by Heather McAvan - Bargain Mummy Buys blogger

Sometimes I think my desire to find bargain items actually stems from the thrill of the chase, rather than the actual need to save money.  Having said that, there is nothing more annoying that feeling you have either paid too much for an item, or bought something unnecessarily. I’m much more careful about that than I used to be. In fact, I never pay full price for anything if I can help it. If I see a nice pair of jeans I always use my head rather than my heart. If I really *need* them, I just bide my time until a 20% off day (I always subscribe to mailing lists of my fav shops) or I keep checking on hotukdeals. Usually a Friday is a good day to get a bargain and quite often these are announced on the facebook pages of various shops. Anyway, back to save versus splurge, here is my definitive list:

SAVE

• Beauty products. I have tried nearly all the “high end” brands of beauty products now and have yet to be really impressed. Obviously I have never tried anything mega expensive like Creme De La Mer but then who has? My latest beauty product of choice is Superdrug own brand vitamin E stuff. This is my fav one at £2.99. It goes well under make up for a smooth base.
• Shampoo. I have literally tried nearly every shampoo on the market to make my hair look big. There is no such shampoo, it is simply down to the way you blow dry it (that is where my Big Hair Styler has come up trumps!). I actually quite like Dove shampoo, yes it has a few nasties in it but don’t they all. Don’t bother with the expensive ones you get in the hairdressers, a waste of money.
• Summer clothes. I never buy expensive summer clothes as the material is so thin I don’t see why I should pay top whack. I get all my summer stuff from H&M. Last year in the sale I bought 5 dresses for £29 including delivery and they were all lovely. Best to buy online, in store is a nightmare with a pushchair. Primark also does nice long “hippy” skirts and general summer wear. I bought a lovely cropped light denim jacket last summer for £14.99 and it goes with everything.
• Pyjamas. Get them in the supermarket – Sainsbury’s do some nice ones. The M&S ones always need ironing and are cheaply made anyway which is not reflected in the price!
• Kids clothes. Honestly it’s going to get ruined anyway so way pay £££. I get most of mine in H&M and Sainsbury’s. Same quality as other places but much cheaper.

Splurge

• Shoes. Now this might just be me as I have huge feet so cheap shoes do me no favours, plus they don’t fit. I get everything from either Dune or Clarks as they are the only ones that fit me! Occasionally the shoes in Oasis will squeeze on my giant canoes. Likewise children’s shoes. For ease we usually get Clarks for our son though I do like those continental shoe places occasionally too.
• Washing powder. I have tried the supermarket own brand stuff but it doesn’t clean clothes properly and has a horrid smell. Buy Persil or Ariel.
• Underwear: Now most people swear by M&S but I think their undies are cheap and nasty and also uncomfortable. They soon start looking sorry for themselves. I really don’t know where else to recommend though as places like Bravissimo which look quite good are only for those with a large bust. Someone please recommend somewhere please!
• Winter clothes. Buy knitwear from somewhere posh. If you look after it properly it will last longer thus be better for the environment and also more cost effective than buying cheap stuff every year. Isabella Oliver is nice and also Coast. M&S does some nice knitwear but check the label so that you are not inadvertantly buying cotton rather than wool.  The cotton stuff does not last. Places like Hobbs, Jaegar and TM Lewin all do nice knitwear too.
• Coats. This is something you and your children will wear every day so it needs to last and it needs to keep you warm. I get son 1′s coats in Gap and JoJo. Son 2 so far has had Jaspar Conran at Debenhams. It was actually less than £20 in the sale which I thought was reasonable. I wear things like North Face and Berghaus on a Sunday but got a nice one in Oasis for best which has feather and down in it. I bought a cheap one last year when I was pregnant. Never again.
• Haircuts. Develop a good relationship with your hairdresser and tip well. Go regularly to try to look as good as you can despite the tiredness! I sometimes go in the evenings after my husband gets home.
• Pushchair! Very important. Do some research and obviously look in sales and for discontinued stock but don’t buy one of those £30 ones in Argos. You will soon despise it. I favour Micralite and Phil&Teds.

Micralite Pushchair

• Make up. Though I favour skin care from Superdrug, I would never buy actual make up from there. I go through stages, sometimes I like Mac because of the nice shiny foundation, but sometimes I go for Clinique as it’s nice and simple. More recently I’ve been wearing Bare Minerals but I do find it rather drying and aging though it does last all day and no-one ever says, “you look shattered”, like they used to.
• Handbag/changing bag. Again, everything you will be using on a regular basis needs to last and be something you are proud of. I like Pink Lining Bags because they are really well made and look gorgeous plus the strap is well designed and doesn’t dig in. Having said that plenty of people seem fine with the free Boots one you get when you join the parenting club. In terms of handbags I have quite a few Radley ones but sometimes I wonder if they are a tad naff. I’ve recently started looking at Suzy Smith ones which are also good quality. I can’t bring myself to spend £500+ on one, I don’t look after my stuff well enough for that.
  

  Pink Lining Changing Bag

More money saving ideas at http://bargainmummybuys.blogspot.com by Heather McAvan.

January is always the month of financial woe. You sit and look at all the presents you’ve received and wonder was it really worth all the expense to reciprocate? Every Monday my bank is kind enough to text me to let me know how much money I’ve spent in the past week. When I opened the account I specifically requested NOT to be sent texts like that as they vex me greatly. However it seems nothing I do will stop these terrible texts. This is made worse in January when I look at my phone and wonder, who spent £189 in White Stuff, could that have been me?!
Anyway with this in mind there was no way I could bear looking at online stores, so instead I am concentrating on things I can do with my two small boys, for nothing, or very little, since everyone knows nothing is free anymore.

1.    Bolton Abbey.

Everyone else seems to know the special words for the various areas of Bolton Abbey but I don’t so I will just say park in that bit in front of the flowing river.  It is £6 to get in but you can stay all day. There is baby changing and a lovely walk that is nice and flat and accessible by pushchair. There is also a café, but beware, this will hike up the cost of your visit considerably.

2.    York Railway Museum.

Obviously you have to pay to get there but free to get in (although donations are suggested).  The parking at the museum itself is £9 and you pay on your way out. My brother told me there is cheaper parking behind the station that is £2.50. You can catch a land train from the museum into York for a pound or so although there is lots to see and do inside the museum especially for train obsessed toddlers. Baby changing and café.

3.    Canal Walk.

My family and I do this quite a lot. We park near the Fishermans on Wagon Lane then walk along the canal to Saltaire. It is very pushchair friendly and at the end of the walk there is a barge that sells ice cream which my son finds hilarious.

4.    Otley Park.

I went to Otley Park recently with a friend and was impressed at how nice it is. There is a great play area and a river plus a bowling green and café.

5.    Go swimming!

Not free but quite reasonable. In fact if you live in an area covered by Bradford council if your child gets a book from the library four times and gets their card stamped you get a free adult swim pass! We favour Aireborough Leisure Centre in Guiseley but I understand there is a child’s pool at Ilkley Lido.

6.    Go to a soft play centre.

Again not free but quite cheap and kids love it. I like Dragon’s Den near Keighley but there are lots of others including the Wacky Warehouse at Menston.

7.    Go to a friend’s house for lunch.

It’s a day out and you can reciprocate. These are actually the days I enjoy the most!

8.    Not exactly a day out but look in your local area for things to do.

On a Saturday for example we like to go to Bingley Market, get a latte from Coffee Man, buy fish from Fish Man, get some home made butter from Cheese Man, call in at the library, then have a nose round Home Bargains.

9.    National Media Museum in Bradford.

I always worry about parking but in fact it is only £3 for five hours just behind the museum and there is usually space even on a Saturday.  The museum is free and there is a great café with a microwave for baby food plus baby changing. If it all gets a bit much you can go to the bit where you can request any TV programme and sit in your own private booth. I always request “Rainbow”. Then sit with my eyes closed while my boys goggle at the large screen.  There is also the Imax through this is quite pricey.

10.    The ice cream parlour near Hesketh Farm Park. (Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream)

Not sure it is open this time of year but it is great fun and the ice creams are yummy. Outside if the weather is fine there are loads of wooden structures e.g. castles, boats etc your child can play on for free.

I wonder if White Stuff accept returns….

By Heather McAvan

Since I have no opportunity to actually go into real shops (it just isn’t worth it) I have to do all my shopping online. I like Amazon for most things, mainly because of the free delivery,  but also because Amazon seems to have a 6th sense when it comes to products being reduced in other stores and almost always betters that price.  Therefore if you see a good deal in Mothercare or Boots, chances are Amazon will already know about it and will have reduced their price accordingly.

Anyway, was very excited to see the group 1 Isofix I was after at a great price, from Amazon, it’s a Britax one at £113.63  It gets good reviews which is the main thing, although I am a bit concerned about how high it is, I hope baby doesn’t bump his head on the top of the car.

I love Maxi Cosi car seats, they are really light, look funky and have a good safety record. I noticed a great bargain on these car seats but think it might just be on for a few days as they seem to be having some sort of points special.  I also love Boots after they replaced my Maxi Cosi car seat in the summer after it was used as some sort of sporting equipment by baggage handlers and ruined.

Anyway, Boots have a good deal on this deep red version. It is currently showing up at £100 on the website, however if you use code VCUKDEC15 this gives you £15 off and if you sign up for the parenting club you get 1700 worth of points (well I did anyway) making the car seat cost effectively £68.  It looks quite pink on this picture here but I can assure you it looks more red on the Boots website making it quite a unisex choice. Bargain!
I’ve also noticed on Amazon quite a lot of toys on offer. There is this Charlie Bear
now £11.50 was £22.99. It is quite a cute cartoon (James Cordon narrates) and talks to itself etc.

There is this Vtech Helicopter Rattle
at £4.17 was £8.99 (good stocking filler)

There is a Vtech Farm Rattle
for £4.31 was £9.99

I noticed in The Hut they have a Toy Story 3 Hot Wheels Rescue Set for £8.99 was £69.99 which is perfect for my 3 year old.

Lots more to see will keep browsing!