This post takes inspiration from Rachel over at The Minimalist Mom who recently posted about her own minimalist make up (and it ties in nicely with my feel good week)

I’ll start by saying that I’ve never really been a make up person, a lick of mascara and a light foundation is about as far as I go. However in the past I’ve not been immune to buying the latest skin care product to hit the shelves, only to throw it away a few months years later.  I’ve learnt my lesson though and these days stick to buying my favourites only.

Here are the only products that I use all the time;

• Clinique Super Balanced Foundation
• Clinique All About Eyes Concealer
• Maybelline Colossal Lash Mascara
• Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream
• Lee Stafford Messed Up Hair Gunk (which I probably don’t need)
• Body Shop Coconut Body Butter (my favourite ever product)

I also keep a small tin of vaseline in my handbag (for my lips), and up until recently I was using Olay Total Effects Day SPF Moisturiser, but it ran out and I haven’t replaced it yet…..although I may do when I have enough Boots points* to pay for it – my favourite way to ’buy’ beauty products!  I have a couple of other things that I’m currently using, but they were gifts.

Spending: I don’t want make and beauty products to be a major part of my budget, but I’m not ready to go totally product free. I think annually I’m spending around £60 – this year I’m going to track it properly to see if I’m about right with this amount.  I always buy the body butter on sale (and through a cash back site), as it’s usual price is £12.50 (it’s currently selling on sale for £6.25), last year I ended up paying around £5 a tub. And I’ll buy a foundation when I’m in NY because it’s $23 there and £21.50 here! The hair gunk will last me all year anyway, but I do need a new hand cream.

What about you? Are you trying to cut your make up and beauty spending? Do you have a favourite make up product?

*I just checked my Boots points and I have £9.16 to spend in store. Yay!

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Make-Up + Beauty Products is a post from: Move to Portugal

I don’t have a lot going on this week and M. is away working until late on Thursday night, so to keep myself busy (and focused), I’m going to have a feel good week.  A few days of increased concentration on my health, body and well being.  My diet is going quite well, but other things, like my sleep patterns, are a little by the wayside.

I’ve set myself a little health & beauty plan for the week, which includes going to bed at 10.30pm every night. For me this is early, so we shall see how it goes!

I’m taking part in Carla’s ‘No (Low) Spend Challenge’ at the moment, so there can be no spending on any extra products this week. I’ll just be using anything that I already have….it’s amazing what you can find when you start searching your bathroom cabinets!

The plan:

• Eat at least 5 a day
• Eat 1500 calories a day
• Drink 6 glasses of water every day (1.5L)
• Log all my calories on Livestrong
• Walk x 5 days
• Take iron tablets x 4
• Scrub and moisturise full body x 3
• Home pedicure my feet
• Go to bed at 10.30pm (lights out)
• Get up at 6am every day (regular time)

Okay now to print the list.

I’d love to know if you’ve struggled with sleep patterns in the past? And if so, how you managed to overcome the issues.

I’d love it if you wanted to join me in a feel good week

A feel good week is a post from: Move to Portugal

I’m not feeling any motivation for house projects at the moment, but I really need to get started on the update to our small hall. It’s at the side of our house and embarrassingly grubby. So grubby that I’m horrified when visitors first set eyes on it.

It’s the main entrance to our house and so the place where we dump all our shoes and coats….and apparently where I store my vases!  It also houses the electric meter, the fuse box and the door to the under stairs cupboard, all which are damaged in some way. There’s quite a bit of work for such a small area, but it has to be be done….on a budget of course.

Here you can see the unpainted mdf shelf (unpainted since 2006!) and coat hooks

And the shoe rack underneath it.

Of course I have a little to do list:

To do (small hall):

• Get quote for woodwork
• Replace backdoor step
• Replace rotten under stairs door frame
• Box in meter (or remove all)
• Prepare walls
• Paint ceiling
• Paint walls
• Paint mdf shelf
• Undercoat door frame
• Gloss door and frame
• Clean floor tiles

At the moment the electric meter is half boxed it and we need to either have the job completed, or remove all the wood completely – it just depends on the cost.

I’m not putting a demanding time frame on this project, I just want to get started on it, and if possible, have it completed by the end of March. Hmm. Ten weeks. Should be long enough!

Are you procrastinating on anything house projects?

House Projects – Small Hall (Before) is a post from: Move to Portugal

The following is a guest post.

I’m a firm believer that you can make good money by using a credit card if you use it wisely.  There are many different rewards card that offer great cash back options.  You can also try to make money using a credit card balance transfer. 

What Is A Balance Transfer?

A credit card balance transfer is just like it sounds, you move money from one credit card account to another.  Usually one credit card will offer you an incentive to move, and they will provide you with a “balance transfer check”.  You simply use that check to pay off your current card, and the balance is now on the new card.

Risks of a Balance Transfer

A balance transfer usually has many strings attached, so make sure you read the fine print.  Some cards charge fees for each balance transfer.  Most are flat fees, but some can even be a percentage of the amount you are transferring.  Make sure you understand what you will pay if you are considering doing a balance transfer. 

Second, many cards usually charge a different interest rate on balance transfer amounts.  So, while they advertise one interest rate for purchases, you usually need to check the fine print to discover the balance transfer rate. 

How To Make Money

After reading about the fees, you may wonder how you can make money by keeping a balance on a credit card?  Well, many credit cards offer really good interest rates on balance transfers – such a 0% for a specified period of time.  If you are a new card customer, they usually also waive any fees associated with the balance transfer.  As a result, you can have a free transfer to a card that won’t charge you any interest – that’s a good deal.

To make money, you have to be smart about it, and you have to have good timing.  The goal is to use the money at 0%, and put it in a savings account earning 1-2%.  You can do this by using your existing card’s cash advance, put the money in an account, and use a balance transfer check to pay off the card.  Now, your credit card balance is 0%, and you have that money in savings.  When the 0% is up, use the savings to pay off the card. 

Make Money With Your Credit Cards is a post from: Move to Portugal

Every new year without fail I have a mad idea to clean and de-clutter every single bit of my house. And I mean every bit. I make a very (very) long list and slowly work my way through it.

I’ll usually get about half way before throwing in the towel, and I never quite get to certain jobs. Like extractor fan cleaning for example, which always seems to get left! (Well life is to short isn’t it!?) But it’s not too short apparently (if you’re me), to organise your cutlery drawers! Hmmm. I know, I need to get out more!

Anyway I present two of the three drawers that I have in my tiny kitchen, all clean and tidy.

That’s all I have! Can you tell I’m not a cook?

All back in.

Pots and pans (steamer not shown)

And the main reason for this post. There wasn’t anything to de-clutter! I’m making progress people

Kitchen Equipment is a post from: Move to Portugal