Lynley Oram

MyBag.Com Promotional Code: 20% Off Sale Items

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 20 June, 2011 at 8:00 pm

MyBag.Com Promotional Code: 20% Off Sale ItemsUse your MyBag.com promotional code to get a further 20% off items in the sale. Don't let the name of the site fool you. It sells more than just bags; it has a whole range of accessories and designer labels.

Click here to use your MyBag.com promotional code

  • Discount: 20%
  • Promotional code: sale20
  • Expires: unknown

This is definitely the sort of code I don't just like, I LOVE. It gets you 20% off items that are already in the sale. To use the code, go to the Shopping Basket and enter it in the Discount Code box. It is applied automatically to your order.

I tested it out on a French Connection Chunky Black Snood. This had been reduced from £18 to £9.99 and the code took this down further to £7.99. Delivery showed as free on my order.

And no, I did not have a clue what a snood was! I clicked on it when browsing through the site just out of curiosity. It certainly looks like something that could be quite handy for the next winter. Or maybe this summer if the weather doesn't improve!

Thanks to andywedge at HUKD!

Holiday Scams To Avoid

by Lynley Oram in Features on 20 June, 2011 at 1:00 pm

Holiday Scams To AvoidWe're only weeks away from the start of the holiday season. In fact, people are already starting to take off for some summer sun. One PlayPennies mum, Clarissa (mum to two lively lads aged 4 and 2) is packing her bags today. She's taking advantage of the what might be the last chance to take a term time holiday without being fined, yelled at by the school or visited by a truancy officer!

In the coming weeks we'll be covering all sorts of ways to save money while on holiday. But to kick this off, I'm looking at the first, most important way to spend less when it comes to your holiday. Don't get scammed.

According to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), UK holiday makes lose an estimated £3.5 billion each year to scams. What I found scary though is that the OFT also found that if you are scammed, you're 30% more likely to fall for another scam in the following year. Here's how to avoid being one of them.

Holiday Scams To Avoid

Click here to read more...

My Label Outlet Promotional Code: 25% Off

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 19 June, 2011 at 8:00 pm

My Label Outlet Promotional Code: 25% OffUse this My Label Outlet promotional code to get a further 25% off. The site sells men's and women's clothing, accessories and footwear.

Click here to use your My Label Outlet promotional code

  • Discount: 25%
  • Applies to: outlet section
  • Promotional code: OUTLET25
  • Expires: unknown

To use this code, go to the Shopping Basket and enter it in the Discount Code box. It will be automatically deducted from the price of the item, and the total amount discounted will show in the totals column.

It can only be used on items in the Outlet section of the site. If you purchase items from the other two sections, Men's and Women's, the code won't work on those. There is another code available on the site at the moment that will get you 20% off items in these sections. To do this, use the code LABEL20.

However, the site will only use the last code entered. So if you want to buy items from both areas you'll either need to make two orders, or decide which of the two codes will get you the greatest discount.

I tested it out on a pair of Diesel Mens sunglasses. These were already reduced, from £139.99 to £39.99. The code took another £10 off that, reducing it to £29.99. Delivery was free.

Thanks to amibees at HUKD!

The Body Shop Promotional Code: £5

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 18 June, 2011 at 8:30 pm

The Body Shop Promotional Code: £5Use this Body Shop promotional code to get £5 off when you spend £20 or more. The code can be used on sale items but not with other offers, discount codes or Love Your Body cards. You can't buy gift cards or Love Your Body memberships with it either. Delivery is free when you spend more than £20 as well.

Click HERE for your Body Shop promotional code

  • Discount: £5
  • Minimum spend: £20
  • Promotional code: BODY5
  • Expires: 1st of September 2011

To use the code, go to the Shopping Basket page and enter it in the promotional code box. It will be applied to your order automatically. There are some restrictions. You can only use it once and it can’t be used with other promotional codes or offers.

I tested it out on a selection of items from the sale, such as the body butter reduced from £12.50 to £6. My total of £24, came down to £19. The free delivery is calculated on the pre-discount amount, so I still got free postage.

Thanks to beanny at HUKD!

Jumbo Games 25% Off @ Amazon

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 18 June, 2011 at 6:00 pm

Jumbo Games 25% Off @ AmazonAmazon has a 25% sale on selected Jumbo Games in its special offers this week. The games include the Peppa Pig Tumble & Spin Electronic Memory Game, reduced from £12.99 to £9.48.

Jigsaw puzzles included in the offer are Guess with Jess, Peppa Pig, Fireman Sam, Disney Handy Manny 53 Piece Giant Acitivty Floor Jigsaw Puzzle, and the Peppa Pig Giant 24 Piece Rocket Floor Jigsaw Puzzle.

The games that are part of the special offer, as well as the Peppa Pig Tumble and Spin Electronic Memory game are the Peppa Pig Jumping Pigs Game and Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom Lotto Game.

This is a fairly good discount, and handy if you need to buy one of these puzzles or games right now. If you can wait though, especially if you're looking to stock up for Christmas or for the birthday present drawer, then I would do so.

The Peppa Pig Tumble & Spin game, for example, has been on sale for around £6.50 at both Amazon and Play.com before, so it is likely it will take a dip again.

It is a hard call to make. I find that I forget to keep checking for better bargains throughout the year so go for it when I do find a discount. Do you have any tips or tricks you'd like to share for keeping on top of finding the lowest bargain price possible?

Roo Medium Soft Toy £6.99 @ The Disney Store

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 18 June, 2011 at 4:00 pm

Roo Medium Soft Toy £6.99 @ The Disney StoreThis is a scented Roo Medium Soft Toy, or alternatively a young version of the Roo character from Winnie The Poo. The Disney Store has reduced it to £6.99 from £18. On Amazon it is selling for £24.99.

I know that Disney takes liberties with the Winnie The Pooh stories, but it is hard to resist a baby Roo. Especially one that is designed to be soft, cuddly and fragranced. Roo has a fleecy fur, and a bean bag body.

I wish though that Disney called it something other than "Disney's Wonder Fragrance" as that actually puts me off a bit.I have smelt these toys before, although not the Roo one, and they are lovely. How sweet is he though, sat there like that with his thumbs up and his little floppy ears! Although Roo was never my favourite character in the books, he is like Winnie the Pooh, very cuddly.

The offer is available in store as well. The Roo medium soft toy measures 32cm high by 21cm high, approximately.

According to the Disney website, 25% of the retail selling price of this medium soft toy will be donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.

Thanks to yummymummy84 at HUKD!

Adams Promotional Code: 15%

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 17 June, 2011 at 8:00 pm

Adams Promotional Code: 15%Use this Adams promotional code to get 15% off everything in the store. The code works with items in the sale.

Click here to use your 15% Adams promotional code

  • Discount: 15%
  • Promotional code: PROM2
  • Expires: 30th June 2011

To use the code, go to the Shopping Bag page. If you haven’t logged in yet or registered you’ll need to do this first. Once you’ve signed in, enter it in the Promotional Codes box. You’ll see it applied immediately to your order. I found that the code didn't appear to work, until I had signed in.

I tested it out on a pair of Navy Boys' Fashion Joggers. These were on sale, marked down from £11.99 to £8.99. With the code applied, this dropped further to £7.19. Next day delivery is free. That was the case before I had applied the code, so I can only assume there's some special offer on at the moment. The last time I got anything from Adams, at the beginning of May, standard delivery cost £3.95. I have no idea how long it might be free for though.

Thanks to andywedge at HUKD!

Mega Craft Kit £7.50 @ Debenhams

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 17 June, 2011 at 11:00 am

Mega Craft Kit £7.50 @ DebenhamsDebenhams has reduced its Mega Craft Kit to half price, down from £15 to £7.50. I wrote about having a Rainy Day Box, for those days in the holidays when you're trapped indoors with the rain or the snow, and this would be perfect for that too. Or just for stocking up on craft stuff. Standard delivery within four days is free.

The Mega Craft Kit includes pipecleaners, pom poms, sequins, matchsticks, popsticks, straws, polly balls, feathers, stickers, instruction sheets and more. I like that they've included instruction sheets, to give you some ideas on what to make.

The box exclaims that this is a 700 piece craft set. However, one reviewer on the site was disappointed by that, as each straw and even the instructions are counted as one piece. I can see what they mean, at the full price of £15 I would have thought this might be a bit pricey. But for £7.50 it seems much better value.

The box has a handle, and from what is set by reviewers on the site I assume it is meant to be reusable. That alone could be quite handy for keeping all your craft bits in one place. My son received a card making kit one birthday, which is fabulous as it came in a sturdy box and I've used it ever since as a handy place in which to put any craft items that might be good for making cards.

Mookie Large Playhouse £79.99 @ Amazon

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 17 June, 2011 at 10:00 am

Mookie Large Playhouse £79.99 @ AmazonIf you're looking for an outdoor play area for the kids, then this Mookie Large Playhouse has been reduced to £79.99, from £119.99, by Amazon. Delivery is free with Amazon Prime.

The playhouse is a lovely green and blue, which I really like. Boys love playhouses as much as girls and while I never had any problems with buying pink stuff for my son (well THEY don't know it is gender specific at the age of 3) my other half always objected!

The playhouse has opening and shutting doors, and that's about all the product information that's available on the website. There's not even the dimensions, which is is a bit of a shame as that's practical information anyone would need surely?

One of the reviewers on the site commented that "I really wish dimensions had been listed, when they say "Large" it really DOES means large. I bought this thinking "How big can it be? Look at the size of those toddlers in the picture..." Trust me.. they're the largest toddlers on the planet."

Verdicts on the build quality of the playhouse vary. Some found it flimsy, others thought that there were some overly sharp edges. One person comments that they needed to sand down on the plastic on a couple of edges to make it finger friendly. While one person found it dead easy to assemble, another had problems!

The overall consensus seems to be that it needed to be about £30 cheaper to make it worth the money. And now it is £40 cheaper!

Dorothy Perkins Promotional Code: 25%

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 16 June, 2011 at 8:00 pm

Dorothy Perkins Promotional Code: 25%Here it is, this month's Dorothy Perkins promotional code. You can use this  to get 25% off everything. That includes sales. Always good news.

Click here to use your 25% Dorothy Perkins promotional code

  • Discount: 25%
  • Promotional code: DPCLOSER25
  • Expires: 22nd June 2011

To use this code, go to the Shopping Bag page and enter it in the Promotional Code box. After you click on the Verify button, it will be applied to your order. You should see ‘Closer Reader Off 25% off ’ in the totals column.

I tested it out on a Maternity Blue Bow Dress. This was in the sale marked down from £35 to £20. The code took another £5 reducing it down to £15. Standard delivery costs £4, although this is free if you spend more than £75. As far as I can tell there’s no option to collect your items for a store, which is a shame.

Thanks to missp27 at HUKD!

Trunki Promotional Code: 30% Off GoVinci And Yondi

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 15 June, 2011 at 8:00 pm

Trunki Promotional Code: 30% Off GoVinci And YondiUse this Trunki promotional code to get 30% off the GoVinci and Yondi ranges.

Click HERE to use your 30% Trunki promotional code

  • Discount: 30%
  • Applies to: GoVinci and Yondi
  • Promotional code: 30BYG
  • Expires: 30th June 2011

To use this code, go to the My Cart page and enter it in the discount code box. You will see it applied immediately to your order.

This code can be used on the GoVinci, and the Yondi range. The GoVinci is a backpack with a built in frame for your art. We reviewed this on PlayPennies here. The Yondi is a travel pillow designed to help keep your child's head upright and comfortable while sleeping in a carseat.

There are three Yondi's, for babies, toddlers and older children. The ones for toddlers and older children use magnets to fit the 'paws' under their chin. Prices range from £10 to £13.

I tried the code out on a GoVinci backpack. This costs £19.99. With the code applied it cost £13.99. Delivery for this was £3.05. If you spend more than £50 delivery is free.

Thanks to JackJ221 at HUKD!

Workshop Wednesday: Make A Simple 3D Picture

by Lynley Oram in Features on 15 June, 2011 at 5:00 pm

Workshop Wednesday: Make A Simple 3D PictureAs part of the curriculum in Year One, my son has been doing a lot about 3D shapes, like cubes and cylinders. As a result he's got very interested in creating 3D shapes, like the Wall-E costume he made here.

This is a really simple craft, and one that is fairly easy but fun to put together. It helps the child with shapes and with construction as well.

What you will need for this project:

  • sheets of coloured card and paper
  • glue stick (like Pritt Stick)
  • scissors
  • felt tip pens or pencils
  • glitter (optional)

Choose a subject matter that you know will interest your child. However, make sure it is based around a very simple shape. In this case, I went for an underwater theme, as my son is quite captivated by anything fish related. A fish shape can be quite  a simple shape to create using ovals, and also triangles if you like. Also, there's scope to have it swimming through seaweed, and bubbles.

This is one project that took quite a bit of preparation on my part. I cut out all the little shapes that we might want to use in advance. With an older child, you could get them to do this. However, I thought that with the number of shapes required, he'd soon lose interest in such a repetitive task.

Workshop Wednesday: Make A Simple 3D PictureFirst you can make the main picture. In this case, the fish. Together we both cut out the large ovals that make the fish. One big one for the main body. Fold this in half, and glue one side to a sheet of card. Do the same with a smaller folded oval for the fin, and we did a couple to use as the tail.

You can glue on googly eyes if you have them or you can make some using white and black. This is what we did for the big fish in the middle.

Next we added the seaweed. This is where the Pritt Stick is definitely required. I made the mistake of trying to use PVA glue to start with. However, it didn't dry fast enough, and caused the seaweed structure to slide around as each piece was added. Plus little hands tend to go heavy on applying the glue rather than light. Let's just say it all ended up as a soggy mess.

I took small circle shapes and folded them in half. Then my son spread glue on one side of a folded circle, and stuck it to another one. In this way he was able to build the seaweed up from the paper ... and then back down again.

It was a very simple effect to create, and the result was immediate, so he could see straight away what he would eventually achieve. This was important in keeping him motivated. When he doesn't know what he'll get at the end, I've found that he finds it more difficult to stick to the task!

Workshop Wednesday: Make A Simple 3D Picture

Fashion Union Promotional Code: 50% Off Footwear And Accessories

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 14 June, 2011 at 8:00 pm

Fashion Union Promotional Code: 50% Off Footwear And AccessoriesUse this Fashion Union promotional code to get 50% off shoes and accessories on the site. Offer is for today only - you need to use it before midnight. So you'll need to be quick!

Click here to use your Fashion Union promotional code

  • Discount: 50%
  • Applies to: shoes and accessories
  • Promotional code: FAFIFTY
  • Expires: 14th June 2011

To use the code, you’ll have to go through checkout. When you get to the Order Summary, click on the Redeem a Promotion Code link. The discount will appear in the totals column.

This is a great opportunity to treat yourself to something light and fun for summer. I tested the code out on these Damson Kate Gladiator Sandals. They're in snakeskin as well, I love it! I only wear flats these days. Long gone are the days when I could sacrifice my comfort, and not to mention my safety, for a pair of stiletto heels.

These sandals are priced at £9. The code reduced that to £4.50. With the delivery charge of £3.95 the order came to £8.45 delivered.

Thanks to aria21 at HUKD!

Woolworths Summer Fun Review

by Lynley Oram in Reviews on 14 June, 2011 at 1:00 pm

Woolworths Summer Fun ReviewThe last couple of days around here hasn't exactly screamed summer. Rain, and cold rain at that. However, it seems to be back to normal today, with the sun peeping out from the behind the clouds and a general mugginess.

Just in time really as we start running some summer reviews. Really we thought that it was going to be a true outdoors summer this year, to make up for last year's soggy one. And it still might be. Always worth stocking up on some items too to make use of the fine weather when it does appear.

In the past I've always gone to Woolworths first, at the start of the summer. This year was no different, other than it is all online now. We got a poncho, a kit for creating your very own sports day, and a splash water slide. And gave them all to PlayPennies mum of one Theresa to test them out.

Woolworths Summer Fun ReviewSports Day Set

Now I was particularly interested in this one, the Sports Day Set15). There's such an age difference between my son and his siblings that he's effectively an only child. He's a sociable wee chap so we do a lot of playdates, and sometimes kids just need something a bit structured.

The games you get in this set seem perfect for either outdoors in the garden or at the park. The set includes four each of sacks, spoons and plastic eggs, and bean bags, and also comes with a starters flag. It is recommended for age 4 years and upwards.

It would seem that it makes a great indoors toy too. "The sports set is fab.  We had an egg and spoon race in the lounge. It was a short race but fun." says Theresa.

She goes on to give it a thumbs up overall. "I heartily recommend this as it includes all the little things that you need to create your very own sports day. There are enough items for four kids (or adults) to play around with and I have actually set this up to be used at my daughter's birthday party. It is that good."

Theresa also thinks that it is ideal for the kids to play with during the summer holidays especially as she find's she's often at a loss for activities to keep them entertained.

"The set is ideal for kids to play with during the summer holidays and is good valuie for money. You can egg and spoon, you can sack race, you can three legged race, you can play bean bag agility and then you can invent games to play with the various ingredients."

Woolworths Summer Fun ReviewSplash Water Slide

Theresa doesn't have a garden, although she is right on the beach at the seaside so I don't feel too sorry for her. She does keep outdoor toys at her parent's house though, as they spend a lot of time there particularly in the summer.

The Splash Water Slide is on sale at Woolworths at the moment, marked down from £20 to £10.

Her first impressions where good. "The splash water slide is ace. Very easy to set up and very easy to plonk down anywhere in the garden." This was very important as her parent's needed to do the assembling, and it would be put in the garden shed when the grandchildren weren't there.

Theresa liked that the build of the slide appeared to be very sturdy. "The plastic appears to be strong and durable and very solid and could handle a pretty bumpy garden (although perhaps the kids bottoms won't) and it looks great."

She felt that you needed to take into account not only the size of the slide but also room for the children to run up to the slide before jumping on. Overall, the kids had a great time and the run off kept the garden watered.

Her final verdict? "I wouldn't pay the full £20 but it is on sale at Woolies for only £10 at the moment making this a whopping great bargain."

Woolworths Summer Fun ReviewTowelling Poncho

Woolworths have a number of towelling ponchos, some of which are on sale. The usual RRP for them is £12, but this WWE Superstars Poncho for example is reduced to £10.

Theresa is a fan of these inventions, and so am I. You just slip the child into one out of the bath, or pool, or sea. They are warm, and can dry, at the same time.

However, the robe that Theresa is currently using is the Morrck Splasha, for which she paid £15. "My daughter has one for swimming, that is made from very thick towelling and has buttons downt he front so you can seal it up tightly." She was not such a great fan of the ponchos, as you throw them over the child's head. "Now the buttons may sound random but they are very helpful for putting on over a wet body."

Nor was she impressed with the quality of the towelling, which she found very thin. Overall, she thought you were paying for the privilage of having characters on the ponchos rather than the quality of the towels.

"You can just pay that much for a thick and fluffy bath towel that does a better job. When kids are finished swimming (or bathing) a thick towel is what you need to dry them off or they get cold and these just don't hold the water effectively. My daughter got out of the pool and into Peppa pig and the pnocho was soaked by the time we had walked out of the shower area to the changing are. With our other bathrobe we can leave her in it until we get home! That is what I prefer."

She gives it good marks for character designs and ease of use but bad marks for quality of fabric.

And finally ...

Woolworths do a great range of outdoor toys. I like the sports set and think I may invest in one myself. I know you can make all these things yourself but I'm rubbish at that!

JoJo Maman Bebe Promotional Code: 15% Off and Free Delivery

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 13 June, 2011 at 8:00 pm

JoJo Maman Bebe Promotional Code: 15% Off and Free DeliveryUse this JoJo Maman Bebe promotional code to get 15% off everything on the site, and free delivery.  The code also works with sale items – always good.

Click here to use your  JoJo Maman Bebe promotional code

  • Discount: 15% and free delivery
  • Promotional code: MTK11
  • Expires: 7th July 2011

To use your JoJo Maman Bebe promotional code, go to the My Basket page and enter it in the Promotional Code box. It is discounted automatically from each item in your basket. That is, 15% is deducted from each item in your basket.

I tested this out on a Black Stripe Wrap Shirt in the sale section. It has been marked down from £29 to £10. There were only shirts in sizes 14 and 16 left. Very smart, just the sort of thing for office wear, although possibly more for the cooler months. The code took another £1.50 off this. Which comes to a total of £8.50 delivered.

Standard delivery is by second class post, and is free with this code.

Thanks to LadyB and hikiburn at HUKD!

All You Need To Know About Saving Money With Childcare Vouchers

by Lynley Oram in Features on 13 June, 2011 at 1:00 pm

All You Need To Know About Saving Money With Childcare VouchersWhen my son was six months old, I went back to work full time in an office. This was only possible because I found excellent childcare. However, I couldn't have afforded this without the use of childcare vouchers.

Childcare vouchers are an 'employer benefit'. That is, you only get them through your employer. So if you're self employed, as I am now, you're out of luck. My husband, however, isn't so we can get them through his workplace.

You can get up to £243 in allowance a month with these vouchers. What this allowance means is that up to £243 a month or £55 a week can be deducted from your salary before tax and NI contributions are calculated. If, as happened to me, this puts you into a lower tax bracket it can make a significant difference.

The most popular way for employers to administer childcare vouchers is through salary sacrifice. You might already be participating in a salary sacrifice scheme for something else, such as charity contributions.

With salary sacrifice, you the employee agrees to a reduction in salary that's to the equivalent value of the childcare vouchers. You save on tax and NI, and your employer also saves on NI contributions through this method.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Of course the current government has made changes to the childcare voucher system, and these came into effect on the 6th of April of this year. Now, all my information comes from my own research into this for our purposes - extra tuition for my son - and I can't say that I'm an expert. Please take this information as a starting point but also make your own enquiries.

From that date, the  full tax and national insurance (NI) relief on up to £55 a week is applied only to basic rate tax payers. Tax relief is now  restricted to £28 for those on the 40% tax bracket and £22 for 50% taxpayers.

Click here to read more...

PlayPennies Loves…Coffee And Oxygen

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 12 June, 2011 at 1:00 pm

PlayPennies Loves…Coffee And OxygenThis week PlayPennies Loves ... Coffee and Oxygen.

Just this morning I was feeling oppressed with the amount of 'balls' I had to juggle. It is a busy work morning for me even if it is a Sunday, plus we've a party to go to in a few hours and for that I needed to bake brownies. And I'm on the organising committee for our PTA summer fair, and this morning was the only chance we had to do a catchup on the plans. Via email and phone.

With my other half at work, and my son pinging off the walls as the rain was keeping him inside, I thought I was going to simply implode from the stress.

Time for a break. A nice cup of coffee, a piece of toast smothered in jam, and a browse of the parenting blogs on the internet.

PlayPennies Loves…Coffee And OxygenAnd then I read Coffee and Oxygen, quite possibly one of the most positive and inspiring blogs I have come across in a long time. And now I feel like I can take on the world!

I'm also wondering if it is time to do a radical change on my hair. I've had the same style for goodness knows how long, but seeing the amazing transformation in this post A New Me has made me long for a similar change.

It is written by journalist Sarah Milne. What I love the most about her writing is it's positive, and matter of fact outlook on life.

She's a single mum to three children aged from 14 to 5. That's already more than enough for one person to cope with, you'd think! Her five year old has apserger's syndrome, mild cerebral palsy and in 2008 went through a bowel transplant.

The asthma that she's had since a child has led to full blown COPD disease. That's Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease. And it means she has to do all of this while carting around an oxygen bottle.

Rather depressing you'd think but clearly Sarah's outlook on life is far from negative. Here's what she wrote about singing:

"It can be hard to get the breath to sing on a bad chest day. I wrote on Facebook at the weekend saying how amazing singing is. Some of the folk I know though William's transplant journey have CF and need or have had transplants. With lungs damaged to the extent of end stage CF it is impossible to sing. I'm so lucky, although it may be a bit breathy and weedy at times, I can sing and will always treasure and use my ability to do so."

Bravo I say! Now that's the sort of winner we should have on Britain's Got Talent.

PlayPennies Loves…Coffee And OxygenAnother one of my favourite posts is Spoons. For a lot of reasons, but also because she talks about the experiences of other parents. I find it has given me a lot more patience this morning and instead of being stressed I'm playing Lego Battleships with son while writing this, with ease! Take this for example:

"One of these is the mother of a child who has had a transplant, complications and numerous surgeries, yet he is about to go on a silver Duke of Edinburgh award hike. Where most mums struggle to find two matching hiking socks and a missing tent peg on the day before the trip, she will be working out how to fit yards of medical tubing into his rucksack among the trangia and sleeping bag."

Sarah's blog isn't full of slelf pity, or rants, which frankly would be understandable. Instead it is full of life, and positive energy. It has given me a boost just reading it!

Are you the owner of the blog above? Click HERE for our resource page for “PlayPennies loves” badges and banners.

PlayPennies Loves…Coffee And Oxygen


Mister Maker Washable Felt Tip Pens 40p @ Mothercare

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 12 June, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Mister Maker Washable Felt Tip Pens 40p @ MothercareThese Mister Maker Washable Felt Tip Pens are in the sale at Mothercare for 50p a pack. But if you put in the code BA8M you get another 10p off making it 40p a pack. Delivery is free if you can collect at a store, making this a fantastic bargain. Not so much of a bargain if you have to pay for standard delivery of £4.95.

Now I'm wondering how long you can store felt tip pens for, because this would make an AMAZING gift for the party bags. Even if you were doing a whole class party the total would come to £12 for 30 of them. The pens with some sweets and cakes and you don't need anything else.

The problem is that son's birthday is in April. Would they last a year or would I be giving kids a bunch of dried out pens? I will have to look into that

In the pack you get 8 brightly coloured washable felt tip pens in blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple and brown. The recommended age range on the site is 3 years plus.

To use the code you will have to go through checkout. Enter it on the Delivery page, or on the Confirmation page. However, you won't see it applied to your order until you get to the Confirmation page.

Thanks to dobson64 at HUKD!

Waybuloo Peeka Jigsaw Puzzle £1.79 @ Mail Order Express

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 12 June, 2011 at 10:00 am

Waybuloo Peeka Jigsaw Puzzle £1.79 @ Mail Order ExpressThe Waybuloo Peeka Jigsaw Puzzle normally costs £13.99. Mail Order Express has it on sale for £1.99; that's a saving of 86%. You can also, according to the site, get another 10% off the price using the code JUNE2011, taking the price down to £1.79. Take into account that standard delivery is £1.99.

The website says that with this puzzle you get to "play Peeka and find where the Piplings and Nara bugs are hiding". I am not sure here what this means as my son has gone past the Waybuloo stage, so it is a programme I am totally unfamiliar with.

I imagine that they're very popular with preschoolers being in the In the Night Garden/TellyTubbies type of programme. The puzzle is described as reversable, and according to the description you get four puzzles in one with a total of 13 pieces.

Waybuloo takes place in the world of Nara; a land of happiness, laughter and friendship that’s home to the Piplings. Together the Piplings and the audience learn how to relate to friends and the world around them.

Thanks to wishihadadonkey at HUKD!

OnFire Clothing Promotional Code: 20% Off And Free Delivery

by Lynley Oram in Deals on 11 June, 2011 at 8:00 pm

OnFire Clothing Promotional Code: 20% Off And Free DeliveryUse this OnFire clothing promotional code to get 20% off your order and free delivery. The site sells men's and women's clothing, footwear, accessories, and underwear/nightwear.

Click here to use your OnFire clothing promotional code

  • Discount: 20% and free delivery
  • Promotional code: INT2
  • Expires: 18th June 2011

I have to admit I was a wee bit indulgent with this code. I used it to buy myself a straw hat for the summer! I have always loved straw hats, and was thrilled when they made a huge comeback last year. But I didn't see any that I could both afford, and just as importantly, liked.

But the OnFire Women's Straw Hat looks fab. Exactly what I'm after, and not too pricey at £10. Even better, with this code it is reduced down to £8 AND I don't have to pay for delivery. Woo hoo!

To use the code, you need to go to checkout. But, it is OK, you enter it on the first page so you can make sure it will work before you've wasted too much time.

Thanks to yippekaya at HUKD!