The Welsh Carrier Bag Charge - Useful Information

Picture by digitalart

As many of you will already know, the Welsh Government is introducing a carrier-bag charge in Wales this Saturday, 1st October 2011. Many people are still confused about this - I've been on their website today to find out more. Here are the facts:

10 Ways I Save Money On The Weekly Shop

Photo By Grant Cochrane

With the "big move" looming, a new baby on the way and Christmas around the corner, I've been thinking alot about money. I've cut down on groceries and other bills, improved on the payment plan I had on the single debt I have and had started putting money away for emergencies (a process that will have to start again as I've had to buy a new laptop!). Whereas I'm not overly worried about the subject, keeping on top of my money by budgeting and seeking out the best offers for things etc has become something of a new hobby! This will no doubt be a useful hobby to have in years to come, as I will have to tighten my purse strings even further when Big Bear and I move in together!

Here are my own 10 tips to saving money on the weekly shop!

Not Just For Sex: 21 Reasons Why Petroleum Jelly Is The Household Superhero

An unfortunate experience with sunburn after baking on the school fields all morning yesterday (Goldilocks almost won the running race, but flopped to the floor in a temper because her hat fell off - then won her egg and spoon race because she held the spoon and the wrong end and ran for her life) left me thinking about how often I use petroleum jelly (also known as soft white paraffin). It really is a household staple - expanding far from the medicine box or discreet hiding place. Here is a list of many things you can use it for.

1. Skin conditions/ailments including but not limited to: eczema, dry/chapped skin, nappy rash, sunburn, cuts and sores. Always apply to the skin (obviously) and if using on cuts, remember to clean them thoroughly first.
2. Adding food colouring can be useful if you'd like a quick fix for lip balm or emergency makeup.
3. Use it on your pulse points to help your perfume last longer than your man.
4. Spreading it around your nails will prevent nail varnish from sticking to your skin and rubbing it into your cuticles will soften them up.
5. Use it sparsely to tidy up those stray brow hairs.
6. Rub it on your forehead etc. to prevent hair dye staining.
7. It makes a cheap but effective moisturiser, particularly useful for those with very sensitive skin.
8. Slop some on your feet before putting on a pair of moisturising socks, then go to sleep. When you wake up your feet should be wonderfully soft!
9. Shine your shoes with it.
10. Remove chewing gum with it.
11. Rub it into your candelabra to stop molten wax from sticking.
12. Rub it into the bottom of your pet's food bowl to stop ants from getting at it (or destroy the nest).
13. Rubbing it into threads can: stop light bulbs from sticking, stop super glue tubes from becoming one-time-use and make it easier to open bottles: a good tip for those with bad hands.
14. It can help stop your hands from being covered with paint. It will do likewise for doorknobs etc and other messy substances.
15. It can help to remove the engagement/wedding ring when you're so pregnant your fingers are as fat as your bum!
16. Slapping a lot of it above in/above LO's eyebrows can help protect them from shampoo suds.
17. As it is flammable, putting a candle into a jar of it makes a long-lasting emergency light.
18. It apparently acts as an insulator in cold weather: apply some before going out.
19. Use it to get rid of those pesky watermarks left in your wooden furniture.
20. It makes a good substitute for oil when it comes to getting rid of those pesky squeaks.
21. Putting some on drawer runners will help them open and close smoothly - the same can't be said for legs, sorry to disappoint!

Have fun trying those out for size, and remember it doesn't have to be Vaseline to be petroleum jelly, so if like me you like to save a few pennies if you can, look for generic alternatives as these are really cheap :)

Sorry ASDA Man (and bank account)!

So there I was, same as every Saturday afternoon, doing my food shop online because I'm a lazy cow and won't slug round a supermarket three times a week because I'm unable to carry an entire week's worth of shopping up the four flights of stairs to my flat at the same time. Longest sentence ever? Quite possibly.

So, baby's in bed, my daughter is quite happily playing in her room and I'm doing the shopping. Almost ready to finish, then I realise that I need a few more other things. This happens several times. I book my slot, and happily check out without seeing how much my bill has come to.

I swear my heart stopped. £105! For me, a 5 year old and an 8 month old! How the hell did I manage that? Usually I spend about £50, can go up to £80 at a huge stretch! I can't even remember what was on my list, I bet I forgot things too!

So, yeah... sorry to the ASDA man, who has to carry it all up the stairs tomorrow, and sorry bank account... I really did a number on you today!