I happen to have this very cuddly cow in my daughter’s increasingly impressive cuddly tow collection. It’s lasted her since she was born (I got it while I was pregnant) and it was one of her favourites when she was a baby.

• Click here to register for your freebies at Cow & Gate

The cow can be machine washed, is soft and cuddly, small and perfect for little hands and just adorable. Cow & Gate sent the little cow so quickly I was really impressed although I didn’t get the free diary that you can get with this particular freebie.

Use the code BPME15C when you sign up to the Cow & Gate club and if you join in before you are 32 weeks into your pregnancy then you’ll also get your free pregnancy diary. The site is packed with tons of interesting information as well, so even if you’re a bit too far along for the diary there is plenty for you to enjoy on the site.

You also get money off vouchers with your membership and emails that keep you up to date on the latest special offers. The form that you fill in on registration will take you a little while though, so be patient.

Thanks to pinkmelonsmr2 at HUKD for the pregnancy freebie!

The written word is, for me, the ultimate playground. I’ve been an avid reader since I was a child and continue to adore the smell, texture and experience that books offer. I’ve even been known to get all faint in big libraries. But enough about my weirdness...This freebie is a fantastic way to enjoy the written word and donate something special to charity.

• Click here to see what this freebie is all about

The premise is simple. You read a book online and they donate a book to charity. So far, they’ve donated 7, 549 books. This may seem like a small amount but it’s more than nothing at all. All you need to do is choose and support a literacy partner that focuses on putting books in the hands of children in need.

Then you can select any one of a number of award winning stories and spend time reading them with your kids. Through your actions, books are donated to charity. While this campaign is primarily based in America, the goal is the same – take books to people in all walks of life. I’ve joined and it’s a fantastic idea.

Thanks to pinkmelonsmr2 at HUKD!

Organix has a thriving online community and they’re offering mums a rather delectable welcome pack that’s full of lovely goodies for mum and baby. To get your free pack you only need to fill in the quick and easy registration form and bob’s your auntie.

• Click here to view your freebies from Organix

The welcome pack includes a free mouse mat that can be personalised by inserting your own photies. You also get a voucher to use against the purchase of Organix foods and a free copy of The Baby Directory.

The latter is worth £8.99 and is extremely useful for parents of kids under the age of five. This directory lists everything in your area for the under 5’s. I have to admit that I’ve registered for the club mainly so I can get the directory.

You get access to their Natter Rewards Scheme that gets you points to redeem against their rewards. These include anything from new tumblers to weaning kits. You also get access to the monthly newsletter, the forums, a friend finder service and you can create your own web page.  

Thanks to holly100 at HUKD!

The moment you first approach weaning is a momentous one. I remember getting a bit misty eyed at how quickly my little bundle was growing, as well as a little nervous at the amount of cooking coming my way. It was also a little worrying trying to figure out everything I needed to feed her, what foods were right and vitamins and and and...

• Click here to nab your free weaning guide from Ella’s Kitchen

If you are a bit like me and feel like weaning is a test of skills and kitchen nous, then perhaps this free guide will come in handy. To nab your free copy all you need to do is fill in the Become A Friend form on the site and then tick the box at the end that offers you the guide.

I am not sure what the guide entails as I haven’t received mine yet, so I can only hope that it’s awesome. If you get your guide before I do, please let us know what you think!

Thanks to pinkmelonsmr2 at HUKD!

Having fun with your kids can help them to become smart and sassy adults and this site. PlayTalkRead is dedicated to helping you help your kids get the most out of life. If you join the site then you will land yourself one free soft cube for baby to play with.

• Click here to join for your freebie @ PlayTalkRead

So, registration takes mere seconds to get through and you’ll soon land yourself your free cube for baby. The site also features free activities and ideas for you to enjoy with your kids and has sections dedicated to helping you develop specific areas of their lives.

As in the name, the site is broken down into Play, Talk and Read. Each section has tips, times, stages, fun ideas, outside ideas and things to make with your kids. All focused on different age groups and stages of development.

I’m really impressed with this site as I occasionally suffer from moments of “What can I do with my toddler!” – maybe it’s just me but sometimes I just go blank on ideas so this is hugely helpful. I hope you like the site, and your free cube!

Thanks to Prima Baby Magazine this month you can nab yourself a free Nuby Teether Toy worth £5.99. These brightly coloured teether toys are designed to entertain and stimulate your baby’s hand-eye co-ordination and are easy to hold, lightweight and fun.

• Click here to see the products at Nuby

There are two ways for you to get your free teether toy. You can either ring 0800 334 5844 or you can email marketing.luvncare@yahoo.com. If you decide to go the email route make sure you enter all your details, your baby’s birth date and other such info so they know where to send your toy.

I gave the number a call and a very nice man took all my details and said that the toy would take a couple of weeks to arrive. I’m not sure whether or not the email version is guaranteed to work, or what limitations there are on numbers, but it can’t hurt to try.

Good luck and I hope you get yourself (and baby) a lovely free teether toy from Nuby.

Thanks to holly100 at HUKD!

You can order yourself one free photobook every single month courtesy of Hotprints and some of their selected partners. Registration takes seconds and they will create your photobook for free. Postage to the UK will set you back around $3.

• Click here for your free photobook from Hotprints

You can only get one free photobook per person and they do include free advertising inserts that (and I quote) “do not interfere with any photo pages”. The ad-free photobooks are very reasonably priced at around £3 so if you don’t want a packet full of inserts then you can just pay for your book.

Personally I recommend getting the free book first – it’s a good way of assessing the quality of the photobooks and seeing if they are worth spending money on at a later date. Uploading images is quick and simple, they load really quickly and I lost ages to choosing the ones I wanted.

I haven’t yet received mine so I can’t tell you whether it’s brilliant quality or not, but it’s free and it’s fun so get out there and get creating.

Thanks to pinkmelonsmr2 at HUKD!

Egmont Publishing are celebrating the launch of the Timmy Time books by giving away 10,000 Timmy Time posters that feature the furry, feathery and spiky characters from the hit TV show. They are adorable and, best of all, completely free.

• Click here to get started in hunting down your free poster

You can also get exclusive Timmy Time books with Fairy – get the packs of Fairy Non-Bio and Fabric Softener and send in your till receipt as proof of purchase, along with a list of the books you want. This has nothing to do with the free poster – it’s an extra sort of freebie all on its own.

Right so, the poster deal is going to last only as long as it takes the 10,000 to run out so best you get registered and sorted as fast as possible so you can be assured of getting your free poster.

Personally I love this show, I watch it with as much glee as my daughter. Whoever wrote the series just knew that there would be a parent stuck in front of the TV somewhere and inserted some great humour just for us.

Enjoy your free poster!

Quick post! QV products are a range of skin care items, and they are giving away a free sample of their QV products for your baby!

• Click here for more info @ QVskintest

You have to email your postal details to the email address on the above page. This freebie was tweeted by the website owner on the 16th of April 2010, so should hopefully arrive soon! I had a quick google search to see if anyone had received this freebie yet, but couldn't find anyone.

Here's a bit of a blurb about the QV products:

Specifically developed to help treat skin issues and maintain skin health, QV is the no 1 moisturiser in Australia - a country known for having one of the harshest climates in the world. QV is the moisturiser most frequently recommened by dermatologists in Australia. QV is launching in the UK… share the secret…

Thanks to notts6501 on HUKD!

UPDATE: I got a bounceback from my email, it appears her mailbox is full -will have to try again soon.

AntiLorna over on HUKD has posted a tip about some nice free tea from mamatea.com, a little site that sells caffeine-free herbal teas. Their teas were designed for pregnant and nursing women, but anyone can drink them.

• Click here to email mamatea.com

You can choose from the following teas, just write which one you want in your email, along with your personal details:

• Morning Mama - ginger and chamomile, ideal for morning sickness and nausea. Suitable from weeks 1 to 40
• Glowing Mama - Rooibos, echinacea, dandelion and elderflower, good for easing fluid retention and boosting immune system. Suitable from weeks 1 to 40
• Cool Mama - Chamomile, spearmint and marshmallow leaves, relaxing and soothing for heartburn and indigestion. Suitable from weeks 1 to 40
• Ready Mama - Raspberry leaf, motherwort and hibiscus. Powerful birth preparation tea. Suitable from week 38+
• New Mama - Sweet liquorice, fennel, fenugreek, nettle, lemon balm and red clover. Perfect for encouraging milk flow. Suitable for breastfeeding, not recommended during pregnancy

They actually sell raspberry leaf tea, which I have heard quite a bit about during the course of my pregnancy. Apparently, raspberry leaf tea contains 'fragine' which is supposed to strengthen and tone the uterine muscles, which lets them contract more efficiently during the labour process. You are not supposed to take raspberry leaf until you are past the 36 week stage. However, most of the midwives I have talked to don't know whether this is true or not... but it cannot hurt!

Mamas & Papas are offering you a free £5 gift card that asks for absolutely no minimum spend at all. You only need to register for a Mamas & Papas account in order to claim your voucher which they will then email out to you.

• Click here to get your free £5 from Mamas and Papas

Using this gift card you can claim free items from their website and one of our clever PlayPennies members got a stunning toy for absolutely nothing thanks to a similar deal last month. When you click on the link above it will take you through to the free card area, if you’re not a member you’ll have to click on Sign in at the top of the page and then follow the registration instructions.

You can use your free £5 to take some much needed cash off a baby essential or you can use it to buy a lush toy or accessory that’s less than a tenner. There are some delightful web exclusives (like the duck on the left) that are only £6 so you pay only £1!

I do love a freebie in the springtiiime! Just in time for your springcleaning frenzy you should nab yourself one of these free Persil products to help you along the way. You can choose from any one of three free dosing devices and Persil will send it out within 28 working days.

• Click here to scoop up your freebie from Persil

You can choose between a net, ball or a scoop for your freebie and only need to fill in a short form and survey to get them. While I was ambling about the site I also uncovered the Persil Scrapbook, another freebie that may or may not attract your attention.

Essentially this is just a virtual scrapbook with activities and ideas. There are five sections – Play, Explore, Create, Imagine and Experiment – and they all come with some blank pages. You can use these pages to write stories, draw pictures and upload photos. Lots of fun and also secure, it’s a good way to spend time with your kids this summer.

Fancy trying out some lovely ECO nappies for absolutely nothing? Well Spirit of Nature are giving away free samples of their environmentally friendly range of nappies that are highly biodegradable and all about saving the planet.

• Click here to nab your free sample from Spirit of Nature

All you have to do is choose the nappy sizes you think will fit your baby and add them to your shopping cart and they’ll send them to you for free, including free postage! They can send up to four samples, one for each size, but only one bunch per household.

These disposable nappies have all the high performance features of conventional nappies but are gentler on your baby’s skin and better for the planet. They are made with more than 50% biodegradable materials, and renewable materials wherever possible, and are now available in white.

These nappies are free from chlorine, TBT, antioxidants and other similar toxic residues as well as perfumes, lotions and deodorants. They have been dermatologically tested and are recommended for babies with excema and have been made from natural latex for a comfy fit.

We’re constantly told how expensive it is to raise a child. According to the Guardian, a recent study said that you’re looking at a sum of almost £200,000 to raise a child from birth to age 21. That’s a horrible total of nearly £10,000 a year!

With that in mind, here are seven money-saving resources you can’t afford to be without. These will help you save money, prepare for the future and raise your child without the panic.

1. Freecycle

This online network spiders across the entire UK and is an unbelievably rich resource for parents and children alike. You can find your nearest branch by clicking here.

Everything posted on Freecycle is absolutely free, no money is allowed to change hands when you collect your goods. The plus side is that you can post a Wanted message to see if anyone has something you desperately need or you can Offer things that are cluttering up your home. The only downside, which some may find fine, is the fact that you’ll have to traipse all over collecting your goodies and, if you’re anything like me, you could get lost easily.

2. Sainsburys

Sainsburys' Feed Your Family for a Fiver campaign is an excellent resource for the thrifty family. You'll find brilliant ideas and recipes to cut costs when cooking for all seasons. Tune in regularly for cheap, tasty meals that you can serve all year round that won't break the budget.

3. HotUKDeals.com

HUKD lives to promote the latest deals, special offers and so much more.

There’s also a forum where helpful humans offer up advice and the latest news for all to enjoy. I strongly recommend visiting this site when you’re about to embark on gift shopping of any kind. It’s very easy to read and navigate and you’ll probably walk away having saved a bundle on your shopping. You can also use it to find deals on essentials for you and your home.

4. Childcare cost cutters

Many people find that during the first four years of their children’s life there’s no point in going back to work part time because the cost of childcare nullifies their salaries completely.

One good friend of mine worked out that if she did take a job she was offered, working mornings only, she would make a total of £5 profit each month. So while there are many different situations and yours may not be the same, there are ways for all parents to save money.

Look into your company’s policy on childcare vouchers and apply immediately. You’ll find a wealth of information about these and any tax credits that may be due to you right here. Make sure that you’ve filled in all the right forms and applied for all the benefits you’re due for your situation. These amounts, no matter how big or small, can make a difference to your budget.

5. Childcarers

When you return to work you’re going to need someone to take care of your children, unless you’re one of the lucky ones who gets a corporate crèche!

While we’ve looked at the vouchers in the last point, there are some other options that could work in your favour. How about trying organisations like Nannyshare.co.uk? There are plenty out there and all offer you different choices. You can end up saving a bundle while still retaining complete peace of mind.

6. eBay

If handled properly with due attention to fraudsters, postal charges and retail prices you can really get yourself some incredible bargains on eBay.

There are many tricks you can pick up on how to bid for your items carefully, how to use sniper software that does the job for you and how to not spend more than you would have if you bought it new. From doll houses to slides to baby clothes, there are some fantastic deals on there that will save you bundles of cash. You can kit out all your newborn essentials like clothes and cots as well as supply your toddlers and teens with an endless supply of toys and necessities.

7. BBC Parenting

This site is packed full of tasty tips for parents. From planning your finances to teaching your children about money there is good advice from experts there.

The BBC Parenting site isn’t remotely patronising and doesn’t assume a level of knowledge either. It’s easy to navigate and provides you with some excellent tools to manage your parenting life and your budget. The plus side is that you will get a great overview on issues you’re likely to encounter as a parent over the years so you can plan ahead.

As you approach the end of your pregnancy its time to start preparing yourself for your new arrival. One of the things that you will spend a lot of time pondering is how you’re going to cope with feeding your baby. Why not try out this organic nursing tea for absolutely nothing thanks to Holle Organic Baby Food?

• Click here to nab your free sample

This tasty tea is supposedly able to encourage milk production towards the end of your pregnancy. It is imbued with calming properties to help with relaxation so you can put your feet up and enjoy some precious me-time.  The tea is completely and utterly natural and organic and apparently tastes yummy.

The tea should be taken throughout your breastfeeding from near the end of your pregnancy. It supports the wellness of both mother and child and offers up a pleasant and light taste. So, instead of risking your tastebuds on something that tastes terrible (raspberry leaf tea, anyone?) give this baby freebie a try.

When I was purchasing the Mamu Moses Basket from Mamas And Papas which Sarah posted yesterday, I stumbled on a little method to claim a FREE £5 gift card for Mamas & Papas, and in turn, some free items!! I've just ordered this giggle toy, for the cost of £0.00!

How to claim your free £5 Mamas & Papas voucher

1. Firstly, sign in or register at Mamas & Papas online
2. Then go to this link - opt in reward - and click "Change my preferences and email me my gift card now"
3. Wait on gift card!
4. Apply it at checkout, in the "gift card" section to see £5 off your order

Now, when I completed the above, it took between half an hour and an hour for the gift card to arrive to my email. The £5 gift card has some terms and conditions - you must spend at least £5 to make use of it, so you cannot claim a free item if it is less than this value. But I was browsing and I saw 1 or 2 items at £5 exactly.

Of course, if you want to order a more expensive item, you can just pay the difference.

Regarding delivery, you normally have to pay £4.95, so it doesn't really make sense to do this - but Mamas & Papas also offer a free collect at store service! If you live near a store, you can simply order online, opt to collect at store, and you will pay nothing for the item.

Here are a few items I can see which are £5 exactly, which you can order for zero pounds:

• Giggle Toy - The Colour Bunch
• Rattle Toy - The Colour Bunch
• Squeaker Toy - The Colour Bunch
• Velour Hat
• Soft Toy Doggie Dungarees
• Soft Toy Cuddle
• Door Hanger - Zeddy & Parsnip
• Travel Toy - Little Land
• Beaba Soft First Meal Spoon x2

As I mentioned, I ordered one of the soft toys, at a cost of £0.00, and I am collecting it at my local store - I love it when a freebie comes together!

Can you see any more £5 items? If so, please comment below and I will add them to the list.

On the spiritofnature.co.uk site, they have quite a few baby freebies - sample products which you can order. First of all, they have a range of Moltex nappies, where you can order a free sample in each size.

• Click here to order your free Moltex nappies

You can order up to 4 free samples of the Moltex nappies, with free postage too! You should be able to order 1 of each size, once per household.

Secondly, if you simply stick the word "sample" in the search box at the top right of their page, you will see a list of products which you can possibly order for free. It includes more nappies, such as the Bambo Nature ones, which you can also order in a few different sizes.

Thanks to ramnee on HUKD.

Nappies - whilst not the most glamourous baby purchase you'll make, will be one of the most regular and if you've walked down the nappy aisle at the supermarket you'll already know what a bewildering array there is.

• Click HERE for your FREE sample of Huggies Newborn

So what do you choose?  One of the big names or a supermarket own brand?  Gender specific (if you already know or if the baby has already arrived)? Pull ups? Velcro tabs? Ones with stretchy sides?  Perhaps ones with Pooh bear on them (I always thought that was hilarious to have Pooh on nappies....but then I can be easily amused!)?  Or maybe ones that are shaped more like proper pants than a nappy?  And let's not even go DOWN the route of swimming nappies yet!

So here's my best advice - get hold of as many different samples of nappies as you can and then try them out.  Huggies boys nappies were great for my eldest son many moons ago, but Huggies for girls 14 years ago really didn't suit my daughter - she was more of a Pampers fit and you won't know which is which without trying them.

Thing is, you don't want to spend the best part of a tenner on a pack of nappies that might not suit you or your baby - so samples is definitely the way to go.

You don't have to register first to claim this baby freebie from the Bounty parenting club, you just need to fill in your name and addresss and they'll send your sample out in the post to you.  I do like it when things are nice and simple.

Happy Nappy choosing!

Thanks to lottysdad08 overr at HUKD!

Fancy some lovely free weaning spoons from Bebivita? Well they're giving some lovely packs away to anyone who gets there fast enough, what an ace baby freebie!

• Click here to visit the site and register with Bebivita

They are only giving away one pack per household so you won't be able to snafoo more than one set for yourself, but if you've got more than one child they can always share.

Bebivita are also giving away money off coupons that offer large reductions in the prices of their foods and products. You can use these to get some impressive discounts and stock up for summer.

Their range of baby foods is actually very impressive. I've never used them myself but I only discovered them long after my little one was weaned. Still, they've had some good reviews and look rather yummy.

On top of the coupons and free weaning spoons on offer, you can also stand a chance of winning a £10 Tesco voucher when you send in your cute baby photos.

The site has nutrition information, a list of stockists and a list of commonly asked questions by mums looking for advice on weaning their babies. So go ahead and register for your free pack and enjoy some time surfing the site to see what else is on offer.

"Roll up! Roll up! Baby Freebies!  Free condoms to prevent 'free' babies!" (you have to say that in a true Cockney market trader stylee!)

• Click HERE to slide on over to BritishCondoms and claim your baby freebies

Now before you think I've gone completely mad...

1) As a PlayPennies writer I have to keep this in mind when scouting around for things for you "Our team of writers will be sharing tips on money saving in the home..."

So how's THIS for fulfilling my 'contractual obligations ' and making your financial blood run cold?!  It was reported in the news this week that it now costs in excess of £200k to raise your child from birth to the age of 21.  I bet your ready to click on that link NOW aren't you!

2) I haven't laughed so hard so early on a Friday as I did looking around britishcondoms this morning, in pursuit of this baby freebie of course, and it feels selfish to keep such amusement to myself - if you're at work perhaps save this until you get home becasuse whilst the site isn't pornographic in any way, it's still one I'd put in the NOT SAFE FOR WORK category!

Go and have a click-around-look-see for yourself - I admit I mooched around there for far too long and almost cried with laughter on occasions.  If you're the sort who wants to get straight to down to business (hur hur)  simply register for their newsletter (I wonder if it's called 'The French Letter'...?) and your three baby freebies will be winging their way to you in the post.

Yes there are only three of them but, let's face it, they're either going to last you all year or perhaps you'll find something else on the site that will spark your imagination and give you a whole new lease of sexlife - the very best of British to you!

Thanks to holly100 over HUKD!