26 December 2021

How to Raise Money for Your Real Estate Investment

 


Image Credit

Raising money for your real estate investment can be a daunting and challenging task, but it is not impossible. There are many different ways to increase the capital necessary to invest in real estate.

Here is how you can use these methods to make your dream of investing in property come true.

A Mortgage or Investment Property Loan

One way to raise money for your real estate investment is by taking out a mortgage or loan. This can be done through a traditional bank or lender, or you could look into alternative options like private money lending or hard money lending.

When getting a mortgage, consider the following:

  • The loan to value ratio of the property

  • Your credit score and history

  • The current interest rate environment

The following are examples of mortgage companies:

  • Wells Fargo

  • Bank of America

  • Chase

  • Citi Mortgage

  • Quicken Loans

You can navigate here to learn more about your real estate investment mortgage options.

A Private Money Lender

A private money lender is an investor who provides capital in exchange for repayment at a future date, usually in interest.

Private lenders are often family members or friends who do not carry lending licenses and therefore can lend without restrictions. These types of loans may come with high-interest rates because they are unsecured by your property, but their convenience makes them attractive to real estate investors trying to raise funds fast.

When getting a private lender, consider the following:

  • When will you pay the lender back?

  • What is your repayment plan?

  • How much interest are you willing to accept on top of the principal amount borrowed?

A Hard Money Lender

Hard money lenders provide short-term, high-rate loans for real estate investors who intend to sell their properties promptly. The terms of these transactions range from six months to two years and require borrowers to make monthly payments with vast chunks of interest at regular intervals.

However, because these companies focus exclusively on investing in precious property that they can turn around quickly, homebuyers looking for more traditional loan options might have difficulty qualifying or get approved through them. Therefore, when approaching a hard money lender—ask yourself what type of investment you are looking for.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding refers to online platforms to solicit donations or investments from a large number of people. It has become a popular way to raise money for all sorts of projects, including real estate investments.

There are several different types of crowdfunding:

Rewards-based crowdfunding: This type of crowdfunding is when investors receive rewards in return for their investment. For example, they may receive a product or service related to their funded project.

Donation-based crowdfunding: In this type of crowdfunding, investors donate money without expecting anything in return. This is often used for charitable causes.

Equity crowdfunding: With equity crowdfunding, investors become shareholders in the company and receive a portion of the profits generated by the company. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulates this type of funding.

Conclusion

Investing in real estate properties can be a very profitable and rewarding venture. However, to be successful, you will need a lot of money to get started. The above tips will give you a few different ways to raise funds for your next real estate investment.


9 December 2021

The Jewellery to Wear for Special Occasions

 Image Courtesy of Unsplash

Wearing jewelled adornments commemorating elaborate events dates back to before the ancient Egyptians. Cultures all over the world still carry this tradition. Although many people wear jewellery every day, there are recognized pieces to wear for special occasions. Yet, it can be tricky to know what to wear and when beyond well-known events.

Wedding Anniversaries

Getting married is an extraordinary commitment between two people. Therefore, it warrants remembrance and unique jewellery pieces to commemorate your special day. For each year of marital bliss, there is an associated list of modern and traditional gifts and materials. For example, clocks and paper represent your first year while china and cotton commemorate your second. It might not be viable to give these materials each year, but you can offer jewellery gifts for milestone years. For example, emerald rings and gifts are associated with 20 years.

Days Special to You

Of course, you don't need traditional anniversaries to denote a special day between you and your partner. Or even a special day in particular. Perhaps you like to remember the first day you met your husband or wife. Or maybe even the first time your business made a profit. Everyone has days that are special to them. The best part is meaningful gifts, and jewellery can be anything you like and traditional. For example, you might find solace in a Saint Christopher necklace when your child learns to drive, or your wife might appreciate a new charm each year on the date of your first special night together.

Pieces for Weddings

There are many grand traditions associated with weddings. Formal hats, dresses, cutting the cake and the first dance. But many people don't think of wedding jewellery. Brooches are traditionally worn at western weddings, while Rajputi jewellery is worn at grand Asian weddings by the bride, groom and specific guests. However, for the most part, you can accent your gown, whether bride or guest, with particular pieces. For example, delicate necklaces compliment your neckline, armlets break up monotonous tones and earrings accent a formal updo. 

Special Birthdays

Jewellery makes a remarkable birthday gift. You can build quite the collection that marks each particular day and makes beautiful memories beginning as a child. Pandora charms are trendy, but birthstone jewellery adds a rich personal touch. Each month and zodiac sign has a corresponding stone. And these stones can be inserted into all kinds of jewellery, such as rings, necklaces and bracelets. For example, garnet represents January, and Aquarius is associated with amber. However, birthstones vary by eastern and western culture types. 

Religious Occasions

Cultural jewellery is prominent worldwide, and each religion holds specific patterns, symbols and materials sacred. These types of jewellery are traditionally worn to represent a religious belief or at particular times of the year. For example, as a catholic, you might wear a crucifix around your neck to show devotion to Christ. Whereas trending Jhumkas jewellery might be given as a gift during the Muslim celebration of Eid that encourages gift giving as a symbol of generosity.


15 November 2021

How to Have a Wedding That Guests Will Love

Your wedding will, of course, primarily be about you. This is, after all, your special day, and it’s important that your happiness is given priority. However, it’s not as if you can’t think of other people whatsoever. If you’re going to have a wedding that everyone enjoys, then it’s important to think about the guest experience. If you get it right, then you’ll have a wedding day that lives long in the memories of everyone who is there, for all the right reasons. 


But how can you do this? We’ll take a look at some useful tips below.


Pexels - CC0 Licence

Keep Costs Down


You’ll know that your wedding day is going to cost you a lot of money. But it shouldn’t cost your guests a lot of money. It’s unlikely that yours will be the only wedding that they’re going to this year. You’ll be making things much, much easier for them if they don’t have to spend the earth to attend your special day. Be particularly mindful of having weddings overseas. They can be cheaper for the people getting married, but much more expensive for guests. So while it might look cheaper for you, remember that you’ll essentially just be passing on the costs to your friends and family!


A Smooth Day


You’ll likely have a detailed understanding of everything that’s going to happen on your wedding day. But your guests will not have this information. They’ll want to settle in and have a good time with the other guests, but if they’re continually thinking about where they should be, then they won’t be able to do that. It is recommended to work with a wedding planner so that everything flows as smoothly as possible on the big day. It’s just a lot easier to have fun when you’re not wondering if you’re in the right place or you think you need to be somewhere else! 


Think About the Kids


Your guests with kids will want to have a good time, but they’ll always have to think about the happiness of their children. You can help them by having a plan for the kids. For example, could you hire a children’s entertainer? Or perhaps you could hire a babysitter so that the parents can spend the evening on the dancefloor, secure in the knowledge that their children are being well looked after.


Midnight Snacks and Chill Zones


Everyone will be in party mode, but it’s important to remember that some of your guests won’t be able to spend all night on the dance floor without taking a break. While you’ll want to ensure that your dancing area is on fire, you should also put together a chill zone. This is a space away from the music where people can relax and talk. Once they’ve built up their energy, they’ll go back to dancing. Also -- be sure to order some midnight snacks. People get hungry when they dance; a little bit of food can go a long way to keeping the party on all night


13 October 2021

Designing Your Bathroom To Fit Your Life

I still remember my family's bathroom in the mid 1980s.  A tiny room that had atypical of the period avocado green bathroom suite crammed into the small space.  The bath was functional, but not somewhere you could lie back and relax and the hair washing facilities were either in the form of leaning over the bath with a jug of water at the ready, or an unreliable rubber tube that you attached to the taps.

Size aside, it was pretty much standard for bathrooms back then.  Luxuries did not need to extend to bathrooms.  

A house move gave us a slightly bigger bathroom, upgraded down to a proper shower, albeit whilst standing in the bath.  I used to dream of a huge bathroom with a bath and a separate shower.  A double sink that had storage facility for my makeup.

Modern living has opened up and redesigned our bathroom spaces and depending on the size of the room, you can have anything that you want.  I am still dreaming about having a double sink one day however.


As our lives become busier and our working hours longer, what people frequently want out of their bathrooms is practicality, mixed with luxury.  The invention of luxury shower cabins have revolutionized bathrooms and given us all the speed of a shower but with added luxuries that make all the difference.  

When my partner and I renovated our bathroom last year, one thing that we both wanted was a high tech shower cabin that combines both functionality with luxury add ons that make showering an enjoyable experience.

You can now invigorate yourself with music in the mornings thanks to Bluetooth, allowing you to connect your phone and play the music of your choice while you shower (90s dance is my preference).  Things like mood lighting can also help to inspire your mood.  


Looking at Insignia Steam Showers, you can even have aromatherapy steam in your shower to calm and relax you, readying you for a good night's sleep.  

Added accessories such as shower seats can add to the experience further.  From the practicality of sitting down whilst shaving your legs to simply luxuriating in steam after a stressful day at the office whilst listening to calming music (Chopin's Spring Waltz is a favourite of mine).

What is your dream bathroom?

28 September 2021

5 Ways to Save Money for the Non Saver!

 There are so many phrases that are flung around when it comes to talking about money and saving.  None of them sound much fun, which I think is half the problem when it comes to needing to save up or cut down on your spending.

Tightening your purse strings, cutting corners, every penny counts, waste not want not.  I’m bored just by typing them out.  


I think it was Sophia Amoruso who said “Money looks better in your bank than on your feet”.  Clearly she has never owned a pair of Louboutins.  (Never have I TBH, but one day…….)


What I wanted to do today is share some tips that you can incorporate into your everyday life that will save you money and also cut down on your spending in the long run.   


So let’s start with the fun tip to begin:


Go shopping to save more


Yes. I did tell you to go shopping in order to save money.  


Every day on my lunch break I walk into town to look around the shops.  


Whoever you are, there are always things in your life that are the staples that you use time and time.  Skincare, haircare, makeup.  It can be anything really that you use on a regular basis.  The rule is simple, regardless of whether you need one or not, if it is on sale at a great price, buy it.  But only if it is something that you use regularly.


That does not mean that new shade of nail varnish that Sally Hansen brought out that you are convinced you will wear all the time.  This means the moisturiser that works for your skin that you use every day.  The BB cream that brightens up a tired work day face.  The expensive shampoo/conditioner that you love but is now on three for two.


This will not only save you money in the long run.  It also enables you to continue using the products that you love, keeping that extra luxury, but at a more affordable price.


For example, I love John Frieda products (not a recommendation, everyone’s hair works better with different products.  I like the range for what it does to my hair, but also that there are a wide range of products).


So, my staples from the range are the regular shampoo, conditioner, the blonde shampoo and conditioner, the hair serum and the frizz ease product (I do recommend that last one for anybody, I love it).


All of that costs £37.00.  Not cheap.  Buying them in bulk on three for two means I buy two of everything (£74.00).  Averaging the price of each item at £6.17, knocking four products off I get for free, means the price goes down to an average of £4.11, £49.16 total.  A saving of nearly £25.00.


I can justify a price of £4.11 per product much more than £6.17.




Store Advantage Cards


Get them.  Get them all and use them.  But don’t just get the card, download the app.  Stores like Boots regularly have an offer such as extra points when you spend a certain amount of money, or things like double points on certain products.


But again, only buy what you need and ideally, try to use these offers in conjunction with the offers already on in store, such as three for two.  


I try my best to save these points for Christmas year which I can then use to buy presents, perfume, that Clinique moisturiser I love that is NEVER on sale.  Last year I had saved £90.00 worth of points.


Go Through a Cashback Site Online


Every time I go online now, even when I am not intending to purchase something; I open up a tab with my go to cashback site provider, in my case, TopCashBack.  A lot of the cashback you get can be minimal, like 2% on purchases at a clothing store; but it does add to your total.


What you can really make money on are the larger purchases that you need to buy every day.  Home insurance, car insurance, holidays.  Everything you buy on the internet, you can usually get some form of cashback on.


Recently I needed to renew my VPN.  Instead of paying £120.00, I ended up paying £60.00 with the offer, plus 55% cash back.  Meaning that instead of paying £120.00, I will have spent around £36.00.


Over the past couple of years, even with forgetting sometimes to use the site, I have got £275.00 in cashback.  That’s nearly one Louboutin right there.  Or a good payment towards a holiday (whenever we get to go away again).


Save Your Change


When I first thought about saving the cash in my purse, I started with saving pound coins and fifty pence pieces.  Don’t do this.  Because at the end of the month I inevitably opened up my savings jar to raid the money to pay for my lunches for the week before payday.


Instead, do this.  Save only silver.  Every few days when you come home from work, open your purse and spread out your coins.  Put back the pound coins and the fifty pence pieces (unless you have a lot).  Put away in your savings any tens, twenties and fives.


Today I put away 85p.  Not a lot, but it adds up.  Every few months I accumulate around £40 - 50.00.





For the Product Lovers


Again, another fun one.  Subscribe to a beauty box.  There are many out there, I am currently with Glossybox and pay £11.75 a month.  


Most boxes have a minimum value of £50.00 worth of products, sometimes I have had a box worth over £100.00.  Last month I got a face serum worth £43.  Another month I received an Illamasqua highlighter worth £27.00.  


My skincare has definitely improved with the products that I have received and saves you buying items at the regular price.  I can’t remember the last time for example I needed to buy face serum.


What I love is that they also put up regular short surveys for the products that you receive. which then gives you credit to spend.  Again, it all adds up.


Click on this link to subscribe (if you wish, I am not pushing you) and you will receive £5 credit which you can then spend on the Look Fantastic site.


I know that this has been a long post, but I hope that it helps someone like me who likes the nice products in life, but would like to cut down on spending.


If you use all of these tips in your life, you will save a decent amount of money in the long run.  That first pair of Louboutins may not be that far away!



I was not paid to write this piece, all comments and suggestions are my own

21 July 2021

The Basics of Life We All Need To Be Happy

 No one’s figured out the meaning of life yet, and it’s likely that nobody ever will. As such, we get to make up our own meanings. And doesn’t the pursuit of happiness seem like a pretty reasonable ambition? Life’s not only more enjoyable when you’re happy, but it can even extend your life! Plus, there’s no denying that happy people want to make the world a better place. It’s the haters that hold us back. But what are the keys to happiness? We’re going to run through some of the essentials in this blog.


Pexels - CC0 Licence


Somewhere to Live


It’s amazing how often people take their good fortune for granted. If you have a roof over your head, then you should be grateful. There are plenty of people out there who don’t have that, and if you extend the catchment area to all people who have ever lived, you’ll find that virtually nobody had that. It’s impossible to quantify just how much having a home to call your own can impact your life. Without it, you’d be sleeping outside in all weather, have nowhere to store your stuff, nowhere to relax, and so on. 


The Right to Live Where You Are


Having a roof over your head is one thing. But what if you didn’t have a country to call home? If you live where you were born, then this won’t be something that you’ve thought about all that much. But it happens all the time -- people have to leave their home country for all kinds of reasons. Thankfully, there are options out there for other people, especially in the UK. From arriving on a visa to applying for British passport after indefinite leave to remain, the immigration journey can be long but eventually worth it. And if you have the right to live where you are without giving it a second thought, then consider yourself blessed!


Other People


Some people have a low opinion of humanity or wish that everyone would disappear. But can you imagine what life would be like if that were to actually happen? It’d be impossible. You’d have to catch and cook all your meals. If you got sick, then, unless you’re a doctor, you’d have no idea what to do. And it’s not just about the technical details. It’s other people that make us laugh and keep us entertained. Where would we be without them?


Capacity to Improve


It’s true that life isn’t always a stroll in the park. There are times when it feels like we’re up against it or when it feels like we’re no longer enjoying what we had. But the good thing about life is that you don’t have to settle for your situation. In nearly all instances, there are ways that you can improve your situation. Even if we don’t decide to change our lives, knowing that we have the capacity to improve can have such a big influence on our lives. If you know that everything’s possible, you’ll be well on your way to happiness! 


6 July 2021

QuietOn & Camping

 Last weekend I went to Wales to go camping for three days.

Now anyone that knows me will know that I am not a camping person.  I have memories of camping years ago and my recollection of it included cramped tents, always been cold, uncomfortable on the floor and being woken up at 5.00am with blazing sunshine and the birds singing.

Now I love sunshine and birdsong, but not at 5.00am.  I am not a morning person it has to be said.

Having been promised a comfortable tent that I could stand up in, a double mattress and a cozy duvet to sleep with; my only qualms led to being woken up in the morning.  Our tent had a bedroom with blackout so the light would not be a problem; but what about those pesky birds?

So I decided that this weekend would be the perfect time to try out my new QuietOn 3 earbuds.  I have previously reviewed the previous generation of these earbuds and use them to great use in my home office.  They drown out the sound of the household perfectly and enable me to get on with my work.  But for the outdoors, I decided to go for the newest version to see how they would work out.

Here is what they say about the QuietOn 3 earbuds:

"Everything that we want in life – professional success, personal well-being, physiological health – begins with a good night’s sleep. And a good night’s sleep begins with quietude. QuietOn 3 leverages breakthrough ANC technology to create a better environment for sleep, effectively eliminating the low-frequency noises that so often disrupt our sleep.

Some of the most common noises that interrupt sleep are low-frequency sounds from heating systems, appliances, traffic, airplanes, snoring and noisy neighbours. QuietOn 3’s ANC technology eliminates ambient sound by automatically generating opposite waveforms to nullify the low frequencies, resulting in a much quieter and more peaceful environment for sleep."





As you can see, the carrying case that holds the earbuds is tiny and therefore easily transportable to wherever you need to go.  You get a charging cable within the case with a USB and four different sizes of earbuds to ensure that you get the perfect fit.  The case also has handy lights to indicate when the earbuds are charged.

A single charge lasts 28 hours which is amazing frankly and lasted me for my whole trip without losing power.

But did they work you ask? Well the answer is, perfectly.  I tested out each earbud for sizing and found that the second smallest fit my ears perfectly.  The buds expand slightly when in your ear so there is no worry that they are going to fall out during the night or when you turn over in bed.  I can attest to this.  My partner says I turn around and around in bed all night and they never moved.

I think that I slept more soundly in those three days than I have in a long time.  As promised by QuietOn, the earbuds removed all of the noises that would normally have woken me in the night and ensured that birdsong did not wake up at sunrise, which I was extremely grateful for.

I lent them to my partner for a few days in the next week as he is often woken in the night by the cat padding around and street noise.  He said that he too had a wonderful sleep and I think we may be battling to use them from now on.  At least now, I know what to buy him for Christmas!

I can highly recommend the QuietOn 3 earbuds.  Sleep is so important to have a productive day and uninterrupted sleep is a rarity in modern life.  They are a must!

Here was our view while we were in Wales.  We will definately be revisiting, with our earbuds in place!



5 July 2021

Chicken Licken, The Sky is Falling In

 I have had various conversations with people over the past few years about "trans issues" with varying degrees of success.  Some are shocked, horrified at what I tell them.  "I had no idea.  How can this happen?"

Some miss the point entirely and simply say "Live and let live".  Their ears are open but they are not listening.  These are the people that think that it is all really a big to-do about nothing.  It will all go away, sort itself out, somehow, they think.

Then there are others who simply don't care.  Unless something directly impacts on their life, they do not care.  It is happening to someone else, somewhere else.  Not them.  They listen to the party line of "transwomen are women" and think that if the media are saying it, it must be true.

What will it take for them to care?


There has been much in the media recently about "Laurel Hubbard", the trans athlete who identifies as a woman and is competing as a woman in the Olympics.  I see outrage from many, but many of those take it as a single incident.  An "how terrible" and never think about it again.  

Last week a Judge ruled that transwomen could enter women's prisons.  It rocketed around like a meteor of shock and pain in the gender critical circles I circulate in; but has been ignored by the main media.

Again I have had conversations.  I talk about the fact that Californian female prisoners who are sleeping in shifts to keep themselves safe.  I talk about Karen White (as the most high profile trans prisoner they may have heard of).  I talk about sex attacks happening as a result of transwomen in prisons.  I talk about nearly half of trans prisoners are in prison for sex crimes.  That 1 in 50 male prisoners now identify as female.

I see shock from some, but no anger.  No pledge to tell people, do something.  Anything.  Speak out.  Join the cause.  From others, I see their eyes glaze over.  They think "well I'll never be in prison, so".

Lets look why women are in the prison in the most part.  

53% have survived emotional, physical or sexual abuse in childhood.  7 in 10 are survivors of domestic abuse.  80% have been sentenced to prison for non violent offences, such as shoplifting and not paying your TV licence.  

I tell people about four year olds in gender clinics.  About teenagers prescribed life altering puberty blockers.  About the teenager detransitioners, let down the medical professional who are now missing breasts, have had hysterectomies.  Who have suffered loss of bone density and vaginal atrophy.

About little girls and boys who like toys or clothes deemed for the opposite sex who are put on the transgender path by the parents; who are told by the schools (thanks Stonewall) that this the right thing to do.

I tell them about women who are assaulted by transwomen who are forced by Judges to lie in Court and call their perpetrators "she".  About fathers who fight for their children going through the transgender path who are put in the dock and found in contempt of Court for calling their biological daughter female.

I get asked by these fence sitters and the people who care none; "Why do you care"?  My question is 

WHY DO YOU NOT CARE?  WHAT WILL MAKE YOU WAKE UP?

To quote the X-Files, the truth is out there; if only you would see.

16 June 2021

What Has Happened To Us?


I am a British woman.  I am proud, very proud to be British.  

Not for who is currently in Government from one year to the next.  At this point, they are mostly the same.  Labour is no longer a party for the working class and there is no real alternative to what they used to be.  They believe in self ID which would be disastrous for women.  The Greens think that women are "non-men" (given the subject matter of this blog post, it amused me that I found myself Googling an "acceptable" news source for this link, more later).  The Liberal Democrats, do they even really exist anymore after their Judas move on tuition fees?

I am proud to be British because of the people.  Our determination.  Our self deprecation.  Our sarcasm.  The way in which we act when everything around us is a mess, but we can still come together as a nation when it counts.  The Blitz spirit that still lives in all of us.  It is part of our make up.  Who we are.


I remember when we hosted the Olympics.  Days before there had been riots in the streets.  Yet the next day, a clean up was organised on Twitter and people turned up with their brooms.  That is us.

Then watching the Olympics, the pride we felt as a nation.  The way we got behind and cheered our own.  Lets not forget.  We came third in the world that year.  This tiny island.  With so much heart.

That is what being British is to me.  Our heart and our spirit.   Our backbone.  I refuse to apologise for it.

So I have a question.  What is happening to us?  

I have said this before, but when did we as a country agree that the left were right and the right were wrong?  That there was no in-between.  No centre.  That only an ultra left leaning perspective (far past the realms of what you previously call left wing) could be listened to and anything other was Nazism.  Evil.  Not to be listened to. Deplatformed.

Because that is what is happening.  Even businesses cannot escape it.  The speed in which they immediately backtrack and change their policies is frankly shocking.  

I remember a lady known on Twitter as flashmaggie who dared to say "Death doesn't misgender. You die as you were born".  (You can read about her experience here). That is a fact last time I checked.  Nothing controversial there.  Is is biology, pure and simple.

Yet drinks company Innocent, after one tweet from someone with the massive total of 45 followers who complained to Innocent that they were following a "clear transphobe"; took it upon themselves to issue an apology for following her, and promptly unfollowed her account.

I would add that Sussex police also investigated her for a hate crime for that tweet.  Thankfully she did not fall to the current wave of "non crime hate incidents" that have been recorded on no less than 120,000 times. 2000 of those have been children under 16 (I make no apology for the Daily Mail link, when did that become a social crime?).

This week was the launch of GB News.  The reaction to this has made me simultaneously laugh, eye roll but also; frankly despair.

Again we see companies who originally signed up for advertising on the site, quickly issuing apologies for daring to do so.  Now it seems that a single tweet can change the minds of major companies.  

We see people in faux horror, dropping their knitting (sorry to knitters for that quip) and screaming in some sort of self righteous disgust that a news channel dares to have voices and opinions that might not be automatically ultra left.  Not bowing down to the current "words are violence", I am "triggered" culture that seems to be becoming more and more prevalent.

Lets look at some of the recent headlines from them.  Child marriage is child abuse.  The pandemic has blown up the public finances.  No jab, no job?  Shocking I know.  I think I need therapy just from reading them.  I jest.

But honestly.  Is this what we have become?  Given the current state of some of the press and what is reported/misreported, I would have thought another news site with a more open way of reporting would be welcomed.

Look at all the things that are kept from us.  The fact that people have been rioting in Paris, until recently, every weekend for the past two years.  Look at the many BLM riots that have either been ignored or misreported.  Do you remember the reporter saying on live telephone that the ongoing riot behind him was in fact a peaceful protest, despite the massive fire on the background.

Now, look at this image.  I bet you think that it was from the so called "insurrection" at the White House in January.  But no, it wasn't.  This was BLM/Antifa the year before.  The press called it a demonstration.  That looks like people setting things on fire and rioting to me.  


I still hold hope that the majority of the UK has better sense than those who faint on social media at voices and opinions that differ from their own.

We are British FFS.  It is time that we remembered that.  We have backbone.  We have opinions and thoughts.  Stand up.  Remember who and what we are.

12 May 2021

Simple Methods For Getting Out In Nature More

 

Pexels - CC0 License


Most of us are relatively tired of feeling cooped up in our homes, despite how important that has been over the last year. Of course, even if we have been, most of us have had the chance to try and get out in nature, to walk in parks, and to exercise outside to try and offset some of the societal closures we’ve all had to encounter.


That said, when the world slowly returns back to normal (or at least, as normal as it can be), it’s not hard to let the overwhelming business of our lives to take centre stage once more and make us feel a little out of sorts. For this reason, it can be a good idea to focus on getting back out in nature and maintaining more of a consistent habit in doing so.


Of course, not all of us can take an hour out of our day every single day to walk in the park, so what options do we have? Well, in this list, we have three tidbits of advice that might help. Let’s get started:


Consider A Little Carefree Fun


A little carefree fun can’t hurt, especially when than involves enjoying the outdoor space with your friends. Going on a simple bike ride to welcome a weekend morning can be a great idea, particularly if it takes you through a few scenic routes. You might even decide to engage in a fun and passive activity, like flying a kite during a sunny and social day, or sourcing a Sky Rover Knightvision at Alpha Toys and flying it around in a meditative state. Carefree fun is the best fun, and little implements like this can make your day.


Invite Your Friends Or Dates Here


Inviting your friends or even a date to your local natural reserve can be a great idea, even if that’s simply to walk lazily through the paths and talk about life and topics you want to get through. It can be tremendously freeing and a routinely bonding experience to have this private time with someone, especially when the natural backdrop is otherwise so awe-inspiring to look at. 


Spend Some Time In Creativity


There’s perhaps no better way to bust stress than to enjoy a little creativity from time to time, and that goes double in a gorgeous natural environment. Setting up your easel and paints near a local river and painting the fishermen as they try for catches in the lake over the course of an afternoon can be tremendously fulfilling to your spirit, even if you’re not experienced at painting in the least! You may decide to walk to the park to journal every other Sunday morning, or perhaps simply getting involved in a local gardening initiative can help you get out of the house and ensure you have a chance to get your hands dirty. The possibilities are endless.


With this advice, we hope you can get out in nature more and adore doing so.