I have an announcement to make. In the New Year, I am merging my various blogging efforts into one place over on http://kateonthinice.wordpress.com

If you follow Celebrating Mums and like doing so, please follow Kate On Thin Ice and soon to make me feel like I am doing the right thing.

The most popular type of content on Celebrating Mums will be featured so you can rest assured that mouth-watering recipes, sound advice and information on good causes will feature in coming days and months.

There will also be an increasing emphasis on sharing the stories of real mums, all very ordinary and, hence, very extraordinary indeed. I am keen to see Mums valued far more in society and will do my bit towards this. That was the intention last year and I did not make as much progress as I intended on that score so if you have a story you would like to share, just let me know by emailing me on mums-the-word@live.com

The reasons for the change to my blogging habits are …

1. I have more confidence in what I am doing this year.

2. I am pursuing other writing opportunities including a novel so need to make the most efficient use of my time

Please bear with me in the first month or so as http://kateonthinice.wordpress.com develops but there is already some pretty interesting stuff on their already if I do say so myself.

Right, let’s jump of that New Year cliff and see if we fly.

Much Love

Kate x

This Halloween, London’s most iconic landmark, the London Eye will be helping Wilhelmina – Halloween’s Wickedest Witch – regain her powers and we need your help.

Wilhelmina has had so much time off for bad behaviour, she’s completely forgotten how to be wicked, something which can’t be reversed on her own. On Monday 31st October Wilhelmina will be relying on children from across the UK to help re-ignite her powers by chanting magical spells on the London Eye’s 30 minute Halloween Storytelling Experience. Children and adults alike can enjoy the spooky panoramic views of London’s haunted landscape over Halloween and half term.

Halloween needs the Wickedest Witch so be sure to bring the whole family to the South Bank to help Wilhelmina restore her powers.

That’s not all for guests to the EDF Energy London Eye this October. Visitors can also take a trip on the London Eye River Cruise where haunting tales of the South Bank will be told on the 40-minute journey where families will learn the history of the mysterious River Thames and hear the tales of the river and marvel at the riverside landmarks.

With every ticket purchased for either the Very Wicked Witch Capsule or the London Eye River Cruise customers will receive free entry to the EDF Energy London Eye 4D Experience. The 3 minute film showcases the first ever 3D aerial photography film over London, as well as exciting the senses with live effects such as wind, snow and bubbles, for a truly four dimensional experience.

For more information on the London Eye and to receive a 10% discount on bookings visit www.londoneye.com or follow the London Eye on twitter www.twitter.com/thelondoneye

www.beefeatergrill.co.uk/content/dam/beefeater/halftermvouchers/Half_Term_10_pound_off_voucher-3.pdf

www.beefeatergrill.co.uk/content/dam/beefeater/halftermvouchers/Half_Term_Kids_Eat_Free_voucher-3.pdf

Help keep your little ones entertained this autumn with some of the great toys on offer at Boots. Until 15th November you can pick up selected Boots Nursery Toys** and save 50%. See in store or on boots.com for further details.

BALANCING THE FAMILY’S HEALTH AND WEALTH IN A RECESSION

Many families could be delaying vital health care treatments unnecessarily when there is an alternative way to budget towards the entire family’s everyday health needs – a health care cash plan.

There are 7.7 million families with dependent children in the UK1, of which two million are lone parent families, and with the current economic climate creating more financial and emotional stress for many parents, it’s no wonder they’ve been forced to reign in their family expenditure to help face the increased cost of raising a child2 through a recession.

Health care costs including optical and dental fees are increasing3 and adding a further burden to the family’s purse strings. But trying to cut costs by avoiding recommended preventative treatment can lead to individuals requiring additional, and often more expensive, corrective treatment in the future.

Russ Piper Chief Executive at Sovereign Health Care says: “A battle of compromise between the need for everyday but essential items such as a new pair of glasses or a dental check up, and the cost of that treatment will be taking place across UK households but at what price?

“There are smarter ways to cover the cost of your family’s health which could help to ensure that the price of any treatment shouldn’t be a reason to delay it.”

For a monthly premium as low as £7.80, a Sovereign Health Care cash plan can help families continue to afford their everyday health care, such as dental treatment, glasses, hospital admissions and even complimentary treatments such as reflexology and chiropody as you can claim tax free cash back towards the costs.

Russ adds: “A health care cash plan is not like a traditional insurance product where you pay a monthly premium but only claim in the event of the unexpected. These plans are intended to be used regularly, helping people to budget towards and afford their everyday health care.”

Zoe Blackburn from West Yorkshire has been a Sovereign Health Care customer for 14 years. She says: “After having my children I reduced my working hours from full time to part time. Having my cash plan in place means I have been able to continue to afford things like reflexology because I can get half the costs back on my treatment.

“The maternity benefit in my cash plan really helped me to pay for essentials such as nappies and milk as I didn’t get a particularly good maternity package from my employer.”

Russ adds: “With a Sovereign Health Care cash plan, dependant children are covered at no extra cost on specified benefits and if you have one of our policies in place before you become pregnant, you can claim up to £400 cash back when your new born arrives.”

Suggested steps you could take to find a suitable cash plan:

There is likely to be a cash plan with a level of cover to suit just about every budget and every family or individual’s specific needs. Make sure you thoroughly check what the benefits are of each plan before you buy, to ensure that not only does it suit your budget but also that you will use it.
Cash plans are there to be used, so choose a policy with a simple claims process, with a minimal qualifying period, as you’ll be able to better feel the benefits of the plan.
Before committing to any policy, you should read through the terms and conditions on the company’s website so that you fully understand how the product works including the monthly payments, any termination or qualifying periods and whether any pre-existing conditions are covered.

Russ concludes: “It is more important than ever to be smarter with your money and a health care cash plan could not only help you to make savings but it could also give you the added peace of mind that you can affordably access treatments when you and your family need it.”

For more information about Sovereign Health Care and its cash plans, please visit: www.sovereignhealthcare.co.uk

On October 23rd , Tesco’s Clubcard scheme is getting a serious facelift.

Earning rates will be cut in half – so £1 spent in-store will mean one point instead of two – and the conversion rate from points to vouchers will also change in many cases.

The drop in rewards, as well as a cut in the number of bulk-buy offers, is meant to fund a huge number of cuts across stores that, Tesco claim, will make it easier for consumers to save.

“We’re giving customers a more straightforward shop – reducing the number of promotions and putting the emphasis on clear and reliable savings that everyone can benefit from,” said Tesco’s Chief Executive, Richard Brasher.

1. Cut out brands

Tesco say their price cut will make 3,000 everyday products – including milk, bread, fruit and vegetables – much cheaper.

It’s the Tesco brands that will be getting cheaper, though – up to 50% less expensive than brand-name goods, Tesco say. Brand-name products will also lose those tantalising BOGOF and three-for-two deals.

In sum, buying own-brand is now the best way to shop for a household as cheaply as possible.

2. Reclaim lost points

As part of the big Clubcard change, Tesco are increasingly taking their loyalty scheme online.

That means now is the perfect time to reclaim the value of any paper vouchers you’ve ever lost – before you forget that paper vouchers ever existed.
Points can be reclaimed for up to two years after the vouchers were first issued so this is worth doing even if you can’t remember losing any. Log on to your points page online and click ‘My vouchers’ to see any unspent ones or just give Tesco a ring and ask.
3. Take advantage of cheaper days out

For mums, it’s worth bearing in mind that days out paid for with Clubcard points will be cheaper after the change.

A day entry pass to Alton Towers or Legoland will be £11 in Clubcard vouchers, rather than £13.

4. Get smart on earning …

In general, though, the best way to keep getting the most from the Clubcard scheme is to continue getting the best value for money by boosting the number or points earned and then spending them on the best value deals.
Tesco’s credit card offers an extra point for every £4 spent anywhere, for example.

It’s well worth bearing in mind, though, that as with all reward credit cards, the rewards will only be worthwhile if the credit card balance is repaid in full at the end of every month.

See the Tesco site, or ours, for more information on the cost of credit in this case.

5. … and on spending points

Spending smart has changed a little bit too.

Only the most popular Tesco rewards will be awarded by multiplying the points balance by four, the best exchange rate from points to pounds.

The most popular deals include meals at Pizza Express, Café Rouge and Strada.

This is a guest post for Celebrating Mums by credit card comparison site, Choose which covers 0% purchase credit cards.

Here is the latest, exciting offer from www.savvymummys.co.uk. The daily deal site for mums is thrilled to announce the exclusive sale of the award winning book The Very Hungry Caterpillar for just £1.99!

Looking for a fun packed getaway for October half term but on a tight budget, well look no further than a 2 night mini cruise to Holland’s oldest zoo complete with a boat ride along Amsterdam’s famous canals! And as part of DFDS Seaways Go Dutch offers you save 25% so a family of four goes from £238

Cruise overnight to Holland, safe in the knowledge that the kids will be kept entertained in the Kids’ Club. Sit back with a glass of wine or dine in one of the scrumptious restaurants before taking your seat to watch the evening’s live entertainment.

Next morning, take a short coach transfer to Amsterdam before enjoying a canal boat ride along Amsterdam’s famous waterways to arrive at the zoo. Spend the day exploring all it has to offer from big cats in the predator gallery, snakes in the reptile zone to the the ecosystem of Amsterdam’s canals in the Aquarium or the Planetarium before heading back to the ship for an enjoyable cruise home.

From ?238 for four people and from ?133 (was from ?160) for two people. Includes 2 nights in an en suite cabin, coach transfers to Amsterdam, a canal boat ride to the zoo and entrance tickets to the zoo.

To book visit www.dfds.co.uk/dutch or call 0871 882 0885

Price is subject to availability and terms & conditions apply. Credit card and telephone booking fees apply.

To learn more easy and inspiring tips for going green this school year from Recyclebank, visit http://schoolyear.recyclebank.com/uk

- All Boots Baby Drinks are now 2 for £1, saving you 50p!

- You can make a great saving on baby food with all Stage 1 Jars now 7 for £3.50 and all Stage 2 Jars 7 for £4.50

- Get a free treasure chest tin when you spend £4 on Organix Goodies

- Save a fantastic 50p on all HiPP Cereals

- Popular HiPP Pouches are 2 for £1.50. Originally 99p each, you can now save nearly 50p.

- Take advantage of HiPP Organic Follow on Milk 800g on offer for 2 for £12

- Help your little ones sleep peacefully with HiPP Organic Good Night Milk 350g reduced from £4.99 to £3.99

- You can now get two tasty Heinz Biscottis for £1.75

- Help keep your baby stocked up on essential fruit and vitamins with Planet Lunch, still on a 3 for 2 offer (cheapest item for free) and helping you to save £1.99!

- Make sure you take advantage of Cow & Gate Growing Up Milk 1-3 years 900g and 2-3 years 800g on offer for only £6 each, saving you nearly £1