My husband loves his car and as he was a biker for many years, he was never going to be the one with the "family car", so while I like a nice car, it has to work for the family too.

Automotive technology has evolved rapidly over the years and made our rides safer and more comfortable. The best thing is that you don’t have to buy a modern car to take advantage of the innovative technologies. There are a number of car gadgets in the market today that you can install on any car regardless of the age, make and model. 

Here are some of the best gadgets to upgrade your old family car:

1. Heads-up display

Head-up display, also known as HUD, reduces driver distraction by displaying important information directly in the driver's line of sight. It displays a variety of information including your car’s current speed, speed limit, turn-by-turn navigation, traffic alerts and estimated time of arrival among others.

This gadget connects wirelessly with a compatible Bluetooth-enabled smartphone. It works by receiving information from your smartphone and projecting it onto a reflective film on your windshield or an attached reflector lens.

Most HUDs are compatible with vehicles manufactured within the last decade. Therefore, you are sure to find one that works with your old family car.

2. Seat heaters and massagers

These gadgets are designed to keep you and your passengers warm and comfortable during a ride. They can be installed on virtually any vehicle and any seat including the driver, passenger, and rear seats.

Some of the best seat heater and massager kits you may want to try out include the Comfitech car seat massager and 3D Shiatsu seat massage cushion.

3. Bluetooth stereos

A Bluetooth stereo allows you to connect your smartphone to your vehicle via Bluetooth. This way you can stream your favourite music from your smartphone. Some Bluetooth stereos have a built-in microphone that allows you to make hands-free calls. (this is a particular favourite of mine, so I can talk freely AND safely).

If you’re looking to go on a road trip and want your family to stay entertained but don’t want to install a Bluetooth stereo on your car, leasing a car can be a great option. There are several car leasing companies in the UK like Intelligent Car Leasing that have modern cars with Bluetooth stereos.

4. Parking sensors 

Installing parking sensors to your old car is a great way to ease parking pains. These gadgets use either electromagnetic or ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles while parking. Additionally, they send clear audio warning alerts when an obstacle is detected.

Parking sensors can be installed on a licence plate frame or into holes drilled into the bumper of your car. Be sure to purchase a parking sensor that’s compatible with your car.

5. Rearview camera

A rearview camera is a simple yet important safety feature. It gives you a clear view of everything that’s behind you which helps to reduce rear blind spots accidents. Statistics show that rear blind spots cause about 300 deaths and 18,000 injuries every year in the United States. A study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that back up cameras help to reduce blind spots by about 90%.

Most rearview cameras are easy to set up and are compatible with old vehicles. Be sure to purchase a camera that is waterproof and has night vision.

So those are our top tips, would there be anything else you would add?

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I have always loved a board game, ever since I was a child and now as my girls are getting older we frequently have "games night" when friends come over. In fact my youngest gets most put out if we don't play games at the weekends but that is another story.

We were recently asked if we would like to review the Smart Ass mini card game from University Games and we couldn't wait to try it out! So here is what we thought!

Have you ever played a game and been bursting to shout out the answer, even when its not your turn .... which incidentally is me in every game we play ...... well Smart Ass gives you the chance to shout out when you know the answer to the question. Each question has 10 clues, The first player to shout out the correct answer wins the round and takes a step closer to being the ultimate ‘Smart Ass’. 

There are a selection of cards with four question categories: Who am I? Where am I? What am I? and Hard Ass! Each card has a selection of clues which get easier as more questions are being read out. As soon as you know the answer you need to shout it out and the person to guess the answer correctly first wins the round and the card.

If no one guesses correctly, the person reading the clues gets the card ..... so even if you are not a Smart Ass, there is still chance to win a card! 

We have been playing the game over the weekend and it becomes more hilarious as the adults drink more and more alcohol but Smart Ass is the ultimate fun trivia game which is suitable for teens upwards. The questions are a little difficult for younger children, although my youngest daughter loved being on my "team" so younger children can still get involved, even if they wouldn't know the answers.

The rules state that the first player to answer four cards correctly (the cards can be any mixture of categories) is declared the winner but we carried on playing and the winner with the most cards at the end won. The game is so versatile that it can be as short or as long as you want it to be! 

Smart Ass Mini Game retails for around £8 (depending on the retailer) but we are giving our lucky readers the chance to win a pack. It is ideal for taking on holidays or weekends away as it is only slightly larger than a normal pack of cards.

All you need to do is enter below to be in with a chance to win!

 Smart Ass Mini Card Game

Terms & Conditions

The Prize: Smart Ass Mini Card Game

The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Gleam and notified within 7 working days by email
There is no monetary equivalent.
Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
End Date 03/06/2018 at 12am

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May has been EXPENSIVE. Not just a little bit expensive but REALLY REALLY expensive.

You see I have a teenager. Enough said, no?

I have a teenager with a birthday and the desire for a "different kind of birthday party"

Many of her friends have had big parties, with disco and 100 friends. I did not want to go down that road but wanted her to celebrate with friends that matter, not half of her year group who she barely speaks to most of the time. Plus she wanted something a little different.

So what did we decide to do? Hold a party on a boat! Now before you think I have actually lost my mind, there was a method to my madness. If I hired a hall I would have the hire of the venue, a DJ and the capacity for ALOT of children. On the barge we were limited to 25 people and we could plug in our own playlists, money and stress saving right there!

My daughter wanted the very fashionable "drip cakes" that are seen all over social media and whilst they are STUNNING, they are also expensive when catering for 25 people. I received quotes for around £50 which on top of the boat hire was beginning to give me palpitations so was delighted to find a supermarket version for 1/5 of that price! 

After stressing about making sure I got the right cake, the irony is that none of the girls ate it so was more than happy I had chosen the cheaper version.

Saving on a DJ was perfect as the girls played their own songs for the first hour or so but then some of the mums got involved and took over the playlists so we had everything from YMCA and the Macarena. The teens tried to resist dancing but the sun was shining and the boat floating along the canals of Birmingham and the party vibe took over.

We didn't do party bags ..... I mean teenagers do not want plastic tat (although I am not sure anyone ever wants plastic tat) and we created our own photo booth with a frame and some silly props. Another saving but with teens who love a selfie, you have to have some photo opportunities don't you?

This post is headed "planning a birthday party without breaking the bank" and I am not suggesting for a moment that it was the cheapest option available but in comparison to a party with 100 people, it was definitely the more cost effective. That said, everyone had an AMAZING time, we had mums who wanted to join us on the boat, the sun was shining and it was certainly something that they will all remember and for me, that is priceless. Unfortunately the addition of the birthday presents, family gatherings and shopping trips for outfits offset any savings I made and made the month an expensive one!

So I hope no one wants anything glamorous for dinner this month as the budget has been squeezed ...... I wonder how long I can feed them birthday cake for??

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I have been scouring the online estate agents for years trying to find our forever home. My husband and I go round and round in circles about whether moving house is the right thing because a person’s living space is naturally of extreme importance. It is where they spend a lot of their time, and it is the final place they head back towards, after a long day at work. It is no wonder that there goes a lot of emotional and financial investment into home.

The first home that anyone buys always holds a special place in their heart. It is the first time they invest their earnings in a solidified property. On a more emotional note, their first home is a mark of their hard work and hard earned money. It is no wonder that a lot of thought goes into decorating a home, especially the very first one. There are many ways to turn a house into one’s personalized home. 

Decide on a Theme

The importance of a theme lies in the fact that it makes the entire house come together in an extremely synchronized manner. Usually, people go for a colour theme for their apartments or bungalows. Sometimes the entire house in color-coded in varying shades of a single color such as, say, blue. This can be taxing thing to do, so the more feasible alternative is to douse each room of the house in a certain color palette. This can be easily achieved by adding, for instance, canary yellow chairs by a well-lit entryway. On the other hand, multiple cushions could be added to seating areas in huge rooms to make the area seem more compact and cosy. If in the mood to splurge, a style theme can be added to the rooms as well. For example, the living room can be vintage themed, with lace trimmings on the curtains and rotary dial telephones. Having any sort of theme, along with promoting coordination, also increases the aesthetic appeal of the residence.

Recycle and Rejuvenate

A great way of saving money and adding quirk and novelty to a living space is by recycling pre-existing resources. Sheets of paper, pencils, and other such stationary can be stored in baskets and/or crates. Coins, notes, and loose change can be piled up in jars. This not only removes any sort of clutter from the room, it also ends up saving a bit of money. Moreover, such DIY storage options enhance the texture of the space they are placed in, doing wonders for the feel of the room. Another way of making use of current items is by reimagining their usage. A bench, for instance, could very well become a bookshelf when pressed against a wall. Similarly, a cane rack can feasibly become a place to keep slippers worn at home. Before rushing out to buy a certain piece of furniture, be sure to check if there is anything that can act as a substitute. With a little thought, even decoration costs can be reduced reasonably. Washi tape, for example, can turn those drab kitchen shelves into a jazzy and more attractive alternative. Such innovations not only help one cut down on the budget, it also adds for a quirky and novel twist to the room.

Personalise with Photographs

A house cannot become a home if there is no personalisation in its set up. The best, and easiest, manner of doing so is through the aid of photographs. A huge framed photo frame in the living room can easily change the whole mood. Say, if someone is very fond of skylines, they could hang a frame of the Bombay skyline and feel like they are right in front of it, due to the sheer immensity of the photograph. However, if one does not want loosen their purse strings, there are other options too. Photographs hold within them a lot of emotions and memories, and to hang them in one’s living space makes the place become associated with the person. A pocket-friendly way of doing this is by hanging snapshots and/or polaroids that one already has. For example: a string of photos on the bedroom wall make for a cosy and intimate bedroom space. Add fairy lights to the mix and the concept becomes even more enticing. Those fond of photography on a more professional level could stick their shots on the hallway for people to view as they walk throughout the residence. This allows a feasible decoration of the walls and also a chance to show off things that may mean a lot to the owner of the house. Inclusion of photographs is, thus, a must.

Make Use of Plants

Plants are a great device to fill up awkward spots in the house. Not only that, but they also make the room come alive, and even add a certain aroma to it! Bare spots in the corner of a room can easily be filled with, say, potted Peperomia. The barren windowsill, for instance, would be neatly adjusted with a small pot of Aloe Vera at one end. Sometimes, people decorate doors with bougainvillea vines, which makes for a really inviting appearance for the entrance of the house.

These are the main points to be looked at when thinking of decoration techniques for a first home. However, the penultimate one – making use of plants – can be quite taxing. This is especially so due to the amount of maintenance that plants require, which is not possible for most people to provide. This is due to the fact most people have close to no free time after returning from office and even if they do, are too tired to regularly tend to these plants.

A foolproof alternative in this instance would be to opt for artificial landscaping. Incorporating faux plants into homes is a seamless procedure that does not take much time and is maintenance free. These false plants will continue to retain their lush countenance forever and do not require any sort of tending. They are a practical yet glamorous housing solution that everyone should opt for.

Follow these tips, and you will have pleasingly decorated your first home in no time at all!

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