I am a sheep....

I have proven myself weak and have buckled under peer pressure and have read Fifty Shades of Grey / Darker / Freed.

Part of me is horrified that I gave in so easily but part of me is secretly pleased with myself that I read it.

I know it's not a brilliant book, her writing will never win awards and at times I do want to slap both Ana and Christian (though I admit both of them might enjoy that a little too much) it was a fun read and something I definitely would talk about with others, even if it has been called 'Mummy Porn'.

I'm calling it my guilty pleasure and it's now amongst my list of books I know I can just read when I don't have time to get involved with what I'm reading and can use it to pass the time as it's not deep and it's not time consuming. 

Two years to practise...

Hopefully that's enough time for me to overcome my nerves and play the piano at my niece's wedding, won't it?

I'm not so sure as I'm shaking just thinking about it right now and I haven't even started to think of what I'm going to play for her.

She asked me if I'd play as she walked down the aisle, and obviously I couldn't refuse (well I could, she's not my niece, she's my hubbie's niece) but I have a really hard time telling people no. I then heard myself offering to play the hymns for her and also to play before the service started and while she was signing the register with her new husband (all the while chanting in my head, shut up you stupid woman!!!!!).

Needless to say I went straight onto Amazon and ordered a couple of wedding music books and I'll be rummaging through my library of sheet music and books also to find the perfect pieces to play but I'm terrified!

Dum dum de dum.....

Surveys, product trials, scanners etc

I must admit I devote a lot of time to completing surveys, taking part in product trials, testing certain products in blind trials and scanning my shopping each time I buy something. I also use coupons and money off vouchers quite a bit too.

My husband calls me the crazy coupon lady and makes comments like I'll be on that Extreme Couponing programme very soon.

I'm not that bad, well I hope I'm not that bad!

Each day I log onto certain survey sites and complete whatever surveys are available, and I also answer a few screening questions to see whether I'm suitable for other surveys that they have, sometimes I'm suitable sometimes I'm not but I always get entered into a prize draw for my time regardless (haven't won one of those yet but maybe someday).

From one of the survey sites I had gathered enough points to redeem them for a £15 Amazon e-voucher and with this I bought my brother-in-law's Christmas present. From two other survey sites I had enough points to redeem them for £4 each which went straight into my paypal account and I used them against my sister's Christmas present.

From doing product trials and blind testing I had received Boots vouchers which went towards gift sets for my in-laws.

From scanning my shopping I had redeemed enough points to 1st get a £10 love to shop voucher which also was used in Boots and just recently I had redeemed my points to get a £10 New Look voucher which I should receive next week, just in time to buy myself something nice to wear on Christmas day.

If you search in the right places you can get coupons and vouchers for money off various items and if there's a new product out sometimes that voucher is to try the product for free, Facebook is brilliant for things like that. I've got a great wee stock pile of Persil Non-Bio and Comfort Pure for very little money because of coupons and as we've got twins we do an awful lot of washing so this has helped save us a lot of money in the long run.

I maybe a crazy coupon lady but we've saved a lot of money this Christmas and I intend to hopefully save a whole load more for next Christmas so we're able to splurge a little more on other areas.