Latest news with #parentinghacks
The Sun
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
I'm a mum – my tips keep family day-outs cheap with an app to slash your petrol bill & you'll have cash for ice cream
SUMMER school hols need not burn a hole in your pocket. With summer activities costing around £500 per child, many families are choosing to spend time together instead - but even cute day-outs can end up costing a fortune. 2 2 Luckily, one cash-savvy mum has come to rescue with easy tips that will slash the costs - and turns out, there's even a simple way to get petrol for less when driving around. Offering a helping hand to fellow parents, mum Kelly, from Portsmouth, took to TikTok to share hacks to keep the expenses as low as possible. One of these, she recently revealed in the video, is preparing lunch and taking it with them when out and about - saving a fortune on going to a cafe or a restaurant for some grub. ''I can't tell you the last time I didn't pack a picnic and that's just because they're really expensive. ''That can whack on an extra £40 - and I don't want to spend that on food. ''The kids never ask to eat and they're used to having a backpack - and actually, if you're walking around, it doesn't restrict you, you can just eat on the go.'' The same, she added, goes for drinks as well, with the mum carrying three to four water bottles to keep the brood hydrated. As well as having their food ready, the parents also avoid popping into gift shops - unless it's someone's birthday. ''I don't buy anything from the gift shop and the kids have never wanted that because they've never known it. ''And that's probably got even easier as they've got older cause now they understand the value of money more.'' My dream pool was £40,000 so I DIYd my own 18ft version in February all for this summer heatwave - it's saved me £37,000 If your child, however, insists they do want that new overpriced toy, you should remind them of the teddy or another toy that's just now sitting in the corner. While out and about you may also want some coffee for that extra energy kick - however, with coffee shop prices higher than ever, your dose of caffeine can easily all add up. To keep the expenses as low as possible, the budget-friendly mum now carries a thermal flask with coffee which she can enjoy whenever and wherever. Where can kids eat for free this summer? THE summer holidays are here, but entertaining the kids need not cost a fortune. Here, we reveal where you can get free and cheap meals for your little ones during the 'endless' summer holidays. ASDA CAFE: Nip into an Asda cafe to feed the kids after the weekly shop. Under-16s get a hot or cold meal for £1 at any time of day. Little ones are covered, too. Kids under 18 months get a free Ella's baby food pouch with any purchase. BEEFEATER: This family-friendly pub chain makes mornings a breeze. Two kids under 16 eat for free with the purchase of an adult breakfast for £10.99. It's available from 6.30am to 10.30am midweek and 7am to 11am at weekends. BELLA ITALIA: Book a table and order an adult meal at the Italian eatery for kids aged two to 11 to get three courses and a drink for £1. Offer valid between 4pm and 6pm on Sundays to Wednesdays. On Thursdays, kids eat free all day when an adult meal is ordered from the a la carte menu. DUNELM: Make homeware shopping a fun day out. Dunelm's Pausa Cafes are offering free kids' meals for every £4 spent on their food or drink. Available all day, every day. BILL'S: Dine in at a Bill's restaurant to get up to two free kids' meals (normally £6.95 each) with an adult meal. Valid weekdays only until August 30. IKEA: Make it a food day at the Swedish home store. On every day except Fridays, enjoy a pit stop at their famous cafe from 11am to get a kids' pasta or mac and cheese dish for 95p. Other mini meals are available for £1.50. PIZZA EXPRESS: Kids up to age ten can get a free three-course Piccolo meal including dough balls, pizza or pasta and dessert with every adult meal purchased. The offer runs every day until August 11. TESCO: Pop to the supermarket cafe from Monday to Friday until August 30 for free kids' meals when an adult buys any item in the cafe. You must have a Clubcard to redeem the offer. THE RANGE: Kids under 16 get one free meal per adult main purchased at The Range cafes. Options include sandwiches, a cooked breakfast and fish and chips. All kids' meals come with a piece of fruit and a drink. ''Lastly, getting to places. I'll calculate roughly how much petrol it's going to cost me. ''I will use an app called Petrol Prices to look for the cheapest petrol station in my area. ''There can be a massive difference between the most expensive to the cheapest, so I will plan that in advance.'' She went on: ''The most I spend on a day out whilst I'm there is probably £7 on ice creams - I'll let the kids have an ice cream - but that's usually about it.'' Kelly, who posts under the username @ kellybudgetingandfamily, wrote in the caption: ''The days out themselves aren't too bad, but when you start adding drinks, food, gift shop etc it all starts to really add up and before you know it you have spent hundreds!''
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brittany Mahomes Shares Relatable Parenting Hack That Allows Her to ‘Tan While the Kids Play'
Brittany Mahomes is sharing her relatable parenting hack that allows her to "tan while the kids play" Revealing the large inflatable water slid,e which features a bouncy section and a paddling pool, the Kansas City Current co-owner notes that she can relax while the kids are occupied Brittany shares two daughters, Sterling Skye, 4, and Golden Raye, 5 months, and one son, Patrick 'Bronze', 2, with Kansas City Chiefs player Patrick MahomesBrittany Mahomes is getting real about parenting! The Kansas City Current co-owner, 29, shared an Instagram story on Sunday, June 22, showing her in a leopard print swimsuit and sunglasses, relaxing in the paddling pool section of a large inflatable slide. She panned the camera to show her 2-year-old son, Bronze, jumping up and down on the inflatable as 4-year-old Sterling can be heard shouting, 'Mommy, come on the slide with me.' Brittany then reveals the real reason she purchased the large inflatable for her garden. 'Did I get this [inflatable] so I can tan while the kids play? We'll never know,' she quips to the camera while shielding her eyes from the sun. Brittany and her Kansas City Chiefs quarterback husband, Patrick, also 29, share three children: Sterling Skye, 4, Bronze,2, and baby Golden, who was born in January. This isn't the first time the former Sports Illustrated model has shared parenting tips and tricks. Back in March, the star revealed her advice to other parents with 'more the one kiddo.' After the arrival of baby Golden in January, Brittany noted the importance of sharing one-on-one time with the older children in the family. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! On Friday, March 14, she shared a photo on her Instagram Stories of herself and her husband, Patrick, spending quality time with their eldest daughter, Sterling Skye, enjoying a word puzzle and doing some coloring. "Took our girl for some one on one time today 🥺🤍," Brittany wrote over the post. "If you have more than one kiddo, I advise to still make one on one time with each of them!" Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. And after keeping her face hidden for most of her first few months, earlier in June, Brittany and Patrick shared the first shots of baby Golden's face in some adorable snaps alongside her elder siblings. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! Captioning her post, 'What truly matters,' Brittany shared a series of photos that featured the entire Mahomes crew in a joint post on Instagram. The June 12 snaps show the family of five posing together in front of a brown backdrop. Sweet little Golden is seen in a denim romper with a large bow on her head while her smiling siblings wear white outfits. Read the original article on People
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
How to get kids outdoors: 11 simple tips and tricks, recommended by parents
Marathons? Pfft, easy. If you really want to test your mental and physical endurance, try taking a reluctant toddler up a hill. I was ready to yield to circumstance after our first few attempts at a family walk. Prepared to accept that my active, outdoorsy days were behind me and go full cartoon-dad mode, sprawled across the sofa, surrounded by fried potato snacks. Thankfully, I've since learned that there are various tools, gadgets, gizmos and tricks designed to help me avoid this fate. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Getting a proper backpack-style carrier changed everything for us (see below). And having spoken to lots of parents of young children, I've heard plenty of similar tales involving other miracle buys. Below are a few of the best. Fleece-lined wellies £34.95 at John Lewis£34.95 at Mountain Warehouse Kids' puddle suit From £9.32 at OutdoorGBFrom £12 at Regatta Walking boots are great for warmth, but not ideal for splashing in puddles (which keeps them entertained). Fleece-lined wellies offer the best of both worlds. We always go for ones with a removable fleece liner, because by the time it's warm enough to ditch the fleece, the kids have inevitably gone up a shoe size. No liner means more room. There are loads of colour options too, so they can pick whatever they like. And I couldn't live without Regatta's waterproof puddle suits. Can you tell mine go to forest school? Jenny Yuba Kombi non-electric cargo bike From £1,199 at EcoMove Btwin rear-loading electric cargo bike £2,499.99 at DecathlonSecondhand cargo bikes From about £300 at eBay Our cargo bike lets us transport two kids – one in the front, one at the back. The kids love it, their friends think it's cool, and we, the parents, stay fit by cycling every day instead of driving. We live in central London and originally got the bike for school drop-offs, but it's been such a hit that we now use it for weekend adventures too, sometimes cycling up to 20 miles. Ours isn't electric – it has a heavy steel frame and only three gears – but that means it gives us a great workout every time we ride it. Katja Croozer Yuuna trailer £1,295 at Pets Own Us Hamax Traveller trailer £499 at Decathlon£499 at Halfords We swear by our Croozer trailer. It converts easily between runner, stroller and bike trailer, so it's essentially three things in one. It also has safety lights and a flag for visibility. My wife is usually cautious about this stuff, but she's always felt confident using it. Best of all, it's liberating. We can head out on long journeys, and when the kids get tired of scooting or riding, they just hop in. Dan Hoppstar rookie digital camera £53.99 at Mori£59.95 at Natural Baby Shower A kids' digital camera goes a long way. They can snap away until their hearts' content, and it builds memory by reminding them of their journey and what they saw along the way. Sean Hamax child rain poncho £37.99 at Tweeks Cycles£39.99 at SportsDirect I committed to cycling to work year-round, with nursery drop-offs en route – rain or shine. This poncho has been brilliant for keeping my toddler snug and dry. It's easy to put on, and she loves it. Kate Pokémon Go Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion Free to play at Apple StoreFree to play at Google Play(in-app purchases offered) Pokémon Go works brilliantly for us. Even toddlers can manage the swipe to throw a Poké Ball, and it gives them a reason to be outside – there are no Pokémon in the house, after all. 'I wonder if there's an Eevee behind that tree?' is a great distraction when they're getting fractious on a walk. Minnie Osprey Poco Premium carrier £299 at Ultimate Outdoors£399 at Osprey Osprey Poco LT carrier £299 at John Lewis£299 at Osprey Having a child made me realise how much of my identity I'd built around being active. It has been difficult to let go of that, but our Osprey Poco Plus carrier has been a bit of a lifeline. My exercise is largely on my two-year-old son's terms these days, so anything that allows me to combine a bit of cardio and some quality time together is a winner. With this on my back, a brisk walk turns into a full workout – they call it 'rucking' in the military – and he loves soaking up the views. I'm still discovering various useful pockets and pouches every time we use it: the hip pockets, for example, are great for storing an emergency dummy and handkerchief. It even has an integrated sun/rain cover and a mirror so I can make sure he's not doing a danger nap! Paddy Thule Urban Glide 3 £675 at Blacks£749.99 at John Lewis As the parent of a six-month-old embarking on another marathon block, a running buggy was a must for me. Our Thule Urban Glide 3 was a life-saver. It's sleek, shock-absorbing and engineered to handle everything from park paths to potholes. For new parents squeezing in sanity-saving runs, it's a smart fusion of performance and practicality. After all, why not log miles and lullabies at the same time? Tayler Jetboil Stash cooking system £122.10 at Cotswold Outdoor£154.99 at Base Camp Food Chilly's Series 2 drinks bottle, 500ml £32 at Chilly's£32 at John Lewis Any lightweight stove that fits hotdogs, pasta or noodles is a must for us. It helps make longer walks feel like a bit more of an adventure, and it warms them up if the weather is cold, too. We bring a big Chilly's bottle for hot chocolate, but if you pack light, the stove could do that job too. Being able to say, 'When we get to the woods/next bench/top of the hill, we'll stop for lunch/hot chocolate' is an excellent motivator. Jenny Mountain Buggy Unirider £49.99 at Baby Planet£59.99 at Samuel Johnston Now our son is two, he doesn't like to be in the carrier when we're out on walks; he'd much rather be independent. Our Unirider gives him the flexibility to get on and off at will. And not lugging him around in the carrier has done wonders for our backs! We tried it on the beach at first so he would have a soft landing, as it takes a bit of getting used to. But once he got the hang of it, there was no stopping him. We use it for long walks on all sorts of terrain, and it rolls over rocks and bumps with no bother. Lois Osprey Poco changing pad £45 at OspreyFrom £29.82 at Amazon Most mats are a bit too flimsy for nappy changes in the great outdoors. We spent a bit more on our Osprey Poco changing pad, which is made from a rubbery, foamy material that's proven to be extremely durable and comfortable for bub. It folds down neatly to pop in a backpack or pram, and it has various zip pockets for wipes, spare nappies and other poo-cleaning essentials. Charlotte Paddy Maddison is a consumer journalist and first-time dad to an alarmingly fast-moving two-year-old child. Having historically spent his time writing about the latest trends and products in men's style, fitness and outdoor gear, he now dabbles in prams, high chairs and snot suckers (Google it) too
