Cereal Wars: Asda Store Brand Vs Name Brand

Grocery shopping gets expensive.  If you're like me and trying to feed a family, then it can be worth it to try to save any money you can by buying the knock-off brands.  Sometimes the knock-off brands taste like cheap knock-off brands.  Sometimes they surprise me with their quality.

Asda (the UK extension of Wal-Mart) has a wide range of their own store brand cereals.  The packaging isn't always as fancy as the name brands, but I wondered how the product compared.  Asda has its own version of every major cereal (Cheerios, Rice Crispies, etc.).

I'm not going to say that every Asda cereal tastes as good as the real thing or that you won't be able to tell the difference.  However, at about half the price of name brand cereals, they actually hold up pretty well when you compare them.

To read my article  comparing Asda brand cereals and name brand cereals, click here.

PS-This is my 50th post!

Trick or Treat Halloween Coupon for Etsy

Have I mentioned that I have an Etsy shop?  Usually I try to keep this blog about my shopping experiences with other companies, but today I've got a little gift for you.

Because I appreciate everyone who visits my blog and networks with me, I'd like to give you a special Halloween treat.  Also I just really love Halloween.

So here it is.  You can use the code HAPPYHALLOWEEN2011 at the Hidden Domestic Etsy Shop.  It will give you 20% off any order through the 1st of November.  So here's your treat.  The only trick is that there's only one of each item in the shop as they're all handmade, so you need to be the first to order if there's something you want.

Happy Halloween everybody!





One of the heart mobiles in my Etsy shop.

The Romsey Show



Romsey Show 2011
(photo of steam locomotive on the left taken by Jared Withington; I took the tractor pictures on the right. Everyone loved the shiny red Porsche tractor, but I really liked seeing the steam-punk looking machinery on the antique farm vehicles.)

It's not exactly shopping, but the Romsey Show was a great day out.  There was just so much to see and do for all age groups and interests.  Just a few of the attractions we enjoyed were:

• the livestock.  Farmers were there with sheep, cows, goats, all types of birds, etc.  There was also a bat hospital and falconry group, as well as equestrian displays (including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs performed on horseback.)
• the local food.  You could sample and buy everything from local watercress burgers to wild boar sausages.
• the arts and crafts.  The Romsey Art Group had an exhibition there, and many other craftspeople had beautiful products on show (and sale) ranging from hand-woven clothes to ceramics to handmade beeswax candles.
• the antique and farm vehicles.  My kids especially loved seeing the diggers, tractors, and old fire engines.

If you're in the Hampshire area, I think the Romsey Show is a family day out worth the money.

For more pictures from our visit to the Romsey Show, click here.

Huggies Newborn Nappies

As I have three kids (currently aged 5, 3, and 4 months), I've changed a lot of nappies in the past half decade.  I've learned something from being a parent.  Not all nappies are created equal.  (If you're confused at this point: in the UK it's a nappy; in the US it's a diaper.)  You would think that once you found the right size it wouldn't matter, but actually there's a whole range of companies, and each company has different styles (baby dry, active fit, etc.).

As a member of a parenting club, we were given vouchers for Huggies newborn nappies.  Normally I buy Pampers, but I figured it was worth using the vouchers and trying them out.  Bad choice.  I honestly can't believe how useless these nappies are.

Pretty much every time my baby wears one of these nappies, it leaks.  If he does a poo (just one--we're not talking about prolonged wear here), it leaks out the legs, up the back, or up his tummy (or sometimes, very impressively, all three).  If he does a big enough pee, the whole nappy just leaks.  The wetness just kind of oozes through the nappy itself and he ends up soaked.  If it sounds gross, that's because it is.

My advice?  Even if you're given money off vouchers, it's worth the extra 50P to buy Pampers.

The Portrait Company in Alresford, Hants, UK

I remember having family portraits done when I was about twelve.  The whole family got dressed up and went in to a portrait studio.  There we were forced to stand in rigid poses in front of very fake backdrops as a few group shots were taken.  The results looked really stilted and, needless to say, I look awful in them.

Luckily family portraits have come a long way since then.  Now that I'm a mother, we've gone in several times to The Portrait Company in Alresford, Hants (about 20 minutes from Winchester).  Located in a beautiful old building, the Portrait Company specializes in modern portraits.  All of their pictures are taken with a white background and are less formal.  They let families play together and snap pictures from a variety of angles.  This works really well with kids as they're much happier being allowed to play.

We had a great time having portraits there, and really loved the results.  You come back to see your pictures and they give you a showing with the pictures up on a big screen.  They're also happy to come up with custom designs and groupings if you talk to them.  The whole experience and the finished portraits are really great.  The only down side is that they are quite pricey, so be sure to set yourself a budget in advance.  Also, they do not offer any pictures on CD, only printed and framed.

For more about my experiences with The Portrait Company, click here.
To visit the Portrait Company's official website, click here.

Britax Evolva 1-2-3 Carseat

I'll be brief.
I love this carseat.

We have a Britax Evolva for our daughter.  It's a grow-with-you style so it will last them for a long time.  It's super safe, comfortable, and practical.

To find out more about the Britax Evolva 1-2-3 carseat, click here or here.http://www.britax.co.uk/
(The Britax Evolva is similar to the Britax carseat shown.)

My AA Nightmare

I have heard it said that one mistake can ruin a hundred rights.

If AA had only made one mistake, I would have forgiven them.  Unfortunately there were way more mistakes than that.  I'll explain.

Having a car with a lot of miles and young children, we decided to get breakdown coverage.  We went with AA--even though they weren't the cheapest--because they were the most widely known and respected company.

We had a few small events where we called them out (car in the driveway wouldn't start, etc.) and they were fine.  Then came the event where we really needed them.  We had car problems and were forced to pull over on the motorway (interstate).  We were in a dangerous position and forced to wait by the side of the road with our baby and toddler.

We called AA and were assured that we were a high priority and help was on its way.  Unfortunately, we waited for hours for help to come.  AA blatantly lied to us every time that we spoke with them and never followed through with the actions they promised.  When a tow truck finally came, the operator was very rude and abusive to us.  After being stranded out for hours and hours, AA finally told us to get a taxi and that they would reimburse us for the cost.  They never reimbursed us.  They never really apologized to us.  The whole experience was awful, and it lost AA my business.

To read my full experience, click here.

The Knoxville Museum of Art

These are three pieces of artwork photographed on display in the Knoxville Museum of Art.

The Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) is a fairly small art museum.  However, it has a nice modern building in a great downtown location.  With free admission it's a great Knoxville attraction that should be especially enjoyed by locals.  I really enjoy the KMA because it showcases a variety of artwork (usually including Southern artists, including artists from the Knoxville area) and is a really friendly museum that encourages you to think of it as your art museum.

To find out more about why I love the Knoxville Museum of Art, click here.
If you're interested in visiting the KMA, click here for their official website.

Ganger Farm



We picked these gooseberries at Ganger Farm and used them to make gooseberry jam.

I can't believe that it's already June.  Somehow spring has disappeared and it's summertime.  There are so many things to love about summertime.  One thing that seems to catch me by surprise every year, though, is how much better food tastes.  Fruits and vegetables taste best when they're fresh and in season, and so many delicious foods are ready to harvest over the summertime.

Foods are best if they're eaten soon after picking, so one of my family's favorite summer time activities is to go to a nearby farm, pick our own fruit and vegetables, and then come home and eat delicious food.  We normally go to Ganger Farm.  It's fairly local, has a good variety of fruit and vegetables, and is competitively priced.  It's also just a really pleasant place to be.  If you happen to live in Hampshire, England, then I recommend giving Ganger Farm a visit.  If you live somewhere else in the world, I hope you can find a pick your own farm near you to visit.

For my longer description of Ganger Farm, click here
To visit Ganger Farm's official website and get up-to-date information about what fruits and vegetables are available at their pick your own, click here.

Culpeper Aloe Vera Bath Foam

I was introduced to Culpeper bath products by the New Park Manor Hotel.  Their complimentary bath products were made by Culpeper, and I absolutely fell in love with the company's products during my stay.

The Culpeper Aloe Vera Bath Foam is one of my favorite shower/bath products.  It smells great (very aloe like and natural, but also smelling very fresh, clean and appealing).  It cleans well but gently, and is good for even the most sensitive skin.  I use it as a body wash as well.  I love it.

Sadly, though, I've just found out that the company Culpeper is under administration.  I'm really disappointed by this news as they created fabulous products.  If you can still get your hands on any of Culpeper's bath products (especially the aloe vera bath foam), snatch them up while you can.  Also, keep your fingers crossed that the company doesn't go completely under.

The Dixie Stampede

Picture taken by Jared Withington at Dollywood (another of Dolly Parton's attractions in Pigeon Forge) near the Dixie Stampede

I love the Dixie Stampede.  Yes, it's kind of cheesy and expensive.  It's also a lot of fun and guaranteed to bring out your Southern Pride (especially if--like me--you are actually from the South).  It's also great family entertainment.  My kids LOVED it and I'd definitely bring them back.

If you've never heard of the Dixie Stampede, it's basically a dinner/entertainment extravaganza with horse stunts, musical numbers, and more.

The Dixie Stampede is essentially a dinner theater, and serves southern country cooking.  For examples of the type of food served at the Dixie Stampede or to cook your own Dixie meal, check out one of Dolly's cook books, like this one: Dolly's Dixie Fixin's: Love, Laughter and Lots of Good Food.

Click here to read my article about The Dixie Stampede (Pigeon Forge, TN location).
To book tickets or find out more, visit the official Dixie Stampede website.

Welcome

Welcome to the Honest Shopper!

Hi.  My name is Keri.  I'm an ordinary person.  I work from home as a freelance journalist.  My husband and I have two (soon to be three) kids.  Being a parent, I've realized that people--and especially families--need a lot of stuff.  When I'm going to buy something for the first time (especially a big purchase), I often Google it first or look at product reviews online.  I find it frustrating when I can't find any reviews of something that I'm considering buying.  I find it even more frustrating when the reviews that I find are obviously planted by the companies and aren't legitimate or honest.

So welcome to my Honest Shopper site.  This website's only purpose is to have product reviews and other product/shopping information.  I will only write reviews of products that my family has actually tried.  I promise to be honest about both good and bad products. 

I hope this site will be helpful to all of you.