Half term holidays

Myself and the family (in laws included) are off to Italy for the half term. We, like most families we know have had to tighten our financial belts a bit over the last few years and holidays sometimes seem like an extravagance. 


However, having thought it through, we have decided that for our family, holidays are a priority. We have made compromises and cut corners elsewhere to make sure that we could have a holiday. Our eldest will be 13 in July and I can't help thinking that there are precious few years left before we get to the 'no thanks, I'll stay at home' stage. And then what??


We can't have that time back...time spent away from home together is definitely positive for us. No jobs to do, no phones to answer, no work = more time to talk and more time to listen. More time to play together, relax together and generally have fun together. It is amazing what that can do for the family dynamic. 


I am really looking forward to our holiday! Whatever you are doing this half term, we hope you find some time to relax with your family. Enjoy! 

Enjoy the Jubilee!

Happy Jubilee Weekend to all of our customers and friends (many of you are both!) We hope you enjoy the long weekend and get to spend some bonus time with your loved ones. We are closed to do just that on Monday 4th and Tuesday the 5th of June but we are open Saturday 2nd June and back to 'normal' whatever that is!) on Wednesday 6th.

Have a great weekend and we will see you next week......

Family Meal Planner?!

I have just had another idea about something that really helps us save money (and time!) as a family. A friend of mine convinced me to give meal planning a go. Please don't assume I am a highly organised super-mum...quite the contrary in fact, but that just makes the meal plan even more valuable.

So the idea is that you plan a month at a time. It takes about an hour if you want to include some new recipes (one of the reasons I have started doing it). We are vegetarian so I used to worry about the kids getting a good balanced diet. We also, like any busy family, have some days when a quick and easy meal is necessary, and others where I can spend a bit more time in preparing and cooking a meal. Prior to our meal planning days we would end up eating more pasta than was good for us, and wasting food either in leftovers or buying too much in the first place. Now, shopping is easy because I know exactly what we are eating, leftovers are factored in or eaten for lunch and stressful evenings where we get in late and there is nothing to eat are a thing of the past!

There are quite a few meal planners and tips/ideas online, including this one at Netmums but here is the method as passed on to me by my friend Sara (thanks Sara!) Start by making lists of meals and grouping them in 'types'. For example, I make a pasta list, an egg based list, a pulses list, a potato list etc. Incorporate into this any new meals you fancy having a go at. The beauty of this is that you can get your family trying new things and put these meals on days when you have a bit more time to take the stress out of it. Then put quick and easy meals that you know the kids like on days when you need a quick turnaround. Or put meals that can be reheated on the days when you know there will be more than one 'sitting' required! Put some thought into efficient use of time and energy. So, if you are having chilli one day you could cook extra rice and have fried rice within the next couple of days. Sara leaves one day a week blank (Saturday I think?) to allow for leftovers, a day for daddy to deal with dinner or eat out...but I just found we reverted to our old habit of last minute panic so I fill in every day.

I have spoken to friends about my method and some of them already use a meal plan but tend to do it weekly. I prefer the monthly approach as it allows for more variety and does not feel like a chore when you do it because it is only once a month.

Critics say it takes spontaneity out of your meals and does not allow for flexibility but we have found that if we don't fancy what is on the plan we just swap it for the next day...you know the food is there and it still gets eaten, just on a different day. It does not mean you have to turn down invites either. Just freeze anything you may have prepared before accepting the last minute dinner invite and build it into your next plan.

I can't imagine we will ever revert to managing without a meal plan (well, not while the kids are at home anyway!) Everybody loves it! The kids know what they have for dinner, they have some input into the plan so can request favourites and help me look for new ideas using the cookery books. We definitely waste less food and spend less at the shops, I don't worry about variety in their diet and I don't spend wasted time trying to work out what we are going to eat.

Give it a go and let me know how you get on!

Look after the pennies.....Part Two!

Yesterday I blogged about how families with young babies can save money by choosing to use washable nappies. 

If you are expecting your first baby it seems like the list of 'essentials' for your new bundle of joy is endless and the costs involved can be quite daunting. However, we have a few tips that might just help you save yourself some money!

First of all, try to focus on your priorities. How you want to live with your baby, any definite positives or absolute negatives? Talk to other people who have had children, especially friends who you think are similar to you. Ask them what they have found invaluable and what they wish they had not bothered with and ask them why? Read all you can: magazine articles, books, online reviews. But, take all of this information in the context of what is important to you. There is no point in spending £200 on a car seat if you don't have a car (an extreme example, but you get the idea!)  Think about a day with your newborn baby. What might you do? For example, if you have a dog that needs walking it would be a good idea to invest in a decent baby carrier.

Once you have carefully considered all of these points, proceed with caution. Look at products that have longevity of use, check out warranty periods. Don't be put off from looking at higher price tags if you are on a budget. This might sound crazy but sometimes investing well at the beginning can save you money in the long run. For example, the Stokke Tripp Trapp chair is at the higher end of the market in terms of price for a highchair. However, it comes with a 7 year warranty and can be adapted for use from birth through to adult. If invested in from the start, this chair can save buying a combination of seating options for a baby and child as they grow!
Think about your priorities and question everything. I would say the only real essentials for a newborn baby are nappies, vests and babygrows, a car seat and a carrier that is comfortable for baby and you (try to invest in one that you can use until your child is old enough to walk a good distance, like the Manduca which is suitable from birth but can easily accommodate a 3 year old.

Obviously, there are some variables and eventualities you cannot plan for (cross these bridges as they come, do not spend money just in case something happens!)

Of course, if you are lucky enough to have friends, family, neighbours or colleagues that have children you may be able to borrow some items, don't be afraid to ask! There is also a good market for second hand baby items but don't be tempted to buy something if you have not researched it thoroughly and beware of cheap copies.

This may sound like strange advice from someone running a baby shop - surely I should be encouraging you to spend more money?! But I believe that if you live by these rules it will enable you to spend a bit more money where it does count, on quality products that you will use for years!

I have just returned to the shop having been to do today's post run. Of course today is the day that the much talked about postal rate increase has been implemented. It is quite an increase! It got me thinking about the (also much talked about) current financial crisis. It seems that the majority of people we speak to have either been made redundant, taken a pay cut, pay freeze or at the very least not had a pay rise for a very long time. Combine this with cuts in child tax credit, working families tax credit and child benefit and it is a bleak picture. Even worse is that every day essentials are getting more expensive....petrol, bread, pasta, milk, electricity/gas and now postage!

So, we have been thinking about tips for saving money, or spending wisely when you have a family to provide for. We have a few ideas and we will be blogging about them one at a time!

Today is a no brainer for me. I know a lot of families do not want to even think about it but it seems so obvious to me that I can't comprehend why families would choose not to do it....washable nappies!

Using washables saves on the expense of buying nappies, nappy bags and bin liners (watch your rubbish halve overnight!) before you even factor in the environmental benefits. To be completely fair I guess you need to consider the cost of washing (detergent and electricity) and drying but if you sit down and work it out over 2 and a half years (for one child, free for second, and third in our house!) you are definitely going to save money.

I have just had a quick look online and disposable nappies are on average 15p each. If you change your baby an average of 6 times a day (more when they are newborn, less as they get older) that makes it 90p a day x 7 days in a week = £6.30 x 130 weeks (assuming most children toilet train around 2 and a half, some will be earlier, some later and most will still be wearing night time nappies at this age but I am trying to keep it simple) = £819.00 for 1 child, and I think I have been quite conservative with my estimates.

Washables, including wraps, liners, bucket, mesh, wet nappy bag etc will cost you no more than £350.00 even for the 'top of the range' brands and can be done much cheaper if you are happy to do a bit of folding!! Washing costs are hard to estimate but even if we say an extra £100 you are still quids in and that is just for one child. Don't forget with number 2 you only pay for the laundering.

Give it some serious thought. Have a good think about what is stopping you switching. If you have any questions or would like to talk about it, call us or email. We love a good natter. And remember, the sooner you switch the more you save!

New Harness Buddies!

We have been asked loads for a substitute for traditional reins, a way of keeping little ones close and safe without making them feel restricted and cross! We have searched high and low and come across a few variations on a  theme, but we think the big hit with the kids (and lets face it, they are the important ones!) will be these Harness Buddies. Each one is a cute animal that has a sturdy harness and 'tail' attached. The child wears the animal and the parent holds the tail, keeping the kids and the grown ups happy!

Particularly useful in busy places: town centres, parks, airports, markets, shops or near hazards such as water, roads and steep drops.

Available in a variety of very cute designs...pick your favourite and get going!

Sun Protection Creams

As we approach Summer we come to that time where parents everywhere are considering the best way to protect their little ones from the sun. It is rare for us in the UK to get really hot weather but it is also widely accepted now that even on cloudy days, delicate skin can burn. The dilemma is that it has also been widely publicised recently that Vitamin D deficiency is increasingly common in people in the UK, the sun being our main source. The trick is to ensure your children get enough sun to get their Vitamin D without risking burning their skin and increasing the risk of skin cancer.

It is the UVB rays in the sun that boost levels of vitamin D and some studies have shown that during the Winter in the UK there is not enough sun to increase levels of vitamin D. Therefore our bodies rely on stores from the Summer months.

The NHS advise is that in the UK if we spend some time in the sun in the middle of the day exposing as much of our skin as possible, 10-15mins should be enough but obviously this varies from one person to the next. Sunscreen should be applied if you are in the sun longer than this.

It is also worth considering the type of sunscreen you choose for your family. Chemical sunscreens work because your body absorbs the chemicals contained in them and the chemicals then absorb the sun's rays. Mineral sunscreens work by coating the surface of your skin and reflecting the sun's rays away from your skin.

Chemical sunscreens have been linked to an increased risk of cancer but I will allow you to do your own research on that topic as it is highly controversial.

In conclusion, there are many variables involved in sun protection. The intensity of the sun, the time of day, the percentage of your skin that is exposed, UVA/UVB rays, individual sensitivity to the sun. As parents we have to make informed choices and take calculated risks on all sorts of topics.

Personally, I go for my usual mantra of 'everything in moderation' so my kids are allowed to play in the sun for short periods of time without sunscreen. I don't bother sending sunscreen to school, despite demands by teachers, because I don't think they spend enough time in the sun for it to be necessary. They do, however, all take hats. If we are outside in the sun for prolonged periods of time I prefer them to cover up with a light t-shirt or rash vest if in the water, rather than applying head to toe cream. We then just use a mineral sunscreen (Naturally Cool Kids Sunshine Armour is our favourite) on face, neck and forearms.

When choosing a sunscreen make sure it protects against UVA and UVB rays and whatever the SPF factor, reapply every 2 hours if you are in full sun.

I hope that helps, lets hope we get some sun this year!!