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/
Thursday 11 December 2008
Tens Machine and electricution
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
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!
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!
Tuesday 9 December 2008
Seksy watch by Sekonda for women.
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!!
Friday 21 November 2008
Popular M&S offer - repeated - offer ends 9th December
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.
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.
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.
Thursday 30 October 2008
Smelly cheese, hampers and my spare tire
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
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!
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
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?
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.
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?
Monday 29 September 2008
5p off per litre of petrol @ Sainsbury's - offer ends 8th October!
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.
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.
Wednesday 17 September 2008
Babies - they don't come cheap!
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.
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.
Monday 4 August 2008
Suited and Booted
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.
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.
Friday 1 August 2008
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"
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
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
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!
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!
Sunday 22 June 2008
Get funky with Trunki
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!
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!
Thursday 12 June 2008
www.prepaid365.com
Check out BaBeeCard on prepaid365.com to get a good idea of how the card works, benefits and ratings.
Benefits in a nutshell:
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
- 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
Tuesday 10 June 2008
Discounts on eyeballs...roll up, roll up...
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!
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!
Monday 9 June 2008
No wedding list - cash is king
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!
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!
Friday 6 June 2008
Vouchers? don't leave home without them
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!!!
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.
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 :-)
Thursday 24 April 2008
Family food shop up 15%, that's £780 a year
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)
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)
Tuesday 22 April 2008
When all hell breaks loose
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:
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
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
Wednesday 16 April 2008
Radio Goo Goo - Radio Gaa Gaa - Westside Radio
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.
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
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.
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.
Thursday 3 April 2008
Anyone else got a banana flavoured laptop?
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!
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
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
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
Monday 31 March 2008
Mumsclub.co.uk - a business site for mummies
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
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!
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
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
Wednesday 26 March 2008
The Best way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once. - H. V. Prochnow
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.
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.
Wednesday 19 March 2008
Do you brush your teeth before 12pm? Ocado.com
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!
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!
Wednesday 12 March 2008
TOMS shoes now on sale in UK
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.
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
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!
Thursday 6 March 2008
Another big purchase at MotherCare
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
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.
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.
Monday 3 March 2008
How to offend family at Christmas
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?
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?
Saturday 1 March 2008
An 8% discount at Waitrose could save me a min of £432 a year!
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
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
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
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!
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....
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
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.
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
Babies and mealtimesAre 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
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