9 Home Appliances That Make The Best Gifts For Newlyweds *

It's hard to believe that wedding celebrations usually only last a day when you take into consideration the planning and stress that comes with it... but there are parts of the wedding that will last for years to come, which include the gifts that are lovingly received from family and friends.

The gift you give will be a lifelong reminder of your friendship with the married couple. A wedding is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the fact that your loved ones are entering a new and very special phase of their lives. 

You'll no doubt wish to gift the loved-up couple something special that will help them kickstart their new journey, but working out what that gift is going to be can be a pretty daunting task. 

But fear not, we have some great suggestions below that will mean you're in the couples good books for many years to come. 

Espresso Coffee Maker
Can you think of a better way for a newlywed couple to spend their mornings together than sipping on a freshly brewed cup of coffee? For many, coffee makes the world go round.
For a new household, an espresso coffee maker is a fantastic choice. If you really want to get something special for the soon to be married couple, opt for a model that is equipped with the ability to grind beans to add some extra aroma to their home. 

Fine Juicer
A fine juicer can be a thoughtful wedding gift, especially if the couple are particularly health conscious. You can choose from various designs and features in juicers that quickly blend fruits and vegetables into a fine juice. 

Options range from a large capacity juicer to models that juice directly into a grab-and-go juice container. This gift will help your dear friends enjoy tasty and fresh juices whilst getting the nutrients their bodies want and need. 

Modern Toaster
A modern toaster can not only toast bread quickly but also accommodate more than two pieces of bread at the same time. Some toasters are even equipped to handle buns and different types of bread, which is great for those who like to experiment with their food. They are fully automatic which means all they will need to do is pop the bread in... and hey presto, they'll have the perfect breakfast for those romantic Sunday mornings together. 

Robot Vacuum Cleaners
A robot vacuum cleaner is a smart choice. Whilst it might not initially seem like the most exciting option, it will certainly be one of the most efficient gifts they receive. 

This awesome invention is a fun way to get a rather boring household chore done. It looks impressive and your friends won't even need to be physically present when hovering commences in their household anymore. Robot vacuum cleaners have intelligent programming and work via a remote control or applications that can control the device even from outside your home. It is a convenient way to keep the floors spotless with minimal effort. 

Smart Touch Water Purifier
A smart touch water purifier can be another great idea for your health conscious friends. They are available in different storage capacities which will provide the soon to be married couple safe and pure drinking water. These purifiers have multi-stage purification systems that give the purest form of water. You can get them in vibrant colours and designs that can give a stylish look to the their kitchen as well. 

Travel Iron
A smart iron is the ideal honeymoon gift. Such devices come equipped with a unique ergonomic grip that will help the couple remove creases from their clothes in a matter of seconds. These sleek devices are also armed with a foldable handle that make it easy to carry in travel bags. 

Designer Radiators 
Designer radiators are a practical and aesthetically pleasing gift option. They are easy to install and can be bought in designs that match the interiors of pretty much any room. They are fully automatic and can maintain the room temperature throughout the day, especially in places where the winters can be harsh. They are energy efficient, which will ensure that the newly married couple don’t have to worry about costly electric bills. 

Microwave Oven
A microwave oven is a must have home appliance for a newlywed couple. They greatly reduce cooking and baking time. Food cooked in a microwave is considered healthier as it uses less oil than traditional cooking methods. They are energy efficient too, consuming on average 70-80% less energy. 

Amazon Alexa
Amazon Alexa is the smart virtual assistant of Amazon that makes each and every task simpler. Alexa works on voice command and it can play your favourite music, make to-do-lists, set alarms, stream podcasts, weather and traffic updates. Alexa can handle your routine tasks with so much ease that it will save the your loved ones a lot of time that can be better utilised elsewhere. 


A gift that helps the soon to be married couple set up their new nest will not only be of great help but is also a sweet gesture that shows your love and care towards them.
The gift should be such that they are reminded of you when using it. It could either be a sweet personalised gift or something that helps them build a new home. The choice is yours but we're sure they'll love whatever you choose.

How to start a beauty business in 2018*

Thinking about embarking on a career in the beauty industry? Want to make 2018 the year that you realise your dream? If this is true for you then you are likely to want to know the best way to go about starting a beauty business. 

To help you to find how you will best be able to reach your goals, we have put together our guide on how to start a beauty business during 2018. 

Know your stuff

There is absolutely no point starting a beauty business if you don’t know what you are doing. That said, lacking in knowledge is not something that should put you off, you are just going to need to learn the basics. There are a number of ways that you can do that, one of the most popular has to  be beauty therapy courses online with NCC Home Learning. These will give you all the information that you need to be able to start up your beauty business and make it a success. 

Discover whether you have a niche or a speciality

Quite quickly you are likely to realise that the beauty industry is pretty busy and there is plenty of competition that you are going to need to keep in mind. This means that you need to find your very own place in the market. Discover a niche that you offer that others are not, or pick one particular area that you are talented in and passionate about and you will soon have a way for clients to pick you out against the rest of your competition. 

Learn about business in general

Whilst the most important thing that you need to think about is learning the skills that you need within the beauty industry, you also need to understand business as a whole. Business isn’t always easy to grasp, so you may find this one of the hardest parts of the process. However, it is a part that you really do need to pay attention to. Social media, marketing, having employees, leasing premises, even how to do your tax returns. These are all parts of business that you are going to need to understand if you want to go far. 

Always put in the hard work

Setting up any kind of business isn’t easy and takes hard work. You should always make sure that you understand just how much hard work you need to put in. Particularly during the early years. Often you are going to need to work long hours and the work can be physical. However, you need to be ready to face these challenges, as well as keep yourself motivated so that you can reach that end goal. After all, even the hardest days are likely to become completely worth it in the end. 

Keep ahead of the industry

If there is one thing that you will quickly realise in the beauty industry, it is that it is always changing and growing. There are new techniques, new products, new treatments being realised on a regular basis and if you are not offering these, then you are behind the times.  You are going to need to keep on top of what is happening within the industry, what is upcoming and what is going to be the next best thing. That way you can make sure that you are way ahead of your competition. You may also need to think about training course and workshops that you can attend so that you can expand your knowledge as far as possible. 

Think financially

As with any business you are going to need to keep a track of all things financial in order to be a success. This means that you need to have some, albeit only a limited amount of knowledge of how business finances will work. You need to be able to keep track of your expenses and what you are bringing in, as this will not only make sure that you know how you are performing as a business, but also be useful when it comes to tax time too. 

Keep going, even when times get hard

No matter the industry that you work in, being in business is never easy. Whilst there are going to be high points along the ride, there are also going to be some low points too. You need to keep your head up high, keep motivated and keep looking towards the end goal. That way you are going to feel ready to leap over any hurdles that you might find blocking your path.

Why a small garden shouldn’t bring your garden experience to a halt*

When it comes to gardens, not everyone is blessed with lots of space. Whilst plenty of us may crave a bigger garden, this isn’t always possible. Rather than resigning yourself to giving up on gardening, you will be incredibly pleased to learn that a small garden still brings you plenty of opportunities to flex those green fingers. 

But why is this? What makes a small garden so great? 

You can still have great garden furniture

 
One of the biggest concerns to those who have small gardens is that they are not going to have the chance to stylish garden furniture. This really isn’t true. In fact, there is plenty of great choices you can make in garden furniture for small gardens. Garden benches are a great choice. Not only do they offer somewhere to sit, but they also don’t take up too much space too, which is the ideal solution if you are concerned about the room that you have. 

Hang it up
Worried that you don’t have enough floor space to have plants in your compact garden? Well, perhaps floor space isn’t your only option. Why not look a little higher when it comes to finding a home for your plants? Hanging baskets are not only a great way to display flowers, but if you have a small garden they allow you to have the colour that comes from flowers, without losing out on space. The perfect answer for anyone who is worried about room! 

Make your plants portable
Another way that you can have plants in your garden, without taking up too much room is to make your plants portable. There are a number of ways that you can make your plants portable from wheelbarrows to trolleys. Not only will portable plants help you to save space, but as they can be moved, you can move them around and create different looks throughout the entire expanse of your garden. Ideal if you like the idea being able to change things up as much as possible. 

Build a veggie garden
If you are going to use up your garden space then you should make sure that you use it for something worthwhile. This means that a veggie garden is a great idea. Not only will it allow you to get your hands dirty and get growing, but it will also give you something to enjoy at the end of all your hard work! 

You can still have a dining area
It isn’t only a garden bench that you can have in a small garden, you can still have a dining area too. Dining areas don’t have to mean massive tables that take up loads of space, instead you can have smaller tables that are still going to be big enough to eat at, but still give you space to utilise the rest of the garden.

Don’t clutter up the space
The worst thing that you can do if you have a small garden is to completely clutter up the space. A messy, packed full garden is going to make it look more cramped and lacking in space. Not only this, but you will also find that you are going to end up feeling claustrophobic, or that you are living in a jungle.

Embrace the cosiness
If you have a small garden then you shouldn’t always think of it as lacking in space, but rather you should think about it as being cosy and comfy instead. This means that you should embrace it, create a snug or den area with plenty of cushions and soft lighting. Not only will this give you somewhere to head when you want to relax, but it will really make the most of your smaller garden space too. 

Double up on purpose
One of the best ways to utilise a smaller space is to double up on the purpose of things in the garden. Want a seating area? Also make sure that it has some storage too? Want to have a table? Why not make sure that underneath is enough space to store away toys. These are just some of the ways that you can make sure that your garden is the very best it can be. Despite lacking in space. 

The thing to remember with small gardens is that a small garden can still be a great garden. All you need to do is think about the best way to use the space. You can still have plants, you can still have seating, you can still have everything that you want, all you need to do is think carefully about what is going to work the best in the space that you have.

An Open Letter To My Younger Self (And All New Parents) Parenting*

Pixabay:

Dear Leighanne of the past,

 

I am writing this letter to you because I know that you are doubting your capabilities as a mother. This is a normal thing for all mums (and dads) to feel throughout their parenting journeys. Sadly, it will encourage you to make things needlessly harder on yourself. I hope that this message will prevent you from making those simple mistakes.

 

It’s OK To Put Yourself First

 

You are a loving wife/mother, and this should be commended. You want your lovely hubby and kids to have the best possible lives, but it’s vital to remember that they care about you just as much. Seeing that you are healthy and happy is a crucial factor for their happiness. Essentially, taking care of yourself is a precursor to taking care of them. Do not forget it.

 

Dedicating time to take care of your health, connect with friends, and complete hobbies is fine. Aside from improving your life, it sets a great example for the family. Besides, many of those tasks will provide the energy boost needed to enjoy life to the fullest.

 

Frankly, a healthy and happy mum is a better mum. While you will naturally dedicate your life to the family, establishing a sense of balance and commitment to yourself is key. Seriously, you cannot afford to forget about loving yourself.

 

Love Is More Important Than Tidiness

 

In your role, building a happy home environment will rightly be considered a major priority. After all, the property will provide the platform for your family to love, live and laugh. While you shouldn’t let it become a complete mess, remember that this is a family home and not page 32 of the IKEA catalogue. A home that has been lived in will never look 100% perfect.

 

On a similar note, it’s OK to accept help. This could mean using Shiply to find a moving specialist when relocating to a bigger home. Alternatively, it may involve investing in tech devices that will save time around the home. If it allows you to focus more time on your loved ones, it has to be a step in the right direction.

 

Besides, when they look back on their childhoods, the love you gave will be the thing that the kids cherish most.   

 

There Is No Such Thing As Perfect Parenting

 

Like millions of parents, you’ve read the books and guides on how to be the perfect parent. Well, honey, you’ll eventually see that this is an unattainable goal. Frankly, there are far too many variables for this to ever become a reality. But that’s absolutely fine.

 

You will encounter difficult and dark moments, but you’ll find a way through them. While Jamie Oliver’s recipes or Supernanny’s tips may help, you know your family best. A mother’s intuition is the greatest weapon in your arsenal. With the help of hubby, you will create the best lives for you. Ultimately, that’s all that any parent can ask for.

 

So rid yourself of the warped image portrayed by the media and ‘professionals’. A routine and lifestyle that works for you is the only thing that matters.

 

Stay Positive

 

Last but not least, please know that everything will work out just fine. You’ve got this girl!

 

Hugs,  

 

Leighanne of 2018.

 xxxx

Looking amazing with minimal time and effort

It’s a nightmare when we have to be somewhere and we can’t decide on which outfit to wear. Being in a rush is one of the worst ways to start the day — so what can we do about it? 

How about getting in on 2018’s biggest dressing trend — effortlessly stylish? The effortlessly stylish trend revolves around looking incredible without all the time and effort that usually goes into getting ready. Interested? Check out our effortlessly stylish guide for tips...
 

The no-effort fashion staple
We all have our favourite items of knitwear — whether it’s a cute oversized cardigan or a chic v-neck sweater. However, this season is all about the jumper dress. It’s comfy, stylish and needs practically no time to match with other items of clothing. Plus, long sleeves mean you don’t need to scour your closet for a complementing coat either! Boost your confidence and style by wearing your jumper dress with a chunky belt that pulls your waist in for a gorgeous silhouette. Or, wear it with neutral pumps or ankle boots and a pair of black tights.
 

Layering to perfection
As we head into spring and then into summer, dressing for the changing season can be tricky. Not only that, but what about if you’re heading out after work for drinks? You have to choose something appropriate for the office, while still selecting the perfect after-work get-up. Get rid of this problem and make dressing easier, comfier and more stylish with layering. Throw on a polo-neck jumper underneath a square-necked top or go for a turtle-neck sweater under a smart blazer for work. Couple with your favourite pair of jeans and an ankle boot to fully master the look. 

Footwear for hectic mornings
To make life easier, it’s always handy to have a few pairs of staple shoes that you can wear with multiple outfits for a range of occasion. The best shoe style for this? The trusty boot.
Simple to pair with trousers, skirts and dresses; boots make getting ready much quicker. With the sock boot — featuring a pointed toe, high heel and textured fabric that fits to the ankle — you get a great shoe to quickly pull on with jeans during the day and a stylish skirt on a night. When it comes to colours, black is a great choice as it can be worn with pretty much any outfit. Choose a pair with a chunky heel so that they’re suitable for all events and styles, from jeans during the day to occasion dresses at night.  

Stress-free knitwear
Effortlessly stylish dressing is made much simpler thanks to knitwear. Including cardis, jumpers and dresses, knitwear gives you plenty of opportunity to quickly match styles that look amazing. To work it into your everyday wardrobe, mix cable-knit jumpers and striped sweatshirts — very in vogue — with trousers and skirts. A simple way to look amazing quickly.  

Accessories for the effortlessly stylish
Fumbling around in your wardrobe for the perfect bag is no way to start the day. To save time, simply choose a cute black or beige bag to use every day, or buy one with a pattern to keep things interesting. Pair with jeans, skirts, tapered trousers, shorts, or dresses as the mood takes you! 

Now, you need statement jewellery that can pair perfectly with a range of colours and outfit choices. Tassels, chunky metal and huge hoops are all ideal this season and can be matched with most outfits. Choose a black or gold pair to make sure that they complement your ensemble and keep them in your bag to slip in for after-work drinks.

Make 2018 your year for effortless style with our fashion tips.
 

Sources 

http://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/autumn-winter-2017-knitwear-trends
http://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/autumn-winter-2017-knitwear-trends
http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/style/celebrity-fashion/london-fashion-week-2017-7-9882484
https://ego.co.uk/blog/aw17-ankle-boots/

What are your rights as a working parent?

The end of maternity or paternity leave is sometimes a stressful time for new parents. Knowing what you are and aren’t entitled to when you step back into the workplace is confusing, but it could make the difference between a stress-free return to work and one littered with worry and uncertainty.

Babythingz, a leading supplier of cosytoes and footmuffs, is here to map out your rights as a parent heading back to the workplace.

Maternity leave
Citizens Advice states that a woman can be on maternity leave for around 52 weeks in total (26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave and 26 weeks of additional leave). When it comes to retuning to work, there’s no need for a new mother to send a notice of return to her employer before going back, as long as she is returning on the date she negotiated originally. However, if she wants to return to work early, she must give her employer eight weeks’ notice and have this agreed before the new return-to-work date.

Going back to your job
When a woman returns to work after having a baby, she is entitled to return to her original post, if this position is still practical for her. If not, it’s up to the employer to find suitable alternative work for the new mother, and if they can’t, she could be entitled to redundancy pay.

Holidays and maternity leave
Another common issue for returning parents is holidays. Can you add these on to your maternity leave? Yes, it’s fine for mothers, and expectant mothers, to take a holiday directly before or after maternity leave, and many women do this to extend time off with their baby. However, taking a holiday after maternity leave means you’re still classed as ‘back at work’.

Another popular query is whether you can accrue holidays on maternity leave. Women build up holidays as normal while on maternity leave. Plus, if you’re unable to take your allocated holidays due to your maternity leave, your employer should allow these days to be carried over into the following holiday year.

With regard to sickness, if a new mother is too ill to return to work after her maternity leave, she must inform her employer.

Breastfeeding
A major issue for mothers returning to work is breastfeeding. If a parent wishes to breastfeed their child at work, they have to let their employer know in writing. It’s also best to give plenty of notice so that the employer has time to make arrangements, which could include:

• Carrying out risk assessments.
• Dealing with potential risks to the parent and child.
• Providing suitable facilities for breastfeeding.

It’s worth bearing in mind that employers are under no legal requirement to provide a breastfeeding space. However, they cannot stop you from returning to work due to breastfeeding. If your employer refuses to take action to protect your and your child’s health and safety during the breastfeeding process, seek advice on escalating this issue.

Flexible working
Employees have the right to request a flexible working pattern and many families benefit hugely from it. However, the worker must have been with the same employer for at least 26 weeks. Once you request flexible hours, your employer should assess the pros and cons, then hold a meeting to discuss it with you. If this doesn’t happen, you can potentially take them to an employment tribunal.

Types of flexible working:

• Job share: two people split the hours between one role.
• Work remotely: carrying out your role from home.
• Flexitime: choosing when you start and end your shift while adhering to core hours.
• Part-time: working less than full-time.
• Compressed hours: working full-time hours over fewer days.
• Staggered hours: having a different start, break and finish time to colleagues.

A typical timeline for requesting flexible working hours, includes:

• Writing to the employer.
• Allowing them up to three months to decide.
• Changing the contract (if new hours are agreed) or receiving a written explanation detailing the business reasons for the denial.

Flexible working hours can ease the cost of childcare, so it’s worth looking into, if you can.

Parental leave
In April 2015, parents gained more rights and flexibility for looking after their children after going back to work. Parental leave is a legal way for mothers and fathers to take time out of work to look after their children, and can include when parents need to spend more time with their kids, find new schools, visit family, and ease youngsters into new childcare environments.

According to GOV.UK, if an employee has completed one year’s service at a place of work, they are entitled to 18 weeks’ unpaid parental leave for every child (biological or adopted). This unpaid leave can start either when the baby is born/child is adopted, or as soon as the worker has achieved one year’s service — whichever comes later. But it must be taken before the child turns five years old. If the child is disabled, the same amount of unpaid leave can be taken any time before their 18th birthday.

All employment rights — such as pay and holidays — are protected during unpaid parental leave. However, there are some regulations around this scheme:

• Each parent is limited to four weeks for each child per year (unless otherwise negotiated with the employer).
• Parental leave must be taken in whole weeks, not odd days (again, unless otherwise negotiated with the employer or if the child is disabled).
• This type of unpaid leave applies to the child and not the parent’s job, so it can’t be carried over once used.
• Parents must give 21 days’ notice prior to the start of the unpaid leave.

An employer is not allowed to delay unpaid parental leave without a significant reason regarding the business or if it would make the parent illegible (e.g. postponing it until after their child turns 18).  If the leave is delayed, the employer is responsible for:

• Writing a letter of explanation within one week that details the reasons for the postponement.
• Suggesting a new date, which must be within six months of the previous date.

Many new parents fret about their working rights when it comes to unexpected problems. If there’s an urgent issue that affects the welfare of your child, such as childcare arrangements falling through last minute, you’re allowed to take unpaid time out of work to deal with these, too.


If you’re ever unsure about your rights as a working parent, check online organization and government sites to get a clearer idea.

Sources:
https://www.gov.uk/parental-leave
http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4911
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/parental-rights/parental-rights-at-work/
https://www.nct.org.uk/parenting/returning-work-and-breastfeeding

Children Friendly Floors*

Choosing what kind of floor you want for your house is not an easy thing, especially when you have kids. Having children will defiantly influence what flooring you need for your home. Aesthetics becomes nearly secondary as you need something that is first and foremost practical and durable. But don’t worry, you don’t need to sacrifice style over substance and this post bring you three types of flooring fit for family living. 

Engineered wood
Even though engineered wood flooring looks like real wood, it is actually only the top layer that is solid wood, the rest is man-made. The way it is manufactured enables engineered to withstand moisture and temperature fluctuations better than its hardwood counterpart. This floor is therefore perfect for a family house because it is extremely hardwearing, scratch resistant and handles spillages pretty well. Similarly, engineered wood is extremely easy to maintain long-term. All that is needed is a regular sweep, hoover and mop to keep it looking as good as new. As previously mentioned, engineered floors imitate wood perfectly and it is therefore available in a huge range of species such as oak, larch, walnut and acacia. The only downside to engineered floors is the price tag. While not as expensive as a solid wood, they definitely aren’t as cheap as other options. 


Laminate flooring

Laminate flooring is a cheaper alternative to engineered wood and its endurance is just as good. Laminate floors also imitate wood but doesn’t use any natural wood. Instead, laminate floors are made up from synthetic layers that can better withstand moisture and temperature fluctuations. With its strong water resistance, laminate flooring is an excellent choice for busy homes where spills are common. To help further ease your mind, laminate floors are very easy to look after, helped further by its water resistance. A mop and sweep should do the trick in terms of day to day maintenance. Laminate flooring is a definite middle ground offering a very affordable price, but this doesn’t affect to the quality of its design. Laminate is available in a wide range of style imitating different species of wood and even tile. 


Vinyl flooring

Vinyl tiles are made from PVC so unlike engineered and laminate flooring, they are totally waterproof. This gives you an abundance of advantages in a family home as any kind of spill won’t damage the floor. Similarly, this is the floor that is least likely to become slippy when wet, so provides that extra safety aspect when used in a bathroom. Cleaning a vinyl floor is as simple as with engineered and laminate floors. Vinyl flooring is actually far more hygienic than the previous two options. It’s nonporous properties stops dirt and dust from becoming trapped as you would find a lot with a carpet for example. With the amount of time kids spend playing on the floor this is a huge advantage, especially if your child lives with allergies. For a long time vinyl flooring was seen as a cheap and poor quality flooring choice. Luckily, with continuing advances in manufacturing, this is not the case anymore. Vinyl floors offer amazing designs that can replicate wood and stone alike and have a genuine luxury feel to them. 


Ultimately the choice that would suit your home best is up to you. But as we’ve discussed, there are plenty of choices and options when you’re looking to family-proof your home with a budget in mind.

5 Stress Free Tips For Moving Home

Darcy and I haven't long moved into our new home, and let me tell you it was one of the most manic but rewarding experiences of my life.I thought I would I share with you some tips to make moving as stress free as possible

Plan, make sure you plan weeks in advance. You can never be too prepared believe me. Go through each room and list what you have, what you want to get rid of etc. Have you contacted your bank, other companies and your favourite on line stores to let them know your new address? There's nothing worse than ordering something and having it delivered to your old address.

Declutter, moving is the perfect opportunity to declutter your home. Not only will you be making space in your new home, you could also make some much needed money by selling the items you no longer need.

Arrange Childcare, your little ones are more than likely going to be excited about moving. I know Darcy couldn't wait to see her new bedroom. However having them under your feet can slow down the moving process. So make arrangements well in advance, then pick them up afterwards for the exciting trip to their new home.

Label your boxes, There's nothing worse than trying to look for something and not knowing where it is. You don't want to be opening box after box looking for a can opener. Also, consider placing the things that you use daily into separate boxes, that way you will have an easy access at them when you are into your new home and you won’t have to guess in what box they are.

Hire a Removal Company, do you really want to be carrying boxes all day long? As frugal as I am, I knew hiring a removal company would be the best option for me. Thankfully there are companies out there like Shiply.  Their site is super easy to use, You make a listing on the site about what you require for your removal this will include, your address, number of bedrooms, items you want moving and once you've received some quotes, you decide which one you'd like to accept. Shiply works like eBay where you can read the transports company’s feedback from previous customers and compare it to give you a clear idea of the type of service you could get. 

What handy tips do you have to make moving stress free?

Start Shopping Smarter to Save More Money*

Your shopping habits can dictate how much money you spend. Whatever your approach to shopping is, you can find that you fall for certain traps or end up spending more than you would like without knowing why. Changing the way you shop could save you a lot of money and help to make your shopping habits healthier for your bank account.

Work Out If Online or Offline Is Best
For some people, online shopping is too full of temptations, while shopping in-store helps them concentrate more on what they need. Other people find it easier to search for what they want online. Work out which one is best for you and which option helps you stay on a set path.

Get Organised Before Shopping
Before you go shopping for anything, it's always a good idea to organise your thoughts. Make a shopping list of the things you need so you don't impulsively buy things. Do some research into what products are available so that you can make the best choice.

Shop with the Right People
Who you go shopping with can make a difference to what you spend. Go with a group of friends, and you can end up being influenced by them. Take the kids, and they might talk you into buying all kinds of things. If it's hard to find time to shop alone, try shopping online instead.

Know Your Bad Habits
Everyone has spending habits that are less than ideal. But if you know your bad habits, you can adjust your behaviour and spend your money more wisely.

Winter Coats For All The Family

Even though we are in the middle of February it looks like the cold, wet and damp weather is here to stay. I was going to hold out and wait to buy Darcy a new coat, however she has decided to have a growth spurt. And to be honest I am in the need of a coat myself.

So today I thought I would share with you some of my favourite coats that I have found whilst browsing the internet that are perfect for each family member. .

Evans has been my go to for plus size clothes forever. And they have not disappointed me with this pink coat.

And this coat from River Island was made for Darcy. I have to say that River Island are killing it at the moment with their children range, especially their girls coats and jackets.

Where do you love to shop?

The Prefect Pancake Recipe 2018

 
Shrove Tuesday or Pancake day is 13th February this year.  So get yourself prepared with this fantastic simple Pancakes Recipe.

Ingredients

• 250g Plain Flour
• 1/4 Teaspoon of salt  
• 2 Large eggs
• 500ml Milk of your choice

Method

• Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl
• Make a hole in the middle of the mixture and break the eggs into the bowl
  Pour in half of the milk and whisk away
  Add the remaining milk and whisk until the batter is smooth
• Heat a pan and a small knob of butter making sure it covers all the pan
  ladle the pancake batter into the pan, spread the mixture out evenly
  cook for 1 minute until golden, toss or use a palette knife to flip over the pancake and cook for another minute

It is as simple as that! You can also freeze them if you make too many.If you are looking for topping ideas check out my post here. I also have a yummy banana pancake recipe if you are looking for something different.

Appy Kids Co Review & Giveaway

As a parent I am very much aware of the importance of making sure I make healthy choices when it comes with what I give Darcy. But healthy doesn't always mean yummy when it comes to her.

Luckily there are companies like Appy Kids Co, who are passionate about their products. All the ingredients they used are ethically sourced and they use renewable resources packaging.

Appy Kids Co have released a new range of fruit juices based on Roald Dahl. Apple juice BFG, Mixed berries Matilda and Orange Charlie & The Chocolate Factory.

Here is a fun fact for you, Darcy's favourite film of all time is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I have lost count with how many times we have watched it. Not only has she got the original on DVD, she also has the remake with Johnny Deep and the Tom and Jerry version. Yes there is a Tom and Jerry version!

All their juices are created using natural ingredients and have no GMOs, gluten, artificial presentative or added sugars.

Darcy really enjoyed testing out all the favours, her favourite was the mixed berries. Not only are the cartoons the perfect size for lunch boxes. Their juices are fortified with vitamins A,C and E to give kids an extra boost of goodness.

Appy Kids Co also have a mini fruit range. Which come in Peppa Pig organic raisins and Minions mulberries and raisins.

Appy Kids Co Drinks are available to buy from Tesco, Ocado, Amazon, Poundland and B & M.

Appy Kids Co have been lovely enough to give me 40 juices to give to one of my lucky readers. (4 boxes of TMNT and 4 boxes of Dora) To enter, simply complete one or more of the entries on the Rafflecoopter below. Good Luck!

What’s your little one’s favourite Roald Dahl book character?

a Rafflecopter giveaway