Well paid jobs perfect for Introverts

24/02/2023

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work from home

*This post contains affiliate links 


Not everyone likes being around people 24/7, or perhaps you don't stay the same place for long and prefer to travel, with many roles heading back to the office after having moved to work from home during the last few years, many. rather not have to compromise your introverted or nomadic ways for the sake of a job. In fact, there are plenty of career paths that lean well towards those that thrive in their own space or feel drained when working around others for hours on end. 

This post will take you through some of the best antisocial jobs that actually pay well.

Freelance writer


With more freelance copywriting roles, blogger positions and written content creator jobs available that allow you to work from home, this is a great option. If you're leaning more towards being an author, then a writer’s inspiration can come from silence. If you have a knack for writing and go the self-publishing route, your income is potentially uncapped.


Virtual Assistant


Other than the initial interview, there’s very little communication needed when it comes to virtual assistants. You can operate from something as simple as a Trello board, and work through weekly tasks that way. Whether it’s general admin, site updates or other things in between, the average virtual admin assistant doesn’t have to be uber-social to get by.

Audio Transcribing

All you need is a high level of English language and grammar skills, as a transcriber, you will need to listen to audio and type what is being said across a variety of subjects and you could be transcribing video captions, subtitles and notes. 

There are quite a few agencies you can work for. The faster you can type the better as you usually get paid per audio or per minute of video you need to transcribe and typing can often take you to double the time of the actual audio. 


Music producer




Music producer

Do you love music and have a passion for how it’s made? Whether you’re making beats, mixing vocals or getting involved with all the audio post-production process, you won’t need to be that social to make a career of it. 

Of course, a lot of artists work with their producers, but that doesn’t mean you need to be in the same room. There are countless artists working from home studios who outsource their production, making it a remote and antisocial-friendly career path. With the rise of TikTok, you could even create music on that platform and if it goes viral or you build a large audience you can create an income without having to leave your home. 


Video Editor


If you have an editing-savvy bone in your body and like to put things together, this may be the job for you. Imagine, there are countless clients you can work with. From editing simple corporate videos to streaming videos and even music videos. If you work independently you can essentially choose the types of clients that flow into your domain.

That being said, you’ll probably only need to be in contact to establish collaborations and review feedback. For an experienced music videographer, you can get paid thousands per project.


E-commerce manager


When you’re paid to solve problems, a good employer will just leave you to it. As an e-commerce manager, you control levels of stock, conversion rates, as well as other updates needed.


There’s an understandable amount of communication involved, but more or less you’re left to be your introverted self. Not to mention if you choose to go down your own road and start your own e-commerce business, you won’t have to answer to anyone.


Graphic designer


Other than for briefing and review processes, a graphic designer is pretty much left to their own devices. A perfect job for the tech-savvy, where you have unlimited potential.


From logos to flyers and post templates, graphic design will always be in fashion and can be done remotely without ever having to physically speak to anyone. Graphic designers can get paid £25k+ for a full-time profession. As a freelancer, logos can go for as much as hundreds or thousands with the right client.


Dog walker

For those who still love to be outdoors but rather spend their time in the company of four-legged friends than people, then a dog walker is a great job. Many are self-employed or run their own Dog walking businesses, meaning you can choose your hours and work with the dogs you choose. A great job for those who love the great outdoors but on their own time. 


Dog walker




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A Comprehensive Guide to Where Kids Eat Free This Half Term

15/02/2023

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Kids eat free


With more and more people staycationing than ever, coupled with the cost of living crisis, I thought it may be useful to provide the most up-to-date guide on where kids eat free this half term. 

Now the half term isn't the same everywhere in the UK, I know for example many schools are off now but in South Wales, schools only break up next week, so the majority of restaurants and cafes mentioned, they are offering deals from the 13th-26th, although do make sure to read the T&C's of a place before heading there as there can be time restrictions, age restrictions and some don't offer their deal over the weekend. 

Restaurants


Bills - Valid from Mon 13th - 17th and 20th- 24th Feb

Up to two children eat free, all day Monday-Friday if one adult orders any main dish. This offer is not valid on Sat/Sun


Yo Sushi - Valid Mon 13th - 17th and 20th - Fri 24th

Kids eat free all day when dining with a full-paying adult (minimum £10 spend). The offer is for one free kids' meal deal bento box.


Frankie and Bennys - Valid from Mon 13th - Thurs 23rd Feb

To get the offer you must sign up to Frankie & Benny's mailing via the website and you will be sent an instant QR code - the QR code can only be used once and is valid for one free kid's meal with every adult main meal purchased. 

This offer is only available Mon-Thurs. 


Marco Pierre White - February Half term

Kids eat free with every paying adult. For under 12's and includes either a starter and main or main and dessert. Booking is advised and the deal cannot be used after 6pm on Saturdays.


Cafe Rouge - Valid from Mon 13th - Sun 26th Feb

Available every day after midday, children can enjoy a 2 or 3 lunch or dinner course from the kids menu for free with the purchase of any adult main.


Chiquito - Valid Mon 13th - Thurs 23rd Feb

Kids eat free with a full-paying adult this half term. Get a kid's main, side, drink and dessert for free with every adult main. Valid Mon-Thurs. You need to show the QR code from the Chiquito website. 


The Real Greek - Valid from Mon 13th-Sun 26th Feb 

One child eats free per adult. An adult must spend £10 to qualify for one free kid's meal. Offer includes a meal from the Kids Menu, Drink and Ice Cream/Sorbet and is available to those under 12s


Preto - Feb Half Term

Kids 10yrs and under eat free from midday every day during half term. One child per full-paying adult.  


Purezza Vegan Pizza - Febuary Half Term

Kids under 10 can enjoy a free mini pizza with a topping of their choice with a full-paying adult. 


Llandegfedd Lake Lakeside Cafe, Pontypool, Wales - Valid 20th - 26th Feb

Kids eat free throughout Feb half term. Just purchase one adult main course to get a free kid's main course. Lakeside Cafe is open 9am-4pm daily. 



Pizza


Kids Eat for £1


Ed's Diner - Valid 10th - 26th Feb

Kids eat for £1.  The offer includes one kid's main course and two sides with the purchase of an adult main course. You need to use Code EDKE1MS. Eat in only, tell your serving staff you have a voucher when you order. 

Giraffe - Valid from 10th to Sun 26th Feb

Kids eat for £1 and includes one kid's main, dessert and drink with the purchase of an adult meal. You need to use the code GRKE1MS and tell your serving staff you have a voucher when you order. 

Farmhouse Inns - valid 13th – 25th Feb

Kids eat for £1 - you need to sign up to their email club and receive a code that lets up to two children eat for £1 for each paying adult. This includes both the Junior Cavery or any kid's meal. 

Bella Italia 

While it's not free, kids can enjoy a 3-course meal for £1 with any adult main order between 4-6pm Mon-Thursday during half term and is for children 11 and under. You must be seated before 6pm and make your server aware when you arrive. 

Carluccios - Valid from 10th - Sun 26th Feb

Kids eat for £1 when you purchase an adult main meal. You need to use the CODE: CKE1MS

Offer includes kids starter, main meal, dessert and drink with the purchase of an adult main course. You need to tell your serving staff you have a voucher when you order - do check these T&C's as it excludes some stores in central London.

Sizzling Pub & Grill - Valid from 13th - Fri 24th Feb

Kids eat for £1 all day (except for Fuzzy Ed's which is 3-7pm) with the purchase of every adult's main meal.

Toby Carvery - Valid 13th-17th and 20th-24th Feb

Kids eat for £1 when you order an adult's main meal. All you have to do is download the Toby app, save your voucher and show it to a team member on your next visit.

Harvesters - Valid 13th-17th and 20th - 24th Feb

Kids eat for £1 + Unlimited free salad. One kid's main dish for £1 from the smaller bites or bigger appetites menu or kids' breakfast menu with the purchase of an adult main meal. The offer does not include drinks or dessert. You need to download the Harvesters app to access the voucher.


kids eat free


Cafes

Tesco Cafe - Valid 13th - Fri 24th Feb

Kids eat free when parents spend as little as 60p. Claim a free kids meal worth up to £3.50 and includes kids breakfast, kids hot meal deal and kids cold pick and mix

Asda Cafe - Until the end of March 2023

Kids eat for £1 all day, every day with no adult spend required, until the end of March 2023

M&S Cafe - Valid from Mon 13th- Fri 24th Feb

Kids eat free when you spend £5 or more in the M&S Cafe. Your little ones can enjoy a children's main, snack, drink and piece of fruit from the kid's munch menu. 

Morrisons

One child under 16 eats free in Morrisons Cafe over half term (although their website doesn't stipulate dates & times) with a minimum adult spend of £4.49. The free meal must be a kid's meal and will also include a piece of fruit, fruit juice or a bottle of water.  

Dobbies Garden Centre Cafe

One free kid's meal or breakfast (from the children’s breakfast or lunch menu) per adult traditional breakfast or main course lunch purchased. Offer available every day, in line with breakfast & lunch serving times

Pausa Cafe Dunelm

Kids eat free all day every day with every £4 spent

Asda Cafe - Until the end of March 2023

Kids eat for £1 all day, every day with no adult spend required, until the end of March 2023


Kids can eat from 95p. Your little ones can enjoy pasta and tomato sauce with a drink for 95p or any other kids' meal for £1.50 available every day from 11am. 


Breakfast

Beefeater, Brewer's Fayre and Table Table

For every adult buying breakfast, two children under 16 get to eat for free. Breakfast is served daily until 10:30 on weekdays and 11am on weekends. 

Whitbread Inns

Two kids under 16 eat Free with every adult breakfast purchase


Other deals


Hungry Horse

Kids eat for £1 on Mondays

SA Brains Pubs

Kids eat for £1 all day every Wednesday with every purchase of an adults meal from the "little dragons" menu 


Kids eat free




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My children's favourite book - Guess how much I love you

12/02/2023

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Guess how much I love you

* I have partnered with Walker Books UK for this post to share my favourite classic kids book / AD


With Valentine's fast approaching and my boys getting that little bit older, this year I want to celebrate that special kind of love between a parent and child, one that can even be hard to put into words and one that still to this day takes me by surprise. When I was expecting my first child, my mother bought me the Guess How Much I Love You book by Sam McBrantney and when I became a mum it immediately summed up that feeling of infinite love we have for our children. 

When I was pregnant with my first I thought I knew what was coming (how blissful naivety is), I had read all the books and had a well-written birth plan, that incidentally was thrown out the window when labour actually arrived. The thing is I had never held a baby before until I held my own and that's when it all changed. Yes, it may sound cliche but the love for a child is different to any other and it never lessens as your children grow and this little book has such a simple way of capturing that. 

For those who haven't read this classic children's book, it's a heartwarming story that tells the tale of two hares, a parent and a child and how they try to find the right words to describe how much they love and care for each other but in such a sweet and natural way, with the parent watching over with admiration.  


Guess how much I love you


I don't remember many things that were given to me while pregnant and in those early days but Guess How Much I love You is one of them and sits on my children's bookshelf and is still very much a favourite bedtime read in my household, my youngest especially loves it and I always treasure the simplicity of sitting and reading a book together and it's easy to see why the story of Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare has become such a family classic since its publication in 1994.

It's made me realise that when it comes to things like Valentine's Day, baby showers or maybe you yourself is an expectant mother, it's the sentimental gifts that always mean the most. The small reminders that even when life feels chaotic, messy, tired or sleep-deprived that it's all worth it and books like this are the perfect gift that can be also be handed down from parent to child and who knows, maybe I will be reading this to one of my grandchildren one day. 


Guess how much I love you


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How to plan a multi-stop Interrail train trip across Europe with kids

07/02/2023

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Interrailing



As some of you may know last year I took my boys on of the best adventures we have had so far, a multi-country interrail train trip around Europe. We managed to visit 5 different countries over the span of 3 weeks and travelled on multiple trains including high-speed, intercities, local trains and even a sleeper train and we had a blast, from start to finish. 

This wasn't my first experience of Interrailing, I had done it before having kids so I had some idea of the importance of checking if you needed reservations prior to boarding or checking in advance if there was even space on a sleeper train as these regularly sell out weeks beforehand. 


What is an Interrail Pass?

In a nutshell, it's a train ticket that allows you to travel on almost all trains in Europe, with access to 40 railway & ferry companies across 33 countries. If you plan to do a multi-country trip in Europe it's the most convenient and cost-efficient way to go about it. However some trains, especially high-speed and intercities require an additional seat reservation at an additional cost - this cost will be a lot less than a standard ticket and on our trip, these supplements ranged from €3 to €44 per person - although the €44 was for our private couchette on a sleeper train but to give a little more context our supplement for the Eurostar was €30, while Eurostar tickets normally cost around €150 for one way. Many of the trains however don't require any booking or reservations and you literally just jump on and show your ticket to the train guard when they come around. 


Who is an Interrail Pass for?

Anyone or any age, living in Europe can use an Interrail pass! Some people seem to think that Interrailing is just for students, but this simply isn't the case. They offer passes for all ages including children (under 12's get a free pass with a parent), Youth (12-27yrs),  Adults and Seniors (60+).  They also have 2nd and 1st class options.


Florence Italy


Which pass should I pick

The main two options are a Global Pass (valid in 33 European countries) or a One Country Pass - so this all depends on your personal needs and if you plan on visiting 2 or more countries, the Global pass will be best suited. 

Secondly, you need a rough idea of how many travel days you require - a travel day allows you unlimited travel within that one day. The most popular Global pass is the 7 travel days within 1 month which is perfect for visiting around 6 destinations. The one we used was 10 travel days within 2 months, although we used 9 of those 10 travel days in 3 weeks - so it's all down to your personal needs. 


1. Research & familiarise yourself with the European Rail Network

One of the first things you want to do is download a PDF of the European Rail Network, there is one on the Interrail website and this will also include the Ferry routes included in the pass. This will give you an idea of connections and what routes are actually possible. I would also highly recommend checking out the website "Man in Seat 61" which offers a fantastic insight into different routes including photos of the different trains, times and expected costs. (if you not interrailing) 


2. Decided together what your Must-Visit destinations are

As this was very much a family trip, I made sure to involve my boys in the planning stages and try and fit in everyone's wishlist in terms of destinations, of course, you can't do it all so we wrote down what destinations were non-negotiable and which ones were flexible. As interrailing can be quite demanding on one physically (negotiating trains and stations with heavy luggage can be a lot at times) so ensuring everyone was happy with the final route was important to me. 

We knew we wanted to visit the Cinque Terre & Rome as well as any German city, this alone gave me a base to work from. I put together 3 different routes, took into account time spent on the trains, accommodation costs etc & slowly eliminated 2 of the routes before settling on our final one. 


3. Use the Interrail App and Website planner

Even if you are not Interrailing and simply looking at train times or routes, the Interrail website/app has a fantastic planner, providing up-to-date rail times, routes, transfers and how to buy tickets and seat reservations - this will be key in your planning. Bahn.com is also useful for train times, platforms and night jet tickets. 


4. Take advantage of Interrail discounts

Not only does Interrail give you access to thousands of train routes across Europe, but it also provides some pretty useful discounts with its travel partners - these include discounts for tours, attractions and accommodation. We made use of their 10% off at Meininger Hostels which was a nice extra saving. 


Hostel in Rome
Our private family room in a hostel in Rome


5. Extra tips on booking budget-friendly accommodation

We stayed in a combination of backpackers and hostels, a self-catering apartment and budget-friendly hotels during our trip. My budget was £100 per night for all of us, preferably with breakfast, location was important as I didn't want to be pulling heavy luggage across a city with two children so it had to be central. Some places came in as low as £50 and others were £120 per night but on average came in on budget and doing plenty of research on each play before staying meant that we were really happy with all of our choices.

Firstly sign up to booking.com for free membership - it offers 10% off to members on tons of hotels & properties and use topcashback alongside your booking as you get around 4% cash back on every booking. I also used an app called Hopper for one of my bookings as it offered me a joining voucher and the best-discounted price. I also used Hostelworld website but it's always worth checking the price on Hostelworld as well as direct with the hostel as sometimes booking direct you get the best rate. 

I have heard about people having issues while interrailing and 99% of the time it was due to a lack of planning or making sure if a reservation was needed. Interrailing is a fantastic experience that I would recommend to everyone but do take your time to plan your route as much as you can before you go. 


Interrail Europe

* Disclaimer - Interrail provided us adult and youth pass (children under 12 are free) however every other element of the trip - accommodation, food, activities, supplements and reservations were covered by myself. 



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Why I benefitted from going to an All Girls School

06/02/2023

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all girls school

*This post may contain affiliate links

Throughout my junior and high school years, I attended an All Girls' School in South Africa. Same-sex schools are far more common over there than in the UK and I personally feel I really benefitted from it for a variety of reasons. While it may not be for everyone and times and teaching styles have changed since I was at school, I personally had a positive experience for the most part (I mean it is school after all) and I thought I share from a first-hand perspective what it was like.

1. We were taught self-respect & self love

Respect for ourselves, our friends and our teachers was key at my school and in all the years I attended there were never any real issues with things like bullying but that may have been down to my school approach and openness to be able to talk to our teachers if anything was worrying us and this would be followed through. In high school, my class as a whole, which wasn't very big, would attend supportive weekly group counselling sessions where we would talk about any worries we had, female health, peer pressure concerns etc and these were extremely helpful but I don't think it would have worked if we were in a mixed-sex setting.  

2. You are encouraged to achieve your potential 

My school really pushed us to achieve, it never discriminated against or made allowances for being a woman, they expected us to excel academically (within our ability), musically, in sports etc and many of my friends went into Stem, accounting, architecture, law etc after school. My teachers never made me feel like I couldn't achieve something and that positive environment often naturally encouraged us to want to learn. I remember when I was in the chess team and we often played against other schools, usually twice a month and on many occasions we would play all-boy schools and often won and why wouldn't we? 

3. More focus & less distraction

While of course we goofed around, had fun, made jokes, gossiped etc there was certainly less distraction at school for many of the girls had they been at a mixed-sex school. There was less worry about what people looked like and overall it was a fairly calm and quiet environment. I know that I cannot say what it would be like if boys had attended my school as my experience is only that of being at an all-girls school but I do know socialising on weekends etc with all genders was louder and more intense, while school provided a relaxed but focused space away from that. 

As someone who grew up quite self-conscious, mainly due to my short stature (I am only 4ft 11) and as someone who generally feels more comfortable in the company of women, an all-girls school was a real benefit for me especially as I got older and as a teenager, we naturally worry about our skin and appearance more but I never felt judged around my school peers however I know I would have struggled in a mixed environment. saying that I don't feel that attending and all-girls school affected my ability to socialise with everyone, especially as I took part in external sports groups 4 days a week, many of which I was the only girl in the group. 

If you are looking into high school options for your child then perhaps consider a same-sex school as it could be a real benefit to your child. There are of course both state and private school in Leicester and across the UK. 

In one way I felt fairly sheltered from the world in terms of things like sexism when it came to employment, relationships etc as we had been encouraged and supported so much, I thought the rest of the world was like that, of course, it's not, but my schooling had been instilled a level resilience and independence that has allowed me to navigate the world and know my worth and it's something I have always been grateful for. 


high school
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Why Content Creators should have business insurance

03/02/2023

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content creator

*This post contains affiliate links 

So firstly let's get one thing straight if a person is making money from social media, whether that be through a blog, freelance writing, or creating content on social channels such as Instagram and tiktok etc, then that person is running a business, regardless of what kind of content this applies to travel, lifestyle, parenting creator and any other niche that charges to create content. They are offering their services for payment or some kind of compensation and the individual will need to be registered as self-employed. 

While you may not be selling a physical product, you are selling a service so as with any professional business owner you should consider taking out business insurance to protect yourself and your clients from unforeseen risks and honestly, it's just part of being professional within your industry. Regardless if you are taking out small business insurance to tradesman liability insurance, it's one of the first steps you should take when it comes to running your own business. 

Now many people may wonder why exactly a content creator or blogger may need business insurance. There are an increasing number of reasons why you need to have yourself covered and more companies are requiring it, in fact, I worked with a brand that needed me to be fully insured before signing the contract. 

Here are just some of the reasons why you should consider insurance if you make content. 

1. Brand collaborations can go wrong

My freelance bloggers and content creators rely on brand partnership campaigns and sponsored content as their main source of revenue. However, if you are promoting a product to your readers or audience and that product ends up being faulty or has false claims made about it and someone happens to get injured and cites your social media as the reason they used the product or service then you could be held liable to some degree.  

2.  Copyright infringement

If you even unknowingly used someone else's intellectual property in your content without the right permission and could face a fine or even be taken to court for intellectual property infringement. 

3.  Potential Cyber breach

Anyone who runs a business or offers services online is at risk of a data breach or cyber attack. Many social media-focused insurance plans offer protection for this and it's especially key for anyone who stores email addresses (such as a newsletter list) or personal details.

4. Breach of Contract

Sometimes life doesn't always go to plan and should something happen, even if it's out of your control and you fail to complete the contracted number of posts or content creation then you could risk being sued. The same would happen if a builder only built half your house and didn't complete the rest of the work.

These are just some of the examples, but a good content creator insurance package should also include general liability and protection against libel and slander, negligence, copyright issues, unauthorised access to your social media accounts and breaches of advertising codes.  If you need further information and why and how you should get content creator insurance that it's well worth reading this The Shelf article. 


content creator
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