I only earned my provisional walking licence.  If you see me, cross the street, I’m a health hazard!

Can you beat me?

I adore the simplicity of the story and the originality of the artwork, it is a pleasure to read and read and read and read….!  Another fantastic release from Simon and Schuster, it is a truly happy book about friendship and understanding.

Basically: get a Mexican discovery kit

Open a tin of chickpeas

Bung them in the slow cooker along with a handful of frozen peppers, sweetcorn, a tin of chopped tomatoes and the seasoning contained within ‘the perfect fajita kit’.

Leave to cook for an afternoon, stirring occasionally.

Serve in a wrap with grated cheese and a side salad along with salsa, soured cream and jalapeno relish.

Who said perfect had to be hard?

Have a happy Cinco de Mayo with a big thanks to Discovery’s inspirational products.

This figure had grown a fair bit since August 2012, when it was £10,563. The figure of £11,101 is actually the highest recorded by the Aviva Family Finances Report to date. This borrowing is made up partly of credit cards (39%), overdrafts (26%), personal loans (22%) and payday loans (6%).

15% of families in the UK owe money to other family members, too.

So nearly all families have their fair share of debt to deal with. However, the amount of debt you have isn’t the issue – it’s how well you’re dealing with it. A multi-millionaire could have a hundred thousand pounds of debt they could pay back easily, while someone else could have a few thousand that they can’t afford to repay at all.

Here are a few tips on what to do if you’re struggling with debt, provided by 4debtmanagement.co.uk.

The first thing you need to do is contact your lenders and tell them about your situation. Tell them how much you can afford to repay every month and try and work out a new repayment plan with them.

If that doesn’t work, or you want some guidance first, it’s best to seek expert advice. A professional adviser will be able to recommend the right approach for you – whether that’s just budgeting a bit better or starting a professional debt solution.

If you think you would be able to pay your debts in full – but you just need a bit more time to do that – a debt management plan might be the right approach. If your lenders agree to it, a debt management plan could shrink your monthly repayments to a level you can afford, and spread them over a longer period.

The interest and charges on your debts might even be frozen (although if they aren’t, you might end up paying more). Just bear in mind that repaying your debts more slowly will have an impact on your credit rating.

Click here to find out more about how a debt management plan works.

The most obvious is my duvet, a gift to me two years ago. Bed has always been my comfort and I have been lucky to have been gifted several items that enhance my evening relaxation. My duvet is heated. It is like getting a hug from your bed, and combined with my tempur mattress topper and duck down pillows it makes the end of the day an almost exhilarating pleasure. Regardless of the temperature outside, I can set the duvet to snuggly-warm, prop myself up on my pillows and read, surf the web or distract myself with games like Golden Bingo or Words with Friends or socialise on Facebook and Twitter.

Some people get worried when there is a storm outside but my dog knows the difference between the wind and an intruder and would be kicking up merry hell if an actual person was making the bangs outside. Knowing he is downstairs being my doorman is a comfort, and in the daylight hours his fine soft hair and warm cosy fur is close to me most of the time, providing reassurance and love and undying devotion.

Children often get worried by storms but it’s a comfort to me that I can be a comfort to my son, that I can answer his urgent night time cries and hold him in my arms until his nightmares turn once again to dreams. He lost his balloon earlier in the wind and through his tears I helped him realise his sadness and we talked about his feelings until the loss was less urgent and more bearable. His precious self, his perfect soft skin and the way he wraps his arms around my neck so that my nose is filled with his sweet warm scent, the ‘monster hugs’ he insists on giving at regular intervals, the gentle random kisses and the way he says ‘mummy’ – there is no comfort like my own child, and no other love like it.

My grandparents are all now sadly not with us any more.  My Grandma lived with us for a while and near to us for a very long time and my sisters and I all had a wonderful relationship with her.  I was recently thinking about role models and I think she was definitely mine.  She lived life to the full right up until her brain tumour stole her mobility.  She always travelled and loved to spend time in her garden, which was both functional and beautiful.  The main reason that I moved back to live near my own parents was so that my son could have this kind of relationship with his Grandparents, and his relationship with them is certainly very strong.  We have taken our family holidays together since Cub was born and it is lovely to spend time as a family, exploring beaches and collecting “dinosaur stones” (fossils) and things.

I met another older person who is still having fun when we went to Franks new house for our film night/pizza house-warming party.  His mum is in her seventies but you would never tell – she has a youthful spirit and dresses fashionably and you can talk to her about anything.  We watched Marigold Hotel – a most appropriate film about older people taking control and having fun.  I’m not sure where I’d like to live when I retire but the Marigold Hotel looks perfect.  Whatever happens, I’m hoping to be a bit more rock n roll than your average granny!

Luckily, my Mamas and Papas angel must have been smiling on me one day, because I was offered the Baby Bud to review.  This seat, although it doesn’t fold, looks very easy to carry all the same, with a nice handle at the back and with it being so light.  I am not planning to carry it at them moment, but it does look rather smart atop one of my dining chairs.

It is sturdy but light and has three available heights that are achieved by adjusting the feet.  This was also handy for my not-quite-flat chair that dipped a bit with the cushioning on the back – I adjusted the front feet to be a notch lower tan the back.  The seat has been put through it’s cleaning paces this weekend while we were making Easter cards – glitter, paint and glue all came off it really easily. I wriggled the seat restraints out of the holes for my son, which was a bit of a struggle but not too much hard work.  I gave up strapping him in a chair when he began to wriggle himself out of the straps on the previous booster.  He still won’t sit still to eat but the motion caused by him trying to escape looked pretty dangerous.  He is three now and I an see us using this for another year or even more, depending on his rate of growth.  There is a rubbery inner that  left in for him to sit on that can be removed as he grows too.

Cub loves his “big boy seat” (his name not mine) and tells me that it is very comfortable and he has even remained seated for several meals in it, which is a very pleasant surprise for me (getting him to sit still and eat has been a bit of an issue this far).

A small but welcome touch was the placement of strap clips to prevent excess strap:

Mamas and Papas are a a good reliable brand and this booster seat is one that I would recommend above any of their other ones for comfort, portability, ease of use and longevity (I judge this on the potential for use for 6 months until your child grows out of it).   This picture, from the box demonstrates the stages of Baby Bud but the website demonstrates this with greater clarity.

Mamas & Papas research reveals new parents’ money worries

Research being revealed today by nursery retailer Mamas & Papas confirms new parents in the UK are feeling the financial pressure of the recession. A significant proportion of young parents are having to use their savings, take out a loan or even borrow off their families in order to pay for day-to-day essentials. One in three new parents are concerned about how they will pay off their debts and even more worry about how they can possibly save for their children’s future. Recent research* reveals that parents-to-be put aside on average £2,547 to pay for the extra expenses that come with a new baby.

To support increasingly hard pressed new families, Mamas & Papas are today launching ‘Baby Basics’, a hand-picked list of all the quality essential items parents will need for those first few crucial months and beyond. Consisting of 21 items and at a total of £717, parents are able to get everything they need for the same price some parents would spend solely on their first push chair. Parents can be safe in the knowledge that all the products selected for the list are of a high Mamas & Papas quality – the list includes the award winning Luna push chair as well as a car seat, cot, bedding, clothes, steriliser and feeding equipment.

Key findings from the research included:

• 28% (1 in 4) of new parents have needed to borrow money from their family to make ends meet
• 40% of new parents say they are having to use their savings to cover the day to day essential costs
• 20% of young families have had to take out a loan since having a baby in order to make ends meet
• 30% of parents are worried about being able to pay off their debts since having a baby
• Over 40% of new parents were worried about how they are going to save for their children’s future

Other research*** revealed that parents are most likely to feel under financial pressure when their children are aged under two than at any other time. Mums and Dads of under twos are also most likely to:

• Worry about their income and finances (56%)
• Argue about money with their partner / family (22%)
• See an increase in their household debts (19%)

More worryingly 27% of parents of under twos admit they’ve stopped saving as a result of having a family, while 32% have dipped into savings in order to make ends meet.

Olivia Robinson, Creative and Brand Director of Mamas & Papas and youngest daughter of David and Luisa (founders of Mamas & Papas) said: “As parents we understand that Mums and Dads worry about what they need to buy for their new baby and how much it’s going to cost. We recognise that for many parents this is a real challenge, so have used our experience to create the Mamas & Papas Baby Basics list. Parents can be assured that when they purchase the products on the list they are getting everything they need without breaking the bank!”

Baby Basics is launching today and will be available online and through stores. Parents interested in the list should pick up the Baby Basics leaflet in stores. A Mamas & Papas expert adviser will happily help parents find all of the items they need.

* Research supplied by Aldermore Bank

Research supplied by Aviva Insurance

Baby Basics List

• Aton Car Seat – Black Jack – £120
• Luna Pram/Pushchair – £159
• Bedtime Hugs Changing Mat – £14
• Bubble Bouncer – £19.95

Sleeping

• Bibi Cot – £105
• Basic Foam Mattress 200 – £35
• 2 Cot/Bed Fitted Sheets (70x142cm) Cream – £19
• Cellular Cot/Bed Blanket Cream – £12
• Motorola Digital Baby Monitor MBP11 – £35
• Bedtime Hugs Deampod 0-6 Months – £18

Clothing

• 3 Pack All in One White – £14
• 5 Pack Essential Socks White – £10
• Essentials 2 Pack Mitts Cream – £4
• Essentials 2 Pack Hats Cream – £8
• Essentials Velour Spot Pramsuit Cream – £32
• 5 Pack Sleeveless Bodysuits – £10
• Fur Booties – £8

Feeding

• Tommee Tippee – Closer To Nature Electrical Steriliser Kit – £50
• Muslin Squares, White – £12
• 3 Pack Bibs – £8

TOTAL: £717

I know some people umm and arr about taking the first step through the doors so let me guide you towards some of my Aldi favourites.  The smoked salmon, the one in smallish packs with dressings melts in your mouth and is simply divine and the larger packs, I feel, are better quality than the same priced products in other supermarkets (and I am fussy).  The soft cheese tastes just like philadelphia (I have tried other brands of soft cheese before but I loved the philly taste too much to switch. Until now.).  The frozen fish is great value and the washing powder/tablets/gels are considerably cheaper than ‘named’ brands, and they still get my mucky toddler clothes clean and fresh.  My favourite is the green gel, it smells good and seems to last a long time for the size of bottle.  They sell marmite!  The sea salt butter is lush and the Edam better than I have tasted in the big supermarkets.  The tinned tuna is perfect as is the hummus.  The loo roll is soft enough for my discerning bum and the cleaning products work brilliantly  too.  At the moment (May 1013) they are selling piccolo tomatoes and though more expensive, at £1.49, they are the tastiest tomatoes ever.  Strawberries are also currently dead cheap and taste delicious.

If you suffer from allergies, the piriton equivalent in Aldi is something like 75p a pack! The caffeine drinks have half the calories of other brands too. Oh – and how could I forget the lovely Irish Cream drink?

But what I love the most about Aldi, and has been mentioned by people in the press before, is their beauty range.

The Carino Miracle Oil was a special offer, I was told, but will be returning.  It is as good as the very expensive Moroccan Oil, and £3.99 (they were being sold on ebay for at least a tenner!).  I can’t remember the exact prices of these products, but all are around the £2-4 mark or less (apologies if I am wrong).  I love the Carino almond shampoo because as a blonde, I find that many shampoos leave my hair looking dull.  This keeps it’s blonde brightness, and at a lot less than the specific ‘blonding’ shampoos you can buy.  I tested the efficiency of the Lacura caffeine eye roller by rolling it under one of my eyes ad not the other one, then after an hour or so asking my sister which one I had used the eye roller on.  She could definitely identify the tested eye.  So from then on I buy this for use in the mornings.  At night time I use the restorative eye cream and I  noticed an improvement in the skin around my eyes in around a week.  I have facial eczema and sensitive skin and the Aqua Complete serum is marvellous for balancing my skin underneath my daily moisturiser.  It is light and fresh and totally absorbs with the help of some gentle facial massage.  I used to use touche eclat, but I actually prefer Aldi’s under eye concealer.  Combined with the caffeine eye roller, it hides a multitude of sins.

There is not much I don’t like really, their bubble bath is a bit synthetic and the mascara is a bit so-so.  The doeodorant does not work for me.  I have to shop elsewhere for chickpeas, black beans spices, coriander, spices, rice noodles and anything gluten-free and I would love to see these items added to the shelves.

What do you think? Can you add to my Aldi favourites list? I’d welcome extra advice below.  I am pescatarian so I can’t comment on the meat (though they advertise their high standards and British meat producers), and I don’t really drink so I’ve not tried the booze, though I am told it is lovely.