Going on Holiday on Your Credit Card....

*WARNING*

This may offend some people....so if you feel you may be offended, you have two choices, read it and be offended, this after all is my opinion, not yours, and i am not forcing my opinion on you in any way, i am just stating it; or don't read it so you wont be offended...

In my opinion, people need to be offended more, it's totally ok to have a different opinion to someone else!!

Right on with the blog in hand.....

While writing this i am sat in my 5th Hostel after an amazing dinner in Hiroshima, Japan.

I have saved for this trip for years, also helped massively by the sale of my old car when i moved to London from the north!

I am not the kind of person who lives on their credit card, i mean, sure i use it, i use it monthly, but at the end of every month it gets paid off, i don't have a greatly paid job and i live in London so i know how hard it is to manage all the things in life i want to do vs how much money i have.

I was brought up with 2 parents who until i was in my late teens had never had a credit card, couldn't get one (unlike these days) so i was brought up to live within my means, and to this day it is still a thing my mum likes to throw at me every so often.

So i am struggling to see how people live totally outside of their means 11 out of 12 months a year. Sure unexpected things happen, but i always thought that's what savings were for?! I mean this trip has taken almost every last bit if savings I have so i know when i go home i'm probably going to have to miss out on a few nights out, a dinner here and there to start getting some money behind me again, for those unexpected things.

When i get home within a week i'll be heading off to Download Festival (woooo!!!), but that's been paid off for months and the spending money already planned within next months pay packet. Is it just me that forward plans??

I know so many people with overdrafts not paid off, from uni or just life in general, and they live inside them, until payday, when they're back in the black, then as soon as that's done, back into their overdraft.

But my bug bare is people going on holidays, or trips of a life time on borrowed money, sure i'm all for not being able to take it with you when you die, don't have savings and never spend them, but i don't want to live my life on someone else's money....just me??

Sure i wanna go on holiday all the time, who wouldn't, My friends have already asked me to plan a trip to Poland or Iceland this October, and i so want to go!!! but I've had to say that i'll need to check my funds once i'm back from Japan and Download Festival.

In my eyes...Cant afford it, don't go. Simple!!

Again, all my own opinion.

Keep it positive

Nessa

xx

Japlanning - So it Happened!! - First Update

As i type this i am currently sat in my second hostel of the trip, in Kyoto....


A little over a year ago i started thinking about the money i had in my savings account and what i wanted to do with it, i dont want a car in London so my next natural thought was, why not go traveling, at 28 i`m a little old to be starting....if you go by the whole "gap year thing" but you`re never too old to start anything!! Mental note to myself, please remember this!!

Being me, i procrastinated about it for months, and months till one morning i woke up at home in Yorkshire (I was back for easter to see my mum and Northern friends!) and i just booked the flights, done, dusted. that was it, no going back....  

Dont get me wrong, i wasn't scared of coming here, i wasn't scared of the flight, i wasn't scared of being on my own for 3 weeks, i can take all that in my stride. But I was terrified of spending this nice cushion of money i had saved and saved.... i was terrified of not having any savings after my trip! But the more i thought about it, the more i realised that i would miss out on so much if i sat on this money, as my Dad always said, you can't take it with you when you die!

So once i booked the flights, i had to figure out where i was going, i knew i wanted to go to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima and somewhere in there i wanted to go on a Bullet train!

Simple plan but it worked!!

So i booked 5 hostels, one in each place i visit. I`m hitting Tokyo twice, once on the way in and once on the way out.

I`ll do another post with my itinerary once i`ve completed my trip and where i actually visited...but so far 8 days into my trip, i`ve seen everything i wanted, and more!!

For now this is me saying, if you want it, go for it!! Life is too short, many of us have learned this the hard way, so if it makes you happy do it, dont worry about what anyone else thinks, or says, this is your life! and you are big enough and strong enough to go do anything if you put your mind to it!!

Keep it Positive

Nessa
xx

Japlanning - It's terrifying me!!

For ages i have longed to go to Japan!! I love everything (aside from what they do with Dolphins) I love the culture, the fashion, the gaming, the history, the city sky line.

So I have saved, and saved, and saved, and i have booked 3 weeks off work to go!!

Exciting right!!

Well... yes, and no....

I have been Japlanning for ages now, I know where I want to go, I know how long I want to be there, I know how much flights will be.

But......

I am struggling to book it, to spend all that money I've saved for so long. Its been a cushioning that I am terrified to let go of.

But as I write this I am going home for Easter, back to Gods Own Country, Yorkshire!!

I am going to enlist the help of my Mama and we are going to spend all the money I have in a three week trip to the country that has fascinated me for so long! 

So until there is an update that it's all booked....please cross your fingers for me!!

Keep it Positive

Nessa

x

The V word.....Vegan

I'm back...... and very different.

It's been a while since i wrote a post, and since i did quite a few things have happened with me.

Surprisings to not only me, but lots of people around me, I've become Vegan. (aarrgghh, i know that word scares so many people!!)

My best friend from the North and her husband have both been Vegan now for around 2 years. She's become one of those voices a lot of people want to ignore, the one i wanted to ignore for a while. She spoke about how we shouldn't eat meat, and how Milk isn't for us, its for baby cows. Which i could never argue with the milk thing, but its a great source of calcium....right?!?

How wrong i was, I have to admit, since becoming vegan i have realised how some of the things i used to say were all fiction that has been spread around by pretty much everyone since god knows when.

We have to think back to a time when people thought the earth was flat, or that time we should all stop eating salt, or that time when fat was a bad thing, and now its not.... The academic people of this world are always doing more research into this, that and the other. So we have to listen with an open mind and make the right choice for ourselves.

In December my bestie challenged me to take part in Veganuary. And it being my birthday in January and having a freezer full of chicken and fish i said i would totally take her up on the challenge, but i would do February, or as we came to call it Vegbruary. (Clever huh?!)

So in January i took it upon myself to eat everything that was in my freezer, and all the things in my cupboard that contained milk etc (which is waaaaay more than you think!!)

At the end of January i did a HUGH shop from Sainsbury's, which I've never done so it was all a nice novelty to have a guy fetch all my stuff!! I bought all the veggies, pulses, grains, soya, and generally whole food plant based things!!

Throughout January i had been procrastinating (as i do best) on Pinterest. Finding lots of yummy looking things to make for lunches, as i knew the canteen at work, as well stocked as it is, would be terrible for a Vegan, let alone a new Vegan!

Stuff For Vegbruary

As you can see by the name, i thought this was just going to be for a month....

Its currently the 8th of March, and i feel like this is a life change now.

In my journey i have watched:

Vegucated (Netflix) - More about the social aspect of being Vegan

Cowspiracy (Netflix) - About the environmental effects of eating meat and the dairy, fishing and Egg industry.

Earthlings - Only watch this is you have a strong stomach, if you truly don't want to see another earthling hurt or in pain, this will make you cry and think twice.

Forks over knives - About the health aspects of a meat and dairy diary vs a wholefood plant based diet.

I've also watched on YouTube:

VEGAN 2015 - The Film

Animal Testing on a Human

Earthlings - Deleted Scenes - Not for the faint hearted

Dairy is F*****g Scary - will put you off for life

Also Watch all Erin Janus' Videos they are great!!Best Speech You Will Ever Hear - Gary Yourofsky

My friend who's been Vegan for 2 years hasn't been able to watch Earthlings yet, so that tells you something about it.

I'll do some more posts, going into what I've eaten in my first month and no word of a lie, not all of it has been "healthy"

I'll also go into eating out, and my reactions to some of the things i've watched.

As Always

Keep It Positive

Nessa

xx

Carnaby Street - #ShoppingParty

Christmas has officially landed with me! While writing this i am still stuffed from the Pie and Mash, Cupcake and Free Cocktail i consumed last night.

Last night i went to the Carnaby Street light switch on.... Or as they call it the Shopping Party.

They have DJs in nearly every shop and on the main through route of Carnaby Street itself. Most of the stores give an extra 20% off so its the perfect time to treat yourself to a little party dress for that work function, or grab a few Christmas presents with a good saving!

They promote the night really well by giving it that almost VIP feeling by sending you a ticket when you sign up with all the stores that are participating in the 20% off.

Me and my friend went for dinner at Mother Mash.

Like Mash?? 

Like pie or sausage?

Like gravy??

Then you'll LOVE Mother Mash!!

Its a simple menu choice, pick your style of Mash, I went for Champ, Mashed potato, cheese, and spring onions.

thn pick a pie or a sausage, I went for Steak and Ale Pie (yum!!)

Then choose your gravy, I went for the farmers option, Red wine, Onion, Mushroom and bacon!!

Its such a simple and homely meal! And amazing value for money!!

There wasn't much left after!!

After a mooch round the shops and a little boogie in Benefit to Maria Carey. (my ultimate fave Christmas song!!)

We headed to Crumbs and Dollies! My fave Cupcake shop by far!!

Cupcake Jemma was there, and i said Hi to her and fan girl'd massively! (so embarrassing!!) I showed her my Halloween Cupcakes.

Banoffee and Cookie Cupcakes! Yummers!

Unfortunately i didn't use the discount on anything but food. I've got the perfect outfit in my head for the Christmas period and i didn't see it tonight!

Obligatory pose in front of the #Carnaby sign!!

If you get chance to go next year! Do it! such a fun girly evening!

Keep it positive

Nessa

Xx

Debenhams -Find your fabulous Christmas

Tonight i was lucky enough to be a plus one to a beauty blogger friend of mine. She had been invited to an event held by Debenhams at Mahiki in Mayfair, London.

This was my first experience of the events that happen in the blogger world. My first taste of what this world is. And i loved it!

Now, I've had people say "ohh you just want to get into blogging for the free things!" But that's so not true. I want to get into blogging to show case my cupcakes and things i enjoy. And most of all meet some awesome people!! (Which i did tonight!)

I'm always amazed that people come along and read the things i put out in the world. And i want to keep that going and reach more people. Most of my posts are about cake *yum* or things i love, but every now and again, i write a post about something I'm really passionate about (more than cake) like my S.O.P.H.I.E post i put up. I'm an opinionated person and a passionate one. If i can reach someone who enjoys my spiel then I'm super happy!

There are many bloggers out there, and many awesome ones. One day i hope to be up there with the greats, for now, I'll just keep posting and hope someone reads what i have to say.

I was lucky enough to grab a goodie bag tonight that looks to have some awesome products in. I shall endeavor to use them all and do a little write up!

Keep it positive

Nessa

xx

Late Halloween Cupcakes - Ready for the Party!!

My friend is having a  late Halloween party this weekend as she lives close to Twickenham so with the Rugby World Cup Final on Halloween no one was able to get to her house. 

So that meant I had time to make some awesome Halloween Cupcakes for her (ohh and its also her Birthday!)

My previous attempt at Orange and Black ones turned out really well using the Wilton ColurSwirl Piping device. (of which i LOVE so much!!)

So as i did the Orange and Black ones last time, i decided to do 12 of those and 12 Green and Purple.

I used the same Vanilla recipe and doubled all the ingredients. 

I split the Mixture into 4 and coloured each one. I also did the same with the Icing.

Orange and Black, Purple and Green

I was worried about how the Purple was going to turn out as i has used Violet, but as the mixture wasn't white it gave it a deeper, spookier colour!

My fave colour Gels are always Wilton!

I Mixed the cake mixture so when they are cut in half (or bitten into) you will see 2 colours. On top of the green i put the purple mixture (forgot to take a picture of that) I did the same with the Orange and black ones.

Using the ColourSwirl icing kit, i made these!! I love the way the colours sit together! Really Halloweeny!!

No cupcakes are complete without sprinkles! I had a pot of Halloween theme sprinkles which would go out of date before next years Halloween. so I went to town!

Hopefully they will taste as amazing as they look!!

Keep it Positive!

Nessa

xx