Archive for August, 2009

Libraries and what they can offer you

Monday, August 31st, 2009

I’m a huge fan of the library, and it’s often amazed me how few people think to use their services when they offer so much.  It’s not just books that they have available, although this is what they’re traditionally known for, in fact libraries offer a pretty wide range of services and most of them are either free or very very cheap.

Most libraries – even small ones, offer to loan people books, dvds and cds as standard these days, and although in most places dvds and cds cost a few pence to borrow, it is a pretty small fee when compared to using other lending services.  My own local library lets you borrow a total of up to 10 items at any one time and keep them for up to 1 month for books, and 2 weeks for dvds or cds.  Mine is also a great place to find out about local events too, as they have stands of leaflets available so when I go there I often learn about other things I can do as well.

For anyone who has a larger library nearby there’s even more available, as many of these have computers available for people to use to access the internet.  Some charge a small fee again, but many allow people to use these for up to a certain amount of time per week for free these days.  Then there are reference sections to most libraries where you can access a huge amount of information about a wide variety of subjects.  These books have to remain in the library but it’s a great place to find information and the staff in these places are great at helping people to find their way around and seek out what they’re looking for.  It’s a great place for kids to go when they need to research a school project, and sadly somewhere that gets forgotten about a lot in this age of computers.

A few of the biggest libraries around the country also have other resources available such as microfiche records of all the births, deaths and marriages in the country.  This sort of information is great if you’re researching your family history.  Many also have local history and local business sections too where you can find out more about the area you live in, or what businesses are registered in the area.

It’s a wealth of resources at our fingertips, most of it available for free to us all, and yet libraries are highly underused places.  So if you’re looking for something to do that won’t cost you much, why not have a trip to your local library and see what they can offer you.

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Vi’s Top Voucher Picks for August

Friday, August 28th, 2009

I thought it was about time I had another look through the vouchers that are on offer via BView, and let you know which ones are my favourites.  There are some good ones on there at the moment too, vouchers that can save you a pretty penny if you use them right!

My first pick is a freebie (well I do like a good freebie!).  Lots of youngsters are generally thinking about learning to drive at this time of year, and it’s an expensive thing to do.  Well up and down the country there are a few driving schools listed on BView at the moment who are offering free lessons.
Lakeside School of Motoring in Dorchester, Starfish Driving in Weston-Super-Mare, Devans Driver Training in Plymouth, and Walkers Driving School in North Lanarkshire are all offering the first lesson free.  SLK Driving school in Blackpool is offering a free lesson when you refer a friend – the more friends you refer, the more lessons you get for free. All good stuff!

My second voucher pick is for Zizzi Italian restaurant who are offering a choice of two deals at the moment.  The first is two main meals for £10, and the second is buy one main meal, get the second for just £1.  Both are excellent deals as Zizzi do some really nice food.

For my third pick, I’ve stuck with the food theme again, and it’s another fab deal this time from Pizza Express who are offering Free pizza when you buy any other pizza at full menu price.  It is only available on collection, and there are a couple of exclusions, but it’s still a great way of having a really nice meal on the cheap.

How many of you can’t wait for the kids to go back to school?  Well here’s one for any of you who need to buy back to school items and just can’t face taking the little dears into town!  M&S are offering Free delivery on school wear with the code SCHOOL09 as well as having lots of 3 for 2 offers on school wear items.

Finally, my last pick for this month, is one that is close to my own heart being a green issue.  Clean and Green Ltd. Are offering 20% off all orders placed and free delivery by using the link on the BView site.  Now that is a good way to try a green cleaning product if you’ve not already done so before!

Good luck, and feel free to let me know what your favourite vouchers are too.

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Money Saving Gardening (Part 2)

Monday, August 24th, 2009

Back on the subject of Gardening on a budget, the other option apart from local garden centres etc is to buy online and this is where a review site like BView really come into their own I think, as checking reviews for online nurseries or Garden centres that sell by mail order can be a real boon. I have ordered from several online companies but I appreciate others might be nervous in doing so the first time, so to read a review first can make all the difference, and of course if the company are then offering vouchers or discounts via BView then you have even more of a bargain. I shopped at Crocus for the first time this year and the BView discount made it incredibly cheap.

My other tips for money-saving gardening are to use things you can pick up cheaply. This year I have cabbages and broccoli growing in old plastic storage crates that I just made some holes in, at the bottom, for drainage. They are easy to move around and hold a lot of compost which is perfect for veg. You can make your own plant food (if you don’t mind the smell!) from soaking nettles in water for a couple of weeks, and of course to propagate and get free plants, just take cuttings. I use old polystyrene pieces from parcels as ‘crocks’ at the bottom of pots which has the advantage of using something that doesn’t break down in landfill, and saves adding extra weight to the pots.
You can grow potatoes and leeks etc in thick bin bags rather than expensive planters; make your own garden accessories by threading shells onto string and driftwood or using old broken jewellery to hang in trees and twinkle in the sunshine. I am even using an old wardrobe mirror in the corner of the garden for added interest amongst the plants. At the end of the summer before it breaks or rots I will just take it to the tip where it was destined to go anyway!

Browsing gardening sites can often give you fabulous ideas that you can adapt to suit yourself. To make a small pond I just buried an old sink, surrounded it with flat stones to cover the edges and put in some rocks to give a different depth for any wildlife that might come. I found someone giving away a water lily cutting on freecycle and so there it was – a mini water feature for no outlay but my time!

So with a little imagination and by being a savvy shopper, you can have a garden to be proud of without spending very much money at all! And of course, any of the places you DO shop at, you can come back and review on BView to help others make an informed choice.

Check BView for the latest offers at:
GardenCentre.co.uk
Gardens and Homes Direct
Cotswold

Contributed by Elizabeth C

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Buying for your Baby

Monday, August 17th, 2009

..where to look to get some of the essentials a bit cheaper.

I have a number of friends and family at the moment who have recently had babies or are about to have them, and it’s been quite interesting watching them buying things in readiness for when each of the babies arrived Some have gone almost totally new, others almost totally second hand with others doing a mix.

Whether you go the new or the second hand route, most people know that having a baby is an expensive business, and want to try and keep the costs reasonably low if they can. The first thing I’d say is make a list!  There are always going to be people who want to buy a gift for you and your newborn, so let them, by making a list and planning you can steer them in the direction of something you really do want or need, and they’ll feel good knowing they’re buying the right thing, and you’ll feel good knowing one or two things are definitely organised.

Certain things like cot mattress and car carry seat it’s best to buy new – you do not want to risk your baby’s health after all.  Beyond that, most things can be washed or even sterilised and so second hand or new is really down to how you feel about it.

For those looking at the second hand option, places like E-bay, Freecycle, charity shops and friends with kids are good places to start.  These places are easy to access and are often very cheap or even free.  Car boot sales can be a good source as well, although E-bay does seem to have over taken these in terms of popularity for selling good quality second hand baby items – probably because there’s no need to drag baby out to do the selling!

For those wanting to go the new route, Although places like ELC, Mothercare and Babies R Us may be the places you think of first, E-bay is still a very worthwhile place to look – that there are many sellers on E-bay now who are selling purely new items and you can find yourself grabbing some good bargains there.  Supermarkets are also quite a good place to look believe it or not.  Particularly if you have a large store like a Tesco Extra, or a large Asda nearby as these often have quite a good range of baby products available from clothing to bottles, baths and breast pumps.  Always carry your list with you and then you can make a note of the prices so that when you find a good price you’ll know it (That and being pregnant the memory does tend to wander a little so it helps remind you what you’re still needing too ;-) ).  There are also places like Amazon – better known for books and dvds, but which has quite a large range of other items these days, and there are also many online stores to look at as well.  When you know the exact product you’re looking for, using the search engines to help you locate the best price can knock a good bit off the price you first found the item at I’ve found.

Contributed by Vialdana

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Travelling by Train

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Thinking of travelling by train either as a regular event or a one off?  Did you know there are way’s you can get money off your ticket?  Well there are, it’s just that they’re not really that well advertised.

If you’re a regular traveller it’s worth buying a season ticket in advance – this will reduce the cost per journey.  However even if you’re not a regular traveller it’s worth trying to buy your ticket early as some companies will offer you a cheaper ticket if it’s bought in advance – 12 weeks early is best as this is how far in advance tickets are released and this way you’ll get the best prices!  www.thetrainline.com is a good place to start for buying cheap train tickets in advance, and for season tickets try www.nationalrail.co.uk

Rail cards are available in various formats, and if you travel fairly frequently they can save you quite a bit of money.  Here are the different types of card and their costs:

16-25 Rail Card – £26 – Available for anyone age 16-25 and gives you 1/3 off all rail travel for 1 year.

Family and Friends Rail Card – £26 – Available to anyone travelling with kids and gives 1/3 off adult and 60% off kids ticket prices.  Up to 4 adults and 4 kids can travel on one card.

Senior Rail Card – £26 – Available to anyone age 60 and over, gives you 1/3 discount on all rail travel for 1 year.

Disabled Person’s Rail Card – £18 for 1 year or £48 for 3 years. – Gives you 1/3 discount on all rail travel for you and a companion traveling with you.

Network Rail Card – £25 – Gives you the same as a family and friends rail card, but is only for use on the South East network.

Something else that many people don’t know is that if you’re train is late, you are actually entitled to claim some money back for the journey that you took.  If your train is either canceled, or is more than 15 minutes late, you can get a claim form at the station to fill in to get your money back either in full or in part for the cost of your ticket.

On top of this check out different times for travel if you can.  If you travel off peak it is always cheaper than peak times, so play with your timings a little if you can – you may be surprised how much difference it can make.

Contributed by Vialdana

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Money saving Gardening (Part 1)

Monday, August 10th, 2009

With all this glorious weather in Devon this year, I have had a great summer so far in the garden and it struck me that gardening on a budget IS actually possible with a little effort. While I would love to just throw money at my garden – and it would be easy to do so as garden centres are so addictive, the knack is in buying the offers and shopping judiciously.

For instance – the garden section in DIY stores and supermarkets are not looked after by gardeners and often get either neglected or over watered by the staff, so do not be afraid of buying the plants they are selling off cheaply when they are looking a little worse for wear. What you will often find is that with regular watering and some TLC these plants revive and grow as normal.

Many garden centres (In my area – Otter Nurseries, Trago Mills etc) send out leaflets with their special offers on and ideas for the garden. I think personally it’s a great idea, as I have often made a detour on a day out to visit a garden centre if I know they have a good price on compost or pots or something. Checking online if they have a website can also be a good idea if you have something specific in mind and of course checking bView for discount vouchers is a good place to start. I have managed to get a collection of very expensive ceramic pots due to BOGOF deals and I haven’t paid full price for compost or plant food in years as one garden centre or another usually has a discount price at one time or another.

I have also given spare plants away on Freecycle and picked up other excess plants on there from others too. From seeds up to actual garden sheds, all kinds of things can be picked up free if you are lucky.

Thinking ahead can also save you a lot of money. Taking cuttings and collecting seeds from plants you already have, for the following year, can save a fortune and buying seeds early in the year rather than waiting and paying more for plug plants is incredibly money saving. When a packet of 50 seeds is around £2 and 6 plug plants a matter of 2 or 3 months later is the same, getting into growing your own seems like the only way to go. However, even for people who don’t have space to grow things from seed, clever shopping and discount vouchers can still make a lovely garden without breaking the bank.

Find great deals at garden centres with BView:
GardenCentre.co.uk
Gardens & Homes Direct
Homebase
B & Q

Contributed by Elizabeth C

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Haggling for Electronics

Monday, August 10th, 2009

It’s long been my practice to not accept the face value of a price tag on electronic and electrical items.  I know that probably sounds a little weird to you after all, why would a shop have a price tag if it was negotiable?  Well I guess because most people don’t think to haggle!

Once I’ve decided on an item I want to buy – let’s say a Television.  I check out the prices in shops locally both big and little, and I also check the prices online as well.  Once I’ve established what I think is the best price, I then try my luck – normally in offline stores – to see if I can negotiate a better deal.

Sometimes the deal I go for is purely and simply money off the price tag, sometimes it’s a bit more complicated because I will see if I can get an extra year’s warranty, or some cables thrown in.  It’s a rare event though for me to pay full price from somewhere these days.

The most obvious step is to ask if there’s any chance of a discount.  Feels a bit of a cheeky thing to do, but if you wait till you’re sat down and they’re ready to do the deal with you, and then smile sweetly and ask if there’s any chance of a discount you may be surprised at how often the answer is yes – specially at a time like now when shops are desperate for people to buy things from them.  What I’ve commonly encountered when I do this, is the sales person vanishing to ask their manager about it.  Sometimes the sales person will come back, and sometimes it’s the manager who does.  Either way, stay polite and if it’s the manager and they ask you what the problem is just tell them there’s no problem, but you were wondering if they could offer you a discount on x product.

Sometimes it can be worth reminding them that you’re a loyal customer (only if you have bought things from them before obviously!), sometimes it’s worth mentioning that x product is slightly cheaper elsewhere, but that you’d prefer to give this store your custom.  If a cash discount seems to be something they can’t manage, you can always switch to asking if they can throw in something else (a case, set of batteries, lead etc.) instead.

It is always – without fail – worth doing this if the item you’re looking to buy is the display model!  The last time I did this was for a television & dvd player.  I found the item (TV) I wanted, sat down ready to discuss it and found that they were out of stock and all they had was the show room model.  In the end, despite the TV being on sale already, I got an extra 10% off it, the dvd player at a special knock down price as I was buying it at the same time as the TV and some leads to connect the two thrown in for free which should have cost me another £20.  Incidentally this was from Comet – a national store, not a local independent place!

Give it a go next time you buy something and then come tell us how you get on!

Contributed by Vialdana

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Car Boot Sales – The Sellers Guide

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

How often do you clean out a cupboard and find something you don’t need or want anymore?  I find I do it quite a lot these days, and I’ve taken to storing all my odd bits that I no longer want and taking them to a car boot sale to sell on.  There are a few tricks to getting the most out of doing a boot sale, and I thought I’d share what I’ve learnt with you.

First of all visit the boot sale you’re thinking of doing a few times first – get to know what time it really starts and ends because the advertised time isn’t always the time it actually starts!  There’s one near me which advertises to start at 1pm but as a seller you want to be there by 10am and as a buyer 11am generally.

Be prepared!  There are a few essentials I always take with me – partly for comfort and partly because I don’t want to have to spend money when I’m there to make it, and partly just to make things look good.

Here’s my list of essentials:

  • A bottle of juice and a plastic mug.
  • Something to eat (apple, crisps – nothing too messy).
  • Toilet paper – well no one wants to get caught short when they’re caught short!
  • Hand sanitiser – porta loo’s don’t have very good sanitary facilities I find.
  • A table cover (old sheet will do).
  • Sun cream and a cardigan in case it gets too hot or cold.
  • A good size float.
  • A money belt or container to keep the money in.

When you pack your car, keep your bag of essentials at your feet, and put your tables and chairs in LAST.  This way you can get them out first and you don’t have boxes everywhere while you’re setting your table up.

Open a window of the car, and place your money container on the seat in the car where you can reach it but no one else can, and then lock the car!

Smile a lot!  -  Chat to people and be friendly, takes a bit of getting used to sometimes, but you’ll find people generally prefer to buy from someone they like rather than someone who ignores them or frowns at them.

Be ready to negotiate with people – if you’re clearing your house of junk it’s generally better to get 50p for something and sell it than to hold out for £2 and take it home again.

If you’re doing a boot sale as a one off, and you  really don’t want to take much home with you, at the end try talking to another stall holder and seeing if they’d offer you something for what you’ve got left – if they do boot sale’s regularly then they may be interested in this and that way you get a few pounds more and an empty car!

Contributed by Vialdana

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Car Boot Sales – The Buyers Guide

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

Car Boot sales are a fun place to have a wander, but there seem to be certain people who are able to go along to them every weekend and then turn up to work talking about all the wonderful bargains they’ve bought.  I don’t know about you, but for a long time I wondered at how they managed it!  I have since then been lucky enough if not to become someone who finds a bargain every time, at least someone who comes home happy with what I’ve bought on a much more regular basis.

The first thing I’d say is be prepared to get up EARLY if you want a bargain!  I know many of the boot sales go on till midday, but the really good stuff has usually gone before 9am so get up and get out there ready to go in when the sale starts!

If you plan on being a while take a snack and a bottle of juice with you, dress for the weather of the day, and take plenty of change.  You don’t want to be wasting money on food and drink, and it’s no good getting a good price for something then finding that you only have a £20 note and the seller’s run out of change!

Now I know a lot of people are really careful about buying electrical items at boot sales, because after all what do you do if you get home and it doesn’t work?  Well the thing is, if most people are careful of it, then good electrical items can often be bought very cheaply because seller’s know you’re taking a chance.  (I bought my last vacuum cleaner – a Dyson DC04 – at a boot sale for just £8 and we’ve had it more than two years now – not the latest model, but a very good bargain!).

Clothes and shoes can look a bit messy when seen at Boot sales, but take a good look at what the seller has, they may have some really good brand name items going for mere pennies, so it’s worth a good rummage.

Ask how much when you’re interested in something – even if it’s got a price stuck to it.  There’s a good chance that the seller would rather sell it for a bit less than the marked price, than take it home again.  If they give you a price, ask if they could do it for a bit less, chance it… you can’t lose anything by asking after all!  If you like several things on a stall, maybe once you’ve negotiated a price for each one separately, ask if they will knock off a bit more if you buy all three.

Despite what I said at the beginning about getting up early for the best bargains, if you stick it out till people are packing up, you can also sometimes pick up some bits for really good prices.  Not everyone who does a boot sale will be there every week, many people just do one or two each summer so they’re likely to let things go at silly prices at the end in order that they don’t have to pack it up and take it home.

Happy bargain hunting!

Contributed by Vialdana

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