3 Ways to Refresh your Home in 2015

Heralded by spring showers, the season of new life is upon us. As we dust away the cobwebs and cold shivers of winter, you may be left looking for ways to refresh your home for in 2015. 

From big to small, there are several options to give your home that little lift or a complete overhaul and they can be done within a budget that suits you. 

No-one wants to start the year by breaking the bank but you’ll be able to put some savings to good use rejuvenating your home even on a shoestring.

Our Autumn & Winter Kids Fashion Haul

With the colder weather fast approaching I felt the need for a little retail therapy, not that an excuse is ever required for clothes shopping, to top up our autumn and winter wardrobes. I managed to find so

Mother's Day - Bargain Buys

Homemade cakes and cards are a lovely treat on Mother's Day, but quite often your kind and thoughtful little ones will want to use their own pocket money to purchase a gift for mum. They probably don't have a fortune to spend though so making the most of their pennies will certainly help - our list of bargain buys should provide you with some ideas!

All of these are just £5 or less.

• Aldi have a superb selection of great value gift solutions this March from handbags and pjs to flowers and teapots. Their cosmetic bags come in a set of three and are perfect for mums that like to travel with all of their essentials to hand or just want to keep their makeup organised

Bargain Buys For Your Valentine

Just as we are recovering from Christmas, Valentine's Day seems to appear like magic, and with many still longing for pay day after all of their shopping in December it can be an event that you wish wasn't on your calendar.

These bargain buys for your loved one with show that you care without breaking the bank!

Food and Drink

• Home Bargains has a great selection of items for this February 14th including Chocolate Single Roses (1), Biscuit Lollipops (2), With Love Teddy Mugs (4) and Heart and Lips Treats (5) - none of which will set you back more than £1.99!

• The Orgran Shortbread Hearts (3) are ideal for those with allergies yet a sweet tooth as they are both gluten and dairy free. Just £1.50 on Amazon.

• You can order your Valentine's Day 'Sweets for my Sweet' gift box for someone special and have it delivered directly to their door all for under £4. Check out Mr Big Tops website for details.

Tech 

• The Standeazy comes in many designs to suit all tastes and makes viewing movies on your mobile, video calls and listening to your favourite tunes easy. The credit card sized phone stand will be appreciated by those that love their smartphone as much as their partner and at only £5 it's a cheap way to transform a mobile into a hands-free entertainment machine! 

Health and Beauty

• Arnicare is a bath and massage balm enabling you to treat your loved one to some real relaxation. Packed with Arnica extract, evening primrose and almond oil it with sooth tension and help your partner to unwind, all while hydrating skin. With a mild lavender scent it will also help to calm so you can forget the stresses of everyday life, even if just for a few hours!

• This handy reusable heart shaped tin from Nivea contains 4 full sized products for smooth, kissable lips - ideal for yourself or as a gift for your Valentine. The two lip butters come in both original and raspberry rose scents and can applied with ease using your fingertips. There are also two lip stick style balms in Peary Shine Up and Essential Care, all of which will fit perfectly in your purse for your dinner date. An all year round essential. 

I love that you can remove the stickers and use it as a pretty storage unit afterwards too!

Stationery

• Something for the list lovers, this Post-It dispenser is handy for home or work and will really be appreciated by those that like to be organised and prepared for anything! It's also a lovely way to leave your Valentine love letters in their lunch box.... or a trail up to the bedroom.

There are even heart shared Post-It notes in various styles that you can use as refills.



What will you be buying your loved one this Valentine's Day?

7 Low Cost Activities for Summer Family Fun

A few weeks in to the summer holidays and no doubt our pockets are a little lighter as the pennies are being spent to entertain the little people in our lives! But panic not, as there are so many free (or virtually) activities that will keep you busy without breaking the bank - not every day has to be expensive!

Forests

Den building, bug hunting and tree climbing are just a few things you can do at your local forest. With the option to stay overnight with camping and forest breaks now available, you can extend your day out even further.

Check out the Forestry Commission website for more details - with prices starting at £7.70 per night you can book a mini adventure! (There is also the chance to win a break with the Guardian).

Libraries

Over the past few years we have joined in with the summer reading challenges where you gain stickers, a certificate and medal for your achievements (reading 6 books over the 6 weeks). The scheme is running again this year so check out some books and gain your rewards when you return them. It's a super way to encourage reading too!

Cinemas

The usual price of a ticket, food and drink may cost a small fortune but this is a great time to take advantage of the early bird morning and weekend deals. With tickets from just £1 you have a bargain trip out and if you take some snacks in too it kills a few hours without denting your purse.

Water parks

You may have been to your local park a million times by now so try to venture a little further afield and look for new places to visit, especially ones with water play. Pack a picnic and towels and make the most of the sunshine in your swimwear, splashing about as the water jets cool you down. 

Free swimming

Our local gym has several open days over the summer offering free entertainment and sports to children and this even includes free swimming. Check your local one for more details and to book your places today. 

We have already enjoyed inflatable play at ours this summer!

Churches

Many churches offer some great free craft groups which allow your little ones to get creative and it saves your carpet from glitter and sequins galore in the process! Some also have the option to leave your children for a few mornings giving you the perfect opportunity to take a well deserved sit down.

Geocaching

This is treasure hunting on a larger scale where you seek out containers or 'caches' using GPS. It's a great way to explore your local area and to get active. We have downloaded an app to find ones nearby but you can have a look on the geocaching website for more details too.

What would you recommend as a cheap or free day out?