Sunday, 31 May 2015
Wednesday, 27 May 2015
Top Tips for Money Saving Mummies
My Mummy's Pennies is four years old today! That's four whole years that I've been tapping away at the laptop sharing money saving tips, reviews, competitions, offers, photography and snapshots of our family fun together. Over that time I've gone from being a new mum on maternity leave to being the main bread winner of the family and now a working mum with a bit more of a work / life balance.
The back bone of this blog is always going to be about getting more from your hard earned pennies even if the posts are a lot more varied these days. My Mummy's Pennies has grown from being just a blog to becoming a social media community. Often really good deals and offers can be short lived so I find it easiest to share them over on twitter and on the facebook page and money saving group.
When you become a parent, immediately your finances become stretched. You are likely to have a reduction in your income while you‘re on maternity leave and may decide to go back to work part time or stay at home with your children. In addition to this you have an extra little person to feed, cloth and entertain.
For many people this can be the first time in their life that they have had to start to pinch the pennies (apart from those years living off noodles on toast at university, maybe!) It can be a shock to the system, but if you shop smart you will find that you can still live a luxurious lifestyle without breaking the bank (Well as luxurious as you can get while covered in breast milk and pureed carrots with a handbag full of nappies and LEGO…)
There was a time when there was a stigma attached to buying second hand but these days where vintage and upcycled goods are in fashion and Kirsty Allsopp champions thriftiness in her hit show ‘Fill your house for Free’ it couldn’t be more on trend! The Equipment you need for babies and children really mounts up and you can save hundreds of pounds by checking out local selling sites on facebook, ebay, gumtree or even freecycle! If you can pick up from the seller you often get and even better deal!
Charity shops and Car Boot sales are and ideal place for find toys books and children’s clothes too. Remember there are some things that should bought new for safety reasons such as cot mattresses and child car seats but for everything else shop around! One of my favourite pre loved bargains was my son’s Mama’s and Papa’s pram, it was a hi spec pushchair from one of the most popular nursery stores in the UK and had only been used for a few months so was in immaculate condition. I was able to pick it up locally and only paid £30. A huge saving on what I would have paid on the High Street!
Do you read magazines? Newspapers? Or even just get leaflets through your door? If you look a little closer you will find that most of these publications will contain coupons and money off vouchers. I’ve got myself in to a habit of cutting them out and keeping them all in a cardboard folder even if it’s not something that I would usually buy. It may be good to try something new or someone else may be able to use them. Also add to this any vouchers that you are given at the supermarket till such as price match or money off your next purchase. I take a few minutes each week to sort through and get rid of any expired vouchers.
It’s not just paper coupons! For all the vouchers available online why not set up a coupon folder in your email account, pop in all the money off and voucher coder emails you receive. You never know when you may need to make a quick purchase for a last minute birthday gift or replace a broken appliance and you’ll have them all to hand!
Loyalty points are great aren’t they? You do your usual shopping, buying food for your family and fuel for your car and the points mount up ready to knock pennies off your next lot of shopping! Make sure you sign up for loyalty cards for everywhere you shop, Nectar, Clubcard and Boots are some of the best and connect them up to your debit card or credit card if you can to earn even more!
A lot of loyalty point schemes offer ‘double ups’ at certain times of year or even 3 or 4 times their value when you use them to buy cinema tickets or exchange for restaurant vouchers or even breaks away!
I save up all my Clubcard points and exchange for cinema tickets and meal vouchers every 6 months or so. This way my husband and I get a date night out for just the cost of drinks!
This isn’t always practical when you have small children but the timing of when you go shopping can be a major factor in what you pay. If you still prefer to do your grocery shopping in person rather than online, find out when your local supermarket starts to reduce fresh produce (usually in the evenings) I’ve been able to halve the cost of my weekly shops by ensuring that I get my fresh vegetable from the supermarket on a Sunday afternoon just before they close I also find around 8pm is a great time to check out the reduced to clear fridges. I regularly get vegetables for as little as 9p and have had a whole fresh chicken for just 30p before!
When you become a parent, immediately your finances become stretched. You are likely to have a reduction in your income while you‘re on maternity leave and may decide to go back to work part time or stay at home with your children. In addition to this you have an extra little person to feed, cloth and entertain.
For many people this can be the first time in their life that they have had to start to pinch the pennies (apart from those years living off noodles on toast at university, maybe!) It can be a shock to the system, but if you shop smart you will find that you can still live a luxurious lifestyle without breaking the bank (Well as luxurious as you can get while covered in breast milk and pureed carrots with a handbag full of nappies and LEGO…)
Here I wanted to share my top five tips for penny pinching Mummies…
Buy Pre-loved
There was a time when there was a stigma attached to buying second hand but these days where vintage and upcycled goods are in fashion and Kirsty Allsopp champions thriftiness in her hit show ‘Fill your house for Free’ it couldn’t be more on trend! The Equipment you need for babies and children really mounts up and you can save hundreds of pounds by checking out local selling sites on facebook, ebay, gumtree or even freecycle! If you can pick up from the seller you often get and even better deal!
Charity shops and Car Boot sales are and ideal place for find toys books and children’s clothes too. Remember there are some things that should bought new for safety reasons such as cot mattresses and child car seats but for everything else shop around! One of my favourite pre loved bargains was my son’s Mama’s and Papa’s pram, it was a hi spec pushchair from one of the most popular nursery stores in the UK and had only been used for a few months so was in immaculate condition. I was able to pick it up locally and only paid £30. A huge saving on what I would have paid on the High Street!
Keep a coupon folder
Do you read magazines? Newspapers? Or even just get leaflets through your door? If you look a little closer you will find that most of these publications will contain coupons and money off vouchers. I’ve got myself in to a habit of cutting them out and keeping them all in a cardboard folder even if it’s not something that I would usually buy. It may be good to try something new or someone else may be able to use them. Also add to this any vouchers that you are given at the supermarket till such as price match or money off your next purchase. I take a few minutes each week to sort through and get rid of any expired vouchers.
It’s not just paper coupons! For all the vouchers available online why not set up a coupon folder in your email account, pop in all the money off and voucher coder emails you receive. You never know when you may need to make a quick purchase for a last minute birthday gift or replace a broken appliance and you’ll have them all to hand!
Collect Loyalty Points
Loyalty points are great aren’t they? You do your usual shopping, buying food for your family and fuel for your car and the points mount up ready to knock pennies off your next lot of shopping! Make sure you sign up for loyalty cards for everywhere you shop, Nectar, Clubcard and Boots are some of the best and connect them up to your debit card or credit card if you can to earn even more!
A lot of loyalty point schemes offer ‘double ups’ at certain times of year or even 3 or 4 times their value when you use them to buy cinema tickets or exchange for restaurant vouchers or even breaks away!
I save up all my Clubcard points and exchange for cinema tickets and meal vouchers every 6 months or so. This way my husband and I get a date night out for just the cost of drinks!
Time your Shopping
This isn’t always practical when you have small children but the timing of when you go shopping can be a major factor in what you pay. If you still prefer to do your grocery shopping in person rather than online, find out when your local supermarket starts to reduce fresh produce (usually in the evenings) I’ve been able to halve the cost of my weekly shops by ensuring that I get my fresh vegetable from the supermarket on a Sunday afternoon just before they close I also find around 8pm is a great time to check out the reduced to clear fridges. I regularly get vegetables for as little as 9p and have had a whole fresh chicken for just 30p before!
Get Paid for Spending Money
We all like spending money, right? (I'd prefer if it was someone else's but still...) This last tip is a great way of getting more from what you spend. When ever you buy anything online, make sure you go through a cashback site! When you click through links or banners on websites you will often be allowing these sites to earn a percentage of what you spend. Using a cashback site means that YOU get this percentage instead! Two of the best known sites are Topcashback and Quidco. I am a member of both of these as I find that one often has cashback on websites that the other doesn't.
What is your best Mummy money saving tip?
This post contains referral links
Sunday, 24 May 2015
Monday, 18 May 2015
May Half Term Family Fun in Manchester and the North West
Can you believe it's almost time for another school holiday? The schools break up for May half term this week and I've been looking at what's on in Manchester and the North West to entertain children over the Bank Holiday weekend and during Half Term...
This May Bank Holiday, Geronimo! comes to Tatton Park, Cheshire. Geronimo Festival claims to be the largest children's festival in the north-west with hundreds of activities for children from 0-12.
Tatton Park is an ideal setting and there seems to be much to do, including live shows on the "Geronostage", exploring Themed Woodlands and Build a Den. Children can also watch a Circus, Ride a Donkey, Swing through the Trees, enjoy a thrilling BMX bike display, zip down High Wires if they dare Dare! There will be an Adrenaline Zone and a Craft Marquee. Younger children can enjoy storytelling shows, bounce around in the Inflatable Village or hit the dance floor with Zumba and Ballet workshops. Children of all ages can have fun in Survival School and get up-close to cuddly creatures in the Petting Zoo.
There will be secial appearances from CBeebies favourites, including Hook and Line from Swashbuckle, Alex Winters, Katy Ashworth and the lovely Mr Bloom!
The most enchanting carnival in the world, suddenly stopped touring in its heyday, under suspicious and mysterious circumstances. The carnival is coming back, but can the audience help it to ward off past dangers and bring it back to its former glory?
LAStheatre will present the story of The Lost Carnival, a story beyond your wildest dreams. Families can expect spellbinding performance, circus, music and visual trickery.
The tale behind the Lost Carnival can be found in the form of a fictional radio documentary podcast produced by sleuth Arthur Bird. Families can follow the story at www.thelostcarnival.org.uk and use the podcast, archive and clues to try to solve the mysteries of the carnival themselves, before the story culminates at the live event.
Tickets cost £10 per person (under 3s go free). Carnival goers should dress for the weather, and wear sturdy shoes. Tickets are available at www.thelostcarnival.org.uk.
.jpg)
LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester is challenging local young creative talents to showcase their exceptional LEGO® building skills in a bid to win a position in the LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Creative Crew and a trip to Florida!
The competition will see the budding builders pushed to their LEGO® limits, facing new challenges along the way and presenting their creations to Master Model Builder Alex Bidolak.
A total of twelve children aged 5 to 12 will be inducted into the Creative Crew following a series of challenges. Beyond just their LEGO® build skills and techniques, the Creative Crew will be called upon to be the first to test out and review new rides, tell the world about cool new LEGO® products and teach others how to design amazing builds.
Once selected, the Creative Crew will each gain a family pass for four to the attraction for a year, they’ll attend monthly creative design and build sessions with our Master Model Builder plus one lucky winner will receive a family trip to LEGOLAND Florida!
Legoland Discovery Centre Manchester have also relaunched their Duplo area ideal for toddler fun, read all about it over at Red Rose Mummy.
Geronimo Festival at Tatton Park (23rd to 25th May)
This May Bank Holiday, Geronimo! comes to Tatton Park, Cheshire. Geronimo Festival claims to be the largest children's festival in the north-west with hundreds of activities for children from 0-12.
Tatton Park is an ideal setting and there seems to be much to do, including live shows on the "Geronostage", exploring Themed Woodlands and Build a Den. Children can also watch a Circus, Ride a Donkey, Swing through the Trees, enjoy a thrilling BMX bike display, zip down High Wires if they dare Dare! There will be an Adrenaline Zone and a Craft Marquee. Younger children can enjoy storytelling shows, bounce around in the Inflatable Village or hit the dance floor with Zumba and Ballet workshops. Children of all ages can have fun in Survival School and get up-close to cuddly creatures in the Petting Zoo.
There will be secial appearances from CBeebies favourites, including Hook and Line from Swashbuckle, Alex Winters, Katy Ashworth and the lovely Mr Bloom!
Standard tickets are available from £22.50pp / £86 for a family of 4 and tickets will also be available on the day priced at £25pp. Do be aware that Tatton park has a £5 parking charge for all cars.
The Lost Carnival at Burrs Country Park, Bury (22nd to 25th May)
The Lost Carnival comes to Burrs Country Park in Bury from 22 – 25 May. The carnival is an ambitious, large-scale, outdoor experience from Wild Rumpus, producers of the award-winning Just So Festival, and So It Is, a new producing company established by Bury Met director David Agnew, The Lost Carnival is an immersive theatre experience that invites families to step into a world unlike any other. Expect spellbinding theatre, circus, music, visual trickeryand a story beyond your wildest dreams.The most enchanting carnival in the world, suddenly stopped touring in its heyday, under suspicious and mysterious circumstances. The carnival is coming back, but can the audience help it to ward off past dangers and bring it back to its former glory?
LAStheatre will present the story of The Lost Carnival, a story beyond your wildest dreams. Families can expect spellbinding performance, circus, music and visual trickery.
The tale behind the Lost Carnival can be found in the form of a fictional radio documentary podcast produced by sleuth Arthur Bird. Families can follow the story at www.thelostcarnival.org.uk and use the podcast, archive and clues to try to solve the mysteries of the carnival themselves, before the story culminates at the live event.
Tickets cost £10 per person (under 3s go free). Carnival goers should dress for the weather, and wear sturdy shoes. Tickets are available at www.thelostcarnival.org.uk.
.jpg)
#HookedonMusic at the Museum of Science and Industry (23rd to 31st May
The #HookedonMusic Citizen Science Experiment is coming to the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester from Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 May, the museum will jump to the beat when all visiting movers and shakers - even embarrassing mums and enthusiastic dad dancers – will be invited to groove on down on the make shift dance floor right in the heart of the museum in the daily silent disco.
The aim is to have fun whilst taking part in a Citizen Science experiment. Each set of headphones will be pre-programmed with three different channels pumping out catchy tunes relevant for different age groups. By recording the reactions and responses to the music and the reasons for switching channels whilst dancing - researchers and scientists will gain a better understanding of what makes different musical features popular. All the discos will be filmed to support this research.
May Half Term also sees the return of the ever-popular #HookedonMusic quiz, testing musical knowledge and tastes in this fun, frantic and fast-paced game-show running in between the silent disco. There are even prizes to be won! Teeny boppers and toddlers can also get in on the #HookedOnMusic action too in the Jungle Disco. Join Roary the Lion, the King of the Jungle for this energetic and interactive storytelling session and help the animals get ready for the big jungle hop. Recommended for the under 5s.
Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 May.
The aim is to have fun whilst taking part in a Citizen Science experiment. Each set of headphones will be pre-programmed with three different channels pumping out catchy tunes relevant for different age groups. By recording the reactions and responses to the music and the reasons for switching channels whilst dancing - researchers and scientists will gain a better understanding of what makes different musical features popular. All the discos will be filmed to support this research.
May Half Term also sees the return of the ever-popular #HookedonMusic quiz, testing musical knowledge and tastes in this fun, frantic and fast-paced game-show running in between the silent disco. There are even prizes to be won! Teeny boppers and toddlers can also get in on the #HookedOnMusic action too in the Jungle Disco. Join Roary the Lion, the King of the Jungle for this energetic and interactive storytelling session and help the animals get ready for the big jungle hop. Recommended for the under 5s.
Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 May.
Silent Disco – Revolution Manchester – 11.20am; 12.20pm; 1.20pm; 2.20pm
#HookedonMusic Quiz – Revolution Manchester – 11am; 12pm; 1pm; 2pm; 3pm
Jungle Disco – 1830 Warehouse – 11.30am; 12.30pm; 1.30pm. 2.30pm
Suitable for all ages
Free – drop in - no need to book
The silent disco will be filmed for internal scientific reseach
Cunard's Three Queens celebrate 125 years, at Liverpool Docks (24th - 26th May)
Between 24-26 May 2015, all three Cunard ships will call at Liverpool to salute a city that will be forever part of it's history, culminating in all three Queens meeting on the Mersey for the first time on 25 May.
I used to love watching the ships sail down the Mersey as a chill and this will be a historic event. Find out more details here
Dinosaur Day at The Millgate Bury (28th May)
This half term The Millgate shopping centre in Bury, have a dinosaur coming to visit! On Thursday 28 May you can meet Tiny the Stegosaurus, a 125 million years young dinosaur brought to life. She will be joined by a palaeontologist who will present lively and informative natural history shows at 11am, 12.30pm and 2pm. You can pet her, talk to her and feed her. Event is FREE and there will be a dinosaur trail to follow to win a treat! Find out more here.
The Journey Home at The Edge Theatre, Cholton (22nd May)
The Journey Home, the acclaimed children’s book by award winning author Frann Preston-Gannon, is brought to life through puppetry, lyrical music and transformative design in this new production byLittle Angel Theatre.
Suitable for ages 3+
Suitable for ages 3+
Tickets: £8 / £6
Sing-a-Long-a Frozen, Warrington Pyramid & Parr Hall (23rd May)
We went to see the fantastic Sing-a-long-a Frozen when it was at the Lowry Theatre, It was a really entertaining evening that both the children thoroughly enjoyed. If you missed it you can get tickets to see it at Warrington Pyramid and Parr Hall. Read our Review to find out more.
Creative Crew at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre (up until 22nd May)
LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester is challenging local young creative talents to showcase their exceptional LEGO® building skills in a bid to win a position in the LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Creative Crew and a trip to Florida!
The competition will see the budding builders pushed to their LEGO® limits, facing new challenges along the way and presenting their creations to Master Model Builder Alex Bidolak.
A total of twelve children aged 5 to 12 will be inducted into the Creative Crew following a series of challenges. Beyond just their LEGO® build skills and techniques, the Creative Crew will be called upon to be the first to test out and review new rides, tell the world about cool new LEGO® products and teach others how to design amazing builds.
Once selected, the Creative Crew will each gain a family pass for four to the attraction for a year, they’ll attend monthly creative design and build sessions with our Master Model Builder plus one lucky winner will receive a family trip to LEGOLAND Florida!
Legoland Discovery Centre Manchester have also relaunched their Duplo area ideal for toddler fun, read all about it over at Red Rose Mummy.
Turtle Fest at Sealife Manchester (up until 22nd May)
Pick up a Turtle activity pack and learn about turtles at the Turtle Fest this month at the Sea Life in Manchester. Find out more here.
Sunday, 17 May 2015
The Magic of Play #MagicSquaresPlaydates
Elizabeth loves to play with her friends and when we were set the challenge to write about the magic of play we had lots of ideas!
Often when I hear the words 'play date' I think of a soft play centres, or similar, and I have to admit those places send my anxiety in to overdrive; the noise, the germs, the other children... I'm stating to perspire just sitting here thinking about it. These sorts of venues do have their place though. They are ideal for children's parties, for somewhere to get out of the house when it has been raining non stop for a week and they are a somewhere to meet up for a coffee with friends , while your children safely play when you don't have the energy to tidy up your front room!
Our favourite venue for play though has to be natures own playground... the great outdoors! Not only is it huge, it's also free!
And natures playground is not just for Sunny days, as the saying goes, 'There's no such thing as bad weather just unsuitable clothing!' Just pop on some wellies and waterproofs and carry on playing, in fact drissly weather is even better for hunting for minibeasts and discovering bugs and crawlies.
After all that fun, little legs get tired and little tummies get hungry so a bit of a rest and a snack is needed!
We took some of the new Petits Filous Magic Squares in Strawberry and Vanilla Flavour and Raspberry and Vanilla flavour out with us to enjoy on a recent play day, the children really enjoyed the taste of them and were delighted with the square effect the different flavours make inside the pots, this gave them and idea for a game to play of the paving flags in the park, hopping diagonally so they only stepped on the vanilla flavoured squares! Then then chased each other on to the grass, oh to be four again and take such pleasure from a game of chase!
How do you enjoy the magic of play?
This post is an entry for BritMums #MagicSquaresPlaydates Linky Challenge, sponsored by Petits Filous
Schleich Horse Riding Arena Review
I've always loved horses, I took riding lessons as a child and I'd love my own children to follow in my footsteps and learn to ride. There is a riding school in our local park and my youngest always takes an interest when the horses come trotting past, I don't think it will be long before she is asking if she can start lessons. In the meantime she was delighted to be sent the Horse Riding Arena from the Schleich World of Nature range to play with and review.
What's in the Box?
The box contains:
Arena roof (comes flat packed)
Perimeter fencing (10 pieces)
Rider
Horse
2 x Jumps
Accessories (including; saddle, bridle, blanket, hay bale and carrot)
Imaginative Play
After setting up which didn't take long at all, Elizabeth couldn't wait to start playing. She loves making the rider and horse go over the jumps again and again and even got excited and started jumping them over the fences! After a while of working hard the horse had a well deserved rest and a much on some carrots while Elizabeth dismounted the rider and covered the horse with it's blanket.
It was really sweet to watch her play, she was chatting along all the time and noticed she had named the horse Rosie!
Considering there is no interactive stimulus to this set and it all relies on imaginative play was impressed with how long it held Elizabeth's attention, at almost four ad a half this is the first time I have seen her spend so long playing with toys like this without her brother's input.
It was really sweet to watch her play, she was chatting along all the time and noticed she had named the horse Rosie!
Considering there is no interactive stimulus to this set and it all relies on imaginative play was impressed with how long it held Elizabeth's attention, at almost four ad a half this is the first time I have seen her spend so long playing with toys like this without her brother's input.
Value for Money
We've had a variety of Schleich toys and always found them to be of great quality with fantastic attention to details and this set was no exception.
The Schleich Horse Riding Arena has an RRP of £24.99 and is sold at Amazon
and other toy shops. Prices fluctuate so you may get a better deal if you shop around. I'd say that you get a lot of play value for this price and the pieces are all excellent quality and seem hard wearing and durable. I especially love how easy it is to dismantle and pop it away in the box then get it out again to play another day.
Just for fun, here's a picture of me as a toddler with one of the first horses I rode...
This post contains an affiliate link.
Friday, 15 May 2015
Thinking Slimmer? #Win a Slimpod!
Over the last few years I've let my weight get a little out of control and this year I have made a decision to to get back in control. Now I have no illusions that I'm ever going to be a supermodel and if I'm honest I have to admit I quite like having a few curves, however I can't deny that my size at the moment is putting my health at risk, I've noticed my asthma getting worse an I'm in danger of developing type 2 diabetes. I want to be able to run around the park with my children without getting out of breath an I know I would have more confidence in myself if I could drop a couple of dress sizes.
As part of my journey to a healthier me I have been taking part in a 12 week focus group with Thinking Slimmer, at just over the half way point I have noticed a significant difference in my motivation and eating habits and although the scales are not yet showing a huge difference, my clothes are already fitting better. I will be updating you with a full post on my thoughts and experiences with the Slimpod soon, but in the mean time I have teamed up with Sandra from Thinking Slimmer to offer one of you lovely readers the chance to win their own Drop Two Dess Sizes or More Slimpod worth £29.99 to try out the weight loss programme for themselves.
The idea behind Slimpod is using cognitive behaviour and hypnotherapy techniques to make changes from the inside out, returning your mind so you regain control over food and what you eat. This enables you to change your relationship with food and eat only when you are hungry, stopping when you are full. Sounds simple doesn't it? It's all about creating lasting changes not a short term diet or unsustainable fasting.
The pod features the voice of Trevor (who now joins me in bed each night... via my iphone of course!) who is a world expert in influential language and his calming voice gently guides you in to breaking eating habits that you thought you were stuck with. As well as losing weight I have experienced other benefits including increased motivation and a more positive outlook on life.
If you want to put an end to constant diets and change your eating habits for the better you can follow the rafflecopter instructions below to enter to WIN a Slimpod for yourself. There will be a few fellow bloggers running similar giveaways so pop over to the Thinking Slimmer blog to find out where you can enter those too!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, 14 May 2015
My Favourite Freebies and Samples of the Month - May
If there is anything I love more than finding a great bargain it's getting something for free! I always keep an eye out for freebies and samples and share them across my social media channels (make sure you follow Mymummyspennies Twitter, Facebook Page and the money saving group so you don't miss anything!) but as I've found quite a few recently I thought i'd bring them together here on the blog. If it's popular I was also thinking of making it a monthly feature... What do you think?
Firstly a few things for the Mums...
Claim your free gift from L'Occitane En Provence (no purchase necessary!)
Have you tried the beautiful skincare products from French brand L'Occitane yet? If not, this is the perfect opportunity to try a selection from their range! Fill in a short form with your details an select your nearest branch to claim your free gift that includes:
Verbena Shower Gel 30ml
Verbena Body Lotion 30ml
Pivoine Flora Hand Cream 10ml
Shea Butter Foot Cream 10ml
Click here to claim your voucher by 24th May 2015. You will need to redeem it at your local store by the 31st May.
Get a Neal's Yard Remedies Hand Cream free with June issue of the Marie Claire Magazine (£3.99 spend)
I love Neal's Yard and regularly buy their hand cream so I was delighted to see that the June issue of Marie Claire magazine comes with a FREE 50ml tube of their nourishing hand cream in a choice of Wild Rose, Garden Mint & Bergamot or Geranium & Orange. These are each worth £10 so definitely worth the £3.99 price of the magazine! I chose the Wild Rose and have been using it every day!
Free Clinique Wonder Serum with June Issue of In Style Magazine (£3.99 spend)
Buy the June edition of InStyle magazine and get a mini (10ml size) of the fabulous Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum. Based on the RRP of the £100 mil version this is worth £11. I've not tried this yet but do love Clinique products and a few of my friends have highly recommended it!
Now something for the kids... (and big kids!)
Claim up to 9 Free LEGO sets when you buy the Daily Fail Mail Newspaper
This does involve purchasing the Mail (60p Mon-Fri, 90p Sat, £1.50 Sun) but you get free LEGO sets that would usually retail at between £4 and £6 so it's a pretty good deal.
There are 9 different sets available and a voucher will be in the newspaper each day from the 16th May to the 24th May. You will get a voucher in the paper that needs to be redeemed on the same day from WH Smiths (or Morrisons on Sunday only) It is while stocks last so I would suggest getting there handy in the mornings!
- Sat 16 May - City Police Helicopter (model number 30311)
- Sun 17 May - Super Heroes 'Joker' Bumper Car (30303)
- Mon 18 May - Creator Off-Road Vehicle (30283)
- Tue 19 May - Disney Princess (30116)
- Wed 20 May - Creator Tractor (30284)
- Thu 21 May - Star Wars Walker (30274)
- Fri 22 May - City Bin Lorry (30313)
- Sat 23 May - City Demolition Worker (30312)
- Sun 24 May - Ninjago Kai River Jet (30293
Have you found any great freebies this month? Do let me know in the comments or on social media!
Wednesday, 13 May 2015
CBeebies Swashbuckle Magazine is out today!
The first issue of the Swashbuckle magazine comes packed full of fun activities and includes a free Swashbuckle play set, featuring a foam pirate hat, pretty jewels, a special pirate spinner and your very own treasure chest!
The latest magazine from the CBeebies folks is aimed at children between the ages of four and six and my four year old has really enjoyed it. I've often found that the magazines aimed at children of this age tend to be very gender specific, although Elizabeth loves dancing and her favourite colour is pink she would rather be wearing a pirate hat than a tiara any day! I love that Swashbuckles magazine appeals to both my son and daughter in equal measure.
Although the free gifts are ideal for role play and have a lot of play value, the magazine has lots more to offer, there are stories, puzzles and crafts that children will learn from while also having fun with their Swashbuckle friends Gem, Cook, Line and Sinker!
Elizabeths favourite sections were Cooks Corner with the smoothie recipes she'd decided we're making at the weekend and the Pirate School cartoon, that she got her big brother Ben to help her read! She also enjoyed coloring the pirate ship and like most four year olds she was delighted with the stickers that came inside the magazine.
This magazine is jam packed full of value and is right on target to hold a four year old's attention and encourage them to learn with out them noticing it. This is certainly going to be a regular in our house.
You can read an interview with Steph Cooper, editor of the Swashbuckle magazine, over on the UKMums.tv website and don't forget to follow Swashbuckle magazine on twitter and like them on facebook!
Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Sunday Lunch at Whitegate Inn Beefeater, Oldham - Review
As working parents, weekends are really important to us. We try to do something special as a family every weekend, mostly it's things that don't cost a penny like a trip to the park or a country walk but every so often we like to treat ourselves to Sunday Lunch out! For me it's the ideal way of spending a Sunday afternoon; no cooking, no washing up and lots of time together to chat about our week!
This Sunday we were invited to enjoy Sunday lunch at the newly refurbished and reopened Whitegate Inn Beefeater Grill, in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
As we walked in I noticed the new bright and appealing decor, with wooden paneling and 'steak house' themed wall mountings. The children we're especially impressed with the 'grassy' hello sign and insisted on posing for a photo below it. It was a pleasant atmosphere and one I was looking forward to spending my Sunday afternoon in. We were greeted at the entrance and despite being early for our booking we were led straight to our table in the centre of the restaurant.
As well as the extensive menu that is available all week long we also had the option of the special Sunday Roast menu which as well as offering the option of Chicken, Lamb, Beef or Vegetable Wellington Roasts starting from just £7.99, also offered a variety of starters and desserts from £2.99 and the option to add extra roasties, gravy and Yorkshire puds to your meal for just 99p!
The children were each handed their own very special Mr Men and Little Miss Menus to choose from. I love Mr Men and Little Miss as it takes me back to my own childhood and it really delights me to see my children getting excited about the characters too. The children's menu offered a child sized Sunday lunch for £4.99 or a selection of great value meal deals ranging from £4.49 for a main and a drink to £5.99 for a 'tastebud tickler', main course, pudding and squash. This option also included a 20p donation to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.
While we waited, the children enjoyed coloring, puzzling and more with their special Mr Men and Little Miss activity pack, I was really impressed with how detailed these were as they had something for children of all ages from coloring to word searches, spot the difference, Mr Men sudoku and a step by step 'how to draw Mr Strong! which my 7 year old was quite good at!
The activity pack also contains QR code to scan with your smartphone to take you to a fabulous app where you can create your own Mr Men and Little Miss family portrait! It was great fun and you can see ours below:
The starters soon arrived and tasted just as delicious as they looked! The children both chose cheesy nachos which came with a tomato dipping sauce. I went for the loaded potato dippers with cheese and spring onion which were a lovely start to the meal, Mr MMP chose the breaded mushrooms which he thoroughly enjoyed and Nanna splashed out on some sticky BBQ ribs which arrived with a generous portion of coleslaw.
After a short rest our mains were served, both my husband and I had ordered from the Sunday lunch menu I was delighted to find a vegetarian option that still came with all the trimmings including roast potatoes, a Yorkshire pudding and even my own jug of vegetarian gravy! James was impressed with his beef that cooked to order, The crisp outside sealed a succulent and juicy piece of meat.
As I'm trying to make healthier choices (and I was full from my lovely roast!) I reluctantly decided to sit this course out but that didn't stop the rest of my brood! Mr MMP throughly enjoyed his enormous Honeycomb & Chocolate Sundae that was only £3.99 when ordered with the Sunday Lunch. After much deliberation my daughter Elizabeth, finally decided on the Jelly and Ice Cream which I as rather jealous of and my son Ben, went for the aptly named Chocolate Challenge. I think the pictures say it all...
We all enjoyed a delicious meal in a lovely setting with great company. The food was fabulous quality and really great value. We will certainly be returning to the Whitegate Inn to eat in the future!
We were sent vouchers towards our meal in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)