I sat in a work meeting in November where our boss took a moment to remind everyone we’d been living through, and continued to live through a global pandemic. It really made me stop and reflect as they spoke about how at times it seems as though we’ve forgotten this and piled the pressure back on ourselves to be functioning at 100% in bizarre circumstances that are everchanging. They spoke of the reality that we’ve been through some absolute insanity in the last year and a half and perhaps we need to take a moment to realise this and be a little kinder to ourselves.
In taking that moment it was almost like looking back on a tick list of everything I’ve done in the year and not really given myself credit for or even really processed. In terms of Forever Saving For A Rainy Day I realised just how proud I am of myself for fulfilling my first complete year of sharing blog content twice weekly amongst all of this madness whilst juggling so many changes and so much uncertainty in life.
I’ve called my blog and accompanying social media accounts a life boat amongst the chaos before and that still remains true. Writing, posting, interacting with other accounts and more has been a real support system for me when times have been tough. Everyone last one of you that has ever visited my site is always appreciated and I’m so thankful for the journey Forever Saving For A Rainy Day has brought me on. I’m by no means trying to pretend that everything has been plain sailing highlights all year with this post at all but given the current state of the UK I wanted to focus more on the positives from 2021. Let’s get to the good bits.
Skin Related Highlights From 2021
February delivered overwhelming shock and excitement when I received my first ever gifted products from the infamous REN Skincare. They reached out via Instagram offering to send me a replacement of an exfoliant I love after I commented on one of their posts I spent a good 30 mins thinking it was a scam. I checked their account countless times to see the blue verification tick before responding. It felt like a real “pinch me, is this happening?” moment that brought a huge ray of sunshine to the start of my year.
When I first created FSFARD it never occurred to me that I’d be on the receiving end of PR packages. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to receive several packages this year from skincare, to eco friendly items and recycled jewellery. This is something I will never take for granted and each delivery makes me feel like an excitable child at Christmas. I’m always so grateful to the brands that like what I do enough to send things my way. It is rare that I’m obligated to share reviews but as I love doing so these are always written and just because something is gifted doesn’t mean I sugar coat it.
2021 became the first full year in many that my skin was reliably manageable and whenever I inevitably got spots I really couldn’t have cared less. This is certainly a polar opposite feeling to where I was at 6 years ago. Another mindset shift happened in 2021 towards skincare. Pre-2020 I was scared to switch up routines in case it had negative side effects. Once I got over this there was no stopping me. I had my eyes on so many cult products and rarely turned down a beauty bargain. This year I’m proud of myself for “shopping my stash” and working my way through the products I have. I’ve not bought a great deal. This has come from a place of wanting to do better for the environment.
Eco Highlights From 2021
I’ve lost count of the number of swaps I’ve made this year or ways I’ve tried to reduce waste. I’ve made changes with how I dispose of things such as composting and soft recycling. I’ve tried eco conscious skincare, gone for zero waste products like deodorant and razors and branched into refillable and reusable items more than ever. Cleaning and laundry products have also had an overhaul.
A relative of mine often says that these changes are all very well but a bit meaningless until the big giants responsible for pollution etc pull their fingers out. Whilst I understand their point, I can’t really do much to change that, but making swaps throughout my lifestyle is something I can do and I get a little buzz out of each successful one. Thinking I’m doing my bit over nothing at all makes me feel good. I’m far from perfect but still really pleased with myself for making over 20 changes this year.
Money Highlights From 2021
Favourites for me have definitely been decluttering and making money from my unwanted items. In terms of cashback groceries I’ve claimed £131.44 from Green Jinn, £44.50 from Checkout Smart and £90.76 from Shopmium. These apps have enabled me to donate to food banks at zero cost which has felt rewarding. I’ve claimed almost £50 from Top Cash Back just by going through their website before making online purchases. I don’t usually shop much online but have started to time spends with their £2 bonus cashback offers.
Thank You
A huge thank you from the bottom of my heart to every single person that has interacted with this corner of the internet in 2021. Whether that is liking a single Instagram or blog post, sharing, commenting, or simply visiting my content it is wonderful to see just how far and wide this has reached since I started posting. I began blogging in the midst of the first UK lockdown in a global pandemic and in the last 18 months have experienced feelings of isolation, worry, stress and loneliness with life feeling like a roller coaster. Forever Saving For A Rainy Day has made me feel more connected, helped me combat some really hard days and been a place of comfort and joy. I feel as though I’ve made friends and gained a support network through some of the wonderful individuals that follow me on Instagram too. You are all hugely appreciated, thank you for being here for the ride.
Wishing you all a safe, healthy, Happy New Year.
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Forever Saving For A Rainy Day 