It’s not so easy to do your food shopping on a low-budget. But it’s definitely possible. How do I know? Because I’ve had to do just that. When you find yourself in a place that you’re not used to, you either adapt or you get stressed.

For a few months I found myself in a tight situation. I had more money going out than coming in. My weekly budget was so low that I wasn’t able to buy food in my usual supermarket. I had to manage on £20.00 to do shopping for a week for myself and daughter. That was like a shock to my system. My usual shopping budget used to be £50.00 – £70.00 just for food and meat.

So how did I do it without pulling my hair out? I sat down and weighed up my options. I could either borrow money. Or go to my usual supermarket, buy a handful of groceries and starve for most of the week. But those two options were not options I was willing to consider. That meant I had to do the thing I used to think was below me.

I ended up going to a low-budget supermarket. That is a place I used to look down on when I had lots of spare money. Not only that, but I believed only a certain class of people shop there.

Before I go on I would just like to say, ‘You should never look down on anyone. Because you never know when the tables will turn and you’ll find yourself in their position.’ Hard lesson to learn but it’s true. You don’t know what tomorrow holds! The only time you’re certain of in life is now, at this moment. Even an hour into the future is no guarantee that your life will stay the same. The journey of life is like a roller coaster and you could fall off at any time.

I’m going to share some of what I did to make my money stretch.

•  Shop once a week: If you’re living on a budget it make more sense to shop once a week. It works out cheaper than running to the shops for different items as you need them. Out of the £20 for my food shopping, I spent £15 on groceries. The other £5.00 went on fruits, cleaning products and toiletries. I find that liquid detergent last longer than powder. You get much more washes out of it.
  

• Be creative in your cooking: You can use staple foods such as rice, pasta and potatoes in your cooking. For example, when I’m cooking chicken curry, I add thinly sliced potatoes to it. It tastes delicious plus it bulks it out so you get more. I cook enough rice and put the leftovers in the freezer. And that’s a meal for another day. I love pasta. It’s very versatile. You can add pasta sauce, cheese or pesto sauce to it. Sometimes I have it plain with mince or meatballs cooked in bolognese sauce. 

Tips on how to shop and manage on a budget

1.  When  shopping look for special offers such as reduced items and buy one get one free.

2.  Make a list of the essential items you need. That way you won’t spend more than you should.

3.  Take a calculator and add up as you put your food in the trolley. Or use the calculator on your iPhone. It helps. It’s embarrassing if you get to the checkout and you’ve bought more than you budgeted for.

3.  Use leftovers for your packed lunch to take to work.  If you work from home that’s your lunch sorted.

4.  Cook from scratch. It’s cheaper than buying pre-packed meals. Plus it’s healthier.

5.  Buy fruits from the market. It’s always fresh and you get more for your money.

6.  Frozen vegetables are more economical than fresh vegetables. The packet has more than when you buy them loose.

7.  Try value products. There’s nothing wrong with shop brands. In fact, supermarket brands are just as good as any named brand.

8.  Experiment with frozen chicken instead of fresh chicken. It’s cheaper and will stretch more.

9. Cut down on buying cakes and biscuits. Why not bake your own sponge cake? All you need are eggs, flour, butter and sugar. Home made cakes tastes way better than the cakes you buy in the supermarkets, without all the junk in it.

10. Make delicious, tasty salads and coleslaw. This is a quick salad that I made. The ingredients I used included lettuce, cucumber, avocado and tomato. I added mayonnaise, salt and pepper to it. Simple, cheap and delicious.

Doing your food shopping on a low-budget is not so bad. In fact it helps to develop your discipline and creativity skills. In addition, you save money and waste less food. That’s because you’ll only buy exactly what you need, instead of food that you don’t eat. That’s the food you fancy when you see it. You buy it, don’t eat it and it usually ends up in the bin.

Photo credit: Freedigitalphotos.net

Have you ever shopped on a budget? If you’ve got any tips please share them in the comments box below. If this post was useful, share it on Facebook and Twitter and other social networks. Thanks for reading.

When my daughter told me that olive oil was good for my oily skin, I gave her a strange look. “What do you mean? Olive oil is for cooking. How can I put it on my face?” I thought she was going crazy.

She was two months pregnant and her skin had broken out in terrible acne.

Before she found out that she was pregnant, she had signed up with a site to work as a model. She was getting a few assignments and took part in video and photo shoots. So when she woke up one morning and saw big spots on her face, she was horrified.

I was literally dragged to different shops as she desperately looked for skin care creams to get rid of the spots. She tried different lotions, creams and soaps that promised cures for acne. Nothing worked! She got depressed and didn’t want to go out.

I don’t blame her. Her face really didn’t look good. But I didn’t want her to worry. I reassured her that no one was looking at her skin. But I knew that she wasn’t happy walking around like that.

After a few weeks she told me that she was given a home remedy. She believed that it would clear the acne. When she told me that it was olive oil, that’s when I thought she was joking with me.

However, we went out and bought a bottle of extra virgin olive oil. She started a morning and evening regime. I just let her get on with it. She was happy applying it to her face. And I didn’t pay too much attention to what she was doing. I mean, how can olive oil get rid of acne?

But how wrong could I have been! After a couple of weeks I noticed that the acne was clearing up. To be honest, I was shocked. Within 3 weeks her skin was clear and as soft as a baby’s bottom. Not only that, but her face was brighter.

‘Wow!’ I thought. It really does work. I decided to try it for myself to see if it would actually help balance my oily skin. According to my daughter, olive oil is good for getting rid of the oil on my face. I didn’t see the logic in that. But I tried it anyway. And yes, it worked! I didn’t have to keep using powder to control the oil during the day. I also noticed that my face was brighter as well.

My daughter started to use olive oil on her nails, lips and to wash her hair. It was like a miracle cure because I saw the difference for myself.

She decided to write a book because she wanted to share what she discovered with you. In her book you’ll find out the many secrets of olive oil for hair and beauty. You’ll also be shocked when she reveals who told her to use olive oil for her face.

If you want flawless skin, try the tips in this book.

To find out more, get a copy of her book  Miracle Cure Olive Oil Saved My Skin. You won’t regret it!

Have you ever used olive oil for hair and beauty? Please share any tips you have in the comments box below. If you found this article useful, I would appreciate it if you shared it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+. Thanks.

Did you know that there are delicious super foods you busy mums can eat to keep you going? I don’t know about you but I welcome anything that will help me do better as a mum.

From the time you wake up till the time you go to sleep, you’re busy. Taking care of children can use up all of your energy. If you’re not careful you could easily burn yourself out. And the other thing is, when you’re busy you might not eat right. Sometimes I get so busy that I even forget to eat. When I do decide to eat, I end up eating junk food just to satisfy my hunger.

Do you find yourself doing that sometimes? It’s not a good thing because when you don’t eat right, your health will suffer. Not only that, you’ll probably have bad mood swings as well.  And the knock-on effect is that you’ll easily lose your temper with the kids. It’s not their fault! And that’s why as mums we need to make sure we take care of ourselves.

I’ve put together a list of foods that will boost the essential areas of your body and mind that needs to be nurtured daily.

•  Dark chocolate to help concentration

When you’re tired and have a million and one thing to think about and do, your concentration levels can be all over the place. But there’s hope!

If you like dark chocolate, then you will love that it helps to increase your concentration.

Dark chocolate is loaded with natural stimulants which boosts your concentration and focus levels. The flavanols in dark chocolate assists blood supply to your brain.

Don’t over indulge yourself though. I love dark chocolate but it’s easy to get carried away and eat too much of it. So try to limit the amount you eat.

What about trying out this recipe for a tasty dark chocolate pudding.

Ingredients

• Custard layer:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
  
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons evaporated fat-free milk
• 1 1/2 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
• Cooking spray
• Cake layer:
• 3 ounces dark-chocolate bar, chopped
  
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup egg substitute
  
• 1/4 cup apple sauce
• 6 tablespoons frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. To prepare custard layer, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup egg substitute, stirring well with a whisk. Cook the milk in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat; add semisweet chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts. Gradually add hot milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.
3. Pour the hot milk mixture into 6 (4-ounce) ramekins or custard cups coated with cooking spray. Place ramekins in a baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes or until almost set. Remove from oven; cool in pan 30 minutes. Remove ramekins from pan; drain water.
4. To prepare cake layer, place dark chocolate in a small glass bowl. Microwave at high 2 minutes or until almost melted; stir after 1 minute. Set aside. Beat 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup egg substitute with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add dark chocolate and apple sauce; beat until well blended. Pour evenly over the custard layer. Place ramekins in baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes. Remove ramekins from pan. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon whipped topping.

• Water and Blueberries to boost your memory

Water is an essential part of life. Our bodies contain mostly water. If we don’t drink enough of it dehydration kicks in. And that messes up your mental energy and its ability to store information. In other words, your memory is likely to be affected.

To help keep your memory in tip-top condition, you should drink at least six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day. It’s at least four litres. That’s a lot of water. But you can spice it up by adding strawberries or lemon slices to give the water a delicious, natural flavouring.

Blueberries strengthen your brain. This fruit produces a powerful source of antioxidant and phytochemicals which is said to boost memory. It also keeps the brains healthy and strong. Drinking two cups of blueberry juice each day is great for developing your memory and thinking skills.

• Spinach and broccoli to increase your energy levels

There’s nothing worse than having no energy when you have to wake up early, do the school run, clean, cook and run a household. But eating tasty green vegetables should put an end to that problem.

Spinach is rich in iron and nutrients. A lack of iron in your body can make you feel constantly tired. All you need to top up your daily dose is half a cup of spinach. This gives you 20 percent of the required daily allowance of iron.

Broccoli has high levels of B vitamins, magnesium and iron which are natural energy boosters. It also has antioxidant and vitamin C to keep you strong and healthy. It’s also known as a power food.

• Salmon and dark chocolate to help control stress

Stress is something that can affect all mothers, unless you’re supermom. When stress takes control it’s hard to focus. If you’re not careful it can lead to depression. And if you’re depressed you can’t function properly, let alone look after your kids. That’s why it’s important to keep your stress levels low.

Most of the fish we eat contain B vitamins, especially B6 and B12 which helps to reduce stress. They release serotonin which is also known as the happy brain chemical.

Salmon has a high level of magnesium. Just 3 ounces of cooked salmon will give you 104 mg of magnesium. This equals about 30 percent of the daily required amount. Salmon is also high in omega 3 fatty acids which help control stress hormones.

Yummy dark chocolate is also great for reducing stress. Eating an ounce a day can do wonders for bringing your stress levels under control. The magnesium in dark chocolate relieves tiredness, depression and irritability. The antioxidant in cocoa relaxes your blood vessels and improves circulation. When circulation is improved oxygen is able to flow to your cells properly.

Another bonus is that dark chocolate has an exclusive natural substance which gives you that wonderful euphoria feeling. That’s similar to how you feel when you’re in love. We all know that stress can’t hang around when you’re happy. And when you’re happy your kids will be happy too. Good mood is infectious.

• Yoghurt and green tea to keep you alert

When your mind’s alert you think clearer. A sharp mind is more focused. And you’ll find it easier to look after your household and take care of the kids.

Foods that are rich in calcium improve the function of your nerves. One of those foods is yoghurt. Protein rich yoghurt has an amino acid called tyrosine which stimulates alertness chemicals in your brain. In addition it’s packed with protein. And it’s an excellent source of food for your mind and body.

Green tea boosts your mood and gives you a positive outlook. This wonder tea is loaded with antioxidants. It fights mental tiredness and increases your focus. Although it contains catechins which relax your mind, it also keeps you alert.

As a mum you need to take extra care of your body and mind. Not only will you function better, you’ll feel and look fantastic. And your mummy duties will be easier to manage.

Photo Image: Free Digital Photos

Can you add any other foods to this list? We would love to know what you eat to keep you in tip-top form. Please share in the comment box below. If you found this article useful, share it on Twitter and Facebook. Thanks for reading.

When I started blogging in April 2011, I didn’t know what I was doing. There were times when I wanted to pack it in. But I’m not one to give up easily so I persevered. It’s been an interesting learning curve. And I’m so excited to share my blog’s annual report for 2012 with you.

Although I live in the UK most of my readers came from the US. I even had readers from as far as Zimbabwe, China, Egypt, Brazil. Columbia, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Australia and many other countries. Wow! That blew my mind. I had no idea that people from so many countries read my blog. That’s extremely encouraging.

I’ve been meaning to change the niche of Miraculous Ladies. The plan was to make it more specific by turning it into a personal development blog for married and single mothers/ladies. But I’ve not been able to do that yet! Mostly because my personal life has taken priority over blogging. So, I’ve not had a lot of time to devote to this blog for the past few months. I’m not even sure about its future now. Watch this space for the latest developments…

Anyway, here is the link for my blog’s annual report for 2012: And you’re a big part of it!

http://jetpack.me/annual-report/22835456/2012/

I want to shout a massive Thank You to all of my loyal readers, subscribers and those that comment. I really, really, really appreciate your support!

I pray that 2013 will be a year of great success, happiness, love and well-being for all of you. Without your support, this blog would not have grown. God bless you!

“Before you ever receive the wonderful treasures of a happy life, you must first give.

Give of yourself. Be of service to others. Only what you give can be multiplied back into your own life.

That is the law of the harvest, the law of the ten-fold return. If you give nothing, even if it is multiplied, you receive nothing.” ~Mary Kay Ash

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A wise woman who was travelling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveller who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveller saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveller left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.”

The Wise Woman’s Stone ~ Author unknown

Image FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Laundry jobs can sometimes be boring. So why not try something different and use a household product that’s usually sitting in your kitchen cupboard? You’ll find that the use of vinegar in laundry is beneficial, especially for removing stains, odours and revitalizing clothes.

 Please use white distilled vinegar only unless otherwise stated. It’s important not to mix bleach and white distilled vinegar in your wash. If you do it will produce dangerous fumes.

• To fluff up your cotton blankets and wool - Add 500ml of white distilled vinegar to the last rinse cycle.

• Renew those shrunken woollen jumpers - Stretch them back to their original size or shape. Wash them in a mixture of 1 part white wine vinegar to 2 parts water for 25 minutes. After you’ve stretched the jumpers, hang them up so that they can be air-dried.

• Clean and disinfect your washing machine – Get rid of soap scum by pouring 450ml or 2 cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine. Run the empty washing machine through a full cycle. Don’t add any detergent.

• To stop colours from running – Soak them in about 3 cups of undiluted white distilled vinegar for 10 – 15 minutes before washing.

• Set the colour of newly dyed clothes – Add 225ml or 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to the last rinse.

• To get rid of cigarette smells from your clothes – Fill the bathtub with piping hot water. Add 275ml or 1/2 pint of white distilled vinegar. Hang the clothes over the steam. Keep the bathroom door closed. After a few hours, the cigarette smell will go.

• Reduce annoying static cling in your clothes – Add 275ml or 1/2 pint of white distilled vinegar to the machine’s rinse cycle.

• Remove ink stains from clothes - Wet the patch that’s stained with some white distilled vinegar. Make a paste of 2 parts vinegar to 3 parts corn flour and rub it in the stain. Leave the paste on the clothes to dry. Wash the clothes afterwards.

• Remove crayon stains from clothes – Soak a used toothbrush in undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rub the patch with the toothbrush.  Wash the garment afterwards.

• To remove scorch marks from clothes – Rub the area with a cloth lightly soaked with white distilled vinegar. Blot with a clean towel.

• To remove dirt rings from shirt cuffs and collars – Make a paste from 2 parts white distilled vinegar to 3 parts baking soda. Scrub the shirt cuffs and collars with the paste. Leave the paste to set on the garments for 30 minutes before washing.

• For babies with sensitive skin – Don’t use any fabric softener and use only half of the recommended detergent. After washing, fill the softener dispenser with white distilled vinegar and put the clothes through an extra rinse. The vinegar will sterilise and neutralise any residue left by the detergent, which could cause a reaction to your baby’s sensitive skin.

• If you suffer from sensitive skin – Use the same method above for baby’s clothes. This should help stop irritations and outbreaks on your skin.

• To clean the sole plate of your iron and remove scorch marks – Mix a paste made up by heating equal parts of white distilled vinegar and salt in a small pan. Scrub the sole plate of the iron with the paste. Afterwards, use a rag dipped in clean water to wipe off any residue left.

• Remove price stickers from the soles of shoes – Soak a cloth in undiluted white distilled vinegar. Cover the sticker for a few minutes until it’s soaked by the liquid. The sticker should come off easily afterwards.

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Have you got any tips on using vinegar for household chores? Please share them in the comment box below.

Don’t you think internet dating sites are cool places to meet the love of your life?

All you have to do is write a fantastic profile and upload your best photo.  Then relax and wait for those lovely men to contact you. While you’re waiting, you could browse through profiles of the ones that appeal to you. If you’re confident enough, why not make the first move?

After that, you arrange your first date, make yourself look beautiful and meet him.

It’s simple and straightforward. Right?

Well, maybe not quite!

Internet dating should come with a health warning. It’s not as clear-cut as a, b, c.

If you were lucky enough to meet Mr Right on an internet dating site, congratulations. You struck gold!

I’ve had a lot of bittersweet experiences on dating sites. But I’m not going to bore you with all of them.  I’ll only tell you  about one.

Too good to be true?

I met a guy, who I’ll call Matt, on a dating site a few years ago.

I was browsing profiles looking for someone compatible. Then I came across a tall, handsome man. He lived in Sweden. He said he was a writer and  an Office Manager.  It seemed that we had a lot in common.

I contacted him and we hit it off straight away. We chatted on the dating site’s forum for a couple of weeks. As we were getting to know each other, we decided to exchange email addresses and telephone numbers.

Matt was a charmer. He told me that I was beautiful and was his ideal woman. He said all the right things, pressed all the right buttons and made me feel like a princess.

He sent me the most beautiful love poems. They melted my heart.  I liked him a lot. And he told me that he was falling in love with me.

Matt even said he was going to remove his profile from the dating site. He had finally found the woman he was looking for. Things were speeding up between us.

You should have seen me! I walked around with a big grin on my face. I was so happy and excited. I bragged to my family and friends about the fantastic new man in my life.

We messaged each other or spoke on the phone every day. I remember thinking, “Wow! I can’t believe I met someone so handsome and nice on the internet.” Love was definitely in the air.

After a few weeks I emailed him a couple of my photos. But he didn’t send me any of his.

Anyway, as we chatted one day I told Matt that it would be nice to get a couple of pictures of him. The conversation dried up for a while. He then asked if he could post them to my address. I didn’t feel comfortable with that idea.

I liked him but I didn’t think it was right to give him my address yet. So, I told him that I would prefer if he emailed his photos to me.

To be honest, at the back of my mind I was a bit suspicious. I kept wondering why he wanted my address. I suspected that maybe he was planning to use me in some illegal immigration scam. I didn’t tell him what I was thinking though. I didn’t want to upset him.

I don’t know what made him switch, but suddenly Mr Nice guy turned into Mr Nasty. Matt accused me of being stupid and asked me why didn’t I trust him. He made some more nasty comments that hurt me.

Matt surprised me! What happened to the gentle man I knew? Bearing in mind that all I said was that I’d prefer if he emailed his photos to me. As far as I was concerned, I didn’t think I did anything wrong.

His aggressive behaviour didn’t impress me. I ended the relationship there and then.

That experience put me off internet dating for a long time.

After a year though, I mustered up some courage and went back online looking for love. I did eventually meet a genuinely nice man. But that didn’t have a fairy tale ending either. I might share that story with you another time!

Passion’s strange internet dating encounters

This story is about Passion. She went online looking for love through internet dating after her long-term relationship ended. But she came away with more than she bargained for. Her encounters not only made her laugh, but left her traumatized, angry and disappointed.

Passion shared her unique experiences in her eBook ‘Single Rarities‘ which is a diary of events of her internet dating disasters. If you’re a single woman looking for love on the internet, you must read this book. Even if you’re not single, this book is definitely worth a read!

I edited ‘Single Rarities’ and some parts of the book shocked me. I felt for Passion. She certainly went on a roller-coaster journey looking for love. But did she find it? Read the book to find out.

‘Single Rarities‘ is available on Kindle at Amazon.

Have you tried internet dating? What were your experiences? Please share with us in the comments section below.

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I started Miraculous Ladies in April 2011 to share some of my life experiences. My intention was to use this blog to inspire, motivate, encourage and entertain women.

I still aim to do that. But in a practical way. And so, it’s time for a big change.

“The best thing you can do is the right thing; the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing; the worst thing you can do is nothing.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Personal development

Although the posts on this blog are useful, I don’t feel that the content gives you enough value. Instead of just writing nice articles for you to read, I want to share practical tips to help you improve your lifestyle.

A lot of women experience various challenges and need solutions to problems.

Recently, Michael Chibuzor did a critique of this blog. He told me how I could improve it.  Michael gave me some fantastic guidance which I’ll be applying to make effective changes.

Based on that, I’m going to turn Miraculous Ladies into a personal development blog for mothers.

I’ll be focusing on writing specially for single and married mothers. I’m a single mother and I’ve also been married. So I can relate to the two different lifestyles.

Take action for change

“By changing nothing, nothing changes.” – Tony Robbins

If you don’t  set goals and work towards achieving them, your life will become stagnant. As a mother it’s your responsibility to be a good role model for your child. They learn from you. What they see you doing is what they’ll copy.

If you’re motivated and focused you’re more likely to raise children who’ll have that mentality. But if you sit at home and don’t do anything to improve your lifestyle, your child will probably end up doing that as well.

I took action to make positive changes to my life. And I want to urge you to do the same. If you decide to take those steps, then you should find something here to help you on that journey.

Time for change

The topics for the new look Miraculous Ladies will include lifestyle, business, freelance writing, budgeting, blogging tips, working from home, relationships, dating and much more.

As well as giving you advice on how to be the best mother and wife, I’ll also share tips on how to look after your health. Plus there’ll be lots of other useful stuff and freebies.

I believe that there are many mothers looking for information to help them make positive changes.

My plan is to offer strategies that will empower you towards achieving personal change and improvement for a better life.

“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” – Jim Rohn

It’s now time for that change!  

So please be patient with me as I update Miraculous Ladies.  It will be full of life-changing tips and advice.

Watch out for your new self-development blog. It’s coming soon! 

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I received an email in my junk inbox from a company called Firmoo offering me a FREE pair of sunglasses or eyeglasses. The only need was to wear the glasses and write a review on my blog. I thought it was spam and nearly deleted the message. Anyway I decided to check out their website first. Well, to my surprise the website was real.

I ordered a pair of wrap-around sunglasses and they came within a week. I’m writing this post to review them and give you the opportunity to get a FREE pair for yourself.

Winter is just around the corner. And next summer is a long way off.  But you can still get your sunglasses now for next summer. Also, they will come in handy if you’re planning to go on holiday to a hot, sunny country.

Don’t you just like the sound of the word FREE? It’s nice to receive gifts isn’t it?

Well, I come bearing gifts for you! If I’d deleted that email I wouldn’t have received my sunglasses. And you wouldn’t have the opportunity to get your FREE gift either.

Firmoo (http://www.firmoo.com) is the world’s most popular online eye wear store. Vision and fashion the Frugal Way is the ultimate goal of Firmoo. They have always provided customers with quality affordable eye wear. They’ve launched a program where they’re offering first time buyers a FREE pair of eye wear or sunglasses. Delivery is also free and fast.

If you would like to take advantage of this offer, check it out by going to http://www.firmoo.com/free-glasses.html to get your FREE pair. Apart from the sunglasses, you can also get regular eyeglasses, bifocals, progressives, goggles etc. Firmoo wants to give you a sample of the quality products and excellent services they offer.

I received my FREE sunglasses last week. They came in a hard case, with some spare parts of the handle, a small screwdriver and a cleaning cloth. Plus a soft carrying case that’s just right for your handbag.

I love the way my new sunglasses they fit my face. That’s me in the picture. What do you think? They’re perfect for the shape of my face. But it doesn’t matter what the shape of your face is either. My daughters tried them on and they looked cool on them too.

I was lucky enough to try them out in the sunshine. We’ve had a few sunny days. They have excellent protection against the rays of the sun. They fit so comfortably on my face. They’re perfect. I love them!

So hurry and grab yourself a gorgeous pair of trendy Firmoo sunglasses for FREE ! Or if you prefer, you can get a pair of eyeglasses instead. Go here http://www.firmoo.com/free-glasses.html for your eye wear.

Image Firmoo

I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

Please share this post with your friends and family so that they can get their FREE eyeglasses/sunglasses as well. Sharing and giving is love!

What is it about old-school West Indian mothers and daughters? A lot of them found it hard, if not impossible to dish out the normal facts-of-life to their teenage daughters. I guess it’s because they didn’t get much advice from their mothers when they were growing up. I know that my mum didn’t.

I learnt the hard way as a teenager. It was a case of getting my fingers burnt, so I wouldn’t do it again!

These are the things my mum didn’t tell me about life:

• That my Friends could also be my enemies
  

Friends were the most important things in my life when I was younger. I couldn’t possibly live without them. I did everything to keep them. Mum loved my friends. She always invited them over for tea or sleepover.

But she forgot to tell me that they could hurt me, deceive me, lie to me, stab me in the back and walk all over me. She didn’t warn me that friends were not all peaches and cream. Some of them were like prickles and thorns.

• That I shouldn’t accept lifts from strangers
  

I grew up in the country in a small friendly community in Jamaica. We knew each other and I trusted everyone. When I came to live in London I was quite naive and not clued-up about life in the big city.

Mum didn’t warn me not to trust men I didn’t know. On my way home from work one evening a man offered me a lift home. I had waited for the bus for a long time and was glad for the offer. So I got into his car.

Big mistake! He drove for a while then parked his car by the roadside. He then unzipped his trousers and asked me to do something disgusting, which I guess you can imagine. I ran out of that car so fast, my feet didn’t touch the ground. I had a lucky escape!

• That she meant it when she said she would lock me out if I came home after 10pm

At 16 I did what most teenagers do. I went clubbing with my friends. Mum told me to make sure I was back home by 10pm the latest. But you know what it’s like. When you’re having fun, time is the last thing on your mind.

 We were too busy dancing and getting chatted up. Sometimes we forgot to check our watches. One night I arrived home after 10.30pm. I tried to open the door but it was locked from the inside. I knocked the door. No answer! Then it dawned on me that mum had really locked me out.

The doorstep became my bed for the night. If you’ve tried sleeping on your doorstep, you’ll know that it’s quite scary out there on your own. That was the last time I went home after my 10 o’clock curfew.

•  That my boyfriend could break my heart

Mum didn’t talk to me about boys or relationships. When I met my first boyfriend, I brought him home and introduced him to mum and dad. They liked him and gave me their approval to date him.

But she didn’t tell me about the signs to look out for from a cheating boyfriend. I was left to discover that ugly side of a relationship for myself. He did a lot of things to hurt me and the experiences were painful.

• That sex is special and should be valued

I was curious about sex like a lot of other teenagers. I wanted to talk to my mum about it, but couldn’t.

It was an unthinkable subject to her and not up for discussion. And I’m sure she didn’t expect me to experiment by trying it out either. But if you want something that’s available and no one tells you that you shouldn’t have it, you’ll take it won’t you?

• That if I got pregnant she would disown me

As I said earlier, mum didn’t talk to me about sex. My first boyfriend persuaded me that having sex was the right thing to do. He used that old line, ‘If you really love me, you’ll do it.’

Well, not surprisingly, I got pregnant. My mum was furious!  She disowned me and threatened to send me back to Jamaica. She told me that I had brought shame on the family. Maybe if we had shared that important mother and daughter chat about sex, I wouldn’t have been so quick to try it!

• That learning to cook was necessary because one day I will leave home

My mum was a fantastic cook. But she didn’t allow me to share her kitchen. She didn’t think it was important to teach me the cooking skills that teenage girls should master.

When I left home I was a rubbish cook. My boyfriend was better than me. It took me a long time to learn how to cook properly.

• That living on my own would be so difficult
  

I had a six month old baby when I left home. It wasn’t my choice to leave, but my parents split up. Mum went back to Jamaica and my dad went to live in Birmingham. So I moved in with my boyfriend.

Life was tough. My boyfriend wasn’t the best partner. And I didn’t have my mum to lean on. We lived in a bed-sit, I was a teenage mum, I couldn’t cook and we argued all the time. To make matters worse we shared a bathroom with four other people. I hated it but had nowhere else to go.

• That life without a mother would be so painful and difficult
  

I was sad and upset after my mum went back to Jamaica. I was only in the UK for four years. We were just getting to know each other properly. And she left me again like she did in Jamaica when I was only four.

Every girl needs her mum around. She’s supposed to be your role model, your fountain of guidance, your shoulder to cry on, someone to sit and have a cup of tea and chat with and the one to run home to when your boyfriend is being a jerk. It was lonely without my mum. Telephone calls and letters to and from Jamaica wasn’t the same as having her around. I don’t think she realised the impact her absence had on my life.

I love my mum to bits but unfortunately she was absent for most of my life. I missed out big time on the mother and daughter relationship.

Growing up without having my mum around has made me value my daughters. I’m always in their faces. I call them a thousand times a day. They’re my friends. I don’t want them to ever feel neglected. It’s not nice living thousand of miles away from your mum. I make sure to tell my daughters about the important issues of life that mum didn’t tell me.

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What type of relationship did you have with your mum? Was she always there for you?