Why I choose not to make money from my blog

My little blog is well over 2 years old and it’s amazing how far it’s come in that time and also how much it’s changed.

When I started my blog it all happened quite fast, it flowed and I was consumed with starting it up and learning all the new jargon. I had wanted something to channel a creative side that was stifled with the normality of having my job and family and just functioning.

What struck me quite early on was that so many people were talking about how to make money from your blog. At first it baffled me as I had no idea that writing about the random thoughts in my head would have any relationship with earning money, yet there it was, everyone was doing it. I started reading about ads that you insert into your sidebar or posts, you know the sort I’m sure. They advertise different products depending on your audience and sit there quite happily trying to blend in. I normally end up clicking on them by accident as I think they are part of what I’m reading. Clever really!

There are so many pins with amazing statements such as ‘how I make thousands per month’ or ‘make money now from your blog, let me show you how’, I even saw one recently that said how they were making $50,000 per month! Wow, are you kidding me, that’s incredible. So, you can imagine, I was pretty much sidelined by this and pound signs started flashing in my eyes, luring me in their direction. Now the daft thing is that the whole reason I started my blog was to have a hobby that would help with a bit of relaxation-not to earn money-yet there I found myself applying for affiliated links and google ads and all manner of ad companies hoping they would accept me. I’d check my emails frantically to see what news there would be of my requests. Most of them didn’t even reply as I hadn’t really published anything and had no value to them at all, well doh that was pretty easy to see had I taken the time to think about it. The thing is that I still really didn’t want my blog to look like it was advertising anything as I wanted it to represent me and the things that I like, I was still finding my feet with what I was creating. I didn’t want to be a follower, surely to work for google ads is to be a very small fish in a massive shoal. The blog is for me to stretch myself not to stand rigid and conform quite so much.

I remember posting my first piece and including the one advert I had managed to install, I then sat back and expected people to suddenly flock to the blog clapping that I had appeared, read my stuff, click on the ads and general revel in the fact that I was here…..funnily enough, that didn’t happen.

I gradually came to realise that content is key to keep a blog going and to keep my interest in it. I left my little ad on that post and left it at that. I want people to read what I have to say and not get taken away by the ads and lose interest in me. That said, I love reviewing products and I certainly wouldn’t turn my nose up at a lovely big commission to work with someone. I’m not against making money in general, after all it’s how I help keep a roof over my head.

I’m now having fun with my blog, I run giveaways which is great, talk about my family, write poetry and cook, it’s a wonderful outlet. For the time being the ads will not have a home here – not now, not yet, but maybe sometime.

What do you think of ads on blogs, do they make you stay, shop or click away?

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It’s the weekend….

Oh and the school holidays start!! Da da daaaaa!! It’s brilliant to have such a great start to the summer, with all this sun we have been down the beach most days after the boys have finished school. Living on the south coast of England is such a dream.

The World Cup kept us pretty occupied while it was on. Maybe football didn’t come home but I think the team did us proud! It was great to all get behind England and we loved it in our house. We had the lucky bunting up and had a great time watching so many matches. Being a mixed heritage household we had different teams to support but England were the most successful.

This weekend we are going to the Sorted in Dorset family festival in hamworthy Park which looks set to be a lot of fun. I remember going to that park when I was little as we had a beach hut there, so it’s going to be quite nostalgic too.

In the garden I’m going to have a good root around my plants. The success story there this week are my tomatoes.

With all of this lovely hot sun they are growing beautifully. Another week or so and they should start to ripen up to a rich red!

Not as lucky are my purple brussel sprouts. The delicate but deadly cabbage white butterfly managed to lay their eggs and the caterpillars 🐛 had a feeding frenzy before I could pick them all off.

That’s the thing with my version of organic gardening, I haven’t put anything other than water on the plants and deal with the bugs by picking them and putting them up the end of the garden. I still have my fingers crossed that my aim of have home grown brussel sprouts as part of my christmas dinner roast will actually happen.

All in all this weekend will be out in the fresh air as much as possible. A great start to the summer holidays.

What are your plans for the weekend or the summer break?

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More gardening stories can be seen here with my 5 steps to making a raised bed.

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Estarer Laptop Bag Review and Giveaway

Timing is key to most things and considering my laptop bag was falling apart at the seams the time was right now to look for a new one. My computer travels more miles than I can imagine. It comes to work every day, it will accompany me on business trips and it travels in continuous circles around my own house, from room to room, up and down the stairs being the faithful servant it is.

So, news flash! I have a new bag! Boy am I pleased with it, I’ve got that office chic feeling again. It’s great what a new bag will do for me.

Today I am not only telling you about this great bag from Estarer but I also have a Giveaway too! You can get your hands on a bag just like this by entering at the end of this post. First though let me tell you a bit more.

I have chosen the brown the version and it also comes in a plum colour. The bag is large and has space for just about everything. If you are a multi tasker then this will be just right. There’s even space for the odd nappy and baby wipe.

I like the short straps as I often get shoulder ache when I have a shoulder strap so this suits me a bit better. However for those of you who like the shoulder strap then there is one included.

The front on the bag has zips and compartments with easy access. If you use a note book jotter for those instant ideas such as blog post ideas or extra items for the never ending to do list then the jotter will be easily within reach using one of these outside pockets.

The bag is large enough for a 15 inch laptop and will also accommodate A4 folders alongside it.

Product Dimensions: 30 x 9 x 40 cm
Weight: 980 g

Overall view of the bag is that it is a good size for me, I will have to be careful not to overfill it or I will struggle with the weight. It is stylish and stands out from the normal run of the mill cases which I have looked at previously.

The Giveaway!

Estarer Womens Laptop Bag

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Mainy

Open to EU entries. All entries will be verified. Prize distributed by Estarer directly. Full t&c’s here.

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A Guide to Oral Hygiene for Elderly People

From the very youngest age, we are taught to take care of our teeth. While we are fortunate enough to have a temporary set of molars when we are young, they eventually give way to the one and only set of teeth you will ever have. This demands regular oral examinations and of course, best practices, as our teeth and gums have to endure a lifetime of punishment and as we age, the need for dental care does not diminish, in fact, oral hygiene becomes even more important as our teeth and gums begin to degenerate. If you are at all concerned about your teeth and you are in your middle years, here are some important factors that make for taking good care of your teeth and gums.

Losing Colour

– Generally speaking, a person’s teeth gradually darken as they age. This is compounded by teeth staining from the many different things that we consume and by visiting your dentist on a regular basis, your teeth can be professionally cleaned and with regular brushing and flossing, your teeth will lose very little of their whiteness. If, for example, you have just relocated and are looking for a BUPA dentist in Brisbane, an online search will give you a list of clinics within driving distance.

Enamel Decay

– The acids in the food and drink we consume are constantly attacking the tooth enamel and over time, this can cause the surface to become thin and dull. The many benefits of BUPA cover really pay dividends as you get older and what might have been expensive dental treatment is very affordable with the right medical cover.

Gum Disease

– It isn’t only your teeth that wear, as gums typically recede as we age and this in turn causes the teeth to lose their stability and in some cases, fall out. Gum disease can strike anyone at any age, yet older people are more susceptible, which is why regular visits to your dentist are advised. Gum disease can be better treated if caught early and with regular examinations, any gum issues can be promptly addressed.

Daily Mouthwash

– Of course, you should brush your teeth after every meal, but even a good brushing session can leave minute traces of bacteria and a good antiseptic mouthwash after brushing will remove any bacterial traces, keeping the teeth clean. Swishing the liquid around and using your cheek muscles to create high pressure bursts is an effective way to reach those hard to brush areas. This is something you should try to do several times a day and it will ensure that your teeth and gums are always clean and can better deal with the daily stresses.

Flossing is also important and if you don’t floss, then today is the best time to change that. Flossing correctly ensures that the lines between teeth are thoroughly cleaned something brushing cannot do. Regular visits to your local dentist will ensure that your teeth and gums remain healthy and that Hollywood smile does not diminish over time.

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5 Easy Steps to Making a Raised Bed

With 5 easy steps to making a raised bed you can see in pictures how to put together this easy construction and to get ideas for what materials you can use.

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We have become more and more involved with gardening since moving into our new house a few years ago. I find it so relaxing to be able to potter outside when I get home from work and on the weekend. There are so many jobs that need doing and I spend alot of time with my OH talking about what we can do to make our ideas come to life. Like most people we have to remember to balance what we want with the reality that our garden has to be right for the whole family. Back when we moved in our first project was the spring garden make over where some of the things we considered were how we could make the garden ‘boy friendly’ as our boys love playing football.

This year we have looked at having a raised bed at the far end of the garden to make use of a little patch that has been all but forgotten. It’s a bit shady and was just a great big mound of earth that really looked a bit soft and not good for anything.

For ages we said that we should do something with it and last year I scattered a few beetroot seeds over it just as a passing thought. Nothing came of them really as it gets trodden on when the bikes are bought out of the shed and once again its left looking a bit sorry for itself.

So this year it was time to do something about it and make it work for us. We decided on a raised bed, we are not full on DIY people but as you can see from our pallet garden, my OH can construct a thing or two and that recycled garden area has been a great success using free pallets and a little bit of brain power. It lasts really well too.

So back to the raised bed at hand. We decided on a structure we could put together easily without cutting and drilling, one of the reasons being because we don’t have the tools to hand. We are big fans of recycling so it was a step away from using what we had around to buying in the metal and using the fast track choice. This will mean that we will be making use of it for a long time or if we do change the use of it then we will ourselves recycle the materials. There are lots of different stores which sell these and we chose one that was having a closing down sale so picked it up for a bargain price.

For this 5 Easy Steps to Making a Raised Bed I’ve used pictures to show how my two happy helpers got stuck in …and how quick it was to create.

Step 1

Here’s the patch of earth I was talking about before, pretty basic eh? We gave it a rough measuring out beforehand. My son and OH then created a flat area and gave it a good weeding.

Raised Bed — My son showing off the ‘before’ area.

Step 2

Like any good construction project my chaps had a good long look at all the bits they were going to assemble! Oh and by now it started to rain!

Step 3

Structure up and slotted together perfectly, no banging on the fingers, hopping on one foot after dropping a hammer, nada!

Step 4

At this point I think I did help with the carrying up to the end of the garden, or at least shouting encouraging words, I can’t quite remember. The bed fitted in perfectly.

Step 5

Numerous trips then followed to bring the soil and compost up there to fill it up. We roughed up the base soil which it was sitting on first so that it would feed in the nutrients from the rich soil we were putting on above.

We were now ready to go! I have been reading and thinking about what I want to try growing in this area and it will be mainly root vegetables but for the first year I will have a little experiment with a few different types. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes. For now this is a brilliant raised bed completed in just one afternoon.

What projects have you been carrying out in your garden?

What do you think to the idea of a raised bed?

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How hot? A beauty of a day out in Birmingham

I can’t let this boiling hot weather pass without mentioning it. It’s wonderful, tiring and totally surprising for us here in the U.K.

But what’s brilliant is that it fits in perfectly with us talking about the weather. Isn’t it what we are known for? Set a cuppa next to this little paragraph and we have an English photo opportunity.

I’m lucky enough to be sat here in the Birmingham Botanical Gardens writing this post today.

It’s stunning and I’m sat under the shade of a tree just taking it all in. I’ve travelled up from bournemouth for work and am lucky enough that the meeting was here!

It seems really popular with school trips and families having picnics and having a mooch around. Travelling with kids can be a challenge but so rewarding. I always have a great time with my mum and boys on holiday, Alcudia was fab and we got so much out of it.

I couldn’t let this pass by without sharing the pictures with you. Hope you enjoy them:)

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5 Ways to Save Money during the School Holidays

5 Ways to Save Money during the School Holidays

Today we have a guest post from Jon over at The Money Shed As the UK’s largest community website dedicated to earning money from home there is nothing he doesn’t know about saving or making money online. The Money Shed has a forum with over 6000 UK members and 125,000 posts so if you fancy earning some extra money from your computer make sure to drop by and join in.

That time of year is fast approaching, as the weather gets nicer and the kids get more restless. That must mean the school summer holiday is nearly here. While your kids may be really looking forward to six weeks off from homework, you may have other ideas.

It’s hard enough to find things to do with your kids over the holidays, never mind how much all of that costs. With days out, trips to different places and activities your bills can soon go up. You don’t want to cut out on any of the fun but you don’t think that your budget can stretch that far.

If this sounds like you then read our guide on how to save money during the school holidays, making sure you’re not leaving out any of the fun stuff!

Tesco

If you’re a regular shopper at Tesco and have a Clubcard with them then you’re already saving money every time you shop. However, they also send coupons and vouchers to those who use them regularly and these can be really great.

These vouchers include Thorpe Park, Alton Towers, Legoland and cinema tickets. These rewards are a great way to make sure that you’re saving money and still doing fun stuff with the kids.

Free days

Keep your eye on places which are completely free to enter. There are a lot of places all over the country that don’t charge you for entering. These places include museums and castles, which your kid will love – even if they think they won’t. There are also lots of farms which offer open days during the summer meaning your children can get up close with animals and nature for a day.

Some places which normally charge admission have free days during the holidays too. Have a look for places which are involved in this scheme to secure you and your kids a great, free day out.

Travel

With all this to-ing and fro-ing all over the country, your fuel costs are definitely going to feel the burn. Instead of choosing to stay nearer to home, why not purchase a railcard? Most train lines offer these at a discounted rate, and you can save even more when travelling with kids.

The kids will love adventuring on the train and it’ll not only save you money, but it will save you having to drive everywhere.

Kids Pass

Kids pass is a great site which allows you to get money off nearly everything. They do deals on their site which means you can purchase an annual pass for far less than you usually would. These passes offer children under a certain age free or discounted entry into loads of attractions that you’d normally pay a fortune for.

The passes can also be used at certain restaurants so if you want a night off from cooking then you can choose one of these. One pass will cover an entire household, and in some cases even cover the adult pass too.

Stay in

Okay, so you’re probably thinking that being stuck at home with rowdy children sounds like a nightmare, but not if you make it fun! Have theme days where everyone has to dress up, or teach your children to bake cookies. Build forts and have sleepovers in them. The possibilities are endless.

You can have movie days where you make your own popcorn or play board games. Search charity shops for lots of board games at ridiculously good prices. This is such a good idea when you have no other options, or if the weather lets you down and you don’t want to traipse around in the rain.

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Sausage, Greens and Beans Pasta – Guest Post

Sausage, Greens and Beans Pasta With a Simple Professional Twist

This hearty, one-dish meal involves a pasta making method frequently used by professional chefs—yet it’s simple enough for weeknight dinners. In this recipe, the pasta is partially cooked in water and then finished in a glossy parmesan sauce. And although the recipe calls for rigatoni, you can easily substitute any type of large tubular pasta.

Buy dry cannellini beans in bulk to save money, and cook large amounts of them at a time, freezing small portions for use in other recipes (or more sausage, greens and beans pasta!). If you prefer the convenience of canned beans, use a 15.5-ounce can instead—just make sure to rinse and drain them first.

You can use any type of Italian sausage in this recipe: loose or links, sweet or spicy. If you opt for link sausage, remove and discard the casings before frying the meat. Note that there is also flexibility in the liquid and greens used, with options for either white wine or broth and kale or escarole. Swiss chard works well, too, and adds some fun color to the dish.

We recommend using a Dutch oven for this recipe, though any heavy pot with high sides will do. Just don’t use your pasta pot—you’ll need that too! Remember to reserve the cooking liquid after boiling the pasta, as you will need this for the sauce. Instead of pouring the pasta into a colander, use a large slotted spoon or a spider, if you have one, to transfer the pasta from one pot to the other.

Enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/3 c. olive oil
½ tsp. dried rosemary
8 oz. Italian sausage
1 ½ c. cooked cannellini beans
¼ c. dry white wine or broth
12 oz. rigatoni
8 c. chopped kale or escarole
¾ c. finely grated parmesan
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Directions:

Fill a large pot with water and put on the stove to boil.
Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, then add the sausage and fry until browned and fully cooked, about 8–10 minutes.
Transfer the sausage to a plate using a slotted spoon.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook 3 minutes less than what the package calls for.
While the pasta cooks, add the remaining oil along with the beans and rosemary to the Dutch oven. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until browned in spots, tossing the beans and mashing some with a wooden spoon.
Remove half of the beans and place on the plate with the sausage.
Add the wine or broth to the Dutch oven, bring to a boil, and cook until nearly evaporated.
Transfer the pasta to the Dutch oven (reserve cooking water).
Add the kale and 1 cup of the pasta water. Cook while tossing with tongs until the kale is wilted, pasta is al dente, and sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes.
Add an additional ¼ cup of pasta water. Sprinkle in ½ cup cheese, tossing gently until you have a glossy sauce.
Add more pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
Season with pepper and salt, if desired, then add the butter and toss until melted.
Stir in the sausage and reserved beans.
Serve warm with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Guest Post Author’s Bio:

Melissa is a freelance writer and food blogger at recipe-barn.com. She is very passionate about cooking, creating and sharing unique recipes or just simply cooking good food. Melissa has also developed an interest in a variety of other things including healthy diet and traveling in new places around the globe to experience different cuisines and learning different cultures.

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Fathers Day Gift Guide 2018

Fathers Day is just round the corner and it’s time to get those thinking caps on again for some of those great pressies which are out there. I’ve got some ideas that can give you a nudge in the right direction.

We all have different living arrangements and fathers, mothers and grandparents day can be a tricky one to navigate if you don’t necessarily fit into those brackets. Celebrating our own uniqueness with love and acceptance is a good way to go. On any given day you can show and help our little ones to demonstrate the love to those who help to bring them up.

Personalized Cart.com is one of those sites that is full with unusual gifts that you don’t see everywhere. I spent a long time browsing through so many ideas. I decided on the watch case as one of my favourites. There are lots of different sizes and styles. One of the bigger ones is a wonderfully large with dimensions of: 12.6″x 10.2″ x 6.3″(32cmX26cmX16cm) so as you can see, it’s a good size, plenty big enough to store away those more valuable items.

Pretty Gifted provides that final flourish that makes your gift look like a million dollars!

It’s a 6 step easy process to make your bespoke paper. Pick a paper, pick a font, pick a foil, write your message, pick a font size and pick an icon. You are guided through the steps and it really is very straight forward. I enjoyed it!

You can either wrap your pressies in it or I think that designing the paper and giving it as a present itself is a great idea. I chose to make some paper with the boys for their dad. His favourite colour is orange so I was pleased to see a bright orange design and then see the writing really pop out. My OH never does things by half so we knew that he would love these bright colours.

Adding a special something to your Father’s Day gifts can also come as a low cost or no cost price tag. Crafting your labels and cards will also go a long way to bringing the grin to dads face.

We love vouchers and you can easily make ‘dads vouchers’ with the kids which can be used at anytime by the big man. You can use slogans such as “Dad gets a lie in” One free hug” or for the older kids; “One car wash” or “5 cups of tea”. Have fun with what dad enjoys the most and get crafting.

What are you going to get up to and what ideas do you have?

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The Giveaway!

Estarer Womens Laptop Bag

Good luck!

Mainy

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A Guide to Oral Hygiene for Elderly People

Losing Colour

Enamel Decay

Gum Disease

Daily Mouthwash

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Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

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Sausage, Greens and Beans Pasta With a Simple Professional Twist

Guest Post Author’s Bio:

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