I've always, not only been savvy with my money, but eager to find any way to make a little extra. A while ago, I shared with you ways I'd found to both save money and make money while in high school and college. I've recently discovered, with the help from Team Profit* that money making art of match betting. I had heard of this in the past and was always tempted but always scared of the prospect of losing money. It is known to be a popular way of making a little bit of extra dollar for us struggling university students.

When talking to Team Profit they assured me that match betting hasn't got the same risks as betting but is almost always guaranteed to make you a profit and if there is a loss, it's only a few pennies. It works on the offers given by online betting shops to attract customers with free coupons. It has taken me a while to grasp this idea but once I understood it, I couldn't wait to share it with you, you money making lovers. It works by places almost counter bets on two separate betting accounts using the free bets you have triggered; it's almost as if you're betting against yourself so, either way, you will win something.


I'm not going to try and explain it any more than that myself as I don't feel qualified to do so. However, Team Profit provide a great free service on their website which offers free tutorials in placing your first bets as well as explaining what it is and how it works with infographics, videos and a live chat option which was very useful when I was placing my first bet due to my easy confusion surrounding anything with numbers. The team at Team Profit offer a fabulous service to make something that seems complicated that little more simple and providing all the resources you need which include a facebook group.

Once you've grasped the idea, you're able to make a little extra money from the comfort of your own room and Team Profit can really help. Their "Starting with £25" article is a perfect place to start.

Have you ever tried match betting yourself and would you consider it?
Hope you're doing great,
Sarah x

* This post contains a paid advertisement from Team Profit but all opinions remain my own* 

The countdown til my first year at uni starting is well and truly underway and while I still have couple of weeks to prepare myself, I know a lot of you will be going back to and maybe even starting college if you decided to and so I thought I'd share with you some tips for surviving college. 

REVISE FROM BIRTH

I remember someone saying this after they were asked to give one piece of advice to a first-year student and while, sadly, that's impossible, you can at least start now. Especially if you struggle remembering information or take a bit longer getting to grips with the topic, I'd suggest doing what I did and after each lesson or each week start putting together your own kind of revision textbook then. Then, when it comes to the start of exams the pressure to revise should be less and it will be more recapping. If you want more revision tips, I did a whole series of post that you can find here.

KEEP YOUR ATTENDANCE HIGH

I remember people thinking the late starts and early finishes were great and even being able to take days off without the college really knowing was great but, if your college is like mine, they are still on you for attendance just like (if not worse) than high school. By making sure you're in as much as possible, you not only not annoying your teachers but making the most of the two years. 

USE YOUR FREE PERIODS WISELY

I'm not one to talk on this one really as while I did get into college early even if I didn't have a lesson till dinner, I did spend quite a few free periods just giggling with friends or watching pointless youtube videos. While that's fun at the time, when it came close to exams, I was annoyed at myself for not using those free periods properly. 

ASK TEACHERS

This is another I didn't really use until it was a little late. I would always tell a teacher if I was confused but wouldn\t really want extra help outside of the classroom. However, nearing my final exams, my teachers were more than happy to sit down with me and go over areas I struggled on. While some teachers aren't always the most reluctant to do this, if they want you to get the grades they will and if they say they're too busy go to someone else in the department whether you know them or not- someone will help you. 

MAKE TIME

College was, amongst the stressful times, two years I really enjoyed and I think it's only fair to suggest that you do the same. By scheduling deadlines homework, you can make sure you have time to enjoy time with friends during the week as well as the weekends. College exposed me to some great times and opportunities so I think you should definitely be on the lookout to do the same. 

So there are just a few tips that I hope you find helpful for going to college and even high school.

Are you going to college? Are you off to university like me? 
Hope you're doing great,
Sarah x



Wow, it's been a while since I've written one of these; so much for reading an abundance of books this summer. Either way, I'm hoping to carry on reading more and here are a three reviews of the books I've most recently read. 

follow me on goodreads for more recommendations and reviews! 

HOW HARD CAN LOVE BE? (SPINSTER #2) // HOLLY  BOURNE


Quickly becoming if not already a YA favourite with many. After reading Am I Normal Yet? and loving it, it was only right to give this one a read and I started it almost immediately after the first. After reading about Evie's story in the first installment, it was now Amber's turn. It continues to cover feminism taking it another step as well as surrounding first love and relationship with parents. Bourne  has taken another step in exploring problems teens of today face. I also loved the change of scenery that came with the book as Amber sets off the America to work at her mum's summer camp. While slightly cliche, the book made me happy and laugh and that's all I ask for in a book like this. I can't wait to get stuck into Lottie's story in the third book next!

NERVE // JEANNE RYAN 


This is probably the worst book I've read so far this year. After seeing how fab the trailer for the film adaption looked, in true book lover style, I felt it was my obligation to read the original first. After seeing a few reviews I didn't high expectations and after I'm glad I didn't as I think I'd be even more disappointed than I was. While I loved the storyline idea that centres a lot around the Capitalist beliefs of today and consumerism is a high stakes game of truth or dare, I found, at times the book to be dull. I did enjoy reading the dares and found them quite exciting at times but overall the story was lacking. From the start I was bored; the whole build up of a girl working on a play I felt was unnecessary. I know it was there for character development but I didn't think anything developed from that anyway. I didn't feel any feelings towards the main character; a girl who's known who's reserved who, once money  is flashed in her face, suddenly become some wild child. Slight spoiler alert; she has a dead brother. This has quickly become a character trope I hate- I feel it can be a quick way of character development to describe how a character is the way they are and I'm not a fan. As well, I felt there were plot holes and the back stories didn't really run right. Also the ending; it just kind of happened then stopped. 
As for the film adaptation, I really enjoyed it. While my favourite dare wasn't included in the film, I think they managed to adapt it well to the screen and the soundtrack I loved. Definitely, don't judge the film by the book with this one. 

READY PLAYER ONE // ERNEST CLINE


From a personal worst to a recent favourite. This book came along at just the right time. It had been a while since I delved into the dystopian/sci-fi worlds and oh how I missed them! Following Wade Watts, it shows the quest to inherit a gaming billionaires fortune through a virtual reality programme the world now escape to and live through due to the disaster the real world has become. There were so many 80's references I was in heaven. While some of the gaming references did go straight over my head, Cline managed to explain the games well to those not so familiar. What I also loved that he did was create this new virtual world so well in my imagine. Explaining back stories and setting so well and intriguing which many writers can't do with me as I'm quite likely to get bored with long descriptive passages but not with this one. The world was so endearing as well as the quest to find this easter egg. At first, I thought it might be too long of a book but I was wrong; it was the perfect length. I also loved the topics weaved within the book from gender stereotypes to global warming, political disputes, terrorism. It was set in years not far from now and it's scary to question "Is this the way things are heading?".It would be a full rating if it wasn't that in parts I found it to lack in action when it came to the middle so it is more of a 4.5 rating. But don't let that take away from being a fantastic book that any gaming lover and 80s enthusiasts like myself would love. This has definitely opened me up to reading more from Ernest Cline in the future as well as opening me up to the missed genre. 

What have you read recently? Any recommendations for me to read?
Hope you're doing great,
Sarah x

If you read my 72 hours in London you will have known (surprise surprise) that I recently went to visit my sister in London and did a tad bit of shopping. I always have to venture into the Lush on Oxford Street and I can't not go to the other shops right? So here's what I bought.

TATE BRITAIN

One of the first things my sister and I did was go to the Tate Britain and something I like to do at any gallery that I like is pick up some postcards of the pieces I loved as well as some from the exhibit I saw. We went to the Conceptual art exhibit so I pick up one of the pieces I enjoyed. I also picked up one my an artist named Bridget Riley who does a lot of optical illusions. When I saw that it still made my eyes go a bit funky on a postcard, I thought it'd be a fun one to pick up. Lastly, I bought one that says "Make Love Not War". I think these postcards are a great souvenir and are great little bits to stick on your wall. 
I've hauled previously two of the Introducing Graphic guides that my sister picked up for me and I love them; they're such a great, easy way to learn about a new topic and so I decided to pick up two more. One was the Freud Graphic Guide. You might know that I'll be starting uni in a few weeks starting Psychology so this definitely up my street. I also studied sociology at A level so this Critical Theory Graphic Guide was another I know I'll find interesting and enjoy. 

MINA LIMA POP-UP MUSEUM COVENT GARDEN

If you haven't read my previous London post,  this pop-up museum showcased the work of two artists behind a lot of the prop design of Harry Potter. While the gift shop was hella expensive even for my usual postcards, I still wanted something to take away and so I picked up this replica Harry Potter notebook which I thought would be something a bit different to use at uni. I then saw the pin badges for just a pound and so, on a whim, picked one up to add to my bag. 

LUSH

The main reason we went to Oxford Street. I don't know whether it's an oxford street exclusive, but the shampoo bar I picked up last year when I was there that I love wasn't available in my local store so I grabbed another Jumping Juniper Shampoo Bar which I included in my hair care favourites a little while ago. I also picked up one of the Shampoo Bar Tins as I kept meaning to pick one up. Next, I saw these Tea Tree Toner Tabs at just a pound each and the idea seemed really nice and relaxing so I picked two up. I've already used one and for a pound they're definitely worth it. 

WATERSTONES

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children was a book I wanted to read this summer and always put off by the price being a little more but with a slight nudge towards buying them by my sister I picked up both the first and second in the series. I've started on the first one and will report back to you soon. 

And it was then. That I realised...

I spent way too much money over the three days and I had to stop.

Have you used/read any of the bits I've mentioned? I'd love to know your thoughts!

Hope you're doing great,
Sarah x






Being just a 2-hour train ride away, while on the other side of the country, it's always worth taking a trip to London and now that my sister and aunt live there, it's even more worth it. Friday night, I hopped on a train to London Euston where my sister met me before heading back to her apartment just a tube and bus ride away. We spent the night catching up as she showed my her local bar which she loved to go and I did too.
No matter how many times you've been to London, there's always something more you can do and even living in London my sister had a list of things she'd like to see and do so we planned out the next two and a bit days so we could get as much done as possible.

DAY 1: SATURDAY

One thing I wanted to do was head to the Tate Britain to see their conceptual art exhibit. We spent over an hour looking around that exhibition with some bits being utterly bizarre as art can be. Some pieces really made me laugh such as a set of pictures of a man eating a piece of paper called "Eating my words". There was also a piece by Michael Craig-Martin- an artist whose work I looked at in GCSE- it was a glass of water sat on a shelf; it was called the oak tree. My sister didn't seem to get it but I did and I guess that piece summed up why I like art. 

We then decided to walk along the Thames towards the Tate Modern where I picked up manya Magikarps on PokemonGo. Georgia O'Keefe was an artist I adored in art GCSE and so we had to head there and look at the exhibition. After we walked around the rest of the gallery seeing some obscure pieces; one was a village made out of couscous. 

We then walked along the Southbank; when not riddled with tourists getting under your feet, this is one of my favourite parts of London to just sit and watch. You get such a good view of so many parts of main London. At this point, we'd grown tired and so headed back home.



DAY 2: SUNDAY

It was going to be another busy day starting with the Natural History Museum which I hadn't been to since I was around 12. We spent an hour or two seeing the main exhibitions before heading to Covent garden which, again, I hadn't visited since I was 12. Here, we grabbed some lunch before heading towards a pop-up museum; The MinaLima. It was centred around two designers who made many of the harry potter props including the newspapers, Hogwarts letters, marauders map, textbooks and so much more. Sadly the gorgeous prints were too expensive to buy but it was one of my favourite parts of the trip to see. We then headed to Oxford street . It is just high street stores you can get anywhere in the UK but, with the biggest Lush store being there, we had to go. There's a shampoo bar that I love that they seem to only sell there so I had to pick that up along with a few other treats. I'm going to post a London haul soon so keep a look out for that. I realised how close the Crumbs and Doilies cake shop was to where we were and eager to try them out we headed there to pick up some cakes before heading home. Once home, we dropped our stuff and went out to the local bar again where every Sunday this DJ comes in. He's basically an old man but he plays some right crackers. He brings along his record collection of 45s and plays them. 

DAY 3: MONDAY

By this time both my sister and I were knackered and with my train that afternoon we decided to keep things simple. So we headed to Alexandra Palace armed with a picnic where we spent a couple of hours sat in the sun eating the cakes we got yesterday among other foods including Candy Floss grapes (who knew?). We then took a walk around and then went back to the apartment to grab my stuff. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the station to get my train home. 


I had such a great few days in London and got so many great things done. However, there's still so much I want to do and see so I will definitely be heading back there in the Autumn. 

Have you been anywhere nice recently?
Hope you're doing great,

Sarah x


Hi everyone, I’m Emma from the blog Emma etc. Sarah and I decided to share our favourite feminist reads in a collaborative blog post, so after reading this post you can head on over to my blog to check out Sarah’s selection of books. I often talk about books on my blog as well as other topics like beauty. I love recommending my favourite things so without further ado here are five great feminist books to read.


Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates


This was my first dip into the world of feminism and after reading it I felt so angered but most importantly, inspired. Reading this book is so eye opening and I whole heartedly recommend you pick it up. It’s not a light read as per say, as it deals with some pretty serious topics and includes some, quite frankly, frightening statistics about sexism is this day in age. This isn’t a book to read all in one go, but to dip in and out of, or read one chapter at a time. Overall I’m so glad I read this as it started a love of feminist books and made me want to do something about issues in society.

Girl Up by Laura Bates


Following on from Everyday Sexism, Girl Up, by the same author, is targeted more at a younger audience. Instead of the saying ‘Man Up’, the author is encouraging girls to ‘Girl Up’ and start calling out or doing something about sexism. She discusses different topics many girls in the teen years have or will deal with, in a pretty humorous but inspiring way. You can get a taste for the book from reading some of the back cover - “Warning: This book contains feminist limericks, colour-by-numbers genitalia and dancing vaginas.” It is unapologetically addressing what many girls go through. Less self-loathing and more fist-pumping.

The Disreputable History of Frankie-Landau Banks by E. Lockhart


Steering away from the non-fiction, this book is a short but wonderful observation of the sometimes subtle differences between girls and boys. If you’re observant, you’ll see Sarah also has this book on her list. It’s really that good and has some of my favourite quotes in it. Frankie is a very sassy, smart girl who basically starts investigating a secret boys society set up in her school, and begins questioning girls are perceived a certain way while boys aren’t. This is honestly one of my favourite books and combines young adult fiction with some feminism which I am all for right now.

How Hard Can Love Be? by Holly Bourne


This is the second book in the Spinster Club series which Holly Bourne has dreamed up. The club is one where three girls essentially discuss feminism and eat cheesy snacks - I can’t think of anything more wonderful. Amber, one of the girls, leaves her home in England and goes to visit her Mum who lives in America. She helps out at a summer camp and in the process finds herself pondering about love and family, and of course, how feminism fits into all of that. This read combines a good ol’ slightly fluffy romance and a touch of feminism to make the ultimate summer read, or practically any time of the year. Holly Bourne has said she wanted to ease her readers into feminism with each book in the series, so get reading to start the ultimate finale What’s A Girl Gotta Do? which has recently been released.

Asking For It by Louise O’Neill


This was the ultimate forage into the very serious and timely topic of victim-blaming and sexual assault. I have come to love Louise O’Neill and her passions about feminism since reading this, and I feel like this is necessary reading if you’re interested in all things #fem. Asking For It was indeed a very shocking and realistic book, one that I don’t think I necessarily enjoyed all that much. The reason I am recommending it is because it is such a realistic look into how victim-blaming effects a person. It’s honestly hard to read at points, but it is so engrossing, particularly near the end. It’s not all happy endings in the real world, is it?


I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing about my favourite feminist books, and you’ve found at least one you would like to read. Remember to check out Sarah’s feminist reads on my blog here.

In the mean time, you can check out a Twitter group me, Sarah, and other bloggers are part of: @fem_collective. We’ll be hosting feminist chats very soon among other things.


-Emma