Dreaming of a week on the beach with the kids, or even a long weekend exploring some distant land in the sun?

Holidays can be a wonderful way to bond with your loved ones and create memories that last for a lifetime. Of course, they're not always the easiest thing to afford. When you're struggling to stretch the family budget far enough as it is, it can feel as though you'll never have enough cash for a holiday. 

The good news is that you don't necessarily have to give up on a family holiday if you're trying to cut back on your spending this year. Instead, all you need to do is think about how you can adjust your budgeting techniques to make your adventure more affordable. Here are a few tips to keep in mind. 

1. Consider Getting Some Extra Help

One of the biggest problems that families have when it comes to booking a holiday, is that we only have certain times in the year when everyone is available to travel together. Whether you're just taking a trip with your immediate family, and you need both parents to be off work, and the kids to be away from school, or you're traveling as a group, it's hard to make the schedules match up. 

Then, when you do find a time that seems to work for everyone, you may find that it doesn't give you enough space to save up your income for long enough to afford the trip. If that's the case for you, a little help could be the best way to go. A personal loan means you can enjoy your vacation worry-free, and then finish paying it off at a time that suits you. 

2. Look for Ways to Make Extra Cash 

If you're worried about having enough money for your family holiday, or you simply want to make sure that you have enough left over to splurge on souvenirs, then you might want to consider finding additional ways to make extra cash. For instance, there are plenty of websites online these days where you can go to offer up your skills as a freelancer. 

On the other hand, you could always consider a more traditional side-gig, like taking on a part-time job or becoming a dog walker for the people in your neighborhood. 

3. Save Wherever You Can

Before you even start saving for your family holiday, it's worth sitting down as a group and going through your budget. Look at how much cash you have coming in and going out each month and ask yourself where you might be able to cut back. For instance, would you be willing to sacrifice your Netflix subscription if it meant a dream holiday? Have you checked you are getting the best deals on pet insurance and home insurance? You may be surprised at how much small changes like this add up to every month.

Sometimes, you may not even have to sacrifice anything. Making simple changes like consolidating your debts or switching to a different energy supplier can save you a lot of money every month. The key is to find as many ways to save as possible, then focus on funneling all of your left-over cash into your "holiday fund".

4. Choose a Budget-Friendly Trip

Your decision of where to travel is sure to have an impact on how much you spend on your family holiday. For instance, it's probably not a surprise that a budget trip to Spain is less expensive than an all-inclusive adventure around Disney land. Choosing a place that's both appealing and affordable will make your holiday goals more accessible. Additionally, it helps if you can be flexible when it comes to dates and airfare. 

For instance, if you can pick a day for your flight that isn't a peak time, you can save a serious amount of money on your plane tickets. Even driving a little further so that you take off from a different airport can help to make your journey cheaper. 

5. Travel with a Group 

Another great way to save money on your booking? Travel as a group. You can save a serious amount of money just by telling your travel agent that there are 10 or more people going with you. Additionally, if you get everyone together for a trip at once, you reduce your risk of spending extra money on entertainment for the kids when you're at your destination. More people means more opportunities to have fun, bond, and avoid the boredom. 

Just make sure that you choose a group you feel comfortable spending time with for a week or two!

It is also worth making sure that you are getting the best deals on i

7 money saving secrets for your Winter break

With Summer now officially behind us and the holiday season fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to look at getting some Winter sun and enjoy some quality time with loved ones. 

To help you save money for you and your family, Vanquis Bank have given us some exclusive tips you can use when arranging your Winter break! 

Check out the best deals online  

Before booking your Winter break, makes rue that you are getting the best deal possible for yourself. There are many great comparison websites, which can help you save money and get a great deal. 

Clear your browser cache and cookies 

When planning a holiday, most people look up the price of a flight on comparison websites or airline sites several times before they make a booking.

Then when they finally click through to check out, they may notice the price has risen.

“Airlines and booking sites can record your browser history by installing cookies on browsers, meaning they can compare their price with what you have viewed previously and bump up the price as they see fit,” the Revolut team explained.

To avoid this, clear your browser cache and cookies and turn on private browsing before you go window shopping on airlines or booking sites, they advised.

Consider taking an indirect flight

If you don’t mind hanging around for a few hours, and entertain the kids  (we suggest packing books, I-pads and other things to keep the family entertained)– you can make a great saving. In addition to saving money, you can even see the stop over as a bonus because you get to see another place.

Pack lots of snacks

Pre pack some healthy snacks for the family before you head off. 

This not only helps you to save money at airport lounges, but when you get to your destination too. Knowing you have some healthy snacks to hand can also help you to avoid any potential grumpiness whilst travelling as well! 

Eat in at least once a day

Many restaurants offer lunch specials where items on the dinner menu are offered for a fraction of the cost you’d pay for the same meal in the evening. If you can, pop to a local supermarket and stock up on food items for your room, you’ll save a lot of money and time that you can use to sight see or relax! 

Hotels

If you're going down the hotel route, always check for special family deals, from discounted rates to free meals for children; many international chains offer these. Most hotels and guesthouses provide breakfast, but unless it's included in the room rate, it's often a waste of money for children, particularly if they only eat a piece of bread or a bowl of cereal. If breakfast isn't included, try asking for 'complimentary' ones for the children. 

Buy excursions online before you head off

Pre-booking holiday activities can not only save you the hassle of purchasing tickets abroad, but you can also take advantage of special offers that are only available online.  It would be a smart idea to do your due diligence and check that the website is credible. Be security conscious and check if they have a review page. Better yet, snoop online and look whether they have been mentioned on Trip advisor. 

The Presents New Mums Really Want

From baby clothes and toys to photo frames, there are plenty of thoughtful gifts out there to celebrate a new arrival. But if you want to treat a mum to something she’s guaranteed to really want, where should you start? Keep reading for present ideas that are bound to tick the right boxes.

Nappy cakes

For such small things, it’s amazing how many nappies new babies go through - so parents can never have too many of these essentials. Rather than simply handing over a regular pack of nappies - which, let’s face it, would be distinctly lacking in wow factor - why not give your loved one a carefully crafted nappy cake? Designed to look like delicious baked confections, these presents feature disposable nappies and other baby must-haves such as socks and muslin squares. You can take your pick from a selection of different nappy cakes from BabyBlooms and other specialist retailers.

A keepsake book

Before the birth, parents tend to race around making sure they have all the practical things they’ll need for the new additions to their families - and so sentimental purchases often take a back seat. Given that the first months and years of the baby’s life will probably pass by in a blur, a great idea for a gift is a beautiful keepsake book that mum can record all those important milestones in. From birthdays to first steps, this book will hold treasured memories that all the family can revisit year after year.

Pampering sets

It’s no secret that pregnancy and labour can take its toll on mums, and then there are all those sleepless nights to contend with. So, what better present to give to your loved one than a luxurious pampering set? Spoil her with everything from hand creams and body moisturisers to cuticle and nail balms and lip salves. You can also get sets with soothing bath soaks and a variety of other treats in. Having the chance to spend even just a little time relaxing and looking after herself should help mum to start feeling human again.

Home-cooked meals

Proper nutrition is a must for new mums, but finding the time to prepare tasty, healthy and comforting meals can be impossible. So, one way to show you care is to get busy in the kitchen and rustle up some delicious food. For example, you could box up a week’s worth of home-cooked meals - and why not throw in a selection of healthy snacks to help keep mum going too? She’s bound to appreciate the effort and thought you’ve gone to.

A TV or film subscription

The chances are, there’ll be long periods of time when mum is at home on her own with the baby, so another thoughtful present is a TV or film subscription. For example, you could arrange for an Amazon Prime or Netflix subscription so she’s got plenty to watch and keep her entertained for those potentially lonely hours. Or, if your loved one’s more of a reader, perhaps a gift voucher she can use to buy books on her e-reader would be better.

The key to choosing a present that a new mum really wants is to try to put yourself in her position and think what she might miss or need. If you’ve not had kids yourself, you could ask someone who has for their suggestions.

How to Include Your Dog on Your Wedding Day

How loving and adorable it would be if your best friend could take active participation in your wedding ceremony? Dogs are lovable creatures which can make you laugh even in the saddest moments. How can you forget your furry friend when it comes to the happiest day of your life?

There have been weddings where people have come up with amazing ideas on how to include pets on thewedding day. Below you can find some ways to justify it.

But before this, it is important to know a few things and gather some ideas about your dog. It entirely depends on what type of dog you have and how will it behave on your wedding day. With little preparation, you can manage it all perfectly. 

Plan a Proposal With Your Dog

How cute would it look when your furry friend helps you to pop the question? You can place a ring on its collar or a makeshift bow. A different way to ask the most important question you will ever ask!

Include Them in the Engagement Shoot

This doesn’t mean that your pet will accompany you in every single picture. But some classical shots will make the day memorable with your pet. You can put a signboard and get more creative by even placing the engagement ring with your pet. 

What is Necessary to Include Your Pooch on Your Wedding Day?

Dogs are still animals and you can’t judge how they are going to behave in certain situations, especially when you are expecting numerous guests in an enclosed space. You can hire a pet sitter which will look after your pet for the whole day, or ask if someone doesn’t mind keeping an eye on them. Just do not forget to bring food for your fury companion, otherwise it is going to be a long day for them!

Of course, before making such plans, it will be wise to check with the venue that they allow for pets. That is unless you are holding the ceremony or reception in your own back garden, in which case you may want to consider laying down an artificial lawn in order to reduce the damage that can come as a result of numerous guests. You can check this page out for more information. 

Make Your Dog the Ring Bearer or Flower Girl

Dogs are amazing creatures, loved by everyone. Here, you can make your pets wear beautiful leather collars to be a ring bearer for the wedding. Also, you can make them the flower girl by decorating their collar with beautiful flowers. 

Carry Them With You

If you are a guardian to small dogs, then carry them along with you at the wedding venue. Create a beautiful bucket and carve them with flowers or bouquet. Everyone present at the ceremony will adore your idea and creativity. 

Pet-Inspired Cake

If in one or the other case, if your pet pooch is unable to accompany you, don’t worry as pet inspired cake will include them in your ceremony. This gesture of love will truly inspire your partner and the guests about your love for your pet.

Why is outdoor play so important?

As regular readers will know, we have what I'm pretty sure could be described as the worlds smallest yard!

It has had several different feels to it over the 12 years since we bought our house, going from BBQ central to dog friendly and many different Child friendly variations.

Liv absolutely loves being outside doing anything, she is a social butterfly and generally happy to just be out! At various times we have squeezed in a play house, sand and water table and an extra small trampoline. Right now she has a picnic table with a sandpit inside, a basketball hoop and plenty of outdoor games, anything fun that encourages energy burning.

I absolutely love sitting outside in this wonderful weather we are having and listening to the children out in their gardens having fun, squealing with delight and getting moving, it reminds me of being young when we were out to play straight after school every night.

These days we all know how tempting it can be to leave the kids safe watching TV or on their devices for an extra 30 minutes to allow us to get to get that extra load of washing done, run the hoover over or sometimes just to have a hot cuppa! However the sad fact is, so many Children now are being left on these electronic devices without any adult supervision or time restrictions at all. While its fair to say a lot of Parents simply feel their Children are safer at home, it can cause other problems along the line. For example the rate of obesity in Children at the moment is truly shocking, with over 1,000 children being referred to hospital as a result of obesity, and 1 in 3 children between the ages of 2 and 10 being classed as overweight.

Finding a happy medium between physical exercise and screen time is key, it also helps if you can trust that your Childs school is doing all they can to help keep them physically moving and burning off energy, especially during break times.





Livs school has recently been fundraising for some wonderful playground markings and wooden climbing frames. They have just been installed in the last week or so and the Children already absolutely adore them!

 


For example Liv came home Yesterday telling me about games they have made up about jumping to different letters to spell out rhyming words, exercise and phonics work in one!





It's brilliant seeing all of the Children enjoying everything in the morning. I love that the school are investing both time and money in our Children's exercise needs, especially when I'm sure there is a hundred other places that money could have been equally helpful.

I can be confident that Liv is not only enjoying physical exercise on the yard but socialising and learning too. What more could you ask for?

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Do your school have any floor markings or equipment to encourage physical play? Please let me know in the comments, I would love to pass our head some more ideas.

Christmas in July 2018!

Yes it's that time of year again, where I bring you some festive ideas in the middle of Summer! If you are anything like me you will already be planning things for Christmas, organisation is key I say!

Here are a mixture of some things I have bought previously and some that are on wish lists this year.

I hope they inspire you!

 

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Track days driving experience

 

Do you know someone that would like to feel like James Bond for a few hours? How does driving an Aston Martin V8 Vantage sound?

Why not make their Christmas extra special with a Track Days experience! They can visit one of 9 UK venues and feel the power as they put their foot to the floor in this thrilling driving experience!

With plenty of cars and bikes to choose from as well as some Junior experiences, anyone who loves driving would be thrilled to receive a gift from Track days this Christmas.

I bought this for my Dad last year and he absolutely loved it! This particular experience is also an absolute bargain, currently reduced from £99 to just £39! Why not take advantage of the offer now? Gifts are valid for 10 months from date of purchase so plenty of time to book.

 

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A smart new suit

Right at the top of my Husbands wish list is this lovely Dobells Sharkskin suit.

This tailored fit grey sharkskin suit features a single-breasted jacket and two-button front fastening.

The suit trousers are lined to the knee, with a button waist, slanted hip pockets, belt loops and buttoned back pockets.

Available in chest sizes 34 to 48, waist 28 to 36 and short, regular or long length leg, priced at £99.99 with the option of adding a suit bag for £2.99, he will be very pleased if Santa leaves this under the tree this year!

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Cosy hats!

Everyone loves a nice cosy hat for winter right? Well look no further, I have my Mum sorted with the beautiful Buffwear beige knitted hat. With a stylish knitted look, fleece lining and pompom too, this one size hat will definitely go down well on the big day.

While I was browsing, I couldn't resist this Lena blush hat for Liv. Suitable for age 4-12 years, in a beautiful blush pink with Love applied to the front, this hat also has a full fleece lining for extra warmth on those cold Winter days.

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 For the dog in your life

How about this cosy personalised Pet bed from Giftpup. Priced at just £24.99, this small dog bed is personalised free and dispatched within 48 hours! 

This cosy bed feels soft and fluffy to the touch, manufactured from 100% polyester it features a cute paw print design around the outside. Dimensions 46cm x 40cm x 17cm.

Highly recommended by our puppy!

 

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For the music lover!

How about a Sennheiser Ambeo Smart Headset?

As you would expect from the brand name, these are a high-quality pair of in-ear headphones, providing the exceptional sound quality you expect from Sennheiser, as well as ultimate comfort thanks to a special ear hook design. The built-in microphone lets you take and make calls too.
                     
Unlike other headphones the Ambeo smart headset is the world’s first intuitive, compact, and mobile 3D sound recording headset.

Its earpieces are fitted with omnidirectional microphones that capture the sounds in your environment just like your ears do. With the Smart Slider you can adjust the mic sensitivity to normal or loud, i.e. concert, environments. This results in a stunningly three-dimensional and immersive sound experience, which can be enjoyed with any headphones on any stereo-capable device, allowing the listener to experience audio as if they were actually there.

The earpieces possess a unique feature called Situational Awareness. Using the rocker switch, you can either make the outside noise heard, allowing you to stay safe when you are on the street, or you can deploy the active noise cancellation, blocking out your environment to enjoy your music undisturbed.

 

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The all important drinks!

Franklin & Sons have partnered with Portobello road gin to launch G & T in a can! Perfect for those unexpected guests over the festive season.

 

For the visitors that are driving how about some grown up soft drinks? Franklin & Sons have some wonderful flavours sure to tickle your guests taste buds. My favourite is Wild Strawberry & Raspberry with cracked black pepper while my Husbands is the traditional dandelion & Burdock, check out the full range online.

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I hope I have brought you some gift inspiration this Christmas in July!