Get extra cash, in a flash

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A to Z, advertising, affiliate, agencies, Amazon, £500 a month, baby food, bank account, bicycle, big screen, blog, Blogger, books, Brexit, car, car boot sale, car boot sales, commission, community, compers, competitions, day, delivering food, deposit, dogs, ears, eBay, exercise, extra, films, fitness, five figure sums, flexible, fresh air, General Election, Google, guarantees, Gumtree, health, interview, make-up, market, matter, millionaire, money making, motorbike, new, out, people, pets, popular, powers that be, quid, ready-made, references, rent a room, rich, servies, shoes, Smartphone, spare room, spare time, stocks and shares, time, travel, TV, TV shows, walking, weekend away, WordPress, working

Ever get to the end of the month and find yourself in the red?

Fed up of never being able to go on holiday, despite working hard?

Keep buying scratch cards in the hope of becoming winning big?

All too many people find that there simply isn’t enough cash to go round and with the General Election and Brexit making things even more uncertain, the money pot seems to only get smaller.

Fear not, while we aren’t saying money grows on trees, if you have a little spare time, vision and dedication you can add to your bank account, without changing the day job.

Be a blogger
Blogging is easy to set up and a great way to generate a passive income. Decide on a name, choose a platform (Blogger and WordPress are popular), buy a domain name and pay for hosting and you are on a way. You then need to create content that people want to read – this is the key to success. Maybe it is health, fitness, books, travel or parenting, but make sure you have an audience and when you write posts, make them relevant and interesting so people want to come back. Once you’ve gained a following, you can make money from:

• Being an affiliate where you are pushing other people’s products or services on your site. Make sure these products or services are relevant to your blog, such as baby food, shoes or make-up and when a visitor clicks that link on your site, you’ll earn commission.
• Selling advertising is great once you have traffic running through your site and as your visitor numbers increase, so does the change for ad space on your blog.
• Sponsorship could be a one-off feature or a logo on your site and as the stat’s go up, so do the deals.
• You can also review products on your site, but be sure to disclose and brand relationships and be true to yourself, your readers and the powers that be (Google).

Selling stuff
We bet if you spring clean your house you will find a lot of stuff you just don’t need. Unworn clothes, flippers, a smoothie maker, golf clubs are all things you might not need but someone else might want.
Amazon, eBay, Gumtree are all perfect online places to sell things that are gathering dust but could easily turn into enough money for a weekend away or a much-needed new TV. You can also go to car boot sales where you can flog your stuff make a killing.

Rent a Room
OK, someone else in your house might not seem ideal but if it means and extra £500 a month in the kitty, maybe it is worth a go? Make sure you have a decent spare room, ask family and friends if they know anyone looking for digs, and of course, make sure you do interviews, get references and a deposit before handing over any keys.

Stocks and Shares
Investing in stocks and shares has been a popular way to earn a passive income for years, and thanks to the internet, today it is easier to do than ever. Go online and do some research, maybe speak to an expert, start small, see how the markets go and you never know, this time next year you could be a millionaire.

Online Surveys
OK, it isn’t massive money, but for a few minutes of form filling you can make a couple of quid answering online surveys, and if you do enough the total soon adds up.

Get on Your Bike
Got a car, bicycle or motorbike? What about a Smartphone? This is pretty much all you need to make some extra money by delivering food, or people, in your spare time.

Get Competitive
Sounds silly but entering competitions can make you rich. There are no guarantees, but there is a growing community of ‘compers’ in the UK who are making five-figure sums by entering all sorts of competitions, all of the time.

Be an Extra
If you fancy being on the big screen, or small one for that matter, agencies are always looking for extras for TV shows and films. You need to be flexible and able to get from A to Z under your own steam, but it fun, easy and pays alright. And, you never know who you might meet on set.

Get Walking
Fancy some fresh air and exercise, well the good news is that walking other people’s dogs is big business. If you have free time during the day, when others are out at work and worried about their pets at home, and you like dogs and are professional, there’s a ready-made market waiting for you.

Got a money-making idea we have missed, let us know, we are all ears.

Team Pure Beauty

Be ‘Berry’ Healthy!

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acai, anti-aging, antioxidants, berries, bilberries, blueberries, camu camu, cholesterol, fibre, free radicals, goji, health, plant sterols, potassium, Vitamin C, vitamins

For many of us, this time of year is synonymous with the age-old Wimbledon tradition of strawberries and cream and while this is a tasty treat to enjoy, there are actually many other berries with huge health benefits which you could be putting in your bowl. Here, we take a look at the best of the bunch and exactly what each of them can do for your health and wellbeing.

Goji Berries

Goji berries are often called a “superfood” and have been used in Chinese medicine for over 6000 years. They’re best known for their anti-aging properties and contain enormous amounts of vitamin C, whilst remaining low in calories and low on the GI-index, meaning they release their energy slowly. They’re mostly sold as a dried fruit and are delicious eaten with cereal. Also, as a side note, one of the Pure Beauty team fed goji berries to her elderly hamster a few times a week and it lived for about a year longer than it was expected to…make of that what you will!

Acai Berries

Acai berries come from South America and are thought to be higher in antioxidants than almost any other fruit available. They have cholesterol-lowering powers and contain high levels of plant sterols which will help to keep your heart healthy. Acai berries contain around the same amount of Vitamin C as blueberries and are also rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 and E. They also contain calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper.

Blueberries

Blueberries are probably the most well-known of the berries on our list. They contain high levels of fibre with relatively low sugar and calories, making them idea for someone on a low-sugar diet. They also contain high levels of antioxidants, also known as ‘cancer killing’ compounds. They’re also thought to help with recovery after exercise; In a small study of female athletes, blueberries accelerated muscle recovery after strenuous leg exercises.

Bilberries

No, this isn’t us mistyping ‘blueberries’ again, bilberries are an actual thing (although they do look similar to blueberries…). Bilberries contain chemicals called anthocyanosides with antioxidant properties, as well as the high levels of vitamin C. Antioxidants prevent, decrease and reverse damage to cells from free radicals that develop from oxidative stress, making them a great ally against the signs of ageing both internally and externally.

Camu Camu Berries

Okay, so we’d never heard of these berries before now either, but it turns out they’re a bit of a wonder-fruit. They’re widely known as one of the world’s most abundant sources of vitamin C and actually contain SIXTY times more than oranges! Because they’re pretty rare, they’re often sold powdered or in capsules so that they can be more easily transported and one teaspoon of the powder can contain almost 1160% of your daily vitamin C requirement. They also contain a number of essential amino acids (meaning our body doesn’t produce it so we need to eat food containing it) such as valine, leucine and serine, which are essential for cell growth and repair.

The Benefits of Garlic

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bloating, blood pressure, cancer, food, garlic, hair, health, heart, immune system, nails, vitamins

Okay, so we’ll be the first to admit that garlic isn’t the most glamorous of ingredients and it’s certainly one to avoid when you’re still in ‘first date’ territory, but believe it or not, garlic offers a whole host of health benefits. We thought we’d take you through the ways in which garlic can help you (and try to convince you that the benefits of the STINK outweigh the negatives!)

Digestive Health

The stinky part of the garlic comes from a compound called ‘allicin’, which is also the part which offers the most benefit to your health. Amongst other things, allicin is excellent for maintaining good digestive health, helping to keep you regular and reduce bloating.

Nutrition

Although garlic contains barely any calories, it’s massively high in a number of vitamins and minerals, such as Manganese, Vitamins B6 and C and Selenium, as well as Calcium, Copper, Potassium, Phosphorus, Iron and Vitamin B1. This means that by adding it to your food, you’re effectively taking a completely natural multivitamin, which is excellent for your hair and nails.

Immune System

Although there’s no cure for the common cold, it’s widely accepted that garlic can be a potent ally against the symptoms. One study into the effects of garlic on the common cold showed that the length of the cold was reduced, on average, from 7 days to just one and a half with a daily dose of garlic.

Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a huge problem which is estimated to affect over one in four adults in the UK and garlic has been shown to drastically improve it. In fact, in some studies, a high daily dose of garlic has been shown to be equally as effective as certain pharmaceuticals which are regularly prescribed by GP’s for the condition.

Improving Your Workouts

It seems crazy but garlic has actually been shown to improve performance during levels of high activity – one study showed “subjects with heart disease that took garlic oil for 6 weeks had a reduction in peak heart rate of 12% and improved their exercise capacity” while another study showed quicker recovery rates with a daily dose of garlic. We’re not suggesting that you wolf down a garlic bread before your step class, but investing in some capsules could definitely help!

Spring Produce – What Should You Be Eating?

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Alzheimer’s, bones, brain, cancer, diet, fibre, food, fruit, hair, health, minerals, nails, nutrition, prevention, produce, seasonal, skin, spring, vegetables, Vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamins

Spring is a fabulous time for year for new fruit and veg as there are a whole bunch of new things in season which are great for your health. Here’s a guide to what’s in season, how they can be eaten and, most importantly, how they benefit your health and beauty regime.

Sorrel

Sorrel is a leafy veg which doesn’t make it into many day-to-day dishes, but it’s actually packed with vitamins and minerals while being very low in calories. It has a unique flavour which is a little bit ‘love it or hate it’, but if it’s your cup of tea it’s great when added to a leafy salad, or can even be chopped finely and used more like a herb to flavour other dishes. It’s full of vitamin C, with half a cup fulfilling your daily needs and also contains many cancer-fighting compounds.

Spring Greens

Probably the most obvious ‘spring’ veg, spring greens (also known as Collard greens in other parts of the world) are similar to kale and are best when cooked down and eaten hot, especially with some lardons and a little red chilli. These are an essential part of your diet if you have any sort of dairy intolerance as they contain high levels of calcium without the need for milk. They are also a great source of dietary fibre, which will reduce the risk of bloating, as well as containing a whole host of other vitamins and minerals.

Radishes

Radishes are largely under-appreciated here in the UK, consigned to being the bit of the salad that no-one eats, but they’re actually a tasty, nutritious and fairly versatile veg. They’re actually used in a lot of ancient medicines for their ability to cool the body and and hydrate the skin and they’re also full of cancer-fighting phytonutrients.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a fruit which is best known for being used in crumbles and pies, which is largely because the fibrous fruit (which is technically a veg!) needs to be cooked down a lot to be made palatable, but once you’ve prepared it, it’s both delicious and good for you. Every serving of rhubarb provides 45% of the daily value in vitamin K, which supports healthy bone growth and can limit neuronal damage in the brain, even to the point of Alzheimer’s prevention.

Jersey Royal New Potatoes

Popular opinion of potatoes is largely negative – many people think that potatoes are just a ‘filler’ which contain very little nutrients but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Jersey Royals contain complex carbohydrates which are essential for energy and just 100g of them contain 25% of your daily RDA of vitamin C, which is essential in the diet for maintaining healthy skin, hair, bones, teeth and gums.

Put a spring in your step

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all clear, arms, body, breath, cool down, GP, ground, health, injury, London Marathon, mind, muscles, posture, recover, Rio 2016, running, running style, shoes, smooth stride, soul, Strava, trainers, warm up

 

With the London marathon just around the corner and Rio 2016 starting to create a buzz, it is hoped many people will become inspired themselves and go out and do something less boring instead.

For many, running is a way of life.

It’s free, gets you out in the fresh air, allows you to get some much-needed vitamin D and overall leads to a healthier life. Did you know that running can help reduce the risk of illnesses such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke, keep your weight under control and lower your stress levels?

Well, it can.

You might think that getting started is as easy as lacing up your trainers and opening the front door. Well, to a degree it is but we have some hints and tips that will take you from couch potato to super-star runner the safe way.

First things first.

If you haven’t been active for a while or are recovering from an injury, you might want to see your GP and check all is well before you hit the streets.

Once you have the all clear, you’re ready to go.

One of the great things about running is that you don’t need a lot of gear to get started. The one vital thing is a good pair of running shoes. These need to be right for your feet and posture and it is best to spend as much as you can afford rather than skimping and risking injury.

Today, more than ever, there’s a real choice of trainers but if you can go to a specialist store who will be able to assess your feet, and running style, and advise you on the right shoes for you.

Go for layering when it comes to clothing because whilst it might be cold when you leave the house, if you are doing things right, you will soon feel warm. If you are running in the dark, be sure to wear high vis items and it’s a good idea to take your phone to be safe.

It is a good idea to have a water bottle and if you want to measure progress, use an app like Strava so you can watch the miles add up.

If you want to avoid injury, and actually enjoy running, take it easy to start with and don’t rush things. You want to ease into your new sport and build up slowly, increasing your speed and distance each time you go out.

It is vital to start every run with a warm up session of at least five minutes and this is true for everyone however experiences they are. You can chose from marching on the spot, fast walking, knees lifts of climbing steps but whatever you do build gradually and allow your breathing to quicken and muscles to warm up.

Once you are warm, start to walk and if this feels OK then run in intervals. You can start with just 30 seconds, then walk 30 seconds, run 30 seconds – you get the idea. See if you can then get to the point where you are running intervals for a couple of minutes at a comfortable speed and walking when you need to.

You will naturally find that over time you will be able to run for longer and will get to the point when you can run for 20 to 30 minutes continuously.

This isn’t a competition so don’t worry how fast you are going but do think about how you are running. The ideal position is to run with your arms and shoulders relaxed and your elbows bent. You need an upright posture and you are aiming for a smooth stride with the middle of your foot hitting the ground first.

Just as you warm up, it is really important to cool down afterwards. This means your heartbeat will gently come back to normal and by stretching your muscles they will be able to recover without aching or cramping.

Beginners should initially aim to get out twice or three times a week and if you do this you’ll see improvements as your body adapts to the training.

Before you know it, you will have the running bug and by buddying up with a friend or signing up for an event, you will have the motivation to keep going and will reap the rewards in mind, body and soul.