The BaBee Blog

How NOT to pay the £5 booking fee with Ryan Air!

2010-04-16T00:16:00.000-07:00

It's simple. Book your flights with your BaBeeCard!

Flight prices on first glance look reasonable enough but the minute you go to check-in online (as you can no longer check-in at the airport), you'll be hit with the booking fee.

There is SOME good news, Ryan Air are waiving the £5 booking fee per flight if you book your using a Prepaid MasterCard - really great news for those who are travelling as a family which could set you back £40 in charges alone for a return flight for four people. Or if you are a frequent flyer for work.

So, if you haven't had a good enough reason before to invest £9.95 on a BaBeeCard, then these charges by Ryan Air clearly demonstrate how you can cover the intial purchase price of you card in one return flight with Ryan Air.

Come on jetsetters, not only is your BaBeeCard a great alternative to carrying cash, but you get access to our discount portal with over 100 high street retailers offering discounts on everyday family essentails.

Welcome Phoebe - mummy's got a new baby :-)

2010-04-16T00:08:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while dear blog, and I am sorry to have deserted you for so, so long, BUT! I did have a good excuse....I had to get a rather chunky 8lb 10oz baby girl out of my severly stretched tummy.

Phoebe Millicent Hilary Sussum was born on the 13th November 2009 at 6.20am.

The birth was far from an amazing experience, more like one of sheer terror....another cesarean but this time under a general anasthetic due to silly, incompetent doctors trying to jab the BIGGEST needle into my spine to give me a local for the operation...DODO Doctor waisted so much time fumbling about, I ended up being put out for the count.

Anyway, enough about how my little marshmallow legs came into the world, let's give 3 cheers and welcome yet another bundle of joy, smiles, love, sick, wee, squirty poo and years of flapping about trying to keep them safe, into the world.

Hip Hip Horay!
Hip Hip Horay!
Hip Hip Horay!

This year’s Christmas Toy Dream Dozen for under £50 from the Toy Retailers Association

2009-10-30T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Christmas Wishlist has been unveiled and the dream dozen are listed below, all under £50 which is encouraging!

I must say though, number 5 on the list, Go Go Pets Hamsters disturbs me somewhat, think i'll be giving that one a miss this year!

It is nice to see Lego still going strong after all this time although I still find the heads on the people a choking hazard even for me :-)

Bakugan Battle Pack, Spin Master (RRP £19.99)
Battle Strikers starter Set, Mega Brands (RRP £9.99)
Ben 10 Alien Force Kevins DX Action Cruiser, Bandai (RRP £29.99)
Bendaroos Mega Pack, Spin Master (RRP £19.99)
GO GO Pets Hamsters, Character Options (RRP £9.99)
GX Racers Tightrope Terror, Flair (RRP £22.99)
Kidizoom Multimedia Digital Camera, V-Tech (RRP £49.99)
LEGO Games Minotaurus, Lego (RRP £17.99)
Monopoly City, Hasbro (RRP £24.99)
Princess Peppa’s Palace, Character Options (RRP £39.99)
Sylvanian Families Caravan, Flair (RRP £44.99)
Transformers Movie 2 Voyagers Figures, Hasbro (RRP £22.99)

BaBeeCard will save you money at the following stores on the toys above:

ASDA 5% discount
Sainsburys' 5% discount
Argos 8% discount
Debenhams 10% discount
House of Frazer 10% discount

BaBeeCard gets a 5 star rating

2009-10-22T09:46:00.000-07:00

Prepaid cards make great claims to save you money, but how do you know which one to go for? You can be reassured by independent reviews like this one for BaBeeCard. We were really pleased to hear that the reviewers at Prepaid365.com gave the card a 5 star rating. The review reads, “The BaBeeCard does exactly what it says on the tin - helps deliver excellent savings across a wide range of mother and baby products.”

Other plus points highlighted on the independent review site included the Moneyback Promise whereby you get back your initial investment of £9.95 if you have not saved that much in the first year. The only down point that Prepaid365.com found was that the card only come in pounds sterling: the rest of the world is just going to have to wait!

The BaBeecard has also won a couple of great accolades: in the Times Business Money Central feature on ‘Money Saving Tips You Never Heard Before’ the first tip is to ‘Get a BaBeecard’. And BaBeecard won the ‘Best Prepaid Gift Card’ category in the Prepaid365 Awards earlier this year. With this sort of endorsement, you really should check out how BaBeecard can save YOU money too.

Financial help to get a grip on your finances

2009-10-20T00:16:00.000-07:00

It is not often that you can get a grant to help to sort out your finances so if you are in financial trouble or simply feel that your money skills are missing, check out the new grants from the Money Saving Expert (MSE) Charity.

The MSE Charity aims to fight financial and consumer illiteracy and is dedicated to educating and informing adults and children about consumer and debt issues. If you’re 18 and over you can apply for a grant of up to £500 to help pay towards a recognised and approved course that will help improve your ability to budget and manage your finances.

The grant can be used to pay for financial education course fees and other associated expenses. There are also grants of up to £5,000 for groups who want to run workshops and other innovative schemes that seek to educate people about money, debt and consumer issues.

Don’t delay: the deadline for the next round of group applications is 30 November 2009 and applications for support for individual courses is 15 December 2009. Visit www.msecharity.com/index.html?pid=21 to find out more.

Travel with Economy

2009-09-28T00:57:00.002-07:00

Are your car bills making a big dent in the family budget? Petrol is costly, car insurance is expensive, and unexpected repairs can push you into the red.

Here are some simple tips to keep your car bills down:

Keep your tyres pumped up. This actually makes your car use less petrol every time you use it.
Check your route for jams before you travel. Avoiding traffic jams saves you fuel.
To save further, take unnecessary loads out of the car. If you drive round with a boot full of junk you are making your car work harder. Taking the roof rack off unless you are using it helps too.
For more reductions in petrol use, keep the air-con off unless you really need it.

You can get 5% off petrol from certain supermarkets when using your BaBeeCard.

Use price comparison sites to shop around for car insurance: I saved over £100 this year by doing this. I also saved 40% on my AA breakdown cover.

Old Fashioned Economy and Super Savings

2009-09-23T10:00:00.001-07:00

If you are tightening your budget, why not look back sixty years or more for some simple savings tips. During the Second Work War rations were introduced and everyone was encouraged to ‘make do and mend’. If you ask your parents or grandparents they will remember being encouraged not to waste anything, and that’s a lesson we could all do well to follow today.

One big area of potential waste is food, and there is a simple way to save here. Just make a weekly meal plan and shopping list. When you shop ONLY buy foods on the list. You will soon work out a plan which includes regular family favourites which saves you time and stress planning what to cook each evening too. You can make additional savings on food from your favourite supermarkets by joining a discount club like BaBeeCard.

Snowballing to save

2009-09-21T00:45:00.000-07:00

If you have debts, have you tried ‘snowballing’ to pay them off as quickly as possible? This is a simple way to make sure your money is working for you in the best way possible. Simply pick the debt with the highest interest rate and pay that back first. Then, when that one has been repaid, move your money on to repay the next debt.

This way you pay the least interest on what you owe. It is also cheaper than consolidating your debt. Just don’t forget to make the minimum payment on each debt or negotiate with the lender to spread payments in an affordable way. And think about why you have debts in the first place too: try to spend less!

Are you saving or spending?

2009-09-21T00:42:00.000-07:00

The BBC has just reported that Brits have lost the saving habit and are paying off debts instead. The recession has driven savings rates down so more and more families are seeing little point in putting money in savings accounts. At the same time the cost of borrowing has risen. July was the first month where, as a nation, we paid back more than we borrowed.

This means it makes sense to pay off debts as quickly as you can. Look at your outgoings and see if you can find some ways to make savings. If you stop smoking or cut back, for example, you could use that extra few pounds each week to repay a credit card debt. Walking to work when you might have got the bus or used the car is a winning option too. You win three times over: you are healthier, you save on the cost of the cigarettes or travel, and you save again when you have less interest to repay on your debts. Give it a go and let us know how you get on.

The Mirror: Save on your petrol bills

2009-09-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

Credit crunch crusader has some good tips on how to save on your petrol bills due to the 2p per litre hike in fuel duty.

If you have a Sainsburys' locally then it's worth ordering our Sainsburys' Gift Cards which will save you 5% on your petrol each time!

You can find your local Sainsbury's here: http://tinyurl.com/lhc6on

BaBeeCard is £9.95 to buy for 2 years, on an average weekly spend of £41.75 you would save £108 a year in fuel alone that's not including the additional saving of 5% on all your groceries, drink and other items you could purchase from Sainsbury's if it's your supermarket of choice.

Tescos' gives new meaning to buy one get one free!

2009-08-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

Every little helps is Tesco's slogan, and in the case of handing out double at the ATM, it seems their slogan is ringing true.

Imagine the delight when putting in your bank card and requesting £20 and getting £40 back, I am sure some people must have thought there was a camera somewhere for a "youv'e been punk'd" episode.

I am such a worry wort and have a massinve guilt complex, so much so that I just put the last Smarties Mini Bite back in the fridge for my son when he wakes up from his afternoon nap, even though that little gooey chocolatey bite is a calling me and won't let up!

Just as Tesco launch their big PR campaign to inrease footfall by doubling the clubcard points they manage to give out an extra £5000 in cash due to computer blip at the ATM. It seems it would cost more money to chase each customer to retrieve the money so they have just written it off as a loss.

Technically, taking the money and not reporting it is theft, but the Crown Prosectution Service has said there is no crime that deals specifically with being overpaid by an ATM.

It's funny how things always seem to balance out in the end, some families are desperately struggling with the rise in food prices and general living costs. Life works in mysterious ways and some prayers are answered in the way you would least expect. It seems every cloud has a silver lining, so, ENJOY your windfall people and be grateful to Tescos' for giving you a helping hand.

You can read the full article here

Sainsburys': from paper voucher to Gift Card

2009-08-18T07:51:00.000-07:00

We have now moved to a Gift Card from paper vouchers for the Sainsburys' 5% discount available to BaBeeCard cardholders.

You can still use your discount on petrol and can also use your discounted Gift Card to purchase other companies Gift Cards instore at Sainsburys.

Here is a link to the FAQs surrounding the Sainsburys' Gift Card.

With summer sunshine and BBQ's galore, I am sure the 5% discount on everything in-store will come in handy this summer.

You can use the Gift Card at the till against other in-store promotions or coupons from magazines and newspapers.

Phil & Teds 3-wheeler - Save 20% with BaBeeCard and Babyworld.com combined discount

2009-07-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

Now that I have finally come to terms with having another baby (took me a while to get my head around my life turning upside down again), I have started to think about all the little hiccups that may present themselves whilst nurturing a newborn and a toddler tearaway. The pram issue is first on my list to solve!

I ADORE my Quinny travel system and bought it purely on the hydraulic system, the shape and of course, the acid green colour only a Shrek fan could love. I then bought a lightweight foldaway buggy which I hate, it's so flimsy, I have already broken it in a temper when trying to fold it away and worst of all, it's black, which I find totally boring. Give me colour, stripes or polka dots, anything but boring black but after seeing a Phil & Teds on http://www.babyworld.com/ with a 10% discount, coupled with my BaBeeCard 10% discount, I may just have to settle this time for something a little more understated. (wonder if they do any diamonte or blingtastic accessories?)

I really don't want to spend another £400 plus on a new buggy system but it'll be sods law that once I make the decision to buy a toddler board for the Quinny, my son will decide he doesn't like walking anymore at all and will be a total pain to take anywhere. He is already displaying some early signs of "carry me mummy, walking is tooooo much like hard work" with arms stretched upwards, big puppy dog eyes and blocking my path whenever I want to take a few steps forward, so heaven knows what he will be like when his rival sibling is cacooned in the buggy and is being pushed.

I have heard some very good reviews about Phil & Teds and a few bad ones but then even my Quinny drove me mad occassionaly as I live in the country and the woods really don't like the pram wheels, also it says up to 3 years old but the straps are impossible to release to accomodate even a 2 year old!

Original price: £426.45
Babyworld members price: £383.00 (10% discount)
Additional BaBeeCard discount: £38.30 (10% discount)
Total: £344.70

You save a total of £81.75 when purchasing from babyworld.com and using the BaBeeCard discount code - if you don't have a BaBeeCard then paying the £9.95 to get one will STILL save you £71.75.

Before I take the plunge, do any of you have a Phil & Teds 3 wheeler and what are your views on it's usability, value for money etc?

Post retail sex - trip to the sausage counter at the butchers anyone?

2009-07-24T08:51:00.000-07:00

According to mycelebrityfashion.co.uk women feel more in the mood for sex after shopping for themselves, erm, now I don't know about other people but shopping for "myself" these days consists of a bigger bra, maternity clothes, flatter shoes and bio-oil!

Even before I became pregnant again, shopping for myself was occassionally a new dress to shoe-horn my post-baby body into, a pair of high heels that I look nice but I can't actually walk in or some new underwear that is "comfy" rather than sexy. (Oh the joys of motherhood!)

A study of 2062 women between 18-35 shows that 38% of women and more likely to have sex with their partner after a good spree.

"When asked “are you more likely to feel ‘in the mood’ for sex after shopping?” 38% of respondents said ‘yes’."

I wonder what percentage of the 38% had children running amok at home?!

Shopping these days leaves me tired, frustrated and longing to escape the bright lights, assault on my cash flow and disappointment that the mirror trickery in-store doesn't work in the same way as it does at home. The shock of finding out that I am actually 5 foot 5 and slightly larger around the bottom and thighs than the shop mirror led me to believe always leaves me feeling depressed and determined to "get in shape", in fact, those blooming mirrors give me a complex!

The overiding feeling post retail these days is one of "guilt", imagine how many nappies I could have bought with that money......

Ladies, I would LOVE to hear your comments on this research as it really can't be true, can it?

Every body needs a dream and mine is Barbados!

2009-07-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

Foul Bay, Barbados

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C S Lewis

Dreams keep us sane amongst the madness of every day stresses and strains. With being 6 months pregnant, dealing with a toddler, running a business and a home it's enough to drive me to gorge on triple chocolate fudge cake all day and keep me bed bound curled up into a ball watching Come Dine With Me back to back.

One thing that really has kept me focussed this year is the post baby, post tantrum toddler thought of planning another trip to my favourite destination of all time; Barbados! Now, I have been lucky enough to travel to some of the most beautiful countries in the world but there is something about Barbados that makes me feel as though I am home from home.

I have been twice so far, once back in 2002 with a best friend who convinced me to take a charter flight to a series of beautiful islands even though I am PHOBIC about flying. After much coercion I agreed and nearly fainted when I saw the pilot was younger than me, I was only in my mid twenties at the time but this guy looked a complete pup! even worse was to come, he fancied my friend so promised to let her sit in the pilot’s seat on the way home and take control!

The islands are stunningly beautiful and we sailed on a catamaran all day drinking rum punch and listening to reggae, on the way home my friend did as the pilot promised and sat up front, hands on controls. She took one look back at me, saw the sheer terror on my face, my hand clutching the door lever and decided she had put me through enough.

I will never forget that experience for as long as I live! To make it up to me I made her drive a mini-moke across the island in blazing heat to what I can only describe as heaven, Crane Beach (voted one of the world’s best 10 beaches), this is on the Atlantic side of the island and is everything you would imagine of paradise, beautiful blue seas, white surf and sand so bright it’s blinding.

The second time I visited Barbados was in October last year for my honeymoon, one week of absolute bliss (hubby’s idea was solely baby making but my idea was copious amounts of sleep, pina coladas and Caribbean food!)

There are lots of things to do in Barbados and the people are so beautiful, smiley and welcoming. We drove to Sunbury plantation house, swam with turtles (although I was a complete baby and wouldn’t swim far enough out for fear of Jaws), went on a night time cruise, stopped at Foul Bay (only me, hubby and our two friends on the entire beach) and to top it all off, had Sunday brunch at the Crane Hotel whilst being sung to by a gospel choir.

If you are a fish lover, you must go and visit Oistins on a Friday night where they have fish stalls selling the most scrumptious food alongside a party atmosphere, my hubby hates fish so I made sure he had eaten before and then made all his nightmares come true with the smell of fish, fish and more fish! to say he left me alone that night was an understatement :-)

Even after 10 days I didn’t want to leave and had already starting talking about “how much would a villa be to buy” but I had an 18 month old to get home to and missed him sorely. I did promise myself that I would be back again for another holiday as soon as I could and my husband seems to have found the perfect excuse. The cricket in 2010!

The newest edition to the family will be 6 months old, Granny can spend some “quality time” with her grandchildren, mummy can have a much earned break sitting in the sunshine whilst daddy watches the cricket. Heaven!

So here’s to my new saving plan, taking my trusted BaBeeCard with me to keep my money secure and enjoying the sound of steel drums and surf lapping the shore. The taste of the freshest fish you could ever hope for and another unforgettable experience on my favourite island.

My travel tips would be to experience the following:

· Rent a mini-moke and drive up the cost to Bathsheba
· Visit Sunbury plantation house
· Swim with and feed the turtles
· Take a night time cruise with limbo dancers
· Sample the local lobster
· If your budget can stretch – visit the surrounding islands for the day
· Go to Oistins fish market on a Friday night and eat until you have to be rolled home
· Sunday brunch at Crane Beach Hotel with gospel choir singing harmonious notes in your ear
· Dinner at Daphnes (they do the most amazing granny smith sorbet, that really is indescribable!)

London, a cheaper city! you sure?

2009-07-22T02:48:00.001-07:00

Well, before I fell head over heels with my now husband (yes, it really was one look and ooeer missus) I used to live in East London in a bubble, yes you read that right, I literally lived in a bubble called Bow Quarter which had it's own fitness centre, underground shop, bar, restaurant, estate agent, telephone box and statue in memory of all the little matchbox girls.

If someone had told me then that London was inexpensive to live in I would have laughed them outside the big iron gates that seperate "the bubble dwellers" from the real world but apparantly London has droped 13 places to number 16 in the annual worldwide cost of living survey from Mercer.

It seems that the recession and the weak pound have helped London become more affordable.

Now that I live in the countryside and have a son and another baby on the way, I view my cost of living in a totally new light, my money used to be spent on me, me, me and now it's spent on the family so I tend to equate things to how many nappies, wipes and toys could I buy with the same money I just blew on a light bite or meeting a friend for lunch.

When I think back to my days of singledom, I cringe at just how much money I spent on completely unecessary things like another handbag, going out 4-5 times a week and an obscene amount on convenient and tasty food & drink!

I am still not convinced London is really cheaper than it was, I think people have altered the way they live and are consuming less and tightening their purse strings more.

It will be interesting to see where London sits on that list in the next couple of years as we slowly claw our way out of a recession.

Some London facts:

- Over 300 languages spoken
- In 2008 52 Michelen stars were awarded to London restaurants
- 5 airports server 155 worldwide destinations
- Every week the 409 escalators in the London tube cover equivalent of several trips around the globe

What are your thoughts on London, do you still find it a very expensive place to live or have you noticed (apart from interest rates dropping) a decrease in your living expenses day-t0-day?

Check out the TimesOnline for London living on the cheap http://tiny.cc/livingcheaplyinlondon

If you already have a BaBeeCard then why not take advantage of the London based offers we have available to you, some examples below such as:

Taste London:
Eat well, pay far less! Taste London membership gives you half-price meals at 400 of London's best restaurants for 12 months.

Annual membership normally - £69.95
BaBeeCard special rate - just £34.95!

Supermarket discounted vouchers
Save 5% on every shop at ASDA, M&S and Sainsburys' (all in-store products)

Clothing:
10% discount at GAP
8% discount at TopShop, TopMan, Dorothy Perkins, Outfit & New Look
5% MotherCare

Department stores
5% discount at Selfriges & Co
10% discount at Debenhams & House of fraser
8% discount at John Lewis

Out & about
8% off at London Eye & London Zoo, Theatre Tokens, Madamme Tussauds, London Dungeon

Plus many many more offers at over 100 retailers.

BaBeeCard first tip of 20 money saving tips you've never heard before

2009-07-14T03:15:00.000-07:00

As seen on Timesonline.com Money Central Blog

Dinner party conversations are dominated by ways to reduce the amount we spend. We are now all familiar with cheap restaurant deals, or the benefits of shopping around online. We all know someone who is growing vegetables in the garden or darning their socks.

But do you know how to store your fruit so it lasts longer, or what to use instead of washing powder? We have scoured the internet to find 20 money saving tips we think you might not have come across before. If you are already practicing these thrifty tricks, use the comment space below to share other suggestions.

1. Get a BabeeCard
Parents should join the BabeeCard (http://www.babeecard.com/) prepaid card scheme, which offers discounts of up to 20 per cent at a number of high street retailers.

2. Join fixture Ferrets
For 10p a week you can join Fixture Ferrets (http://www.fixtureferrets.com/), a website which will keep you up to date on the various offers available at supermarkets across the UK. It will even send you text alerts about the latest deals.

3. Visit the deal centre online
Sign up to http://www.dealcentre.co.uk/ or http://www.searchfreebies.co.uk/ for a comprehensive guide to the best promotions available across the internet.

4. Ask for a "rain check" voucher
If a special offer has run out, ask for a "rain check" voucher. Tesco, Sainsbury's and a number of other supermarkets offer the vouchers, which allow you to benefit from the offer the next time you are in the store, even after the promotion is over.

5. Do not assume that bigger packets mean better value
Some items, such as dog food or washing powder, can be more expensive in bigger packs. Check the price per 100g on the shelf label before buying in bulk.

6. Use vinegar in place of whiteners in your wash
Adding vinegar to your wash ensures your whites emerge from the washing machine whiter than white at a fraction of the cost. It also doubles as a stain remover if applied directly to your clothes.

7. Use baking powder in your wash
Add baking soda to your washing machine powder or dishwasher powder to make it last longer.

8. Use glycerine as a moisturiser
Glycerine is an effective moisturiser and is the foundation of many more expensive products on the market. However, it can be bought for next to nothing from you local chemist.

9. Create your own "mulch"
You can prevent soil from drying out around flowers and plants in your garden by adding "mulch", effectively a layer of any material used to cover the garden bed. However, instead of expensive options such as wood chippings or peat, collect fallen leaves or grass clippings and
store in a black bag with some water until it is rotten then spread over the bedding.

10. Keep your fridge full
You can help your fridge work more effectively by keeping it full - use bottles of water to fill empty shelves. However, if you rarely fill your fridge, downgrade to a smaller model. You will save energy and are likely to buy and waste less food.

11. Make "mop-up squares" from old T-shirts
You can save money on kitchen cloths by cutting up old T-shirts to make square cloths you can use to wipe up spillages, suggests thrift expert Rebecca Ash.

12. Store bananas separately
Bananas release a gas which hastens the rate at which other fruit goes off.

13. Protect your apples in paper
You can keep apples for several months by wrapping each one in newspaper as it makes it much harder for rot to spread.

14. Do not put some fruit and veg in the fridge
Do not keep satsumas in the fridge as the cold can turn them to mush. The same is true of peppers, cucumbers, courgettes and marrows.

15. Store mushrooms in a wine rack
It may sounds silly but if you store mushrooms in a paper bag and keep them in a wine rack they will stay fresher for longer, according to experts.

16. Watch TV live
Instead of paying for theatre or cinema tickets, get free tickets to the filming or recording of TV or radio shows. Visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/tickets/ or http://www.itv.com/beontv/tickets/ for more information.

17. Save on train fares
Buy train tickets over the phone, even if you are already at the station - prices over the phone can be cheaper than buying from the ticket office directly.

18. Stay in a halls of residence
University halls of residence are much cheaper than hotels for city breaks.

19. Swap your old books for new
The website http://www.readitswapit.co.uk/ allows you to exchange the books you've already read for the books you want to read next. Postage is around £1.40 per book.

20. Buy eggs from your local farmers market
Farmers markets have become synonymous with expensive organic meat and cheese, but some items on sale at your local market are markedly cheaper than the supermarket, namely eggs. In some markets, you can buy a dozen of free-range eggs for half the price of the supermarkets.

By James Charles

10 top money saving tips when preparing for your newborn

2009-07-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

1. Furniture
Try not to buy anything until you have checked with family and friends to see if they have any old pieces going for free, borrow or to keep. Freecycle is a neat little site to find freebies in your area that you can go and collect; it’s great way to keep the landfill sites down whilst furnishing your nursery absolutely free.

Top tip: Always buy a new mattress for a cot or Moses basket and always buy a new car seat as it may have previously been in an accident and be unsafe.

2. Breast v Bottle
If you can breastfeed it is by far the cheapest option. Formula milk is a money sponge and is also pretty fiddly with all the bottles and teats, not to mention the added cost of all the sterilising equipment.

As they say, breast is best!

3. Clothes and baby shoes
It’s SO easy to spend a small fortune on all those cute little outfits for your newborn.
But babies don’t need shoes, they are perfectly happy kicking about in their teeny weeny socks, plus what parent doesn’t love kissing the soles of their baby’s feet? I learnt the hard way as my son didn’t wear one pair, they either fell off or after getting him all changed putting them back on seemed pointless as I would only have to take them off again.

SAVE your money for when they start to cruise and really need shoes!

4. Toys
Save your pennies, don’t buy toys for newborns. Babies mainly sleep, eat and need a cuddle. Car keys, wooden spoons, Tupperware, TV remotes and a phone handset will be more than enough to keep them fascinated.

5. Thoughtful and practical baby shower gifts
Guess the birth weight? Guess the size of clothing? Now that is a waste of money. Why not ask friends and family to club together and buy you either store vouchers or supermarket vouchers that you can use over 6 months to buy your essentials like nappies, wipes, and formula (if bottle feeding).

You could put a list together of your absolute essentials that would take the financial burden off you if they were bought as gifts? These need not be expensive items and you will be surprised how chuffed your givers will be when they buy you something that you really need.

6. Burp clothes and other fancy non-necessities
Walking into a baby shop can be completely overwhelming. The range of items available is staggering, but how many of them are actually necessary? Do you really need patterned burp clothes, or would a clean flannel or tea towel do? It is easy to overspend on the non-essentials and before you know it, your budget is straight out of the window. Make a list of what you need and see if there is a cheaper alternative to each item.

7. Nappies and wipes
Reusable nappies work out the cheapest and some local authorities will give you a small grant to offset some of the cost. If you are going to go for disposables then supermarket own brands are just as effective as well known brands and are a lot cheaper. Buying in bulk will also save you money, but you do need ample storage space for this kind of purchasing decision. For your local incentive scheme visit BabyKind.

8. Changing table
There are many great looking changing tables out there, but the top of a waist height dresser will do just the same job and you can use it for storing blankets, sheets and baby clothes. You will get years out of it, whereas the changing table facility will cease being useful once your baby can stand and is cheeky enough to wriggle about and climb.

9. Baby baths - back to basics
Newborns need topping and tailing for the first few weeks and then they can snuggle up safely on your chest getting skin-to-skin contact when you bathe. A kitchen sink is big enough to bathe your baby in if you don’t feel comfortable being in the tub. Baby baths are a waste of money as they grow out of them so quickly and I am sure there have been quite a few “Oops who put that toy there?” when carrying a full bath to empty it.

10. The best things in life are free
· Your soothing voice as you sing your little one a lullaby.
· Your warm skin and motherly embrace as you hold them close to your beating heart.
· The stories you can tell them about all the things they are going to see and experience.
· The love and affection from all those around them that care.
· A baby needs warmth, love, food & security – this really doesn’t have to cost the earth.

If I didn't laugh - I would cry...

2009-07-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

Tears of joy that is as my son will be having a little sister in early November, well that's what the sonographer told me. Don't buy anything pink she said, just in case.....that's like telling a child not to put his hand in the cookie jar when you leave the lid off and at mouth height!

Anyway, have been missing my blogging with so much going on and have been trying to save the general public from any hormonal ramblings I may be tempted to post. I seem to have them in check at the moment hence daring to come on here and share my good, albeit disruptive news.

I have only JUST got my head around a wobbly throwing 2 year old and am now thrown in at the deep end, it's sink or swim baby!

I think I might just make a swim for it.

Mummo Mag features our top 10 money saving tips

2009-04-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

Mummo is a fantastic new website for mums to share experiences and network. Mummo is supporting the Million Mums Campaign to help maternal mortalities in developing countries.

We were lucky enough to get a Mums Money Tips double page spread.

Check out Page 66 here to read up on our top 10 money saving tips.

Spare £200,000? - that's the cost of bringing up baby until they are 21.

2009-02-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

My son had better be the best behaved teenager in the whole wide world, make his mummy umpteen cups of tea, breakfast in bed, settle for any old trainers I decide to buy him, tidy his room on a daily basis and be a straigh A student, if it's going to cost me £200,000 then I want my monies worth!

£200k! - that is the cost put on raising a child to the age of 21.

According to LV the insurance group who carried out the research we spend around £7,415 on them on leisure and recreation alone until they reach 21. Does that include the iPhone, iPod, iWhatNext and nike trainers that speak to you and turn you into a superhuman that they will want when growing up? or is that just for straight cinema, swimming, football, afterschool clubs, ballet, piano lessons, school trips etc?

The biggest cost factors in order are:

- Childcare
- Education
- Food
- Clothing

Saving money where you can by planning, budgeting and putting some aside is going to be vital to make sure you have enough for your essentials and any extra.

There is help out there, you just have to go and look for it and set aside some time, fill in all the forms and do a bit of research and claim:

Benefits
- Child benefit
- Tax credits

Contact: call 0845 300 3900 or visit http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/

Child Trust Fund Account
Child Trust Fund Account with a £250 government payment to kick start it with another £250 when they reach 7.

Contact: visit http://www.childcarelink.gov.uk/

Childcare vouchers
The Children’s Information Service has the names of all registered childcare providers in your area.

Contact: call 0800 234 6346 or visit http://www.childcarelink.gov.uk/

Healthy Start Vouchers
If you are on certain benefits you can claim Healthy Start Vouchers that you can put towards fresh fruit & vegetables, milk and formula.

Contact: visit Healthy Start Vouchers

Freecycle
A global community that is made up of 4,675 groups with 6,407,000 members. Their message is simple, it’s all about reusing things and not throwing out stuff you don’t want anymore leading to landfills overflowing. It's free to join and it's great for baby / child stuff and furniture.

Contact: visit Freecycle

Portion control - frozen & canned vs fresh

2009-02-16T12:15:00.000-08:00

I have never been a big fan of the freezer (tucked away in a really awkward place) unless it was holding Hagan Daaz strawberry cheesecake icecream, a bottle of vanilla vodka and some fishfingers (not my staple diet I hasten to add!) but recently I have started stocking up on things I wouldn't normally buy frozen such as cod, tuna steaks, prawns, croissants, herbs and cauliflower.

I have also been heeding my own advice (posted on Mums Money Tips section Freeze, Freeze, Freeze) and have been opening and shutting the freezer door more times than i've had hot dinners due to freezing every leftover I can find; herbs, bread, fruit, meat, banana, grapes, pitta bread and berries!

Banana???!!! yes, banana! not any old banana, one that has been peeled and rolled in desicated coconut, frozen bananas are great for teething babies and a really fun desert or late night snack instead of biccies. Check out the chocolate dipped frozen banana

I still struggle with buying canned food over fresh as there just seems to be something strange about vegetables in a tin, although canned food is great for value for money and portion control. If you are anything like me, my eyes are ALWAYS bigger than my belly.

According to The Grocer magazine canned soups account for 95% of the soup market, I have to tell you, I can believe that when Baxters bring out such scrumptious recipes such as Tomato with roasted garlic and parmesan, er hello! bring me more. You are also doing your bit for the environmant as Baxters cans are recyclable and are already 35% recycled.

Supermarkets 'use discounts to disguise price rises'

2009-02-16T11:58:00.000-08:00

Interesting article about how supermarket promotions discount prices and then push the price up higher than it was previously when the deal is over.

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/uk/Supermarkets-39use-discounts-to-disguise.4982727.jp

On my next shop i'll have my toddler in one hand, a calculator and notebook of all my old shopping prices in the other :-)

The many talents of the humble cucumber

2009-02-10T23:47:00.000-08:00

I often read my newspaper in the bath, it's seems to be the only time I get to myself, once my husband and son have been fed and watered and the younger of the two is safely tucked up in bed.

It is certainly not the best way to read a newspaper as I often drop it in the water, as I did the other day when I read the price of cucumbers have risen nearly 46% this month due to a reduced harvest in Spain - I nearly laughed out loud!

Has the world gone totally mad?!

After googling this fact I came across many forums about people complaining about the rise (gone up to £1.24 apparently), so I thought I would post about the many talents of the humble cucumber - so you can justify the cost if you do dare to purchase one.

Cucumber recipes (no I am not joking!)
Cookitsimply

Cucumber beauty regime
1/2 peeled cucumber and puree in a blender, add 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt, apply to face and leave for 20 minutes. Wipe off with a damp cloth.

Grow your own cucumbers
Lets go gardening

Packed lunch
Good ol' cheese and cucumber sarnies!

Jamie saves our bacon

2009-02-10T23:13:00.000-08:00

It's one of those programmes I wish I hadn't watched but just couldn't help myself. I am squeamish at the best of times and although I tend to buy organic meat, I still don't feel 100% comfortable with eating it, the smell of lamb makes me feel sick, I can't eat roast chicken anymore since forgetting to remove the insides before roasting and getting a nasty shock when I removed the lemon and onion out of it's bottom! Now bacon I can get my head around with lots of brown sauce but beef, after a few chews (as the Dragons say) I'm out!

Jamie's programme about pigs was certainly the last nail in the coffin for my meat eating diet.

The programme was fascinating, upsetting and informative. Apparantly cheaper cuts of pork are up 270% at Waitrose thanks to Jamie educating the public. What an amazing acheivement. Good work Jamie!

Sales over the weekend following the airing of the show were up 20% according to The Grocer Magazine due to Jamie hammering home the importance of buying British to support our farmers, the better standards of animal welfare and the cold weather, hmmm yes, nothing like snuggling up to a piece of pork shoulder to keep you warm on these snowy, wintery days :-)

His website has a piggy illustration where you can click on the numbered part of the pig and find a recipe: http://www.jamieoliver.com/bacon/

Right, off to rustle up a veggie breakfast!

50% off Gourmet Society Membership

2009-01-12T10:48:00.000-08:00

If you are a foodie and like to eat out, then BaBeeCard will save you 50% off a Gourmet Society membership. Gourmet Society has over 1,500 restaurants on their scheme around the UK.

Membership lasts for 14 months (which includes 2 months free) and offers you 2 meals for 1 or 25% off your bill which includes drinks.

Membership should be £53.50 but BaBeeCard will give you access to the membership for only £25.00. You can also buy the membership as a gift for a loved one or friend.

Great savings for social animals....

I need to eat out more this year, think I should add that to my New Year resolution list.

As a nasty woman once told me "A moment on your lips, a lifetime on your hips".

Perhaps I could stick to salad and water? Yeah right!

BaBeeCard listed under MyEggNest's recommendations

2009-01-11T09:56:00.001-08:00

Great website for all you need to know about saving for your family. The logo is really cute too. Apart from my best friend who is "bird" phobic, I will be sending all my mummy friends in their direction for up-to-date comparative advice on family savings.

BaBeeCard has been listed under "this weeks MyEggNest's recommendations" on how to save hundreds of pounds with our discount portal.

MyEggNest are giving away free coupons for grocery shopping that can be redeemed at Asda, Tescos, Sainsbury's, Morrisons & Boots. You can register with Couponnet and stock up on coupons.

Top Tip!
Use your coupons at the till to get the deduction and then pay with your BaBeeCard discounted supermarket vouchers or gift card as they are the same tender as cash. That way you get a double whammy of savings.

Emmas Diary welcomes BaBeeCard under the Family Finance section

2009-01-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

I am extremely pleased to announce BaBeeCard is now a feature under the ""Family Finance" section of Emmas Diary.

Emmas Diary is a fantastic website and on-line resource for pregnancy and beyond where you can particpate in the forums, enter exclusive competitions, get a goody bag and much more.

They are now offering £40 worth of Argos vouchers for all new members, by the way, joining is completely free!

The Guardian Reader Offer shop....Buy with BaBeeCard

2009-01-01T07:45:00.001-08:00

I have been browsing the Guardian Reader Offers site to see if I can find out where you can save by using your BaBeeCard and I have put together a list below of some of their bestsellers and popular offers:

Guardian Reader Offer: Edge of Darkness (Complete) - £9.99
DVD.CO.UK 6% BaBeeCard discount: Edge of Darkness (Complete) - £7.83 + free UK delivery - Save £2.96!

Guardian Reader Offer: Balanzza Digital Luggage Scales - £22.99
Gadgets4travel 10% BaBeeCard discount: Balanzza Digital Luggage Scales - £18.98 includes UK delivery - Save £5.91

Guardian Reader Offer: Power Monkey - Portable Power Pack - £34.99
Powertraveller 20% BaBeeCard discount: Power Monkey - Portable Power Pack - £34.26 - Free p&p - Save £4.16

Guardian Reader Offer: Joseph Joseph Index Chopping Boards - £42.98
John Lewis 8% BaBeeCard discount: Joseph Joseph Index Chopping Boards - £39 - Save £7.10

If you bought these 4 items with BaBeeCard you would save £20.13!

Happy New Year - What are you looking forward to in 2009?

2009-01-01T05:52:00.000-08:00

With such a bleak outlook for 2009, recession, falling house prices, rising food prices, companies going bust left, right and centre. Not to mention the rapidly increasing unemployment level it is going to be hard to stay positive this year.

So I have set myself more realistic resolutions for 2009 rather than the usually obscure and totally unacheiveable ones such as:

run the London marathon (I hate running)
give up chocolate
get into the size 8 clothes hanging in my wardrobe (when I used to wear them 10 years ago and hadn't stretched my tummy beyond recognition by having a baby)
learn how to roll a cigar on my thigh (living in Buckinghamshire and not Cuba - it's hardly suprising I didn't tick this one off my list)

So, with a financially and personally challenging year ahead for most and the desire to succeed I have set my resolutions at a more comfortable level:

This year I want to:

be grateful for things I have in my life right now
say thank you more
stop my mind wandering back to the past or thrusting me into the future worrying about things that haven't happened yet - to focus only on the present moment
find time to do 20 - 30 minutes of exercise each day (hula hoop on Nintendo Wii does count!)
spend more time with family and friends

I wish you all a happy 2009 and hope this year brings you more love, light and happiness.

Now where is that Wii remote????

Waitrose take on Sainsburys' and Tesco

2008-12-11T06:04:00.000-08:00

According to Waitrose "We believe that you should be able to shop for a fair price without compromising on quality or service. As well as our celebrated Tesco price match* on branded goods, we feature an ever-changing range of special discounts and seasonal offers on our website, and are even trialing a pre-pay delivery scheme to help you save even more on your weekly shop. So you get Tesco prices, Waitrose quality and outstanding Ocado service"

They also state that "Ocado is cheaper than Sainsburys' on 2,013 products"

So, BaBeeCard will save you 8% at Waitrose/Ocado.....definately worth a check on http://www.mysupermarket.com/

Tens Machine and electricution

2008-12-11T05:29:00.000-08:00

It hurts! taking off the tens machine pads when they are still on is not big and certainly not clever. Take my word for it! it's a nasty shock and my machine is still sitting in the naughty corner. I did manage a laugh though when I threw one of the pads in a temper and my husband picked it off his leg and yelped.

Tens machines are little miracle workers (when you use them properly) and my latest fixation is using it to get my muscles ready for the New Year gym fest. I have heard it works wonders for back pain during labour although I don't think I could trust myself not to pull the pads off and electricute myself again whilst in the throes of pain. If you have more self control then there is no end to the uses of a Tens machine.

For exercise: muscle building - rehabilitation - massage - endurance - power - crosstraining

Pain management: rheumatoid and Osteo-arthritis - menstrual pain - labour Pain - peripheral Nnerve injuries - shingles - headache and migraine - sports injuries - sciatica - aching joints - post operative pain - muscular pain - whiplash and neck injury and many others

Boots sell a good variety and you can collect loads of advantage points.

Boots BaBee discount is 8% off all in-store items.

Save money in the run up to Christmas

2008-12-11T02:54:00.000-08:00

Price checkers
Compare prices online with these shopbots.

http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/
http://www.kelkoo.co.uk/

Food & drink
Compare supermarket prices to find the best deals on your groceries. Save an extra 5% off Sainsburys' and ASDA, and an extra 8% off Waitrose, Ocado.com and Laithwaites.

http://www.mysupermarket.com/
http://www.laithwaites.co.uk/

Travel
By rail or car, check out the cheapeast petrol prices and fares. Save an extra 5% off your petrol at Sainsburys' petrol stations with BaBeeCard.

http://www.petrolprices.com/
http://www.thetrainline.com/

Smellies
Everyone loves receiving perfumes, aftershaves, bodysets and good ol' smellies. They make great stocking fillers and ensure there is something to hand after the brussel sprouts have worked their way through the male guests digestive tracts :-)

Feel Unique have some fantastic prices and really good brands.

Example: Gucci Envy Me by Gucci 30ml spray

RRP: £27.00
Feel Unique price: £18.00 (incl. delivery)
BaBeeCard price: £16.20 (using your 10% discount)
Total saving: A massive £10.80!

Reduce your monthly outgoings immediately with a BaBeeCard - plan, budget and save throughout 2009!

Seksy watch by Sekonda for women.

2008-12-09T11:01:00.001-08:00

If you are currently a BaBee Cardholder then today's offer is for this gorgeous watch from the highly popular fashion brand ‘Seksy’ by Sekonda.

It's elegant style will suit any age!

It comes on a velvet cushion in a sleek presentation box, ready to delight the lucky recipient.

A great Christmas present for girlfriends, wives, sisters, aunts, mums and daughters out there who would just love to flaunt this on their wrist!

As usual, our offer price includes delivery and will be delivered in time for Christmas as long as your order is placed by 16 December.

Genuine leather strap

Polished chrome

Stainless steel case back

Swarovski Crystal decorations

Black dial with chrome hands

Full 2 year guarantee

Comes in Seksy presentation box

Original price: £49.99*
BaBeeCard price: £18.00 (including delivery)
You save an amazing £31.99!

PS. Did you know that we offer discounts on vouchers for the entire range of Arcadia Group shops, including Topshop, Topman, Wallis, Miss Selfridges, Evans, Outfit, Dorothy Perkins and Burtons? 8% off all vouchers ordered via your BaBeeCard!!

Popular M&S offer - repeated - offer ends 9th December

2008-11-21T14:19:00.000-08:00

We ran a promotion back in October for a free £5 M&S voucher for every £50 order of their vouchers via the BaBeeCard Discount Club and we are delighted to be offering this offer again in the lead up to Christmas (offer ends 9th December).

Use your BaBeeCard to buy £50 worth of vouchers for £47.50 (we give you a 5% discount) and for each order you'll receive another £5 absolutely free.

You Order	You Pay	You Recieve	You Make
£50	£47.50	£55	£7.50
£100	£95	£110	£15
£200	£190	£220	£30
£300	£285	£330	£45

I ordered my vouchers back in October and bought a cashmere jumper for my husband for Christmas (hope he doesn't read this blog!) and filled my basket up with their 3 for 2 offers on chocolates goodies for the kids stockings and other bits n' bobs.

Check out their offers section on the website to see what they have in-store.

http://www.marksandspencer.com/gp/node/n/82867031/026-8694197-9744459?amp;mnSBrand=core

If you have any change left over from your vouchers,, M&S will load it onto a gift card for you.

Smelly cheese, hampers and my spare tire

2008-10-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

After losing 2 dress sizes in preparation for my wedding, I have over the course of 3 weeks managed to almost put it all back on due to lack of exercise and over-indulging on Pina Coladas and Bajan delights during our honeymoon.

I got back on Wednesday in a silly summer dress and flip flops to snow and a power cut which continued to last until the weekend, the cooker has somehow reset itself and is blatantly refusing to switch on whilst teasing me with an E for Error on the LED display. My adamant toddler won't eat cold food unless it's ice-cream, so the last few days have been memorable to say the least!

It seems during this "domestic chaos" all I can focus on is food, everywhere I look I see food, food, food. Even worse, I see tempting treats that I can't heat up or cook. The local supermarket has been teasing me with their beautiful hampers on display and I am trying hard not to convince myself that a plate of smelly cheese, a glass of red wine and some grapes constitute as a evening meal.

With Christmas hampers whispering my name from every aisle I have decided to put together a price comparison table to see which ones offer the best discount when using the BaBeeCard to access the savings

Retailer	Price	Discount	Saving
ClearWater Hampers	£38.04 - £308.04	10%	£3.80 - £30.04
Waitrose	£25 - £75	8%	£2 - £6
Sainsbury's	£30 - £200	5%	£1.50 - £10
Marks & Spencers	£30 - £999.99	5%	£1.50 - £49.99

ClearWater Hampers offers the best saving and prices include delivery to the UK and inclusive of VAT. (don't forget to log into the discount portal and get the code for your ClearWater discount).

A cheaper alternative of course, is to buy a wicker basket, fill it with some torn parcel paper or tissue paper and your own hand selected treats, I am thinking of doing this for some hard to buy for family members and friends as I can tailor the ingredients to suit their personalities and tastes. You can find empty hampers for sale here.

Some supermarkets are doing great promotions pre-Christmas so it is a good idea if you have a BaBeeCard already to stock up on vouchers.

Waitrose are offering a 25% discount on wine and champagne when you buy 6 bottles or more, so combined with your BaBeeCard discount (8%) that's a massive 33% discount!

Cut Your Costs For Christmas

2008-10-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

Christmas is coming and spending more money than last year seems inevitable with the current economic climate. Hundreds of pounds every year gets spent on food and drink, that's on top of presents, socialising and seasonal decorations. No wonder we feel so stressed as Christmas looms.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) calculated that Christmas Day alone costs each household an average of £975.

Many people resort to some sort of borrowing to cover the cost Christmas adds to the family finances and can end up getting themselves into a bit of a pickle with repayments.

We all promise ourselves that next year we'll plan ahead, buy gifts in the sale and prepare a budget, but how many of us actually do this? I can recount the number of times I saw things in the sales and said "Oh, I should get that for so-and-so!" but I didn't and ended up paying full price as the end of December drew closer.

Getting your head around how much you can afford will help you not to blow your budget in a last minute rush. I have put together some tips that I am following myself this year to help stay relatively stress free, on top of my budget and able to enjoy moving forward into next yearwithout the usual financial hangover in January from overspending.

1. Plan ahead
Be realistic with the food shop as shops open again after boxing day so no need to stock up to feed the millions, just buy what you need to get you through a few days.

Have a look at http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/ for some great recipes for leftovers.
Find out how much your overdraft will cost you if you dip into it.

2. Budget & draw up a gift list
Put a price limit next to each name, if it exceeds your budget find a cheaper option (Remember, it's the thought that counts).

Break down your budget into food, drink, travel, socialising, pressies and that new outfit you want to celebrate in.

If you have a BaBeeCard put another column in your budget with where and how much you would save if you used it to purchase everything for Christmas.

3. Hit the shops
Online shopping = good savings and no need to traipse up and down the high street. Redeem any unused loyalty points - There are an enormous amount (said to run into the billions) of unclaimed loyalty points on stores' reward cards and credit cards waiting to be redeemed, why not exchange them for vouchers?

If you are using a credit card to buy presents, try to pay back more than the minimum when the bill arrives in January or you could find your presents costing you double after interest charges.

4. Wrap it
Use old newspapers or magazines to make funky gift wrapping. You have all ready paid for the paper so put it to good use. Use contrasting pretty ribbon and stick on bows to liven it up. Great for your purse and even better for the environment.

5. Mi casa, su casa (My house is your house)
Take it in turns to entertain friends and family over the festive party season, you will get to socialise without the spending.

Suggest sharing the meal. You can prepare the first course and your family or friends can bring round pudding. That way, it will be a nice surprise too!

Have you got any Christmas tips you can share with me to help people cut their costs this Christmas?

5p off per litre of petrol @ Sainsbury's - offer ends 8th October!

2008-09-29T01:11:00.000-07:00

I have a previous post on this offer but have just seen it advertised on TV again last night with the offer running out on 8th October 08'.

So to recap:

Hurry and get an extra discount on your fuel at Sainsbury's

"Spend £50 and get a discount of 5p a litre off your fuel at Sainsbury's petrol stations"

Use your BaBeeCard to buy the Sainsbury's vouchers at a 5% discount, you would actually be spending £47.50 and recieving the petrol vouchers to get the 5p off discount as well.

Babies - they don't come cheap!

2008-09-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

Babies, babies, babies!! so cute, so innocent........so expensive!!

Making the decision to have your first baby or another baby can be an incredibly tough and emotional choice. Given the current economic climate we find ourselves in today you have to wonder if there will ever be a right time.

My wedding is in four weeks and with a 14 month old son it seems like the perfect time to think about adding to our brood. That is, until I think about how much it is going to cost. Not to mention the daily drama of a bossy toddler and a newborn. Cripes!

I feel like I am stuck in Groundhog Day, the same question and thought pattern keeps repeating itself "When is the right time for us to have another baby?"

This year? next year? when I am fitter? when I have caught up on my sleep? when my son has stopped having tantrums? when my fiance has stopped making me have tantrums? or the biggest one of all, when our finances are in better shape?

I have found it's my expectation of myself as a parent to provide the latest equipment, fashionable clothes and brand new whizz-she-bang toys that adds to my own financial pressure and worry for the future. Have you ever heard a baby complain about wearing a second hand romper suit? or show their disappointment at having to clap along to an elder siblings bouncing toy? No, thought not.

If you are in a similar predicament to me, mentally toing and froing about when and if to take that special leap forward in having a baby then my checklist below may help you just a little.

Household income
With rising costs and your income taking a dip during maternity leave it is important to work out where your main source of income will come from. Pregnancy is a stressful time so it is important to have reassurance that you can cover your monthly bills.

Tip: Emergency fund
If possible, try to set aside 3 months’ salary as an emergency fund.

Baby basics
Recent research suggests that the true cost of bringing up baby could run to approx. £186,000 from birth to the tender age of 21.

If your baby is your first then you will have the extra cost of preparing for the first time, cots, car seats, prams etc all add up.

Try to shop around for the best prices although buying more expensive items doesn't necessarily mean they are better quality.

Outgoings
We all have our little luxuries here and there and they add up over time. As life little luxuries can be hard to give up, being pregnant should help you cut back on them without you noticing a huge difference.

Keeping a financial diary is a good way to see where your money is going each month. Do you buy lunch every day at work? why not make your own instead? Not only will it work out cheaper but you can cater for your cravings (however bizzare they may be) and also control exactly what goes into your meal.

Childcare costs
Many mothers decide to return to work so it is essential you factor in childcare costs into your monthly outgoings. For some, family members may live close by and can help out with childcare but for others, your location and the age of the child can all effect cost.

Childcare vouchers schemes
http://www.childcarevouchers.co.uk/
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childcare/
http://www.busybeesvouchers.com/

Perhaps you could negotiate working from home with your employee helping you to cut your childcare and travel costs?

Useful gifts
Depending on whether you choose to breastfeed or bottlefeed, there are a huge range of helpful gifts friends and family can buy you to help you through the first six months. Instead of your usual baby grows, blankets, mittens, hats, cuddly toys etc perhaps you could ask for a baby bath and toiletries, 3 months worth of baby milk or 3 months supply of nappies and wipes? These items really add to your monthly shopping bill so it’s a great way to keep your monthly costs down.

I tend to buy my baby milk, nappies and other baby essentials with my discounted supermarket vouchers, you occassionally get some good BOGOF deals on wipes and baby food which you can never ever, ever have enough of.

Suited and Booted

2008-08-04T06:43:00.000-07:00

With my own wedding only 9 weeks away, the feeling of utter panick seems to be rising with each passing day.

So many things still left to do. The wedding venue is unable to hold more bums on seats than my already scaled down invitation list (which has been the source of many tears) being unable to include some people is probably natures way of making me take stock, evaluate who is still in my life, what they mean to me and who I want to spend my big day with.

The main men at our wedding party have already been suited and booted and I am now trying to talk them all into wearing apple green ties. I need to work on my manipulation skills. WOW green REALLY suits you :-)

Moss Bros are a BaBee discount partner and are offering a 15% discount on all brands and accessories including suit hire, so we will be getting the ties, accessories and shirts from there.

With weddings, work and Christmas do's to go to, the saving should come in very handy indeed, so for all you daddies and grooms out there, grab mummies BaBeeCard and get saving.

Hurry and get an extra discount on your fuel at Sainsbury's

2008-08-01T05:57:00.000-07:00

"Spend £50 and get a discount of 5p a litre off your fuel at Sainsbury's petrol stations"

If this offer is still available then you could use your BaBeeCard to buy the Sainsbury's vouchers at a 5% discount, so you would actually be spending £47.50 and recieving the petrol vouchers.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1037170/Petrol-prices-slashed-5p-supermarket-forecourt-battle.html

The working mothers must-have accessories for keeping life in order

2008-08-01T05:11:00.001-07:00

http://www.motherswhowork.com/ is run by Joycellyn Akuffo and has some fantastic articles that are informative, up-to-date and also quite funny. My favourite being "The yummy mummy’s guide to bigger boobs - without the pain of surgery".

Sounds good to me and i'll bet, even better to my partner :-)

BaBeeCard has been listed as one of the must-have accessories working mothers need to keep their life in order which I must say, I am incredibly pleased we are listed alongside Blackberry.

For any mothers out there who don't want to return to work or who want to start their own business from home, there is a great section titled "Going Solo".

Definately one to bookmark!

Get funky with Trunki

2008-06-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

It has dawned on me today that red isn't my favourite colour after all. Yes I like wearing it but looking at around my house at my sons pram system, his car seat, his Samsonite turtle changing bag, his highchair and now his new toy, a Trunki, they are all Shrek green!

Upon this realisation that my favourite colour is actually green, I looked up the meaning of colour and apparantly I can be summed up in the following way.

Frank, community-minded, fairly sociable, gentle, sincere, self-effacing, modest and patient. We are also supposed to be refined, civilised and reputable.

Refined? check.
Civilised? (depends on how angry my boyfriend makes me)
Reputable? why of course!
Frank? oh yes! BUY A BABEECARD AND SAVE SOME MONEY! see, very frank indeed!
Gentle? yes, when I am not kickboxing!

Right back to the Trunki. I came across Trunki at the Baby show in Excel this year fell in love with Frieda the cow but since spotting the Towgo, I just had to get it for my son and also for myself as it will really make me smile pulling him along on Shreks suitcase.

If you want a Trunki, log on to the discount portal and you will get a 10% discount via the Shopezee offer.

Original price: £34.97 (The Towgo green is £4.99 extra)
BaBeeCard price: £31.47
Total saving of: £3.50

Keep your kids entertained whilst you drag them around train stations, airports and carparks by letting them ride on their own suitcase - genius!

www.prepaid365.com

2008-06-12T04:13:00.001-07:00

Check out BaBeeCard on prepaid365.com to get a good idea of how the card works, benefits and ratings.

Benefits in a nutshell:

Can help you save 100's of £'s with online discounts
£1 donated to BLISS baby charity for each card purchased
Exceptional and unique moneyback guarantee

Fees in a nutshell:

Card Issue Fee - £14.95
Monthly Fee - Free
Transaction Fee UK - Free
ATM Withdrawal Fee UK - £1.00 per withdrawal
Reload Fee - Free via bank transfer, £1.00 via debit card online/SMS

Don't forget that the savings on groceries at ASDA, Sainsbury's (5%) and Waitrose (8%) alone will cover the cost of the £14.95 purchase price within the first month of using the card and our discounted supermarket vouchers on essentials and petrol).

Discounts on eyeballs...roll up, roll up...

2008-06-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

that's what I need at the moment, to swap my swollen, itchy, red eyes for a nice new, white, bright shiny pair. Hmmmmmm not quite sure that will work as I think a total immune system replacement might be needed.

If it wasn't bad enough that I am allergice to nuts, I am thrown into "Summer hell" watching people eat my favourite chocolate, tuck into magnums, feasts and all things ice-creamy whilst parading around in the Summer sun sans sunglasses, frolicking around in the grass and enjoying picnics without a sneeze, itch or tear in sight!

I thought you were supposed to grow out of hayfever like you are supposed to grow out of throwing tantrums when you don't get what you want, maybe that's the answer!!!

Stop throwing tantrums and my hayfever will disappear, yeah right.....worth a try though!

No wedding list - cash is king

2008-06-09T04:08:00.000-07:00

My friend got married last month and wedding lists always cause a problem for me, on one hand I want to buy a gift I had chose from wherever but on the other hand I want to give the happy couple something they actually want rather than something they will either sell on Ebay, recycle, collapse in heaps of laughter or tears of disappointment.

So to my delight, my invitation was read with absolute joy, no wedding list in sight. There was however, a polite and well written note informing us that seeing they already live together and have an 11 month old baby they don't really need anything else but would really appreciate money or John Lewis vouchers, you know where I am going here don't you?

Out comes my stash of vouchers and in pops the JL vouchers into the wedding card. For some bizarre reason I was absolutely chuffed with myself, having been organised enough to have some at the ready. (For those of you who know me well, I am as scatty as they come).

So BaBeeCard to the rescue once again. Not only did they get something they wanted, I gave something I had (and at a discount I hasten to add) and I also suprised myself at how organised I am becoming. Now whether that's down to BaBeeCard or due to having my son is still open for debate.

What can I say? BaBeeCard you are my trusted friend, there to save me money on groceries so I can buy more chocolate and there for me at weddings when I don't know what to buy.

I am now sitting eagerly awaiting my chirpy village postman to deliver me Junes supply of vouchers. I desperately want to go out to the shops but this time I am being strict - no vouchers, no shopping!

Last month I let my partner loose to buy groceries, I totalled up all the receipts and almost fell of my chair. Mummy does the shopping from now on!

Vouchers? don't leave home without them

2008-06-06T07:14:00.000-07:00

like I did today!

Firstly, I hate highchairs as stated previously in my post titled "Babies and mealtimes". Secondly, I hate paying full price for something I know I have the capacity to get cheaper.

Unprepared and worn down by my son's relentless squirming and glee at getting food into every corner of the room, I have finally succummed to the dreaded highchair.

With Teddy and partner in tow, I stopped off at MotherCare and thought I could get a highchair that didn't really look like a highchair (I think I am borderline highchair & baby food phobic!) I spotted a wooden one, plain, nice straight lines and simplistic. It looked almost bearable to have next to my dark Indian dining table. Was I allowed to have something so simple, so plain? of course not!

MEN!!!

My partner chose the highchair just like he chose the pram system, big, bulky, techincally advanced and almost car like (what is it with dads and baby items? why do they have to reflect their ego?)

So he and my son are now the proud owners of a Chicco Polly- Seventy (I am guessing the Seventy refers to it's retro, hippy pattern) bright green, retro, big, plastic, gadgety and ridiculously overcomplicated (you can even lower the seat so they can have a nap on a full tummy - see photo - sparko!)

If it wasn't bad enough me having to buy one in the first place to save my home from being completly splattered with baby food, I also stopped at MotherCare instead of John Lewis (which I have vouchers for in my purse). Yes, I have had words with myself!

The best place to buy this highchair is John Lewis as you get an 8% discount, MotherCare vouchers will give you a 5% discount. You can also use your John Lewis vouchers online and have it delivered to you, an added bonus.

Original price: £99
BaBeeCard price: £91.08
Total saving of: £ 7.92

Do compare large purchase baby items at Boots, MotherCare and John Lewis as there are small price differences and the 8% at John Lewis may work out marginally cheaper.

Happy shopping, it all adds up you know :-)

Family food shop up 15%, that's £780 a year

2008-04-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

I know! I was watching the ITV news last night with an open mouth as well!

Figures based on an average weekly spend of £100.00.

£780 (a rise 15%) a year is going to make a significant difference to a lot of family finances and monthly food budgets. Being pregnant or if you already have a young family, I am sure you probably worry about how on earth you are going to put the same food on the table without overspending to the best part of an extra £15 pounds a week?.

BaBeeCard could help you slash that bill to quite a large extent, if you use our discounted supermarket vouchers then you could see the annual increase of £780 drop to either 10% or even 7%. It may not sound a huge amount but it could save you either £260 or £418.50 a year, drastically reducing the figure down from £780 to either £520 if you shop for groceries at ASDA or Sainsbury's or even better £361.40 if you shop at Waitrose.

Use that saving wisely and you could re-invest it into a child trust fund account or even take the heat off Christmas.

With BaBeeCard you get access to our online discount and voucher scheme, buy the shopping vouchers at a discounted price and use them to pay for your weekly shop. The vouchers take between 3-4 days to arrive once ordered online or via the telephone, yes, it does take some planning but if you are serious about saving it's only one extra step and could make a huge difference to your family finances.

As an adult we can adapt our tastes, cut back and reason. The option of changing your child less because the cost of nappies has risen, feeding him/her less because of food costs rising doesn't bear thinking about.

Ok so the BaBeeCard costs £14.95 a year but you will still save a minimum of 16 times that amount on your groceries alone.

BaBeeCard offers a 5% saving at ASDA & Sainsbury's
BaBeeCard offers an 8% saving at Waitrose

With the hike in petrol prices you can look to save even more! (The ASDA & Sainsbury's vouchers can be used at the petrol stations as payment also)

When all hell breaks loose

2008-04-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

According to Abby Insurance the average price tag for repairing or replacing damaged items due to kids running riot through the house is a whopping £140.61!

You can read up on the article here.

BaBeeCard has discount partners that may well be able to help with some of the repairs and replacements such as the following:

Comet 10% discount
Halfords 10% discount
Furniture123.co.uk 10%
Wickes 8% discount
Argos 8% discount
Homebase 8% discount
John Lewis 8% discount

So the cost of the average repair / replacement comes down to between £129.36 - £126.59

Orignal cost: £140.61
BaBeeCard cost @ 8% off: £129.36
BaBeeCard cost @ 10% off: £126.59
Total saving of between: £11.24 - £14.01

Radio Goo Goo - Radio Gaa Gaa - Westside Radio

2008-04-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

Sounds like something my baby would say!

I am being interviewed on the radio on Friday 18th between 10-11am for Westside Radio about being a business mum, the highs and lows etc

The interview is downloadable from http://www.thebigdream.co.uk/ (podcast) or you can just tune in.

BaBeeCard shortlisted for the MasterCard Prepaid Awards 2008

2008-04-16T07:37:00.000-07:00

BaBeeCard has been shortlisted at the up and coming MasterCard Prepaid Awards in May under the category Best Voice of the Customer Award 2007/8.

This great news comes at time when my energy levels feel at an all-time low due to the constant demands of a wriggling, giggling, crawling and clumsy 9 month old boy, planning my wedding in October and also running a business.

My spirits have been lifted with the nomination along with my mood, now that Summer is nearly upon us and the garden becomes my sons new playroom, the world indeed could be my oyster with half a pint of guiness at the ready!

BaBeeCard is getting the exposure it deserves, I am feeling a new sense of achievement, one that I desperately need to keep me pushing forward at a time when every day is full of new opportunities, frustration, laughter and tears.

Onwards and upwards.

Anyone else got a banana flavoured laptop?

2008-04-03T02:44:00.000-07:00

Working on my laptop reminds me of food which then prompts me to raid the kitchen cupboards as every time I type I can smell banana (thanks to my son who has just started to crawl) he has recently decided that mummy is the best large item to climb on by far, especially when I have the laptop on my knee.

Sending emails is now a game of speed to see just how quickly I can type and finish the email before he has either sat on or clicked the enter key, then off it fires mid sentence or even worse, has gobbledeegook firmly placed between sentences.

ksjdhglsdjg;sfdkgs;kg;dfkg

Other electronic items in our living room unfortunately don't smell as appealing as my keyboard, the remote control smells of lentil and vegetable bake, but worst of all is our cordless phone, which he just adores and grabs for as soon as it is in his line of vision. Of course, I am entirely to blame for this as I put it on speakerphone whenever my mum calls. It has now become a brilliant game of "how much of it can I get in my mouth" coupled with "I wonder how much puree I can crush into the mouthpiece to make mummy proud".

Oh well, it could be worse I suppose, at least he hasn't learnt how to take his nappy off yet!

Save with BaBeeCard and Earn with Boots Advantage Card

2008-04-03T02:11:00.000-07:00

BaBeeCard gives you access to a 5% discount.

Boots now have a great baby section that covers maternity, travel, mealtimes, nursery & safety, bathtime and changetime.

With 3 for 2 offers on things like nappies, double advantage points on highchairs and pushchairs and even an additional 20% discount on items on top of the 5% discount from BaBeeCard, shopping at Boots will help you save and earn (advantage points) all at the same time.

Example offers:

Huggies Newborn Size 2 - 40 Pack (£5.98 each)
Lollipop Lane Cappuccino Bear Cuddlerobe (£7.50)
Baby GoGo Baby Shoulder Change Bag Red (save 20% was £19.99 now £15.99)

The gift cards are a great way to plan ahead, load £50 (minimum) and use it for your baby essentials and toiletries or take advantage of the amazing deals on larger baby items and get hundreds of points which in turn help you to save even more (I am sure you can sneak in a treat somewhere for you mummy).

If you can bulk buy your nappies on the 3 for 2 offer and earn points you can redeem them against nappy wipes, baby bath toiletries and feeding items.

If you haven't got an advantage card already – you can apply for one here.

Collect 4 points for every £1 you spend. So if you load and spend £50 on your BaBeeCard bought Gift Card (which you only pay £47.50 for) you will have earnt 200 points = £2 which you can then redeem against a 2 for 1 offer or just keep collecting. Round and round we go – happy shopping.

Original gift card price: £50 (minumum load £50)
BaBeeCard price: £47.50
Total saving of: £2.50

Mumsclub.co.uk - a business site for mummies

2008-03-31T06:53:00.000-07:00

I have found a superb website for business mums, it's run by Jane Hopkins and openly allows you to promote your business without fear of abusing forum guidelines and getting yourself kicked off.

There is a marketplace section for you to promote your products or services and also a forum which covers marketing & pr, business networking, green issues and other interesting business related topics.

You can pick up some great tips, post for help and also bag a few discounts and bargains from other mummy-run businesses.

Perhaps you are a stay-at-home mum and would like to use the other members as a sounding board for setting up your own home-based business, it really is a useful and supportive site so check it out www.mumsclub.co.uk

The London Dungeon and cherryade...a disturbing day out for all the family!

2008-03-31T04:01:00.000-07:00

I remember when I was 11-12 years old and our local kids club took us on a day trip to the London Dungeons, on the coach journey I drank 2 small bottles of cherryade and stuffed my little cheeks full of sweets.

We got to the gates of the dungeon and I was so scared to go in I was sick all over the place, they literally had to drag me in....even today, years and years later I am still too scared to go back into The London Dugeons, what a baby!!! but then again, I get scared going downstairs on my own in the dark....no help for me is there?!

BaBeeCard get's you up to a 50% discount for 2 adults and 2 children (if you are brave enough to go that is).

Original price: £63.80
BaBeeCard price: £31.92
Total saving of: £31.88

The Best way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once. - H. V. Prochnow

2008-03-26T08:56:00.001-07:00

Well I am pleased to say my fiance didn't forget mine but my dad and 2 brothers did!!! must be a man thing, although my cousin and at least a handful of female friends did also, perhaps I confused them as my birthday is today but I am having a dinner party on Saturday (well it better be because of that or there really will be trouble.)

The birthday this year I am most looking forward to is my sons, it will be his first and he just adores Iggle Piggle (bizarre blue character with a red blanket habit) so am looking into themes to keep not only my son entertained but all his cousins and little ankle biter friends amuzed too!

http://www.partybox.co.uk/ is a fab site offering themed party supplies. From In the night garden to Dora the explorer, vicars and tarts (for the adults of course!!) to Bratz, Bob the builder and even....a lifesize cutout of Elvis??? Hilarious!

BaBeeCard will get you a 10% discount on all your party supplies so you can make it a day to remember.

Do you brush your teeth before 12pm? Ocado.com

2008-03-19T13:19:00.000-07:00

Running a business and looking after a baby are full-time jobs in themselves, which is why my days seem to fly by, before I know it the cupboards are empty again and it's time to go grocery shopping. (Bah humbug!)

I read somewhere recently in a survey that some mothers don't brush their teeth until around 12pm each day due to the crazy demands on their time. Well, I wouldn't like to agree that that is true in my case (I may get myself an unwanted nickname) but I would agree that time just seems to slip through your fingers from the moment you wake up (or baby wakes you) until you crawl up the stairs praying for a full nights sleep.

It's common knowledge that I tend to over complicate things in my mind but the truth is even a simple trip to the supermarket becomes a serious mission to not only get myself and my son ready but to also keep a lid on my bubbling temper. (Trolly rage).

I live in a little hamlet of 8 houses, which requires me to get us both ready (making sure he has been fed and changed before so we don't get caught short) then bend at an unnatural angle to get him into his car seat via a 3 door car! one leg in, back bent and one leg out (oh the hockey cokey), I then have to hold my keys between clenched teeth as my son arches his back to reach them making it almost impossible to lock him into his seat. I usually bang my head as I try and climb backwards out of the car.

A 6 mile drive lays ahead to the nearest supermarket and then when the joys of supermarket shopping with an 8 month old baby who likes to try and grab all and sundry fromt he shelves is over we then have to repeat the entire hockey cokey process backwards to get home.

To say I dread the weekly supermarket run is an understatement!

Last night my life changed, something as simple as using my Waitrose vouchers online to pay at ocado.com and have the shopping delivered to my door has left me with a big, fat smile on my face and has freed up some valuable time to do something else, like steam the bottles, get dinner on, clean the house, iron the shirts, do the laundry etc (demands on a modern day woman!)

I ordered my shopping last night and the goods arrived about 30 mins ago, so I got an 8% discount on the vouchers, Ocado delivered to my door, they gave me a voucher code for a free bottle of wine with my next order and, get this, they colour coded my shopping bags :-) so I don't have to hunt through the bags to put the items away.

Genius!

TOMS shoes now on sale in UK

2008-03-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

Let's give something back!

TOMS shoes are now available to buy in the UK through The Shoe Studio which has outlets in major department stores, see my previous post below for more about the cause.

I am getting the purple polka dot pair for Summer and love the idea of a child in the third world getting a pair for free purely from my purchase.

Credit card & debit card fraud on the news today

2008-03-12T04:21:00.001-07:00

Up at 6.30am (trying to get my son into a new earlier routine to
tire him out so he has more naps in the day so mummy can work) and I caught the breakfast news.

Credit and debit card fraud is up by 25% which is not only staggering but also pretty scary when you think about how many families use credit cards as a means to purchase their essentials before baby is born and also during the childs growing years.

I had no idea when I was pregnant just how much all the little bits and pieces would set me back financially, let alone the big purchases such as a nursery items, pram, car seat, feeding equipment etc .The thought of going to pay for them all and the card being declined due to the credit on the card being stolen just doesn't bear thinking about, does it? I am sure many families pay via credit credit card even for grocery shopping so the rise in fraud can have a serious impact on a families survival day-to-day.

BaBeeCard has a feature that allows you to lock / unlock your card vie SMS text message. So say for example, you were worried about your card being cloned in a shop, restaurant or via the Internet you could send a text enabling the card to be locked immediately after the transaction, then when you were ready to use the card again you would just need to send another text to unlock it and hey presto! it's ready to use.

This is a very handy feature if you misplace or lose the card. If you are anything like me, I leave my debit card in the most bizarre places (like underneath the kettle??!) I had to cancel the debit card due to it being lost, got a new one through the post and then found it when I moved the kettle.

It costs 20p to unlock or lock the card but if security is a big issue for you then 20p here and there is a small price to pay for peace of mind and in times of doubt.

For family holidays abroad it could come in very useful indeed!

Another big purchase at MotherCare

2008-03-06T06:32:00.000-08:00

MotherCare have now become a disount partner - offering a 5% discount on their vouchers.

Back when I was 6 months pregnant I fell in love with the Quinny range which came in the most amazing colour, as a huge SHREK fan the colours reminded me of him (I just had to have it)

Infant carrier / car seat: £104.99
Carry cot: £134.99
Buggy with wheel frame: £329.99

Original price: £569.97
BaBeeCard price: £541.47
Total saving of: £28.49

My son is now nearly 8 months old and I will be needing to buy a new car seat (I think) as the one I have is birth up to 12 months. So I am due another purchase of at least £100.00 and I also can't be trusted once inside MotherCare as I always find cute things to buy or practical things I never use :-)

So on the travel system (which I highly recommend if you are pregnant or just given birth) you could save £28.49 which may not sound like a huge amount but it does equate to any of the following:

A MotherCare newborn starter bag: £24.99
An infant first aid kit: £16.99
A 10 piece unisex starter kit (babygrows etc) £14.00

Or

A nice bottle of pink champers and some candles for mummy's bathtime (Waitrose / John Lewis vouchers 8% off, so for £28.41 you are actually getting £30.76 worth!)

So you can see, even with a small saving you can make it work for you in other ways. The thing is when you have kids is that alot of purchases are a neccessity rather than a luxury so using your discounts to cover other child costs helps to alleviate some financial stress.

TOMS shoes - Help a child in need

2008-03-06T05:19:00.000-08:00

I was reading my weekly fix of Grazia magazine and came across a truly inspirational man by the name of Blake Mycoskie.

Blake has set up a company that sells espadrilles in funky patterns called TOMS, for each pair bought he donates another pair to a child in need.

They launched in the states recently and completely sold out. They hand delivered 50,000 pairs to South Africa to help children protect their feet as they walk miles to school or to fetch water all barefoot which subjects them to infections.

The shoes go on sale shortly through The Shoe Studio which has branches inside places such as TopShop, House of Frazer and Selfridges.

Read Blake's blog - its fantastic! or visit his site to learn more and see the funkiest shoes for this summer.

BaBeeCard has discounts at:
TopShop 8%
- Giftcard original price: £50.00
- Giftcard BaBeeCard price: £46.00
- Total saving of: £4.00

Selfridges 7%
- Giftcard original price: £50.00
- Giftcard BaBeeCard price: £47.50
- Total saving of: £2.50

House of Fraser 10%
- Giftcard original price: £50.00
- Giftcard BaBeeCard price: £45.00
- Total saving of: £5.00

The shoes will cost between £25 and £35 and the joy the other pair will give to a child in need is priceless.

So with the dicounts you can buy more than one pair :-) and help Blake on his mission to make a difference.

I think this guy is amazing, what a beautiful thing to do for children!! It makes me really appreciate how fortune my son is, that he is warm, clothed and well fed (a bit too well as he is a chubby little so-and-so)

Even if you don't go via BaBeeCard - please let's do our bit to help!

I have signed up for an alert when they go on sale in this country, so I will keep you all posted.

How to offend family at Christmas

2008-03-03T11:45:00.000-08:00

Buy them a diet plate, it's that easy!

Here I am searching on the BaBee discount portal chuckling to myself as I am trying to find some presents for all the birthdays I have coming up. The reason I am chuckling is because Weight Watchers is one of our discount partners and I am still trying to shake off the embarrassment I caused at Christmas when I bought my partner, my soon-to-be mother-in-law and my cousin something called "The Diet Plate".

Now me being me, I thought it was a GREAT idea. The Diet Plate has markings all over it for portion control (I even bought one for myself) as I wanted to try it out as a weight loss alternative to dragging myself to the gym.

Guess what? The diet plate didn't go down very well!! I managed to offend pretty much everyone and now have to pretend the diet plate never existed as I focus my conversation on the amazing "other" presents they got from me instead :-)

So, please don't take this post the wrong way I am not suggesting anything un-toward, I just thought I would mention the great deal for those of you who may want to shake off some post baby weight or even for those of you who are already longing for summer dresses, shorts and spaghetti straps.

With BaBeeCard you can save £20 when you join Weight Watchers.

Original price: £59.80 (£29.95 subscription + £9.95 a month x 3 months)
BaBeeCard price: £39.80 for 3 months
Total saving of: £20.00

I wonder how many triple chocolate fudge cakes you could buy with £20?

An 8% discount at Waitrose could save me a min of £432 a year!

2008-03-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

As a family of 2 adults and a small baby I thought setting a budget of around £450 a month on groceries would be more than ample. So I wanted to see how the savings would break down if I used my BaBeeCard to buy Waitrose vouchers at an 8% discount.

The vouchers are £50 in value but only cost £46 so I have ordered one voucher to begin with to see what difference it makes to buying baby essentials such as milk, baby food, nappy bags, wipes and nappies.

Out of interest I thought I would go back through my last few Waitrose receipts to see how much I could have saved if I had used vouchers to pay for my shopping instead of cash, I almost wished I hadn't as I am now kicking myself!

Grocery reciepts:
2nd Feb £38.82
4th Feb £24.07
10th Feb £57.47
12th Feb £75.90
16th Feb £60.56
19th Feb £53.01
22nd Feb £108.64

Total reciepts: £408.41
BaBeeCard price £375.73
Total saving of: £32.67

It's not very often that I am totally speechless but this has really shocked me! I budget £450 a month for groceries and baby essentials etc but by looking at the above I am spending almost the entire budget in 2 and a half weeks! (And no my shopping trolley isn’t full of champagne, chocolates and women’s magazines)

Anyway, onwards and upwards now and I am going to use the vouchers from now on, even if I stayed within my budget of £450 a month (£5400 per year), the savings on groceries alone would total a whopping £432!

Original voucher price: £50.00
BaBeeCard price: £46.00
Total saving of: £4.00

Mothers Day - something different

2008-03-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

Mothers day With mothers day looming I thought I would use my BaBeeCard to buy my mother a present and get her something a little bit different. I used to love going out shopping but with a 7.5 month old baby boy it is becoming less and less enjoyable and more like a monkey’s tea party.

What is it with babies and playing up as soon as you walk into a shop?! Why can’t they be as mesmerised by shoes and bags as I am? There are only so many food distractions a baby can tolerate before they realise you are palming them off whilst you indulge in some much needed retail therapy.

So I am ready to tackle shopping from home. With a cup of tea and a penguin biscuit in hand (still haven’t shaken off that particular craving) it seemed the perfect opportunity to shop online, especially with a sleeping baby. I usually buy my mum flowers and forget to send her a card so this time I thought I would get her something different as we live in Bucks and she lives in Cornwall (which makes it rather difficult to take her out for a nice meal).

I went through the usual list of gift ideas, pampering at a spa, chocolates, a hamper, flowers etc but none of them felt quite unique enough and I wanted something that she could enjoy all year round so I bought her a magazine subscription from Letsubscribe.com for £27.61 instead of £38.75.

Original subscription: £38.75
BaBeeCard price: £27.61
Total saving of: £11.14

Being single is better for your wallet!

2008-03-01T05:10:00.000-08:00

Well in terms of birthdays anyway.

At least if you are single it’s only your family and friends to buy presents for, I have counted a whopping 33 birthdays this year with my family and fiances family combined. Going to be an expensive year :-)

33 birthdays, I say that again!! and that’s me being conservative and not including aunties, uncles, cousins etc.

It breaks down as follows:

March: 4, April: 2, May: 1, June: 2, July: 1, Aug: 2, Sept: 2, Oct: 3, Nov: 2, Dec: 3, Jan: 2, Feb: 3

5 people I don't have dates for yet so am hoping they are not in December or January as Christmas and New Year are always a killer for spending.

I have set myself a goal – to only buy the presents with the BaBeeCard by utilising the discounts available via the online discount scheme.

So this means I have to be :
a) inventive
b) be very organised (something that doesn’t bode well with my scatty personality)

It's the 1st of March today so with the 8th, 11th, 14th & 25th coming up I had better get cracking!

Right! Off to shop! will let you know what I find....

My fathers wedding

2008-03-01T04:51:00.000-08:00

It’s going to be an unusual year this year as my dad got remarried yesterday and my fiancé and I will be setting our wedding date for this year too – I wonder how many fathers’ and daughters get married in the same year?

Just like getting married – to save money with BaBeeCard, it’s all about planning ahead (something I didn’t do) so we turned up at the wedding reception without a gift but a bottle of pink champagne that I bought around the corner in a rip off shop. I have however assured my dad and his new wife that the gift will follow. Had I planned it properly I could have bought the champagne with my card and got between a 10% - 12.5% discount from either Vin Vino Direct, Wines4homes.com H&H Bancroft, Waitrose Wines Direct or even a Threshers voucher so they could choose it themselves.

So my mission today whilst my father sleeps off his gargantuan hangover is to find a suitable gift on the discount portal.

I’ll let you know what I managed to find once mission is accomplished.

Babies and mealtimes

2008-03-01T04:13:00.000-08:00

Babies and mealtimes
Are a messy business! especially if you don’t have a high chair! I have developed a loathing of highchairs as the mess that seems to squish its way into every corner makes me feel a little queasy.

With a 7.5 month old baby the Bumbo seemed a good option (that was until he had a growth spurt and worked out how to arch his back and almost “pop” himself out of it).

As Truly Madly Baby is a discount partner on the BaBeeCard portal I thought that should be my first port of call to find a solution to our messy and highly entertaining meal times.

With a 10% discount I bought a Tots Seat for £27.91 which included VAT and delivery of £4.50. It’s a funky little wrap around piece of fabric that practically glues the baby onto an adult chair. (I have just realised my chairs are cream!)

Original Price: £30.50
New price: £27.91
Total saving of: £2.59