When we hear ‘5 a day’, we obviously think of our fruit and vegetable intake. After a little research, I was surprised at what other foods count toward our 5 a day.
Please note that just because they count toward your 5 a day, they should be eaten in a balanced diet, and be aware of added sugars or salt in some of the food. You can find out more about your 5 a day here: 5 A Day: What Counts- NHS
I have to admit that I was surprised by some of these. I never realised that spaghetti hoops and baked beans count toward your 5 a day , but be sure to eat in moderation due to added sugars and salt etc.
Homeschooling is hard whether you have a child who is happy to do their lessons or not. Sometimes, being at home and having all the distractions of toys, games consoles etc can really hinder the learning experience. Can I just say that whether your child is managing to do all of the work set or just the odd piece here and there, you are doing GREAT! I also want to tell you that life lessons are just as important. If you chose to bake with your child, or show them how to check the oil in your car, that is also home learning.
Many children are more willing to learn when they get to do something fun, or if they are hands on. Learning through play helps keep their attention and they absorb the information in a different way. Here are some of the great, inexpensive ideas I have seen on Pinterest, and I wanted to share them here with links to the original source posts:
I used to always imagine keeping fit meant buying a gym membership or buying fancy equipment for your home. I thought you’d needed to join a fitness club to stay motivated, and be kitted out in the latest work out gear, have step tracking watches, and fancy water bottles that strap to your arm.
If you have or do any of the above, then that’s great. I’m not saying they’re bad things or that you shouldn’t have them, only that none of that is actually needed to start working out.
I am not exercise minded, and for me the idea of getting up at the crack of dawn to go for a jog in the rain is hideous. I take my hat off to those with the commitment to do it. It has only been the last few months that I have thought more about it and started some simple activities that my kids join me in..
I have started Zumba and speed walking in the mornings with my daughter. It is fun and doesn’t feel like exercise, so it’s great for me, and neither require me to be outside at the crack of dawn in the winter. No, we’re not at a class or paying for a zoom session. We found Zumba and speed walking for beginners tutorials on Youtube for free. You can find any number of workouts and sessions on Youtube such as yoga, exercise workout routines, aerobics, pilates, and more. Just type in what you are interested in and I am certain a workout will pop up.
The sessions range from beginners to advance for all skills and strength. Here are some of the beginners tutorial I have found: Click the links to go to the videos.
If you do want to be outdoors, then running, speed walking, bike riding etc may be for you in that environment. You don’t need a fancy work out kit, just your own motivation. A pair of joggers and trainers should see you right. If you workout at home like me, you could even do it in a pair of pyjamas… I do.
Today, we have started the Joe Wicks (The Body Coach) PE sessions on Youtube live. Joe runs these sessions to help kids keep fit during lockdowns, but believe me, they are a proper work out for adult beginners like me. Check out his page at 9am on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays: The Body Coach.
There has been a small change to my blog schedule as I did have another post planned for today, but I have moved that until Monday. With the current lockdown announced in England on Monday 4th, I wanted to share some of my past posts from lockdown 2020 that may be of use to people. Click the links below to read the post:
January is a big planning month for me. I like lists…A LOT. In January I write a list of people I buy birthday presents for and a list for Christmas too. Why? Well, I like to be as prepared as possible. If I know who I need to buy for, I can keep an eye out in the January sales (and any sales throughout the year), and I can also source gifts second hand.
Another reason to have a list is to have a visible check list. I can cross each person off the list as and when I sort their gift, and this prevents me double-buying.
Yes, I have said the C work in January. I know we just had the fuss of Christmas, and some of us may still be recovering, but when I bring up Christmas 2021 I do so with good reason… saving money. Whether you start a sinking fund for Christmas and put some money away each month to cover the cost come December, or whether you actively start buying Christmas presents in sales throughout the year, scour second hand/ charity shops, or start hand making gifts.
I have already taken advantage of the January sales for some birthday gifts throughout the year, and I have sent gifts direct from Amazon to not only take advantage of their New Year sales, but free delivery to my recipients who live far away from me.
*Check out next Wednesday’s (6th) post to see the simple plan I set up each January for planning birthday and Christmas gifts throughout the year.
I have set up a sinking fund to put money aside each month until December to help with the cost of the children’s presents. As you can tell, I’m a planner, and I am all for encouraging others to do the same. If you think you don’t have money to save, maybe check your expenditures and see if you can cut something out, even a £1 shop-bought coffee a week would be £52 savings a year.
I hope you all had a lovely time over the holidays. All the fun of Christmas and New Year is over in the blink of an eye, and for some, the New Year in general can make them feel quite flat and ‘the January blues’ are a real thing. I find the best way to deal with those blues is to try to embrace the New Year, and by that I mean to use the fresh start to reassess what you want out of 2021 and make some goals and plans to achieve it. I understand that 2021 is still uncertain with the ongoing pandemic, but setting myself achievable goals helps me get in a more positive mind set.
Here are some of my goals for Sensibly Frugal Living :
Grow my blog audience
Grow my instagram audience
Make more IGTV videos of my blog posts
I shall be doing some research to help me reach my goals, and some trial and error techniques to do with best posting times for blog posts, and how to drive traffic to social media platforms.
Have you set yourself any goals for 2021? Do you make resolutions or think they’re a waste of time?
With Christmas in 5 days, I am taking a little break from blogging until January. I plan to sit back and enjoy my time with family over Christmas and the New Year,
I hope you all have a lovely time, however you celebrate, and I shall see you in 2021.
Maybe you have unexpected guests or are still looking for an inexpensive gift idea for a family member. Whatever gift inspiration you require, I’m sure you’ll find an idea here:
Bath Salts
I have done a post on how simple it is to make bath salts here: Bath Salt Tutorial
My children made these for their Dad for Father’s day, and all that they used was sea salt and baby oil.
Baked Goods
Around Christmas time, I usually always have baking supplies to hand. I also have baked goods such as biscuits or fairy cakes made. It is worth keeping some cake boxes or even some cellophane bags on hand so you can quickly bag some of your baked goods up as a last minute gift.
These are a simple make that look effective and kids will love them. I have done a post previously on how to make hot chocolate spoons: How to: Hot Chocolate Spoons
Sensibly Frugal Living 