Taking care of your family finances during the 5 year squeeze

Government plans to reduce the deficit have resulted in threatening increases in taxes and cuts in spending, too. Whilst there is hope that the deficit could be eradicated by 2022, family finances are currently feeling the force of the necessary actions to achieve this.

As such, we all need to know how to save a little bit of extra money to see us through the next 5 years. By following these simple tips from icount, you will be on the road to success and saving your family money before you know it.

Be open to change

The first tip to saving yourself a bit of cash is to be prepared to shop elsewhere. We all know supermarkets love to compete with one another and at times, prices on our family’s favourite products can rise and drop at different times. It isn’t just supermarkets that do this, either! When you’re aware of it, you’ll notice that many retail stores hike up or reduce their prices, depending on what their competitors are doing at the time.

To make sure you’re getting your shopping for the best bargain prices, be open to comparing supermarket and retail stores as you go, to get the best deal you can. Websites such as My Supermarket help to make this a lot easier.

Make sure to make the most out of card points supermarkets and cosmetic stores give you as it saves money in the long run, and you may even get some items free!

30 minutes of money management

Whether it’s as soon as you get in from work one day, or between the Coronation Street double bill, take a tiny 30 minutes every month to work through your finances and save yourself a bit of money.

Whether it’s finding a better savings account to the one you already have, or considering ways to better budget your spending, there’s always something that can be done to improve your finances and prepare your family for the future.

Image credit: Ota Photos

A penny goes a long way

Put some money in a jar every month, to go towards unexpected payments or bills that are a little higher than normal. That way you won't feel as though you are paying for costly additions to your month out of your everyday spending money.

Over time, this once small savings pot could quickly become a rather large rainy day fund. If you manage to save up quite a lot of money with these small monthly additions, think about opening a savings account specifically for this. Look for a savings account that you cannot open unless it's an emergency. It will prevent you from taking money out and it keeps it aside for the most important of times.

Additionally, keep a jar of loose pennies in that you know you will not spend. After a few months of collecting, take them into your local bank - you never know how many notes you could get back!

No use, get rid!

Find that you have a load of unwanted things in your house? Why not organise a car boot sale and sell old things you no longer want. Not only could it give you a small financial boost, it gives your unwanted goods to other people that may benefit from them.

Car boot sales are a good way to spend a morning every once in awhile, to make a few pounds and help someone else out.

Introduce the money management rule of thumb

It’s said that 50% of your monthly finances should go towards vital payments, 30% should be kept for you to spend and the final 20% should be put into your savings pot. It might seem a little strict to manage your money in this way but it will certainly benefit you during these tough few years and thereafter.

Spread the word

Tell your children. Encourage them to stick to a budget when buying sweets or toys. Emphasise the point of not spending all of your money at once and saving a little bit for another day.

Perhaps you could open a savings account for your children to get them started? Even just £2 a week will help and give them something to build on, and it will also teach them the importance of money management and saving, ready for the uncertain times ahead.

Image credit: Pexels

Simplify your shopping

Try to write out a shopping list before you go shopping, this way it will make you less likely to spontaneously buy items you do not necessarily need. Decide on a budget before you head out and add up the price of your items as you go so that you know how much you’ve spent when you approach the tills.

By following these simple steps you will be on the way to helping your family immediately, and you will definitely save more than you think. Remember, saving is key.

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Pocket Money Problems

With so many bills to pay for, it can be a challenge to fund your kids. After all, they always want new toys and tech to add to their collection. And they are always asking for money to be able to go out with their friends. But you might struggle to afford to give them their pocket money. 

Here are some ways you can still ensure your little ones do get pocket money.



flickr

Try some freelance work

You might struggle to afford pocket money when you have so many things to pay out for. After all, household bills can soon add up. And it can leave you little money to give to your kids for pocket money. Therefore, to help you raise the funds, you might want to do some extra work. After all, doing some freelance work can ensure your kids have a tidy sum to spend in their life. 

In fact, you can look online for some work you can fit around your main job to help support your kids. For example, filling out surveys can help you to earn some extra cash from the comfort of your home. And you might even want to start a blog. After all, if you manage to build your audience, you can get sponsored posts which will earn you some money from your blog!

Sell their old items

With new gadgets making an appearance every couple of months, it’s no surprise kids are always wanting to upgrade their devices. After all, kids as young as 11 have a mobile these days. And constantly updating them means they have old items which just end up sitting in a drawer. 

But if you want to raise funds for their pocket money, you should consider selling these old items. After all, if they have a mobile or a tablet which is still in good nick, you might be able to get a few hundred for the item. And even if it’s broken, there are some sites out there like On Recycle who will give you money for the item. 

That way, you can put it in your child’s pocket money pot. And you could always try and find a buyer online. After all, there are lots of parents out there who will be willing to splash the cash for the item!

Look at small jobs for them

Of course, your child might be too young to go and find a part-time job to help earn their pocket money! But there are some small opportunities which will help them raise some money for their pocket money funds. 

For example, going to water next door’s plants could help them pocket a few extra coins every week. Or even walking an elderly neighbour’s dog could help them to earn some extra money. Even feeding the pooch or cat while the neighbour is away could be a good opportunity for them. And they might want to do some form of a bake sale or even a lemonade stand to earn some money. 

After all, it can teach them leadership and responsibility while earning them some money at the same time.



Image Credit

And be careful not to give them too much pocket money. Average kids in the UK get £6.55 a week which can be a lot for a family to afford!

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How To Take Control Of Your Family Finances

Your family’s financial health should be one of your top priorities. Whether you have one child or five children, raising them all the way up to age 21 can be expensive. If you want to ensure that you have healthy finances for the future, here's what you need to do.

Put Money Into Savings And Forget About It 

If you don't have money in a savings account, you’re effectively living paycheck to paycheck. You should be putting money into a savings account and forgetting about it, ready for a rainy day.

Choosing a savings account with a good interest rate is best. You can also decide to invest money in things like stocks, property, and shares, but you need to be prepared to wait for your returns.

Find Ways To Bring In More Money 

How can you bring in more money? There are so many ways you can bring in money using the internet. However, you can also rent out your driveway, sell things you no longer need, and do other things offline to ensure you’re topping up your earnings.

Create A Budget And Stick To It 

Being wealthy is not only about how much money you bring in, but how much of it you can keep. Make sure you create a family budget and stick to it. This budget may need to change depending on different circumstances, but you should have a good knowledge of your numbers to begin.

The following infographic can give you more helpful tips on what to do!


credit to family budget

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Summer's Coming & So Are The Bills!

As the weather warms up, we start to think about holidays.  Or rather the cost of having a holiday. Taking the kids out of school during term time to go on holiday is a highly contentious issue and it's something, personally I would not do without a very good reason.

I'm not sure a fortnight in a theme park counts as a valuable life experience, which is often the justification put forward, although walking round Alton Towers wearing one of their transparent rain ponchos in a summer deluge probably does. I've not recovered from the last time.

So we parents have to grit our teeth and pay premium prices for holidays whilst trying to cut our cloth accordingly and hoping that nothing else comes along to add to the expense.

We're very fond of a staycation.  The UK is a beautiful country and, hands up, I haven't quite summoned up the courage to travel abroad with our two yet.  That day is fast approaching though as soon as I sort their passports out.

We try to budget carefully and make endless lists, not only of things to pack but potential expenses. We prefer self-catering where possible because it's great to have a base to relax in plus you don't have the cost of eating out every single night. There's a limit to the number of chicken nuggets and chips I can face in 7 days, although Ieuan can be prevailed upon to eat something green now and again.

Readers of this blog will know I'm a big fan of Skint Dad's Penny Challenge which helps you build a pot for Christmas by saving a little each day (1p on day 1, £1.30 on day 130 and so on).  By following this system you can save around £677 per year but that's for the festive season and it still leaves the challenge of budgeting for July and August.

Added to which the MOT on my beloved Skoda Roomster is due, along with an annual service and possibly new tyres.  If you're going to be doing a lot of driving this summer you may need to get your car checked over to see if it's safe for all those summer trips.

Our garden wall is about to cave in thanks to rain and subsidence and we have a list of DIY projects as long as your arm since the house was built in 1929 and is beginning to show its age.

The Husband has been promising (or is it threatening) to convert the garage into a gym to put in a treadmill or a rowing machine.  And Ieuan is very enthused by the idea of having a punch bag and space to practise his Tae Kwon-Do.

None of this would be possible without knocking the existing garage down and starting from scratch which not be an inexpensive construction project!

Our approach to spending on the house is to squirrel away whatever cash we can in an ISA, use these funds to pay for the construction project (or whatever) and then start saving again.

A sensible approach is to talk to your bank, of course, or your credit card providers to see if existing credit card debt can be amalgamated or transfered with a balance transfer deal and hopefully a lower interest rate.

Most of us know, by now, the way to cut expenditure and raise a bit of cash.  You know the kind of thing:-

* having a declutter and selling items on Ebay, Craigslist, Gumtree or your local car boot sale

* reducing unnecessary daily expenditure (yes you know you shouldn't be buying expensive coffees and should be taking your own lunch but it's so difficult to get into the groove, isn't it?)

* menu planning and budgeting for your food

* using comparison websites to check you are getting the best deals on your utilities, mobile and insurance deals

But how many of us actually do these things, even though we know we should. When the bills stack up we seem to be struck down by a kind of financial inertia!

Incidentally you can find plenty more ideas in my half yearly budget post.

Sometimes though, money is needed urgently and a pay day loan from a provider such as Cash Lady may fill the gap.  Prioritising the repayment of the loan is key however.

And once over the financial hump, so to speak, the best approach is to start saving for next year's major expenses now.

Easier said than done, but well worth the effort in terms of the stress control!

How do you budget for your summer holidays?

*collaborative post

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10 Quick Tips For Saving Money On Your Energy Bills This Autumn

After the mortgage, our utility bills are one of the biggest chunks of our monthly expenditure.

Many of us, of course, know that we should be shopping around for a better deal but, if you're anything like me, you suspect that any rises or falls in utility costs will eventually spread to all the other utility providers and even out over the long term and you find the thought of switching provider is just too much of a hassle.

But since Which suggest you could save up to £369 by switching your energy provider, it may be well worth while making the change.

In the meantime, there are lots of ways we can reduce our existing utility bills by making a few practical adjustments.

Here are some quick tips:-

*  Turn down your thermostat.  The Energy Saving Trust say you can save around £90 just by turning your thermostat down 1 degree.  Sweaters and hot water bottles can be your new best friends.

* Try a smart thermostat.  That way you can control your heating via the internet and could switch it on in time for your return from work, rather than keeping it on all day.  Have a look at Nest or Hive.

*Make sure the dishwasher is full before you switch it on or, if you hand-wash, use a bowl to wash up rather than a running tap and save £30 a year in energy bills.

* Fill the kettle with the amount of water that you need and save around £7 a year.

* Reduce your washing machine use by just load per week and save £5 a year on energy, and a further £8 a year on metered water bills.

*Check your windows for draughts. You can buy draught-proofing strips to stick around the window frames which are cheap, and easy to install, although they may not be a long term solution.You can get metal or plastic strips with brushes or wipers attached which are long-lasting, but cost a little more. For windows that don't open, use a silicone sealant.

*You can also prevent heat loss by using thermal / black-out linings on your curtains (great at helping the kids to sleep too) or by fitting blinds from the company VELUX which have a special heat blocking aluminium coating on the back to retain heat in the room in winter and reflect solar heat in summer.

*Similarly, check your doors for draughts too.  Keep doors closed to stop cold air from moving into the rest of the house and if there is a gap at the bottom of the door, use a draught excluder.  You can make your own with some spare material or even a stuffed pair of tights.

*Draught-proof your front door by

 -getting a keyhole cover (a metal disc that drops over the keyhole)
- fitting your letterbox with a flap or brush
- blocking any gap at the bottom with a brush or hinged flap draught excluder.

*Don't leave all your gadgets on standby.  Switch them off to save £££s.

For more great ideas on how to save money on your utilities, go to www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

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How to save costs while running your business

Sometimes all businesses need to review their working practices with an accent on cutting expenditure. All companies are given to doing things the same way as they have been done before and this means that bad habits can be fallen into too easily.

When looking to increase your competitiveness and profitability, it is always advisable to look at your cost base before considering sales price rises.

The following useful tips are great for any SME owner, but are equally suited to larger organisations.

Don't Cut Budgets Equally

When you need to save a nominal figure from your outgoings, it can be tempting to make a corresponding cut from every budget you have in the business.

Let's say you identify the need to cut 10 per cent from all company expenditure. You may therefore lower your marketing budget by a tenth, your component expenditure by the same amount, your staffing costs by a further 10 per cent and so on.

This is not strategic cutting and can lead to problems with supplying customers down the line. Instead, look at the overall expenditure of each department under their nominal coding and work out where you can afford to make the cuts and where you cannot.

For example if your business has over 100 employees, Advance Systems Inc would advise looking at ways to maximise your workforce management using software.  Before you decide on your budget look to see if there are any other cost-effective solutions you could try, rather than making wholesale cuts.

Increase Your Warehouse Space Without Extra Overheads

When a company is expanding there seems to be a never ending demand on your cheque book. If you need to expand to meet demand, one of the most costly decisions you can make is to acquire – or rent – additional space.

Whether it is for storage, production lines or for additional administrative space, the additions of a mezzanine floor into a business unit can all but double the available space.

Different companies offer this service, you can find mezzanine floors in Leeds by WSSL. With little initial outlay they provide room for expansion, but do so without extra heating, lighting and rental costs.

Do Deals With Neighbours

In your business' vicinity there will be like-minded entrepreneurs who are also looking to cut costs.

Even if they operate in a completely different sector to you, such business may have outlay on things like marketing that can be shared.

For example, if you advertise in the local press or do the occasional leaflet distribution, why not produce adverts and flyers together so that the costs of them can be shared?

If you have a neighbour working in a similar way to you, then look into sharing equipment costs as a way of lowering expenditure.

Reduce License Costs

Software is essential for most businesses these days. However, the costs of buying it and having sufficient licenses for all of your team can be prohibitive, especially when you need to keep renewing it.

Many software suites have freeware that is just as good, so keep an eye out for versions of what you currently use that is free to download.

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It’s The End Of The Academic Year – Parents, How Are You Managing YOUR Money?

It’s the end of the academic year and amongst the celebrations of degrees and diplomas comes the realisation that, despite the financial burden of student loans, the spending hasn’t stopped quite yet.

I’m sure that loads of students fail to realise that trying to get a job can be a costly process. There’s the cost of an interview outfit , new shoes and haircuts. There’s train and bus fares or fuel for cars.

Flickr:  Archie Campbell

And if our graduates do get a job there’s the cost of actually being employed – again transport, clothing, lunches, office socialising. Or even the costs of further education and vocational training which they may be expected to fund themselves in order to secure a promotion.

I have been quite shocked to find that it is seemingly the norm for companies in certain industries to offer positions to new graduates on the basis which are unpaid on the basis that they are offering ‘valuable experience’. The word ‘exploitation’ springs to mind.

However, we must remain positive, encouraging and upbeat, despite most of us being hard-nosed veterans of the work arena. All we can do is offer our advice quietly and consistently in the background. I specialise in ‘nagging aunt’ – can you tell?

My niece, Emily has recently graduated with First Class Honours in Film Production and has a small runaround car which, typically now she really needs it, has developed a fault with the breaks when most of her interviews are easily reached by car. This is an expense she neither wants nor can afford.

I remember my dad shelling out for two return tickets to London to take me to visit IPC Magazines. In those days I was convinced journalism was my calling and after 20 years in marketing, I’m now a blogger so perhaps dad was right after all.

For parents, at such a critical time for their young adult children, the ability to help them is very important. Very few of our youngsters leave college and walk straight into a well paying job that allows them to pay their way – however much we may feel it is time for them to stand on their own two feet!

But the ‘Bank of Mum & Dad’ can only take so much and there may be times when a small cash injection in the form of a short term loan would be very welcome.

Flickr:  Blatant World

You can bet that extra bills will appear exactly when you don’t need them. I have mentioned in one of my previous posts that I really need to be more organised and diarise my insurance renewal dates!

How many of us breathe a sigh of relief once we have paid for the family holiday (and let’s not even start talking about the price hikes we parents have to put up with from day 1 of every single school holiday!), only to find we’ve forgotten about the MOT, the insurance or the fact that we really need a safer set of tyres.

It’s a bit like that film with Tom Hanks “The Money Pit” – everywhere you turn, there’s a new expense.

My nieces and nephew are in their late teens and early twenties whereas my two are just 8 and 7. For us this means a double set of new school uniform for September and then Caitlin’s birthday in November, her cousins’ birthdays in November, December and January and then Christmas!

As you know we have been trying to save for Christmas but inevitably there will be something that ‘appears’ out of the ether when we least expect it.

For example, our boiler has decided to develop a fault with one of its sensors. It has ‘moods’ in the morning. I know how it feels. And what about if you are also caring for your elderly parents? You may find yourself chipping in for cleaning, garden services, extra food or medical supplies.

It’s so important to make a budget and review it regularly. July is a great time to do a little financial housekeeping and check that you are on course to cope with the expenditure you know about and to put in place contingency plans for those costs you don’t!

If we want to really help our youngsters, teaching them to budget and cope with unexpected bills is worth its weight in gold.

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13 Budgeting Tips For July To December

We are half way through 2016 already - and I suspect many of us are very glad about that, given the year it's been so far.

Image credit:  TaxCredits.net

Back in January, here at Hobbis Towers we resolved that this would be the year we made sure we budgeted properly for Christmas and Caitlin's birthday.  I also have nieces and a nephew with birthdays in November, December and January.  It's quite an expensive time for us.

Lots of you started the 365 Day 1p Savings Challenge. This is a great way to save over £650 by the end of the year by saving the number of pennies which matches the number of the day out of 365 / 366 days in the year.

But have you kept it up?  I must admit I tend to fall a bit behind then make one large payment to cover what we owe!

On day one, 1st January you save 1p.  by 1st June, the 153rd day in the year, you're saving £1.53 and so on right up to the 31st December where, this year, you'll be putting away £3.66 as it's a Leap Year.

We found our template at Skint Dad.

The 365 Day 1p Saving Challenge

It's easy when you start off but as you get later into the year, you're paying over £2 - £3 per day into you savings jar - but this is still about the price of a coffee each day.

By the 31st December we will have saved £667.95 if we can stick to the plan.

You could still start the plan from 1st July and have around £500 by 31st December.

Otherwise, now is a very good time to sit down with your budget sheets and check that your outgoings are not exceeding your income.

I like to list any big ticket items coming up in addition to birthdays and Christmas and check we can cover them.  Both my car insurance and our house insurance fall in this second half of the year and we need to allocate enough time to get a number of quotes.

Unless it's a very good deal we never accept the automatic renewal premium quoted by our insurers as we know that the best deals often go to new customers with loyalty rarely being rewarded.

You can find an excellent guide to budgeting, including a template from Martin Lewis on the Money Saving Expert site here.

Here are some useful tips you may find handy to save some cash or get your finances in shape for 2016 Part II - all road-tested by the Hobbis family.

Lots of them you will already have heard of but it never hurts to have a reminder, does it?

Use Direct Debits (1)

Arrange to pay your bills by direct debit - including your credit card bills. It is too easy to forget to pay your monthly credit card bill which means you accrue interest and your credit rating may be affected - even by missing one payment.

Check out Guarantor Loans (2)

If you need a loan but your credit history is poor, or you haven't yet built up a credit history, take a look at guarantor loans where you can borrow up to £10,000 if you can get someone else to guarantee your loan for you. This means that if you have trouble paying, they will step in and make the repayments for you. Make sure you understand all the terms and conditions you are signing up to though.

Do your comparison shopping (3)

Don't buy anything online without checking whether there is a voucher discount code or cash back available from sites like topcashback.co.uk, myvouchercodes.co.uk or dealsdaddy.co.uk.

Invest in a restaurant discount card (4)

You can save significant amounts off eating out and taking kids to the cinema with a subscription card like Tastecard which can quickly pay for itself as it has loads of 2 for 1 deals or 50% at restaurants around the UK.  We use ours at Pizza Express for example.

Take a thermos (5)

Invest in a thermos.  When you out and about you can save a fortune on coffee shop lattes or just fill it with water to keep it cool and carry a Robinsons Squashd mini squash pod to give the kids a drink.

Get off and walk (6)

Walk some of the way - get off the bus a stop or two earlier.  It's a great way to build in some extra exercise.  In general we try to leave the car at home as much as possible to save on fuel costs.

Create a kids' party stash (7)

Buy kids' birthday cards, wrapping paper and party presents when you see them and in the sale. Create a mini stash so that you won't be caught out when that party invite card appears and you have 2 days to find a present.

Use your loyalty cards (8)

If for no other reason than that you might accrue enough points to give yourself a mini treat to perk you up when money is tight. I find that the Boots Advantage Card is quite generous, although Boots is not the cheapest chemist by far.  It does mean that I can have yet another red lippie to cheer myself up completely free.

Check out Ebay and learn how to snipe (9)

I saved a fortune buying kids' clothing bundles for my two when they were younger and I learned how to use a bid sniper which automatically bids for you up to an amount you specify to hopefully win the item during the final stages of bidding.  You know when a bid appears from nowhere topping yours and snatching your coveted item from under your nose, or when the price starts to rocket?  That's bid sniping in action.  You never know when they're there but you can do the same.  Try Goofbid.com where you can set up your own sniper using your current Ebay log in details.

You could also sell lots of the toys, books and kids' clothes you no longer want on Ebay too. Be aware though that there may be sellers fees and listing fees, plus an extra charge for using Paypal.  You need to do the maths to ensure that you are actually making a profit.

Create a savings jar (10)

At the end of each day, just chuck your loose change into it - perhaps 20ps and 50ps.  You'll be amazed how the total will rise or try the 365 day 1p savings challenge I mentioned earlier.

Check out Aldi and Lidl (11)

Since we swopped to Aldi about 9 months ago we have saved a small fortune.  I would say our weekly shopping basket (including the odd treat like a bunch of flowers or sweets) is about 30% less than the big four supermarkets without sacrificing the quality.  In fact, the quality of some of the produce is better.

I have also found that items such as Easter eggs and particularly their Christmas produce is excellent and much cheaper.  If you prefer to have everything branded, Aldi and Lidl may not be for you but I think once you see how much you save, like me, you'll probably wish you had started shopping there earlier.

Buy Own Brand rather than Premium Brand (12)

If you don't have an Aldi or Lidl near buy, you can also save quite a bit by choosing the supermarkets' own brands.  Very often food stuffs are produced in the same factory and then packaged into the different brand packaging with the accompanying variation in price.

We have tried this with various success, the only notable failure being coffee.  Pricier though it is, we still love our Gold Blend.

Write your Christmas present list now (13)

Lastly, I know it is ridiculously early but write your Christmas list now - particularly what you plan to put in the kids' stockings if you have them.  I always find it's relatively easy to budget for their main presents but I end up spend way too much on bits and pieces to go in their stocking.

Why not assign a financial limit for things like Christmas stockings and start to buy small items as you see them to avoid that mad panic in the last week of December. It's also a good time to buy teachers' presents or the general gifts you might give to people like your milkman or the window cleaner.

Hide them all in a drawer somewhere out of the way of prying eyes and little fingers.

The trick with all these tips is to work out ways to save money without compromising on your quality of life.  It can be done.

If you adopt some of these tips then you may be able to create a Christmas fund to relieve some of the pressure on your finances at the most expensive time of year.

*This is a collaborative post

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Free & Low Cost Father's Day Treats If You're On A Budget

It's Father's Day in the UK on Sunday 19th June and you may be rushing around trying to find something suitable for the kids to give to their dad. Let's be honest, it usually falls to us mums to sort these things out, doesn't it?

Dads all have their own unique personality, don't they?

But what do you do if you are strapped for cash? For many of us it's an expenditure we can do without.

It is possible to celebrate the day without spending money and by involving our kids we can help them to understand that the true reason behind the day is to show their dad how much he means to them.

For some, Father's Day is fraught with potential difficulties if, for example, parents are separated or divorced.  For others, Father's Day will be spent in quiet reflection thinking about the dad who is no longer with them.

These ritual of these annual celebrations is often emotionally, as well as financially challenging.

But if you are all going to be under one roof for the day, here are some ideas you might want to try, depending on the ages of your kids of course.

- let dad have a lie-in!

- bring him breakfast in bed (this one needs quite a bit of supervision in this house).

- record his favourite sports fixtures and let him have a 'sports' day' where he can sit in state in a comfy armchair whilst the kids bring him a drink and snacks.

- make him his favourite sweet - fudge for example is quite easy to make but again you'll need to supervise the kids with that boiling sugar.

- let the kids clean his car - or at least clean out their mess from the back seat (Fruit Shoot bottles, sweet wrappers, crisp packets!)

- dress the kids up as butlers, cooks and servants and get them to serve dinner Downton Abbey style

- get them to write secret messages on the loo roll (well, dads do tend to spend ages in there, don't they)?!

- the kids can make home-made cards and banners and decorate them themselves.

The dynamic duo have a number of cunning plans for Father's Day apparently

- why not make a 'cheque book' of promises from the kids e.g. "I promise to tidy my room", "I promise to help you clean the car", "I promise not to wake you before 7:30 am on a Sunday"

- how about making a scrap book of old family photos that have a special meaning to him or create some online photo collages ?

- get the kids to recreate his favourite TV programme - how about getting them to do a mini 'Top Gear' using their bikes and scooters or toy cars in the garden.

- older kids can write dad a special poem.

- give dad his absolute favourite Sunday lunch - in our house this will involve Sticky Toffee Pudding but the kids could dish up some jelly and ice-cream with sprinkles...

- have a gaming competition - if you have something like a Wii or just a good old fashioned game of rounders in the park, or skimming stones into the sea

- find the lyrics to dad's favourite songs online and get the kids to give him a show.  The thought of Caitlin and Ieuan having a Killswitch Engage concert for The Husband is, um, intriguing.  Although a whole heap better than an afternoon of Amon Amarth and their shouty Viking rock.

- make hand or foot prints using poster paint and frame them simply with some plain card.

- get dad to play Sherlock.  Hide a simple gift like a bar of dad's favourite chocolate in the house and get the kids to write a series of clues to its secret location.  If he doesn't find it, he has to share it.

- help the kids to make a sign for dad's shed or his 'man cave' using some strong card. Stick it up and throw a few strings of fairy lights around the space to jazz it up a bit.

No matter how you choose to acknowledge the day, the most important thing is to spend time together.

These days we are all so strapped for time, Father's Day is a great opportunity to make some special memories.

And it doesn't have to cost a fortune.

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Childcare Vouchers Can Help With Childcare Costs This Half Term

According the the annual Halifax Cost of Childcare research, the cost of raising your kids from birth to 11 has risen significantly in the last few years by 4% - to the sum of £87,000.

Childcare costs can form a significant part of your monthly outlay

It will be no great surprise to discover that childcare accounts for nearly half the monthly outlay for each child - around the sum of £320.

Childcare costs obviously vary according to the child's age and needs.  Some parents will not need childcare after their children start school, other than for school holidays.

For others, breakfast clubs and afterschool clubs become the norm, often supplemented with childminder fees to cope with pick ups and drop offs.

Add in the costs of  holiday clubs, play schemes, activity camps, babysitters and nannies, and the costs soon mount up.

But do you know about Childcare Vouchers?

These are a way to help parents save money on childcare costs through holiday periods such as half-term.

Childcare Vouchers are available through employers to pay for any registered childcare for children up to the age of 16, and can provide savings of up to £933 per year.

Simple to use, a chosen amount is deducted from your wages in return for the same amount of Childcare Vouchers before tax and National Insurance. They are then placed into an online account for parents to use to pay their childcare provider(s).

Vouchers can be deducted each month or as and when they are required. They can be saved up in the online account for when they are needed – perfect for those who only need them to pay for sporadic or school holiday childcare.

Both parents can join their employer's Childcare Voucher scheme, potentially doubling savings – making childcare more affordable.

The Government were planning to launch their new Tax-free Childcare scheme in autumn 2015, but this has now been delayed till 2017.

After school clubs also come at a cost

Currently, Childcare Vouchers are the only option for working parents who want to save on their childcare costs.

Furthermore, they will be many parents who will be better off continuing to use Childcare Vouchers as the savings they provide will be more than they would get through Tax-free Childcare.

Under the new scheme, many parents will be worse off, including middle-low earning parents, families with only one working parent, families using childcare for only a few days a week and those who have children in childcare over the age of 12.

Childcare Vouchers could therefore be the answer and it may well be worth speaking to your employer about Childcare Vouchers, especially since they will save money too.

Or, you could talk to an agency such as Busy Bees Benefits who can discuss the scheme with employers on your behalf.

Busy Bees Benefits' Childcare Voucher scheme helps working parents to save money on childcare and their employers can offer this valuable benefit at no cost to the organisation. Parents can also receive an additional discount if they use a Busy Bees Voucher at a Busy Bees Nursery - there are currently 230 in the UK.

It is certainly worth exploring your options when it comes to defraying your childcare costs and making sure you are getting what you are entitled to.

Further information at Busy Bee Benefits or you can call them on 0330 333 9100

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Planning Your Wedding? Here's 5 Ways To Save Money Without Sacrificing Style

Even if you’re determined to make your wedding day extra special, you might not be prepared to part with vast sums of money for the privilege.

But the fact is, if you’re not careful when planning your big day, costs can quickly spiral out of control.

There are plenty of beautiful second-hand and vintage bridal gowns to be had

From your clothing to your catering, you’ll have a host of expenses to cover.

The good news is, it’s possible to save money on your nuptial celebrations without sacrificing on style in the process.

The following five suggestions could help you keep your spending under control.

1. Select a second-hand dress 

Wedding dresses don’t tend to come cheap, but there is way to bring your costs down. Instead of buying brand new, you can take your pick from the selection of second hand wedding dresses now available.

There are a host of gorgeous garments to choose from online and from specialist stores on the high street.

Whether you want a classic, embellished, lace-trimmed or vintage look, you should be able to find something that suits and that fits within your spending limit.

2. Book off peak 

Another top money-saving tip is to arrange your ceremony outside of the peak wedding season.

Most people want to tie the knot in the warm spring or summer weather.

So, by planning yours between November and March (excluding Valentine’s Day), you can reduce your bill by between 20 and 30 per cent.

Also, you may be able to drive costs down further by walking down the aisle on a Friday or Sunday rather than a Saturday.

3. Have your ceremony and reception in one place 

Consider having your ceremony and reception in one location too.

For example, if you do the whole thing in a hotel, you won’t have to worry about the cost of transporting guests between venues.

Save money by holding the ceremony and reception in the same place

If you’re planning to tie the knot in a church, find out if there are any suitable places to hold your reception in nearby.

As well as saving you cash, this can cut your stress levels on the big day.

4. Get someone you know to do the photography 

Your wedding day will be over before you know it, so you’ll no doubt want plenty of pictures to remind you of it.

The trouble is, professional photographers can cost a fortune.

So, if you know someone who’s skilled behind the lens and who has a good quality camera, why not ask them to take your snaps instead?

Sometimes, the pictures taken by friends and family are the best when it comes to capturing the intimacy and emotion of these romantic events.

5. Have a buffet instead of a sit-down dinner 

Having a sit-down dinner might be a tempting idea, but it won’t come cheap.

An effective way to make your catering more cost-effective is to opt for a buffet instead.

You could bring your food bill down by a significant sum if you select this less formal dining style, so it’s certainly worth thinking about.

Your guests will enjoy the grub just as much, and you won’t be left with as big a hole in your pocket.

Each of these five suggestions could make you major savings, and the best thing is, they don’t require you to sacrifice on style.

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Christmas Shopping? 8 Ways To Keep Your Cool.

There are times when those of us prone to getting a little 'tired and emotional' need to treat ourselves with a little more care than usual.  And Christmas shopping is definitely one of those times.

If, like me, you find yourself getting too hot, too tired and decidedly cranky with kids in tow, here are eight ways you can mitigate the damage before you either blow your top or end up spending far too much money because you just want to go home!

Decide how much you are going to spend on presents

This is THE most difficult aspect of all but you really need to be clear about your budget and how much you can afford to spend on each present.  It's so easy to feel pressured into spending too much but we all know that after the kids have the thrill of ripping the wrapping paper off, so many toys languish ignored after a day or so.

Make a list of what you're going to buy.

An oldie but a goodie.  Make a list of what you're planning to buy for everyone and stick to it.  The list should include stocking fillers as well as main presents. It is amazing how bits and pieces such as novelty chocolates and tiny games can add up.

Research prices online before you go.

For bigger ticket items, it makes sense to at least have an idea of what the big retailers are offering and most of them will price-match (John Lewis, for example).

If you're shopping for gadgets, make sure you are comparing the like for like technical specification and check what extras are included.

You might also want to check any consumer reviews you can find in magazines like Which? or on Amazon. Whilst you need to be able to read between the lines when looking at reviews, generally you will get a sense of whether a product is OK or a complete dud not worth your precious cash.

Check sites like Topcashback, Quidco, and Vouchercloud to see whether there are better online deals for your gifts.  Sites like these also have mobile apps you can use to check prices and earn cashback on the go.

There are numerous other price-checking apps for your smartphone that you can use in store such as Red Laser or Price Grabber.

Plan Your Route

Once you know what you want to buy and where the best deals are likely to be, it's easier to plan your route.  Make allowances for the day and time you go shopping.  If you hate crowds, first thing on a Sunday morning will be a nicer experience than mid afternoon on a Saturday!

Dress Appropriately

I like to wear warm, casual clothes in layers with a stylish but comfy pair of boots that I can walk for miles in. You can find a great selection at Esprit.

Wear stylish boots you can walk miles in

If you've got kids, make sure they don't get overheated in all in one bodysuits and that their clothing is easily removable for dashes to the toilet!

Plan A Break

Particularly if you have kids, you'll need to schedule a toilet / drink break.  We like John Lewis as there is a good choice of food and snacks for kids, plenty of room, clean toilets and a welcoming environment for families.  Trying to cram into a tiny coffee bar with a pushchair and umbrellas is never a nice experience!

Make sure you have some bottled water and some healthy snacks (mini boxes of raisins or bananas) to stave off hunger pains.  If you're on a diet, a little snack pot with some fruit and nuts and perhaps a few cubes of cheese may help you avoid an enormous slice of fudge cake and a calorie laden festive coffee.

Keep Receipts

Why not start a folder specially for Christmas present receipts?  Just pop them straight in when you get home and you'll know when to find them should anything need to be taken back after Christmas.

Do It All Online Instead!

If you can't face the crowds, online shopping is the answer.  Just make sure that you take into account any delivery charges, last order dates and returns policies.  Not all online retailers offer to cover the postage costs of returning item.  If you're ordering a perishable gift, such as a cream tea hamper,make sure the recipient will be in to receive it.

It also helps to sort out a safe place for delivery as there is nothing more annoying than coming home to a missed delivery card.

With a bit of planning before your shopping trip you can minimise the stress and hopefully save yourself some cash into the bargain.

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