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

February

Bingley – Saturday 25th

March

Menston – Saturday 10th

Guiseley – Sunday 25th

Ilkley – Sunday 25th

April

Ben Rhydding – Saturday 28th

Do you know of any other local sales?  Share the wealth – send us the details!

UPDATE – Family Boogies raised £190 on Saturday 21st Jan!!! If you missed this one, make sure you go along on 18 February and 17 March 2012 and have a great family time whilst raising much-needed cash for Save the Children!

Jane & Andy

Guiseley mum-of-2 Jane started running the Family Boogies with her husband Andy after their second child was born 3 years ago.  The idea was to organise something the whole family could enjoy together over the winter months.

Jane says: “We’d both spent quite a lot of time in other countries where it was the norm for children to be with their parents at parties, music events, festivals and in cafes, restaurants and bars. The children had great fun, they did not need special ‘kids tunes’ or a padded play environment. Back in the UK over the winter months we felt there were very few affordable ‘whole family’ things to do – outdoor play was time limited due to the cold and most of the local pubs/ bars did not allow children in, indoor play areas! We felt that the concept of a creating an afternoon café/ bar/ disco (playing ‘normal’ tunes  ie not kids ones) for the whole family could take off and be a bit of a social hub for local families with young children to get together. We just had to try it!”

They have now been running the boogies once a month over the winter for 3 years.  They have proved really popular and they’ve also raised over £2,500 (prior to gift aid) for Save the Children. The families that come are lovely and the whole atmosphere is vibrant, fun and friendly.

The Family Boogies are held at the High Royds Social Club in Menston – it’s spacious, all on one level,  serves hot and cold drinks and snacks and has a licensed bar (all very reasonably priced!). In addition there’s free parking, baby change and food preparation facility and of course some great tunes! The large ‘disco’ area is usually full of families – kids and parents  up on the dance floor having a boogie/ playing with balloons or sat with their friends around the sides, catching up over a few drinks.  Jane and Andy would really like to thank the staff at the social club (Heather is an absolute star!).

The Family Boogies run from 3-5pm and will be on Saturday 21 January, 18 February and 17 March 2012. Suggested donations are £5/ family – ALL money goes direct to Save the Children.

Jane and Andy say: “We’re really grateful to everyone that’s helped us with running the Family Boogies over the last few years. We hope that the Boogies will continue as a community run event long after our kids outgrow them and would encourage families to come along and get involved.”

Sing and Sign was launched 10 years ago in January 2001.  The popular and innovative classes were soon a success and there are now over 170 Sing and Sign teachers across the UK.

There are some great benefits to signing with your baby.   Signing babies can communicate complex things earlier which can reduce the potential for tantrums and your frustration as a parent.  Research is ongoing into the effect of baby signing on the development of a baby’s brain, with some experts suggesting that baby signing stimulates brain development and enhances the building of brain circuitry.  For more information about baby signing, read our feature.

Melanie Macauley has been successfully running the Leeds franchise for 4 years with classes in Guiseley, Otley, Ilkley and now Skipton.  Visit our listing page for details.

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….

If you are concerned or unsure about your baby or child’s developement, find out more in our feature.  Here are a few signs that you should look for…though bear in mind these are simply a guide and do not automatically indicate that your child has a developmental problem;

• Floppy baby with poor head control
• Predominant use of one side more than the other
• Inability to turn the head to one direction
• Intolerance to tummy lying and difficulty in weightbearing onto hands and knees
• Diffuclty when nappy changing due to stiff hips, rigid or crossed legs
• Difficulty in holding a pen and slow improvement in handwriting
• Frequent falls or trips
• Co-ordination / balance difficulties
• Frequent reporting by your child of pains around the back, hips and knees
• Inability to interact with other children, join in play etc.

Thank you to Cathy for her contribution.  If you have any further questions, please contact Leeds Children’s Physiotherapy on Info@peakphysiotherapy.com or visit their website.

The New Year is a great time to start a new class or try out a new group.  Look up our listings to see what you fancy.

Let us know if you have any recommendations so we can pass them on to others.

Struggling for gifts?  We’ve asked  Esther from Baby and Children gift shop in Otley – Grace of Otley – to give us top tips for this year’s gift ideas.

More Christmas shopping? Our resident shopping expert Heather has told us all her favourite Christmas bargains.

Christmas baking?  Fancy something a bit different this year?  Why not try our Christmas cake pops or Christmas cupcakes?

Whatever you are up to this Christmas, we hope you and your families have a fabulous time!

The MoorMums team xx

Naomi’s second daughter, Olivia, was born with an irreparable heart defect, which saw her undergo 18 hours of surgery just weeks after coming into the world.  She continues to receive palliative care at ward 10 at the LGI.

The reindeer bags, which are tied with a red festive bow, contain oats and glitter, which when sprinkled outside on Christmas Eve, attract the attention of Santa’s reindeer as they make their yearly deliveries.

Naomi says: “Ward 10 is a very special place and the reindeer food funds go straight to the children on the ward for whatever is required. In the past money has funded sensory equipment and a revamp of high dependency unit to improve medication access on the ward. Olivia is continuing to shine and we cherish each and everyday. She is an amazing little girl thanks to ward 10 and the surgical team.”

The bags are on sale NOW and cost 50p per bag (and all donations are very welcome).  You can find them in Shoo bee doo, Ilkley pet shop, Ilkley cutting emporium, Ls29 hair and the doctors on springs lane.

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!