It’s been a while since we all went out and hit the shops in a meaningful way. I know we’ve all survived on supermarket clothing and own-brand toiletries (if at all) and for everything else there’s Amazon… but NOTHING beats the thrills and spills of a real shopping trip!

You know – the ones where you can actually touch the items you want to buy. Where you can arrange for a coffee mid-shop – take the weight off your feet, and reconnect over a latte and some juicy gossip (I wish!).

Those trips where you can touch and feel the books before you buy them. Where you can assess T-shirt quality by feeling them (not just read an online description). And those glorious forays into a vintage store – to physically hold the designer top you want to buy.Yes – in THREE D!

But before you get there – it’s probably worth doing a bit of a quick check in.

Bus route checked – some routes may have changed, and times have certainly changed. Even just from winter to summer timetables by now

Train timetable checked – as with the buses, trains run two timetables a year at least, so double-check you are on the same page.

If driving - car battery charged? Windscreen fluid topped up?And you might as well double-check you’ve had it serviced and things like the brakes haven’t seized up with lack of use.

Then:

It’s been a while – so even if this is your local city, then it’s probably worth checking a map of the area, routes, etc. Make sure that roadworks aren’t going to hinder your route. Also that carparks are still open (and you’ve got the change)

Next, of course - friends – where you’re meeting, times and details checked? Some shops/cafes may not be open, so a quick double-check for them is handy.

And finally – your spending power! If you’ve had a new banking card/credit card during the lockdown, remember you might need to put that into an ATM to activate it. Cash itself seems to be almost a thing of the past, but still some shops and cafes are insisting on cash only, so get a few notes ready to spend.

Remember to BOOST your spending power with some Cardyard Giftcards! Buy the relevant gift cards here to make your cash go further! Or sell the giftcards you don’t want here, to get cash for more café-gossip-cake!