it's totally relevant to my job - I was glued to my screen, popcorn in hand. THE GLAMOROUS LIFE I LEAD.

My Twitter and Facebook feed was going absolutely mental once the main highlights were out though. Higher personal allowance, cool. 1p off a pint, okay. Bingo, Pensions, ISA's (more on ISAs next time)- lots of different stuff going on but somehow, it always boils down to tax.

I don't know whether it's just because the bingo, pensions stuff isn't fully relevant to my friends, but I saw a lot of comments along the lines of "rich people should be taxed more", "the wealthy shouldn't get the same amount of benefit that poor people do", "why do the wealthy always benefit the most from tax cuts?"

Sound familiar to you?

Having started my accounting career within Tax, I normally feel obliged to try and explain why this happens but, to be honest, most of the time I JUST CAN'T BE BOTHERED. Politics, and tax especially, can quickly become a heated debate and I'm never really up for having a Facebook one-on-one when I'd rather be watching Gossip Girl re-runs on Netflix..

And part of me is not that fussed about how much tax other people pay anyway. It doesn't really affect me if Mr Monopoly Man earns 10million or 100million - the bit I'm most interested in is about what I pay - not about what other people pay.

However, my views are definitely not shared by everyone. And like I said - I can't change the world's views via a Facebook status intervention, but I CAN share helpful information. That's the whole point of Money Monday!

The thing is, my friends who don't know much about tax and politics, only don't know because the information isn't easily accessible - it's not because they don't WANT to know.

I recently came across this delightful story (if you can call any story about Tax delightful...) It does a much better job than me when it comes to explaining how our progressive tax system works, and why people who pay the highest rate of tax (ie the wealthiest) are naturally those who get the most benefit from a tax reduction....

So here we go - take 5 minutes to read the story below and see if it changes your perspective at all.....

MONEY MONDAY: A Story About Tax

#MoneyMonday: How Many Bank Accounts Should I Have?

Last week, I was talking with some gurrrrlfriends over lunch and our conversation turned to money. That’s right, why talk about Manolos and New York gossip when we can talk about personal finance? Take that, Carried Bradshaw et al, we Londoners live it large… hmm.

Anyway, my Belgian pal recently moved to London and we were advising her about UK bank accounts. Did you know each country has it’s own banking characteristics? Not all banking products are available to everyone, credit clearance in one country isn’t the same in another. No wonder she was confused. And while we were trying to explain why you shouldn’t save all your money in your current account, it dawned on us - why is it so confusing to bank in the UK?

How many accounts do we need? What type of accounts should we have? Savings account? Current account? ISA? Fixed-rate? Foreign exchange?! Credit Cards? PERSONAL FINANCE OVERLOAD.

personal finance beauty blog money saving tips

Well, how many bank accounts should I have?

#MoneyMonday: How Many Bank Accounts Should I Have?

MONEY MONDAY: Confessions of A (soon-to-be-Ex) Shopaholic

So last week we talked about getting Financially Fit and there was a huge focus on saving and planning - regularly putting something aside, shopping smart and making more money where possible.

I don't know about you but for me, the biggest challenge for me is to control is my spending. I've got the savings part down and I plan well but let's be honest, if I can't curb that spending side, I'm basically in the boat with only one paddle.

Let me remind you of my New Year Resolutions from last week: SAVE MORE, SPEND LESS, STOP BUYING SHIT I DONT NEED, GET MY 5-A DAY & DRINK MORE WATER.

Today's post is going to cover the SPEND LESS & STOP BUYING SHIT I DON'T NEED bit. Yes, that's right kids - let's talk about cracking the whip at the beast that is...... your SPENDING.

Just three simple tips today - simple but effective ways to control that inner Rebecca Bloomwood...
(if you're a regular reader, you may have noticed that I make several references to Confessions of a Shopaholic. If you haven't seen the film or read the book, you should!!)

I digress - let's continue shall we?

MONEY MONDAY: Confessions of A (soon-to-be-Ex) Shopaholic

MONEY MONDAY: NY Resolution? Get Financially Fit!

It's January - the month of resolutions! The month of "I shalls" and "I wills" and (if you're like me) resolutions to sort out your life! And where best to start than with your finances?

Enter the accountant in me to save the day! This week's Money Monday is going to be to specifically address some common financial goals which we tend to set at new year. Namely SAVE MORE, SPEND LESS, STOP BUYING SHIT I DONT NEED, GET MY 5-A DAY & DRINK MORE WATER. Sound familiar?

Well here are a few tips from your resident beauty blogger accountant, to help you deal with these shouty resolutions. TIME TO SORT OUT MY LIFE.

First up, let's start with the boring one. The one that your parents would tell you to do. The one we all know deep down inside..

MONEY MONDAY: NY Resolution? Get Financially Fit!

Beauty 2013: A Face Value Beauty Blog Summary

Another year gone, another hundred products tried and tested. I dread to think how much I spend on my beauty habit but hey, let's think positive - at least I can tell you guys what's super and what sucks! (whether you'll listen and/or care is another story..)

And that's what today's post is about - my favourite, and least favourite products of 2013!

Here's a little montage, just to remind you - but read on and see who the real stars were!

Beauty 2013: A Face Value Beauty Blog Summary

MONEY MONDAY: How Does The Value Of The Pound Affect You?

So I'm about to go on holiday later this week and I'm back in the game of exchanging my foreign currency. I'm definitely getting more than I got earlier this year but other than my foreign currency costs, how does the strength of the Pound affect me?

And this is a question that a lot of my friends ask - what does it matter if the rate of the Pound goes up or down? It's all very well and good talking about it in terms of the national economy but what is the physical impact on me? Is it going to affect my day-to-day life?

And the answer is - yes! (as if you didn't see that one coming)

Firstly - the one most people think about - if the Pound strengthens against other currencies, then so does your buying power when it comes to foreign goods.

Buying from that specialist american candy store? Buying your Bioderma from a French Pharmacy? A stronger pound means that foreign products are going to be cheaper.

So if you're going on holiday, you could justify that extra glass of sangria because you're getting more foreign currency for the same amount of pounds.

Not impacting you enough? Okay, new angle. Do you drive? Do you take buses or taxis? Do you shop online? All these are ultimately impacted by the cost of petrol and the price of petrol is set in US Dollars - therefore the exchange rate between the Pound and the Dollar is going to impact how much petrol we can get for our buck. Starting to hit a bit closer to home now?

If the Pound decreases in value, we get less dollars for our pounds - therefore petrol becomes more expensive. And even if you don't drive, you could still be affected. Not only does this impact us at the pumps, but the chain of costs will impact deliveries, shops and ultimately you - the consumer.

So next time you hear conversation on falling performance of the euro, the dollar or the pound - perhaps you'll be able to contribute an insightful comment? Bioderma is an essential you know..

Finally - just to wrap it all up in a completely non-related but amazingly cute way. Here's a bunny sitting on some cash. Seriously, WHO TAKES THESE PHOTOS?!!

Courtesy of astrology.com

GOING ON HOLIDAY? Don't forget to check out my Travel Money Tips

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MONEY MONDAY: How Does The Value Of The Pound Affect You?

MONEY MONDAY: Get Rewarded Online With www.ePoints.com

So previously I've talked about cashback, credit card rewards and various other ways to collect rewards for your normal spending.

I'm a firm fan of getting something back for your spending whether it be through Boots Advantage Card points, 2% cashback from TopCashback or even Airmiles from my monthly spending and today's look at ePoints.com is no different.

What are ePoints?

ePoints.com is basically like an online loyalty scheme where you collect points on purchases you make across the internet. Similar to my Cashback series "Get Paid To Shop Online", you create an account and access the seller via the ePoints homepage. This then records that you've made a purchase and you get awarded points depending on how much you spend.

How many ePoints could I get?

MONEY MONDAY: Get Rewarded Online With www.ePoints.com

MONEY MONDAY: You 4 Your Current Account 4eva?

Okay, today I'm going to float something at you which may sound CRAZY-INSANE. But just hear me out...

How long have you had your current account for? Is it the same one you opened when you were like 16?

Have you thought about changing your current account?

A surprisingly number of my friends have had only one current account in their whole lives. And for most of them, it's the longest relationship they've ever been in.

And, as with most long-term relationships, some of the main reasons for not leaving your account:

1) You're not completely happy with your current account but you don't know if you'll find a better one out there

2) You can't imagine life without it, it's all you've known and change is scary!

3) The hassle of breaking up with your current account and moving your stuff around is lonnnng.

Well, as your resident Makeup & Money expert - let's address those concerns shall we?

MONEY MONDAY: You 4 Your Current Account 4eva?

MONEY MONDAY: Help! What is the Help To Buy Scheme?

So the Daily Mail app kindly informs me that David Cameron has OMG GONE MENTAL and brought the Help To Buy scheme forward by 3 months. It's going to start next week.

But before we all get up in arms at whether this is OMG MENTAL for the economy or not - let's focus on the basics:
What is the Help To Buy scheme? And how will it affect me?

Basically - the Help To Buy scheme has been designed to help you get a mortgage on a house where you don't have a big enough deposit to normally get a mortgage.

Why has this been brought in?

MONEY MONDAY: Help! What is the Help To Buy Scheme?

MONEY MONDAY: Cheaper Flights For That Smug Holiday Feeling.

HAPPY MONDAY! So it's been a glorious sunny weekend and it's really got me in the holiday mood. So today on Face Value Beauty Blog, I'm talking about plane travel - when to get cheap tickets, where to find them and more importantly, HOW TO GET A GOOD DEAL!

The holiday is always that little bit better when you know you've got a deal, so here are some of my top travel tips to get that smug holiday feeling....

When to buy?

MONEY MONDAY: Cheaper Flights For That Smug Holiday Feeling.

Money Monday: Cashback Catchup - how much have I earnt?

At Christmas, I wrote about cash back sites in my list Getting Paid To Shop Online. It was hugely popular with lots of my friends finding a new income stream so I thought I'd have a little revisit 6 months later on to tell you about my progress and share my tips with you.

You're all probably thinking HURRY UP and get to the good stuff Zoe, HOW MUCH ARE YOU MAKING? Well, in my first 6 months I've managed to make an extra 40 quid, by doing nothing except clicking a link before I shop.

Rewind for a second - For those of you who didn't read the post and can't be arsed to, here's a summary.

Create an account and every time you want to shop online, you access the site from a link on your cash back website. This then records the visit, tracks the purchase you make and pays you a percentage of what you spent!

So what have I learnt?

Money Monday: Cashback Catchup - how much have I earnt?

MONEY MONDAY: 20% Off Noms At The Station

Money Monday! A little treat for your purses AND your tummies today. It's something that I signed up for ages ago but no one really seems to know about.

Do you ever take the train? Do you like to EAT? The majority of answers I'm hoping should be yes. Anyone who doesn't like to eat will probably be highly offended by my Instagram..

Picture this.

You're at Euston station about to hop on a Virgin Pendolino to Birmingham and you're starving. So many options to choose from to satisfy your hunger - a Whopper from Burger King, one of those delightful ham & cheese croissants from Delice de France - maybe even a gooey chewy cookie from Millies Cookies?

Poison of choice selected, you go to pay and BOOM. Have 20% off. Taa.

How? Get a Bite Card.

Courtesy of foodvouchers.co.uk

Bite what? The Bite Card is a discount card which gets you 20% off at food outlets in UK Network Rail stations. There's no annual charge and it's free to sign up!

A lot of my friends ask me how to save more money - other than physically squirrelling away more cash, it's lots of small actions like this which add up in the long run.

Saving a pound off a Whopper Meal doesn't sound like much, but if you're a weekly Whopper kind of gal like me - its over £50 a year saved! Whoopee!

To get your Bite Card sent straight to you, sign up at https://www.bitecard.co.uk

Is this something you could use? Do you already own a BITE card? Aren't the ham and cheese croissants from Delice de France amazing?!

xXXXx

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MONEY MONDAY: 20% Off Noms At The Station

MONEY MONDAY: Boost your income by shopping in secret.

Get paid to shop? It’s something I covered before when I talked about signing up to a Cashback site but this is something slightly different. It’s all about mystery shopping and becoming a mystery shopper. Can I get an ooOOOoh?

First up - what is mystery shopping? Buying stuff without knowing what it is? Going shopping dressed as Sherlock Holmes?

No, it’s NOT some new shopping fad (as awesome as it sounds). It’s actually a tool used by market research companies who send a secret shopper to assess and evaluate their shopping experience without the shop knowing who they are..

But who are these secret shoppers? Well, funny you ask that cos (in my best Lottery Hand voice) …. it could be YOUUUUUU.

How does mystery shopping work?

MONEY MONDAY: Boost your income by shopping in secret.

MONEY MONDAY: Are Your Hands Worth £500? Find out with the Carex Live Life Hands On Awards!

What do your hands get up to during the day? A question with varying levels of dirty answers but a question that could win you £500 no less.

To celebrate 20 years of Carex, there’s a nationwide competition going on in which your hands could win you £500 of Red Letter Day vouchers! Oh, and of course a YEAR’S supply of Carex hand wash. Perfect for those mucky pups and hygiene fiends out there.

Carex Live Life Hands On Awards Competition

What do you get your paws on everyday?

The Carex Live Life Hands On Awards is to celebrate the wonderful and wide-ranging things that our hands are used for.

Mine start covered in makeup, before wrapping themselves around my mobile. Then they’re all over a keyboard for a large part of the day, occasionally stopping for a food break. Okay, I lied, they’re FREQUENTLY stopping for food and snacks.

What do I have to do to win?

MONEY MONDAY: Are Your Hands Worth £500? Find out with the Carex Live Life Hands On Awards!

MONEY MONDAY: Travel Money Tips - get more for less!

Hi pals, it's MONEY MONDAY. The day where I chat finance, not face. The real VALUE part of Face Value.

If you've read my earlier blog post, you'll see that I went on a little jolly to Malaysia and Singapore.

So to follow on a theme - as your resident accountant beauty fiend friend, please find some handy help below..

Let's start from the beginning.

There are several ways to get your FOREX fix, the most common being:

International ATMS
Bureaus de Exchange (in my best French accent)
Pay for stuff directly on your cards when you're out there
Prepaid cards

Overseas action

Want to withdraw cash overseas? Or just going to buy something (or lots of things) on card in a shop?

MONEY MONDAY: Travel Money Tips - get more for less!

Saving Face: My Beauty Solutions To Help Save Your Spending!

It's MONEY MONDAY again - so here we go, some Value themed topics for my Face Value Friends to start the week in a fine and frugal manner. LA LAA!

I'm cheating slightly, today's blog is taken from something I wrote earlier in the year for Nikki at The Crafty Side of Sarcasm - an american blog about pretty much everything - please check it out, she's lovely!

So here it is - a FaceValue special - money saving tips with a beauty focus.
Let's go.

Saving Face: My Beauty Solutions To Help Save Your Spending!

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