Hannah Lamarque, Author at Lady Lives

All Posts in "Hannah Lamarque"

The Best Ways To Make Friends After 60

Connections and close relationships are vital to our health – physically, mentally and emotionally, as well as to our self esteem, energy and longevity of life. After 60, you may find that you have resistance to new connections and relationships and you may be asking yourself – where do I even meet new people? This was my thought at age 61, and I can assure you it is a common thought pattern among your peers. But rest assured, there is a myriad of options for you to explore. See below for the list that I began to explore just a short 3 years ago that I think will help you.

Volunteer
Get the positive energy flowing by working with others for a good cause. Whether you decide to help out at your local animal shelter, feed the homeless every week, or something else entirely, there’s a volunteer option to fit everyone.

Join AARP & connect with your neighbors
AARP has a multitude of resources for seniors, ranging from careers to caregiving, as well as creating a community for like minded seniors. Right now they are celebrating Good Neighbor Day which is happening on Sept. 28. Sign up for their Connect2Affect and the AARP Daily Newsletter for even more ways to connect with your neighbors and community.

Click the banner below to sign up!

Learn something new
Do you miss challenging yourself and learning something new? Your local community college or university offers informal, continuing education classes for adults. So whether you want to take a hand at becoming a sommelier, learn a new language, or take a creative writing course, it’s never too late. Some classes are even free!

Check out your local senior center
Senior centers have expanded past your typical bingo night, into a variety of activities, day trips and retreats. Stop in, talk to someone, and begin creating a local community.

Become a mentor
Talk to your friends and family about any opportunities to get engaged with the younger generations. Connect with them and find out how they are shaping the world today and how your wisdom, knowledge and experience can assist in moving this world forward.

Get a part-time job
If you’re retired, get a part-time job for a few hours per week. It will get you out of the house, doing something other than sitting in front of the tv, and making a little extra cash on the side

Above all else, it’s important to know that there are other people your age who are also looking for new friends and connections. It’s not something that everyone wants to admit they want or need, so get out there, try something new and start the conversation!

*Disclaimer: This article was written to promote AARP.

by Hannah Lamarque — August 1, 2018 in Lifestyle 0

Ways To Save Money

What if you could easily start saving money today? Keep reading to learn how I changed my habits and started saving over $500/month in my free time.

We all know saving money isn’t fun. A few months ago I was like many of you: in over my head in debt without a dollar saved. I started working on the steps below and now I’m saving thousands with not that much effort. I not only began saving money, but actually started making money too. It’s all about changing your habits and incorporating new routines into your day to day.

Sponsored: Activate 3% Cash Back Now with eBates! Click the banner below.

These are all ideas that I’ve tested for months, so I know you too can benefit from them. My hope is that by sharing the process I follow, I can help you start saving too!

1. Change Your Bank Habits

It’s very easy to keep all your money in one single checking account. The problem here is that the money is too accessible. You’re out with friends and they want to go shopping or grab a bite to eat. We’ve all been there: regrettably pulling out our debit card to make a purchase we really can’t afford. Solve this problem by doing the following:

Open a savings account and set up automatic deposits from your checking account. One of the best ways to save money is automatically set aside money every month so you don’t have to remember to set aside. I would suggest 10% of your paycheck. Some banks will even give you 1% interest! (literally earn free money just for having a positive balance)
Remember do not touch it unless it’s an emergency! Life is unexpected and it’s good to have an account you can easily access in case of an emergency.

2. Earn Money For Your Opinion

I started taking surveys online while watching TV on the couch. I was always on my phone anyways, so I figured I could get off Instagram and start making money. Out of all the survey companies I tested, I found MyPoints and MySurvey to be the best. Why? They both had the highest paying surveys (some up to $90) out of all other websites I tested. The rest of the surveys pay a few bucks and only take around 10 minutes to complete, making it relatively easy to earn extra money. Just on commercial breaks I was able to earn over $70/month from both combined.

3. Be Smart About Where You Make Your Purchases

Or rather, make sure you are making purchases through the right websites so you can earn cash back. Yes, sites like Ebates will give you cash back to make purchases that you would have made otherwise. Every time I shop online now, I check to see if I can make the purchase on Ebates to earn a little extra on the side. I’ll find what I’m looking for 80% of the time. They even give you a $10 bonus just for signing up and making your first purchase. Just the other day I bought a pair of Converse shoes and earned 5% cash back. That’s money I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Now when I shop, they deposit my cash back directly into my account.

Registering is completely free and they even give you a $10 Welcome Bonus. If you’re already going to buy from these stores anyways, you might as well get cash back for it on Ebates.

Here’s the link to sign up for Ebates

4. Make Extra Cash

In the past, I would look for jobs around town but it was almost never worth the effort. One of my good friends recommended that I try Swagbucks.com to make extra money on the side. I instantly made $5 just for signing up… At first I was skeptical, but it started to pay off once I found out how to use it correctly. Here is my Swagbucks winning strategy:

Complete the high paying free trial offers first. They offer the biggest payouts and can be completed in under one minute. I initially signed up for 5 different free trial offers and made over 2,500 SBs. That alone got me $25.
Visit the walls under the “discover” tab. They have great new offers constantly rotating.
Find repeatable offers. Every two days I go back to the Acorn offerwall just to print coupons. That’s 8 SB every 2 days just for clipping coupons that help me save at the grocery store!
Shop on Swagbucks. Similar to Ebates, you can make purchases at popular online stores and earn points. Last month I bought a new pair of Nike shoes for $59 and received 1,199 SB. I literally earned $10 just for making the purchase through Swagbucks.

What I really liked about Swagbucks is that my account was credited almost instantly so I was quickly able to cash out.

Use this link to get $5 just for signing up

One final note before I get going: The one mistake I made through this all was never really getting started. I dabbled into a few of these options but never fully embraced it. Don’t let that happen to you, get started right now, no excuses!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. That doesn’t change the fact that we do recommend all of the websites listed!

by Hannah Lamarque — February 25, 2018 in Lifestyle 0

The Password Dilemma

We’ve reached the point in the digital age where everything we do is online. From our bank accounts, to our social media, all the way to unlocking our doors at home when we aren’t there.

Imagine your entire virtual identity hacked, and forever compromised. Don’t think it can happen to you? Think again.

Imagine first getting a notification that your checking account no longer has sufficient funds, then that your credit card has suddenly reached its max credit limit, then that you can’t log into your Facebook. This happened to me about 2 months ago, and that was only the beginning to the whirlwind that I went through in the following weeks.

Yes, I had the same password set for everything – who has time, or mind space, to remember a different password for every website, especially ones that must each contain a capital letter, a number, and a special character? I sure didn’t! So not only were they able to hack into my emails, but also my bank accounts, credit cards, work accounts, Facebook, and even Netflix. Basically, my virtual life was turned upside down. So I decided to do some research and found that this is quite common. So, are you protected? I outlined my research below in hopes to help others.

Your passwords are too simple

It takes less than a second for a computer to hack a password using simple words and phrases, including capital letters and numbers. Think about that for a minute, your “HappyGirl123” password isn’t fooling a computer.

To Do: Get creative with your passwords. They should be long, alphanumeric, and completely random.

Your passwords are all the same.

As I mentioned earlier, mine were all the same. So when they were able to get into my Gmail accounts, they then were able to try the all the top banks until they were successful, which quickly spiraled out of control to other things. Don’t let this be you.

To Do: Imagine passwords as keys. You wouldn’t have the same key for every door in your life. Mix it up. So how do you remember complicated passwords, different for every website in your life? Try using a password manager. I now use Dashlane which allows you to generate and store unique passwords, all at the tips of your fingers. Check it out!

You rely on your browser saving passwords.

Yes, having Chrome and Firefox save your passwords will save you 5-10 seconds of your time, but is that worth a possible identity hack? I don’t think so. Anyone with access to your device will have the ability to log into your websites and access personal information, with no issues.

To Do: Say no to your browser saving your passwords. As I mentioned before, if you really want to save your passwords, look into Dashlane, a password manager.

So all in all, carve out some time to update your passwords across the board. Increase the complexity, make them all different, and only save them in a secure password manager. Not only will you protect your identity from hackers, but you will save yourself time and energy in the long run. Trust me.

by Hannah Lamarque — January 9, 2018 in Lifestyle 0

6 Simple Ways to Shop Smarter

What if you could not only save while shopping but make money? Keep reading to learn how I changed my shopping habits for good…

If you’re like me, you love to shop. What I didn’t love was the credit card bill that came weeks later reminding me how much above my means I had spent. I tried shopping less but when I saw something I had to have, I couldn’t resist. This cycle would continue to repeat itself and continue to leave me with buyer’s remorse.

Then, after making these easy changes (and sticking to them), I not only began saving money when shopping but actually started making money. My hope is that by sharing the process I follow, you too will shop smarter. Now, let’s go shopping…

Step 1: Calculate Cash Back from Spending

When I first started to change my habits, I knew I needed to figure out exactly how much I was spending (as painful as it is). After looking through the bills I determined I was spending over $800 every month on stuff I wanted, not needed.

Most of that spending was online and when I started looking for ways to still shop but spend less, I came across Ebates. They’ve given their members over $325,000,000 in cash-back for shopping at the stores they already do. Now when I shop, they deposit my cash back directly into my account. It’s actually that easy.

Registering is completely free and they even give you a $10 Welcome Bonus. If you’re already going to buy from these stores anyways, you might as well get cash back for it on Ebates.

Step 2: Make Extra Cash for “Wants”

I realize that for some, in order to shop smarter you need the resources to do it. There have been plenty of times where I’ve been short on cash and shopping wasn’t even an option (or put me further into debt). As a college student, in between jobs and plenty of other times I had to be resourceful not only in saving money but making it too.

In the past, I would look for jobs around town but it was almost never worth the effort. One day while on my computer I found Swagbucks.com and signed up. I’ll be honest that at first I was very skeptical but after I started completing some actions on their site, I was receiving “Swagbucks” right away. In the first day I made 500 Swagbucks and received a $5 Amazon Gift Card! Now whenever I’m a little tight on cash and want to shop, I just spend some time on Swagbucks.

Step 3: Save Smarter, Not Harder

While Ebates gives me cash back for most of the stores I shop at, I didn’t find absolutely everything. And by everything, I mean shoes. Yes, I too have a shoe addiction and I needed to find a smarter way to buy them and other stylish pieces.

Before, I was spending almost $50 for a new pair of shoes. Not only was it an expensive habit but I wasn’t even happy with the shoes I was buying. When I became a VIP Member with JustFab it was the best of both worlds. Not only did they completely customize my online shopping experience but I started spending 50% less on a pair of shoes.

It was so easy to get started, all I did was answer a few questions about the styles I like and instantly got access. Plus, they gave me a Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon, free shipping & exchanges just for signing up.

Step 4: Get Paid Taking Surveys

Most don’t know this but your opinion is actually very valuable. Because of this, sites like MySurvey will actually pay you to take short simple surveys. Not only is it a lot of fun but you earn points (similar to Swagbucks) which can be easily redeemed for gift cards, certificates, vouchers and cash!

Starting with MySurvey is completely free. Just sign up and check your email to get started!

Step 5: Always Save on Groceries

That’s right. There’s no reason to ever pay full price the grocery store since there’s always a deal to be found. That’s where joining the Betty Crocker Newsletter came in handy with it’s consistent savings and tons of recipe ideas. Now when I go to the store, I always check my email for some savings and inspiration from Betty Crocker.

Signing up for Betty Crocker was completely free. Just enter your email and check your inbox!

Step 6: Cash Back the Easy Way

It’s amazing to me how simple getting cash back on shopping and completing other easy tasks online for money has become. I know we’ve mentioned several ways to get started (Ebates, Swagbucks and MySurvey) but this last one, MyPoints, takes the cake.

After signing up to MyPoints for Free, I started getting Points for doing things I already do online (shopping online, taking surveys, watching videos and reading emails to earn more Points). I’ve been using MyPoints so long now that it has become part of my online routine anytime I get on the computer or my phone. It’s definitely worth checking out to get a few more tips and easy ways to make some extra money.

by Hannah Lamarque — May 23, 2017 in Fashion 0

Stuck In A Rut? Here’s How To Dig Yourself Out

Fed up of the whole “new year, new you” mantra? You’re probably not alone. While the turning of a new year is packaged as the perfect time in which to start anew, you might not always have the means to reinvent yourself each January, emotionally or otherwise. Getting stuck in a rut is a more common side effect of modern life than you might have realized and despite the fact that the media is telling us that now is the time in which to start afresh, many of us might simply not feel up to it. When the pressure to change gets too much, the natural response is to run and hide.

It’s all a matter of perspective. Feeling forced into changing your lifestyle can lead you to make any number of bad decisions and along the way, you can end up feeling a whole lot more lost. The trick is not to panic. If you slowly pinpoint areas in your life that could do with an overhaul, you’re more likely to make the kinds of changes that are really going to alter your life for the better. These everyday tweaks can help you to get back on track, making it easier for you to carve out the kind of life that you really envisioned for yourself.

Get Honest With Yourself

Making changes just for the sake of it is only going to end in disappointment. To get to where you really want to be in your life, you’re going to have to have a serious conversation with yourself to get to the root of the problem. While you might feel tempted to alter certain parts of your lifestyle, is doing so really going to make you feel better? Try and get to the heart of the problem and really listen to what’s driving you. Doing so will change your life for the better in more ways than one.

Give Up Your Complaining

Ruts are not forever and viewing them as so is only going to make the situation feel all the worse for you. Complaining about the fact that your life is at a stand still is going to slow down any progression you could be making, stopping you from taking a positive step forwards. Rather than dwelling on your complaints, try taking all of that negative energy and seeing how you might change it into something productive. Changing your perspective can give you a whole new understanding of your surroundings, making it easier for you to know what you need to do to get going once more.

Take Back Your Power

Feeling like the world is using you as its punching bag is never a good thing. When your life fails to move forwards in the ways that you had envisioned, you can feel incredibly powerless, unable to take a step towards finding a positive solution. While you might feel like you’re a passive piece of the puzzle, the power to change your life is entirely in your hands. Instead of trying to tackle everything you want to change at once, try focusing on one element of your life and seeing how you might tweak it for the better. Taking baby steps towards a goal will give you the confidence to take back control once and for all.

Look Forwards

When it comes to getting yourself out of a rut, the key is in the future. Focusing too much either on the present or on the recent past will only leave you feeling powerless and unmotivated to make any real changes. If you want to really stop focusing on past mistakes, you need to keep your eye on the future. Instead of looking what might have gone wrong before, opt to search for solutions to your current situation. The future is something upon which you can really have a positive effect, so make sure you seize it by both hands.

Stop Looking Over Your Shoulder

Try as we might, we can often find it impossible to stop comparing ourselves with those around us. Looking at the progress that other people make can stop your motivation in its tracks, leaving you feeling seriously down in the dumps. People will only show you a fraction of their lives and behind the scenes, you have no idea what their day to day existence could be like. As much as you can, cut your focus on other people and keep your attention fixed on your here and now. Getting out of your rut starts with you alone.

by Hannah Lamarque — January 31, 2017 in Lifestyle 0

These Are The Fashion Trends You Need For 2017

The air might be heavy with the remnants of 2016 but the times have very much moved on. With the arrival of the new year comes the chance to start afresh, wipe the slate clean and move on to something different. While 2017 has yet to unveil what kind of a year it might shape up to be, you can get ahead of the curve and figure out how your immediate environment might look over the coming months. These fashion trends are set to make big news in the coming year, changing the way that we dress for every day of the week. Take note and start getting some inspiration; you’re bound to be picking up these looks before long!

Pretty in Pink

Pink just had an update. Gone are the days of sugary sweet shades and flushed florals; now, the color is as chic as they come, offering a much needed boost of brightness into your everyday wardrobe. From the SS17 runways right down to the high street, pink has popped up in collection after collection, offering a playful take on everyday neutrals. There is a shade of pink out there for every type of complexion and whether you’re a fan of bright colors or prefer something a little more muted, you will find the tone to work for you. 2017 is most definitely in the pink.

Bold and Bright

Nautical stripes have had their day; now, it’s all about bold, ‘90s inspired lines. Sporty stripes are going to be a big thing for the months ahead, transforming the most basic of clothing options into items with attitude. Bold, primary colors have dominated the world of stripes for the upcoming season, adding serious edge to the traditionally refined style. If you’re feeling really daring, go ahead and mix and match your stripes; the bolder you go, the better.

Getting Sporty

We’re not talking sweatpants and hoodies here; sportswear has been given the luxe treatment for 2017 and now, it’s doing serious style business. Athluxury is a big deal this coming season, blending the effortlessness of your sports gear with the elegance of a tailored suit. Think slouchy suit pants, loosely tailored jackets and luxe sweats. Adding in bold pops of color here and there will only elevate the look, making your outfit really stand out from the crowd.

Making a Statement

Of course, 2017 isn’t all about the clothes. If you’re a fan of sporting a bold, costume jewelry piece, this year is going to make you really happy. The coming months are all about statement earrings and cuffs, making the accessory the most important part of any outfit. Over the shoulder, up the ear and eye popping pieces were seen across the runways last year and now, the glam look has filtered down to the high street. Get out your costume jewelry pieces and layer them up. When it comes to this trend, more is most definitely more.

Blooming Basics

While florals and spring time seem to come around every year, 2017 has something of a different take on the look. Gone are the days of delicate, feminine prints; now, florals are back in a much badder guise. Taking inspiration from the mod looks of the 1960s, 2017’s florals are bold and bright, finished off in statement color combinations and a variety of sizes. Whether you’re a fan of the small print or are in the market for something a little bolder and brighter, there is bound to be a style out there to meet your tastes.

Blow It Up

Enhanced sleeves made an appearance towards the end of last year but in 2017, they’re back in a much bigger guise. Taking influence from the shapes of 1980s catwalks, this season’s sleeves are voluminous and pumped up, making a statement all on their own. While mutton sleeves, bell sleeves and bishop’s sleeves might look like a hard style to master, they are a great deal more wearable than you might have thought. Give your basic top a sleeve statement and ease your wardrobe into the coming months.

by Hannah Lamarque — January 24, 2017 in Fashion 0

Dealing With Winter Skin? Try These Drugstore Products

Winter is well and truly here. With plummeting temperatures, darker mornings and harsher indoor heating, your skin requires a little extra support during these long, cold months. With so much taking your toll on your complexion, the everyday skincare products you’re using might simply not stand up against the weather heading your way. Finding yourself dealing with poor skin might give you the winter blues, but before you despair totally, it’s worth giving the drugstore a second look. These everyday products are lurking in any of your local beauty stores, containing the recipe for perfect skin in an oh-so affordable guise.

Money isn’t everything and even by saving your pennies, you can do tremendous things for your complexion. Go out, stock up on your beauty products and see just how much you’ll be glowing by the end of the season.

The Successful Way To Take On Your Mondays

Just like clockwork, with the passing of time, Monday morning comes around once a week, no matter how much you might will it away. Signalling the end of the weekend and the start of yet another working week, Monday has gained something of a bad reputation over the years and now, it is almost universally disliked. You might begrudgingly accept the fact that Monday will always be that way, bringing you back into reality like a cold slap around the face. What, though, if you could turn around the day altogether? Mondays are the chance for a fresh start on the week, giving you a regular chance to begin over again, to take another shot. It’s all a question of perspective.

Tackling your Monday with poise, style and grace need not be as hard as you had thought. Exasperation and exhaustion might run high at the start of the week but by tweaking a few things as you go, you can make a whole lot more out of your day. Thought that things could only get better from the start of the week? It turns out, they might already be pretty perfect.

Get Ahead Of Time

It’s all in the small details. If you think that things are magically going to fall into place on your Monday morning, you might have a huge surprise waiting for you in the wings. Small details can accumulate over the course of the weekend and unless you get yourself into gear, and fast, you might start to feel overwhelmed with it all come the morning. It’s all about giving yourself the time to adjust. If you can, getting prepared on Sunday evening can help you out a huge amount, giving you the time and space to ease into the working week. Doing things like laying out your clothes, preparing your lunch and arranging your suitcase can make all the difference, having you out the door in no time at all. Your week will start off that bit less hectically and you will have the mindspace to get to work.

Switch Your Frame of Mind

Mondays can be downright painful. After a long weekend of relaxing, sleeping in and doing whatever you please, the start of the week can come down on you like a ton of bricks, crippling any sense of motivation you might have mustered up. Mondays and Sundays are a whole world apart and in order to give yourself the best chance of getting going, it pays to switch your mindset. Instead of thinking about Monday as the end of your free time, why not rather think of it as a blank space, or an opportunity to start something afresh? Mondays shouldn’t signify the end of something that you really love and by altering your negative perspective, you can make all the difference.

Keep It Offline

Sleepily reaching for your phone as you’re lying in bed might be something of a morning habit of yours, but it’s probably not doing you any sort of good. Looking at your phone first thing in the morning is a sure fire way to ramp up your stress levels before you’ve even set foot into the office. On a Monday morning, out of any time at all, give yourself a flying chance and keep your headspace firmly offline. Resisting the urge to check your office emails before you begin working might be a very real struggle, but it will have you feeling a whole lot calmer. You don’t need to be in the know, all of the time.

Up Your Nutrition Intake

Prefer to sleep in late rather than getting yourself a good breakfast? You could be making things a great deal harder for yourself down the line. The importance of eating something nutritious and balanced in the morning is evident enough but on a Monday morning, it can make even more of a difference to how you feel. Try looking to protein-rich eggs, porridge or a healthy green smoothie. Your hunger pangs will be kept under wraps and you’ll have the energy to concentrate on your working day. It’s win-win!

Take It Back A Notch

Ever balked at those people who claim to prefer the mornings over any other part of the day? They might not be as bizarre as you had thought. Giving yourself the time and space in which to get going with your day can make the earliest stretches a huge amount more enjoyable and enriching. Getting up earlier to enjoy a healthy breakfast, do a little yoga or even meditate in your room can give you just the headspace you need to adjust to your working pace on a Monday morning. It might take you a little time to get going once more but once you get into the swing of things, there will be no stopping you.

by Hannah Lamarque — January 12, 2017 in Lifestyle 0

Battling the Winter Blues? Let These Homely Hobbies Help

With all the of the festivities well and truly wrapped up for another year, you might be feeling the after effects of the season. There’s a reason why winter is the cruellest time of year and if you’re looking at the next few cold months with a lump in your throat, you might not be alone. What, though, if there were another way to approach the winter season? While winter might cut you off from the outdoors, there are plenty of ways that you can make the most of the next few months by changing up your schedule somewhat. These indoor hobbies can easily replace your summertime activity, allowing you to make the most of your free time without venturing too far out into the cold.

Cook Up A Storm

Want to improve your cooking skills? There has never been a better time than now in which to commit yourself to the project. Turning up the heat might be all but impossible during the summer months so now that things have well and truly cooled down, why not try experimenting with that recipe book that you had on hold? Even if you’re not adept in the kitchen, you can dedicate the coming days and weeks to perfecting your cooking style, experimenting with all kinds of dishes and flavors. Invest in a really good cookbook before you go and get started with the most classic of dishes out there.

Balance It All Out

Saying that you’re going to do something is a whole lot different to actually going through with it. While getting into yoga might have been high up on your to-do list for some time now, you might have been putting it off and putting it off, leaving the activity on the back burner. Now is the time in which to take action. Yoga is an incredible way to get in tune with your body and improve your strength and flexibility. Even if you already work out, you could be overlooking essential areas of your fitness in your exercise plan. Yoga will help you to destress, focus on specific muscle groups and tone yourself up. Better yet, the activity can be performed in the comfort of your own home, meaning that you don’t even have to go anywhere!

Brush Up Your Languages

Speaking a foreign language is something that so many of us want to do and yet, we seem to fail to find the time in which to actually go ahead with. The long winter evenings are yours for the taking. If travel is going to be a part of your year ahead, getting ahead of the curve and focusing on your language of choice can be a really great path to take. You can try attending evening classes, watching Youtube videos or downloading a language app on your phone. Just an hour or so every evening can make all the difference to your skills, giving you the foundation you need in order to go further.

Get Writing

Having a creative way in which to express yourself can work wonders for your wellbeing. If you’re interested in the world of writing, now might be the perfect time in which to put pen to paper – so to speak – and draft yourself up a blog. Your writing doesn’t have to reach a lot of people; it’s all about expanding your own creativity and trying something new. If you’re looking to get into creative writing and feel that you would like to pick up a skill of two, you can try looking into courses such as Skillshare in order to get going. Writing a little bit each day can help a great amount, giving you the foundation that you need in order to go further with your hobby.

Perfect Your Penmanship

Over the last couple of years, the popularity of calligraphy has really peaked. What was once an antiquated way of adding a little flourish to a piece of writing has now become something altogether different, giving you the chance to express yourself in any way that you should so please. Modern calligraphy can help you to make your own cards, table places or wall prints, expanding your creative possibilities a huge amount. If you’re not sure where to start, you can try searching for online classes or teaching yourself with a good old fashioned book and pen. Interactive apps also make it even easier than ever to express yourself, helping you to perfect your art either digitally or on paper.

by Hannah Lamarque — January 4, 2017 in Lifestyle 0

Travel Further: Use These Apps To Plan Your Next Vacation

With the new year on the horizon, you might well be thinking about how you’re next going to jet off and see the world anew. While the thought of hopping on a plane and going wherever the wind might carry you can seem appealing, the reality can be a whole lot different, taking a big chunk out of your energy reserves. If you find the process of getting a flight, arranging a hotel and making all the last minute details stressful, you need to turn to technology in order to help you out. There are a whole load of travel apps on the market designed to make your vacation a lot easier, reducing the worry factor remarkably. These apps are the cream of the crop, making picking a flight and jetting off a much closer reality.

Hopper

Juggling multiple websites to ensure that you’re getting the best deal for your flight? There’s an app for that. If you’re finding searching on competitor websites time consuming and exhausting, you can try using Hopper to streamline your travel search. A mobile app, Hopper compares all of the deals on flights for the dates that you have chosen, locating the best deal out there for you. All you need to do is select your route, punch in the dates and the app will tell you what to do and when to do it. Better yet, you can also set alerts to tell you when flight prices drop, helping you get your hands on a ticket sooner than ever. With savings of up to 40% to be had, the app will seriously change the way that you travel.

Hitlist

If you’re the type of person who has an ever growing travel wishlist, you can turn to apps in order to make your adventuring dreams a reality. Hitlist is a mobile app that allows you to enter all of your dream travel destinations into its servers, in turn sending you alerts when flights to these places are at their lowest. If you’re not sure what city it is that you’re looking to go to, you can define your search according to region or country, helping you to see parts of the world that you might otherwise have overlooked. The app lets you stockpile all sorts of trips and travel variants, giving you the chance to jet off whenever your fancy takes it!

TripAdvisor Hotel Flights

Keeping tabs on different hotels can be a tricky business, particularly when you’re using different vacation websites to get the job done. If your computer screen is a sea of open tabs, you need to turn your attention towards an app that’s going to streamline everything into one easy place. Enter TripAdvisor Hotel Flights. An offshoot from the comparison website, the mobile app makes it easier for you to scour pages of hotel reviews wherever you might be, and keep tabs on the ones that are really taking your fancy. As well as giving you an insight into the best of the best, the app will help you find the best deal for you on hotels and travel, making it easier for you to enjoy your vacation in style.

Tripit

In this day and age, who uses paper anymore? Rather than getting all of your affairs in order in a paper document, you can make the task a whole lot easier by turning things digital and putting them on your phone. If you prefer to have everything in the palm of your hand, Tripit is the travel app for you. Putting your tickets, reservations and itineraries into one easy-to-access place, the app cuts down on document loss for good, making getting on top of things a walk in the park. You can also share your vacation details with family and friends, giving them a chance to get on top of your itinerary and store their information along with yours. Travel has never been so easy.

Gate Guru

Do you find that you’re forever running through the airport in a desperate bid to find your gate? Gate Guru will make things a whole lot more easy for you. Rather than running from one area of the airport to another in order to find what you want, the app can help you to make the most of what’s located near your gate, meaning you never have to wander too far off. The vacation app also comes equipped with airport alerts, telling you before the crowds if there have been any changes to your gate number or departure time.

by Hannah Lamarque — December 29, 2016 in Travel 0