Budget-Friendly Ways To Renovate and Update Your Home

I think we all want to make changes to our homes from time to time. Even if you have decorated it just as you want it, after a small amount of time, your tastes will have changed, or there will be a new style that you want to try out. The thing is, though, all of this can cost a lot of money. It is probably the thing that puts us all off changing the look of our homes as often as we�d like to. But there are some cheaper ways to make changes. So here are some budget-friendly ideas that you could try out. Then you can get your home looking as you want it to before you know it!

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Win | Lee Stafford CoCo LoCo Irons Ceramic Hair Straighteners

As a busy mum who doesn't have loads of 'me time' available, I try to find products that will get me looking semi-human as quick as possible. Straightening my hair is one of the things that pains me so much as I have really thick hair and I just don't have the time to do it all of the time.

I was recently sent the Lee Stafford Coco Loco Irons to try out and they have made my straightening time so much easier and have made my hair fell better too. This is down to the ceramic plates on the Lee Stafford CoCo LoCo irons that have been infused with coconut oil which keeps my hair looking sleek, smooth and shiny.

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Getting Our Groove On with Electric Jukebox

I love listening to music and it's often that I'll have the music channels on, or will be listening to the radio whilst cleaning, cooking, or doing anything to be honest. What annoys me though is that you can't pick your favourite music. There's quite often times where I'll flick between stations to find a song, or they have ad breaks which are just plain annoying.

So when I had the chance to review the Electric Jukebox, I jumped at the chance as it means that I can listen to my very own favourite tracks with no breaks and only the songs I want to have on it playing.

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WTBW | Blade & Rose Leggings

When it comes to clothing for my sons, I like to be a little different. I hate that people try to dictate what they can and can't wear. I just want them to be comfortable and, for J especially, I like him to wear cute patterns and designs.

So when I saw Blade & Rose and found out that you could get leggings, and not only were they beautifully designed leggings, but they were perfect for boys too, I couldn't wait to get a couple pairs for J to wear.

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7 Proven Tips on How to Teach Your Child to Save Money

Generally, children do not know much about spending and saving money as well as the value of money unless they are taught.

As a parent, it is necessary to teach your child how to spend wisely and save money for future use. These are crucial life skills you should teach your kids earlier in life. The concept of managing money is one of the most important skills that every child should possess even before progressing to pursue formal education in schools.

Many people are in bad debts today because they were not taught the art of managing their money wisely in early stages of their lives. If you want to prevent such an occurrence in your child�s life, the following tips can help.

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5 Common Tips on Identifying Incontinence Issues

Urinary incontinence is an issue that people keep hidden. Embarrassed that they are unable to control their bladder, up to six million men and women in the UK try to manage their incontinence daily.

HARTMANN Direct, online suppliers of incontinence products for women and men that make managing incontinence much easier understand that it can be a sign of other problems. You assume, for example, that small leaks of urine are common and a perfectly normal sign of gaining. It doesn�t have to be because with exercise and, in some cases medication, incontinence can be an issue of the past.

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The �2 Challenge With Zamcog And Voucherbox

Did you know that it costs just �2 to feed and educate a child in Zambia every day? That's only �62 a month (spending on the month of course!). To be honest, we spend much more than that per week on shopping, never mind per month.

And so, Voucher Box has teamed up with UK based charity Zamcog to bring us The �2 challenge. #2poundchallenge is trying to find out if we can feed a family on �2 per person for a whole day.

Julie-Anne Uggla, Founder of Zamcog says �We�re delighted to work with Voucherbox.co.uk to raise awareness to one of the integral aspects of Zamcog�s work. At the Shitima School we not only educate children to improve their lives but also provide basic needs such as food and clean water. Any money raised from this campaign will go directly to funding nourishment at the Shitima School. The blogging community are incredibly influential and with their help we can raise money and awareness for Zamcog and continue to support our children.�

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Planning A Birthday Trip To York

It's not often that we get some time alone, just my husband and I, so when my parents said they'd look after all three boys over night on my husbands birthday we decided that we will take this chance to go away for the night and spend some time together.

After looking around and changing our mind a few times, we decided that York was the best place to visit. With so many historical places - such as York Cathedral - to see, places to eat, drink and shops to go crazy in, plus it's only half hour away on the train for if we need to get home quickly.

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What Do Women Really Want On Valentines Day?

When it comes to Valentines Day, it can be hard to work out what we really want. We are all different so when one woman says that they'd love a romantic meal and a trip to the cinemas, I'd say that I'd much prefer to have a bath on my own and as much chocolate that I could stuff in my face in one go.

I mean, having a nice bath with no kids joining me, no rubber duckies attacking me and no splashing would just about make my day. Now if I had a glass of wine in hand and a few candles loitering around, that would be perfect to me.

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Kooky, Spooky Trips Around The UK!

Going away somewhere for a break is one of those things that makes life a little easier. If at all possible, it is something you should do more than once a year. If all you have each year is one holiday, you spend the rest of the year either waiting for it or getting used to the fact that the next one's forever away. Just getting out for a change of scene is something we all appreciate.

It's always pleasant to get away for a family holiday - when you spend a lot of the year working the chance to spend time with each other is welcome. With that said, there are some sights to see that may not be appropriate for the younger members of the party. It would be a shame to miss them completely though.

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How To Display Your Favourite Photos Around The House

As a parent, I take way too many photos. I mean, there's not a day goes by that I haven't got my phone out and pointing towards one of my children. To be quite honest, that was the whole reason I started my blog - to have somewhere to store and show off all their photos. Somewhere that the kids can access one day and see everything that we have done together, all of their memories in one place.

I try to capture every moment, not just the main ones. So, along with newborn photos, their birthdays and their firsts, I have a plethora of group shots of them all together (with at least 2 of them smiling each time!), funny poses, sweet moments and way too many holiday snaps.

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Hurty At Thirty: Things To Think About As You Get On In Years

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I�ve been thinking recently about all that �getting older� stuff. Now, I�m not the sort of person that thinks about mortality and all that, but as the boys are now getting older (Thomas is going to be 10 in two years! Where has the time gone?!) it made me think about what I want to leave for them, what advice, and what sort of things can I do to provide for them better. And it made me think about how I felt when I turned 30. I was mortified! Many of my friends have tried to stay 29 forever, and it hasn�t worked for me! So I thought about what turning 30 means for most women, whether you�re a mum or a career gal! And it seems to me to be the following:

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Storage Solutions To Help Declutter Your Home

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A cluttered home makes for a cluttered mind. But what if you don�t want to get rid of all that extra stuff? Being creative with your storage methods can help you to conceal everything in your home and keep things neat and tidy, eliminating the need to upsize or part with your possessions. Here are few creative storage methods that you may be able to try out.

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Contemplating a Conservatory? Here's How to Make the Most of It

Conservatories and orangeries are excellent additions to any home. If you have the space for an extension, building a conservatory is one of the best ways you can use it. During the summer, you can use it as a space between the inside and outside. In colder weather, you can still keep it warm and enjoy your garden without having to go outside. If you decide you want a conservatory or orangery, you need to think a bit about the design of it. One particular style might come to mind, but perhaps the traditional conservatory look isn't for you. You can consider some different aspects to design a conservatory you love.

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Ready To Say Goodbye To Your Home: 3 Essential Things You Need To Do First

Once you have decided you want to move property, it�s easy to rush to put it on the market. But to ensure you are making the right decision and don�t end up losing out on your equity, you need to wait before you put it on. After all, there might be a few things you can do to ensure your family gets as much as possible to put towards your new home. Therefore, here are three essential things you need to do before you say goodbye to your home and put it up for sale.

See what properties are selling for in the area

The first thing you should do when you decide to sell up is check how much homes are going for in the area. After all, you want a good idea of how much you will be able to sell your home for. Therefore, look online on sites like Rightmove. You can search your postcode and then check how much properties are in the vicinity. If the houses are not going for as much at the moment as you were hoping for, it might be worth considering putting your home up for sale at a later date. After all, house prices are constantly rising so you should get a good offer for your home in the future! And remember you can always get a free valuation from an estate agent, so you know how much your home is worth. That way, you can make a decision on whether it�s worth uprooting your family.

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10 Things That Mums Of Boys Will Understand

Being a mum to 3 boys, there is loads I can tell you about having sons and just how weird and wacky, yet wonderful it is. So these are my 10 things that mums of sons will know... *Now I know that some of these can also class for girls but I don't have any so am basing this on my experiences of myself growing up versus my sons now.

1. Everything Will Be Covered In Pee
Yes, this had to be number one! From the moment they are born, they will pee everywhere. When you're changing their nappy, they'll pee on you, on themselves, on the floor, in their mouths! Then at potty training stage, they love learning to wee standing up, but this then becomes extra fun to see where they can hit with said pee and you'll end up cleaning your bathroom daily, if not more!

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50 Shades Of Grey At Home: Embrace The New D�cor Trend

If you are lucky enough to start the year with a little extra budget or if you are looking for ways to invest your money, you may want to consider a change of d�cor for a modern home interior that is at the top of trends and sophisticated style. Indeed, changing your interior d�cor is something that you will need to do regularly as this keeps your house looking and feeling fresh and exciting, even after many years living in it! A change of feeling in the house doesn�t mean that you have to throw everything away and start fresh. You can add some clever decorative touches to change the ambience in a room and create a dynamic energy in an old house. This year�s trend is set on grey, so here are some the best ways of introducing this neutral shade into your home.

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The Travel Bucket List That Every Mum Should Start Saving For

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When you have a family, your travel priorities change. Before, you might have been interested in the hottest destination, or the best views. Now, it�s likely that you�re more interested in family-friendly locations and entertainment for your children. It�s not always easy to find a holiday destination that can please everyone, even when your first family holiday is done and you�re starting to feel like a pro. But, you have to admit, you�ve probably already dreamt of the destinations you�d love to treat your family too. If that�s the case, then why not start saving for it now? Even if it takes you years and years, here�s a little inspiration to keep your mind ticking as you wait.

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Family Travels | Researching For Our First Family Holiday Abroad

As a parent, the one things I have regretted thus far, is not having been able to take my children abroad. Okay, T did go to Menorca when he was a baby, but since then, since having 2 more children, we just haven't managed to great out of the UK.

There are many reasons for this - money, choice and security. It's not an easy decision when there are so many variants to choose from. Just finding a hotel that is family friendly and in a great location for children can be a task and a half.

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Win | Candyland Sweet Champions Done Adulting Box

I don't know about you but most days, I don't feel like an adult at all. I sit and sort through my bank statements, pay bills, sort stuff, and wonder just who had the stupid sense of putting me in charge of all this stuff.

And it seems that I'm not alone as a recent poll by Sweet Champions found that adults don't feel like grown-ups until the age of 33 and frequently partake in behaviour akin to a teen or someone in their early 20s, suggesting we really are a nation of Kidults!

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Naturtint Hair Colourants & Aftercare

As a busy mum, I don't often have hours spare to go to a salon and have my hair coloured, lightened and treated, so I opt for home colouring and pick out a colour to suit me. I do actually prefer it this way as I can usually put the colour on and then do some writing before it's time to wash it off, saving me time and money.

I do wonder sometimes though, just what this can do to my hair. I mean, having those chemicals on my scalp every 6-8 weeks can't be all that great I shouldn't imagine. And so when I was asked to give Naturtint - a pioneering new hair colourant formula which is now �naturally better� and enriched with even more natural ingredients, I said yes immediately.

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Top Pieces Of Advice When Creating Your Kid's Dream Playroom In Your Property!

I don�t know about you, but my child�s toys end up everywhere. In fact, it�s hard to find one room which escapes being invaded with toys. And the main reason for it is because their bedroom is too small. So you end up with the toys around the house to compensate for the lack of room. But if you want to stop this from becoming an issue, you should consider making them a playroom. That way, they can keep all their toys in the separate room, and it can be a great place for them to go with their friends during playdates. However, there are some things you need to know before you create a playroom. Therefore, here are some top pieces of advice when creating your kid�s dream playroom in your property.

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Superheroes | Are The Powers In Their Shoes?

In the world of superheroes, their powers comes in many forms. Super-strength enables them to hurl cars over their heads and the ability to fly, or to run faster than the blink of an eye gives them the chance to save the world before we even know anything is wrong.

With all those flashy powers, glitzy lifestyles and heroic antics, the normal aspects of a hero's life are sometimes overlooked. I mean, consider the demands of a superhero's clothing - dashing to and from crime scenes, running through fire and kickboxing with villains must take its toll on those outfits. And, what kind of shoes should they wear to be able to fight bad guys in style?

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Rattan Direct | Rattan Plant Pot 3 Piece Set

When we started doing up our garden last year, I knew that I wanted to be able to plant some flowers throughout the months so that our garden would be bright and floral year in, year out. I am quite fussy though and didn't just want a whole host of different planters dotted around that didn't suit or match each other.

So matching sets it was then. I came across the Rattan Plant Pot 3 Piece Set from Rattan Direct. Coming in a range of different colours, I chose the black set as I knew that those would look beautiful in the garden, filled with flowers.

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Have a Stress Free Move To Your New House

Buying a new house is exciting, getting your moving date is exciting, the actual move is...stressful. More stressful than you can imagine, especially if you�ve never done it before and you have a family in tow. But does it have to be this way? The answer is: yes, it does have to be stressful! But it doesn�t have to overwhelmingly stressful. Take our tips outlined below and you�ll make the move to your new home as smooth as possible.

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Guide for a Good Night's Sleep

When you�re a Mum, there is nothing that congratulates you more after a tiring day than a good night�s sleep. Whereas sometimes it feels like you could lie down on a bed of a nails just to get some shut-eye, most of the time it is harder to try and rest your head due to the lack of routine that comes with having kids. Whilst it may seem that the children are in some sort of order with mealtimes and bedtimes, Mums are suffering from insomnia more than ever, for a wealth of different reasons.

One of the main contributors to not getting a great night�s sleep is the introduction of technology into the bedroom - and not in a good way. Whereas a scroll through your emails or social media may feel like a wind-down to you, your brain is staying alert to help you process the bright screen and the information that it�s being presented with. Essentially, you are keeping yourself awake for longer. Try leaving your phone downstairs or on the other side of the room when you go to sleep - the further away it is from you, the less likely you are to reach for it. For many it has become a force of habit to check the time on their phones whenever they stir in the night, but consider purchasing a good old-fashioned alarm clock to rely on rather than lighting up the room with your phone. Even trying it for just one night could show you how different your sleep could be.

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No More Couch Potatoes: Ideas For Encouraging Your Kids To Be More Active

I don�t know about your family, but in my house, it can sometimes be a struggle to get the kids away from the TV and their computer games. What is it with kids and technology - why do they love it so much?

As a parent, it can be worrying when your kids would rather spend time cooped up indoors rather than outside being active. As children ourselves, most of us spent our time building dens, playing outside and riding our bikes, but today's kids are growing up in a whole different world.

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Stop! Wait! Think! Don't Ignore These Important Factors When Moving House

Moving house is a lot of hard work and time and cost. But there are also a lot of things about the move that people overlook or even aren't aware of. That's why it�s important for you to make sure you understand what these important factors are, and that you don�t ignore them. Here is a list of some of the important aspects of moving house that you absolutely must not forget about or ignore!

Don�t Try to Move Everything Yourself

It�s a common thing when moving house to want to take charge of everything yourself. This is natural, and it�s something that is important to take charge of. However, you have to remember that there is a lot involved, and you run the risk of becoming overwhelmed. Don't try to do everything yourself when it comes to moving. There's no harm in asking for help, and many of the professionals out there can do a lot to make this move better for you. Try to do the minimal amount you can get away with doing. It�s really important that you try to get help when moving and hire removals experts. This is going to greatly reduce the stress and strain on you and you family.

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Surefire Ways To Stay On Top Of Family Finances

Do you ever worry about money as a full-time mum? I know I do because I�m constantly worried that one day I�ll look in my account and there won�t be enough to get to next payday. If you have the same fear, you need to think about how to stay on top of your spending. It�s important that you don�t fall into the trap of forgetting about your finances as a parent.

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Creating A Child Friendly Garden That's Suitable For Adult Entertaining

You know what it's like when you have kids - everything becomes about them. Everything is organised around them, to suit them and for them. Such as our garden, and most of our house to be fair.

When we bought our house, one of the things that drew us to it was the nice size of the garden and the fact that it was flat. It meant that we could do so much to it. Well over the years we have slowly been adding stuff into the garden and trying to fit things in for the children, missing out that it was our garden too.

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Kerching! The Best Ways To Add Value To Your Family Home

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The housing market can be a tricky game to play, and one which can take a whole lot of time, money, and energy to get right. When you�re looking to move to a new home for a growing family, it�s so important that you get the right price for your home. Upsizing costs money, so losing money on your sale property because can really limit your options. If you�re looking to sell your house in the not too distant future, consider some of these options for adding value to your home, so you get the most out of it when you move.

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Living The Busy Mum Life: How To Make The Most Of Your House

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As a mother, it�s often hard to make time for cleaning and keeping your house neat and tidy � it often doesn�t come up very high on your list of priorities, and it isn�t much fun either! Here are some tips on how to make the most of your house�

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Need A New Bed? Simple Ways You Can Make Buying Furniture A Little Cheaper For Your Family

When it comes to buying furniture for the home, it can leave a lot of families feeling the pinch. After all, items like a new bed or a wardrobe can cost the earth. And especially at this time of the year, we might have little money to begin with! But there are some ways you can get some bargains when it comes to buying new furniture. Therefore, here are some simple ways you can buy furniture a little cheaper for your family.

Buy ex-display items

If you go into any furniture store, you are bound to find a section of items which are ex-display. And if they don�t have an area like this, they will likely have marked items that have been on display. And the best thing about ex-display items is they often have a huge amount off the original price. So you might get an item which is in good condition for a fraction of the price. Obviously, check the furniture first before you make a purchase. After all, you don�t want something that is marked heavily. And even if there are no ex-display items, stores might have furniture from last season that they might need to get rid off. Therefore, you might get a fantastic deal on furniture which is brand-new!

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