Top Tips for Buying Clothes on Credit

When paying for clothing via credit, you have to know what you are paying for. Some people simply do not consider repayment amounts, interest, or repayment period; this is a big mistake. Before you buy on credit, consider these factors so you don't overpay, and so you end up with exactly what you are looking for.

Here are some top tips to consider when buying clothes on finance:

1. Find a reputable catalog
Just because a site says interest free orders, doesn't mean they are reliable. The catalogue you shop with should be reliable, should carry different clothing styles, and should be a well known UK supplier. Not only does this ensure you get real, genuine clothing when ordered, it also ensures you won't get caught in a scam.

2. Consider repayment periods
If you spend £500, can you repay this in 12 months? Some people can, others won't be able to. Look for interest free periods, but also consider how much you are spending. Consider, what interest rates are per month, and if possible, can you spread the repayment terms out longer? For some, interest free is good; if you are not a responsible shopper, look for longer repayment periods instead. Spreading the cost normally involves two options; pay monthly and pay weekly, where you pay back what you've borrowed in monthly or weekly installments. The buy now pay later clothes option is where you pay nothing for a certain period and then either pay in one lump sum once the period is over or spread the cost.

3. Interest free
If interest free is offered, consider how long it is for, and how much you have to spend in order to receive it. If you have to spend £1000 to receive 3 months interest free, is it worth it? For some, it is not. So, make sure you can abide by the terms, and know what penalties are, in the event you don't repay the amount on time.

You also want to know all terms prior to paying on credit. How much are late payments? What if you don't repay on time? And, so forth. Find out what company you are dealing with, what they offer, and how reputable they are, so as to avoid getting caught up in something you can't repay, when your first bill arrives at home.

This is a sponsored guest post in line with my disclosure policy.

Handmade Love: The Ultimate Father's Day Gift Guide

Dad to the Bone Card from One Canoe Two
Blue Shaving Set for Dad from Miri Hardy Unique Handmade Pottery
Basil Lime After Shave Lotion from Botanical Naturals
You the Man Mug from Lenny Mud
Dirty Dishes Mature Beer Steins from My Only Regret Besides Dying
New Dad Race Car Playmat T-Shirt from Swanky Turtle
Nose Eye Glasses and Gadget Stand from Art Akimbo
Handmade Leather Credit Card Holder from by Asros
Woodsman Mason Jar Candle from Hello Sunlight

Gifts for the Dad Who Cooks
World's Greatest Daddy Grill Master Cutting Board from The Cutting Board Shop
Walnut Magnetic Knife Holder from Gifts For You Now
Industrial Rustic Kitchen Spice & Pot Rack from Keo Decor
Craft Beer Brewing Kit from Craft a Brew
Man Crush Monday Apron from Paris Chic Boutique
Personalized King of the Grill Tool Set from Gifts For You Now
BBQ Rub Sampler from Spice Expressions
Engraved Casserole Dish from Glass Blasted

Gifts for the Handyman Dad
Personalized Engraved Hammer from Creative Butterfly XOX
Any Design Custom Tool Belt from Looking Glass Memory
Hand Forged Garden Tool Gift Set from Homestead Ironworks
Vinyl Record Clock - Pink Floyd from The Vinyl Clocks

Gifts for the Sporty Dad
Personalized Golf Ball Marker with Case from The Landlocked Dog
Our Daddy Loves Hunting Burlap Sign from Burlap Blondie
Men's Football Cuff from Ruby Lavender
Customized Baseball Key Chain from
I Love it When My Wife Lets Me Watch Hockey Shirt from Unicorn Tees

Gifts for the Geeky Dad
Darth Vader Wallet from World of Leathercraft
Light Brown Bullet Bracer from Live Darkly
Men's Geeky Circuit Board Key Chain from ReComputing
Iron Man Bottle Opener Ring from NiqueGeek
Star Trek Comic Drink Holders 4 Pack from PDX Soft Goods
Dad Yoda Best Mug from The Mug Emporium
Game of Thrones Funny Father's Day Card from Everburg Design Studio
Gamer Dad and Newbie Shirt from Revolution 46

What type of dad do you have?

May Group Giveaway: Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card

Whew, can you believe it's almost June?  I mean it'll be the sixth month of the year in just a few days and I cannot believe how fast time is flying by.  I feel like the older I get, the faster it goes, and sometimes I can't keep up with it at all.  Life feels like a tilt-a-whirl spinning fast with no hope of slowing or stopping!  But that's okay, because we're having fun right?  I just need some motion sickness pills... One moment...

Whew, okay.  Well, since May is ending a few of my sponsors and I decided that we wanted to give you lovely people a bonus.  I mean, you've been working so hard to keep us in our seats here on this ride and provide us with cotton candy, carnival prizes, and all the funnel cake we can eat.  That's tough work readers!  We want you to feel appreciated, so we've pitched in to give one lucky reader a $50 Amazon Gift Card as a monthly bonus.

Giveaway is open Worldwide, and ends at 12AM on Tuesday, June 9th.  Entering the widget below agrees to all terms within.

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3 Ways to Make Your Home EVEN BETTER

You’ve got the Shangri-La of semi-detached homes. Your living room is bathed in the kind of terracotta hue usually reserved for sultan’s palaces. Your bedroom has more finery than a shop made of silk. And you own enough luxury items to make a gameshow jealous.

But there’s still something missing from your home. There’s still a little bit more potential you could wring out of those bricks and mortar before your masterpiece is complete.

If you can’t quite put your finger on what those improvements might be, try a few of these.

Orangery is the new conservatory

The conservatory has forever been a middle class dream. A quick wander through any suburbia will show you that. But they’re not the only option for your home. For a unique look to your home, why not invest in an orangery?

Orangery styles vary from home to home but you can guarantee that any style you choose will be pretty snazzy.

But what is an orangery? Essentially it’s a conservatory that will give you a more enclosed feeling, allowing you to lounge in privacy.

What’s more,  this simple addition could add thousands of pounds to the value of your home. So nab one today.

Alter that attic

Until you convert your attic, it’s little more than a creepy empty space between your rooms and roof. It’s probably covered in dusty boxes. One or two of those boxes might contain a horrible looking doll. Who knows when that doll will attack! Basically, your unconverted attic is a horror movie waiting to happen.

But if you convert that attic into another room, you’ll have extra space, added value to your house price and more insulation.

You can do whatever you like with your attic – just don’t make it pure horror show.

Find your focus

Focal points are ace ideas for every room in your home, drawing the eye and giving your space a centre that’ll complement everything else.

What will constitute an ace focal point depends on which room you’re refurbishing. Your living room could do with a cool ornament or coffee table, your hall might suit a classy bookcase and your garden might require a stunning water feature.

It’s a fine balancing act between finding something that’ll catch the eye and plopping something garish in your home, but that’s a part of the fun.

Experiment with different styles and furnishings, and find a great centre for your home. It’ll finally make it complete. 

This post was written by John Paul in line with my disclosure policy.

Photography: When I Grow Up

For my final project in my Intro to Photography class, we were required to tell a story with a series of photographs.  We were also required to print them out and mount them in order to show them off in class.  The professor's biggest stipulation?  Don't be boring.  A point most of my classmates did surprisingly well on-it was fun to see all the projects!

I ran through a bunch of different ideas... Ranging from documenting a day in the life of different people I knew (moms, technical support representatives, kids, etc.) to documenting a road trip to buy lottery tickets and discount liquor-since you can't get either of those in Utah.  Instead, I ended up enlisting my 10 year old goddaughter in a project I've titled "When I Grow Up".  The idea behind the story being her documenting and trying out all of the things she wants to be when she grows up, but ultimately deciding to just stay a kid for a while longer... Here's that story.

Right now she's obsessed with rocks, so the Geologist is her main career goal.  Ultimately, she did find it super tedious and beg to go back out and play with the other kids, so the project was slightly self-fulfilling-which is good, because this cute girls needs to stop trying to grow up so fast.

What did you want to be when you were little?

The Weekly Round-Up: May 24th, 2015

♥ Heather from The Nerdy Fox shared a really awesome recipe for some fresh homemade salsa, and it looks totally delicious!  I'm such a salsa addict, so I'm definitely going to have to try this-and soon!

♥ Kimi from Kimi Who wrote about a flight attendant tho participates in the Passenger Shame Game and posts shaming pictures of her passengers sleeping.  I really kind of want to get her fired, because A: That's just terrible, and B: It's not a very professional way to represent your airline.  I wonder if someone sent her Instagram account to her bosses how that would go over...

♥ Melanie from Making it in the Mitten shared this tutorial for a DIY Outdoor Palette Bar and I totally want to do it when I get a house.  How cute (and space saving) is that?  WANT!

♥ Rowan from Funning Up My Life shared this recipe for Chili Chai Tea.  Um, YUM!  Must try this.

♥ Stephanie from The Nerdy Photographer takes such awesome Street Photography.  I just love it.

♥ Raewyn from Be a Warrior Queen wrote this fantastic post about Friendship Red Flags and What to Do About Them.  We tend to talk about dating red flags a lot, but sometimes we forget that friends come with their own set as well.  She had some great points here.

♥ Ashlie from Painting Bliss shared a great post about Finding Your Happy.  She gets real, and she's raw, and I just love posts like that.  Posts that not only show you the writer's deepest and darkest, but also their brightest light as well.

What are your favorite posts this week?

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Review: Let's Get a Little Weirder with Those Firmoo Glasses

Hey, remember a few months back when I had a whole breakthrough about my glasses that I got from Firmoo?  I mean, my whole life I'd just chosen the basic metal frames (like this first pair I got from them) and I thought I was perfectly happy with them.  Until I broke the mold and ordered those big-framed black glasses and found I was in love.

So when Firmoo contacted me again this time to do a new Summertime review, I decided I wanted to get a little weirder with my choice.  You only live once right?  I'm working to embrace my weirdness, so I picked the biggest frames and a funky pattern (hello, they're half turquoise half tortoise) and dove right in.

The pair I ordered were #F1009 and they very conveniently arrived just before my birthday, so I was able to debut my new look at my party with my friends and family.  I received so many fun compliments on them that evening, and I've been wearing them ever since!  They're big, and they're bold, and they definitely make me feel like I'm embracing my inner weirdness-I love them so!

So here's to our inner weirdness!  I'll raise a glass to that! And you?  Snag yourself a cool new pair of glasses from Firmoo.  You can keep up with the hottest new frames on their New Arrivals page, or get a good discount from their 15% off page!

3 Steps to the Beauty Regime You Deserve

Despite what the fashion industry would have you believe, beauty isn’t as simple as ABC. For some of the more aesthetically challenged, it’s got more in common with writing a postmodern novel on the human condition than parsing a simple sentence.

Indeed, even supermodels don’t come by their beauty naturally. Instead, they have the workout regime of a paramilitary in Full Metal Jacket, the diet of a health-conscious rabbit and the strict restraint of a Franciscan monk.

While you might not be aiming for those giddy heights, the road to beauty still requires a little hard work. And why shouldn’t it take some effort? What you’ll get at the end is worth far more than the hill you’ll have to climb.

So what can you do to reach your beauty hotspot?

Switch up your makeup
We’re creatures of routine, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the type of cosmetics we put on our skin. You’ll hunt out the same mascara, foundation and eyeliner like you were meeting an old friend – even if it makes you look dreadful. Moreover, standard high street makeups are probably doing your skin more harm than good. All those chemicals and additives will ultimately cause irritation and sap your pores of their natural nutrients.

Instead of that nasty stuff, why not kit yourself out with mineral makeup that won’t harm your skin. With a dose of mineral makeup, you’ll also enjoy a lighter hue, instead of the cakey effect of heavier substances.

Ultimately, looking natural is what counts – and mineral makeup can offer that in spades.

Work it out – the lazy way
For the serially sedentary, exercising is about as appealing as shoving your face in boiling hot chip fat. All you want to do is pig out on Game of Thrones, but instead you’re subjecting yourself to squat thrusts. But exercise doesn’t have to be a rigorous nightmare. Push yourself gently into shape. Limit your initial workouts to a mere 15 minutes, just enough time to build up a decent sweat.

Pretty soon you’ll want to add an extra five minutes to your daily regime, and then five minutes more. After a while your workout will be fully fledged. Who knows – you might even begin to enjoy yourself.

A healthy injection
Are you guzzling Diet Coke and chowing down on Domino’s Pizza every couple of days? Then the root of your dodgy complexion is clear. It’s time to shape up – literally.

Start cooking superfoods high in vitamins and minerals, and be sure to make them tasty. No one wants to be noshing on food that’s as dull as dish water.

This post was written by John Paul in line with my disclosure policy.

Giveaway: Meet Jenny & Enter to win a Gorgeous Bracelet!

Originally I tried to post this a little while ago while I was in Canada, but something went wonky and the giveaway never populated.  SO, we're trying it again. Enter to win this! 

You guys.  Hole in Her Stockings Designs is basically famous now.  I mean, her beautiful beaded bracelets were featured in the GBK MTV Movie Awards Gift Lounge and worn by the stars, plus they were featured on the Elvis Duran Morning Show!  So believe me, I feel super lucky to have this talented girl and her awesome jewelry as a regular sponsor, and here for an interview today with an awesome giveaway!

When you're not creating, what kind of things do you do in your free time? 
I love spending time with my family, writing, singing karaoke and having Netflix binges

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Does this line up with it? 
When I was really young I wanted to be a ballerina. I do remember from a young age always wanting to own my own "store" and I am actually at a point where that may be possible in the not too distant future.

How did Hole in Her Stocking Designs get started? 
I opened up an Etsy shop as a hobby several years ago. Never took it too seriously until the last year or so and things and all of a sudden been growing by leaps and bounds.

What inspires your lovely creations? 
Although it's quite trendy now, I always had a bohemian style. I feel many of my pieces give that vibe. Of course, I'll keep up with trends but I feel the boho undertone is always there.

You recently had your jewelry featured on the Elvis Duran Morning Show, can you tell us about that experience? 
Ahhh!! Still feel like I'm dreaming. A few of the girls on the show wear my bracelets and one day I got an email from Carla Marie saying she was going to feature me the following morning. She emailed me a little interview and that was that. When I heard them talking about me on the radio the next morning I was literally jumping up and down.

You also recently had your designs included in the GBK 2015 MTV Movie Awards Gift Lounge, how did that go? Are there famous people wearing your jewelry now?
It was exciting. I am part of an amazing group called The Artisan Group who gave me this opportunity and the celebrities adore all the hand made items and are really supportive of all the artisans. Some celebrities got the bags at the event and some HUGE names are getting bags sent to them but I'm not allowed to release those names at this time. But I do have photos of Paige Hurd from "Hawaii Five-0" wearing one of my bracelets and Dylan Gelula from "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" checking out a bracelet.

What are some of your favorite creations you have made so far? 
Oh jeez. I really love everything I make but I am definitely loving corals, turquoises and mint for the spring/summer. And I am always a fan of blues and purples. It's funny, with all the creating I do I barely make anything for myself. Have to change that. Although I did need to make one of these for myself.

What does your work space look like? 
Ha!! It looks like a mini tornado went across my kitchen table. I wish I could be one of those bloggers or shop owners who Instagrams their adorable and clean work space but so not me. I'm a mess. Although, with things getting so busy it is becoming a necessity to become organized so maybe it can still be me one day.

What kind of things have you done to make your brand so successful? 
Worked really hard. Hard work does truly pay off. I work long hours not just creating and fulfilling orders but spending time connecting with other shop owners, bloggers, social media influencers, etc to market my brand. Marketing is perhaps the most vital thing is having a successful business.

What kind of advice would you give someone who wants to start a business like this?
Make a great product, know your target audience and get your name out there. It may mean sending out products for free or buying sponsorships on blogs but these are the necessities in getting your name out there. You could have the greatest product but if nobody knows about it you won't have any sales. We are lucky to live in the age of social media, use it to your advantage.

How do you work your business into your daily life along with everything else you do?
This is a rough one for me. I feel like I am always working. I'm trying to make a conscious effort to set "business hours" so I can truly be present when spending time with my family. Still working towards getting some balance.

Use code CHAOS for 20% off at Hole in Her Stocking Designs! 

Jenny is giving one lucky winner in the USA her popular White Beaded Silver Bar Beaded Wrap Bracelet!  (It's the one the stars are rocking in THIS POST)  Giveaway ends 5/20/2015 at 12AM. Entering below agrees to all T&C in the Rafflecopter.

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