Smoothies are all the rage. I first discovered smoothies at NourishLab Smoothys in Osu and naturally I was hooked! Although I didnt have a thing for thick creamy drinks, I found smoothies to be a great way for me to 'drink' my fruits and sometimes vegetables on the go. 

However why buy smoothies when you can make them yourself? So I went and got a smoothie maker for the house. It was a perfect way to get my husband to also get some good nutrients in easily whilst at work or as a quick breakfast whilst sitting in horrendous traffic on the Madina Highway. 😅

I bought the Shake 'n' Take Smoothie maker recently from Ultimate Deals on the Storefoundry online store to attain that objective. 

I could have chosen to get a bigger smoothie maker but something that was small and efficient was what I was on the lookout for. 

The container for blending your fruits or vegetables is a 500ml sports bottle and it has the capacity to also crush ice with a serated blade function. 

I could stuff in three medium-sized bananas, half a pawpaw, one squeezed tangerine juice, 5 ice-cubes, 2 tbsp of plain yoghurt and a tbsp of honey. 

The blades are quite strong despite the size of the bottle. I have also used it about 4 times and so far so good. There's one On-Switch to make it work but then what other function aside On do you need on a smoothie maker this size? 

Its easy to fix into the motor but requires a firm hand to hold and blend. It's better to hold and blend to prevent the bottle from moving around which will be caused by the motor vibration. 

A cap with a mouth opening, fits onto the bottle to convert it from a blender to a drink-out-of sports bottle. 

With regards to the final product, I am quite happy with the turnout. All the fruits are well mashed to a very smooth texture, even seeds are almost oblivious. 

Its also easy to wash out with warm water and a little dishwashing soap. I dont have a dishwasher though so I dont know if it will be friendly in one.

I am quite happy with this product. It's very challenging to find good and lasting products on the Ghanaian market of late. Cheap and fake products are being imported into the country and we need to know which will be money-saving product or not. 

Which Smoothie recipe is your favourite?

*This is not paid content or an ad. It's just me sharing my love and thoughts on good products I find on the market for my home. I believe you will also benefit from these reviews in one way or the other. 

I got a call from an interested participant in the upcoming #DGBizWomen Digital Skills & Literacy Training Workshop in which I will be leading as a Trainer alongside Jemila Abdulai (Circumspecte) and Efo Dela. She wanted to know why she should sign up to the workshop and what she stands to gain. 

Although I was slightly surprised I was nevertheless happy she asked.  This is to add to what I took her through during the conversation. 

Why should you as a woman require digital skills and be digitally literate? 

Let's take the scenario of you being a professional woman in the corporate world and why you need these skills.

1. The career industry is evolving with an increase in demand for more digitally skilled personnel. Things have gone beyond knowing and using Microsoft Word & Excel. There's cloud storage applications, productivity apps, etc which many organisations are using today and it's essential to know why these apps exist and when to use them for whatever purpose. 

2. In this economy, having a day job is no longer sufficient to meet your needs and an alternative source of income is more important than ever. You can easily do this if your idea involves the selling of tangible products. This is achievable by owning a custom storefront / online store where you dont have to worry about rent and other overhead costs. This is one of the modules which will be taught during the workshop. 

3. You need to brand yourself professionally online using appropriate social media tools in order to attract prospective employers. How can you do this? That is what Jemila will be training on as well. 

Another scenario is if you are a woman entrepreneur in any industry and naturally you want to increase sales so as to make a profit;

1. You need digital skills on social media to be able to acquaint yourself on strategies on how to connect with your fans with the right messages and content. How can you turn likes to sales? This is another area which we will focus on during the workshop.

2. Many women entrepreneurs in Ghana either have a tangible product on sale or are offering a service in one form or the other. Whether you are a model, a baker, a bag or accessory maker, etc how can you brand yourself on social media for prospective clients to make an offer for what you do? Discover this as well at the workshop.

3. How can you sell more on your e-commerce website and on social media? There are proven strategies to ensure conversions on your website from your social media pages and this is an opportunity to learn how. 

If you are a student, you need digital skills in addition to the other skills you build in school. There's no excuse for you as a student to say there's no opportunity for digital skill development. 😀 for the youth. 

During this workshop I will be leading on start and grow your e-commerce business. This will entail setting up a store, loading up your products, taking quality photos and how to sell the products using social media. 

Register here to book your seat. We have special discounts for students as well and if you are a student you can contact me directly via the contact on the poster. 

That's a really long blog title 😅. Most mornings, I like to prepare breakfast and sometimes lunch for hubby to take to work. It not only saves us the cost of eating out but it’s also a healthier option as I get to give him all the greens to chew. 😂😂. He calls it chewing grass 😘🌱🌱😄

I mused on what to make as a quick brekkie yet with some well packed nutrients. I didn’t have any meats but I had some leftover greens which I had bought a week ago. Hey! I could make a chicken sandwich using last nights chicken stir-fry which had a few pieces of chicken left in the sauce. It was going to be so doable. YAASS!! 

Reusing leftovers are perfect ways to create new recipes and this was going to be just too chill. Psyched, I jumped out of bed to start preparations. I had bought lettuce from this very friendly roadside green grocer at Labone Junction about a week ago but they still looked quiet okay and not too limpy. Very usable. I love how fresh our new Samsung refrigerator keeps vegetables fresh. No lie. 😎There was no way I was going to throw out these greens.

I have been trying to reduce food waste in my home by reusing leftovers. Did you know any food you discard as a consumer adds to food waste? Ugh..huh. Yep. Let’s get to this, rite now!

Wash the lettuce in salt water and sprinkle vinegar on them to wake them up, slice tomatoes and onions in thick slices and grate mozzarella cheese on the side. If you don’t have cheese no sweat at all, you can skip it. 

 This was going to a simply delicious to the heavens kind of sandwich.

Preheat oven grill at Gas Mark 2

Chop up the chicken to make the sandwich less bulky.

Smother brown bread ( healthier than white) with Dijon mustard spread. You can easily find this on most supermarket shelves. Even in Makola.

Arrange the lettuce, tomatoes and onions as pretty as you can.

Sprinkle on chopped or shredded chicken on top of that. How generous do you want to be? 

Beautiful isn’t it? Almost done..

Add grated Mozarella on top of the chicken and pop the open yummy-looking sandwich into the heated grill.

Give it some 3-and-a-half minute for cheese to melt but not brown.

Take out.

See what I said? Beautiful. Gorgeous. Insanely Beautiful. Oh the colours! The melted cheese flirting with all that meat and vegetables 😍😍😍.

Read More: Shake 'n' Take Smoothie Maker Review

Wrap into an aluminum foil and straight into a Ziploc bag if you want to take this to work like my hubby.

If not, please do not hold back and eat immediately! This chicken sandwich which is a leftover recipe to reduce food waste is a fantastic way of reducing food waste in our home and the country at large. 

 Although I didn’t get my share, hubby graciously gave his verdict. But what I didn’t expect was that he couldn’t wait to get to work and literally finished it in traffic on his way to work! Who does that?

Here I was hoping he would enjoy this at his workplace to give his colleague green envy but nooo! 😂

Have you noticed how some foods actually taste better the next day? Think of Jollof, Kpokpoi (Homowo meal), etc. 

I was very happy to have reduced our food waste today. Coincidentally, I later got to realize that this Sunday coming was going to be World Food Day #WFD2016. This year’s theme will be focused on how the climate is changing and why the methods of food and agriculture must also change. 

What are you doing to reduce food waste in your home? Please do share in the comments below to save not only money but our planet. 

One of the realities of marriage is the time, place and amount of sex you can have. You can have it at the oddest of times, strangest of places and uncountable times depending on several circumstances, ceteris paribus.

Personally, sex in the morning with my husband is like the best time ever to unleash passions. The body is more relaxed to enjoy the sensations of touch, movement and everything else in between.

Wait, I am getting to the headline. Chill. It was Sunday morning and we were getting ready for church and I decided to be naughty small and literally jumped my husband! Or rather pounced. I am not going into the gritty details to worry your eyes but all I will say is…I felt incredible! Empowered! 💪🏾💪🏾💃

We set off for church and as I bathed in the glorious afterglow 🌟 I couldn’t help but think of what a blessing it was to literally shag ( someone said this word is outmoded) my husband, go to church and lift up holy hands in worship in church or perhaps on top of him (TMI?)  . It was such a free and exhilarating feeling! So since my fingers can get quiet twitchy especially with such deep thoughts, I tweeted it. The bird flew off before I could change my mind 😁.

I showed it to hubby who laughed his head off and said I should wait till the Twitter boys got their hands on that tweet. It would be hilarious, I said to him. But I don’t think I considered the magnitude of that tweet and how far it would get. Church service was great! Choir ministration saw me lifting up holy hands in thanks and appreciation.

By Sunday night, the tweet had been retweeted 800+ times. Shocker! What really amazed me was that most people quoted the tweet and added ‘Gooaalss’ ‘ This is Lit!’, '🔥🔥', ‘ You do all!’.  I was astounded! I had broken Ghanaian Twitterdom. 

 By Monday the tweet was in the thousands and we also realized that @SubDeliveryMan had also retweeted so naturally Nigerian Twitter jumped on. Kai! It was a roller coaster from then on. When was it going to stop? 😅 

One of my favourite moments in marriage is shagging my husband proper on a Sunday morning and being able to lift up holy hands in worship 😎

— #GhanaDecides (@OyooQuartey) October 2, 2016

Then I started getting screenshots from friends at church who came across it on their timelines. #DEAD. I thought about this for awhile and wondered why this happened. I have tweeted loads of things over the years but why did this tweet in particular generate such engagement? 🤔

The reason why I believe it was quoted as goals was because that’s the aim of every single person out there. Well for Christian singles  anyway. Fornication is rife and trying not to fornicate in an age where sex is seen as, “ if you don’t do it you aren’t cool” and where sexual images and videos can easily be watched with a single tap of a finger, is tougher than munching on 6inch nails. I have been there.

I did fornicate during my singlehood or when I was in the dating phase. Even when I met my boyfriend, now my husband. Yes, I wasn’t a virgin when I got married. Sorry Mom. 😝 The fornication sin can cling so hard to you if you have had sex before. You always get the feeling to do it for the last time and repent. But you find yourself giving in to the man who is showing some promise of being THE MAN. But after doing it, you just don’t feel right. Yep. I never felt right after fornicating, even during the act I was struggling inside.  Then I would find myself in church unable to lift up my hands to worship because I felt very guilty and would rather kneel and confess my sins

When we decided to abstain, trust me that was incredibly a very difficult time. It led to fights, cold war and whatnots. I had to be strong. It actually got easier along the way till the wedding night. We were knackered but we got it on before passing out.

Now that I am married, there’s no guilt or shame before, during and after sex. I am actually obeying Scripture by fulfilling my duties as a wife and he as a husband. Freedom bi what? I can go to church and lift up both hands and thank God for the gift of sex and how wise God is because truly sex in marriage to your husband (not someone else’s) is worth the wait.

Pre-marital sex was heart-pumping and all but to me that’s just the pricking of the Holy Spirit telling you to stop but your flesh is also hard at work poking at you (perhaps that's his D) not to. The danger of it all, getting caught at it, disobeying your parents, not listening to your mind, just boils into a cascading wave of raw emotions and desire. That’s fornication for you. After, you can deal with the guilt and sometimes pain especially when the man dumps you for another woman. Now you are left wondering and anguishing, ‘after I gave my body to him, how could he do this to me?’ That's one experience I will never forget! Then I will swear to abstain till I get married. Not easy. Sometimes  relationships end because one person wants to abstain whilst the other for whatever reason doesn't. 

It was fascinating to read the responses of many people concerning this tweet. 

One guy shamefully copied and edited my tweet just to get retweets but my beautiful fans quickly caught him at it and exposed him. But did he repent. Nope.

I was told by a friend that his female work colleagues had taken ascreenshot of the tweet and it had become a discussion amongst them. Wow!

I also believe that once in awhile it’s good to share some personal experiences on social media which other’s can learn a few lessons from. An example was my layoff which was my most popular post of all time!

• Another reason may have been that, its not common to have a married African woman saying something like this on Twitter.  As married women we need to talk more about the realities of marriage for those coming in to be aware of some things. I am not saying to reveal all but there are lessons out there, which can benefit those yet to walk down the aisle.

• Could the last reason be that we love sex topics? But don’t want to admit it? Yet when someone shares their experience it gets quite a buzz out there? 

My followership increased by almost 30 followers within three days! Does that mean, more ‘exclusive’ revelations are expected from me? Hmmmm….

I have heard people say, 'Ah but if you don't test the car, how sure are you that it will work?' to support their arguments on pre-marital sex. If the one you are going to be with is surely THE ONE, you don't have anything to worry about. God's got you. Like 100%. 😉 Have faith.

It’s been almost 2 weeks since we held the digital skills & literacy training workshop for todays woman #DGBizWomen . The workshop which was organized by Circumspecte & OneBaobab was attended by several women from different startup backgrounds such as the beauty, event planning, food and fashion industry.

As a digital trainer for the workshop, I was very excited at sharing my knowledge one-commerce and social commerce with the attendants. Many small businesses are signing up on several e-commerce platforms like Storefoundry, MyAhonya, Jumia etc, but how to market their online stores on social media is forever a challenge. That was where I hoped to bring practical solutions and knowledge to the attendants.

We had a late start as we waited for attendants to turn up but once we started it was full speed ahead!

I started with the basics and benefits of ecommerce, challenges facing the e-commerce industry in Ghana. We then had a long look at how to setup an online store using Storefoundry’s platform. Attendants were particularly excited about the social commerce so as to understand why they weren’t making sales on their online store. Many questions flowed in and as I explained what they were not doing right, many of them couldn’t help but nod in understanding.

The e-commerce practical session involved how to take great photos for an online store without breaking the bank. They were amazed at the tutorials and how really simple it was to take product photos using a smartphone. We went through how to make a flatlay product arrangement to taking jewellery shots.

Jemila Abdulai of Circumspecte had her turn on how brands can amplify their voice on social media.

Session Facilitator Efo Dela collaborated and coordinated the practical session. 

What I found particularly interesting was the diverse background of the attendants who although few had a common vision of improving their digital skills and knowledge.

Amma a UK Resident queries Efo Dela on Social Media for Her Upcoming Brand

They made the commitment and took action to come to a workshop, which would benefit not just themselves and their businesses but also the community through the employment of Ghanaians.

Abigail, CEO of Absolute Needs

EvitaJoseph of EJBeautyStore 

Beauty Entrepreneur Faustina Mensah of GlamourousYou with Jemila. 

Perpetual of GarlandsGh

In a digitally enriched business environment, its essential for women entrepreneurs to empower themselves with the right digital skills to grow their businesses. The time to develop our digital skills and close the technology knowledge gap is now. Internet is becoming cheaper to access and there are more applications being developed everyday to make productivity and businesses more effective. 

Follow @OneBaobab and @Circumspecte for updates on future digital training workshops.

I have stayed in many hotels in Ghana  🤔 that's pretty interesting now that I think of it . I haven't counted but I know I have stayed in low-budget (0 stars)  to 3 star hotels in different parts of the country  with each serving up a whole new experience altogether. Whether it's good or awful customer service, memorable menus, incredible ambiance or the most comfiest of hotel beds, the hotel industry experience is in the palm of my hand. Overall i would say that there's so much more exciting offerings hotels in Ghana can do to boost tourism in Ghana and add spicy adventures to the lives of Ghanaians. 

There aren't many resorts in Ghana which have excited me as much as Aqua Safari Resort located in Big Ada. Trust me, very very few hotels in Ghana can get me all worked up.  

I was struck by the mammoth wooden upside-down boat in the middle of the compound which  greeted us through the windows of  the Tuk Tuk hotel taxi. The taxi alone was super chill! 

We were all oohs and aahs as we oogled. My eye got caught on a life-like pink pelican and I yanked my husband's arm to look . I almost lost it when the bird fluttered it's wings😝. A mini-zoo was right at the entrance to the hotels reception and me being an animal lover couldn't help going closer 😄. 

The reception is housed in a partial gigantic ship hull. Decor pieces are subtly modern pieces with Ghanaian lifestyle touches in both the rooms and surrounding areas. 

Equestrian outdoor artwork 

Customer service at Aqua Safari was actually better and friendlier compared to some 2&3 star hotels in Ghana. Our bellhop was smart and friendly as he took our luggages to our room. 

The room was clean and the bathroom cleaner and fresher! Although not a big bathroom, the shower was sizeable enough for even two. Think romantic showers 😎. 

We didn't have any trouble with the standard room and the WiFi was pretty good for even a Google hangout call which my husband had later in the evening. 

The resort restaurant faces the Volta River which passes through Ada to the sea via the estuary.

         Front View of the Restaurant

 Several outdoor seating areas closer to the river offer a much more intimate contact with the river. Better for selfies 😍. But do have some mosquito repellent on you just in case.  

A few waterfront suites also face the river.  

The food at Aqua Safari is just Okay. It's nothing fancy or tasty or memorable as compared to food at let's say Labadi Beach hotel.  

The cherry which sits atop the cream at this resort are the water sports you can totally enjoy with your partner and friends. For about GHC 30 you can get 20 mins or so ride on a jet ski.

Although I was very hesitant to get on board the water jet ski, I soon found myself unable to get off. What heart throbbing madness! 😂

There was volleyball, badminton, larger boat rides and other sporting equipment available as well. 

More hotels should consider incorporating fun gaming activities for couples whether for indoor or outdoor. Give value for customers money, I say. 

Do pack an umbrella if you plan on heading there this weekend. 

Price wise it's in the range of $$$  yet worth the value provided. You can also just go there for a day's trip to experience the water sports and riverside ambiance. Big Ada is just two hours or less (depending on who's driving)  from the Tema Roundabout.

We had an incredibly wonderful time though short but with a promise to be back.  

Which resort in Ghana is your favorite? Share a memorable experience at any resort you have stayed in in the comments below.  

If you want to save more then you need to cut back on unnecessary expenses which are putting a dent in your bank account.

What are unnecessary expenses? These are basically things you don't need or things that you don't have a desire for. When you really sit down to think about the things which you are spending unnecessarily on, you would realise that they really are things you can cut back on.

Simple lifestyle changes like reducing the amount of coffee you buy from your favourite cafe, the number of times you eat out in a week to not buying the extra pair of shoes you buy every month.

This week as I continued on my journey towards saving for a vacation, I decided to cut out on the things I spent on last week.

•    I skipped out on buying any soft drinks and chose to drink water instead.

•    I ate more at home by preparing healthier home-made meals. Although groceries can be quiet an expense, if you buy in bulk for the month, it saves you more from eating out every week at expensive restaurants.

•    My husband and I streamed a movie which was more cost-effective than going to the mall which would have cost us GHC70 minus snacks.

•    Used the Barclays Savings Calculator to find out if I’m saving the right amount each month to reach my goal.

•    Because I bought internet in bulk last week, I saved more data usage this week.

In all I have saved GHC13 this week. Not that internet is an unnecessary cost but buying data in bulk is a cost-saving measure compared to buying 5 cedis or 10 cedis every other day.

Our savings plan to travel may have taken a new turn. Instead of travelling outside, we are now considering exploring the new local resorts in Ghana. You may be surprised to know how many hidden & fantastic resort gems in Ghana. This is very exciting as it’s also an opportunity to discover other regions of the country and literally act like a tourist in my county.

We opened a joint savings account to use as our savings pot after budgeting for our trip. That way we will be able to determine how much interest we gain on the account through our joint efforts.

We also intend to automatise standing orders to transfer to the account so as to avoid long trips to the bank. Automising the transfers also prevents us from ‘seeing' the money. Less painful that way :-)

Since starting the savings plan we have saved about 10% towards our goal. I believe this is going to increase over time before the D-Day.

This article is the third in a series of sponsored posts for the BARCLAYS SAVINGS CHALLENGE. I hope the challenge has been as interesting for you as it has been for me. You can follow the discussion on Twitter and Facebook and share your own experience by using the hashtag #AFRICASAVES.

Visit  https://goo.gl/9QbbAf for useful savings calculators, tips and more information on savings accounts.

" There really has to be more to make with garden-eggs aside garden egg stew 🤔." My exact thoughts racking my brain for some days now. I mean why are we only using this highly nutritious vegetable only in stews and soups? If it's not garden-egg stew then its chopped pieces of it lazing around in okro soup, light soup, palm-oil soup or groundnut soup. Eish! There's more to this vegetable than meets the eye. So to make things rather more interesting in my kitchen ( because I dont like one-way things) I created this rather unbelievably, earth-shattering recipe which exceeded my taste bud expectations! And trust me, I didn't know what to expect. 😅

I try to keep dinner light, easy and healthy. Late eating is definitely something I am against in our home as the effects of it can be quite dangerous (think of pot-bellies😖). Earlier today, I grabbed a pack of chicken thighs from Marina Mall and wondered what would be perfect with them chickens which hailed from Brazil. Imagine. Brazilian chicken thighs in Ghana. There was no local chicken in sight. I spiced it up with onions, chakalaka spice ( or any natural spice of your choosing), garlic and a bit of salt and placed it in the fridge to marinate till 6ish which gave it 4 hours of marinating time. 

This recipe is super easy for you to make in a space of 30 minutes to finish if you have already meal prepped ahead of time. But if not then approximately 45mins minus the marinating of the chicken. Let's get right to the recipe shall we? *rubs hands gleefully*. 👏🏾

Ingredients

6 medium-sized garden-eggs

3 medium-sized tomatoes

1 medium-sized ripe plantain

1 chopped up spiced Chicken Thigh 

A sprinkle of Oregano & Thyme

1 tsp milled dried Akweley waabi (Paprika)

Makes a meal for two.

The Easy Directions

1. Preheat oven to gas mark 4

2. Lightly coat the bottom of a glass baking dish with olive oil

3. Split garden eggs into halves and add to chopped tomatoes. Coat these with dry Thyme & Oregano.

4. Slice plantain into any shape you desire and add to the vegetables. Lightly sprinkle with salt. 

5. Layer the  plantain and veggies in the dish.

6. Next top up with the chicken pieces and sprinkle the paprika on everything. 

7. Cover the baking dish with an aluminium foil to keep the moisture in for a more tender & juicy chicken.

8. Allow to bake for 25 minutes. 

9. Use a fork to check if its done. If the fork goes in easy and the juices runs clear ( not bloody), you are good to go! 

10. That's totally it! 

Garden eggs are spongy in texture and it was a pleasing sight to see all the sponginess transformed into tantalising natural juices cooking with the chicken. What really made this dish noteworthy was the romancing balance between the sweet baked plantain and the slightly sour garden eggs! What perfection! Sweet mama! 😍 The garden eggs was well cooked that there was no need to separate the skin from the flesh. It all went down nicely. NEVER THROW OUT THE JUICES OHHH! The juices are very key here. You can always mop it up with a slice of brown bread or baguette like we did 😉.

The chicken which was spiced with the famous South African chakalaka flavouring gave the chicken a mellow sweetish spicy taste with hints of cumin. Too bad we didn't have a Chardonnay at hand. 😜

That's hubby's hand waiting to dig in. 😄

I would highly recommend this recipe if you are looking to make a quick but healthy early dinner. Garden eggs has been touted as a superfood for protection from blindness, preventing obesity, aiding digestion etc. I am back in love with it and never letting go again!

What else do you use Garden eggs for aside stew and in soups? I would love to know in the comments below. 

I have been at home for the past three days because of home improvements and repairs. That’s 72 hours being indoors (thankfully with Wi-Fi) and monitoring work being done on our home. I find it interesting how being indoors has actually led to me spending less. It’s as though, the minute I step outside my eyes suddenly gets caught on all kinds of distractions and expenditures, and it those small expenses that can be make the biggest change in your goal. The Barclays Savings Calculator shows you exactly how much you can save from cutting back on those expenses.

But I can’t stay at home forever and neither can you. It’s not the best way to resist the temptation of spending especially when you have set a savings goal. It’s never easy resisting the temptation to spend on unnecessary expenses like sweets, biscuits, chocolates, junk food, an extra-pair of shoes to add to the existing 20 pairs. Or buying another bag accessory because it’s a trend.

As I have started my journey towards travelling within the country with my husband, our savings goal which was on track up until last week Friday run into a hitch.  We had an emergency expenditure to make and buy a new battery for the car. That was unavoidable but we still continue on the path taken.

We all have dreams and aspirations which need finances to achieve but the road towards that dream is not always smooth.  

Take a few seconds and watch the video below on how to resist temptation to spend.

You are most likely to run into a few hitches along the way towards your savings goal. A difficult hitch could be overcoming the temptation to spend on those unnecessary expenditures.

There will be voices in your head that tell you that whatever you are spending on is ‘okay to spend, after all you have worked hard for it’ and another is ‘that’s a great discount, you should get it before its gone.’  That’s temptation for you.

Here’s what to do to overcome the temptation:

1.     Inspire yourself daily

Keep a photo of your dream tucked into your wallet or stick it on a fridge at home, to remind yourself daily. The wallet will be effective so that every time you are about to take money out to spend unnecessarily the photo will remind you.

2.     Keep a spending journal

This can either be an app on your phone as well as a hardcopy notebook which is small enough to fit in your pocket or handbag. Instead of waiting till the end of the day to enter details of what you have spent in a day, enter the details as and when you spend. Trust me, your brain can fail you when you need it most to remember activities of the day. For me, I will be using my Expenses app on my iPad to track, it’s much easier for me to sum up everything at the end of the day.

3.     Don’t do it alone

Ask your friends and family members to be part of your savings goal journey.  

The second video which you must at all cost watch is

·      In anything you want to achieve you need to clearly outline your objective. What is your saving objective? Is it for the iPhone7? Or perhaps the Note7?

·      Set a date for when you want to achieve your goal. It will give you a visual idea of how to get there.

·      State how much you need to save in a month or year to get to your goal. Add this figure to your budget for the month. As you achieve each small saving goal, give yourself a hi-five and congratulate yourself.

All three tips must be put together to work effectively.  

This next video can be a cringy experience we all want to avoid; expense tracking. Yayy!! Trust me, once you start it and commit to it you are really on your way to saving more.

Keeping receipts, budgeting and having a Barclays card with you which can make payments and track automatically using bank statements are three guaranteed ways to definitely help you and I save more. It’s crucial to know where your money always is.

What are you doing to save more? Please do share in the comments below.

This article is the forth in a series of sponsored posts for the BARCLAYS SAVINGS CHALLENGE. I hope the challenge has been as interesting for you as it has been for me. You can follow the discussion on Twitter and Facebook and share your own experience by using the hashtag #AFRICASAVES.

Visit https://goo.gl/nPVDLE for useful savings calculators, tips and more information on savings accounts.

Source: Pinterest

Trying to find a trending braidstyle can be tiresome 😩. You are forever scrolling through hundreds of Pins and Instagram photos looking for whats new and look great on you at the same time. Let me take that stress off you to show you these hot braidstyles and why they just might be what you are looking for.

1. Bob Box Braids

This totally 90's style is back with a B.O.M.B and is all over Instagram in different colours and hair textures. Although a trend of 2015, this braidstyle is not going out of style anytime soon. Braid it in a Rihanna bob cut or levelled around your neck, whatever you do just make sure you slay at it.

Keep your moves silent, your money invested, your life low-key AND your prayers even louder 💁🏾💇🏾💃🏾🙌🏾 #maxieshairbraidingskills #poeticjusticebraidsbymaxie #maxietheebraider #maxietheebraider #bobsbymaxie #plaitsinmiami #plaitsbymaxie #NorthMiamiStylist #miamibraider #miamibraids #RegularBoxedPlaits #bobplaits #northmiamibraids #northmiamibraider #braidstyles #braidsonfleek #braidsbymaxie #miamibraidstyles #braidsbymaxie #neatbraids #protectivebraids #northmiamibraider #miamibraids #wrapplaits #miamiwrapplaits #bestboxplaits #miamiboxplaits #idohairmiami #naturalbraids #protectivestyles #hollywoodyakihair #bobbibossbraid #teammaxiebraids #miamibraider

A photo posted by ✂️💆🏽I DO HAIR💇🏾✂️ (@maxie_thee_braider) on Oct 26, 2016 at 6:58pm PDT

A photo posted by @mycrzycurlyhair on Oct 27, 2016 at 12:45pm PDT

2. Kinky Twist Bob Braids

Kinky braids never go out of style. Perfect for protective styles for all naturalistas, this braidstyle is also timeless and guaranteed to have heads turning. Rock it hard! 

Via BlackHairInformation (Pinterest)

3. Bob Braids

A slimmer and less heavier bob braid which keeps your head light and more freedom to style. Perfect also for protecting your natural hair for at least 2 months.

Braids Queen 😙😙😙😙@themercede.s #braidsgang #followforfollow #likesforlikes #spamforspams #africanbarbie #braids #braidstyles #braidsonfleek #hairislife #braidstyles #braidsonfleek #ghanabraids #ifb #ifollowbackinstantly

A photo posted by lisa_good (@hair_of_fame) on Oct 22, 2016 at 5:11am PDT

Another alternative bob braids is to have a partial cornrow in front followed by the bob braids. A less flexible style with fewer styling options but definitely a different standout look! ✌🏽✌🏽

3. Big Cornrows

Cornrows are back with a vengeance after being taken over by twists braids for some time. Braid it big and in fewer numbers. This style is only 4 plaits yet has a much more intricate pattern than all-back cornrow. You can always have one plait in a different colour to stand out. Why not? 😬

via Instagram

4. CornRow Ponytail

A cornrow style to be styled in two ways: loose ends can be lifted up into an updo or left hanging at the back on less formal days. The trend of late calls for minute cornrows in-between the big plaits. Swell! 

Gabrielle Union slays in the same style and she looks absolutely GORG!

A photo posted by Gabrielle Union-Wade (@gabunion) on Aug 21, 2016 at 6:45pm PDT

5. Box Twist Braids

An absolute trend for this year is the box twist braids. Even Brandy's barbie is rocking it HARD. She shows off the real one and I am not sure who's slaying it more. What do you think?

A photo posted by B R AN D Y (@4everbrandy) on Oct 21, 2016 at 3:32pm PDT

A photo posted by B R AN D Y (@4everbrandy) on Oct 1, 2016 at 11:31pm PDT

6. Cornrow & Afro

Who thought combining cornrows and  afro's would look this fab? But yes Uzo Aduba is looking ravishing in this partial corn-row and afro puff and so can you. Fix a faux afro if your natural hair doesnt have the length, at the back after getting the braids in front to slay at this look. 

A photo posted by Uzo Aduba (@uzoaduba) on Oct 13, 2016 at 2:36pm PDT

7. Cornrow Kinky Twist Updo

Rock this style if you are the corporate woman looking for a formal look which will not stress you out in styling. Kinky twists is versatile and can be used to create this look easily. 

8. Nubian Twists

This pretty much is twists using kinky hair but shows a more ropey style than the usual twists. A must-try in exciting colors because life is short. 😘

A photo posted by Neat Pretty Braids (@neat_prettybraids) on Oct 26, 2016 at 1:48pm PDT

9. Faux Locs

Faux locs are life! The lengths, colours and incredible styles one can do with faux locs is endless! Here's some inspiration to help you decide if its a yes or 👎🏾.

A photo posted by Neat Pretty Braids (@neat_prettybraids) on Oct 26, 2016 at 12:13pm PDT

Which is faux or not? 😮😅

A photo posted by Gardens & Ghettos (@gardensandghettos) on Oct 26, 2016 at 6:37am PDT

This is an absolute darling ! Queen of faux locs using Free Tress hair.

LOCS INSPIRATION-Does anyone know what kind of locs these are called? I could totally rock these! #locs #locsatlanta #locstyles #locstylesforwomen #locsinspiration #fauxlocs

A photo posted by "The Perfect Fit" Wig Designer (@theweaveanistacustomwigs) on Oct 28, 2016 at 6:22am PDT

10. Zebra Style Braids

A totally fresh and new braidstyle which involves entwining braids with a standout colour giving it a 'zebra' lines style. Refreshing. Would you try it?

A photo posted by Auntie Alice (@auntie_alice_braids) on Jun 6, 2016 at 1:04pm PDT

Go get your braids up! Enjoyed this post? Do share your comments below and share the love as well 😘😘

‘I need sex! Not tomorrow or the day after. I need it NOW! What kwraa is this? No-one told me this would happen, and I if I knew kwraa would I have listened? Mmtscceww!!’ 

6 months, 10 bridesmaids, 2 Bentley’s, 1000 cupcakes, 600 gold cutlery, 500 wedding guests, 100’s of wedding gifts, later since Ama Serwaa had been the talk of town. A wedding like no other! If you weren’t invited to that wedding then you were a nobody. The event graced the cover of international wedding magazines for months! Even the Facebook page created specially for the wedding had more Likes than Oprah’s.  Ama had married one of the nations’ wealthiest shipping magnate and bachelor Michael Nana Kwasi McIntyre II. Although initially upset with her mother for arranging the relationship, she quickly got over it when she realised the gold pot she had unearthed! How could she say no? They were married within six months (No she didn’t get pregnant) to the glee of all concerned. 

Their honeymoon trip to Maldives was just a dream come true for Ama and would be a trip she would never forget anytime soon! Honeymoon night, dressed in her sexiest French lingerie which had peepholes in very enticing areas, she waited on a bed covered in red roses for her new husband to come and reap his reward. She waited..and waited..and waited! ‘Ah! Where is Nana?’ she asked herself. She found him sitting behind his MacBookPro typing furiously. WTH? He looked up guiltily and said he had to respond to a very urgent mail concerning a new business contract. He will be there in a sec. A sec became an hour. He came to find her fast asleep. He managed to wake her up and apologised to her sleepy befuddled face and without even acknowledging her Frenchy sexy getup, jumped up and down for 5 minutes and fell asleep, snoring. The rest of the honeymoon passed with Ama having to explore the island alone as Nana had to video conference with his partners. He made it up to her with very short unsatisfactory lovemaking sessions. Ama knew he was busy and that things would change once this ‘business contract’ was signed and completed. How wrong she was.

So 6 months later…

Ama had quit her administrative job in the bank upon Nana’s insistence. I am earning enough for both of us darling, just relax at home and I will take care of your every need and want, he said convincingly. So now a housewife in a mansion built for American Senators, surrounded by cooks, house-helps and drivers, Ama found herself waking up to days of managing house chores which were actually being done by the house-helps; going to spa’s; going for manicures and pedicures whether she needed one or not; going for lunches with her girlfriends and just being bored. Nana was hardly ever home, today it was Brazil next time it was Dubai and another time it was Japan or Thailand. The most she had had him around was one weekend when he was home the whole Saturday which was even spent at social events. At night, he was too exhausted to ‘do’ anything. 

‘I need sex!’ Ama knew she couldn’t control the craving anymore. No amount of sex toys could satisfy her like her busybody husband could. Its not that Nana wasn’t making love to her, he was. But then if you can count 3 minute show-downs as good sex then you have a problem. He was always tired after his trips, too tired to have a conversation and too tired to satisfy her sexually. He bought her everything she ever needed or dreamed of. Jewellery, the latest gadgets, 50inch plasma TV, the latest Range Rover, shopping in Paris, a walk-in closet, best tickets to the latest concerts in town, best seats at restaurants, name it and she got it! But these were things which were not satisfying her internal and soul-searching cravings such as touch, good conversation, cuddling, making love and a simple hand-holding gesture. 

She walked out of the bedroom to the balcony overlooking the house gardens and squeezed her eyes trying to fight back the tears that were trying to force their way into the open. She was too wound up and the need for the feel of a man’s hands on her skin was just becoming excruciatingly unbearable! She hadn’t told anyone of the predicament she was facing currently as she wanted people to believe that her marriage was perfect! Shw3! The last thing she needed was to be at the butt end of gossips in town. Not even her mother or her girlfriends. Her soft chiffon nightgown blew softly in the morning air outlining her perfectly toned body, her arms outstretched on the railings as she turned her face to the warm rising sun. Her hands went through her hair and found them gently stroking her lips, her neck, down to cup her breasts and to her lower pelvic regions. Guiltily she forced her hands away. Which man can resist this body? She wondered. A man totally dedicated more to his work than to his wife her truthful subconsciousness replied. He is just busy, she defended. Yeah, right. 

The Marimba ringtone of her iPhone went off, pulling her away from her musings and self-exploration.  The butler had called to inform her of the air-condition service company waiting in the lobby. She changed and went down to find a man standing with his back to  her as he surveyed the room he was standing in. She coughed. He turned. She stared. If she had been a little bit fairer than her milky brown complexion, her face would have been the shade of a beetroot. Her heart increased in tempo slightly. Oh God, why me? What temptation is this? 

* Dear reader, you are welcome to Part 1 of Sex Diary of a Lonely Housewife, a fictional story about a sexually neglected and frustrated housewife who is facing real-time temptation to do 'it' (just this once) with a man she feels terribly attracted to. All names in this short story are fictional but the story is real for there are many housewives caught in similar situations and facing similar challenges. Enjoy the read.

In moments and seconds of silence where an unexpected event occurs time has a strange and not so funny attitude of slowing down and freezing a look on ones face which could be interpreted as comical, blank, hungry, shocked or a state of mental confusion. The one on Ama's face just before mentally whispering to God was the*#£!*!?* one. An indescribable wave of looks passed across her face. Then composure.

He said the central a/c's had to be serviced every 3 months and if she wouldn't mind his presence. Mind? As nonchalantly as possible she shook her head. She turned to the butler and asked him to let her know when he was through. She turned to leave. 
'On second thought, take my number Mr..' 
' Smith. Ebo Smith'

20.1.13
Dear Diary,
It's been 20 years since I wrote. I know. I just felt I was getting too old to be pouring out my heart to you as I had friends to talk to and all that. I miss those days where my tears would stain your pages as i recounted my bitter experiences with one boyfriend or the other. Forgive me? Silent as ever, lol! But here I am 20 years married and no one to talk to! Ironic. Married and horny!! How? Well thanks to my busy world traveling husband I am left alone in a mansion to be intimate with my jewellery and gadgets. Its the worst feeling in the world. Anyway today, temptation came to my house. Attractive is not enough to describe him. Temptation is occupying the body of a man as dark as Idris Elba (remember that actor?) and a body that is between well muscled and soft. You know...the one which looks all soft and cuddly but firms up during some heavy lifting. His smile.…OMG!! I practically melted. Maybe it's just my raging hormones and insatiable hunger for some good … Yes I said I was married. But what kind of husband neglects his wife's sexual and intimate needs because of work? I don't remember the last time we cuddled and talked about what's going on in each others life. Every time it's one meeting or the other. The little time he gets too are spent at social events. Any sex in this marriage are usually the tired quickies and its over. Or maybe he's having an affair? The thought has crossed my mind but Nana wouldn't have time even for that mistress. This Ebo Smith has set my hormones raging and planning a takeover. The raw and naked thoughts I am having about this Ebo guy are so wrong! It's a sin isn't it? I know ooo!! The fact I am thinking about this guy is even a sin. Ok, I will wipe him out of mind. How? No worries. I have a plan. 

Ama closed the dog-eared diary, locked the miniature padlock, stepped on the step ladder and she gently inserted the book behind two shoeboxes in the walk-in shoe closet which no one entered unless they had a death wish. 

I love Nana and there is no way I will cheat on him. He loves me too. So why isn't he there for you? asked Inner Ama. He has work. But you matter too. 

Dear God, I will not sin. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. No weapon! she assured herself.

Her phone rang. Strange number. 
'Hello'.
It was him. 
Could she please come down so he explains something to her. She saved the number without thinking. 
Why was her heart betraying her? She descended down the marble stairs with her traitorous heart broadcasting to the world her hidden emotions. 
She found him in the kitchen with his shirt off.
 His shirt is off. WHY IS HIS SHIRT OFF??? 
Even with a singlet on, to Ama his shirt was off. His arms! Oh God, look at his arms!!
I should ran away. Hide! 
'Are you ok?'
'Huh?' 
'Sorry but you looked a bit strange for a second', he replied. 
Be still my beating heart. I am fine she reassured him. 
He informed her of a problem in the system and it looked like this was going to take awhile. He most probably would work on it again tomorrow. The mobile air condition units could substitute for now. 
She asked if he would like to call his supervisor and inform him of the situation. 
He smiled. 'This is my company which I started not too long ago'. 
Oh! I see. 
' I used to be a banker but I quit after 5 years due to the stress levels. I had to make time for other things'. 
A girl? She idly wondered. What concern is that of yours, Inner Ama asked. 

20.1.13
Dear Diary, 
My plan failed. We started chatting about the effect of work on our lives when there is no balance. He said he almost had no life…work to home …work to home like a robot. Sometimes closing as late as 9pm and too tired to do any thing. Hmmm...Just like Ebo. His girlfriend couldn't handle it and left. Then it was secondary schools next. Very unprofessional! i know!!! I tried so hard to resist. Believe me. The sight of his singlet clad body almost got me salivating and I felt a strong urge to rip off the darn vest. 

He is still downstairs. Packing up. Tomorrow he is here again. I am secretly thrilled but I shouldn't be. Shame on me. I saved his number. 

Ama looked up from her writing as a Whatsapp message pinged on her phone. Trudy was saying hello. As she responded she idly went through her Whatsapp contacts and came across Ebo Smith.

Should i ? 

Her moaning was deep and animalistic almost like a growling as his hands stroked places on her body she'd never imagined of having such thrilling effects. Her long legs wound across his muscled taut back as he bent over her body whilst laying teasing butterfly kisses on her navel and stomach. Her hands clutched the sheets with such intensity, her body throbbed with excitement and expectancy as she felt him against her furnace of desire. Oh my! Oh yes!!! She screamed silently in her head. His hands molded and massaged her skin sending fresh desire through her like the rush of an open dam. 

'I want you now', she whispered in his ear. 'Please!'
Ebo looked into her wide pleading passion stained eyes and whispered back, 'Baby, wake up!' She looked at him in confusion and he repeated it again. 
Ebo's face silently melted away like a fog being cleared by the morning sun to reveal Nana peering at her face. 
It was a dream! Oh God! Ama agonized silently as her husband continued looking at her. He smiled.
'Wow! That was some dream you were having! You were moaning even in your sleep! Was it about me?, he asked. 
Ama rubbed her eyes to hide the lie, 'Of course honey. Who else could it have been about?' She stretched and gave him a hug and realized he was already dressed for work. 'What time is it?' 
'Almost 8. I have a shareholders meeting this morning at 9.'
She smiled impishly and reached for his tie and slowly started loosening it. 
'Hmm…that gives us a whole hour to do something memorable for your day.'
His hands slowly pushed hers away and he straightened his tie. 'Babes, I have a conference call before then with all the partners. Rain Check?' He kissed her cheek. 

23/1/2013
Dear Diary, 
It's been three days of Whatsapping Ebo Smith. I just need someone to talk to and so far he's been there. I know my attraction to him is unimaginable but our chats have really been such an outlet for me. He really listens to me. He is funny and I find myself talking to him about anything. I have never complained about my marriage wahala to him because I don't need to. Our friendship if I should call it that is a friendly one and very innocent. I dreamt about him today though.
Nana is home. This morning I tried and failed. He had a meeting. Rejection be what! 
Another day is here. Hmmm

25/1/2013
Dear Diary,
Ebo came to check on the a/c's today. He looked yummy even in his work clothes. I must have lost my mind. I went into the kitchen and there he was. I wanted to see how he felt like so i intentionally brushed against him as i walked past him to the fridge. I hope i didnt burn his skin because my body was soo HOT! Lord forgive me!

Friday night was spent at The DreagonFly pub with her girlfriends till 12am when she collapsed on the bed. Slightly tipsy from the nights cocktails and shooters, Ama lay spread eagled on the bed. She stared at herself in the mirror above the bed. It was her idea for this installation. A little something to spice up their lovemaking sessions. The mirror didn't get to see much. She curled herself into a ball and tried to bring back the dream from days past. It didn't come. Her phone pinged from somewhere within her clutch which she had thrown somewhere on the bed. 

Ama's fingers paused on the touch screen. Her alcohol befuddled brain was not thinking straight and she knew it. But she didn't care. She continued. 

Ei you kwraa, I don't know where you live. 
Hm. I am at RingWay Estates in Osu. Just behind the Shipping Club House. 
Oh ok. I know there. Will come and visit you o! She playfully suggested. 

No response. 5 minutes still nothing. 

Hello??
Another 5 minutes went by. She started feeling bad. Maybe that was a bit strong? The ping came.

Sorry! I went to close up the house. Oh really? Ok. I will expect you then. Give me a call when you are around. 

Ama slept soundly that night. 



26/1/2013
Dear Diary, 
Was I drunk last night? I told Ebo I would visit him today. What am I doing? It's an innocent visit. It's only fair I know his house as a friend should. That's all I am doing. 

Saturday afternoon. Hair fixed in loose Brazilian curls, wearing an African print summer dress, Ama called her mom to cancel her visit and promised to make it up to her and left Airport Hills towards Osu. She called Ebo and he directed her to his place. He lived in one of those new apartments springing up all over the city.

As she climbed to the first floor, Inner Ama chose that moment to query her. WTH AMA! What do you think you are doing? You know you have a weakness for this guy and you are risking your marriage as wel! I am not. We are just friends and he knows I am married so I doubt very much he would attempt anything. Oh really? What about yourself? Would you not attempt anything? She didn't respond. 
He was in apartment 5E. She stood in front of the brown door. She fixed her hair and hesitated. Her heart hammered and she licked her lips. She raised her hand about to knock and lowered it. She bit her lip anxiously. Maybe i shouldnt. I can call him and give an excuse. But then again I am not doing anything wrong. She raised her hand again.

The shrill sound of her phone from her handbag stopped her hand at about an inch to the door. 

Ah! Who is that, she silently muttered. 

Strange. Nana never called at this time of the day. She moved away from the door and answered in a normal tone of voice as much as she could muster. 

Hey Baby. What's up? 

He sounded worried. 'Hey, where are you?'

‘Um..somewhere in Osu. I came to do the salon. You know me and my hair issues. Why whats up? How is your meeting going?’

‘Listen, I just heard something. I have cancelled the meeting and just arrived at Kotoka. The driver is coming to pick me up. When will you get home?’

Wow! He sounded serious! What could be wrong? 

‘Oh, I should be home within the next 30minutes if traffic is light.’ She replied nonchalantly. 

She ended the call and looked wistfully at 5E. She whatsapped Ebo and explained of a sudden domestic emergency. Can the visit be postphoned? He was cool. 

The drive home wasn’t a very pleasant one for Ama. What if he had found her diary and knew of her adulterous and lustful thoughts of another man? Not possible she reassured herself. What if the maidservants had gossiped about seeing the A/C guy in the house one too many times? She would be so fired. 

The gate swung inward as the car horn blared and the long drive to the house suddenly seemed like a 10mile journey to Ama. As she parked next to the Range, she calmly breathed and told herself she wasn’t guilty of anything. Still her heart hammered. Traitor. She climbed upstairs slowly and opened the bedroom door to find her husband reclined on the burgundy sofa, one arm covering his eyes. Is he asleep? 

He opened his eyes as she closed the door firmly behind her. Her silent footfalls on the Persian carpet moved towards him to his outstretched hand. He pulled her down beside him. His hands still held her hers as he spoke. 

‘I heard something today.’

OMG! My phone has been bugged all this while and he has read all my whatsapp messages between Ebo and I!! I am doomed! Despite the insane thoughts screaming at her, her face still managed to remain composed. 

‘I ran into Peter Osei during my trip. Remember him? Yeah, the best man. He told me something today which struck fear into my heart. He said he had returned home from a business trip one day to find an empty house and an emptier wardrobe and a single paper lying on the dining table waiting for him. His wife Rosie had left him. Ama, the guy was so distraught and I couldn’t help but ask him what happened because Peter and Rosie were like the best couple I have ever known since Uni days when they started dating until they got married and were still the best couple still. He had tears in his eyes when he recounted the contents of the letter. Rosie said he never made time for her and was having a more intimate relationship with his job than with her. His time spent travelling was more than their moments together and that all the luxurious things he bought for her couldn’t bring the happiness she yearned to get from him. I felt so sorry for him. But then it suddenly struck me that this could have been me!’ 

Ama raised her head and looked at him. Nana cupped her face and said almost brokenly, ‘Baby, Peter’s story made me realise that I haven’t been there for you either. I have been so busily occupied with work and totally ignored your needs in this marriage. I am so sorry and never meant to hurt you! A shipping empire could be destroyed but true love remains forever. You are my true love and if one day this business collapses I know you will still stand by me. I have been such a fool to leave you alone and to have been concerned about the worries of business life. I could have easily lost you too! I don’t want our marriage to breakdown and I want us to work very much and would want to do everything on my part to see it do so. You have every right to be angry with me but please forgive me?’

Silent tears slid down her face as her husband pleaded for forgiveness. What could she say? Seconds passed as she silently listened to his wretched and heartfelt apology. Through her tears she smiled and responded , ‘Nana, I love you and will always love you. Yes, I have been angry for some time and I have been lonely and frustrated. I missed you every day and I didn’t know how to handle a situation like this. I faced trials and temptations like Rosie too but I am still here. I do forgive you wholeheartedly. This marriage will work with the two of us being there for each other in poverty or riches and in bad health or good.’ She kissed him and found his lips salty with tears. 

He hugged her tightly. Caught up in his arms, Ama couldn’t help but wonder how this miraculous act could have happened. What if she had gone in to see Ebo, would she have ended up like Rosie? To think she almost gave up on her marriage just to fulfill her traiterous lust.  How many times hadn’t she prayed for a change in her husbands attitude and now it seemed like God had finally come through for her. Nights of loneliness were surely over now. 

Moral of the story…

Money cannot buy true happiness. All the possessions in the world can’t replace intimacy in your marriage. People not Possessions matter. Men love your wives as yourselves and wives respect your husbands. 

There is nothing in the world like the devotion of a married woman. It is a thing no married man knows anything about. 
Oscar Wilde

Ever since I got my Evita Joseph Powder Buffer, it's been such a comforting experience of quick, smooth and perfect application of creme-to-powder makeup for days.  

Over time the brush kept building up on makeup residue and I realised it wasn't that effective anymore during application. The bristles had become clogged with buildup. 😭😭😭

There are loads of posts on using baby shampoo, specifically made brush shampoos and anti-bacterial soaps and they all work in their own way. But I didn't have any of these to use but look and behold! I had Alata Samina from Fabulously Fit and Fine 😄. I received this from Jemila as a wedding gift and it's not only mild but has a heavenly goji berry scent 😍. 

This is how I used this product to clean my makeup brush. I wouldn't recommend using pure alata samina as that's much  stronger in alkalinity. You can always make your own less stronger alata samina by mixing with honey and coconut oil for moisture boost. Check out how to diy Alata Samina on Lydia Forson's blog. 

What you will need : 

⋅ Mild Alata Samina  

⋅ A tsp olive oil  

⋅ A tsp of dettol  

To clean:

1. Wash the brush ends under running water using your fingers to loosen the residue. Becareful to ensure the you don't get water in the metallic band after the bristles. This ensures the glue binding the bristles in the band doesn't get damaged. 

After first wash 

2. Squirt about half tsp of alata samina in your palm and work the brushes in by gentle swirling and twirling. Like a ballerina 😉. Gentle wash out. Incredible to see so much brown goo come out. Almost like washing off foundation from my face 😂. 

3. Do a second wash using less soap. Rinse under running water. 

4. The brush was back to its former glory! I couldn't believe it! I guess my expectation was to still see some brownish tips at the end. Nothing!  

5. Add about two drops of dettol to warm water and gently swirl the bristles in. Don't insert all the way to the metallic band. Careful there 😀. This will disinfect and kill any bacteria in the bristles as well. Gentle press on a clean towel to absorb dripping drops of water. 

6. Apply about three dabs of olive oil to moisturize the bristles. 

7. Allow to air dry. I hang mine over the tip of the table instead of laying it on a towel. That way the fibers of the towel doesn't get lodged in there. One can never be too careful 😉. 

Cleaning your makeup brush is a key beauty products maintenance regime as the buildup can lead to acne and pimple breakouts. Sometimes you don't understand why your skin keeps breaking out. Check your brushes, they could be the culprit. 😋 Make time to give your brushes some love 😍😍

How are you cleaning your makeup brushes? Please share your wonderful tips in the comments below 😘  

I love this quote. It is a succinct reminder of giving up on the little things today to get the much bigger ones in the future. Just like our savings goal, which we embarked on towards a well-deserved vacation.

Its not easy giving up on the little things today as it requires a lot of discipline to walk past your favorite fast food eatery or deny yourself another handbag or shirt. But always remember‘No Pain, No Gain’. The reward at the end is always greater than the pain you go through today.

It takes small steps towards building a healthy attitude towards money and/or savings. An example of these steps is what I have been sharing in the Barclays #AfricaSaves series these few weeks. They are vital towards increasing your ability to save more.

The past two weeks has seen me being able to track my spending using my Expense app and using the Barclays Savings Calculator   I get to see how much I can save by cutting out certain expenses. You should give it a try; you will be astounded by the results!

Our goal towards a vacation is still on course and I must say Zaina Lodge is looking very appealing. J Travelling local as a tourist within your own country shows you a different cultural perspective of other towns. You get to see things from a tourist view.

This is what my tracking for some days looks like. I saved GHC100 out of an income to our joint account. No matter how small an amount, it can be saved. The last time I checked we have altogether saved almost GHC1000.

The past few days has also seen a few house repairs and maintenance services and interior works. These are the challenges which we currently face in our savings journey.

The tips from Barclays have immensely helped us on this journey. Although it can be a cringe moment to list one’s vices, it always is the first step to identify where and what your money is going into.

Although we have quite a long way to go towards our vacation, it nevertheless is a motivating picture at the front of our minds.

This article is the fifth in a series of sponsored posts for the BARCLAYS SAVINGS CHALLENGE. I hope the challenge has been as interesting for you as it has been for me. You can follow the discussion on Twitter and Facebook and share your own experience by using the hashtag #AFRICASAVES.

Visit  https://goo.gl/9QbbAf for useful savings calculators, tips and more information on savings accounts.

People's lives will never be the same after watching this epic battle between a husband and a 'homewrecker' penguin which was shared by NatGeoChannel. You have to watch this video to understand what the flip it's all about.

WARNING! BLOODY GRAPHIC FIGHT even for some adults 😁🙈

A fight breaks out when a husband comes home and finds his wife with another penguin. pic.twitter.com/9ejYGcJ5TJ

— Nat Geo Channel (@NatGeoChannel) November 4, 2016

The thing is, Penguins are known to be faithful animals and even more so when they find a partner. They really take the long road till death does them apart and even if the female dies, the male partner NEVER EVER looks for another partner. Like ever!

After this brief background about Penguins, the question everyone is asking is, " What kind of unfaithful female penguin allows another male penguin to come into her nest which she's sweated and built with her husband? One who literally allows a homewrecker to go into a bloody streetfight with her beloved? That's just a hoe penguin and Twitter seems to agree on this wholeheartedly! 

@CarrieM__ Right Though!! That Female Penguin Is A Typical Hoe!! 😤

— Kris Hilton (@StyledByKHilton) November 4, 2016

Which female wouldn't choose her rightful man who just fought for her? 🐧👈🏿

The one that pained me pass is that he fought for her a second time, and she still chose the other guy. What is this life really? pic.twitter.com/PLdCMuGx2d

— Chidi Okereke (@Chydee) November 5, 2016

"She chooses ..." (DRAMATIC PAUSE) ... "The homewrecker." @joshbechill @CuntryCounselor @NatGeoChannel pic.twitter.com/4VLCvu8A3j

— MissAnneB (@abroshar) November 5, 2016

Could it be there's more to this story than it appears?

Let us not judge, we don't know if he has another family. This penguin story might more complicated.

— Yule (@YuleD) November 5, 2016

@IStayNguyening @NatGeoChannel look at her inspecting the peen to make her decision. Slut! pic.twitter.com/2V3nzKkjS5

— Totes McGotes (@TotesMcGotes) November 5, 2016

@thepaperframes true but we don't know the full story. What if he's the trifling one. What if he had a secret family & she found out!

— CuntyNicole✊🏾 (@ChantelNicole44) November 5, 2016

As if the unforgettable whopping wasn't enough, husband trips during his escape route. 😭 Life can't be that mean.

1. Lose fight
2. She chooses the new penguin
3. Trips infront of them.

Life done him dirty.

— Yule (@YuleD) November 5, 2016

When the husband penguin fell over that twig after the fight, too hurt to even walk straight pic.twitter.com/PQnenygWrM

— Race Jones (@Shugnice) November 5, 2016

.@NatGeoChannel wyd pic.twitter.com/nK0NhV1pCr

— Alex Medina (@mrmedina) November 4, 2016

Others were just not expecting the unexpected. 

@JForsett bro that was a lot to take in! Was not ready.

— Alex Medina (@mrmedina) November 5, 2016

That video really messed me up. Please post something adorable ASAP 🐧😭 @NatGeoChannel pic.twitter.com/9BdwORQG5z

— Kamilah Willingham (@kamily) November 5, 2016

@ChantelNicole44 He fought so hard. She ain't have to do him like that. He can do better. She even took his kids. Trifling.

— ☔Mari☔ (@thepaperframes) November 5, 2016

Even our own Malaka had her feelings provoked after her kids watched the video. 

Crazy memes are just flying all over Twittersphere. This right here is a classic!

You vs the penguin she tells you not to worry about pic.twitter.com/aoMdIVzAK3

— b.b (@Benoo_Brown) November 5, 2016

Basically, when she tells you not to worry about that guy you should be plenty worried! Be very worried. 

What tops it all are the Twitter penguin accounts which have suddenly appeared to share the raw emotions happening in the Penguin family. It's Live tweeting from the nest wrecked Penguin household. 

The guy who leaked the video wasn't fair to me, made me look like a hoe and a wicked penguin

— Wife Penguin (@wifepenguin) November 5, 2016

We will never look at Happy Feet the same way again.

Do you live on your own? Just got married? Let me ask you this pertinent question.” How do you buy your groceries?” As and when they finish or you buy in bulk? Have you ever considered that buying in bulk can help you save extra cash which can go into a savings account to earn more interest?

Inflation keeps fluctuating every other day and prices of goods on the market keep rising. This makes buying in bulk a good choice to make for extra-savings.

It’s not every grocery item that can be bought in bulk, mind you. Foods which are less likely to perish, often make more sense to buy in bulk.

Are you stumped on what to buy in bulk? Here are some tips on which items you should bulk buy to get extra cash to save.

1. Toilet Paper – TP never perishes and can stay in storage the whole year round. Buy this in bulk the next time you go shopping

2. Cleaning & Laundry Detergent – Washing and cleaning products can make a dent in your pocket if you buy them singly than bulk. Buying 5 bottles of detergent is more cost-saving than one at a time.

3. Toothpaste – Ever noticed how you quickly run out of toothpaste? Brushing twice a day (as recommended by dentists) makes it finish faster so you buy more. But buy a pack of 6 to avoid buying in singles. Much cheaper that way.

4. Dry Foods – Dry foods like Agushie, Beans, Millet etc. can be stored in the freezer for a long period of time for several uses. The fluctuating price of food will not affect you because you are well stocked up.

5. Soap – Just like the detergents, you are in a much better place when you buy soap in bulk. In the long run this move is cost-saving.

6. Rice – Which would you rather buy? A large bag of rice which you can store in bulk for more than 6 months or a small bag of rice which finishes within a month causing you to go out and buy another?

These tips help my home to save in the long run, which contribute to saving more. I can see us drawing closer to our vacation goal and it’s really exciting to be able to reap after all the hard work and sacrifice.

Even when buying in bulk you still have to track your expenses and this video below will show you how to track your expenses

Keeping track can be cumbersome but not if you use the tips showed in the video. You can also have a small notebook like mine which I use to record daily spending.

We all need motivation on any journey we take and your savings goal is no different from other journeys.

You need motivation, a visual reminder of your goal (a photo of your goal on your fridge or bedside), breaking your big goal into mini-goals and involving your family and friends to give you major props.

This video is also about how to fight your vices which holds you back from saving.

It’s very important to identify your vices and by doing that you are able to track them more effectively and cut back eventually. Always give yourself a goal on how much you will cut down on your vice. Little goals add to bigger goals. By adding up how much you cut back you can then deposit these into your savings account. Try using the Barclays Savings Calculator to see how much you save.

Don’t forget to reward yourself for saving more in a particular period. You deserve it.

This article is the sixth in a series of sponsored posts for the BARCLAYS SAVINGS CHALLENGE. I hope the challenge has been as interesting and impactful for you as it has been for me. You can follow the discussion on Twitter and Facebook and share your own experience by using the hashtag #AFRICASAVES. Visit the Barclays page for useful savings calculators and information on their savings accounts.

I have come to the end of my savings challenge in the Barclays Savings Campaign and I must say it’s been an insightful, self-assessing and positively-worthy experience.

I am still saving everyday and things are looking positive as we save towards our vacation time.  I believe by the end of this month, there will be enough saving to use in our vacation especially in buying the plane tickets.

The things I have benefitted most from this campaign was being able to identify my vices and tracking and eventually cutting back on their expenditure. Use the Barclays Savings Calculator to find out how much these vices could save you in the long run.

I used to go to the movies every other Friday but I cut that back by streaming at home.

Eating out has also been reduced to once a month and cooking at home has benefitted us more nutritionally.

I have also been more efficient at tracking my expenses using both digital and analog tools. Though not an easy task its never the less crucial. No pain no gain is my motto now.

I have realized how seeing interest accrue on my savings account serves as a motivator to realize how important this saving goal is. Interest earned is a life goal gained. It’s been great having you on this journey with me.

What are you saving for? A car? A new phone or perhaps the new Macbook Pro? Do share your comments below.

This article is the final in a series of sponsored posts for the BARCLAYS SAVINGS CHALLENGE. I hope the challenge has been as interesting and impactful for you as it has been for me. You can follow the discussion on Twitter and Facebook and share your own experience by using the hashtag #AFRICASAVES. Visit the Barclays page for useful savings calculators and information on their savings accounts.

My fourth visit to Coco Lounge this year was for another reason outside of two business meetings and a friends' hangout. It was our five months wedding anniversary and one, which was not going to be ducking around the corner from my keen eye.

We barely made it to the restaurant before lunchtime which opens at 9am everyday. As we parked beneath one of the parking slots in the Stanbic Heights building, I couldn't help but cheer quietly about the desolate parking space. No need to go to the basement. One cheer for Farmers' Day Holiday, "Hurrah!"

  I never cease to quietly appreciate the rustic, monochromatic interior every time I walk in. The astronomical feathery light shades gazed down on now-empty tables and counter tops. It was a quiet holiday morning with a smattering of eaters. 

READ MORE: Burger & Relish Restaurant, Osu: Restaurant Review

The menu for All-Day Breakfast is a simple one pager listing a Full English Breakfast, Tortilla's, Breakfast Pizza, Huevos Rancheros, Waakye, etc. Yes, you read that right. There's Waakye at Coco Lounge for the expat/tourist who's a bit shy/scared/unsure of buying roadside waakye like how we the locals do. But I wasn't here for the waakye. A Full English Breakfast if you please. Make that two. The waiter must have a sponge-like memory because he didn't write anything down. We had to order drinks outside of this menu. Make that Two fresh orange juices, an Earl Grey tea and  a Double Espresso. I found it interesting that you can either choose fresh orange juice at GHC4 or have an imported orange juice at GHC20. 🤔

The window view of Airport One Square from my seat looks much more attractive at night than during the day. The night masks the ugliness of discarded pure water satchets strewn across the street side gardens but lovingly displays bright lights from the opposite edifices.

The fresh orange juice was profoundly disappointing. You know it’s fresh but somehow the flavor is slightly rancid. I have tasted better at other more accessible places in the city.

The Earl Grey tea was a warming win but was poured too early by the waiter as it came out more light-colored than what a Black Tea was supposed to look like. 

Steeping tea for a longer period brings out its remarkable flavor and that was my expectation, which was rewarded after I was ready for my second cup.

As the waitress lowered my plate, I looked down at an arrangement of several things going on: Two sausages, one black pudding, three baguette slices, crispy yet wizened bacon, sautéed tomatoes, fried egg, a slice of butter and a mini-cup of baked beans.  My husband doesnt have a thing for eggs so he passed it up as well as the Black Pudding ( it didn’t sound right, he said) and I took up all of his vulnerabilities.  That’s four eggs, right? But it didn’t look like that on the plate and also I was missing a second black pudding. Oh well.

The sausages were first-rate delicious! An external mildly-crispy chew with a rich meaty texture and flavor. This was certainly no tinned sausage. Dark mushrooms sautéed to a light pleasant flavor balanced well with the sausages. The bacon could have been much better looking and less crispy for the flavor to be experienced.

The ambiance of alternative music, metallic artwork, a geometrical bourgeois counter bar, friendly staff,  gives this restaurant a worthy place to celebrate quiet breakfast moments on your own, with a partner or with a small group of colleagues. 

But seriously though, who doesn't love an all-day breakfast restaurant? Breakfast should always be KING but at a more accessible cost.

What we paid for the Full English Breakfast without the forgettable orange juice and tea was GHC90. It was a delightful meal, service was friendly and informed and they accept VISA incase you run out of cash at the last minute.

It would really be good for restaurants in Ghana to present their foods in a more Instagram-worthy style. Foodies are always looking for incredible food styled photos to add to their feed. 

Have you been to Coco Lounge yet? What was your experience like? Do share in the comments below.

My memories of being a first time voter was way back in the University of Ghana in 2004. I joined other student voters in a rather long and extremely slow queue at the Legon Hall. I was pretty much oblivious of any observers in the vicinity. Infact I was pretty much clueless about how elections in Ghana was typically run and I all I was interested in was whether my vote was going to get my selected Presidential candidate in or not.

Things changed recently when I volunteered to be an observer for Ghana Decides a non-partisan project supported by StarGhana, during this year’s elections. Why? Because I was eager to share photos & videos on Instagram for the world to know what was going on and also to experience what really happens in the field during our elections. I didn’t want to just vote and go home like they tell every voter for security reasons nevertheless. I wanted to be part of the system in ensuring a free and fair election. There was about 12,000 local observers and it felt really great to serve my country in this capacity.

After casting my vote without any probems and eating some proper waakye, I made my way to several polling stations in Osu to start my duties. I must admit I was quite nervous. What if the polling officials turned me away or failed to recognize the Media Accredited Tag around my neck? What if the voters refused to speak to me? Yes I was quite nervous. Everyone was wild. It was a tension-filled atmosphere.

I followed the Observers guidelines -which had been sent to all volunteers for our information- which clearly stated that as an observer I had to see the polling officials first before conducting any duties. I knew one of the men thankfully and after shaking hands I showed him the tag and he gave me a nod. I was in the clear.  I didnt have any challenges with any polling officials during my observations. Several voters were either in short queues, sitting under trees whilst waiting for their turn to vote. 

I quietly watched out for pregnant, elderly and physically challenged voters to ensure they were given priority and indeed they were. One elderly woman in a wheelchair was wheeled into the booth as she exercised her mandate.

A few elderly Ghanaians got confused as to which box to place their ballot papers and one gentleman tried to place the ballot paper in the box without voting. Several people shouted out to him to go vote first but he was still confused. A polling agent went forward to help him to the voting booth and left the scene before anyone could accuse him of influencing his vote. I think the literacy factor added to the number of rejected ballots which was finally released to be 166,248. 

Osu Salem 1&2 polling station is peaceful. Voters haven't experienced any errors. . #iVoted . #GhanaDecides #Ghana #OurVoteOurVoice #🇬🇭 #GhElections #elections #voting #Africa

A photo posted by Ghana Decides (@ghanadecides) on Dec 7, 2016 at 5:32am PST

I then interviewed a few voters at each polling station on the voting process. Did they find their names in the Voters Register? Did they experience any challenges? None of them had any difficulty voting and most seem to comment on the high turnout in this years’ election as compared to 2012. My taking of photos and short videos for Instagram involved asking voters if they were comfortable sharing their experience with me via photo or video.  Some weren’t comfortable with having their faces photographed so I took photos of their inked pinkies.

In all of the five polling stations I observed at , I received the same feedback; there was no challenges in voting. Even those who didn’t have their ID cards with them still voted as their names were found in the register and the verification machinealso ‘Verified’ them.

My last polling station was Mother Love Hospital in the Adentan Constituency.  It was almost 5pm and a few voters were waiting eagerly behind a barricade for counting of the ballot papers to begin. Last minute voters came in at a few minutes to 5 and it was interesting to watch a mini skirmish which occurred with one of the last voters. It was a very interesting fella who wanted to correct his ballot after casting it.   Who does that? 🙄 The police present swooped in to calm voters down. One over-excited voter remarked during this skirmish, “Chale, 4 years have passed and we have only one day to make our voices heard. We have to be wild.” That was my first time being in a tensed electoral situation where voters get agitated about any abnormally. I kept my distance whilst filming at the same time.

It was a tension filled moment on Dec 7th and before the election day; everywhere on traditional and digital media, messages of peace and tolerance poured out from religious leaders, corporate bodies, associations, individuals etc.  Someone once asked why these messages and peace concerts even happen in Ghana during elections?  Why are we so fearful? One guy was interviewed on one of the local TV stations (I forgot which) and he said he was positive that nothing of a violent nature would happen in Ghana during elections. According to him, “ we are too fearful. We don’t like violence. He gave an example of the day of the verdict of the 2012 elections petition. Everyone stayed home that day. The streets were quiet! My response would have been, we love our Fufu too much to fight. 

Other observer volunteers for GhanaDecides also conducted their duties at several polling stations across the country. We got reports from the Northern Region, Central Region etc.  Some sent in provisional results whilst others also posted photos of voting activities at other polling stations. All this was managed on Whatsapp as our social media group chat platform.

Social media played a huge role during the Ghana Elections. The Ghana Police Twitter accounts were actively tweeting and sharing activities in the field and from their situation room.

The official @GhPoliceService Press Release on Election Day activities so far. pic.twitter.com/TUSei4rOx9

— Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) December 7, 2016

 The Electoral Commission Twitter account grew from a few hundred followers to thousands within a day after using the platform to tweet out extremely useful information to the electorate as well as tweeting results.

The official declaration of 2016 Presidential Election results: pic.twitter.com/6Uwxfaz0xS

— Electoral Commission (@ECGhanaOfficial) December 9, 2016

 I am glad the authorities have now seen the benefits of using social media effectively during elections and didn’t resort to blocking it on the day. Its a Win-win. 😎👏🏾

I didn’t stay around for the counting of the ballot papers at my last stop as there wasn’t sufficient lighting around and for my safety sake, I went home to share photos & videos on social media.

It was an eye-opening volunteering experience being in the field. It felt so real being close to the ‘action’ and having the opportunity to develop my skills in conducting up-close interviews.

Congratulations to all GhanaDecides volunteers and other associations who worked tirelessly during this elections period to ensure accurate and timely information was made available to Ghanaians on social media whether in Ghana and abroad. The whole world was watching us and we once again proved ourselves to be a peaceful nation.