The Real Cost of Your Commute (and How to Drive it Down)

Do you spend several hours every week travelling to and from work? As well as the time it takes you, there’s also the cost; a recent study from Totaljobs revealed that the average UK employee spends £146 a month commuting - which comes to a whopping £135,871 by the time you come to retire.

That monthly spend is over double for workers heading into London. On top of petrol, parking and daily train tickets, there’s the unforgotten costs like vehicle wear and tear and even coffees at the station - all of which eat into your wage on a daily basis. Some commuters may need to look into other financial routes to cover their travel arrangements on top of other essentials.

Thankfully, there are simple ways to make it cheaper. Try these four tips to drive down your commuting costs.

How to Enjoy the Ultimate Mum and Child Pamper Day

Want to enjoy the ultimate pamper day with your kids without stepping foot inside a spa? There’s a wide range of products you can buy which can be used to pamper yourself at home and no matter what your budget, you’ll always be able to find items to match it.

Stock up on pampering products

You’re going to need some basic products to pamper yourselves. Face masks, moisturisers and maybe even foot scrubs will all come in useful for some well deserved R&R. While you can potentially save money shopping online, it may be a good idea to actually go shopping.

This is especially true if you’ll be hosting the pamper day pretty soon. With online deliveries, there’s always a risk the parcel could get lost or simply not turn up on time (we've all experienced that). So, going physically shopping will eliminate any stress for on the day.

Making a House a Home with Desenio

We've been decorating the house room by room for the last couple of months and it's now at the stage where I can actually select the finishing touches for certain spaces *hooray*. I think it's the final few pieces like plants, candles and wall art that really transform a house into a home, and gives a room some style. It was therefore lovely to select some prints from Desenio - especially after gathering so much inspiration from their Instagram page!

Desenio have a large collection of posters and prints, which are primarily Scandinavian, that help you to create the atmosphere you desire - whether that be a sassy teen bedroom or a relaxing bathroom. If you're seeking classic black and white, retro items, bold quotes or something cute for a nursery, they have some great quality products and they of course have the perfect frames and accessories to enable you to get your purchases up and on the walls or shelves quickly. 

Putting Hill's Pet Food To The Test

*Sponsored post in collaboration with Hill's Pet Nutrition*

It's not long until puppies and other pets become a big part of the family and Spartan is no exception. It feels like only yesterday we were collecting him as a tiny bundle of fur and bringing him home for the first time, but he is now fast approaching his 8th birthday and I don't really remember life without him.

If we are travelling I always seek out pet friendly accommodation so that he can join us and he often comes along for day trips to the beach, fishing and beyond.
I even refer to him as my third baby at times as he really is quite a pampered pooch!

Ensuring he has a good diet, like the rest of the family, is vital for his health and wellbeing and selecting products that meet the nutritional requirements for his age is essential. We were offered the Hill's Science Plan food for Spartan to try, specifically the Canine Mature Adult 7+ Active Longevity bag, and after reading about the brand in Good Housekeeping I was happy to accept on his behalf.

Colic Awareness Month (A Giveaway With Infacol)

*Sponsored Post in Collaboration with Infacol*

Whether you've just had a baby and become a parent for the first time or you've a newborn, toddlers and teens in tow, parenting can be challenging. All of the smiles, cuddles and giggles are incredibly rewarding but there are, and will be, days when you struggle to comfort a poorly or upset baby and you stress, panic and get emotional - all of which are totally normal reactions! That's why it's so important to speak up, share how you feel and support other mums and dads on their journey into motherhood and fatherhood. It only takes a moment to reach out to someone and ask if they're okay and it can have such a huge, positive impact on their lives.

As it's Colic Awareness Month, Infacol may be able to make life a little easier for you and your family. September is a time for parents, carers and healthcare professionals to swap stories of soothing crying babies and to offer support, solidarity and information to anyone that might be going through a rough first 6 months with their newborn. We've also got a giveaway below where you can win a 'bubbly bundle' for your little one when you simply share a time when you've needed some extra help as a parent, to reinforce the fact there's nothing to be ashamed of if you need a helping hand or extra guidance, or offer some advice. I've even shared a personal letter to my partner, as we approach a time where we are thinking about trying to conceive to show I too can be worried - and this will be my third baby! 

Making the Perfect Arts and Crafts Space for your Child

It’s important that you encourage your children to be creative – as it has many benefits for them. It can help them to develop their social skills as well as to develop mentally and emotionally. It can also be a great way for them to learn how to problem solve. They will be learning without even knowing it. They will count colours, develop motor skills by using a paintbrush and more. Here we discuss how you can create the perfect arts and crafts space for your child.

Why You Should Consider a Honeymoon in Santorini

When it comes to planning a wedding, you want to make sure that everything is perfect so you can make sure your day goes as best as it can without any problems or disasters. But as well as the planning for the big day, you also want to make sure your honeymoon is planned out perfectly so that everything runs smoothly from the big day up until the honeymoon.

If you are still looking to find the perfect honeymoon destination, then you have come to the right place, this is because, in this article, we will discuss the reasons why you should consider a honeymoon in Santorini. If this is something you are interested in, then make sure you keep reading this article to find out more information.