My Motorpoint Experience - Test driving the perfect car

This is a paid collaboration with Motorpoint The first car I had when I moved to the UK was a 1975 Austin Mini, which I loved but it wasn't exactly in the best condition and while it was great fun to drive when I was a carefree twenty-something it quickly became apparent it wouldn't cut the mustard as a family car, in fact, I couldn't even find a car seat that would safely fit in it. Finding the right car to fit your needs can be quite tricky, but with Motorpoint's motto "car buying made easy" they take a lot of the stress and pressure out of finding the right car for you. I got to experience this first-hand recently as I was invited to come along to Motorpoint's Newport branch to test drive one of their vehicles. Taking a test drive is a must when you're looking to purchase a car & while we can look at different models and makes online you really cannot make a decision without trying it out first-hand to see if it really suits your needs. For tho......

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Fun Ways to Meet, Socialise and Date in 2021

This is written in collaboration with Get Blogged All of our lives have been brought to a halt over the past 18 months and nearly all of us have had to make changes in our lives especially when it has come to seeing friends, family and making new connections. Grandparents have had to get to grips with technology such as Facetime, Zoom and Whatsapp to stay in touch with their loved ones and for many, our work and social time have switched from in-person interactions to online video dates. But this sudden switch in how we interact with others doesn't mean we cannot meet new people and develop new relationships or strengthen existing ones and on the plus side, the UK is currently opening back up, meaning we can now meet others for socially distanced walks or a drink in a beer garden. Of course, if anything is to go by from whats happened over the past 18 months, we cannot be sure it will stay this way as we could face another wave of infections in the future and therefore possible res......

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A visit to Caldicot Castle

Living in Wales has a lot of positives, one being that there are 600 castles to explore and one we have been meaning to visit for years is Caldicot Castle, a medieval castle in Monmouthshire, which is set in a beautiful country park. The fantastic thing about Caldicot is that it's free and you can spend a good half a day exploring the castle grounds and country park, although it's not open all year round so you do need to check the website before setting off. There is also plenty of free parking on site and lots of picnic beaches so this is perfect for a fun-filled frugal family day out and one to keep in mind over the summer. As you walk through the castle gates you come into a beautiful courtyard with plenty of space for kids to run around overlooked by crumbling ivy-covered towers and an outdoor chess set and stocks which are popular with kids. Not all of the ruins are open all the time but you can go inside the gatehouse, one of the tower platforms and i......

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Enjoying the Good life on a Budget

Life is without a doubt becoming increasingly more expensive and in most cases wages are just not going up at the same rate as inflation, meaning many households are having to tighten their belt. The thing is we only live once and life shouldn't have to be a struggle all the time or be shrouded by constant missing out because of financial constraints. If you work hard it's only fair to be able to treat yourself every now and then and this is also important for one's mental and physical wellbeing. The one positive though is the internet and with a little research, it's possible to make some sustainable savings which it comes to eating, shopping and traveling so it's always worthwhile checking beforehand. I truly believe we can all lead full and exciting lives that don't have to cost a fortune or cause us strain or financial stress and I thought I would share a few tips on saving money on the fun stuff as I am all about frugality, especially since having......

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Creating A Space For Entertaining This Summer

As we say a sad goodbye to spring and the last of those lingering Easter eggs, we look forward to what will hopefully be a hot, dry summer (fingers crossed). Summer is wonderful because of the warmth, the daytime relaxation outdoors, the ability to cook outside, and of course, the ability to entertain outside. There's something so wonderful about chatting with friends as the sun goes down and the sky becomes streaks of pink, purple and red. Sharing a cocktail or two with loved ones as the birds sing and the warm summer evening starts to cool. It really is a wonderful thing. The only thing that might prevent it being quite so lovely, is if your home and garden really aren't prepared for entertaining outside. Overgrown shrubs, a lack of lighting, an uneven path leading bath into the house; it doesn't take much to throw plans to entertain outside to the side and instead opt for an evening in, missing out on all the ambience of of a gorgeous summer evening.......

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Budget Weekend Challenge with Ford KA - Part 1

Over the Welsh half term while we had the chance to try out the new Ford KA+ for a few days, it was perfect timing in fact as our Van had to have an accelerator belt repaired so we were really looking forward to driving something far more economical for a while. I have to admit I didn't know what to expect as my mother had one of the older style KA's for a while and even though it was a nice nippy car it was very small and not something that would be suitable for our out-going family but the new KA+ was the complete opposite and was extremely spacious. It has some pretty cool tech updates including heated seats and rear parking sensors as well as a good size boot which easily fitted our stroller as well as the boys scooters. After a few months of driving a heavy and pretty old Camper Van we truly embraced the silent drive as we had become somewhat accustom to our vans quirky noises while the KA was as quiet as a mouse well except for the kids of course who were ex......

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5 Healthy Food Options to Pack for a Road Trip

Traveling to a vacation destination by car can add an extra element of fun to any family trip. However, traveling by car is not without its challenges, and eating healthy while on the road is one of the biggest you might face, from avoiding the possible health risks of eating fast food to ensuring the nutritional needs of the family are met. However, there are several healthy food options you can pack up and bring along that may help keep the entire family happy and healthy until you arrive at your final destination. 1. Breakfast Foods Since you will be likely hitting the road early in the morning, packing healthy breakfast foods is important for allowing everyone to fill up and feel satisfied for the first leg of the trip. This can also help you log some miles as early as possible by skipping those long drive-thru lines at the local fast food place while you avoid greasy or fattening breakfast burritos at the same time. While a thermos of coffee, tea, or juice is a must......

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Exploring somewhere new - Insole Court, Cardiff

We have driven past many times but have never gone down the long drive that leads you to this once iconic Manor house just a short walk from Llandaff in Cardiff that is Insole Court. The house itself is not open and is being restored by the National Lottery but what is open is the beautiful grounds and walled gardens that belong to this stunning period property.  We really didn't know what to expect the first time we walked down though the gates but it was like stepping into the secret garden with tumbling ivy covered walls, fountains, an array of wild flowers and a little stream running through with plenty of space for picnics in total peace and quiet. A real haven within the city centre.  To my understanding the main building once sympathetically renovated as it's a listed property will house a variety of different things including a community space and cafe and I cannot wait to see what is install for this fantastic place. It's a shame in one wa......

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The perfect picnic & Sweet Coconut bread

Rejoice for Picnic season and eating Al fresco is upon us and it's something that is very much apart of what summer means to us as a family. Having grown up in South African, a outdoor loving country with a huge bbq culture, it meant I spent many warm evenings sitting outside enjoying good food and it's something I try to recreate here in the UK at every opportunity and this week we took full advantage of the dry weather and enjoyed our first picnic of the year. Al Fresco eating should be all about celebrating what is in season and it's time to get colourful with bowls of beautiful fresh fruit, homemade salsa's and cloudy lemonade. Wether a picnic or having friends around setting the scene is key, although you really don't have to spend loads to make eating outdoors a cosy and comfortable affair. I am in love with this beautiful Mexican jug from HomeSense  I recently popped into HomeSense which have a huge array of outdoor accessories and furni......

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