Things I Loved July 2019

July started with us still on a high after getting married and it was a lovely way to start the month. The first few weeks of July are always busy with end of term school events and this July was no different so we were all ready for the summer break this year even though we have no exciting plans or holidays booked for this summer. I haven't been blogging much lately as I have been busy with the wedding and now the school holidays, so here is a look at some of the things that I loved in July. 

1.) Wedding

I got married at the very end of June but we were still on a high from the wedding for the week afterwards. The day was lovely and we are so glad that we eventually got married and got to celebrate with all of our family and friends, it was a wonderful day that we will remember forever. I can't wait to get our professional photos back in a few days time. 

How We Saved On Our Wedding

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Weddings are expensive, like really expensive and so many people fall into the trap of getting loans or using credit cards to pay for their big day. We didn't do any of that and we still had an amazing day as with a bit of careful planning over the two-year engagement we managed to spend just under £10,000 on our wedding day, and other than borrowing a little money off my dad and my mother in law paying for our cake we paid for everything else ourselves. Although I am well aware that you can probably spend a lot less than that and still have a beautiful wedding day. 

 I feel really proud of myself for managing to pull the wedding off on our own as when I was younger I wracked up a lot of debt and ended up on a credit management plan to clear my debts. So my credit rating has not been the best and I think I would struggle to get a loan anyway but there are companies like Creditfix who can help in these situations and you can find out more via their website. 

Tips For Getting Ready For Back To School

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Today is the last day of term and we are so ready for the long, lazy, summer break. I love the summer holidays as it is a break from the routine of school and after school clubs and we get to spend more time as a family making memories. We don't have any big plans for this summer but my youngest will be turning five, my teen will be getting her GCSE results and we have some local days out planned. 

As the kids are breaking up for school I have already started thinking about getting organised for September. I am not one of those super-organised parents who have all the uniform in before the kids break up nor am I one of the last-minute panic buying parents, I am kind of somewhere in the middle. I have ordered the branded school jumpers but I still need to get skirts/trousers, polo tops, coats, shoes, new p.e kit's etc. After 13 years of having children in school, I have kind of got the whole back-to-school essentials down to a tee. 

                                             Tips For Back To School

Go Ape Matfen Review

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When an invite to try out Go Ape tree-top challenge landed in my inbox a few weeks ago my initial reaction was no-way am I trying that as I am terrified of heights. However, once I realised my teen was old enough to go around the course herself (16-17 years can tackle the course alone) then I signed her and her friend up straight away, as Go Ape sounded right up her street (she is a bit of an adrenaline junkie, unlike her mam).

Go Ape is located in Matfen in the lovely Northumberland countryside, right near Matfen hall and golf course and it is only about a 20-minute drive from Newcastle. Luckily on the day we visited the sun was shining and it was a lovely day to be out in the countryside. Following the directions for the golf course, we soon arrived in the large free car park and instantly spotted the wooden Go Ape hut.

Thinking Of Booking A Last Minute Family Holiday This Summer?

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We haven't had a summer family holiday this year as all of our pennies went on our recent wedding, so I am currently craving a sunshine break. There is just something rather magical about family holiday's, I love the break from routine and being able to relax without the chores of everyday life getting in the way. As a family of five, it is also the only time that we get to spend quality time together without work, school, after-school clubs and life getting in the way. Most importantly of all holiday's are where memories are made, children seem to flourish on holiday learning new skills, trying new things and I think it is so special to be able to discover the world with them and see things through their eyes. 

So I have been searching for a last-minute holiday. 

Things I Loved June 2019

June was the best month ever as I got married! We had the most amazing day and I am still in a happy little newlywed bubble at the moment. I have written briefly about the wedding but I will be writting more about the day once we get the professional photos back in a few weeks as our guests hardly took any.  June was not all about the wedding though, we had a lot of other stuff happening too so here is a look at some of the things that I loved in June 2019. 

Money Advice For The Newly Wed

Guest Post.

The Last thing you think of when you're madly in love and about to marry is their bank balance, but once the honeymoon is over, reality sets in. How will you manage two incomes and two sets of expenses? Is your partner a saver or a spender? 

Are you saving for a home or putting money away to travel? This article will give a ton of money advice for the newlyweds that do not want to find out the full meaning of "for richer or for poorer".