Look out for the new BOGOF deal from Tesco

As a nation Brits are suckers for special deals in supermarkets, and many of us are guilty of buying something that we didn’t even actually need simply because it was on special offer. Amongst the various offers that supermarkets have launched in the past are half price goods and buy one get one free deals, and both of these prove hugely popular amongst consumers. Read more

Tags: tesco, shopping, special offers, buy one get one free, money saving, bogof

Get ready for sale time

Whilst many of us may still be thinking about the forthcoming Christmas and New Year period, which is fast approaching, there are also many people that will be thinking ahead to the January sales, which are always popular amongst savvy shoppers in the UK. Read more

Tags: christmas, fever, full swing, sales, discounts

Staying in and saving money

For those people that have become used to going out to socialise, which can of course work out to be quite expensive, the current financial climate will be have come as a real shock, as it may have forced them to cut back on their spending and start spending more time indoors.

With many people still fearful about their job security and about spending money unnecessarily spending time in the house has become increasing common even amongst those that once went out on a regular basis.

However, whilst it may seem that being stuck in the house will equate to a boring, uninspiring evening this is not necessarily the case, and you can actually enjoy a very cheap night in whilst having plenty of fun and entertainment.

More and more people are now staying in rather than heading off on an expensive night out, and this has been proven through figures such as those released by takeaway firms, where profits have been soaring as a result of people ordering a takeaway rather than going out for meals.

A rising number of people are now starting to realise the benefits of entertaining at home or spending nights in rather than out on the town, and it doesn’t have to involve being stuck in front of the box watching programmes that you don’t even like!

In fact entertaining at home has become so popular that industry officials have come up with the phrase ‘in-tertaining’.

One industry official said: ‘The recession has made people far savvier when it comes to saving money, and millions of us have worked out that in-tertaining is a great way to cut back without missing out. So much so that a whopping 57% of our monthly, paid for entertainment is now being consumed in our homes.’

If you enjoy going out to dine with friends then the perfect solution is to dine in your own home yet still enjoy the same company. You could look at creating a great dish for your friends and bring in a few bottles to go with the food, which will work out far cheaper than going out for a meal. Alternatively you can order a takeaway if you want something more casual, which again should work out much cheaper.

You could even have a ‘bring a bottle’ type evening, where each of your friends brings a dish and a bottle, and you can enjoy a buffet style evening with evening mucking in with the cost and cooking.

Going to the pictures can prove quite expensive if there is a group of you going, so why not look at renting a DVD, getting some popcorn in, and having a fun night in front of the box without the constant dirty looks and ’shusshes’ that you might get at the cinema if you so much as sneeze! Again, this is a great way to save money whilst enjoying entertainment in a casual and fun setting.

In fact, many people are already doing this, with a DVD rental specialist stating: ‘Since the start of the recession, our membership has more than doubled in size as people look to save that extra bit of cash while still enjoying themselves. Staying in has definitely become the new going out. Our members are renting more titles than before, they’re buying more DVDs from our shop and now they’re even accessing films and TV online through our new digital service – more ways than ever for them to enjoy an entertaining night in.’

Even romance doesn’t have to cost a fortune, as you can enjoy a delicious home cooked meal – and for those that aren’t too good at cooking many supermarkets now offer meal deals where you can get pre-made meals that simply need to be warmed along with sumptuous deserts and wine, and with the right lighting and music you can recreate a wonderful romantic night in with the added benefit of a private setting.

Tags: money saving, evening mucking, security, job, pre-made meals, money tips, delicious home, spending money

Smaller packets offer better value in shops

According to a recent report shops in the UK are aiming to offer customers with better value for money by offering smaller packaged items for a lower price rather than forcing customers to purchase unnecessarily large items for a more expensive price. Read more

Tags: IPhone, cheaper shopping, Tesco Value chocolate, Retailing, move, discount stores, money saving, money