7 ways to NOT be late in the mornings

So there are only 7 sleeps until Christmas, and I don't know about you but time is really of the essence right now.  With nativities to attend, presents to wrap, parties to attend (alright, "party", let's not get over excited) and endless chores to get done saving a minute here or there can make a real difference.

Sometimes, it doesn't matter how early you set your alarm, or how prepared you think you are, the universe conspires against you to make you late.  It only takes a split second to miss your train, or bus, or tube and often that will make the difference as to whether you make your meeting, or gets the children to school on time, or make your first pilot-training session... Who knows right?

So how do you save time?

1. Reduce the travelling.  By this I mean, the numerous times you end up charging backwards and forwards through your apartment, or up and down the stairs of your house to fetch lippy, your purse, your phone.  It sounds obvious but have a place for everything that makes sense and always put things back where they live.

2. Pack your handbag the night before. It's like being back at school isn't it? But it works. If you mess about swoping handbags around in a morning you will be a) late and b) annoyed you left something in the other bag.

The Ion Sound Splash Bluetooth Waterproof speaker: a review

ion sound splash Bluetooth wireless speaker

I love music. I shower everyday. How great to be able to maximise the joy that is iTunes Match on my iPhone by listening to it perfectly safely in the shower.

I love this gadget. It's my new favourite piece of tech. Simple, smart, pleasing to the eye. You can even, if you were super sad, answer the phone using it. Thankfully video calls wouldn't work.

Anyway.
It takes less than 30 seconds to read the 3 steps involved in pairing it to your phone.

Basically press a couple of buttons and you are on.

I left my iPhone in the bedroom, got in the shower, turned on the Ion Sound Splash and pressed play. It started playing where I last left off. Brilliant. I need to keep testing the range, but the Bluetooth connection is pretty darn good.
You can play and pause the song and also control the volume. You can't skip tunes though, so make sure you have a shower playlist, or album, ready.

Dance Workout DVDs: A Fame Dance Workout

I absolutely love dancing. The only time you will see me being remotely energetic will be on the dance floor, when I will stomp to the beat so expressively it's a wonder the floor withstands it.

But as I age I find it more and more difficult to get all my exercising needs from dancing. Dancing the night away half cut on Alcopops is a nightly experience reserved only for University years, and will not be repeated as I approach 40 years old.

The 2 hours a day of dance class I was taking in my youth is a memory swiftly fading, and is only possible for youngsters will no bills to pay and no children, or other family members, to support.

You fabulous readers know I work full time, have two amazing daughters (7 and 5 now... Doesn't time fly), and fill most of my remaining hours faffing about online and writing this blog.

Personalised picture books for Christmas

Desperately searching for a different Christmas present for your children, family or friends?

Don't want to bend to peer pressure and just purchase the most popular toy of the year?

Or maybe just fancy something that little more long-lasting than plastic toys or clothes they will grow out of?

Why not try something a bit different and choose a personalised book for your little one?

Over at Egmont your child can be the star of the story with their very own personalised book.

Choose from Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder, Mr. Men or Fireman Sam.

Not only have I got a great voucher code for you; you can also win these great books here this week!

Do adverts drive you crazy too?

If you are tempted into using them on the basis of their ridiculous statistics then you are SO moneysupermarket.com.

They claim 40% of customers saved up to £316.20? So by definition 60% of customers didn't save anything. That's customers, moving to them and then getting a worse deal.

And of the 40% that did make a saving the MOST they saved was £316.20. So that is supposed to convince me to bother with the company is it? Way to go!

And what about supposedly 'healthy' snacks? Barney cereals try and make their product sound better than your standard cake or biscuit by specifically stating on the advert that they have, and I quote; "healthy ingredients like flour, chocolate and eggs..." Really? The main ingredients of all chocolate cakes, biscuits and many chocolate bars? So desperate that you are quoting the staple ingredients of flour and eggs and selling them as the healthy option. Healthy? Relative to what exactly? Compared to the sugar also in there?