* A guest post by Rebecca Smith, Bex blogs over at Futures, a UK lifestyle blog and Keen On Saving , where she advises on how to save money.

When it comes to our savings, we all have the urge to dip into the pot when the going gets tough.

Some people are resilient and manage to resist the urge but for many of us, sometimes we just have to use that cash we have so steadfastly saved for so long. Perhaps it is for something crucial like car repairs or perhaps you just have a little too much month left at the end of your money. Either way, when this happens, something needs to be done - and what better way to up your savings account than by spending less and earning more! 




Cut back on any unnecessary expenses

Do you really need Sky, Amazon Prime or Netflix? Are you really using the gym to its full potential? If the answer is no, cancel your subscriptions and put the money you would usually spend away in your savings account. You weren’t missing the money when you were spending it so why not boost your savings?

Empty pockets of change every day

Whilst it may seem like a small amount, this will soon add up and make a nice addition to a savings account. You don’t have to add the gold coins, not even the silver ones if you really don’t want to but you will soon see the savings pot go up!

Develop some side hustles

People often have hobbies that can be monetised – these should be taken advantage of. Homemade jewellery sales, dog walking and even shopping can be made into monetised hobbies. Who wouldn’t love being paid to shop? Make some money and save it for a rainy day. Even better if the hobby is free or fairly cheap!

Get cashback

When I say this, I mean in one of two ways. Use a cashback site like TopCashback or Quidco when buying online. Why not make some extra cash when you are spending some?

Declutter & sell



An obvious choice but something people are reluctant to do. I have resisted selling some stuff ‘just in case’ but realised that this was not helpful to me or my savings account. Plus it left my house cluttered and left me feeling down as it just seemed to be everywhere. Adding the small amounts you make from selling your old stuff to your savings account will soon make a difference.

There are plenty more ways in which people can save more and spend less in 2016. If you happen to have a personal loan from a licensed lender make sure to make regular payments and automate your debits. It is all about taking a step back and taking a long, hard look at your finances. Cut out any unnecessary spending, develop some side hustles and you can have a bigger, better and bulging savings account come the end of the year.

* contains affiliate links

Having your first baby is an exciting time, but planning for your first baby can be overwhelming. In this post, I am focusing on the different types of prams and cots out there. These items are often the costliest and there are so many types of each on the market that I hope this post will shed some light on them.

Prams, Pushchairs and Travel Systems

A good quality pram or pushchair is essential, as well as a rain cover and sunshade for added protection. To be suitable for a new baby you should ensure that the baby can lie flat in the pram or pushchair. When looking to buy a pushchair make sure to see a few of their recent reports and customer reviews to see if it is right for your baby. If another mother has reported discomfort, problems with the brakes, or parts breaking off then steer clear of that brand.

A Budget Option - Joie Brisk Travel System - Royal Blue £134.95

A pram is generally more robust and cannot be folded flat for storage while a pushchair can be easily folded away. Some pushchairs are marketed as 'all terrain' and have 3 large wheels. These are especially good if you do a lot of walking in the countryside and on uneven ground. If you buy a pram and are a car driver, consider if you have space in the boot for the pram or would a pushchair take up less space.

A stroller is more suitable for older babies when they can sit up unaided and is also lightweight and easy to fold. Strollers are particularly easy to manage when you get on and off public transport and are light and easy to manoeuvre around.  If you have more than one baby you can get a stroller for your babies that will carry all three. 
A travel system usually includes a carrycot which can convert into a pram and car seat in one. If you do not have a travel system, and you have a car, you need to think about a car seat as well. Although seemingly more expensive at first a travel system can be more economical in the long run as you do not have to buy separate pieces. 

When choosing a car seat the rule is that all babies start off life in a rearward-facing infant carrier. As there are many things to consider when buying a car seat, I recommend checking out this guide by Which magazine here. 

Cots, Cot Beds And Moses Baskets

A newborn baby needs between 10 and 18 hours of sleep a day so choosing the right bed for your little one is vitally important. 

Here is my pick of the Orlando attractions new for 2016. 

Walt Disney World


For those little ones that love Frozen (and big ones), Frozen Ever After will open in May in the Epcot Norway Pavilion. A boat ride take you into the world of Troll Valley, Queen Elsa's ice palace and much more. With film, music and 3-D animatronic's, no self respecting fan would want to miss this when visiting Orlando. There is also a chance to meet Elsa and Anna too. Altogether now .. "Let it go, let it go..." 

Universal Studios



Skull Kingdom - Reign Of Kong, is due to open in Universal's Islands Of Adventure in the Summer. Visitors will board a truck which will take you into a dark menacing landscape. With a range of cutting edge 3D technology and huge animatronics on a scale like no other, I am in no doubt this immersive experience will be fantastic.

Busch Gardens




A new family thrill ride called Cobra's Curse will be opening in the Summer at Busch Gardens. This spin coaster is unique to the park. After going up in a vertical elevator riders then come face-to-face with an 80 foot snake icon and trek over the Serengeti Plain. Guests are put in the middle of an exciting archeological excavation that takes them on the ride of their life.

Finding fashion on the high street to fit your own unique curves can be so frustrating. Size guides vary so much. In one store you maybe a 14, in another a 16. I know in my experience brands geared towards teenagers and younger adults like Topshop for example have smaller sizes than brands geared towards older ladies like Marks and Spencer. It can be so disheartening picking up your regular size in a different store to normal and finding it is too tight. Standard sizes also don't appear to exist any more, and over the years sizes appear to be getting bigger. This is where Sizestyler comes in.

Sizestyler is a website that aims to take the stress out of finding the correct size for you, from your personalised measurements, when comparing various fashion brands.



It is quick and easy to use the site.

1. Measure Up




Firstly sign up to the website, via email, Facebook or Twitter. This will allow you to create an account and put your measurements into their software.
This information is kept safe and secure and not shared with anyone. If you are not sure how to measure their helpful tips will guide you.

2. Show My Sizes




Next click on the Show My Sizes icon and the website will check your measurements across the brands. This is especially useful for leg length I feel. They filter out anything that won't fit.

3. Pick Your Favourite Brands



Personalise your search results by using their My Favourite Brands section.

Once you have picked these filtering is easy just click on the My Brands icon which also allows you to rank your favourites brands in order too.

4. Shop

Once you have done all this you can now shop easily from hundreds of brands with size recommendations matched to you. The process of using the site is FREE but, and I say this tongue in cheek, they cannot be held responsible for what you buy when you find your ideal size! 

The products can be filtered by price, brand, discount and colour.


As you can see from the image above, the website suggests sizes based on your measurements. Clicking on the item will take you to the website of that brand and that's it. 

You can also click on a 'Sales Alert' or 'Back In Stock Alert' too, and the website will email you. Very handy indeed to snap up the best bargains! 




So why don't you sign up, get your measuring tape out and go shopping with your own personal shopper - Sizestyler?

Tell me, do you find your size is different with different brands? Would you use a website like this?

* A sponsored post, all words and opinions are my own

Here are some of my favourite posts of 2015.

Orlando Money Saving Tips


I love visiting Orlando and this post on money saving tips was one of my most viewed posts of 2015. Some tips you may know, some you may not - why don't you have a peek?

Beautiful Bluestone Wales 


We enjoyed our stay at Bluestone Wales in January. It is great value out of high season especially and the standard of accommodation is excellent. Perfectly positioned to visit Oakwood Park and Tenby, and with activities on your doorstep including a great pool, Bluestone Wales is a lovely place to spend a few days.

Quick Ways To Save Money On Holiday




I enjoyed writing this, putting my years of experience in planning DIY holidays together in one post. I have an insane wanderlust and I am off to New Orleans, Nashville and Memphis in 2015 as well as a cheeky budget stay in Orlando and a wedding in Ireland. Some top tips and travel hacks on ways to save money on holiday.

A California And Vegas Road Trip 


I was lucky enough to go on a wonderful California and Vegas road trip in the summer and this post was an overview of the entire trip. Visiting San Francisco, Napa Valley, Monterey, Pismo Beach, Los Angeles, San Diego and Vegas, it was a once in a lifetime holiday. 

The Secrets to Buying The Perfect Wedding Ring




Using my experience of running my own jewellers I wrote a post offering advice on the secrets to buying the perfect wedding ring. 

Gousto Food Box Revisited

I review many items on my blog and Gousto is a firm favourite of mine for quality of ingredients and taste. Incredible food with step-by-step instructions, you really can't go wrong with a Gousto food box.

It started with the application. "Mum why do you want to send me to Birmingham?, I don't want to go to Birmingham". Now to qualify this can I explain my son has nothing against Birmingham but being the good mum I am, I thought that if I sent off for as many university prospectuses as possible then I wouldn't limit his chances.

To explain his reluctance here is a little bit of background about us. We live in a little seaside town in South Wales. Close to Cardiff and Swansea the area is very middle class, comfortable even, with many retired people. It doesn't have a lot for teenagers to do but it's close proximity to the capital of Wales is it's a major selling point, as well as it's lovely beaches.

My son is creative. He is also super talented in art and film making. He loves making animations and wants to work for a 3D animation company. He is not a very 'grown-up' kid, I hope I don't embarrass him by saying that. I guess I do too much for him, and also in this day and age, I think parents are more protective than ever. It's only recently that he started using public transport for example...and washing his clothes, but more of that later. He likes routine and knowing what he is doing each day. He also likes familiar places - Birmingham is not a familiar place to him.



So we revisited what courses he wanted to do. Studying Media, Art and Film Studies at A level he has a huge passion for film and art. We decided to go to some open days and after visiting a couple of different places, the courses at the University Of South Wales in Cardiff looked ideal specifically the film making and special effects courses.

So he applied - then I had a panic.




Don't get me wrong I wanted him to go to university, to make his way in the world, to get a fantastic degree, to be the best he can possibly be. Yet sometimes he's still my little boy. The little boy that I scooped up in my arms when he did his first steps. The little boy that due to speech problems would get frustrated easily. The little boy whose nursery teachers said he wouldn't attend mainstream education. The little boy that I waved goodbye to on his first day in primary school, with a few tears. The boy that played a lead role in the year 6 primary show, making everyone laugh. The boy that gave me a hug every morning before school without fail. The man that made me laugh with his sense of humour and comic timing. The man that proved them all wrong by getting 9 GCSEs and the school's award for the highest grade in Art at GCSE. The man who gained 3 A levels with an A grade in Art and made me so proud. The man who still gives me a hug every time I see him.



When a child you love so much is starting to make his way in the world, it's natural to feel so many emotions. I started waking up in the night crying, and I don't know why. Some people even say it's akin to a grieving process, and I guess it's like figuratively speaking losing a part of you.

He was accepted into Cardiff and we were all so happy. Although initially, he wanted to travel, the public transport when we live is shockingly bad so we managed, with the help of my lovely mum, to scrape together enough money for him to stay in halls of residence. It was reassuring to visit him in halls and see the ladies on reception are like mother figures to the teens. The halls are only a couple of minutes from the uni so even he can get up in time for lectures, well most all the time. I admit it he's not perfect!

So onto the shopping. What shopping would you need, I asked him? Ham, bread and toilet rolls were the answer. I did supplement it with fruit, juice and other essentials though... What is it with teenagers and toilet rolls?



So next the washing. Showing your son how to do his own washing at 18 was probably a bit too late but he managed without turning his white t shirts blue. Then he had to do it in the halls, but wanted his mum to show him how. I could see how he was confused though, credit had to be bought and put on a credit card style card, which was then used to operate the machines. The machines were like nothing I have ever seen before either, similar to industrial machines and when I saw a group of bemused students stood there looking at the washing machines too, I knew my son wasn't alone.

Facebook had been my saviour. When I went to uni years ago social media wasn't around. I wish it had been. My son and I chat every couple of days online. Even if it's just a minute or two, it makes me feel reassured everything is OK. I did warn him I may miss him tremendously and be visiting every week but I have to admit, now I know he has settled in well I don't worry half as much as i thought I would, I miss him but I am not bereft and just got on with things. I even like the look of his tidy bedroom.

A realisation - teenagers can cope without their parents. They may not have the cleanest washing or may live on Weetabix and ready meals but they cope.

When I do visit and take him out for a meal he quite happily has three courses and all the extras. Don't underestimate how much a student can eat, especially when they are not paying!

He's enjoying living in Cardiff and he's enjoying the course. In fact he was somehow made team leader on the first project working together. They had to make a boat out of a cardboard, decorate it in a film theme and sail it on Cardiff Bay. Oh and someone had to get it and sail it across the water. They won! Jake seems to be coming out of him self at uni, and although he appears quiet when you first meet him - underneath he is more confident than I realised.

So to any parents reading this - it will be a shock to you when your child leaves for uni. Social media is amazing for keeping in touch. If you can do some shopping for them they will love it if you give them toilet rolls and don't forget to take out a remortgage for when you take them out for a meal.

Jake...you are doing well and I'm proud to say I'm your mum.