In our continuing series of Workshop crafts, we've got another guest post from Maggy of Redtedart.com. where she regularly crafts with her toddler and brings you weekly How Tos. Previously, Maggy contributed a PlayPennies post on how to make a snake, and today she's going to write about making a robot themed card.

Hi, I am Maggy and over at Red Ted Art we love robots. We have a number of robot books that my 3 year old adores and we have to read regularly! We also love to craft.

A really great way to stimulate and inspire crafting, is to combine story time with crafts – not only does this help generate ideas, but it also helps “embed” concepts with your children. The first time we made a robot, was after reading “Harry and The Robots” and it was demanded by my son that we do so!! And we didn’t just make one, but three! So today, I have our favourite robot book for you, as well as quick, easy and fun craft linked to it.

Harry and the Robots, by Ian Whybrow, is a lovely little book, that I recommend to all toddlers (both boys and girls!). The story is about Harry, whose “real” robot breaks and has to go to Robot Hospital. He is very sad about it, but his fabulous grandmother suggest that they make some of their own in the meantime. Sadly, that night, Harry’s grandmother also falls ill and is taken to hospital. The children are clearly distressed and saddened. Harry decides to make his robots anyway and to take them to his grandmother to help her get better… so robots he makes and his grandmother indeed gets better. It is a lovely little story that helps stimulate the imagination, teaches about caring and maybe even helps reduce anxieties about hospitals and illness.

As to the craft – we decided to make some Robot cards – these are great as party invites, as thank you cards or a birthday card for friends and with a little bit of help even 3 year olds can get crafty:

Materials:  Card stock for final card, for the body you need some corrugated card or similar (e.g. you could use some foil), card for head, arms and legs, googly eyes, sequins (or similar) for buttons, glue, scissors.

1. I cut all the robot “parts” – if you have older children, they can cut these out themselves. You will need one rectangle for the head, one contrasting rectangle for the body, and for rectangles for arms and legs.
2. With younger children it is helpful to lay this out in the final “layout” for them, so that they can see the finished product. I strongly believe that some “mess” that younger children make, is because they cannot “envisage the finished” product. By laying things out for them, you help them see the goal.
3. Let your child glue on all the parts on the card – you can either help them apply the glue or let them do it themselves.
4. Add googly eyes and sequins for the “buttons”. We simply “covered” ours in sequins, as my son doesn’t like getting glue on his fingers, but of course you can add them neatly. Or you can draw them on or use hole punch cut outs.

And finished!

(Below are a few pictures of Maggy's son in action)

Today's guest post comes from the pen of Rob Clymo who writes on behalf of Broadband Genie, the independent comparison website for finding broadband and mobile broadband deals.

Having a broadband supply is becoming an essential way of life for most of us now, although if you’re still in the market for it or wish to change from an existing supplier then it’s a great time to get yourself a great deal too.

The key to making sure that you have secured yourself the best deal possible is to ensure that you do a little bit or research prior to signing on the dotted line. There are a wealth of providers out there who offer many different package options, but you can hone these down by doing a little bit of homework first.

First up; try looking at availability in your area because not all services are available everywhere. Even if they are you may well find that some broadband providers offer a better deal than others based on your geographical location. There are useful online tools available that will enable you to check the availability of products and services using a postcode checker tool.

Another thing to do is also take a look at the line speed you can hope to get in your locale. Again, use free tools on the internet to help you ascertain whether or not you’ll be best off going for ADSL or cable based broadband services.

Prices change all the time too, so use an online comparison tool that will enable to you scan all available broadband deals and then fine-tune them so that they match the sort of criteria that you’re looking for from a broadband supply. That could include price, but speed is also a large factor – the faster the connection the more you generally pay.

Data limits are also something to watch out for, because if you’re a heavy internet user who downloads lots of content, such as movies, then you’ll want a service that gives you the freedom to do this without penalties. You may pay a little more for the extra capacity and speed but this is better than being told off by your provider for overstepping their limits.

One of the best ways to get a great deal is to try the option of bundling services. This could mean adding together broadband, landline phone and also a TV package into one deal that should allow you to get much better value for money. Broadband providers always have special offers on these too, and they’ll often throw in the kit that you need for free or at a reduced rate.

Getting the right broadband package at a decent price is often about timing, so pick your moment to sign up for a deal. However, top deals come and go all the time, so even if you miss out on one this week you’ll be sure to find another the next week.

Thanks to Bruno Girin, KIUI staff.

Today's guest post comes from the pen of Maggy from Red Ted Art, where she regularly crafts with her toddler and bring you weekly How Tos. She loves doing things with her children that are fun, creative and do not cost a fortune. Here on PlayPennies, we're going to be posting lots of great craft ideas in the workshops tag.

My post today, will be short and sweet and only cost pennies (if that):

My favourite kid’s craft materials are paper rolls (also known as loo rolls, but you can make these with kitchen rolls too). Today we are going to make SNAKES. These are great, as you can make them as simple or as elaborate as you like and they will always look great.

Materials: Loo roll, paint, scissors, googly eyes (optional), glue. Instead of paint (or as well as) you can also use paper shapes you have cut out or bought, glitter glue, stickers, whatever you have lying around the house!

1. Paint your loo roll. If you do horizontal stripes (unlike our loo rolls in the photos), you will get a stripy snake.
2. Using a small pair of scissors start cutting diagonally into the roll cutting a spiral all the way round.
3. Cut the shape of the head (see photo)
4. Stick (or paint) on eyes

Done!

We made a paint version at home (pictured above) and a sticky shape version at playgroup (pictured below) where there isn’t time for the paint to dry. So these really are very versatile and can be enjoyed by different age groups.

Play and have fun for pennies!

Today's guest article comes from the pen of Sally Huggett, editor of Limemag, a magazine for parents and carers of children with special needs. Tamsin wrote a similar article on sensory rooms at the start of the year, but this one comes with some practical advice from Sally, a mum in the field.

I have a little boy called Daniel who is three years old. He has Autism, Dyspraxia and Sensory Integration Dysfunction. The sensory issues he has means that he won’t eat any food and survives on drinks prescribed by the Dietician. I have had to learn how to engage Daniel on a level that he is comfortable with, and with toys that don’t scare him, whilst doing so on a shoestring. Sensory toys can be very expensive. But they don’t have to be if you are willing to be resourceful.

I have made Daniel a ‘Sensory Box’. In it are all sorts of toys I have collected along the way. The number and variety is growing all the time. To start with I went to the local pet store. I bought a ‘Wiggly Giggly’ ball, that is meant for dogs, and it makes a funny noise as you roll it along the floor. Daniel is fascinated by the noise and loves this toy.

I also bought some chew toys (and washed them thoroughly before giving them to Daniel). The bumpy surface of these toys is great for children's tactile development.

The next unusual toy I found was in a local souvenir shop. I call it the ‘ocean in a bag’. It is a small pouch filled with blue liquid with fish and turtles bobbing about in it. And when you pick it up it is very difficult to hold without rolling out of your hands and so offers a very amusing sensation and is visually very stimulating. This was a very inexpensive and fun toy to find.

Other great additions for a child with tactile defensiveness, are scarves made out of all different materials. These can be fun to play peek-a-boo with. I have a cotton scarf, a silk scarf, and a chiffon scarf. The chiffon one is slightly see-through which is fun for hiding behind. They all feel nice and different as you stroke them across your skin.

Another inexpensive toy that can afford hours of fun is finger puppets. You can find many different animals or characters, and if they are soft and furry they are nice to touch, and they are very vibrant and engaging and fun to use for storytelling.

Other inexpensive gizmos may include rainbow coloured plastic giant springs, pocket plastic magnifying lenses, expanding lattice balls, brightly coloured and shaped erasers and more items that can be found in many gift shops. You don’t have to go to a special needs retailer to be able to put together your own ‘Sensory Box.’

Today's guest post is by Rachel Pattisson. Rachel is a freelance writer and she can be found blogging about mummying at Really Rachel.

There were how many birthdays last month?!  If I’d bought each person a card costing just 99p, I’d have spent over £10.  Don’t worry, this is not one of those wordy maths problems.  I’m just saying, you can easily rack up quite a bill on cards alone – not even mentioning presents – in only one month.  Which is why my latest craft project has a happy side-effect: it’s cheap.

My daughter, who is almost three, loves being artistic.  She spends hours at her creation station producing wonderful* drawings, paintings and collages.  *It’s ok, I know I’m biased.

The result is an enormous pile of priceless originals waiting to be – erm – recycled.

So that’s what I do.  I recycle my daughter’s paintings into greetings cards (pictured left).

Luckily, she is prone to making abstract splodge pictures in vibrant colours.  I simply cut out the best bits and mount them onto card blanks.  Voila!  It’s easy to customise the final design to incorporate a ‘happy birthday’ or whatever, but I usually send the cards out unembellished.  I think they have a certain rustic charm.

The card blanks can be acquired relatively cheaply.  I recently bought a pack of 50 from Handy Hippo for £6.15.  That’s 12p per card.  Even if I add on a few pence per card for the paper and paints that my daughter used, my overall outlay for last month’s birthdays was less than a quarter of what it would have been if I’d bought the cheapest cards from the shops.

I love the fact that homemade cards are personal and unique.  Cards made using art from little people are even better, especially if you are sending them to adoring grandparents and aunties.  My daughter also gets to feel proud that her paintings have a genuine and important use.

Why stop at cards?  I give my daughter huge pieces of paper to draw on and then use it as wrapping paper.  And yesterday, I gave a bottle of wine labelled with a unique, hand painted gift-tag.

Recycled toddler-art cards are not only economical they are:

• Eco-friendly
• Fun to make
• Completely unique and personal
• Infinitely customisable

We’ve got a large stock of art on standby, waiting to be transformed into cards for any occasion.  Alas, there aren’t many occasions in my calendar this month but that needn’t halt production.  Notelets, anyone?

[Picture credits: nojhan, crimfants, stevendepolo]

Today's guest post comes to you from the pen of Nickie, owner of Typecast.

In five weeks time I will only ever be making a school packed lunch for the purpose of a day-trip away from school.  My youngest is off to high school and has expressed a preference for buying his lunch rather than taking a pre-prepared lunch from home (plus I think the biometric fingerprint scanning is the main reason for his decision – very Matrix-esque!).

Over the last * mumble * fourteen *cough * years of making packed lunches for my three children I have found out what works and what doesn’t, especially if you are making healthy packed lunches on a budget.  We all know that it is a bit of a strain getting children to eat healthily at the best of times, even more so when you’re not leaning over them, supervising every mouthful.

My first tip is let your child choose their own lunch bag as they are much more likely to want to carry it themselves and actually use it.  A few well-known supermarkets do a varied range of the more popular character-blazoned bags for a few pounds but make sure a flask/juice bottle is included or you buy one that fits into the bag.

Only you will know how much food your child is capable of eating in the middle of the day, but be aware that of the 40-minute lunch break, approximately only eight-and-three-quarter minutes is actually spent eating before they want to rush out into the playground to run off the pent-up energy that was stored in the classroom.  For this reason alone, I have always provided food that served as a finger buffet – easy for small fingers/hands to manage, quick to eat, easy to digest.

Firm favourites are wholemeal bread or pita wraps with various fillings: tuna, chicken or chopped ham with mayonnaise and sweetcorn – easy to make up and store in a bowl in the fridge for a couple of days, half a bagel with cream cheese and pineapple, mashed egg (although we all know this can get a little smelly), humus and cous-cous have all appeared in our lunch boxes.  I also invested in a few tiny Tupperware boxes from the local pound shop.  These are just big enough to hold a few slices of raw carrot, cucumber and mini tomatoes or some chucks of cheese.  I have also sometimes made up pasta the night before, left it to cool down and mixed with the sandwich filling for a little variety.

Treats (or desserts) can be a yoghurt (don’t forget to include a plastic spoon, then you are not too bothered if it gets thrown out with the rubbish – again, a great pound shop investment) or a small tub of raisins and grapes – I have also discovered that if you cut up fruit (bananas, apples) it tends to brown at the edges and will come home uneaten.  On occasion I have put a bag of crisps in but these usually come home unopened as they take too long to eat!  One massive hit was to conduct a mammoth baking session with the children at the weekend (fairy cakes, flapjacks) and include the fruits of their labour as a treat.

Finally, don’t over-face your child with too much food and expect them to eat it all.  They are always “STARVING” when they come home from school anyway and you can make sure they are topped up snacks and a larger meal in the late afternoon/evening at home.

Photo credits: Gooseherder, alex_smith1, Pink.

This is a guest post written by Emily, a mum of three children. She writes a blog called babyrambles in which she blogs about the day to day challenges, tears and joy of parenthood and other things which happen along the way.

Quite often people say they’d like another child but ‘can’t afford one’. And you read these awful statistics which suggests each child costs £250,000 or something similar. If children cost that much can any of us afford them?

I’ve got three children and never really considered whether I could afford them or not. I suppose childcare is the obvious cost. If you need to put each child in nursery then, yes, it’s a lot of money. But there are ways you save money with subsequent children too.

We all know the first child costs a lot of money. If you’re not lucky enough to have stuff lent to you then you need to buy a cot, car seat, pushchair, highchair and travel cot, just to name a few things. Then there are the clothes, toys, nappies, food… the list goes on and on. You don’t really want to add the cost up do you?

But you don’t spend anything like this amount on a second child because you can re-use everything. I think it’s nice to get more use out of the moses basket which your first was only in for eight weeks. And many clothes can be handed down too.

Poor third child really does end up with hand me downs. And then you start priding yourself that you’ve really got your money’s worth out of everything, no matter how battered and dated it’s looking.

I think you save money with larger families because you go out less. Sometimes a day trip or mini break seems like too much hassle when you’ve got three or four children to get ready. I find I do fewer paid activities with my children such as music, singing and toddler groups. It’s because their different ages means at least one will be too old or too young for it. I don’t think my children are missing out, they play together at home instead.

Having more children definitely makes you cost-aware. I make packed lunches instead of buying food when out and about. I think more about what I can buy secondhand and we force ourselves to trim our spending. That can’t be a bad thing can it?

Some people say they need a bigger house for more children. Two of my children share a room and that’s something I did when growing up too. A friend of mine has all three of hers in the same bedroom.

And back to childcare: the cost is huge and something we can’t afford for three children under school age. So I work from home and combine work with looking after the children myself. This hasn’t been easy and straightforward to do: it’s taken a while to establish itself and I have hardly any time I can call my own. But it’s a low-cost solution for us, juggling children and work is never easy.

If you think imaginatively I don’t think it’s too hard to afford another child. It just means you may need to re-think how you work and accept you don’t have luxury holidays and nice clothes. Like anything in life, you decide what’s a priority for you. And I have to say some days a luxury holiday does seem very appealing.

Photo credits: [fiskfisk, NickNguyen, dulk, pierre]

Today's guest post comes to you from the pen of Helen, owner of the businessplusbaby website. Helen is going to share her thoughts on "Party Plan" schemes which might make you some extra pocket money.

A party plan is a good way of earning some extra cash and you can usually get some products at a discounted rate, too.

What is a party plan?

The party plan is a method of marketing products by hosting a social event, using the event to display and demonstrate the product or products to those gathered, and then to take orders for the products before the gathering ends... [Source]

I am sure you have heard of Ann Summers parties, Virgin Vie parties and even Tupperware parties!

It usually costs less than £100 to get started and you can run a party as soon as your kit arrives, so you can start earning straight away. The company you work for will provide brochures, posters and invitations for you. Plus you can work hours that fit around your family.

Here are five tips to help you get started as a party plan representative.

1. Make sure you love the product

It’s an uphill struggle selling something if you don’t totally believe in it.

There are many party plan companies out there, some well-known and others less so. Take some time to explore the different products to find one you really love. Check out Family Friendly Working’s Directory.

2. What do you want from the party plan?

If you’re looking for £30 here and there to top up the family budget, then running a party from time to time will usually do the trick. But if you’re looking to get a regular income (say to replace a job), then you’ll need to be more organised and put in much more effort.

3. Check the details

Party plan companies work in different ways, so make sure you read their terms and conditions carefully.  Things to look out for include:

• Are you committed to meeting any targets?
• What are the costs, for example do you have to buy your own catalogues and pay for postage?
• What percentage commission will you earn? Will this increase if you hit a target? How easy will it be to hit that target?
• Grab a piece of paper and work out roughly how much you’re likely to take home from each party – are you happy with that amount?
• How experienced is your team leader? How much help and advice will they give you?

Most party plans are from reputable companies but be careful as there are a few scams out there. Check out the Direct Selling Association and Business Opportunity Watch for more information.

4. How many other people are selling this product in your area?

It’s easier to get party bookings if people haven’t already been approached by three other reps working for the same company as you.

Your party plan company may be able to tell you how many reps they already have in your area, but that won’t tell you how active those reps are. For example, if a local rep only does parties on the run up to Christmas to earn some extra cash, then that’s not likely to be a problem for you. If there are already three reps doing several parties a month, then you’d be better off selling a different product.

Have a look at the places you might find a rep – check school notice boards and fetes, ask around your friends to see if anyone has heard of parties by that company in your area.

5. And if party plans aren’t your cup of tea…

Party plans are an easy, low-risk way of starting a business, but they aren’t for everyone. The good news is that there are many other flexible small businesses you can run from home.

Today's guest post comes to you from Kerry Kidd, who has some pointers on cheap toys and resources with therapeutic value for parents of children with speech or social delays.

Your child isn’t talking. You’ve given them time, you’ve read them stories and sung nursery rhymes, and they still aren’t catching up. Speech delay is not only a worrying time, it can also be a very expensive one. With long NHS waiting lists, and private speech therapy at an average of £60 an hour, you need to think carefully about what your child needs without breaking the bank.

The good news is that you are your child’s best therapist, and you don’t charge.  The bad news is that some types of professional input and dedicated resources are worth the money. Remember, professionals are useful, but never be afraid to disagree. You know your own child best.

Toys

You in the home, with your child, are their most useful teacher. Many of the tools are already to hand; a toybox provides material for a daily play session, reinforcing simple words (e.g. “Push,” “Ball,” “Up,” “Down”).

Remember, even if your child is not yet able to say any words (expressive speech) you can test and extend their understanding (receptive speech).

Start playing games together as early and as regularly as possible. Not only do they help extend language, they also give you an opportunity to teach how to play with others, taking turns and sharing an imaginative game.

These skills are harder for speech-delayed children to learn and, if you decide your child needs professional help, are important for determining the cause of your child’s late speech. You can exercise oral motor skills with blowing bubbles, straw-sucking, and tongue-sticking and licking games.

Books

Yes, we all know that you should read to your child, but it’s hard to motivate yourself when even the simplest books go over their head. If your child can’t follow a simple story, go back to picture books.

Some speech-delayed children enjoy learning to point at an item and hear a word repeated, even if they can’t say it yet. Others take delight in showing you where the ball is, long before they are ready to use the word themselves.

Do not worry if the child wants you to read the same book dozens or even hundreds of times. Some delayed talkers begin the journey into speech by internally memorising a favourite book, then filling in a word or two at a time.

Pictures and talkboards

Some speech-delayed children are much better at communicating with the use of pictures or symbols. You can help them to express their desires by giving them a “board” with pictures of items such as milk, teddy, TV. Don’t worry that this will delay speech: it may do the opposite, by showing them that communication gets results.

Sign language

Some parents are hesitant of sign language in case the child starts to use sign language instead of speech. Recent research shows that this is not the case, as long as the word is spoken with the sign. In fact, in my own son’s case learning to sign improved his speech significantly.

Baby signing classes are expensive and inconsistent in the signs they use, but on Cbeebies, Something Special provides a free tutorial in Makaton signing, and many Speech and Language NHS services offer free Makaton courses to parents. Totalcommunication.org provides an invaluable introduction free of charge with basic signs.

Questions to ask

Don’t torment yourself by surfing the internet for hours. But it’s worth doing the MChat online for £10, and going to a professional if it indicates a developmental delay. Also think about whether your child can lick, blow, suck on a straw, move their tongue around at will, had early problems eating, or anything else that could indicate a physical problem.

Stuff it's worth spending money on

If you are concerned, get an assessment done as early as possible. This helps you to know how best to target your work. If you can get to see an NHS therapist, quickly, great. If not, it is probably worth shelling out for a one-off private consultation (we paid £85 for an initial assessment). Then you can decide what help you think is best. A complete Makaton signing home course will set you back a jawdropping £143.70, but you can cheat a bit and start with a pocket book of signs for £6.50.

To guide your work at home, invest in these Hanen books. They’re not cheap (currently £45 secondhand on Ebay) but they are far, far better than anything on the market in teaching a parent how to improve the speech a language-delayed child. For affordable specialist toys, see SenseToys. Our family love their whistles!

Conclusion

Remember: The most important resource your child has is you. Pace yourself, be kind to yourself, do not feel guilty for not doing enough. If your child is officially diagnosed with speech delay, then ask your local SureStart centre if they will send a play worker to help.

Home-start also offer volunteers for two hours a week, either to help you, or to play with other children in the family whilst you do therapy. Under-threes may be eligible for visits from Portage, a free weekly home visiting and therapy service.

Some children with language delay are eligible for Disability Living Allowance (Be aware: the forms are very depressing and hard to fill in right. Use an online webguide like Cerebra’s to help you fill in the forms or see if your Surestart centre will help).

If you are female and struggling with the implications of having a child with special/additional needs, then Well Woman clinics offer free counselling. And – most important of all – don’t try to do too much.

Today's post comes to you from guest author Michelle who writes Babydinesout, a blog about seeing friends, dining out and travelling.

I have a confession: when I was on maternity leave I needed to get out of the house.  A lot. Being at home all day with a baby is a challenge in lots of ways.  Finding baby-friendly places to hang out in proximity to, or with, other adults that are also purse-friendly was a challenge all of its own.

And if like me, you are desperately trying to hang on to the fantasy that you can do things just as you did before, the challenge is even bigger.  It can bring you down to earth with a baby-sized bump!

If you’re looking for somewhere to pass a little time over a coffee and perhaps an indulgent snack you could do worse than some of the chain coffee shops. True, the coffee is not cheap, but many branches have a comfortable spot where you can take your time over a drink, and (luxury of luxuries) even read the paper if your tot is napping.  And they often have decent baby changing facilities.  My local Starbucks were, and continue to be, a dream.  Many Pret A Manger cafés are actually great mid morning when the breakfast rush has passed and the lunch one has yet to start.

Before you start weaning, eating out with a baby is cheap.  Your only concerns are whether anyone will mind you breastfeeding and whether there will be anywhere you can change the baby.  Once I started weaning Jack I never went anywhere without a ready-made pot of mush.  I’ve recently discovered the ‘weanie’ which I wish I’d known about back then.  It is a genius portable masher so you can just mash a little of whatever you’re eating for your tot without any need to order something specifically for them.

Once they get a bit older you have a choice of some great child-friendly chains which do excellent value kid meals.  My favourites are Carluccio’s, Jamie’s Italian and Wagamama.  I have to admit to having an aversion to places which are only packed with mums and babies, preferring places with a more mixed set of diners.  They tend to have better food and service.

When you’re eating in places which don’t have a specific kids menu don’t be frightened of just asking for an extra side place and sharing some of your food with your tot, rather than ordering an entire plate of stuff you know they’ll simply chuck on the floor.

If you always have a container of whatever it is your tot prefers to drink (water, juice rather than the hard stuff, obviously), that will save you paying for anything more than your own.  Oh, and always, always have a bag full of snacks.  That way when they turn their noses up at the food you won’t need to order extra dishes just to ensure they’ve eaten something.

With the Summer now finally here, dining out cheaply with a tot is even easier.  Picnic in the park anyone....?

[Photo credits: TheGiantVermin, eyeliam, Tobyotter, juhansonin, kennymatic]

Today's feature comes to you from the pen of Harriet, blogger at Is There A Plan B, who we recently featured on PlayPennies Loves.

I’m new to Playpennies, and you may think my title misses the point rather.  But I’m very good at not spending money.  It’s one of my talents. I always wanted to be the sort of mother who would randomly buy her children beautiful things, but I don’t, because I can’t ever justify it.  So I end up in Primark (or, post move, M&Co).

Instead, I’m writing about the opposite.  What are the things that I bought cheaply and now wish I had spent money on? The false economies. The parenting equivalents of value washing up liquid.  Obviously we are all constrained by our personal budgets, but, whatever yours may be, these five things you can justify...

Pushchair

A really good pushchair.  I’m not recommending a brand, because pushchairs are more personal than haircuts. You can admire someone else’s but that doesn’t mean it will work for you.  You need to sit down and think about what your pushchair needs to do, and then you need to spend as much money as it takes to get it.

If you get one that doesn’t do something you want it to, whether that be go off-road, or take a car seat, or let your baby lie totally flat, or go through the front door, it will irritate you beyond words, and you’ll probably end up buying the one you should have got in the first place anyway.

Waterproof

A proper (and I mean proper) waterproof.  It won’t be pretty, it won’t be glamorous, but boy will you thank me when the baby’s screaming,  it’s pouring with rain, you have to get out of the house, and you watch someone else in the same position try and manhandle a brolly and a pram. It doesn’t work. Get a cagoule.

Nappy bag

A really lovely nappy bag.  I went “Pah! That’s silly and frivolous.  I don’t need a nappy bag I like, it just has to be functional”.  Three years of using it EVERY DAY, and I’m really, really wishing I’d bought this kind of thing.

When you’ve just had a baby and you’re wearing a cagoule, you won’t feel glamorous and lovely, but a glamorous and lovely nappy bag will help.  Get someone to buy it for you as a present.

Bouncer

A stupidly expensive bouncy chair.  Ideally this babysitter balance bouncer from Johnlewis.  Yes, I know. It’s £100 for a bouncy chair.  Bear with me.  We bought this spot bouncer.  It’s £14.  Both our first born and our twins hated it and I thought they just didn’t like bouncing.

Then we borrowed the other and both the twins loved it. I don’t know what Baby Bjorn have done, but whatever it is it works and it was a godsend. I had somewhere I could put one of them down, and know they would be happy for twenty minutes.  That’s worth it.

Microwave

A microwave. You can wean a baby (and/or make up formula milk) without a microwave (I should know, I’ve done it three times) but life’s apparently a lot easier if you’ve got one.

Those are my five essentials, but I’d also not feel ashamed of buying breast-feeding tops and underwired nursing bras to preserve your dignity, give your (ahem) spirits a lift, and make you feel vaguely human...

So that’s it. You have permission to spend money. What are you waiting for?

[Photo credits: Mzelle Biscotte]

Today's guest post comes to you from the pen of Becky Goddard-Hill, author of the babybudgeting blog and the book How to Afford Time off with your Baby.

When you are pregnant you might want and need lots of new things, but it is definitely not the time to be spending lots of extra money. Here are some tips for a fabulous but thrifty pregnancy.

1. Books

Don’t spend a fortune on baby names books, week by week pregnancy books, everything you need to know about childbirth and how to get pregnant books. Undoubtedly when the time comes, friends will have a stack of these to lend as will your local library (who for a small fee can request them in if they don’t have them). Have a browse on Amazon to see what you fancy, then check out ebay to see if you can get it cheaper. Books are no more useful if they are new than borrowed, loaned out from the library or second hand.

2. Clothes

It’s not worth spending a fortune on baby clothes – you will be bought lots as gifts and you won’t have a clue what these will be. Hold on for the clothes you will be given and just get a small pack of 3 from a supermarket as a starter set. Plus the fact you may get a shock like me and have a 3lb baby, or like my sister and get an 11lb baby! If you do, newborn sleep-suits will be entirely wrong but at least you will have only wasted a fiver!

3. Wish lists

I think it is a good idea to write a really clear wish list so when you are asked what you would like you can point people in the right direction and get nightlights, sunshades, nappy bags and changing mats that you want and need (and which co-ordinate!) If you don’t speak up it is virtually guaranteed almost everyone will buy you clothes.

4. Wages

You could practice living on one wage now so the shock of reduced income is less when your baby comes, and you will have some money set by. This doesn’t mean you have to be miserable…. lots of lovely times can be had on a budget. You don’t need a last trip to Paris pre-baby or a pregnancy spa, instead try:

• Putting a little love note in your partners pack up
• Having a lazy bath with your best tunes, candles, a big choc bar and a brilliant library book
• Going for a gentle stroll in the country with good friends and a picnic
• Renting a movie you first watched together and cuddles up under a blanket with some hot chocolate
• Setting the table with cloth napkins, flowers form the garden and practically eating out whilst staying in - even if it is pasta it will taste much better this way!

5. Mindset

Do start to become a borrower/second-hand/charity shopper now (maternity clothes, paperbacks, items you may need for when baby comes). Change your mindset now and it will be come a good habit. (Top tip: Visit charity shops in posh areas for some quality bargains!)

Have a wonderful pregnancy! x

For more ideas about being thrifty while pregnant, check out Tamsin's New Mummy Money Guide.

[Image credits: Mukumbura, rosscrawford1, alancleaver_2000.]

Today's article comes to you from the pen of Nataliya, writer of suburbanmummyuk.com, a fellow UK parent blogger! Nataliya shares with us her hints and tips about saving money, based on her experiences of moving into a new home and feeding her hungry family!

As winter leaves us and spring is fast approaching, it's made me reflect on what a bitter and long winter we have all had.

Electricity & Heat

When we moved ten months ago to Suburbia, from a flat in the city into a house, we pondered the costs of heating our new place. We had the heating set to 30°c all the time as it really felt cold in here! According to our little thermometers we have placed around our house, the temperature was only getting up to 24°c on a good day. We then got our first electricity bill and not surprisingly, it was very high. We had to take action to make sure that next bill wasn't so steep.

What we did to cut costs:

• Used a draught excluder on the door that led to the garage
• Checked all radiators were operating efficiently and drained the air out of them
• Turned off the radiators in unused rooms
• Turned down the radiators at night downstairs
• Put extra blankets on the beds
• Kept lights off unless needed
• Turned off plugs that were not in use (easy to do if you have multiple plugs and a power board with individual switches)

Result: By doing this we reduced our next bill by nearly £300!

Gardening

If you have a garden and you have little ones, now is a great time to get the wellington boots on and the spades out. A few weeks ago, I pulled up a lot of old dead plants and weeds from the vegetable patch and turned the soil. The children LOVED doing this! Things got incredibly messy and quickly turned into a study of worms, of which we found an enormous amount.

The next day we (I) dug a few trenches and we threw in some potatoes which I had been secretly keeping in a cupboard in preparation for planting. The children planted them and created more mess.

We're starting to see a little growth in the garden now. Even the herbs in the covered raised flower bed are starting to grow.  There is nothing better than some home grown vegetables and herbs for your dinner! It also helps the children learn about plants and cooking (which must be a good thing) and they love getting dirty and planting seeds, then seeing them grow. But it also saves us money!

Mealtimes

One thing I have noticed is my son eats about three times the amount that my daughter does. I've had to increase my dishes enormously to cope with his hollow legs.

I now cook in huge quantities to:

• A) Have enough food
• B) Have leftovers
• C) Save money (economies of scale)

My must-have dishes are Cottage pie and Fish pie. You can make these in bulk and divide them up into portions and freeze them.

I personally buy my meat and mince it myself.  I buy fresh from a local farm - this also reduces the cost of the dish as I get more meat for less money than I would get at the supermarket. Check your local area for farms that have shops - you might live near a farm shop and not even be aware of it.

By doing this, I can feed my family dinner, have leftovers for us to have lunch the next day and have enough to freeze extra for those days where I really can't be bothered to cook!

What about you?

What do you do round the house to help keep costs down?