When your child's birthday is approaching, you might feel under pressure to spend a lot of money, especially if he or she has been on extravagant outings with friends for their birthdays. With a bit of effort and imagination, you can create a great birthday party at home that your kids will love, and that won't break the bank.

Providing your own food for a birthday party can seem daunting, and you might be worried about the cost, but it needn't be difficult. Pizza is always popular, and many supermarkets offer discounts if you are buying more than one. If you have a bag of potatoes, you can make chips, always popular with children. Simply peel as many potatoes as you need, then slice into chips. You can then cook them in a fryer, or a deep pan with oil (do not allow children near this, as it can be dangerous). Cocktail sausages can be bought in large quantities fairly cheaply, and you can even buy them cooked and ready to serve. Banana sandwiches are extremely cheap to make, and children of all ages will enjoy them. Cheap multi packs of crisps will be popular with all the guests, and there's no preparation required!

So, you've got the food sorted, now you just need to entertain them! Face painting is always very popular. You can pick up a box of face paints for next to nothing at the nearest pound shop, then get creative with your designs! Little girls will love nail painting, and setting up a little area in the room dedicated to the purpose will help them to get that grown up salon feeling. You might think that old fashioned games will not be appreciated, but children love playing games like 'pass the parcel', 'musical statues', and 'musical chairs'. You'll be surprised by how popular such simple games can be! If you want to get a bit more creative, assemble a box of your old clothes and any dressing up costumes your child has. Encourage all the children to dress up, and film them playing their chosen characters. With a bit of guidance, you could encourage them to create little sketches or make up their own songs.

As parents, it is our job to help our children to prepare for adult life. If they're going to be fully prepared to function as adults, they'll need to know how to create a budget, and how to stick to it. Your children will be happier, healthier and wealthier if they are able to learn these skills from you.

Talk to your kids about how to plan a budget. You can use your own expenditure as an example. Sit down together and make a list of all the things you need to pay for over a month, then over a week. The act of doing this will set a great example of how to get started, and children will find it fun (and surprising!) to work out how much you're spending. Getting them actively involved will mean they learn more, and understand that money isn't an endless commodity, it has to be carefully divided and eked out when needed.

Write down what you spend your money on every day. The children will appreciate how much things cost, and will learn to document their own spending. If they are given pocket money, ask them to note their purchases. Encourage them to conduct regular reviews of their spending, and think about whether some purchases could have been avoided or swapped for cheaper alternatives.

Teach your children to operate with cash. Show them to withdraw the cash they need at the start of each week, and only spend what is affordable. If you only ever pay for things with cards, your children might not have a clear understanding of the real value of money and the cost of things.

If you want your children to become financially responsible adults, it's important that you teach them the value of money at a young age. Giving them pocket money, resisting pester power and giving them practical experience of budgeting will all set children in good stead for their adult lives. This will be especially important to you if you weren't taught financial responsibility yourself as a child, and you want to help your offspring to avoid the costly mistakes you have made.

Giving a child pocket money each week means they learn that they can't have everything right now. If they want to buy a toy, they will be acutely aware of how much it costs if they have to put money aside for it each week. If your child has had to budget for his holiday spending money, he will appreciate the cost of things much more. He might even be reluctant to hand over his hard earned cash when it comes to things you might have been persuaded to buy, like cheap trinkets that quickly lose their appeal.

Giving into pester power might resolve the headache you have right now, but it won't help your children in the long run. When you're in the supermarket, and your daughter wants a toy or packet of sweets, say 'no' and stick to your budget. If your son is desperate for an ice cream while you're at the park, you might think it's harmless to indulge. If you make him wait until he has proved to you that he can behave and do as he is told, that treat will be even more valuable, and he will appreciate it much more than if you just handed it over.

If you're shopping for a small number of items, you can use the trip as an opportunity to teach budgeting. Give your child a set amount of money, and challenge her to find the items you need within budget. She will become aware of how much things cost, so will better understand why you can't afford to indulge those cheeky little requests. If your child has to add up the cost of a few items, and go to the till to pay, he'll appreciate your reasons for buying cheaper or non branded products.

During these austere times, when spare cash is a commodity that is hard to come by and everyone is tightening their belts, it is extremely hard to save cash. However, parents usually find a way to set some cash aside for their children's future, to give them a good footing when they eventually leave the nest and go out into the world on their own.

But there are many ways to save money, many tricks of the trade, and making some changes to the way you collect your food can have a great impact on the amount of money in the home. You can save for the things you want, if you:

1. Buy Frozen. Frozen foods are a great option, as they last for longer and the portion sizes are often larger. The price is also very reasonable and the food meets the highest standards of quality if you buy from a leading super market.

2. Buy in Bulk. Again, if you go to a wholesaler or massive store like Costco, buying big can save you money. These foods will last and so will require fewer trips to the shop to replenish the cupboards.

3. Buy Online. This is one avenue that is saving parents bundles, as a whole host of deals become apparent as the shopper explores the website. In a store it is easy to miss the good deals such is the quantity of goods in the store to cast an eye over. Online shopping makes the shopping process so efficient, and saves on petrol as there is a free delivery service.

You want to save for your child's future and you want to know that they will be taken care of and be given the best to succeed as they grow up. But you're not quite sure how or where. With trust funds for kids being cancelled and different news stories arising about missing funds, you can be confused about where to start.

In recent news there has been talk of a Junior ISA.

What is a Junior ISA?

As the initials imply, it is an individual savings account for children and a simple and transparent way to save for your child's future education and needs. It will help you to save financial aid for them for when they reach adulthood. And who doesn't want that for their child?

Some information included in the article mentioned above is that:

• Children that don't have a trust fund and that live in the UK are eligible to have one

• There is a total annual limit of £3,600 for all payments into the account

• The money will belong to your child until they reach 18 years of age and they won't be able to withdraw from it until then

• There are no taxes charged on interest rates for you or your child

• Anyone with an interest in your child's future can deposit money there, as long as it doesn't exceed the annual limit

• Tax Free Junior ISA's are covered by the FSCS which ensure that your investment is safe.

Different news articles talk about the two kinds of Junior ISA that exist: cash Junior Isa or an Investment Junior ISA. Your child can hold one of each account with different providers, but keep in mind that the combined investment allowance between the two accounts must remain at £3,600 per tax year.

Finance is a subject that many people, even in their adult life, find hard to grasp. Therefore, you should cultivate a culture of finance in your children while they are still young. The following are some of the benefits that they stand to gain from money lessons at an early age.

When it comes to money and finance, time is a major factor. Kids have time on their side and are able to save money as they grow up. If you save money daily, you will end up with plenty in a year. Kids have many years ahead of them and have plenty of time to accumulate their wealth. Teach your kids to start saving today and they might become the millionaires of tomorrow.

In all aspects of life, the best ways people learn are through their own mistakes. You may read a lot of material and speak to people, but eventually you will have the desire to try it out for yourself. In the case of finance, it is safer to let your kids make these mistakes while they are still young and growing. The consequences would be small scale and they can learn, so as to be wise later in life. Your child should not make financial mistakes in their adult life as it may be much more destructive.

Most people have the wrong conception about saving. The idea of saving is not to be able to buy something in the long run. Experts refer to that as postponed spending. When teaching your kids about money, you should let them know how to save. Saving entails keeping money aside for emergencies. The money they save should not be used unless for emergencies.

When you teach your kids about money, you will be installing in them a strong work ethic. It is inevitable to learn about money without learning the principles that comes with it. Your kids will be able to know that they have to work hard so as to earn their own money. This attitude of working in order to obtain things they want will spread and include other aspects of their life.

As a single person you may not have taken the time to budget your finances, at least not seriously. But things have changed now and you are now the proud parent of one or more children and you will not be able to get by on just “winging it”. If you do so, your money will be flying out the window as fast as a speeding train. So, what can you do?

Here is some simple advice on making a budget to follow and different ideas on how to cut back on expenses:

• Involve your kids and family in your budgeting goals and keep your records simple

• Open a notebook and write down what you make every month

• Write down EVERYTHING you spend in a month from food to utilities, snacks and newspapers (This may be something you will need to spend a few days on to take into account all that you actually spend throughout your day)

• Once you have both written down, compare income to expenses and see if you are overspending

• If so, think about which expenses and costs you can cut down on.

As some have maybe noticed, the winters are getting colder. Each year seems to be a little colder than the one before. How are we going to stay warm, and keep our little ones warm, is a good question. Perhaps we can learn from people who live further north than ourselves.

Kids usually get all excited when the snow comes. Most just rush outside to play in the snow, and maybe have a good snow ball fight. It seems to be inbuilt in children to move around and exercise, and we could all learn from them. Exercise and lots of fresh air is exactly what keep us warm and healthy. In order to keep the bills down, it is necessary to have a good amount of time outside daily. Fresh air is what keeps the body fires burning, and it keeps us from catching colds.

In Scandinavia children are prepared for the cold. They have hats, scarves and mittens ready, it seems, at a moments notice. This winter it may be a good idea for all of us to be that prepared. Now is the time to get a hold of those warm sweaters, water proof coats and extra layers like “long johns”. “Long johns” have been out of fashion for a while, but it would be smart to get them back in, in a hurry, or we are all going to be way too cold, and probably get sick.

Financially it is a difficult time for most of us, and we would probably all want to save on the heating bill this year. Some people only put the heating on 2-3 times a day, and perhaps that is ok, if no one is at home, but if people are home all day, like perhaps small children, it is important to have the heating on all day. It is possible to have it on a minimum setting, or perhaps only heat up parts of the house. Gas heating is cheaper than using electricity for heating the house; or for a few of us who don’t have radiators, using wood is a lot healthier than burning coal. Remember never to use gas heaters unless there is a window slightly open nearby.

Do you ever watch ants? They work hard all spring and summer, preparing for the winter. The squirrels also labour in order to save up enough food for the cold, long winter period. Last winter the first snow came in November, and many people were caught off guard. Before long, there was too much snow in many places, and the delivery trucks could not get through with supplies, and many items in the shops and even supermarkets ran out.

We do not want to fail our children this year. So what do we do to make sure that we don’t run out of food and other things we need? First of all, making a list of the things we cannot do without, like food that can last like oats, rice, spaghetti, beans and other dried food stuffs. Then think about protein such as tinned or dried meat and fish. Certain people might opt for filling the freezer with meat, and that is a good idea as long as the electricity stays on. If problems with the electricity occurs due to too much snow, having tinned supplies might come in handy.

One of the first things that usually run out is milk, eggs, butter and cheese. These are all important proteins that children need for growing. Milk can be purchased both in tins and as powdered milk, and it would be wise to get a hold of quite a lot, if there are small children in the household. Cheese can be bought as parmesan, which will last a long time. Eggs can last in a cool, dry place for quite some time, but powdered eggs are also available, and they have a long shelf life. Bread is easy to make, so when the shops have no more bread, it can be made at home. Buy as much flour and dried yeast or baking powder as possible now, before the snows come.

Replacing the boxed cereals, which many children eat, with dry cereal that is healthier and lasts longer, like oats, rice or semolina might be good, because it is usually healthier and takes up less space in the car, so it is possible to buy more in one go. Also eating a nice hot cereal for breakfast on cold mornings warms the body all the way through, which is a good start to the day.

Feeding our children properly, and covering all the different vitamins and minerals they need, can be a challenge, and may require proper planning. As parents we need to be prepared to do a good job of feeding and taking care of our precious children. Some people seem to do shopping every day and just buy whatever they or their children fancy that day. Perhaps it would be better to make a meal plan in advance, write a weekly shopping list, and agree when would be the best day to do the weekly shopping. It could even be a family event, something to do together. There are some foods that have to be eaten daily: fruits high in vitamin C, vegetables, protein and whole grain. It is important to include different types of fruits, vegetables of every colour, meat, beans, eggs, cheese, nuts, and some sort of milk whether cow's, soya or almond.

Suggested meal plan for one week:

Monday- Breakfast: Muesli served with milk or natural yogurt.

Lunch: Mixed salad of tomatoes and lettuce and cheese. Or whole grain bun with cheese and salad.

Dinner: Oven cooked chicken served with brown rice and corn on the cob. (a sauce of personal choice).

Tuesday - Breakfast: Oat porridge with apple slices and milk.

Lunch: Fresh fried sardines with small potatoes with parsley and lemon slices. Served with mixed salad.

Dinner: Fried turkey fingers in yellow corn flour batter with brown rice and green peas. Serve with fresh carrot sticks. (sauce or remoulade)

Wednesday - Breakfast: Scrambled eggs on whole grain toast and baked beans (maybe bacon) Drink: fruit juice or herbal tea.

Lunch: Chile con carne with kidney beans and grilled bacon instead of mince meat. Salad: baby spinach and tomatoes

Dinner: Cauliflower or broccoli cheese (as a sauce) with carrot sticks, celery sticks, and potatoes.

Thursday - Breakfast: Muesli.

Lunch: Fish fingers with mashed potatoes. Served with pickled red beets or Low fat coleslaw.

Dinner: Chicken meal served with red lentils and brown rice. A mixed salad.

Friday - Breakfast: Semolina with milk, a banana. (Semolina is delicious sprinkled with cinnamon and a little brown sugar) Drink: milk or herbal tea.

Lunch: Whole grain bun with smoked salmon and lots of salad. Dessert: Mixed fruit salad.

Dinner: Chicken stir fry with lots of vegetables like broccoli, thinly sliced carrots and corn. Served with noodles.

Saturday - Breakfast: Eggs (fried, scrambled or boiled) Whole grain toast or buns with marmite. Drink: herbal tea or juice.

Lunch: Tuna salad with baby spinach, tomatoes, and cucumber.

Dinner: Your favourite meat (whatever it is) or grilled chicken with grilled potatoes and green peas or beans. (Gravy)

Sunday - Breakfast: Pancakes with lemon sauce, chocolate sauce or fruit of any kind. Drink: milk.

Lunch: Rich homemade soup (vegetable, onion or chicken) with a whole grain bun. Snack: Homemade cake and milk.

Dinner: Pizza with red and yellow pepper salad and olives.

Dessert: Something small and yummy, like fruit yogurt.