10 reasons to love Ikea!

~ mummyhereandthere ~ Leave a comment

Hey readers,

Did I ever tell you that I love Ikea….No? Well let me tell you why!

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1. First off to love Ikea you will need an Ikea family card as it allows you to have items at a reduced rate, result.

2. With the Ikea family card you can get free coffee or tea during the week, Monday – Friday. I like this as it gives me the motivation to leave the home when I am skint. Going to the Ikea cafe I can drink my tea whilst looking out of the window at the view of the city, which I find rather relaxing.

3. If a drink isn’t enough to wet your appetite then having a breakfast for £1.75 (need Ikea family card again) will definitely cheer you up. Especially on these dark and drizzly days.

4. I know some people don’t like looking around Ikea. I really like looking at the different rooms, I find it rather refreshing to see a different way to lay out items.

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5. As parents entertaining children can be expensive, even going to the cinema on a Saturday costs extraordinary amounts. That is why if something is free I celebrate it and faithful Ikea does not let you down in regards to free stuff. Ikea regularly have free kids days where you can do some craft. Near Christmas they have free Santa to make your kids beyond happy.

6. Let’s not forget the dream that is free soft play area called Smalland for kids, whoop for parents to shop in peace. It has everything in their for your little ones to get excited about, from ball bits, loads of toys, Kids film played in the background and even a build den. Not to mention it is free for a whole HOUR plus if you have the Ikea family card you can get an extra 30 minutes.

7. If you are looking to buy something and need to discuss details with staff in the area of enquiries there are kid’s activity stations to keep little ones amused.  I also like the fact that the toilets have small toilets and have hop ups for little ones. These small little details make all the different on your shopping experience when you have a child with you as well. There are free pencils and paper tape you can get in Ikea. This is great fun to take around Ikea if you want to entertain your child. Who doesn’t love free stuff?

8. The best bit about Ikea? Free Wi-Fi of course :p

9. Let’s not forget the lovely scrumptious iconic Swedish meatballs that everyone loves from Ikea. There is something about meatballs in the sauce that just fills your heart with joy when you go into the restaurant.

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10. If restaurant food doesn’t tickle your pickle you can cheap chips and hot dog for under a couple of quid, great way of taking your kids out for a treat. You can even get ice cream for 50p, so super budget friendly.

Overall, going to Ikea is an awesome for a cheap day out and it is inside so you can stay try too, dream come true for parents.

Cheers for reading X

Shank You Very Much

 

How to save money at Christmas time.

~ mummyhereandthere ~ 28 Comments

Hey readers,

As we are fast approaching Christmas it can be a daunting prospect especially when you haven’t got a lot of money and you wonder how you are going to get through the period without being in debt. Here are my money saving tips for the festive period.

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Supermarkets.

Swap supermarkets when you do the shop for budget friendly ones Lidl and Aldi so much cheaper and the quality is still very good. Remember to write a list before you go as I have been guilt of being caught up in the moment and at least with a list you can stick to it and not buy too much food.

Yellow stickers.

In my household we buy our Christmas meat in the yellow stickers that are reduced at the end of the day and put it in the freezer. Saves an absolutely fortune. Also nowadays people are braver and don’t all go for turkey – don’t feel pressure if you don’t want, there is so many meats to choose from. Even better if you feel up to it you could go vegetarian and save the pounds there.

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Lists.

I do this when I feel stressed especially when you want to feel in control and set a budget and write a list, do your research, you will feel so much better for it. Check out the latest deals such as Martin Lewis website is excellent in finding the latest deals and offers out there.

Enough is best.

There is this preconceived idea that Christmas is this magic and perfect time for families. You need to change your ideology focus on spending time of family and don’t worry about being perfect, no one is right and it is ok to be enough without everything.

Courier.

If you are sending presents to relatives or friends don’t just rely on Royal Mail as a courier. Have a look around as there can be some services that are much cheaper.

Christmas post.

When sending a Christmas card in the post to someone a cheaper way to do is use second class stamps. However, it may take longer but make sure you’re earlier and then it should not be a problem and your purse will be happier for it.

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Christmas tree.

I know it is tempting to have a fresh tree as they seem to be the fashionable thing to do. But really it is a lot cheaper to opt for a fake tree as this will save you money in the long term. Not to mention the positive impact of choosing a more environmentally friendly option as a pose to buying a fresh tree that is chopped down just for Christmas and then checked away in a few weeks’ time.

My supermarket app.

A brilliant app that can save you money is mysupermarket.co.uk as you can look up products and compare them to the top supermarkets to see which is cheaper. You can also see the deals of each shop and grab a hot deal.

IOU.

We all know items in the shops are cheaper instantly after Christmas Day. One way to save some money is between you and say your friend is do an IOU (I owe you) meaning instead of handing your friend a present at Christmas do it after.

Don’t buy presents.

Or what you can do is agree to not buy presents, saves the stress but you can enjoy time with the family instead.

Cheers for reading X</p

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Emotional

~ mummyhereandthere ~ 12 Comments

Hey readers,

This week has been

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Because I have had a nasty cold and cough and that allow makes you feel ugh. I just haven’t got the energy and there is always something you need to be doing. I did manage to go on a family walk on Saturday with the family, which I really enjoyed. I am glad I pushed myself to go out as I really didn’t want to. The fresh air and taking photographs is two of my favourite things to do, so doing that really helped lift my mood.

I have also been on my period this week as ladies we all know what a pain and emotional wreck that can be. My anxiety is through the roof because of it. At least it is done now for another month, silver linings and all that.

I hope you have had a good week.

Cheers for reading X

Help your child feel confident

~ mummyhereandthere ~ 18 Comments

Hey readers,

Sometimes children are complex or they have certain personality traits that cause them to not feel good about themselves.  My eldest is quite anxious and nervous regarding certain things and I have worked with him to help reduce that anxiety. Here are some things you might want to try with a child who does not feel confident to help boast their self-esteem.

 Positive praise.

The most important tip to help boast a child’s confidence is to help them feel good about themselves. You can do this by giving your child positive praise because it is focusing on the good things that the child has done. The child themselves might not see the good so it is important to praise them for when they have done something noteworthy. You need to keep praising your child as this will help them gain that confidence to know that what they are doing is good and it is getting the praise it deserves.

 

Person Doing Thumbs Up

 

Allow your child to try it out and learn for himself

Sometimes the best way to help a child learn is to allow the child a safe place to explore and learn for themselves. Let them do something without your help to see what works and what doesn’t. This is a great learning tool and I think one the best ways to get a child to learn. I know it is easy to instantly go in and help your child. However, allowing them to test it out themselves they get that first-hand experience and more likely to remember what happens. Also they can build their understanding on a subject by trial and error.

Encouragement.

Encourage your child to do something even when the child protests. Sometimes they are scared to try something, which is why it is good to encourage them to do it and give it ago. You never know they may find out they like the thing they have tried, sometimes going out of your comfort zone can be scary at first however it can wonders for your self-esteem.

Laughing Baby Floating on Air

Ask for their opinion.

One the greatest ways to get an understanding of your child is asking for their opinion and listening to what they have to say. This helps build a strong relationship built on respect and understanding on both sides. It allows your child to feel appreciated and respecting and ultimately it will give them trust to know that there is a safe place to come to and be heard.

Make special time together.

A great way to give your child something special is having 1-2-1 time with a parent and doing something together that the child enjoys. You don’t have to be flash, it could simply be having a child read a story or letting them tell you something about what they have done that day. I think this is important that the child had dedicated time focusing on them to feel loved and appreciated. It is not always easy for the parent when so much is going on but even ten minutes of interrupted time together makes a massive difference for the child.

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Cheer for reading X

How to beat the winter blues

~ mummyhereandthere ~ 34 Comments

Hey readers,

I know it is not winter yet but it won’t be long before it is here with us. The clocks have already gone back and it slowly getting darker and darker meaning that we will not get as much sunlight as we once during the summer time. The weather is getting bitter with the cold air and this can really dampen some people moods. So, here are some ways that have been useful in beating the winter blues.

Exercise. 

I know during the darker evenings there is nothing more appealing than to sit under a throw and curl up. However, one way that can stimulate them feel good hormones such as serotonin is exercise, you can just simply watch a exercise on YouTube you don’t have to leave the home. This can make you feel so much better and it might you go the motivation to do more stuff around the home.

Like I have said previously one of the triggers for a decreased drop in mood is not got getting enough sunlight during the day which means less vitamin D to brighten you up. One thing you might want to consider is getting a sad lamp which helps reduce the sad feelings associated with season affective disorder (SAD). It is a lamp that mimics the day light and the person should ideally be near it to work. It can brighten up the environment you are in and it effects the brain chemicals that is connected to your mood.

 

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Sleep.

Sleep is so important for your physical and mental health that is why it is important you make sure you get enough. Make sure that you have a comfortable place to settle and always leave your tech in another room, less likely to get distracted and then you can 100% focus on your sleep.

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Outdoors.

Another great tip is even though it will be miserable outside wrap up warm and just do it as it will be really worth it. Going outdoors some exposure to light and blow some cob webs off too. You will feel much better after you have done it.

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Eat healthier.

As lovely as it is to eat them gorgeous gluttonous food such as chocolate and carbohydrates it is important to try to be mindful of eating healthy. With the food just mentioned the thing that attracts them is the instant hit and feel good factor they produce. The downfall is that it is instance what comes up must come down. Therefore triggering a slump like state which won’t do your mind any flavours in the long run.  Try snacking on fruit such as apples and grapes that give that sweet sensation but less like to make you feel like poop after.

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Windows. 

Sitting near windows whether at home or at work can help get that natural light needed to boast your mood during the winter periods.

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Hobbies. 

Do something that makes you happy whether it is having a soak in the bath or going to the cinema, focusing on something enjoyable can help make you feel a lot more positive.

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Cheers for reading X

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