Telford Town Park #countrykids

Freddy is never keen on being dragged around the shops while his sisters go clothes shopping. New Look and Primark hold zero appeal for him, whereas my girls will happily explore every rack in the shop for the latest fashion buys.  With a bored 5 year old in tow, it is hard to relax and indulge in the retail therapy that my girls so enjoy. So this weekend we reached a very welcome compromise. I took Kizzy for a girlie clothes shopping spree, while Daddy and Freddy headed into the Town Park for some boy's time together.

We are really lucky that our nearest big town Telford, which is about 16 miles from home,  has a good shopping centre as well as a great play area, connected by a new complex of restaurants, which has been built around a lake and landscaped area.  We were able to enjoy a nice lunch together, before I headed off to the shops, and Ian headed off to the town park. It's nice that we all got to enjoy a day out, whilst doing something we each enjoyed.

Ian sent me photos of my little lad having a fantastic time playing in the sand, on the giant slide and trim trail and in the water park. It is a great area and absolutely free to use.  The water park with squirting jets of water was a real hit.  Thanks to the sunny weather, Freddy was able to strip down to his vest and pants and enjoy a good soaking.  We are loving this Indian Summer!

Knowing he was happy, burning off his excess energy and having fun left Kizzy and I free to shop at our leisure. It proved a great solution to our situation and everyone was happy - just how I like it!

My New Look Wish List

As a mum of three fashion conscious girls, I am a regular in New Look.  Much of  my daughters' clothing comes from there and I enjoy shopping with my favourite fashionistas as we browse the latest styles, fashions and trends. Although they enjoy picking out items to revamp their own wardrobes and to get the latest looks, they also encourage me to treat myself to some long overdue key pieces that will bring my dress sense up to date.  So next time I find myself shopping in New Look for Kizzy's latest party dress, Ella's latest skinny jeans or Meg's latest ankle boots, I will definitely be looking out for something for myself too!

The Monochrome Look

I really love the current trend for monochrome.  It is such an eye-catching style, reminiscent of the Mod era of the 60's.  New Look have a gorgeous range of dresses, trousers, tops and accessories that can give you this season's monochrome look.  You can go all out in black and white, or add a key piece to your everyday outfits to pay homage to this latest fashion must-have. I have chosen a wishlist outfit comprising of some of New Look's new seasonal lines.

The Te Amo chevron knitted jumper is a gorgeous design, with its flattering and very fashionable shape.  Teamed with some high waisted jeans this would look great and be comfortable to wear.  The Chelsea Boots are gorgeous and a real classic that can be worn throughout the season.  The Le Breve quilted jacket is stylish and practical and would be perfect at this time of year.  I can imagine going on a walk with the family wearing this outfit.  It'd look good and feel good to wear, being casual, comfy yet totally on trend.  I think my girls would approve too!

Te Amo Black and White Chevron Knitted Jumper £24.99 

High Waisted Jeans £22.99

Black Leather Chelsea Boots £69.99

Le Breve Black Quilted Jacket £69.99

Disclosure

It's Christmas!!!

December the first is here.  The advent calendars have started their chocolate flavoured countdown to the big day and the anticipation of things to come is palpable.  This year we fully intend to celebrate the whole of December to create magic moments with our family to prevent the feeling of it all being over too quickly.  There are so many recipes I want to cook and so many craft activities I want to do, I am spreading everything out across the month.  Each of the family has been allocated their own special day where they get to organise a pre-Christmas day, deciding on a theme including what we'll eat and what we'll do to celebrate the festive season.  I'm not sure what I'm letting myself in for, especially when it's Freddy's turn to pick the theme for the day, but it going to be such fun finding out.

I will be writing about what we get up to, what we cook and where we go, sharing some hints and tips along the way.

Today we went to Cadbury World to review their Christmas weekends (a write up will follow shortly).  Afterwards, on the way home we went to Ikea in Wednesbury for a bite to eat, and we were absolutely blown away by our visit!  If you are anywhere near an Ikea, it is well worth a trip this Christmas!

As we arrived we saw that they were starting their Christmas celebrations.  Ikea Family Members (which is a loyalty scheme completely free to join) can take their children to visit Santa every weekend between 10.30 and 4.30 for free.  He was housed in one of the room displays which had been decorated with a tree and lights.  A friendly elf greeted everyone and chatted to the kids while we waited to see Santa.  Santa himself was an absolute delight.  He was friendly, engaging, interested in the children and spoke to them all in turn.  He had a real beard too which I always thinks adds to the magic!  Each of my children including Ella were given a cuddly toy which was such a wonderful gesture.  He was the best Santa I think I've ever seen and the fact that it was free is just amazing!

The soft toys that the children received from Santa are part of the Cirkus range which cost £4 each and are so beautifully designed.  They are lovely animals dressed as circus performers. This range is just one of the many ranges of toys that Ikea sell.  They also stock children's books.  Plus for every soft toy or book sold before the 23rd December, Ikea are donating a Euro to the 'Soft Toys for Education' campaign.  It's lovely to buy a gift that will help another child.  I think it is a great way to donate something to charity.  The Ikea children's department was full of great and inspiring ideas for presents for the little ones.  We got Freddy a gorgeous traditional wooden toy which he'll find under the tree on Christmas morning.

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The restaurant was offering up some seasonal yummies including their kid's organic moose pasta with cheesy tomato sauce which also includes a free portion of fruit for just 99p.  They had a vegetarian spinach, chestnut and dolcelatte pie too.  I love that they cater for veggies and it is such good value.

Ikea were selling their Christmas trees outside the main store today.  The fresh, green, lush, pine scented Nordmann Fir trees looked wonderful.  You could pick your own and the staff were more than helpful letting you unwrap them to find the perfect shape and size tree.  Best of all though, you buy the tree for £25 and receive a £20 voucher to use in the New Year.  The voucher has no minimum spend and is valid until February 3rd.  This offer is on again next Saturday 8th December.  It is a fabulous deal.  We chose the tree that will be spending the next month gracing our living room in all its festive splendour.

Today was a wonderful start to our December celebrations.  Our brilliant Ikea trip was completely unexpected and we had a brilliant experience.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone this Christmas!

Thrifty Shopping Tips

How To Save Money On Your Weekly Grocery Shop

The price of our weekly shopping bill has sky rocketed in recent months.  Everyday essentials have tripled in price in some cases.  Home baking ingredients cost so much now that a once cheap alternative to buying ready made goodies has become a luxury.  With a family like mine, with multiple mouths to feed, I've had to make changes to the way I shop to maximize every penny.  Here are some of my top tips to thrifty shopping!


1:   Before implementing any thrifty changes to your shopping habits, have a store cupboard audit!  Check through your cupboards, pantry, freezer and fridge and take note of what you already have on the shelves.  There will be long forgotten tins, jars and packets languishing behind more recently purchased items.  This is their time to shine!!  After you have done your stock take, plan your menus around using up the older items.  Sell-by-dates have a bit of leeway, especially when you are dealing with cans, jars and dried foods.  Don't throw them away unnecessarily.  Planning meals around these forgotten items will almost definitely save you money on the weekly shopping bill, as you will only need to buy fresh produce for a few  week.   Your kitchen will also get a good sort out.  Get creative in the kitchen and have a bit of fun coming up with recipes which may go onto  become family favourites.  My use-up session lead me to invent "Shepherd's Pie with a Twist"  which basically saw me using up soya mince, tins of pulses, seasonings, tinned vegetables etc. and topping with a sweet potato and potato mash.  It's become a much requested dinner...although never to be identically repeated again!!  


2:  Look at the brands you buy.  Are you buying the most expensive top branded products?  If so you can save a fortune by doing a switch!  Most shops have an own brand label and increasingly also have an economy label.  Try them!  You may be surprised by the results.  My recent switches include:


Morrison's Economy Label
Strawberry Dessert Mix 10p
Mushy Peas 8p
Lemonade 17p
Long grain rice 1kg 40p
Batter Mix 7p


Tesco Value
Gravy Granules 20p
Veg Stock Cubes 12p
Kidney Beans 18p
Marmalade 17p


Comparing these prices against the top branded ones, you can see how much can be saved.  There are some economy products I've tried that do not match up to the top branded versions, but with the money saved from my other switches I can buy my Hellman's mayonnaise without feeling too guilty!


3:  Cleaning Products are expensive.  They may claim to make your surfaces gleam with a single spray but they rarely live up to their promises.  Economy Malt Vinegar costs just 13p.  Use it in a solution in a spray bottle and you have an effective cleaner, disinfectant, deodoriser and glass polish for pennies.  It really works and once dried doesn't smell at all so you won't end up with a house that smells like a chip shop!


4:  Pop to your local supermarket just before closing time.  Many products will be reduced for quick sale.  In my local Morrison's all the bread gets marked down to 9p.  I've packed my basket with loaves and rolls and paid less than a quid!  Baked goods freeze brilliantly and so we keep a couple of shelves dedicated to our 9p bread hauls which saves a fortune over the course of the week.  Beware of over zealous bargain hunters....it can get very competitive!


5:  Look out for special offers and bogof's.  Be flexible with what you buy and use the cheap offers to tailor your week's menu planning.  Think of your shopping in terms of what meals they will lend themselves to so you don't buy anything you won't need.  You can even research the special offers in advance and make a list that you stick to to avoid getting it wrong!  Don't be seduced into buying something you don't really have a use for just because it's half price...if it ends up in the bin it's a waste!


6:  When you buy your weekly vegetables  (be it on offer in a supermarket or from a market stall) don't let them go to waste.  As it gets to the end of the week make a use-up dinner for all the perishable vegetables lurking in your fridge or pantry.

A slow cooker veggie stew or soup is a perfect way of utilising carrots, leeks, potatoes, onions, swede, sweet potato and parsnips.  Any excess can be frozen.


7:  Make your own ready meals!!  Even when shop bought ready meals are sold cheaply, they are still an expensive way to feed a family.  It is so much cheaper to prepare your own to freeze for emergencies or for when a teenager needs a quick meal!  We've got a load of plastic lidded tubs that we use to pop in a portion of whatever I've made for dinner that night.  I usually make too much so we don't miss the extra portion being used in this way.  Freezing it then provides one free dinner later on in the week avoiding the need for those pricey, over-processed ready meals!


8:  Freshly made pizzas are really expensive in supermarkets but the kids love them.  Instead buy some own brand natural yogurt and economy plain flour.  You can use this to make your own fresh pizza dough.  Not only is making your own pizzas a fun activity to do with the kids, it can also be a very cheap meal idea!  Puree up a tin of economy plum tomatoes with a sprinkle of herbs instead of buying a shop bought sauce.  Top with whatever you've got  available and use some economy Mozzarella (42p in Morrison's) and a handful of DIY grated economy mild Cheddar.

9:  Keep an eye out for coupons and discount codes.  They can really make a difference to shopping in store or online.  Many brands give away coupons via Facebook apps.  Sometimes you can even get a product for free.  Free is the best price ever!!  I love seeing the money coming off at the till when I hand over a handful of downloaded coupons!!


10:  Avoid 'popping to the shops' on a whim if you feel peckish or emotional.  Try to do a weekly shop and stick to that (with the exception of  an occasional closing time expedition if your local store slashes prices on perishable goods!).  It is so easy to pop out for something while feeling a bit needy and spend £20 on junk food!  A carrier bag full of cake, crisps and chocolate is not helpful to your waistline, your emotional state or your purse!!  


We have trimmed our shopping bills and are far more disciplined in our shopping habits by following these rules.  We are saving our money and taking more control over what we eat.  Even in the current economic climate and with prices soaring, you can make the most of your cash by being a thrifty shopper!


I'm entering this post into the Approved Foods/Tots100 competition and the Fabulous Thrifty Carnival where you will be able to pick up some thrifty tips from other money saving bloggers!!

Check It Out! #Project 366

Checking Out in Tesco!

The Dress Sense Dilemma!

I have just returned from a shopping trip, looking for clothes to wear for Cybermummy.  I went to Republic and I loved lots of things.  Gorgeous denim hotpant dungarees, a skull design boob tube, a floaty, floral, zip-up mini dress, a funky cardi worn over a top that showed your midriff. Then it suddenly hit me....I have the dress sense of a skinny teenager trapped in the body of an overweight middle aged woman!

Somehow my mind and taste has not progressed since 1985.  I'm mentally stuck in a place where the idea of wearing middle age appropriate clothes fills me with repulsion.  My 16 year old self refuses to vacate the part of my brain reserved for fashion sense.  It is an actual problem...there should be some form of therapy for this mental issue!

I found myself admiring the funky slogan vests with "I'm the one your mother warned you about" then thought what the hell was I doing!!  The only reason that would apply to me would be if I became a Cougar-like stalker of young men.  Their mothers would most definitely be warning their sons against the strange, greying lady, in the "mutton dressed as lamb" ensemble,  who was giving them the eye.  Wrong on so many levels!  The slashed sided T-Shirt with a rib cage design on it also struck me as being pretty cool...again, I could just visualise my pasty belly  and nursing bra showing through the slits which were designed to show the taut, unstretchmarked flesh I had as a teenager!

The clothes I liked didn't seem to be available in a size above a 10 (probably for the best to be honest).  Teenaged daughter Ella happily pointed out that I could buy them for her instead, and with her amazingly svelte six 6 figure, she is definitely a better brand ambassador than I could ever hope to be.

So I returned from my trip empty handed bar a sensible beige cardigan which was reduced in Primark. (Ooh get me!! Rock and roll or what!) So, I'm back to square one without  my uber cool outfit for Cybermummy.  But at least I know that next time I hit the shops I should probably head off to M & S or somewhere a little more age appropriate!!

Me in 1985 rocking the animal print/pyramid look!!

The Savvy Shopper's Best Kept Secret...Whatafind.com

We are all feeling the pinch of the economic climate.  With prices skyrocketing, I'm on the constant look out for ways to save money without compromising on quality or style.  However, searching for those elusive bargains, to make my hard earned pennies go farther, can be a laborious process.  That is until now.  I've discovered Whatafind.com, the savvy shopper's best kept secret!  What a Find offer market clearance items, end of lines, overstocks and returns from quality brands at hugely discounted prices all in one place.  They do all the legwork sourcing these bargains saving us considerable time, effort and energy as well as saving us up to 80% on the original prices.

Including brands such as Panasonic, DeLonghi, Dior, Miss Sixty, Emma Bridgewater and Mamas and Papas, this isn't a dumping ground for old stock, it's an Aladdin's cave of hidden treasures. They aim to offer unrivalled value with stock that is constantly being updated.  What a Find act as middlemen, organising delivery to your doorstep direct from the suppliers.

The website lists its goods under seven headings: Electrical, Fashion, Living Room, Bed and Bath, Kitchen and Dining, Baby and Child and Gifts making it easy to browse for what you are looking for. You can also shop by brand.  The site is easy to navigate and user friendly.

All items are fully tested and come with a 3 month warranty.

The prices on the website represent genuine bargains when compared to big high street stores.  It really is worth checking out Whatafind if you are looking to purchase something online.  For instance I've just looked for a DeLonghi Coffee Maker (Model ECO310.BK)

Whatafind Price on 31/3/2011 is £98.00
Amazon Price on 31/3/2011 is £132.58

Delivery times depend on where your item is being shipped from, but generally it will be shipped within 14 days.  Delivery charges vary depending on the supplier, but it is made clear as a price breakdown in your basket exactly what you will be charged.

Whatafind have kindly offered to send me a quality, top brand item from their website so I can review it Inside the Wendy House.  I am looking forward to experiencing  Whatafind  for myself and will be giving my opinion on the delivery, the packaging, the quality on arrival and on the product itself.  I am very excited to be trying out Whatafind.com because I am genuinely impressed with what I've seen so far.  If it lives up to my expectations I will be very impressed indeed!

The "Swap and Save" Shopping Challenge

If you are anything like me, you will have been totally dismayed to see your food shopping bills sky rocket in the last few months.  I consider myself to be a careful shopper, buying things when they are on special offer, but the weekly cost of my family's everyday essentials has risen by a huge 30%+!  Factor in the cost of petrol and our family's budget is being over stretched like never before.

I was contacted by Premium Supermarket Discounter Aldi to see if I was interested in testing some items from their Everyday Essentials range and trying out Swap and Save.  The idea being to test out one of Aldi's low priced products against the top branded equivalent.  They say you could save up to 40% of your food bills a week, without compromising on the quality! Sounds good!!

I am not an Aldi shopper myself, but my parents swear by it.  So they were very excited by the prospect of me testing out a selection of goods for myself.  I would get to try like brands for cheaper prices...for example take their Baked Beans.  Priced at just 29p they are a fraction of Heinz's 64p price tag.  Or the Tomato Ketchup which Aldi sell for 69p as opposed to Heinz's £1.95!

Aldi has ranked third in the Which? Customer Satisfaction Supermarket Survey 2011 for its excellence in pricing, quality and customer service.  It beat all the big four supermarkets, finishing only behind Waitrose and M&S.  It scored 5/5 for pricing and was noted as offering "brand quality products at everyday, exceptionally low prices" with shoppers saying they had seen their food bills slashed by a third!

So over this week we will be trying out 'Swap and Save' Inside the Wendy House.  This will include some fun, blind tastings as well as using some ingredients in my everyday meals.  Aldi have provided all the products for my 'Swap and Save', but you can be sure of an honest and clear account of our experience!

Stay posted for our Swap and Save Vlogs at Inside the Wendy House!