A lot of people feel that eating out is one of the great joys of modern life.  The problem that many people face is the fact that this can be expensive and they want to save money.  Fortunately, there are a number of ways that you can save money and still enjoy eating out.  Knowing these ways will help you enjoy your time while not worrying about the costs.

Never Go Out Without Checking For an Online Discount Voucher

All of the popular chain-brand restaurants will have discount vouchers online, if you take the time to look for them.  They are generally easy to find and a great way to save money while enjoying your favourite dishes.  The discounts and vouchers could be a 2 for 1 on courses, a free drink or an amount off the total food bill.  Regardless of what they offer, they are always worth checking out.

 

Before you head out to eat, you should look at the restaurant section of your favourite discount and freebie websites like WOW Free Stuff.  These websites will generally update their offers each day so you do not have to worry about validity.  Of course, it is important to note that many of these discount offers will be time sensitive so you need to take the times to read the terms and conditions.  This will ensure that you are using the vouchers at the right time and getting the discount that you want.

 

Know About the Seasonal Offers

There are 2 ways that seasonal offers work.  The first is that restaurants will want to use the holidays and certain events to their advantage and will offer set menus or discounts to get you to celebrate with them. If you are planning to eat out anyway, you should look for these offers.  Seasonal offers could come up for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s day, Christmas or around the school holidays.

 

The other way that this works will be during the times of year when restaurants expect to be less busy. During the holiday season, they are going to be busy, but at other times of the year, they have to drive business in another way.  At these times, restaurants may offer cheaper deals to try and persuade you to eat out and visit them.

 

This means that before you head out to a restaurant, you need to consider the time of the year. This will help you find the seasonal offers that you should be using.  Of course, it is important to note that school holiday offers will result in a lot of children in the restaurant.

 

Use Restaurants to Entertain Kids during the Holidays

During the school holidays and half-term breaks, many family-friendly restaurants will have child-related offers.  These restaurants know that parents are looking for ways to entertain their children during the holidays without breaking their bank accounts.  Discounted meals will be perfect for these parents and they are fun for adults as well.

 

A lot of chain restaurants will have deals where children eat for a low price when an adult main is bought as well.  This will generally happen during the school holidays and offers you a great way to spend time with your children.  You can also enjoy a family meal out for a fraction of the usual costs.

 

Sign Up To Emails and Newsletters

Al of the major restaurants will have their own email list and newsletter than you can sign up for. The will use these lists to share all of the latest deals and offers to people.  You should look at signing up to the list of your favourite restaurants so you can be one of the first to hear about any new menus, discounts or other offers.

 

There is also a rising trend of restaurants having their own apps.  When you download the restaurant app, you will get special sign-up treats directly to your phone.  They will also alert you to the offers that the restaurant has at any time.  Some of the sign-up treats for apps include free starters, an amount off the bill or a free drink.

 

Make Use of the Loyalty Programs On Offer

Coffee shop loyalty cards are something that most people know about where you will get a free coffee after getting a set number of stamps.  However, most people do not realize that restaurants offer this as well. Discount offers are a great way for restaurants to get customers, but offering a loyalty program is a way to ensure that you keep coming back to them as you earn points and freebies each time you eat there.

 

There are some restaurants that are more open about their loyalty programs than others.  You will generally be able to pick up a card in the restaurant, register it online or via the app and then start collecting points. Most of these schemes will assign a point to a set amount that you have to spend.  Once you have enough points, you will be able to get something for free.

 

There are some restaurants that have a birthday special as part of their reward program.  This means that you will be able to get something for free on your birthday when you are a member.  Other restaurants will offer better rewards because they are more expensive to eat at.  You could get free tasters, exclusive monthly rewards and priority booking with some of them. The discount offers from these restaurants will make it cheaper to treat yourself to a more expensive meal.

 

Be Flexible With When You Eat

If you can be flexible with when you go to the restaurant, you will find that you can save a lot more when you eat out.  A lot of restaurants will have an early-bird menu which allows you to get a number of courses for a set price.  If you are looking at a restaurant which is close to a theatre, you might be able to get a pre-theatre menu.  Many of these restaurants will not limit these menus to theatregoers.

 

If you can arrange to eat out at lunchtime, you will generally save money as well.  Many restaurants offer fixed lunchtime menus which work out to be cheaper than the dinner ones.  You also tend to drink less alcohol during lunch which lowers your bill.

 

Be a Mystery Diner

If your love for eating out goes beyond wanting to spend time with people, being a mystery diner is the perfect choice.  You will need to visit and review restaurants and hotels then be reimbursed for your time and food.

 

Mystery diners are generally organized by external companies and watchdogs to check and evaluate the level of customer service, the level of the food and the overall dining experience. You will pretend to be a real customer and keep note of your experience.  You will have to provide a full and honest review at the end of this.

 

There are a lot of tips that you can use to make dining out a much cheaper experience.  There is no reason why you should miss out on something just to save a bit of money.

 

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

Buying gifts for the man in your life can be tricky, whether it’s a birthday, a Father’s Day gift from the kids, Christmas or Valentine’s Day, you may be scratching your head to find the ideal present. You want to make an impact but equally,you want it to be of use – men are notoriously difficult to buy for because they buy the things they need. To help guide you through this minefield of choice, here are 5unique gift ideas that’ll inspire you to make the right purchase.

Tickets

Tickets to a sporting event or music concert is a great gift. Rather than buying more possessions, you are giving them the gift of an experience that’ll stay with them for the rest of their life. However, these sort of gifts will require some forward planning– bigevents sell out fast, almost as soon as tickets are released. You will need to have your finger on the pulse to get the best tickets and at a reasonable price. Remember to budget for two tickets, so that he doesn’t have to go alone!

Spa Day

The idea of spending time together without the children may seem like an impossibility, but just because you don’t have childcare for a full week or two, does not mean that you have to abandon the idea completely. A spa day may not be the first thing on your other half’s mind, but there is no doubt that a day of relaxing with a massage and sauna will be a welcome break from the routine of work and home life. Plus, you’ll enjoy it too!

Vineyard and Brewery Tours

In most towns across the country there are breweries and even vineyards, and booking in for a tour and beer   session is a great alternative to spending time in the pub. If your local breweries don’t offer a tour, look further afield and make a weekend of it exploring a different part of the country. Be sure to book transport in advance, allowing the both of you to enjoy yourselves properly.

Clothes

When you get to a certain age,you can get caught in a style trap. Rather than gift him with the typicalsocks and pants, reenergisehis wardrobe with stylish vintage clothing that may even remind him of his youth! If he used to love wearing his Oasis inspired parka, for instance, then you can do the Gallagher brothers proud by gifting him with a vintage parka that’ll send him reminiscing.

A Curry Course

Rather than seeing this as a gift for your loved one, consider enrolling him on a curry course as an investment! Let your man learn how to make the finest curry so that you can be wowed by his culinary skills for years to come – without ever having to go out for a takeaway again. Plus, he’ll enjoy inviting all his friends aroundthe house, so that he can showcase his newfound cooking talents!

It can be hard to choose a gift for a man, but these tips give you a variety of options that go beyond the usual choices of gadgets that won’t be usedor bottles of alcohol that will be! You know what he will enjoy, perhaps more than he does, so think outside of the box and buy a gift that will be remembered for all of the right reasons.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

Plantar Fasciitis refers to condition of inflammation of the Plantar Fascia. It is basically the tissue connecting the heel to the toes. This condition can cause searing pain along the heel and toe region, especially during the morning. This condition is also common among athlete, especially runners.

The good thing is that this condition is treatable. With the proper treatment, the patience can expect to be completely healed within a few to several months. It is best to consult with the doctor in order to avoid any further complications and to speed up the recovery process. For diagnosing the problem, the doctor may conduct a set of physical examinations, especially for the toe and heel region. In certain cases, imaging tests may also be required.

The most effective treatments for Plantar Fasciitis include the following:

Medication

One of the most common forms of treatment for the aforementioned conditionis to administer anti-inflammatory drugs or steroids. These drugs are known to address the pain and help in reducing the inflammation. Generally, this treatment is renderedto patients that do not have an advanced medical condition.

The period for recovery can be quite long andthus multiple visits to the doctor might be needed. It is also important to report any side effectsat once since they can cause other complications. You may also want to know about suitable Work Boots For Plantar Fasciitis.

Physical therapy

Many doctors can be seen to administer physical therapies to the patients suffering from Plantar Fasciitis. The physical therapy is generally comprisedof exercises that will help to address the inflammation of the plantar fascia. Ultrasonography is also used in certain cases to help with the healing process over a long time.

The physical therapy will not yield any instantaneous effect but help in the end. It is also envisioned to be the safest process to help combat plantar fasciitis.

Shockwave Therapy

The shockwave therapy induces relief by bombarding the affected location with sound waves. This sudden “shock” to the plantar fascia helps to stimulate blood flow in the region, which causes the inflammation to go away. The process also helps to stun the nerve endings, which are the pain receptor units.

Owing to this form of treatment, the pain ceases to exist and the person can gain instant relief from the condition.

Surgery

In extreme cases when neither medication nor physical therapy seems to have worked, the doctor may prescribe surgery. The surgery will permanently take off the plantar fascia from the location of the affected area and therefore should only be seenas the last resort. In extreme cases of big injuries, such procedures are recommended.

A surgery can take a huge toll on the body and the mind. It is therefore better to address the situation as soon as possible before it is stretched beyond repair. The recovery period post-surgery is very small andthe doctor might discharge you the next day.

Despite the certain limitations, all of the procedures are effective for the treatment of plantar fasciitis. It is best to consult with a doctor in case you witness symptoms like recurrent pain in the heel and toe region.

 Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

With children there’s always a milestone round every corner, even if you don’t realise it. Boo is coming to the end of Year 2 (here’s Boo showing you how cool it is to be in Year 2) and will head to Juniors in September – whilst it may only be a move across the field it’s another step and one that will undoubtedly be marked by new uniform and that means one thing… M&S.

You can’t be M&S for school uniform – Boo’s dressed exclusively in their uniform range since nursery and it never fails on quality, practicality and fit. The summer term is in full swing and my go to uniform set up are these pure cotton summer dresses and cotton rich knee high socks.

M&S know that life isn’t uniform for families and that it’s ok, funny moments and mishaps are what make family life as fun (we’ll ignore the exhaustion shall we 😉 and unique to each of us.

This is our Life Isn’t Uniform Story…

Three years ago this week, Boo broke two bones in her arm whilst we were on holiday. She went on to re-break the same bones less than a month later which resulted in surgery and a series of casts that would see her throughs the entire summer. As a mother there is nothing worse than seeing your child hurt and in pain, especially when all you want to do is take it away for them.

Yes there were tears (from both of us) yet throughout the whole thing Boo was as upbeat as ever, maybe it’s because she’s such trooper with all her health hurdles and simply took this in her stride or perhaps it’s down to her amazing personality – whatever it was (and still is) I’m immensely proud… as always.

Here Boo is three years on with an amazingly function arm all considering and proudly displaying her collection of casts – totally normal to have kept them all of this time, right?

For Boo these are more than pink casts; these are reminders of just how much of a bad ass she is!

We’ve been sharing our story along with some other lovely ladies, Sarah from This Mama Life, Mel from Le Coin De Mel and Sarah from Surrey Mama over on the M&S website – you can check it out here. Have you got any funny ‘Life Isn’t Funny’ stories? Feel free to share them with me and M&S across social using the tag #lifeisntuniform

Disclosure: This is a collaboration with M&S, a fee was received for my time.