Pure is a company known for it's designing and manufacturing of digital audio broadcasting and DAB+ radios.  They are world-class leaders in digital radio design, so when I was offered to review a radio from Pure recently I was keen to do so.

I was sent a Pure One Maxi Series 3 radio to review and also one to give away to my readers, more of that later!




The One range represents Pure's entry-level radios and is the world's best-selling digital radio range. Models include the One Mini, One Midi and One Maxi. Designed for portability, they can be powered with AA batteries or an optional rechargeable ChargePAK.



First impressions of the Pure One Maxi Series 3 radio were good. A slate grey colour (they actually call it Slate Blue) the radio is modern in design, although a little bit boxy. It was bigger and slightly heavier than I expected though so although portable I think it's the sort of radio that would be good listening to at home. I think the Pure One Mini would be a more portable version.



Set up was super easy - all you do is connect the plug and connect the power, push the on button and wait for the radio to autotune. The radio comes with both a European and UK plug to connect to the mains but you can also buy a ChargePAK D1 which is a rechargeable battery pack to make it eco-friendly. if you wanted to use normal AA batteries you would need 6 of them. 



The sound is crisp and clear, not tinny and far superior to an old-fashioned radio, no crackle here! The display is clear and easy to read, brilliant for an oldie like me.



It has a number of features as you can see above, including a socket so you can plug in your headphones, a kitchen timer, two alarms so you can wake up at different times to your favourite stations, and a sleep timer which puts your radio into standby mode after a set amount of time. I managed to connect my phone with the AUX socket and could play my Spotify through the speakers. Volume can be turned up loud without distortion too.



The 20 station preset was incredibly easy to set up, with 10 digital radio and 10 FM radio presets.

The Pure One Maxi Series 3 DAB radio is a solid choice for a digital radio, that's easy to use with a modern design. Pure has an excellent reputation and I feel that coupled with a three-year warranty for peace of mind, means the radio will last you a long time.

Today on my blog you can win a Pure One Max Series 3 DAB radio. Entry is via the Gleam app below and is free to enter. Why don't you bookmark the page and come back for a daily entry? Whilst you are here check out my other competitions too. Good luck!

Win a Pure DAB radio

With this research in mind Post Office Broadband have teamed up with Google Digital Garage this summer to run these free digital training sessions in cities around the UK. I was invited to pop down to my local session in Cardiff and find out what it is all about.

Orlando is our happy place and with a twenty-one-year-old son who loves the theme parks, it's a trip we take every couple of years, as we love to visit Orlando. We are always on the lookout for cheap money-saving tips (like visiting the free springs near Orlando) and saving money in certain areas means we can spend it on luxuries such as cocktails, nice meals out or cool experiences. 

A trip to Orlando isn't cheap from the UK, and with flights alone starting at £400 and doubling in high season, you can see it can be a costly vacation. However, over the years I have learnt some tips and tricks to save money and here I am sharing them with you. You can certainly do Orlando on a budget, that's for sure so check out my Orlando vacation saving tips below.

If you have any tips yourself on how you save money on your Orlando vacation please let me know and why not pin this post, or bookmark it for your next trip?

Flights


1. Use a comparison site like Skyscanner or Kayak to book your flights.  Two airlines that seem cheaper than BA or Virgin Atlantic are Norwegian Air and Thomas Cook. Compare the differences between the in-flight entertainment and food options and see if it's worth the cheaper price. Here is our video of Virgin Atlantic's economy flight to MCO Orlando. 

2. Avoid peak times like school holidays, Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving if you can, as flights and accommodation will be more expensive. 

3. Flights midweek can often be cheaper than the weekend, so if your dates are flexible then try flying out and coming back midweek. 

4. If you have been searching for flights online but then you want to book, go invisible. Saving your cookies on your browser may bump the prices up so if you go invisible (called Incognito on Chrome, or InPrivate browsing on Internet Explorer) your flight prices may come down by clearing your cookies as Lotty Earns says here.

5. Sign up to airline loyalty schemes if you are a fan of a particular airline. If you are a frequent flyer the points soon add up. We've managed to get upper-class flights on Virgin Atlantic at half the normal price.  

6. Check out if there are any discounts on cashback sites before you book your flight. Topcashback and Quidco may give you a percentage back on the cost. Sign up with my Quidco link and you get £5 and I do too. Thanks! There are often discounts for hotels, car hire and more on cashback sites.

7. STOW IT's Airport Storage is a fraction of the cost of traditional long term airport parking. Their Airport Storage facilities offer 24/7 staff, gated entry, lights, and security cameras. Many of their facilities are located within 5 miles of major airports so that you can park long term close to the airport.

Gin seems to be having a bit of a resurgence, and although the history of the spirit goes back years, suddenly it's THE trendy drink on the market. Maybe it's a combination of a cocktail revival and a number of craft distilleries springing up making the choice of gins available on the shelves much wider than in the past. You can also get a myriad of gins these days with botanical flavours in every supermarket and off-licence around the country. 

So when Find Me A Gift emailed me to ask, 'Do you want to review a Microbarbox of gin fizz and prosecco' well, I could hardly say no, could I? 
The Microbarbox Gin Fizz and Prosecco box is perfect for gin and prosecco lovers everywhere. You can make 4 gorgeous cocktails from the box and each box contains 9 units of alcohol. 


The box is what it says it is, a bar in a box. You get the following.

Sipsmith Gin
Bombay Sapphire Gin
Anno Kent Dry Gin
Edinburgh Raspberry Gin Liqueur
Le Contesse Treviso Extra Dry Prosecco

As well as the range of mixers below.

Bottlegreen Elderflower Cordial,
Bottlegreen Rhubarb & Ginger Cordial,
Folkington’s Indian Tonic Water and Folkington’s Soda Water
Win a Microbarbox Gin Fizz and Prosecco box from @findmeagift

Gardens are just as important as your house when it comes to the appearance of your home. Just as you want to ensure your home has the wow factor, you should be making sure your garden has the same. Some people's gardens are absolutely pristine and look amazing constantly, and if you are trying to achieve the same level, then you may want to consider changing some things to achieve the perfect look. Consider what you like seeing in other people’s gardens and think about what would work in yours. For inspiration, here are five fabulous ideas to get everyone talking about how great your garden is.

Consider Ponds

If you have the space, a pond can look amazing. They are a fantastic focal point and are great for attracting wildlife such as birds, water beetles and dragonflies. If a pond isn’t for you, perhaps a water feature of some sort would work better. They are gorgeous and make an interesting talking point.

Give Decking A Try

Decking is always popular and it is quite easy to do yourself. It requires some maintenance to keep it looking its best but is a great part of the garden for sitting there and relaxing. You can customise it with plants, lighting and some comfortable garden furniture to make it your chill-out zone.

Is A Rockery For You?

These are great if you don’t have that much space in your garden - even the smallest of gardens suit a rockery. They tend to make great use of the space they’re working with and a rockery is always a good talking point. You can add whichever materials you want and your favourite alpine plants to give it that unique feel and look that is personal to you. Check out this guide on how to make a rockery for inspiration.

Get A Gazebo

Whilst these are better suited to slightly larger gardens, gazebos or other similar items such as pergolas are a great addition to a garden. They have so many great looking designs and styles - they’re also decent in size so are perfect for entertaining guests under on those balmy summer nights. . Of course, if you have plenty of space, you may also want to consider the benefits of garden studios, which give you a more sheltered space within the garden, so you and your guests can stay warm and dry while enjoying the nature surrounding you. Who doesn’t love having a barbecue and then chilling out under a gazebo or pergola, chatting away with friends!

Try Topiary

Topiary isn’t for everyone, guaranteed. But if topiary is something you like, why wouldn’t you want to incorporate it into your own garden? Topiary is the art or practise of clipping shrubs or trees into ornamental shapes - you often see large country houses with some amazing pieces of topiary such as animals. Granted, yours would be on a much smaller scale but if you wanted to give your garden the wow factor, topiary is certainly going to do that. Your garden will be unique and a real talking point for all family and friends.

If you don’t want the hassle of doing it yourself, then think about employing a landscape gardener from a company like MyBuilder. Although simple landscaping can be tackled by yourself, I recommend using a landscape gardener trained and with experience in the area to get that perfect design. What landscaping ideas would you try in your garden?

*PR collaboration