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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Five things to think about before getting a pet

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about what it would be like to have another pet. The kids have reached the age where all I hear about it how much they want a pet of their own, but it’s a life-altering decision. I thought I’d put together a quick blog post on the top five things to consider, in case you are in the same situation.

1. Your lifestyle

First and foremost, what kind of lifestyle do you have? Are you flying solo and prefer to spend most of your evenings out on a run, and you’d love the company of a large dog beside you? Or are you a loving family unit, currently searching for an exuberant kitten that’s just as happy to play with the kids as he is to sit on your lap of an evening? You need to make sure that you pick the right kind of animal to suit your lifestyle, otherwise you will both end up miserable.

2. Your environment

It’s all well and good choosing an animal you like the most, but take a look at your environment and be honest with yourself about how suitable it is. Cats love to climb, so you might want to think about modifying your space to include some platforms for it to jump to or scratching posts beside walls. If this isn’t something you’re prepared to do, then you shouldn’t be thinking about that animal – even rabbits need a run!

3. Your allergies

Purposely getting a pet you’re allergic to could land you on a hospital ward, so if you have your heart set on a cat for example but suffer with terrible allergies, the Siberian breed might be the one for you, as studies have shown them to have far less of the protein in their saliva that causes a reaction than any other cat. Always do your research and see if there’s a breed to suit you.

4. Your budget

Of course, there’s no point in picking the perfect pet for yourself if you can’t actually afford to keep it, so you should always look at exactly what the monthly costs involved will be. With animals like dogs and cats, you can expect food, toys, vet bills, insurance and so on to be at the top of the list, but what about more exotic pets like amphibians? They will probably require a special diet and habitat requirements. Be honest about what all of this is likely to cost you.

5. Where do you go?

Finally, you should do a search in your local area for where you can actually pick up an animal from. If you’re going for a specific breed, it’s vital that you select someone who is registered with the local authorities or you pick an establishment such as Douglas Hall Kennels who hand-pick breeders for you. Don’t dismiss charities either though, as they’re a great opportunity to give a loving animal a fresh start.

I hope this post has helped you – are you getting an animal soon?

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Travel Easy, Not Queasy With Sea-Band

I've written before about the challenges of travelling with queasy kids and was interested to hear how many mums and dads recommended taking a drug free approach to motion sickness by using Sea-Band acupressure wrist bands for their children. I've heard good things about their effectiveness against morning sickness too.

There's nothing more miserable than being stuck in a car for hours feeling nauseous, apart from being stuck in a car with someone else who is feeling nauseous!

The last get-away weekend of the year is coming up and Sea-Band have come up with a great list of tips to help you and your kids feel less green.

First things first: take their queasy calculator quiz to detect your risk of feeling queasy on your next trip: http://queasycalculator.com/ and then take note of the following:-

Plan ahead - avoid excessive alcohol and spicy or fat-rich foods that leave you feeling over-full, as they can increase the chances of motion sickness in some people

Avoiding strong food odours may also help prevent nausea, and position yourself near a source of fresh air if possible

Try to choose a seat where you will experience the least motion. The middle of an airplane over the wing is the calmest area of an airplane. On a ship, those in lower level cabins near the centre of a ship generally experience less motion than passengers in higher or outer cabins

Try and sit in the front seat of a car and where possible avoid sitting away from your direction of travel whenever possible

Do not read or spend too much time on your phone or electronic devices while traveling if you are at all prone to motion sickness

Isolate yourself from others who may be suffering from motion sickness, listening to others talk about motion sickness or seeing others becoming ill is the last thing you need to see or hear!

Be prepared and take a pair of Sea-Bands with you - acupressure wrist bands clinically proven to relieve motion sickness and morning sickness, in addition to helping with post-operative and chemotherapy-induced nausea.

They come in both adult and child versions so that the whole family can be travel sickness-free 

They work by applying pressure on the Nei-Kuan acupressure point on each wrist by means of a plastic stud. Because the bands do not use drugs, they do not cause any of the side effects associated with anti-nausea drugs. ·

Sea-Bands are a great choice for drug free relief of all types of nausea and they have no side effects. You can also wash and reuse them. More information is available on the Sea-Band website: www.sea-band.com

You can buy Sea-Bands from all major retailers and online.  (Adult Sea-Band RRP: £8.59, Child Sea-Band RRP: £8.59).

GIVEAWAY

I have 5 sets of Adult and Child Sea-Bands to give away (1 adult set and 1 child set per winner).

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget below.  Terms and conditions apply (please see my competitions page).UK entrants only and the giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 11th September.


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Tips For The Perfect Kids' Lunchbox With Hartley's

Now that the new school term is looming, many parents will be bracing themselves for the daily challenge of assembling a lunchbox for their kids that has the right balance of nutrition and excitement.

Kids are fussy eaters at the best of times and it can be too easy to stuff a lunchbox with packets of crisps and chocolate, particularly when you're short on time and haven't done the weekly shop yet.

So how do you come up with a lunchbox whose contents will be eaten with gusto whilst making the preparation as easy on yourself as possible?

Here are my top tips.

* Don't buy single loaves.  If you can, buy a spare loaf or some bread rolls for the freezer.

* Prepare the lunchbox the night before and place in the fridge to keep fresh.

* Buy lunchbox staples in bulk and portion them up as soon as you get home. You can pop individual portions of snacks like trail mix into separate sandwich bags ready to drop in to the lunchbox to save time.

* a healthy lunch will keep your child alert and able to focus at school so try to include a variety of food types, fruit and veg, starchy food (for example wholemeal or granary bread), protein (sliced ham) and dairy (cheese).  The best drink to pack is water.

Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients essential for optimal health, whilst proteins are the building blocks of cellular growth which also help to balance blood sugar levels and keep us feeling fuller for longer.

* you can make things a little more interesting by packing each item separately so that the unwrapping creates a little fun, plus this helps keep food fresher.

* your freezer is your friend - there are plenty of places online to find lunchbox recipes you can freeze so that you could cook in bulk on a Sunday to be ready for the rest of the week.

For example:

Lunch box ideas you can freeze from Planningwithkids.com

25 Freezer Friendly Lunch Box Ideas from Childhood101

Freezer Friendly School Lunch Foods from Super Healthy Kids

* in hot weather you may need to include a ice pack to keep the food cool and in cold weather you could put a warming soup in a thermos.

* ring the changes by making sandwiches with different types of bread or substitute the sandwich for some pasta salad or a chopped vegetable salad with extra nuts and Chia seeds to add some extra Omega 3.

* Pots of Hartley's No Added Sugar Jelly are a great standby to pop in as a healthier sweet treat and at the moment if you collect 12 individual pots with the green promotional lids, you can exchange these for a fun bright yellow lunchbox and stickers for your child to create their own lunchbox with the Hartley's Lunchbox Collector Scheme.

* make sure that snack foods are as healthy as possible without relying on shop bought sugary treats. You could include a selection of things like hard boiled eggs, unsalted popcorn, a savoury scone, a granola bar, some yogurt, fruity jelly and some nuts and seeds.

Be careful with granola bars as some of these contain more sugar than a chocolate bar.  A Hartley's No Added Sugar Jelly Pot is a better alternative with a banana or a small bunch of grapes.

The Hartley's No Added Sugar Jelly Pots come in strawberry, raspberry, blackcurrant, orange, apple and tropical flavours and contain just 6 calories per pot (great for those of us watching our weight too).

You may need to check that your school allows nuts to be included in case of allergies.

The key to a perfect kids' lunchbox is planning.  Why not sit down with your child and draw up a list of their favourites.  You could then create a lunchbox menu plan where your child gets to choose one item on their list each day if they also include one fruit or veggie choice. Caitlin, for example, loves olives and Ieuan loves carrot batons.

If you find that lots of food is coming back uneaten then it may be that your portion sizes are too large or you need a more interesting mix of foods (whilst still keeping to healthier choices of course).

Sometimes kids get so involved in what they are doing they simply forget to eat but if you are finding that all the snack food goes whilst the sandwiches and more filling food doesn't then it's time to reduce the snack elements until the sandwiches start to disappear.

There's no guarantee the local birds aren't being well fed of course but at least you'll be nearer to getting the balance right.

You could also involve your kids in the making of their sandwiches or snacks and get them to do it under your supervision.

You don't want to still be making their lunchboxes when they get to secondary school now, do you!

This post is an entry from BritMums #HartleysYourLunchbox Linky Challenge sponsored by Hartley's Jelly.

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Review: Nurture Fruity Water+ - A Healthier Children's Drink

There has been much publicity lately about the proposed sugar tax on kids' sugary drinks as a way of trying to halt the escalating levels of child obesity here in the UK.

You have probably heard chef Jamie Oliver talking about why this could make such a difference to our children's health.

My view?  It's really not as simple as that, however, anything we can do to reduce our kids' sugar intake is to be welcomed - by parents, doctors and dentists.

We are all guilty of turning a little too quickly sometimes to bottled fruit drinks and squashes and equally we know that it can be quite difficult to get children to consume plain old water - no matter how many themed cups, bottles and novelty straws you throw at the problem.

I was interested to read about a new children's drink which claims to be healthier because it contains lower naturally occuring sugars.

NURTURE Fruity Water+ which is targeted specifically at young children (from 1 year) also claims to support children's immunity through its added nutrients, being the "first functional drink of its kind".

These added nutrients are Vitamin B6, Folate (B9), B12, C, D and Zinc, as well as Calcium.  There is also 25mg of "Wellmune® Beta 1.3/1.6 Glucans 100% Natural Brewers Yeast".

The drinks are lactose and gluten free and are vegan friendly.

There are 2 flavours: Cherry & Strawberry and Orange & Pineapple and Nurture Fruity Water+ is made with 45% natural juice and 55% water.

Nurture Fruity Water+ contains no added sugar and less than 1 teaspoon of naturally occurring sugar per 100ml, making it exempt from the upcoming UK sugar tax relating to unhealthy sugary drinks.

It's also school approved, and comes in a mess-free pouch for on-the-go convenience.

Caitlin & Ieuan taking a break after running around our local woods

Nurture was developed by parents Lucie and Derek Sanders who, with three children of their own, wanted to find a way to reduce children's sugar consumption from an early age in order to halt the development of a sweet tooth and to encourage them to make healthier choices later on.

“Children’s immune systems are least developed and most at risk to germs and infection the younger their age”, says founder Derek Sanders.

“Nothing nurtures better than breast milk and all baby formula producers strive to replicate it. However, there is a gap in the market after children stop breast-feeding and formula, as there are currently no functional juice drinks with added nutrients available for children from 1 to 5 years. Nurture Fruity Water+ has been formulated to support children’s immunity and be part of a solution to help busy, on-the-go families stay healthy.”

We tried both flavours on a walk around our local woods and, whilst the quantity per pouch is a little small for older children (or at least children who have been running around a lot), both flavours are pleasant without having an obvious sugary taste.  I found Nurture Fruity Water+ to taste much more natural than some of its competitor products and there's no artificial after-taste.

I liked the mess-free spout which helps avoid those moments when no matter how many times you tell your kids not to squeeze the juice box because the drink will slop out, you can guarantee it will happen anyway. You have to squeeze the Nurture pouch with a bit more force than usual to get the drink to rise to the spout.

I think Nurture FruityWater+ is an interesting alternative to the usual juice and squash brands but it is not the cheapest option on the market.  For those parents who are concerned about developing their kids' immune systems and who are prepared to take a longer view in terms of developing good nutritional habits in their younger children, then the drinks are certainly worth a try.

NURTURE Fruity Water+ is available in 200ml pouches with a RRP of 99p to £1.49. Retailers include: Ocado, Whole Foods Market, and Holland & Barrett.

You can find more information at www.nurtureimmunity.com.

*PR samples were received for the purposes of this post

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On Trend Menswear For Autumn & A Fab Giveaway From Mainline Menswear

The approach of autumn usually signals that it's time to update our wardrobes and whilst there are some stylish men who will already have worked out which of the upcoming trends they want to adopt, I suspect the average bloke is still muttering about how his range of Motorhead, Black Sabbath and tropical patterned tee-shirts will be quite enough to last throughout the winter.

The answer is some sensible negotiation and a spruce up of the Husband's wardrobe with some stylish shirts, tees and hoodies.

We recently discovered Mainline Menswear, a leading retailer specialising in men's designer clothing, footwear, and accessories.

Established in 2004 the Mainline Menswear website carries a huge range from top men's fashion brands such as Armani Jeans, Armani, Hugo Boss, Diesel Jeans, G-Star, Adidas Originals, Fila Vintage, Franklin and Marshall, Ralph Lauren, Original Penguin Clothing, Superdry, Lyle and Scott, Pretty Green, Levis Jeans, Replay Jeans, Stone Island, CP Company, Paul Smith, Henri Lloyd, Ted Baker, Belstaff Jackets, Lacoste Trainers, J Lindeberg, Fred Perry, Mens Timberland Boots, Luke 1977, Edwin Jeans, Cruyff Trainers, Nike and more!

You can find Designer Jeans, Designer Jackets, Designer T-Shirts, Designer Jumpers, Designer Long Sleeved Shirts, Designer Shirts, Designer Shoes, Footwear and Trainers, Designer Socks, Watches, Designer Flip Flops, Designer Boxers and Designer Swimwear.

All orders are dispatched using their premium UK next day delivery service.

We were offered a Hugo Boss Polo Tee Shirt to try and the husband chose the one pictured above. The quality is excellent and the sizing 'true', with no pulling under the arms and with a sensible length in the body.

And Mainline Menswear have kindly given me a £100 gift voucher for one lucky winner so that they can update their autumn wardrobe.

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget below and the usual terms and conditions apply (on my competitions page). The giveaway is open to UK entrants only and ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 18th September.

For more information visit Mainline Menswear online or you can find them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Good luck!

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Review: Our Holiday Home Rental From Toad Hall Cottages, Kingsbridge, Devon

We have just returned from a week's holiday in Devon where we rented a lovely house in the small town of Kingsbridge from Toad Hall Cottages.

This is our third time using Toad Hall Cottages and we remain quietly impressed.  The company specialises in holiday property hire in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall and many of its properties are situated in lovely, picturesque locations.

Bralo, Kingsbridge courtesy of Toad Hall Cottages

Our first two hires were of a property called Blue Skies in one of my favourite locations, Noss Mayo, which is about 10 miles from Plymouth.

Devon has a special place in my heart as my parents were both born there and our childhood holidays always involved a stay with our grandparents who lived in Cattedown and Peverell.   The Husband has become resigned to the fact that the area is always my first choice of holiday location.  

Booking is easy, as you would expect.  You simply select the property which interests you and check online availability and pricing.  You do have to be quick because the properties are booked well in advance of school holidays and a deposit of one third is payable on booking, plus a security deposit which is refunded 3-4 days on return, provided you have not damaged the property or left it in a mess.  The security deposit for Bralo was £175.  The balance of your holiday is payable 6 weeks before the start of your booking.

A UK staycation has the reputation of costing more than a comparable holiday abroad but, to us, the benefits of a home-spun holiday far outweigh anything the Costas have to offer - although I am sure we will venture abroad at some point in the near future.

Once you ignore the galling fact that the price of all the holiday rental properties rockets in August (we paid around £1400 for a week) and then sink like a stone again in September (a comparable week would cost £570), the price is actually bearable if you are in a location where much of the entertainment is free and you are not being stung in excess of £50 entrance fees every time you enter a theme park or other similar attraction.

In terms of budget, it is possible to have a cost-effective holiday if you are happy with the simple pleasures of a bucket and spade and an ice cream, provided that the weather holds.  

The other thing to remember is that the M5 can resemble a car park at peak periods so if you are travelling to Devon in August you may want to be flexible with the times you travel.  It took us over 6 hours to return to Cardiff and on our next trip we may well travel home on the last night (the journey usually takes half that) to avoid numb bottoms and the suspicion that getting out of your car and walking might actually be quicker.

We stayed in "Bralo", a 4 bedroomed detached property in Kingsbridge which is just a few miles from many great beaches - Thurlestone, Hope Cove, Salcombe, Slapton, Blackpool Sands, Torcross and Bigbury - and that's without taking into account all the sights of Plymouth and the beauty of Dartmoor which are also practically on your doorstep.

You can access your holiday property from 3 pm in the afternoon and are asked to leave by 10 am on the morning of your departure date.

Bralo has a garage large enough for one standard saloon which you can use but parking is a little difficult as the house is directly opposite a primary school.  It being school holidays, this was not a problem although the school was in constant use and I imagine that there would be lots more congestion during school run times.

The property was in immaculate condition and spotlessly clean.  The quality of the fixtures and fittings was high (can't go wrong with John Lewis, can you?!) and everything had been thought of, with the exception of pegs for the washing line and some bathroom cleaner.

Today though, everyone is so health and safety conscious I suspect that these items are deliberately not included.

There was plenty of space for up to 8 people to relax and spread out.  The wood burning fire must be lovely in winter.

There's a generously sized table to accommodate some great family meals when all you want to do is chill in your own space.  There are only so many restaurant and pub meals we can take in a week.

One of the things we love most about self-catering is that you have the freedom to choose when and where you eat.  Kingsbridge has a range of good local shops plus the ubiquitous Tesco and Morrisons so it's easy to stock up for at least a couple of meals.

The kitchen was well equipped with a large fridge/freezer, washing machine, dishwasher and double oven.

There were lovely little personal touches everywhere.

There were two twin rooms downstairs both with TVs.  My only gripe was that the blinds in the second twin room were too light to prevent the moonlight flooding through.  Caitlin and Ieuan managed to share one of the two rooms without killing each other.

There was also a separate toilet with vanity unit and walk-in shower downstairs. The light / air con unit for this was great but if switched on in the middle of the night was rather loud if you were a light sleeper.

Upstairs there were two beautiful bedrooms, one with an ensuite and the other next to a bathroom with a stand-alone bath.

This particular property would work really well for two families or for a family with members of a variety of ages.  There is, however, no disabled access and dogs are not welcome at Bralo, although many of Toad Hall Cottages' other properties do welcome them - you just have to check before you book.

One of Bralo's main strengths is its lovely garden which has clearly been landscaped and has a dining table to seat 8 in the back garden and a barbecue area in the front.

We loved Bralo and would highly recommend it as a holiday rental for a larger family.

Ieuan loved it so much he made his own mini guide with some charming selfies at the end of it.  Alastair Sawday watch out.

You can find more information about Toad Hall Cottages on their website www.toadhallcottages.co.uk and they will also send you a brochure if you prefer.  Just call 01503 272303.  You can also find Toad Hall Cottages on Twitter and Facebook.

They will certainly be our first choice for our next holiday booking.

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Keeping Kids Entertained On Holiday With Help From iCarhireinsurance.com

Entertaining kids on holiday can be just as challenging as it is at home.  There's nothing like trying to encourage a game of iSpy whilst driving lost down a single track road only to find the SatNav cable has dropped out again and someone needs a wee.

The Husband and I did earn some parenting brownie points while we were on holiday as we managed to get the kids to put their iPads down for a bit and to enjoy some 'non-i' activities.

A telling reminder of how easy it is to let technology completely take over and become a not-so-silent babysitter is that moment when you hear that chorus of "but we've got nothing to doooooo".

To help us and other bewildered parenting bloggers about to set off on their hols, icarhireinsurance.com, who provide insurance which protects you from having to pay your car hire insurance excess in the event of an accident abroad, (part of the Halo Insurance Group), sent us a rather natty cardboard suitcase specially for the kids which contained a number of exciting things to keep them entertained.

Caitlin explains the contents of the suitcase in her extremely informative and unintentionally hilarious video below.



And since insurance is all about taking care of your belongings, entrusting your kids with their own suitcase or bag is a great way of teaching them a little responsibility and the importance of looking after their own things.

We even got Ieuan to pack a few things himself.  Caitlin had already selected a range of outfits and accessories.  Ieuan wanted to take a light saber, Stretch Armstrong and his cuddly Yoda.  The idea that he might actually need some clothes hadn't dawned on him.

One particularly useful item in the iCarhireinsurance.com suitcase was a very handy book of games to play in the car, such as car badge bingo and even a version of consequences which I haven't played in eons.

Don't panic - this is the version where you draw a man / woman / creature's head then everyone adds their own bit and folds the paper over.  When all the paper is used up, a strange and mysterious creature is revealed. When I first read it I had horrible visions of some sort of 'truth or dare' game but that's what watching too much Channel 5 does for you.

And obviously Caitlin had to personalise the suitcase - along with the odd desultory squiggle from Ieuan.

We took our own car but if you are hiring a car and want to protect your car hire insurance excess then you can find out more at icarhireinsurance.com.

It's easy to think that you won't be involved in any accidents but having just had to cough up £350 for a non-fault prang to my beloved Skoda thanks to a dodgy driver here in Cardiff, it's certainly something we'd consider the next time we hire a car.

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My Tinnitus on Holiday (or Spike Goes To Devon)

We Tinnitus sufferers walk a daily knife edge upon which one slip can often start the old familiar hissing, ringing, crickets chirping - whichever sound drives you incessantly nuts.

Those who live with a Tinnitus sufferer are subjected to their loved one's fear of any ramped up or unexpected noise.  That is, if the sufferer is lucky enough to live with someone who understands how draining, annoying and depressing having Tinnitus can be.

For the uninitiated to the joys of Tinnitus (and I hope you stay that way), Tinnitus is defined as "the sensation of hearing ringing, buzzing, hissing, chirping, whistling, or other sounds".

"The noise can be intermittent or continuous, and can vary in loudness. It is often worse when background noise is low, so you may be most aware of it at night when you're trying to fall asleep in a quiet room. In rare cases, the sound beats in sync with your heart (pulsatile tinnitus)." (WebMD.com)

Generally I find I can put up with my Tinnitus (a high pitched hissing in both ears) but if I am subjected to a sudden, loud or unusual noise, I have what is known as a 'spike' - a period of time in which the noise of my Tinnitus increases dramatically and I panic about whether it will go down again or if this is my 'new normal'.

To someone who does not have Tinnitus (or 'T' as it is reduced to, although sadly not the noises it produces), it is extremely hard to be sympathetic or to get a sense of what it is to feel like you are a radio antennae constantly picking up static.

You only have to read some of the posts from sufferers in the Facebook Tinnitus Forums.

Well, I am hear to say you are not mad, you do deserve to be listened to and the Medical Profession seriously needs to, how shall I put this, get its 'arse into gear' to find a way to help relieve the untold misery many sufferers endure daily.

At best we have a whole army of pseudo medics offering oils, potions, meditations, white noise, vitamin supplements - you name it, it would probably have appeared in the market scene in Monty Python's "Life of Brian".  Believe me, if a gourd would help, we'd all have one.

Let me share the sounds that have given me a Tinnitus spike this week.

* church bells
* seagulls
* someone leaving the volume of our phone handset on full
* the car (travelling long distances always sets my ears off)
* car doors slamming
* bubblewrap
* a hairdryer
* hand-dryers in public toilets (I really hate those)
* kids screaming in the back of the car
* a steam train whistle

If you have hearing loss-related tinnitus which I may have (although I also have mild TMJD too), the brain is constantly on alert and seems to like to fill in the sounds you miss.  It also acts like a fire alarm when you get stressed and ramps up the sound of your Tinnitus to warn you.

Half the time I think it is the fear of your Tinnitus getting louder and more persistent that, well, gives you Tinnitus.  It's a vicious circle.  You hear a sound.  You worry about the effect and, ooh, listen - there's your Tinnitus.

It is so important to have a supportive partner who can tell you that you need to be calm because your spike will go down.

Actually it's quite useful to keep a diary of your spikes so you can prove to yourself that yes they do go down, except I suspect that it's of more use to change your focus.

That, in the absence of a medical cure for most of us, is the key to surviving with this blight.

I've read a fair few posts lately in the Tinnitus Groups from sufferers who say they don't like to admit to having it - or fear the reaction of others when the admission is made.

I have no compunction whatsoever about being honest about my medical failings and, really, keeping the problem to yourself does not help, nor does it help those who may also be suffering from Tinnitus but who are too shy to admit it.

Acceptance helps a little, as does having realistic expectations.  On holiday in a strange place it is quite likely that you will come across a range of sounds outside your usual experience. Carrying musicians earplugs helps so that you can whip out a pair and plug your ears if the noise is too loud.

A holiday is a time to make sure that you are diligent with your self care.  If you know your 'T' gets worse with lack of sleep then make sure you get enough kip.  Similarly, if you find caffeine or too much salt can affect you, don't go overboard on the espresso or take-aways.

Sadly, you don't really get a holiday from your Tinnitus but just remember this - spike may come on holiday with you - but I'll bet you can leave him behind when you come home.

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Do You Take Your Mum Guilt On Holiday?

We had a lovely time in Devon.  Yes we really did.  We drove around the bright, beautiful lanes in the kind of sunshine that is usually provided by a Sunday night ITV drama and watched the light sparkle on the sea - apart from one day when the sky became its usual familiar grey.

North Sands, Salcombe, Devon

We ate Cornish Pasties and much ice-cream.  There was even, I have to confess, the odd constitutional glass of wine at lunchtime.

I'll share where we stayed courtesy of Toad Hall Cottages in a separate post but suffice it to say that, like many parents, I spent lots of time thinking "I really must spend more time with the kids".  Or, to be more accurate, more 'quality' time - a term that makes me wince but is hard to replace with any other cliche.

It's not that we don't spend a lot of time together but sometimes when I listen to Caitlin and Ieuan talking I can hear the adults they're going to be and, weird though this may sound, there are fleeting moments when I don't recognise them.

How did I miss that?  I wonder.  Have I been not listening (probably, although being slightly deaf doesn't help).

Cue the rearing of the ugly head of "mum guilt".  You'll have your own definition of course but mine is always "not being anything like Mary Poppins" and "being a grumpy mare particularly before 10:30 am".

It's that feeling of being unable to give sufficient quantities of anything - love, attention, understanding, wisdom, fun, freshly baked cakes, pocket money (no wait, that's the kids' definition)....

Holidays are the kind of times when mothers get to step outside of their mothering role and interact with their kids almost on a peer-to-peer basis but, equally, when you're out of your usual environment, the torch is shone very brightly on the effectiveness of your mothering skills.

The forms of discipline, for example, that seem to work at home seem completely useless on holiday.  Our main resource at  present is to threaten removal of pocket money for ever if there is much misbehaving.  But then one or other of them will make me laugh and the threat is forgotten.

Besides, holidays are for relaxing boundaries a bit, aren't they?  Late nights, too much sugar, postponing baths and all sorts of indulgence.

Except.  Except.  As mothers we need to remember it is our holiday too.  The Husband is a diamond when it comes to helping out with cooking and tidying but I'll bet many of us find that our routine is exactly the same no matter where we are - and whether we are on holiday or not.

This may be because we are rubbish at giving ourselves permission to relax.

This may also be because some of us get so wrapped up in the role of 'mother' that we forget we can indulge our adult selves a little - take the foot off the gas, chill.

We will not go to hell in a handcart if we loosen up for a bit.

And if we do manage to relax, everyone will have a happier holiday, including us.

My readers remind me regularly that we only have our kids for a short time and every day is precious.  So true, so painful, so important to remember.

And, as my own mother has often said to me "nobody likes a martyr".

If you're about to go on holiday, do yourself a favour and leave the mum guilt at home.

Trust me, it will still be there when you get back.

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New Releases, Free & Bargain Books Link-up 19 August 2016

How are you all this week?  We're back from the beautiful beaches of Devon just in time for a Daily Mail weather warning - of course!

I've a shed load of washing and there's sand everywhere but we had fun. I hope you had a great week too and found a little time to indulge in a spot of reading.

As ever, there are some great books to choose from on this week's linky.

Sharing the Love of Books
Enjoy our selection of New Releases / Free & Bargain Books this week

Authors please feel free to add your own books
Readers please free to add your own finds
(any genre except erotica welcome)

This weekly link up is hosted by Beck Valley Books & these awesome book loving blogs...
Monday
 Life as Leels | IrishdaisylovesRomance | Book Babble | All Romance Reader
Tuesday
It's My Side of Life | Celticlady's Reviews | First Time Mommy Adventures 
Wednesday
Beck Valley Books | Cinnamon Hollow Reviews
Thursday
Miki's Hope | Nicki's Nook
Friday
Ebook Addicts | I Love Romance | Mother Distracted | Colorimetry | The Ultimate Fan Blog
Saturday
Totally Addicted to Reading | 3 Partners in Shopping | Angie's Angle | I Create Purty Thangs | Wishful Endings
Sunday
Lynchburg Mama | LibriAmoriMiei | Ali - The Dragon Slayer | Wondermom Wannabe | Deal Sharing Aunt | Rambling Reviews 

For Pre-orders post - PRE-ORDER / genre / title /author

For New Releases post - NEW / genre / title / author

For Free Books post - FREE / genre / title / author / end date 

For Bargain Books post - SALE / price / genre / title / author / end date
(Strictly no Erotica please.  Steamy romance is fine but watch those covers people, incase any underage child is viewing it!)

Click here for this weeks awesome selection!

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Win £150 Amazon Gift Card In The UK Bloggers Scorching Summer Giveaway

The temperatures are certainly rising and if you've already blown your summer holiday budget on ice-cream and shrimping nets, here's a giveaway from me and some of my fellow bloggers which could send a £150 Amazon gift card your way, with a £50 Amazon gift card for a runner-up.

So who are the bloggers who have contributed to this fabulous Scorching Summer Giveaway?  Why not click on a few links to discover some exciting new blogs you may not have come across before?

UK Bloggers Life in a Breakdown
Testing Time Blog 
Chilling With Lucas 
Mother Distracted 
We Made This Life
Bump and Beyond
Precious Little Worlds
Hello Dizzy Miss James
Sally Akins
Hubby Helps
Really Missing Sleep
Spanish Mummy
One Frazzled Mum
From Aldi To Harrods
Culinary Travels
Miss Namy
Big Family Little Adventures
Mums The Law
Ickle Pickle's Life
Petit Moi, Big World
The Sparkle Nest
Bark Time
My Life As A Mummy
Working Mum
Fizzy Peaches
A Moment With Franca
Cosmic Kick
Suburban Mum

The Prize

The Grand Prize is a £150 Amazon Gift Card and there's a £50 Amazon Gift Card for the runner-up. If the winner is not a UK resident, then the prize, equivalent to £ GBP will be sent via PayPal.

The competition is open world wide, just simply enter via Rafflecopter below and complete all tasks to gain more entries.

How to enter:-

Simply answer the question 'What is your ideal summer getaway and who would you go with?'

The giveaway ends on 18th September at midnight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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Relationship Dilemmas - What Was I Asked In Week 32?

I spend a lot of time responding to the questions I am asked about dating & relationships and I'm not shy about sharing my thoughts. If you would like any advice, feel free to message me or pop a comment in the comment box at the end of this post.  I promise to be gentle.

Here's just some of the questions I've been asked this week.

Q: If a girl tries to ignore you yet is always looking at you, can this mean she likes you? Whenever I look at her from a far, I can see she is looking at me, but whenever I get up close she starts to ignore and avoid me. 

A: I would say she does like you but is too shy to do anything about it.

What other behaviours does she exhibit when she’s ignoring you? If there is much preening, hair tossing, lip licking and giggling, I would say she is a rather unaccomplished flirt.

When she ignores you does she make absolutely no eye contact at all or does she shoot surreptitious glances your way? - again, this is flirting.

If on the other hand her ignoring you is cold and borders on the rude, then you may have misinterpreted her interest. The only way you will find out is to strike up a conversation and take it from there. 

Q: What does it mean when a guy you've just met asks you for your photo? We've only met once, although we've spoken on the phone many times in an official capacity. I thanked him on Whatsapp as I couldn't meet him. He replied, addressing me as "my dear"and told me that he would like to spend some time with me. I've discovered that he has a girlfriend and is going to get married soon. 

A: It means he’s a flirt who is already spoken for and you should avoid him.

Calling you ‘dear’ is very old fashioned and a little patronising. Is he much older?

Why would you be chasing another girl’s fiance? I suspect if his fiance finds out he’ll be for it - as will you if she gets hold of your number. I’m sorry but I would avoid this guy no matter how flattered you are by his attention. If he’s flirting with you despite being engaged, you can bet you’re not the only one. Q: When someone who is attracted for you for months, finds it hard to look at your eyes, but prefers to look at your lips, why do they do it? 

Someone has been attracted to me for 9 months. They smile, occasionally communicate and show subtle signs but why do they find it hard to look me in the eye when I am nearby, but instead look at my lips?. On the other hand, when I'm further away, they look at me as much as they want.

A: Usually staring at your lips is a sign that they are sexually attracted to you but I’m more intrigued by the fact that you say this has been going on for 9 months.

Does this mean that they are with somebody else and this is an illicit attraction?

Either that or they are incredibly slow to take the initiative and, if you are interested in them, you need to take the bull by the horns and find out what is going on.

If they are with somebody else then I would let matters lie unless they make a move in which case you can address the fact that they are already in a relationship.

Bear in mind that looking is harmless (generally!) but it doesn’t always mean they are going to do anything about it. 9 months is a very long time to have a flirtation that doesn’t go anywhere.

Q: How does one approach a girl from a state of complete presence without planning the perfect moment to do so? I find that I constantly try to look for a perfect moment to do so. It however takes me out of the present moment when I do so rather than using the opportunities presented to me. I guess I just fear doing it at the wrong moment especially with someone that shows mutual attraction towards me. 

A: I think if you spend more time analysing this you may lose the opportunity altogether.

You are asking a girl out - you don’t need to stage it, script it or plot it down to the last detail.

I’m not sure what you mean by “a state of complete presence” - other than you want your asking to appear spontaneous.

If she likes you she won’t care when and how you ask, she’ll just be happy that you did. There may never be a perfect moment so stop wasting your time trying to find one. 

Q: Why do men in their 40's want to date women in their late 20's? 

A: The rather stereotypical answer is that a 20 something is a massive ego boost for a 40 something man.

Sadly, this very often screams “I’m having a midlife crisis”. But, life’s not always like that - sometimes 40 something men just fall in love with 20 something women and vice versa.

If they’re both single then where’s the harm. If the 40 something man is dumping a long suffering wife and kids to sow his last few oats, however, that is something else entirely. 

Q: My 12 year old daughter loves drawing, and dreams of being an artist, but she's REALLY bad at it. What do I do? 

A: You may think she’s really bad at it but art appreciation is entirely subjective. What appeals to you may not appeal to other and vice versa.

I’m not sure any child takes the art world by storm at 12 so why don’t you just be happy that she has found a hobby which absorbs her?

And if she is bad at it, why on earth does it matter? I wanted to be 20 different things at her age - journalist, vet, nurse, beauty therapist. She is just exploring different facets of her personality at this age.

If I were you I’d encourage her, buy her a couple of books for children on how to draw the basic shapes of things like animals, machines and buildings and praise her efforts. That’s the basic job of any parent, no matter what the hobby.

Please don’t teach her that you can’t do things unless you’re good at them. That way a lot of unhappiness lies.

And I’ll bet there were a few who thought Picasso wasn’t that hot an artist when he started painting. 

Q: Am I able to find true love? I want a warm boyfriend more than anything. But I am told there isn't true love. And boys around me have low EQ.
A: I think you have been reading too many self-help books and romantic fiction. Of course love exists but it may not take the form of a strapping hunk cutting swathes through the forest to find you with his sword.

And EQ is a relatively new idea - that you can measure how emotionally astute people are in various situations.

Our EQ increases as we age and with experience. Expecting young lads to think about romance is a bit of a non-starter.

It sounds as if you are picking the wrong boys - if you are chasing the best looking ones who are ‘cool’, you will probably find they don’t have much ‘eq’ because they will be chasing as many girls as they can.

Choose a boy who is like you, shares your interests and shows a genuine interest in you to spend time with.

Don’t focus on ‘the grand romance’, focus on developing a friendship which develops into something more.
But while you’re young, why not just go out and have fun without worrying whether this is the big passion and it ticks all the boxes.
Q: Can you be over a relationship but not over the person you were in the relationship with? 

A: I think when you have had deep feelings for someone, very often they endure for years, even if you recognise that the relationship just wasn’t working.

That said, I do think you need to be sure of that before you leave a relationship. Obviously if you are being badly treated or cheated on then it’s a no brainer.

If you leave because you’re a bit bored, or the spark has gone then it’s often worth putting more effort into things, or at least having an open conversation with your partner to give them the chance to change.

If you are the one who has been left, often people will carry a ‘flame’ for that person no matter how badly they were treated - it’s the “one who got away” thing - some of us are programmed to always want what we can’t have even if it’s bad for us.

If you are miserable, take heart that time will fade these feelings and once you meet a new love, the problem will cease to exist. You may have one or two nostalgic feelings about your first love from time to time but that will be about it. How would you have responded to these questions? I'd love to know.

More dating advice on my problem page.

All materials included in this post are intended for informational purposes only. This post/information is not intended to and should not be used to replace medical or psychiatric advice offered by physicians or other health care providers. The author will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages arising therefrom.

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Review: FrezyDerm Kids Suncare SPF 50+ Sun Lotion For Kids

A gorgeous August day took us to explore the picturesque Hope Cove near Kingsbridge in Devon.

The drive, although short, took us down a single track which involved much backing of the car to let tractors pass and the sighting of many a thatched cottage - real 'chocolate box' countryside.

The sea was the kind of blue not seen very often around Cardiff, although the Husband says that the colour of the sea is a reflection of the sky, which given that the sky in Wales is so often grey, makes sense.

Hope Cove has a pub, a cafe and a shop selling coffees, chocolate and pasties.  We ensconced ourselves on one of the remaining patches of sand and made sure the kids were covered thoroughly in suncream.

We had with us FrezyDerm's Kids Suncare SPF50+ Sun Lotion For Kids which is specially formulated for kids.  It has a new generation of filters which provide very high protection against UVA and UVB rays.  It is also water resistant, colour and parabens free.

Uniquely, this sunscreen shields the DNA and strengthens its repair mechanisms. It protects against photoimmunosupression and provides effective antioxidant protection.

We were in exactly the right place to test it and Ieuan, in particular, tends to redden and burn incredibly easy due to his colouring.

The cream comes in a pump spray which makes it quite easy to control how much you use.  We have experimented with some of the other spray on kids sunscreens on the market and found that you need to be quite a good shot and it takes you a while to get the hang of getting the sunscreen on the child and not the floor (although it may just be that I'm a terrible shot).

The sunscreen has a light, pleasant smell and sinks it rapidly.  There is a very slight stickiness so you are aware you have it on and it is also suitable for the face as well as the body.

Caitlin also has quite sensitive skin and we have found that some other sunscreens bring her out in a facial rash.

We were on the beach at around 11 am and FrezyDerm seemed to do the job.  Ieuan did  not come out in any red patches, despite being in the sea testing his new swimming skills. We stayed a good couple of hours and reapplied just once to Ieuan around the back of his neck.

As an extra bonus, we found that this cream did not leave the kids covered in sand.

The same, sadly cannot be said about the Husband's car thanks to Caitlin's new shell collection.

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New Releases, Free & Bargain Books Link-up 12 August 2016

How are you all this week?  We're off on our holiday so are in the last throes of packing everything that could possibly be needed for a six week trip up the Amazon.  Well, at least I am.

The kids have decided to take all their toys so some delicate (cough) negotiation is underway.

I'm not sure we're all going to fit in the car.

While we're gone there's plenty of books to choose from on the link-up and don't forget you can also add your own.

Sharing the Love of Books
Enjoy our selection of New Releases / Free & Bargain Books this week

Authors please feel free to add your own books
Readers please free to add your own finds
(any genre except erotica welcome)

This weekly link up is hosted by Beck Valley Books & these awesome book loving blogs...
Monday
 Life as Leels | IrishdaisylovesRomance | Book Babble | All Romance Reader
Tuesday
It's My Side of Life | Celticlady's Reviews | First Time Mommy Adventures 
Wednesday
Beck Valley Books | Cinnamon Hollow Reviews
Thursday
Miki's Hope | Nicki's Nook
Friday
Ebook Addicts | I Love Romance | Mother Distracted | Colorimetry | The Ultimate Fan Blog
Saturday
Totally Addicted to Reading | 3 Partners in Shopping | Angie's Angle | I Create Purty Thangs | Wishful Endings
Sunday
Lynchburg Mama | LibriAmoriMiei | Ali - The Dragon Slayer | Wondermom Wannabe | Deal Sharing Aunt | Rambling Reviews 

For Pre-orders post - PRE-ORDER / genre / title /author

For New Releases post - NEW / genre / title / author

For Free Books post - FREE / genre / title / author / end date 

For Bargain Books post - SALE / price / genre / title / author / end date
(Strictly no Erotica please.  Steamy romance is fine but watch those covers people, incase any underage child is viewing it!)

Click here for this weeks awesome selection!

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Win A Scooby-Doo DVD Bundle From Warner Bros UK

If you are now at that stage in the long school summer holiday where boredom is beginning to set in,  I have a fabulous prize from Warner Bros. UK to help you hold a Scooby-Doo movie night.

Simply enter via the Rafflecopter below for the chance to win Scooby-Doo Aloha, Scooby-Doo! Arabian Nights, Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico, Scooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy! and Scooby Doo “Where's My Mummy” - including a free pair of Scooby-Doo! Summer Glasses with each DVD!

This Scooby-Doo! DVD bundle (containing over 5 hours of content) is guaranteed to be fun for all the family!

The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on  Sunday 21st August and is open to UK entrants only.

In addition to the terms and conditions on my competitions page, please note the promoter's terms and conditions for this giveaway.

Terms & Conditions

1 (one) winner will receive (one) Scooby-Doo Aloha, (one) Scooby-Doo! Arabian Nights, (one) Scooby-Doo! (one) the Monster of Mexico, (one) Scooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy! and (one) Scooby Doo “Where's My Mummy”

The prize will be delivered to the winner within 28 days of confirmation of delivery address

There is no cash alternative to Prizes which are subject to availability, non-transferable, non-negotiable and non-refundable.

Prizes may not be sold, offered for sale or used in connection with any other competition or promotion by the Prize winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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