4 simple and effective tips to stop nail biting

For some low cost and effective nail biting solutions which just might work, I can recommend trying the following:

1. For those who have a UV light for gel polishes, get 'IBX Strengthen'. This is a product you can put on underneath the gel (still using the lamp to set) to also help strengthen the nail. It won't get rid of the habit, but may allow for better results when they get any kind of length to them.

2. Carry a nail file. I would bite mine to 'neaten them up' so if there was a sharp bit or a daggy bit I would even them up. This was a never-ending cycle that led to very sore quicks! By carrying a nail file, you can make sure there is nothing that can snag or anything.

3. I actually think that a few months of artificial nails (I like 'Prescription Nails' by GO30 as they don't damage your natural nails as much) while you are breaking the habit is helpful, as they are very hard and you can't really bite them. I do find I still put them in my mouth or tap my teeth with them so I really need to break that habit too! But after that, refer to tip1.

4. This article is also a good one to read! https://hellogiggles.com/beauty/how-to-stop-nail-biting-10-steps/

Berry nice savings to be had on blueberries!

I have found the answer to enjoying the health benefits of blueberries is in the freezer aisle! Blueberries are so good for you, but very expensive if you buy the punnets of fresh fruit. The regular price of fresh ones works out at well over $30 per kilo and while they look nice on a fruit platter, they don't have a lot of flavour. Instead, I now buy frozen blueberries at around $4 or $5 per 500g pack - less than a third the price! Simply throw a cupful in the microwave with a teaspoon of sugar and zap for a minute or two. Much tastier and are delicious with ice cream, natural yoghurt or just on their own!

A wonderful way to say goodbye

My husband was dying of lung cancer. He wanted his ashes scattered at sea and, being a practical man, discussed other details. He did not think much of church services and a eulogy delivered by a person he did not know.

He died in my arms at home and the next morning he was picked up by Sommerville Funerals. (Most people are unaware that they may have some time with their loved one before the body is collected.) A private cremation was arranged and I collected my husband's ashes for his 'celebration of life' at our home. All our friends arrived, charged their glasses, sat or stood on our front lawn and listened to his story that I had written a few days before. We played his favourite music and people stayed all day. My husband loved a great party and this was no exception. Everyone said this was the best service they had ever attended and they were going to do the same.

Incidentally, the only cost was the private cremation fee. Nothing like some of the very high fees I was quoted.

Declare war on the mortgage

We decided to get rid of the $96,000 mortgage on our home within three years. The massive load of interest we would pay to the bank was over the top and we felt that the bank owned us. The entire family bought into the project one hundred percent.

1) We replaced the nice modern cars with older, less costly ones. The net difference and any savings we had and $700 from a garage sale were paid off the mortgage.

2) We agreed to budget as if we were in a life and death war and the war had to be won in three years. I developed an Excel budget spreadsheet and we tweaked the numbers until we had a 'do-able' weekly saving of $220 extra to pay off the mortgage. Clothes purchases would be done exclusively at 'Harrods', our Salvation Army shop, until the war was over.

We decided to run any item not budgeted for over three 'hurdles'.

The first hurdle was 'could it shorten the mortgage war?'

The second hurdle was 'is it a health issue?' and if so what was the least-cost workable solution?

The third hurdle was 'could it wait until the end of the three years?'

3) As time progressed we became pretty smart at reassigning money to reward ourselves for enduring the war. This meant we could have a low cost take away sometimes, or spend on an out of budget item we had set our hearts on.

It took nearly four years to knock off the mortgage. Yes, we won the war a little later than hoped, but we won. If it had taken eight or nine years to win, it would still have been worth it.

The legacy of our war against the mortgage is that we have developed great money saving skills for life. And life is great.