Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts

5 for under £5

This weeks 5 for under £5 features items which are travel essentials. We are now in spring and many people are preparing for their summer holidays so I thought it would be a great idea to share items which are not only cheap but items which are needed by may.





These adapters are always handy to have, I would be lost without one when going away. Having one of these enables me to use my straighteners, phone charger and other electrical items. All I have to do is simply use this adapter in a foreign plug socket and it enables me to have a compatible plug socket like we have in the UK.

I think selfie sticks are fun! This selfie stick would be brilliant for travelling as it would easily capture any fun photo's that you may want to take. Photo's go on to bring back memories later in life so why not capture those fun holiday memories? 

Airlines can often be fussy when it comes to having liquid on planes so why not purchase these bottles? The bottles can be used over and over again and will end up saving you money in the long run.  There is nothing worse than having to buy items when away that you already have at home.

Since having Maxwell  I always tend to carry a small first aid kit in my bag. Maxwell often fulls over and a antiseptic wipe along with a plaster can be handy at times.

I love the idea of these little tablets which turn into towels with the splash of water. I think these would be the perfect item which would enable you to freshen up on your travel journeys.
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30 ways to save £1

Money can often be tight and sometimes it can be hard to save but here I have a list of 30 different ways that enable you to save £1 in money.  Some of these ways can be harder than others but I find that most of the ideas are easy to complete.
  1. Sign up for loyalty cards. Remember to use them each time you shop. They are free to sign up to and you quickly accumulate points worth real money to spend.
  2. When sending post always look at couriers online before going to the post office and send with the best value.
  3. Keep wallpaper and paint samples. I  have a lot in Maxwell's craft box and they come in handy when we do crafts.
  4. Read the news online rather than buying a printed newspaper.It is free and you are still able to read the same thing. 
  5. Enter competitions. You have to be in it to win it! If you win, the item cost you nothing.
  6. If you have items laying around your home that you do not need try selling them at a carboot, Amazon, Ebay or on a Facebook page.
  7. If your selling on eBay, wait until free insertion week, no fee to put items up.
  8. Cut out all coupons you see or print any you see online. It can save you lots of penny's every week.
  9. Use your local library to borrow books, games, cd's, dvd's rather than buying them.
  10. Get a railcard if you use the train or get a season ticket if you use the bus.
  11. For short journeys walk. It will save petrol and money and get you fit.
  12. When you need to go shopping, try parking somewhere a little bit further away from the centre which will either be cheaper or free
  13.  Limit yourself to only going to the cinema on Wednesdays with the Orange Wednesday offer at Odeon or go on a Tuesday evening to Cineworld when it is cheap.
  14. Never go to cash machines that charge fees for withdrawing money.
  15. When it’s cold leave the heating off and invest in a blanket to keep you warm.
  16. Do not buy services like sky. Make the most of iplayer, ITV player and other simular services. They’re free and often have some great films on there as well.
  17. Freecycle and Freegle. Both of these sites/ groups allow people to get rid of things they don't want any more. Everything on these sites are free.
  18. Make a packed lunch instead of buying expensive food at School or Work or when on days out.
  19. Recycle your old phone, you could make some money.
  20. Always switch the lights off if you're not in the room.
  21. Before you go to bed make sure you turn off all your appliances
  22. Search online for discount codes or free delivery codes before shopping online.
  23. If your in a restaurant ask for tap water - it's free.
  24. If you need your eye's tested, look for free eye tests.
  25. Buy designer clothing at outlet stores. We have picked up plenty of bargains in these for less than half price.
  26. When traveling use cheap airlines such as Ryanair or Easyjet.
  27. When you need your hair doing dye it. It is far cheaper than going to the hairdressers.
  28. In the January sales buy gifts, decorations, cards and wrap in advance.
  29. Check the clearance sections in supermarkets. Theres often some great bargains.
  30. Look out for baby events in supermarkets. Buy things in bulk. It makes things a lot cheaper.
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What is in Maxwell's Travel Holiday Bag


It is now only a week until we go away on holiday. We are quite prepared and have managed to think about what we will need to take however one of my worries at the present moment is how are we going to keep Maxwell entertained as it is a long journey to our holiday destination (Wales). In the car it will take us around 4 hours, Ben and I have planned out some toilet stops however we know this will not keep Maxwell entertained in the car. Over the past week I have managed to buy Maxwell some items suitable for his bag, here is what Maxwell has got:

1. 12 Pack Of Dinosaurs
I thought these would be nice for Maxwell to play with in the car, seeing as there is 12 of them he can let his imagination run wild. If any slip down the back of the seat or the footwell then he will have some others to play with.

2. 8 Pack Of Cars
These are really to use whilst we are on holiday as Maxwell adores playing with his cars, however I am also hoping that Maxwell will get to enjoy these in the car for a few minutes. 

3. Twist & Lock Blocks
These blocks look fantastic to keep Maxwell entertained. They twist and lock so Maxwell will be able to play with these for the whole journey if he want's to. He can make different shapes with them and learn how to connect them all up. 

4.2 Wooden Maraca Rattles
Ben and I plan to take a CD for Maxwell to grove to so we thought these would be fun for him. Maxwell loves singing and dancing and loves to make music, so we thought these would be perfect for the back of the car. Hopefully the noise doesn't annoy Ben to much. 

5.Crayola Colouring Book With Crayons
Maxwell loves to draw and colour so I thought a colouring book and crayons would be a must for the car. Ben and I also plan to stop to grab something to eat, so I thought this would keep Maxwell entertained if we have to wait for our food. 

6 .Peppa Pig: Stomp and Roar!
Maxwell adores Peppa Pig so I thought this book would be fun for him as it has sounds for him to enjoy as well as pictures. This book will be read to Maxwell before bed whilst we are also on holiday. 

7. Mickey Mouse Magnetic Sketcher
I thought this would be fun to include in Maxwell's bag as he enjoys drawing, being so tiny I also figured it would take minimum room in Maxwell's bag so it would be the perfect little extra to add. 

We are hoping the above will keep  Maxwell entertained on the way to Wales as there is quite a lot of bits for him to be getting on with, we also hope it keeps him entertained whilst we are there. All these bits cost around a few pounds each so it was inexpensive to create Maxwell a travel bag.  A few other things will also be going in his bag, including my tablet with some downloaded apps on, Maxwell's trunki blanket and pillow, food, snacks and a drink, nappy and wet wipes for service station stops and a change of clothes incase he has a accident. I am hoping the journey will be stress free there.

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Milton Review



Milton Mini Portable Soother Steriliser
Maxwell is now 2 years old and still has a dummy. Maxwell rarely has a dummy in the daytime however he still likes to have one at night to soothe him to sleep. This week I was sent a handy gadget, a Milton mini portable soother steriliser. 

Most mornings I find Maxwell's dummy thrown on the floor which means I end up having to go and sterilise it however thanks to Milton my mornings have now been made easier as all I now have to do is add Maxwell's dummy into a sterilising solution (water and Miltons mini sterilising tablets) and into the portable soother steriliser. The whole sterilising process takes around 15 mins and once done the dummy is ready to hand back to your child. The dummy is ready to go once being sterilised and does not need to be rinsed.

The steriliser is really easy to use and includes some key features which makes life easier for parents. The Milton Steriliser is watertight and has a ultra-compact design, so you can carry it everywhere with no risk of leaks which is not only useful for in the home but also when going out. The Milton Steriliser has a versatile built-in strap that allows you to attach the device to a pushchair which means that you are not carrying it around or are at the risk of loosing it, it is also small enough to fit into a handbag. The Milton Mini Steriliser is also supplied with complimentary Milton Mini Sterilising Tablets, this means that it is ready to go as soon as you purchase it.

Overall we have found that the Milton portable soother steriliser has been a great addition to our household. Although we do not use it outside our home I have found that it has been a better option for sterilising Maxwell's dummies and I have found that it takes minimal time.


Milton Solo Travel Steriliser
Maxwell is now at the age where he can use his own cutlery and enjoys drinking out of his own cup. Whilst out and about we find that sometimes we need to clean his cutlery, especially when he drops it on the floor and also often need to clean out his cup. Normally we have problems doing this at there is limited access to such facilities when we are out to do this but Milton saved our skins this week when Maxwell decided to throw his cutlery on the floor whilst out.

The Milton Solo Travel Steriliser lets you choose between cold water and microwave sterilisation and is ideal when visiting friends over night stays or simply going out for the day. We have used the Travel Steriliser many times now using the cold water option and have found it works well and does exactly what it says. 

There are many good features about the travel steriliser which include its unique twist and seal lid which keeps the steriliser 100% water tight whilst bacteria and viruses are killed within just 15 minutes. The sterilisers contents can stay sterile in the solution for 24 hours and no rinsing is required when you go to use your sterilised item. The steriliser has enough space for you to sterilise just one bottle at a time which means you are able to travel light.

Overall we found the steriliser to be great. Although we did not use it do much for bottles we found it useful to use when out and about on things which Maxwell kept dropping such as cutlery.


I did not receive any financial reward for writing this review.
However we did receive the product for review purposes. Everything written in this post is my own, honest opinion.
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TOMY - Aquadoodle

Maxwell is at the age now where he loves to explore the world around him. He has got many interests including drawing and crafts. Maxwell has always been the type to scribble on paper but I often worry about him as he grows older. Will he draw up my walls? Will he draw over my stuff? Will he make a mess? Thanks to TOMY this is no longer an issue and my mind can be at rest as they recently sent us some water based art toy products. We were sent 3 products from the Aquadoodle range, Jungle Magic Sounds, Mini Mats, and a Travel Drawing Bag.


TOMY state that Aquadoodle allows no mess drawing by using water to create fun pictures. There are no pencils, no paints and no crayons. The only thing which is used is water and when the water has dried, the water will fade from the pictures and you can start to colour in again as they are completely reusable.

Travel Drawing Bag
When travelling I always like to keep Maxwell entertained so when we were sent the Travel drawing bag from TOMY, I knew Maxwell was in for a lot of fun. The Travel bag is the perfect size to keep in the back of the car, in a changing bag or for your little one to carry with the bags nifty handle. It is brightly coloured and is padded so when drawing your child does not need to rest on anything. When the bag is opened it has 2 sides where your child can draw. The bag comes with a pen which can be stored in a little elasticated space within the bag, this space keeps the pen safe. Maxwell has really enjoyed using the bag out and about and even at home.


TOMY Jungle Magic Sounds Aquadoodle
The TOMY Jungle magic sounds is a large mat which allows your child to draw anything they like on it using a special pen, filled with water. The mat is large so your child can get as creative as they like. What makes the Jungle Magic Sounds Aquadooodle stand out from any other Aquadoodle products is that the pen also makes Jungle sounds and the mat has special spots that activate jungle sounds. If you press one of the sound spots with the Aquadoodle pen this activates a jungle sound. There is a snake sound, jungle drums, a tiger sound and a monkey sound.
Maxwell loved this product and although he isn't very good at drawing yet, he loves to scribble. He loved the animal sounds, especially the monkey and he has spent a lot of time using the mat. One of my main worries about this product was I was scared incase Maxwell managed to loose the pen for the mat.  The pen is battery operated unlike the pens for the travel bag and mini mats, however I have recently found out that additional pens can be purchased and they are not expensive to buy. This has been a huge hit in our household.



 TOMY Mini Mats
TOMY mini mats are the perfect little back pack filler for keeping you children entertained on short journeys/visits. The mini mats come inside a packet and inside each packet there is a pen and 3 mats. 
Each mat in the packet has its own unique design. We were sent playtime mats and each mat of ours had a scene where children were playing and having fun. On the mat there were parts missing. The parts were highlighted in white and the lines around the missing part were quite thick and a little raised so your child knew where to colour in. The missing parts needed to be coloured in by your child so they could create the whole scene. The mats were the perfect toy aimed at Maxwell's age and I found that he really enjoyed scribbling and waiting for the magic of water to make the scene appear in full. I found the mini mats to be quite thin however I also found the travel bag to be the perfect thing to rest under the mats to make them more easier to colour in.


I did not receive any financial reward for writing this review.
However we did receive the product for review purposes. Everything written in this post is my own, honest opinion.
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Revelation Zygo Animal Print 2 Wheel Cabin Suitcase Review

When I was preparing for Britmums Live I found I had a problem, the problem being I did not have a suitcase to take to London with me. I searched high and low for something that was small, fashionable and something that was practical for me to get on and off of trains and tubes with but I could not find anything. Luckily Revelation by Antler came to my rescue and provided me with a Revelation Zygo Animal Print 2 Wheel Cabin Suitcase which fitted all the categories I needed it for.

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The Revelation Zygo Animal Print 2 Wheel Cabin Suitcase comes in either a snow leopard design or a golden leopard design. It features a locking trolley system for easy travelling and control and has a tough ABS construction to provide strength. The case is quite small at 55 x 35 x 20 cm but I managed to fit 3 days worth of clothes as well as 4 pairs of shoes in my case. The case I was sent retails at just £60.

Positives about the suitcase:
  • The suitcase is lightweight weighing just 2.7 kg without having anything in it. This definitely helped me travel with ease as it would have been a nightmare having to carry heavy loads of clothes as well as having a heavy suitcase on public transport.
  • The suitcase has a nice mesh design in the lid. I kept my shoes in this so they were separate from everything else in my suitcase. 
  • There was a lock which was attached to the case. This made me feel like my stuff was safer when traveling in London. I had a 3 number password and I was able to change the password with ease. 
  • The suitcase is fashionable and stands out, If you were at a airport you would be able to identify your case easily as it has a unique design.
  • The case has an internal pocket which can separate your clothes from your toiletries if you choose to. This made me feel confident that my stuff in the case would not get damaged say if something was to leak.
  • The suitcase comes with a 5 year warranty which makes me feel that the suitcase was built to last. 
  • The suitcase can carry quite a lot considering its size. It has a packing capacity of 30 ltr.
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Negatives about the suitcase:
  • I found the lining of the suitcase got stuck in the zip at times. This panicked me a little as I had to push open the suitcase with force and I was scared the zip on the suitcase may break. 
  • I think the suitcase would benefit from having a small handle on the side so it is easy to pick up instead of having to pick it up with the handle at the top of the case. 
Overall I was really impressed with the suitcase. It traveled around London well with me. It ventured on the train, tube, taxi and walked with me and I had no major issues. 
I loved the design of the suitcase and I was impressed how much I managed to fit inside it. The quality of the product is good and I like the fact it comes with a 5 year warranty.
I would definitely reccomend this suitcase to people wanting to get away for a few days. 

Mummy To The Max, Blog, Parenting, Mummy Blog

I did not receive any financial reward for writing this review.
However we did receive the product for review purposes. Everything written in this post is my own, honest opinion.
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