When you think of Florida ......

What images does Florida conjure up for you? Is it Mickey Mouse at Walt Disney World or the beautiful beaches of the Gold Coast? So whether it is a theme park filled adventure or a relaxing beach holiday, Florida really does seem to have it all.

Leaving aside the popular music artist "Flo-rida" who is nothing at all to do with this article, apart from the fact he originates from there and may provide an upbeat backing track, what can Florida offer you?

As a sun worshipper, there is an abundance of sunshine to catch (whilst wearing sunscreen of course) as you go down the Gold Coast, offering you delights from Miami, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale.

But if you are a thrill seeker, you have a collection of theme parks to choose from, with those to make you screeeeaaaaaam, to the glamorous Hollywood studios and innovative Epcot Centre.

Lets be honest, if you are reading this blog, you already know you want to go there .... so what are you waiting for??

http://www.ocean-florida.co.uk/ 

Do you know a young driver without car insurance?

We are pleased to have this guest blog from Sainsburys Money Matters, it certainly makes for interesting reading .....

It's estimated that there are over one million uninsured cars on UK roads. With young drivers facing some of the highest premium prices, many succumb to the temptation of driving uninsured.

Young male drivers are statistically the worst affected by rising insurance prices, with cover often costing well over £1000 per annum for those under the age of 21. However, the expense of these policies should never be taken as an excuse to drive without insurance. It's a criminal offence that has severe consequences for both the uninsured driver and other road users.

How young, uninsured drivers could affect you:

It is estimated that as many as one in 10 motorists have been involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, and this will add £30 to the average premium paid by conscientious motorists. Younger, less experienced drivers are statistically more likely to have an accident in the first place, posing a greater risk.

If you're hit by an uninsured driver and it's not your fault, you could still end up claiming on your own insurance for the damages to your car - provided, of course, that you have fully comprehensive insurance to cover it.

You may also have to pay the excess on your http://www.sainsburysbank.co.uk/insuring/car-insurance.shtml  and you could lose your no claim discount.

What you can do to protect yourself and your family from uninsured drivers?

Check who you and your children are riding with. If your kids are at an age when they and their friends are passing their driving tests, double check that their friends are fully insured. Otherwise, as a passenger they may not be entitled to compensation in the event of an accident.

Check your insurance policy. Some policies will allow you to keep your no claim discount if you're hit by an uninsured driver, but not all. If you're worried about being hit by an uninsured driver, talk to your insurance company about what options might be available.

If you're hit by an uninsured driver, make sure you get as much evidence regarding the accident as possible.

Often people won't admit to having no insurance, so if you have an accident, do the following:

1. Take their full name, address and telephone number - try to check these against another document, such as a driving licence, if possible.

2. Accurately record their registration number, car make and model and the colour of the car. Also record any other significant features.

3. Take photos of the accident, before the cars are moved. This is obviously made easier these days due to cameras on mobile phones, but if your phone doesn't have a camera then keep a disposable in the glove box.

4. Take witness statement, and record their name and address to pass on to your insurance company. The more witnesses the better.

UK Half Term Holiday Destinations - Guest post

New Guest Post from our friends at Money Supermarket

UK Half Term Holiday Destinations

Half term is fast approaching and the worry of what to do to occupy the kids for a full week is filling many parents with dread. The desire to provide them with a fun filled educational week off is conflicting with the necessity of not breaking the bank. There are many great things you can do at home to have a great half term break and not spend a lot but sometimes getting away even for a couple of days can make the break seem like a real holiday.

Here are a few of the great UK destinations suitable for short breaks and ways you can enjoy them without spending a fortune.

Chester

Often overlooked for its neighbouring cities of Manchester and Liverpool, Chester is a fantastic place to get away with the children. Home to Chester Zoo, the whole family can enjoy a day out here, granted this can be a bit on the expensive side when there is a few of you but there are ways of reducing the cost. Chester Zoo often offers discount vouchers, particularly during the school holidays, always look out for these before you go. Avoid the restaurants and cafes when you are in there as they can be expensive, instead take a picnic, there are plenty of picnics spots available (indoor and outdoor) and that way you can control the amount you are spending on food and drinks.

To save even more money when visiting Chester, head to the lesser known attractions such as the Ice Cream Farm and the Candle Factory, close by you can even visit both in one day.

For a completely free activity if your children enjoy history, get them to pretend they are a Roman soldier for a day and walk the city walls and visit the ruins of the amphitheatre. A visit to the museum, which is also free, can provide you with all the knowledge to provide them with a fun and educational day out.

York

York, like Chester is a city steeped in history so is great for families with children who enjoy learning about soldiers, leaders and the key figures of times gone by. As well as its role in Roman history, York is also the birthplace of Guy Fawkes and visitors can take part in the Guy Fawkes walking tour at only £4 for adults and £2 for children.

For a fun filled day out head to the York Dungeons, here families can enjoy an interactive experience of all of York’s horrible history including rides and actors to make it all the more realistic. Money can be saved on tickets to the dungeon by planning ahead and booking online, particularly when booking a family ticket of 2 adults and 2 children (the price reduces from £49 to £29.40)

Blackpool

Blackpool has long been associated with British family breaks, although more recently has been given a bad reputation, largely due to hen and stag parties flocking to the area. While it is true that there are a fair few revellers around in the evening this doesn’t stop the area being a great traditional destination for families during the day.

Of course the best free attraction Blackpool has to offer is its beach, although not many of us will want to be sat on a beach in the freezing temperatures of February! Instead staying indoors is much more preferable, Blackpool has many attractions that are great for kids, the Sea Life Centre, Pirate Adventure Mini Golf (again indoors!) Louis Tussards waxwork museum, Blackpool Tower and countless arcades. Granted these all cost money although many offer vouchers and discounts so it’s a good idea to check before you go as you could end up saving a lot of money. Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Nickelodeon Land are fantastic for the kids and both will be open this February, the Pleasure Beach only opens at the weekends but Nickelodeon Land is open every day.

Conwy

If Blackpool is a little bit to lively then heading to the North Wales coast for a beach break might be more your thing. Conwy is a beautiful town that is a great destination for a family break, as well as having a stunning coastline which is great for walks (ideal if you have a dog and like to take them on holiday with you) a castle and even the smallest house in Britain!

You can see Conwy Castle as soon as you arrive in the town, wonderfully preserved, once you enter its grounds you can imagine how it would have been when it was first constructed during the 1200’s. Admission is just £13.90 for a family ticket. Once you have visited the castle, head just down the road to the smallest house in Britain! This tiny house is just 10 feet by 6 feet in size and was built in the 16th century with people living there right up until the 1900’s. On visiting the house you can learn all about its past owners, the last being fisherman Robert Jones who himself who 6ft 3in. Visitors can enter the house and see for themselves how it must have been to live in Britain’s smallest house! Throw in a bag of fish and chips and this day out can be a great day for families with children of all ages.

This is a guest article from Charlotte at http://travelsupermarket.com/ , whether you choose to enjoy a short break in the UK or a last minute holiday overseas, TravelSupermarket can help you to find a great deal for you and your family that’ll leave you with plenty of spending money to enjoy your time away.

Gro Bag - Review

If you said the words Grobag to my parents, they would go off down to the greenhouse and start telling you the benefits of compost ..... I assure you this review isnt about THAT kind of Grobag.

We were asked by our lovely friends at Mummy News to review an Organic Grobag, which is FSID's only recommended Baby Sleep Bag specialist.

 

Now I have to admit that I love sleeping bags for babies, my children have both liked to wriggle in their sleep and it becomes a battle of wills over the blanket so a sleeping bag is the perfect solution. Baby can wiggle all they like, whilst I have peace of mind that they are not getting cold.

So why the Grobag? There are lots of plus points:

• It comes in attractive packaging (I like things that are aesthetically pleasing)
• Its Organic (something many parents worry about)
• It comes with a FREE nursery thermometer (to give you extra reassurance)
• It has been awarded 3 Mother and Baby Awards (which are voted for by mums)
• It has a "nifty" secure zip click and chin guard
• They come in an extensive range of designs (so there is something for every taste)

The question is do I love it? Its certainly practical and "does what it says on the tin" but there are so many different sleeping bags on the market, there is alot of choice for design and value. The Grobag is at the higher end of the spectrum in terms of cost and whilst there is no doubting its quality, in the current economic climate, many parents may choose a more cost effective alternative.

Legoland Discovery Centre Competition Winner

We are delighted to confirm that Cath Joyce won our competition prize of free entry for a family ticket to Legoland Discovery Centre Manchester.
She was selected by random.org through Rafflecopter.com.

The prize is for two adults & two children and is valid until the end of the year. Its a fantastic day out for all the family (worth £65.00), so if you didnt enter this time, remember to keep an eye on our blog and competition pages for new competitions being launched soon.

Saving money on family holidays

We are delighted to have another guest post from our friends at Moneysupermarket.com, so grab a cuppa and sit down to see how you can save money on your holiday plans!

Saving Money on Family Holidays

Money can be tight around this time of year, the over spend at Christmas can often lead to a miserable January of budgeting and being frugal with finances but if there is one thing a miserable January almost always evokes is the longing for a holiday in the sun. However research by TravelSupermarket.com has found that despite our lack of funds us Brits are still putting a high precedence on going on holiday, with 96% planning on taking at least one break this year. Other findings of the research showed that the price of the holiday will be the number one consideration for us when booking a holiday, overriding other factors such as accommodation and weather.

When you factor in a whole family to pay for then costs can really escalate. Here are some tips on how to get the most for your money on your family holiday:

Choosing the right destination

One of the best ways to save money is to choose wisely when it comes to your destination, if you pick the right destination you could end up saving hundreds off the total price of your holiday. For families with young children Spain and the Canary Islands have always been a popular choice due to the short flight times from the UK and these will continue to offer great value for money during 2012. Greece will also be offering its visitors plenty of tempting offers in an attempt to attract tourists to boost its suffering economy. For those who fancy a long haul beach break, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and the Mexican coast around Cancun are all offering great all inclusive package deals during 2012.

Be savvy with your spending money

When it comes to planning the budget for your holiday, many people fail to include their holiday spending money. Doing your research before you go can end up saving you money, never change your money at the Bureau de Change at the airport as they can often cost you a lot more than if you purchase your money online in advance.

Another great way to make the most of your holiday spending money is to take out a pre-paid card, you load as much money as you need on to it before you go and use it as you would any other debit or credit card. The benefit of doing this is that you won’t be faced with the charges so often caused by overseas transactions. You also have the added security over carrying cash with you which could be stolen; whilst of course your card could be stolen you will need a pin number to make any transactions.

All Inclusive vs. Self Catering

Deciding whether all inclusive or self catering is the most cost effective for your family depends on the type of holiday you intend to have. If you’re the type of family who enjoy long lazy days by the pool and don’t mind not venturing to far from your hotel then all inclusive could well be the most cost effective for you. If however you enjoy long days out where you might require a packed lunch going all inclusive may not be the best option – you don’t want to end up paying for food at the hotel and spend all of your time buying meals whilst you’re out and about.

When you do go self catering it can be easy to over spend on meals and snacks out, decide on your budget before you leave and stick to it, otherwise you could end up spending a lot more than if you were to go all inclusive.

Travel Insurance Options

When it comes to saving money on your holiday don’t be tempted to cut costs with your travel insurance, while it might be tempting to not pay that initial out lay of cash it could end up costing you thousands in the long run if anything were to go wrong whilst you’re away.

When travelling with your family, a family travel insurance policy can be the most cost effective, usually the policy with consist of cover for two adults and up to 4 children (although this will vary from insurer to insurer.)

Purchasing individual policies for each family member can become costly particularly when buying it straight from the tour operator, shop around on price comparison sites such as MoneySupermarket.com for the best deals and you can find you can get it considerably cheaper online, freeing up money to spend on enjoying yourself whilst you are away.

New baby tags and carrying bags

This week something strange has happened! I have been surprised! This may not seem strange but considering I am generally a control freak and need to know everything, I have been surprised no less than 3 times this week! I felt the need to share it with you.


Last weekend I wasnt well, not tired or feverish, just unable to keep any food down, not pleasant and fairly exhausting, so when Mr Lilypad suggested going to my parents on Sunday, I wasnt entirely enthusiastic. He convinced me to shower and get ready but I didnt really have the energy but I went and walked in to find family and friends had conspired to organise a baby shower for me! There were games, gifts and lots of giggles and it certainly made me feel better. So that was Surprise Number One!

Being a working mum, sometimes means that there is alot of time you are working on your own and building up to "maternity leave" seems to have created an uphill struggle of more, not less, work. So being buried under a pile of work this week, I was delighted to be completely surprised with gifts from some colleagues. Again a total shock! So that was Surprise Number Two!

And my final surprise this week has genuinely restored my faith in human nature. I decided yesterday that I should actually buy some nappies and essential baby items, so bambino wasnt a complete "second hand rose" so I went off shopping.

I firstly went to Boots (in my head this was a good idea) and they had their 3 for 2 deals on, which is heaven to a shopaholic like me and I got nappies, clothes, baby toiletries, muslin squares and a few bits for 6yo too (sssh). I "obviously" had a trolley and when I got to the till, the assistant offered to hold onto my bags while I carried on around the shops. A refreshing change (albeit she possibly thought I may topple over if I tried to carry them), so I took advantage of this offer and went shopping. Upon my return to Boots, I purchased some food and a bottle of water and again the assistant at the till offered to help with my shopping. I declined as I was a little embarressed but upon collecting my earlier shopping the assistants looked a little worried and insisted on carrying my bags back to my car. In the end, there were two assistants practically demanding that I stop carrying my bags.

I admit that I am now 37 weeks pregnant, I admit that the bags were a handful and I have to admit that the staff in Boots have completely restored my faith in human kindness. My feet were swollen, the bags were heavy and when all you hear in the news is rioting, violence and despair, I feel genuinely blessed to be able to share that this week, I have been surrounded by kind, generous and selfless people.

37 weeks pregnant has been a good week!

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