Latest food deals and offers!

Food, glorious food! Whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer something salty to snack on, we have some fab deals for you.

• Sweets, chocolate and confectionary
• Supermarket deals
• Restaurant and cafe deals
• Freebies
• Drinks
• Other

Supermarket deals

Order the Aldi Big Daddy Burger Box

Aldi is launching its first ever Ashfields Grill Big Daddy Burger Box for Father’s Day, measuring in at three times the size of a McDonald’s Big Mac!

The box costs £5.99 and has everything needed to make a giant burger (715g) and includes a beef patty, cheese sauce, and gourmet brioche bun. 

The Big Daddy Burger Box will be available in Aldi stores from Thursday 13 June and you can also order online, to click and collect.

Order at Aldi.co.uk

Get 5,000 Virgin Red points with a Tesco Clubcard

Virgin Red is joining Tesco Clubcard as a new Reward Partner. This means Clubcard points earned through everyday shopping at Tesco can now be turned into Virgin Points to spend on everything from luxury cruises to skydiving experiences with Virgin Red.

Virgin Red members who exchange Tesco Clubcard points into Virgin Points will get 2x the points value, so members will get more points as well as more choice when it comes to rewards.

To celebrate the new partnership, Virgin Red members who sign up to auto-exchange their Clubcard points for the first time by 18 July 2024 will receive a bonus of 5,000 Virgin Points and those points could be swapped for:

• A £25 gift card for Virgin Experience Days, Virgin Wines or the Eurostar
• Comedy night for two
• Two cinema tickets
• £25 off train travel booked through Virgin Trains Ticketing  
• Gift cards for Pizza Express, Caffe Nero and Costa
• 25 free Greggs sausage rolls!

Find out more here

Get a free fiver for your Asda big shop

Download the new Asda Rewards app and get £5 to spend on your next supermarket shop.

To redeem the deal, once you have downloaded the app, you need to head into an Asda store and scan the barcode in the wallet section of the app. Or connect the app to your Asda online shopping account and make your first purchase there.

Once that’s done, £5 should appear in the cashpot section of the app and you can turn it into a voucher to use in store or online.

The offer is available until 30 June.

Download the Asda Rewards app

Morrisons selling five ales for £5

Calling all ale lovers! Morrisons has a new deal where you can get five single bottles of ale for £5.

The selection on offer includes Ringwood Boondoggle Craft Blonde Ale, usually £2.50, Hobgoblin Session IPA, usually £1.25 per bottle and Ruddles Best Country Ale, normally £1.25 per bottle.

If you buy five bottles of the Ringwood Boondoggle you can save £7.50 in total, so it’s worth stocking up.

Restaurant, cafe and pub deals

Get 15% off a McDonald’s order on Monday

On Monday 10 June, McDonald’s customers can grab a 15% discount on any order over £10, exclusively via the McDonald’s app. That’s £1.5o off every £10 spent.

You must order via the app and you can use this on delivery or collection orders, or scan the QR code in the app at the in-restaurant kiosks when ordering.

Download the McDonald’s app 

Score discounts with the Burger King Euros menu

Fans of football and burgers are in for a treat over the coming weeks, as Burger King has launched the BK Footy Royale competition.

By selecting your favourite team on the Burger King UK app, customers will be in with a shot of winning discounts and exclusive prizes after each match day.

To join in on the fun, you need to log into the Burger King app and select the team you are backing to win the tournament by 13 June and the 24hr deals will appear on the app every time your chosen team plays. The further your team gets, the more offers you get.

If your team wins, get 200 loyalty points to claim a freebie such as 6 chilli cheese bites, 6 chicken nuggets, 6 onion rings or a portion of large fries.

Download the Burger King app now

Get 50% off a footlong sub at Subway

Download the new Subway Rewards app to get 50% off a footlong sub. A footlong will usually set you back around £6 so this is a great deal if you’re after lunch on the go.

Once you have logged into the app, the offer should appear in the deals section and you can simply scan the QR code or barcode at the till point or kiosk when paying. It applies to any footlong sub, but extras aren’t included and the offer runs until 30 June.

Download the Subway Rewards app

Students get 25% off the entire Leon menu

Leon is offering students 25 per cent off the entire Leon menu for a limited time, to help students survive the exam period. Until 30th June, just show your student card in restaurants or use the code LEONBIG25 when ordering via the Leon Club app.

Not a student? Join the free Leon Club via the website and get a voucher for 30% off your next order.

Freebies

Free pint of Stella at Bella Italia restaurants

Celebrate Father’s Day at a Bella Italia restaurant with a free pint or bottle of Stella on 16 June.

On Father’s Day Sunday, guests can enjoy a complimentary bottle of Stella Unfiltered, a pint of Stella Draught, a bottle of Stella Artois 0% or a soft drink available with the purchase of any main dish from the menu.

The offer is only valid on Father’s Day Sunday from 12pm, 16 June 2024 (14 – 16 June 2024 in Scotland) and it is subject to availability. You also can’t use this in conjunction with any other discount or promotion such as a Tastecard or Tesco Clubcard.

For more info visit BellaItalia.co.uk

Free drink at Greene King pubs on Friday 14 June

• A shot of Jaegermeister
• A single Malibu and draught mixer
• A single Jack Daniels and draught mixer
• A single Beefeater gin & tonic
• A pint of Heinekin, Amstel, Madri, Carling, Carlsberg, San Miguel or Peroni
• A pint of Thatchers, Strongbow or Strongbow Dark Fruits
• A pint of Icebreaker Pale Ale, John Smith Smooth or Guiness
• A bottle of Heineken
• A Coca-Cola Zero or Red Bull

Free Pastry at Ole & Steen

Tuck into a tasty treat at Danish Bakers Ole & Steen. To celebrate the solstice month of June, claim one 250,000 free slices of their cinammon social pastry.

A cinnamon social pastry normally costs £4.25, but download the Ole & Steen Freshly Baked app and you’ll receive enough points to be able claim the free pastry at the counter. No purchase necessary!

Download the Freshly Baked app here

Free 1L Chocomel drink at Asda and Tesco

Fancy a free chocolate milkshake? Claim a 1L carton of Chocomel at Tesco or Asda now. Sign up via the link below to be sent a voucher to redeem in store.

Claim your 1L Chocomel voucher here

Free Taco Bell crunchy taco

Fancy a free crunchy taco? Of course you do! Just download the Taco Bell app to claim.

Download the app here

Free Krispy Kreme doughnut

Get a free doughnut when you sign up to Krispy Kreme Rewards, as well as member-only offers, discounts and other freebies. Sign up here.

Free tea or coffee every week day at IKEA

Sign up to become an IKEA Family member and enjoy a tea or coffee every day, Monday-Friday between 9.30am until 11am in all restaurants excluding Hammersmith and Belfast stores.

Tassimo My Wavy Coffee Machine Offer (includes coffee capsules)

Tassimo My Way Coffee Machine is a perfect coffee pod machine, designed by Bosch. Now with a BRITA filter to ensure that you have the best coffee shop quality coffee every time. RRP £148.63, get it for £60.00 including 56 drinks capsules.

Available for buy here

Sweets, chocolate and confectionary

Buy any 5 sauces, get the 6th free at Joe & Seph’s

With a range of over 50 flavours of popcorn and 10 caramel sauces, there’s something for everyone. Joe & Seph’s buy any 5 sauces and get the 6th free includes the new limited edition Manilife sauce and the hot cross bun sauce, perfect for Easter! Shop your favourites here

EXCLUSIVE 15% off at Sweet Hamper Company

Get a delicious 15% off at Sweet Hamper Company with code MONEYMAGPIE15. The one-stop shop for all goodies, treats and candies, you’ll find a delectable array of sweet hampers, boxes, cones, bouquets and more at Sweet Hamper Company. It even has specially created vegan and vegetarian sweet hampers, so no one misses out! 

10% off your first order from Candyroo

Candyroo is an online retailer of pick ‘n’ mix, sweets, chocolate and free from ranges. Get 10% off your first order with code HELLO10.

Candyroo provide one of the largest selections of pick ‘n’ mix, as well as American candy, drinks and chocolate, fudge, cables, chocolates, drinks, party sweets, gift ideas, and a great selection of vegan sweets and chocolate.

EXCLUSIVE 15% off at Sweet Bouquet Emporium

Sweet Bouquet Emporium is a family run business with a passion for all things sweet and chocolate. From sourcing the highest quality chocolates for chocolate bouquets, to discovering retro favourites for sweet bouquets, its team loves getting creative and crafting the ideal gift for anyone with a sweet tooth. Plus they’re committed to ensuring that their gift bouquets always arrive at their destination in perfect condition. For 15% off, use code MONEYMAGPIE15 at checkout.

EXCLUSIVE 15% off at The Awesome Hamper Company

The Awesome Hamper Company offers a wide range of delicious, beautifully packaged and high quality gift hampers for all occasions. The family-run business operates from the heart of Essex, where they design and create unique luxury gift hampers, gift baskets, gift boxes, alcohol hampers, chocolate bouquets, luxury food hampers and much more.

Full to the brim of top-quality pamper products, confectionery, and food and drink, every order is handpicked and packed by the dedicated team and beautifully presented – making them the perfect gift for any celebration. Get 15% off with code MONEYMAGPIE15 at checkout.

EXCLUSIVE 25% off Giant Personalised Photo Marshmallow at MallowMe

MallowMe creates day-making, special-occasion-saving custom marshmallow creations. They taste every bit as good as they look – seriously soft and sumptuous mallow. Your marshmallow dream awaits…a single, beautifully bouncy piece of marshmallow that showcases your choice of image. Check it out.

Get an EXCLUSIVE 25% off with code MAGPIE25. 

EXCLUSIVE 15% off at Sponge.co.uk

Get 15% off at Sponge, with exclusive code JASMINE15. The cakes and bakes at Sponge are perfect for any occasion and are ready for you to buy online with home delivery anywhere in the UK. Whether it’s a birthday cake, wedding cake, anniversary treat, Valentine’s day gift, a graduation celebration or you just fancy something sweet – there’s something for you! Choose from cakes, brownies and cake cards, including gluten free and vegan options. They also cater for weddings, corporate events and trade. 

Love Raw have 25% off their white choc peanut butter cups and Smooth milk Choc bars. YUM!

Other

Check out our other deals pages:

• Beauty deals: Make-up offers, cosmetic deals and more
• The best UK deals and offers right now
• Cinema deals, discounts and offers

The post Best food and drink discounts, supermarket offers and takeaway deals appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

The July Price Cap

Why Fix Your Energy Price?

Jasmine Says

How to Shop Around for Energy Deals

The July Energy Price Cap

In a two-for-one bonus for households this summer, not only is the energy price cap reducing by 7% from 1st July, reduced need for heating and energy in the house will slash energy bills for a few months.

If you’re on a Direct Debit payment, this is a good time to check how much credit you’ve built up on your energy account too. Your summer bills will be lower, so you could get some money back from your energy supplier if you need some more cash in your pocket. Direct Debits have been set at an historically high level in the past year, combined with a warm winter reducing heating costs, so you could have hundreds of pounds sitting there!

The July price cap only applies to 30th September. This means that the October cap could – and is predicted to – rise. That’s why it’s a good time to start preparing to switch tariffs to lock in a good rate. You have a few months to do so, which gives you time to switch if your on a fixed tariff due to end between now and 30th September 2024.

Why Fix Your Energy Tariff?

As we’ve seen in recent years, energy pricing has become increasingly volatile. There are several reasons for this, such as international unrest disrupting supply.

A fixed energy tariff has previously been risky in recent years, as you might have ended up fixing at a higher price overall and locking yourself into a contract when others are paying less for their energy. However, the combination of the July reduction AND the anticipated October increase, means now is a good time to make the most of deals.

Variable tariffs go up and down with the market – which means you can easily be surprised with a large energy bill even with a reduction in usage. Fixed tariffs don’t do this, but that does mean when prices drop you could pay more than those on a variable.

Jasmine’s Thoughts on the Energy Price Cap:

Go for a nice cheap 12-month fix if you can. That way, you lock in the summer rate for a good few months. I wouldn’t go for more than that, as it’s likely that bills will come down a little in January. Of course, we don’t know what will happen geopolitically in the next year – if tensions between the West and Russia continue to worsen, we could find our bills going up again. We also don’t know the outcome of the General Election and how that could impact prices. For the moment, I’d say it’s safest to fix for 12 months and then see what happens.

How to Shop Around for Energy Deals

Your current supplier might already offer an ideal fixed term tariff, so that’s the best place to start. Existing customers may get preferential rates too, so log into your online account or call your provider to find out about your tariff options. Your supplier cannot tell you which the best rate is for your usage (as they could get in trouble if they advise incorrectly), but they can tell you about the options you have.

Make a note of the different rates for day and night (if they are there) as well as the standing charge. Check the term is for 12 months, too. Then shop around before you commit.

Research other providers by looking at their websites or using a comparison tool. There are sometimes switching incentives too. Remember that if you are on a fixed term contract already, there may be financial penalties to switch supplier. Some providers offer to cover these fees for you if you switch to them.

Next, look at your last year of bills to get an idea of your average usage across the year. This is important, because the cheaper summer months can be misleading if you use those to work out your annual bill. Look for the kW/h price as well as the standing charge. Work out how many kW/h you used in the last year by subtracting a meter reading from 12 months ago from one taken today. This will help you decide if a tariff switch is a better price across the year.

The post Start Looking for a Fix on Your Energy Prices NOW appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Buying a new car might seem like a costly venture – but there are several benefits that you need to weigh up first before making the decision. Reliability is the number one bonus of a new car – plus they often come with insurance, breakdown, and servicing costs bundled in for the first few years, which could save a lot of cash when it comes to running costs. Of course, buying a new car can mean a bigger upfront payment – but there are ways to save money on a new car purchase, too. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of buying a new car.

Pros of Buying a New Car

Cons of Buying a New Car

Are Grants Available for New Car Purchases?

How to Save with Scrappage Schemes

Finding Deals on a New Car with Motorfinity

Pros of Buying a New Car

When weighing up the initial cost of buying a new versus used car, it’s easy to look at the up front price and think the best deal is a used car. However, a new car can be surprisingly affordable with hire purchase and leasing options like those offered through Motorfinity. If you’re a member of the UK’s Armed Forces, Armed Forces Veterans, Emergency Services personnel, NHS staff, or part of the Education and Social Care sectors, you’re entitled to their exclusive discounts on brand new cars.

New cars will often come with warranties for repairs, several years’ worth of servicing included in the price, and sometimes insurance, road tax, or even fuel bundles to incentivise you to buy. It’s important that you work out how much each ‘extra’ like this would cost you if it weren’t bundled together, but it will usually be a significant saving. On some finance types and agreements, you can also change your car every few years (subject to the necessary checks) to ensure you always have an up-to-date and reliable vehicle for you and your family.

Peace of mind

You also get peace of mind with a new car. Not only does the warranty cover repairs if there is a mechanical or computer issue (i.e., not an issue caused by having an accident), it is far less likely to have any problems compared to a used car. The more miles a car has done in its lifetime, the more likely it is you could be faced with an unexpected, often large, repair bill.

New cars also have the latest in safety technology, so you can rest assured they are completely up to protecting you and your family. Older cars bought used also run the risk of being previously written off or having hidden damage from flooding or accidents, leaving the car less safe than you may think it is.

Finally, new cars also offer favourable options in terms of insurance and running costs, because a car that’s less likely to break down is an attractive option for insurers and breakdown services, while a smooth-running engine is as efficient as it can be.

Cons of Buying a New Car

Buying a new car isn’t for everyone, of course. You might feel the cost of a new car – even with buying schemes – outweighs what you can afford. Or, you may want to be able to own your car outright from the day you buy it – which, unless you have a large amount tucked away in your savings, isn’t possible.

A used car can be beneficial if you need a temporary vehicle while you save up for a new one – for example, if you’re family is about to expand with a new baby, your finances will be focused on planning for your new arrival. But your two-seater sports car won’t handle a buggy in the boot, so a temporary solution is a used car until you can afford a new car.

Used cars can also be good for people who don’t have a great credit score and find it difficult to get car finance loans or credit agreements. If you can’t make the monthly payments on a new car agreement, you could end up without a vehicle and in debt.

Finally, if you buy a new car outright it will almost immediately depreciate in value the second you drive it away from the dealership. A used car will also lower in value over time, but at a much slower rate, so if you’re planning to recoup some costs of your car purchase in a year or two, a used car might hold its value better than a brand new one.

Are Grants Available for New Car Purchases?

There are sometimes grants available to lower the cost of a vehicle, but at the time of writing these are thin on the ground. The Low Emission grant reduces the cost of new low emission vehicles, but this reduction is already included in the price rather than a grant provided to the buyer.

If you’re disabled and need an adapted car, the Motability Foundation charity can provide grants for things like advance payments for adapted leased cars or to pay for adaptations to your car. The costs of adapted vehicles vary widely, and can make what might seem like an affordable car become a very expensive one. These grants are designed to help mitigate the cost of adapting your car, with the aim of you never being out of pocket for your disability adaptations compared to someone who doesn’t need them. Motability is also a scheme for those who receive certain elements of Personal Independence Payment, which can help disabled people afford to buy or lease a new car.

Are Scrappage Schemes Worth It?

You might have seen scrappage schemes which offer cash or trade-in value for your old car in return for buying a new one. The Government ULEZ scrappage scheme is available to some people who live in London and want to change their petrol or diesel car for an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) compliant car.

There are lots of eligibility restrictions and the amount you get could be less than the value of your car, but it’s always worth looking at to do your sums in case it is a beneficial scheme for you. The ULEZ scrappage scheme currently offers up to £1,000 for eligible motorcycles, £2,000 for eligible cars, and £10,000 for wheelchair accessible vehicles.

If you’re in the market for a low emission vehicle, you’re usually much better off using discount services like Motorfinity to access purchase options for electric and hybrid vehicles on a lease arrangement.

How to Save When Buying a New Car

So, you’ve decided to buy a new car. What now – and how can you save on the purchase?

The Money Stuff

First of all, work out which type of car finance you want. Hire Purchase (HP) lets you pay an initial deposit with monthly payments that pay off the car so you own it at the end of the contract. A lease is like renting a car. You have no or a lower up-front payment and more affordable monthly fees than HP. You don’t own the car at the end, but that means you can easily renew a lease for a newer model when your contract is finished, trading in your three-year-old car for a brand new one to keep enjoying the safety, technology, and reliability benefits of a new car.

The third option is to get a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreement, where you pay a non-refundable deposit, monthly payments, and then at the end of the lease you decide whether to pay off the rest of the car in one go to own it outright, trading it for a new PCP contract, or return it to the dealership.

One of the best ways to save when buying a new car is to look at how much you can pay up front. The more you can afford to pay as an initial down payment, the better. You can then either shorten your lease length (often saving on interest fees) or take on much lower monthly payments.

Save More with Discount Services Like Motorfinity

It’s important to shop around and look for hidden discounts, too. Motorfinity offers discounts to key workers and defence staff, so if you’re a carer or a teacher or work in the NHS or armed forces, you could benefit from a significant discount on your new car.

You can also talk to dealerships to see what else they can offer when you’re buying a new car – whether that’s a reduction in the purchase price or including added extras like a fuel card, insurance, servicing or even customised elements of the car (like an upgraded SatNav) for free. This might not save you cash up front, but it’ll save you in the longer term.

Finally, if you already own a vehicle, part exchange can be a fantastic way to reduce the cost of buying a new car while also solving the problem of how to get rid of your old car. Part exchange means you will get a better deal on your new car as the value of the old one is offset against the price of the new one.

The post Pros and Cons of Buying a Brand New Car appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Why Do You Need an Accountability Buddy?

How to Find An Accountability Buddy

Setting Goals Together

Saving Money Together: Sharing Deals and Group Buys

Stop Impulsive Spending

Reward Yourselves for Success

Why Do You Need a Financial Accountability Buddy?

If you know you’re bad with money, there is an obvious reason to find moral support with someone who understands your difficulties. However, even if you think you’re quite financially responsible, you could find that there are ways you could be making or saving more money if you look at your financial life through someone else’s eyes.

No matter where you are in life with your savings, investments, spending and debts, a fresh pair of eyes on your situation could help you spot so many more ways you could improve your finances. An accountability buddy is NOT a replacement for independent financial advice – they are more for moral support, to help you through the difficult times of adjusting to living with a new budget or finding new ways to save money, for example. They’re there for emotional support as much as they are to find deals you can split to save money together!

How to Find an Accountability Buddy

This isn’t a formal arrangement, but you do need to have someone you trust. A partner, family member, or close friend is often better – unless money is a frequent arguing point between you. Some people prefer to have a total stranger to discuss things with – obviously, never ever EVER share your bank details or specific financial details with strangers or, in fact, anyone. However, if you want to keep your goals quiet from your friends and family, turn to social media. There are plenty of forums out there on which you can create an anonymous account and find accountability groups or individuals.

When it comes to sharing information, you can be specific about your overall goals but vague about what you share for accountability. For example, you could say “I want to pay off £3,000 on my credit card and save £5,000 by 2025”. What you share in terms of how you achieve that can be vague: “I made a credit card payment over the minimum today.” This helps you stay accountable without opening you up to risk of being scammed.

It’s important to find a buddy who has similar circumstances to you. It makes you more relatable to each other which means you can give each other authentic support. It can be hard for a stock market pro wanting to invest a spare £25,000 to relate to someone who wants to save their first £500 after graduating university. Life circumstances matter, too. Parents will understand the unique costs that come with having children, while new graduates will understand what it’s like trying to save money while in their first low income job.

The most important two rules are:

1. You must trust each other, and
2. You must be honest with each other.

There is no point having an accountability buddy that you can’t tell the truth to. If you haven’t saved your goal this month, or if you bought that fancy shampoo instead of the pound shop one, you need to be able to talk about it openly and without judgement.

Setting Goals Together

The first step of working with your financial accountability buddy is to decide what your goals are. You each might have different goals and that’s OK – but it’s important you share them with each other. This will help you keep each other on track.

Make your goals specific with milestones to achieve. For example: “I want to save more money” is vague. You could save £1 more than last year and technically have achieved your goal! Instead, try goals such as:

• “I want to reduce my debt by £5,000 this year”
• “I need to save £10,000 in my house deposit account by January 2026”
• “I want to cut my non essential spending by £200 a month”
• “I need to stick to a budget of £500 a month (after paying rent/mortgage)”
• “I will do a no-spend year/six months/month”
• “I will learn about ETFs and invest £250 every eight weeks”

Then break down these goals further. If you need to reduce your debt by £5,000, for example, that’s paying off £417 a month. Some months that might not be possible and other months you will have more spare cash to pay off debts. So, “I will pay at least £400 a month towards my debts” is a goal that is measurable by both time and amount. This makes it easier to track your successes and also to see where you could still improve.

Saving Money Together

The great thing about accountability buddies or groups is that you can all take advantage of money saving opportunities together. Couponing is huge in the United States, for example. People will let others know where to find the best coupons and how to stack deals to save the most money.

Another way is making the most of group discounts. If you and your accountability buddy need the same thing, buy in bulk and share it. This might mean going to a wholesaler together like Costco and saving on the wholesale discounts there, or joining group-buying sites to take advantage of online group discounts.

Stop Impulse Spending

Many of us have things we can’t help spending our money on, even when our budget is tight. You can’t resist that Friday night takeaway each week. You’ve seen a hat to add to your collection. The latest Xbox game is out. You definitely need another candle. Things like this – when we find reasons for spending on unnecessary things – are where an accountability buddy can help.

If you feel like you might make an impulsive purchase, stop. Reach out to your buddy and tell them what you want to buy. Tell them why – and if there is no good reason, tell them that, too. Spending impulsively is just as much an emotional act as a practical one. Do not make that purchase until your buddy replies.

Sometimes, you still might go ahead when you have talked it over with them. This doesn’t mean you have failed. It means you have truly considered whether you actually need this item or just want it. That is the first step to working towards financial stability. Learning how to overcome impulse spending is a lot like following a diet: it’s tempting to say ‘oh well I’ve had a piece of cake, I might as well eat another”. In reality, you should say: “that slice of cake was delicious, and now I am back to my healthy eating meal plans.” Your buddy can help you change the way you think about impulse spending.

Reward Yourselves for Success

The reward is achieving your goals. You’ll end your year with debts paid off and spare money in the bank! However, it can feel like a real slog if all you’re doing is saving every penny and not enjoying life in the meantime.

When you set your goals with your accountability buddy, make sure you include milestones that are important. When you have paid off 50% of your debt goal, for example, go out for dinner together. Or, if you want to be money saving in your reward, check out free things to do together!

Setting rewards as well as the final goal will make a huge difference to staying motivated when things get hard. Celebrating together with your buddy will help you stay motivated together, and cheer each other on when it’s a tougher time of year (hello, Christmas, we’re looking at you).

The post Can An Accountability Buddy Make You Rich? appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Why Money Could Be Owed

The USwitch Survey Results

How to Claim Your Money Back

Should You Claim Your Energy Refund?

What to Do If You’re in Energy Debt

Why You Could Be Owed

The last few years have seen energy prices go through the roof – but they are finally starting to come down. However, when they were on the rise, most energy suppliers increased direct debits for customers to make sure the higher costs of winter months would be covered.

Now, millions of people are owed an energy refund from their supplier because they have built up hundreds of pounds in credit they don’t need. The reason for this is two-fold: first, many direct debits were raised and over-estimated, meaning you could have been paying way more than you needed to, to cover the winter heating and electric bills. This can happen every year, especially if you rely on mostly estimated readings from your supplier.

However, the second reason is more surprising: as the cost of living crisis hit everyone, we all became a lot more aware about ways to save energy in the home – and as we had a particularly mild winter, many of us used our central heating a lot less than usual, too. So, while we were paying more than we needed to for our direct debits, we were also using less energy than usual which reduced bills further.

The Annual Bill Cycle

Typically, May is around the time households should have around a zero credit build-up in their energy account. This is because of the cycle of energy usage and direct debits. Your direct debit is the same amount each month, even though you don’t use that much every month. In the spring and summer, your energy costs are lower. This means you’ll build credit in your account through these months. That credit then gets used up as your winter bills increase with central heating and extra use of appliances like tumble dryers, so by early spring the credit should be levelled out.

However, this year, millions of households have saved more energy AND built up extra credit with their energy supplier because of higher direct debits throughout the last year or so – which means they’re entering the ‘zero’ months of early spring with a significant chunk of cash already built up against their energy bills for the summer.

The USwitch Survey Results

Comparison website USwitch conducted a survey of 16 MILLION energy customers and their accounts, and the results are eye opening. The average household has a credit built up with their energy supplier of £210.08. This varies a lot between regions and households, though – Newcastle has the highest average of £315.58 built up, while five per cent (that’s 800,000 households) have over £500 sitting in their energy account.

In fact, the total amount held of customers’ money held by energy suppliers is around THREE BILLION pounds. Yes, billion. However, what is interesting is that industry regulator Ofgem say this is also around the same amount of debt owed by customers – which could put the industry on shaky ground. However, customer payments should be ‘ringfenced’, which means your money must be returnable to you.

How to Claim Your Money Back

Energy suppliers should return your spare credit to you – but it can take a bit of arguing. The first step is to make a simple request to your supplier – many have a contact email address on their website. It is always best to communicate with your energy supplier in writing, in case you need to take a complaint to the Ombudsman (Ofgem) at a later date.

You might reach an agreement with your supplier to leave a small amount of credit in your account – for example, if you have built £300 credit, you could arrange a £250 refund, leaving £50 in your account. This gives you peace of mind, too. However, you can request it all back if you want it.

If your supplier doesn’t reply to your request or refuses, escalate it as a complaint. They have 8 weeks from the date of your complaint to resolve the matter – and if you still don’t have your refund, you can take it to the Energy Ombudsman who have the power to force the supplier to return your money.

When you raise a complaint with the Ombudsman, you’ll be asked for evidence of your attempt to resolve it with the supplier first – which is why getting everything in writing is ideal. Then, you’ll need to write details of your complaint. It doesn’t need to be reams and reams for something like an energy refund – in fact, you could use this exact wording and fill in the bits in brackets with your own details if you like:

“On (date you requested the refund), I requested the refund of (amount of credit), with my account currently in credit by (total amount of credit on your account). They have (not replied/refused). I wish to access (amount of credit) and request the Ombudsman intervene to return my funds.”

That’s it!

Should You Claim an Energy Refund?

There are reasons both to claim your energy refund and also to leave the account in credit.

You should claim if:

• You don’t plan to move house soon
• There is a significant excess (such as over £200) and you want a partial refund
• You’re in temporary significant financial difficulty

You shouldn’t claim if:

• You want to have lower bills for the rest of the year (you can amend your direct debit and use up your credit)
• You’re in financial difficulty that could last several months (energy bills must be paid so keeping your account in credit could avoid energy debt)
• You’re planning to switch energy supplier soon (wait until you have switched)
• You’re planning to move house soon (different houses use varied amounts of energy so your bills could change – and you might need to switch supplier)

If you decide to keep your credit in your account, make sure you lower your direct debit bill to as little as possible (and remember to put it up again before you run out of credit). This will stop you from adding to the credit and losing money you don’t need to pay out.

What To Do If You Are In Energy Debt

While there are millions of households in credit, unfortunately there are further millions struggling to pay their energy bills. The same survey mentioned above also revealed around four million households owe an average of £194 in energy debt.

If you’re struggling to pay your energy bills, don’t fret – there are things you can do. We’ve created a guide to help you tackle energy debt and make sure it doesn’t have a long-term impact on your finances or your mental health.

The post Are You Owed Hundreds of Pounds in an Energy Refund? appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Yes, that’s correct: save £68 and try loads of new products as well as get your faves.

This incredible offer includes a huge range of items, from the Cien Myramaze Premium Day Cream and Night Cream (£7.49 each) to facial scrubs and cleansers, even fragrance such as the Eau de Parfum for Men in Deep (usually £5.65). More than that, other beauty products are included such as a quartz facial roller, diffusers, and makeup wipes, too.

To top is all off, this is a charity box – so proceeds go to Lidl’s charity partner, NSPC.

Nab this amazing bargain by logging on to lidlbeautybox.co.uk from 10am tomorrow (Thursday 9th May 2024).

The post Lidl Launch £2 Beauty Box With £70 Worth of Beauty Items! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Trick One: Introductory Discounts

Trick Two: Subscription Models 

Trick Three: Free Gifts

Trick Four: More Items, More Discount

Trick Five: Scarcity Illusion

Save With Delivery Passes

Look for Comparison Websites

Get Group Discounts

Search for Discount Codes

Use a Cashback Site

Online Retailer Trick: Introductory Discounts

How many times have you visited a website for the first time, to get pestered by a pop-up advocating a 10% discount on your first purchase? And how many times have you signed up to the newsletter to get your discount?

Not only are you likely to find bigger discount codes for the same site online, the discount also won’t apply to things like sale items or multibuy offers. So, you’ll add things to your cart and not necessarily realise they aren’t being discounted when you check out.

Signing up to newsletters can be a good way to spot upcoming deals but only from retailers that you know you like and will shop regularly from for your essentials or as somewhere you like to buy gifts from. Otherwise, you’ll be on the receiving end of lots of emails promoting things you don’t actually want or need – but their limited time discounts for newsletter subscribers can look so tempting…

Only sign up to receive a newsletter once you have used an online retailer more than once and have been happy with their service. Otherwise, it’s easy to get sucked in to deals for things you weren’t planning to buy in the first place!

Trick Two: Membership Subscription Models

This is a particularly big one for womenswear, for some reason. Fabletics is a great example – their introductory offer is two pairs of leggings for £24, instead of around £70 each. Sounds like a bargain, right? Except, you’re also signing on to pay for a monthly ‘membership’ that gives you access to unique prices. Memberships for websites like this can easily be £40 a month – and they might say that includes a ‘free’ item of clothing each month or ‘huge discounts’ on their usual prices. However, unless you’re in constant need of athletic gear or want to buy a bra every month (Shapermint, we’re looking at you), it’s not worth the price.

Play the game by signing up and getting your two pairs for £24 (or whatever the subscription introductory offer is for the online retailer you’re looking at) and then CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP as soon as your order arrives. Always check the fine print too – make sure you’re not getting yourself into an annual membership contract before you place an order.

Trick Three: Free Gifts and Free Delivery

This is as common a trick in real life as it is for online retailers. You’re encouraged to spend over a certain amount in one shop to qualify for a ‘free’ gift. Usually, this does not work out as value for money!

The only times these offers work is when you were planning to spend that amount anyway, and the ‘gift’ is something you would use anyway (or can use for a present for someone else). A good example of where this can work is with Boots around Christmas time. They will run the ‘Buy Two, Get One Free’ model on many of their gift ranges. If you’re buying Christmas presents anyway, this can be a way to save money.

But if you don’t actually want that makeup set ‘Worth £70’ or similar, think twice about spending more money just to receive it. These free gift values are also usually based on the full size version of cosmetics (as an example) rather than the sample size, which is only evident in the fine print.

Free delivery tricks

Free delivery is also a culprit in this online retailer trick. How many times have you decided to add one more item to your shopping basket just to qualify for free delivery – but the item cost more than the delivery fee? This is, for some reason, an easy mental trick to play on ourselves, because we see delivery as a service and the extra item as a physical thing. So, it feels like it’s value for money when we receive an extra item than we’d planned to buy, even if it cost us more.

There are two easy ways around this: first, don’t bump up your order price just to qualify for free delivery (unless it is with items you want and use regularly). Second, Google ‘Retailer + free delivery code’ to find a free delivery discount voucher to apply to your basket to save money.

Trick Four: More Items, More Discount

The mentality behind this online retailer trick is similar to that of ‘buy one, get one free’: the discount is only worth it if you want and use the items enough to warrant buying more of them.

This is a particular trick (or some might say, scam) for online retailers selling via social media platforms like Instagram. It’s very easy to click on the social post, go to the shop – an untried, untested, never heard of before retailer – and see a deal that says something like: “£15 for one, £25 for two, £30 for three”. But do you really need three knee massagers? Probably not. And, not only is this a buying trick, it can lead you to spending more money with scammers that won’t send you the item or process a refund.

The way to beat this trick is twofold: only visit legitimate online websites, rather than those through social media posts. Check online reviews of the stores too – independent review sites, not the ‘five star review’ testimonials anyone can make up and put on their own website. Secondly, only get multi-item discounts if you know you want and need the item. It would be prudent to order just one item the first time to try it out, and then if you like it you can re-order in multiples.

Trick Five: Scarcity Illusion

BUY IT NOW! 24 HOURS ONLY! How many times have you seen this on an online retailer website? Often accompanied by a ticking clock counting down to when the exclusive offer ends. If you log back on in two days’ time, chances are you’ll see the same offer still going.

The scarcity illusion is used by retailers all over the world, both in real stores and online. It drives the part of our brain that is also responsible for FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) – we can’t miss the chance to get the thing at a great price. In reality, things are usually not ‘last chance’ or ‘last ones left’, as this is a selling tactic.

The exception is with seasonal sales from reputable retailers, where you would expect to see your clothing size run out or a popular gift item on a 24-hour special before a holiday like Christmas. These are still selling tactics, but more likely to be a way to genuinely save on an item.

Once again, the trick here is to recognise if you actually need (not want) the item in question. Would you pay full price for it? If not, why not? (Another trick you’ll see is a ridiculously inflated price before the ‘mega discount’ – if you wouldn’t pay the inflated price, it’s because you know the item isn’t worth it, and so the discount isn’t a saving anyway).

Retail expert Stephanie Hood from TheCMO.com says: “Beat the brands at their own game. If you have the patience, try adding items to your shopping cart and then leaving the website. Within hours, it’s likely you’ll receive an email nudging you back with a small discount. Retailers know that once you’ve shown interest in a product, you’re more likely to buy if you feel you’re getting a deal. This strategy effectively turns browsers into buyers by exploiting a common weakness—the fear of missing out.”

Save With Delivery Passes

The first way to beat online retailers at their sneaky games is to join them: many will offer an annual pass that is a one-off payment and covers all delivery (next day is usually included) for a single fee between £10-£20. If you have a particular favourite clothing retailer, for example, and you’re likely to order more than twice a year from them, a delivery pass can save you money. The same goes for supermarket deliveries – if you’re always getting your groceries delivered, a pass can save a lot across the course of a year.

Use Comparison Websites

We’ve all heard of a certain meerkat related comparison site, but did you know there are online tools to help you find the cheapst price for the item you’re looking for?

CamelCamelCamel is a reputable site that can track the price of any item on Amazon. Set alerts for price drops and also track the price history to see if you are actually getting a good deal or if it’s been falsely inflated prior to the ‘discount’ period.

PriceRunner, PriceSpy UK and Idealo are all price comparison sites for thousands of items, so you can find the online retailer offering the best discount on the product you’re after. This is a great way to save with your online shopping, even though it takes just a few minutes longer, as the website does the legwork for you.

Get Group Discounts

Did you know that you can buy online with strangers to save money? It’s true – and it’s legitimate! Just as we have co-ops in real life for things like buying heating oil in bulk to reduce the overall price, and splitting the cost with your neighbours, you can do similar online. We have a whole article about it here.

Search for Discount Codes

Before you buy anything online, add everything you want to your basket and then open a new tab. Search ‘Retailer discount code’ and check out the offerings available. Click on the code to copy it and paste in the ‘promotional code or voucher’ box at checkout. You might have to try a few different ones to find one that works, but it can save you a lot of time.

Try an internet browser extension that will find codes for you to save the legwork, such as Honey which is operated by PayPal.

If you’re a regular customer at a retailer, you can also create an account, fill your basket, and then abandon it. Many online retailers will send you an email in a few hours’ time asking if you found everything you wanted, and include a discount code to entice you back. This is a less common approach than it used to be, as retailers have cottoned on to the fact customers do this, but it’s worth a try if you can’t find any valid online discount codes.

Use a Cashback Site

We love cashback sites like TopCashBack and Quidco, because it’s a way to get a little something back each time you spend online. The great thing is that they will often have exclusive discount codes for you to use which means you’ll still qualify for cashback AND get an immediate discount on your purchase.

Remember that if you shop via a cashback site and use a discount code that’s not approved by them, you might not qualify for cashback. So, it’s worth weighing up the cashback amount versus the discount percentage if you’re using an off-site discount code. For example, if you found a 5% discount code but could get 10% cashback, it makes more sense to not use the code and claim the cashback. But if you found a 10% discount code and only get 5% cashback, it’s worth using both (and risking not getting the cashback).

The post Five Sneaky Online Retailer Tricks to Avoid appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

We all love hot deals but sometimes it can be hard to get what we want at a discount price. Enter the world of group-buying sites. It’s a way of getting a discount when a large number of people commit to the sale. There are loads of websites that organise these discounts and send them straight to your inbox. All you have to do is pick the deal.

Here’s all you need to know about how group-buying deals work.

• What are group-buying deals?
• What deals can you get?
• Are they genuine?
• How do you use the sites?
• Which group-buying sites should you join?
• Are they worth it?

Did you know about our fab article on Luxury for less? It’s packed with links to sites where you can enjoy a decadent lifestyle on a budget. You’ll find everything from five-star holidays to gorgeous designer lingerie.

What are group-buying sites?

Group-buying sites are basically discount websites. If you sign up, you get deals on pretty much everything – from theatre shows, to meals out at swanky restaurants and even health spa breaks.

Simply sign up to get their emailed offers. Sometimes they’re daily deals, sometimes just a couple of times a week, depending on the company. Then if enough people sign up to the offer, it’ll go ahead. If not, the deal gets cancelled. So if there’s a deal you really want, it might help to invite some friends to make up the numbers.

These sites can offer discount deals by means of the power of the group-buying strategy. In the same way that restaurants may provide a discount on a meal for a large party, certain companies will provide a discount on their services if the sites get enough people signed up to the deal. As they’re guaranteed the custom, companies are happy to offer a discount.

Currently the sites only organise deals within large cities (London obviously, but some of them also do other places like Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh). They separate their deals by city so you can search for the ones nearest you. As there’s usually a new offer every day, you’re likely find something you’re interested in at least once a month.

What deals can you get?

Many sites offer a ‘deal of the day’ along with longer-running offers. You’ll be surprised at the range of deals. Pretty much anything and everything will feature at some time or another.

Theatre trips, restaurant meals, vouchers for concerts and discounted hair and beauty treatments are pretty common. But you’ll also find things like hot air balloon trips, golf tutoring, dental treatments, photographic prints, paintball sessions, photoshoots, chocolate-making classes, car valets and dancing classes!

Are group-buying sites genuine?

Yes. Certainly the ones we have included in this article are. The reason they can offer such good deals is not just that they use the power of group-buying (although that’s the main one). It’s really because there are loads of restaurants, spas, beauticians and the like that really need the custom. The credit crunch has been (and continues to be) very tough on a lot of businesses and many are looking around for ways to get more ‘bums on seats’.

As you’re already aware, many restaurants, attractions and luxury businesses have been doing 2-for-1 offers, discount vouchers, money-off deals etc for a while to entice us through their doors. This is another way that they can guarantee themselves a load more customers. In many cases it’s worth their while offering deals where profit is minimal or even make a loss on the deal. Once they get you in they’ll do their very best to cross sell to you (offer you other things that you’ll need to pay full price for) or upsell to you (try to get you to go for a more expensive deal instead).

Be aware that you might get this when you take up the deal. Try not to be sold to and you’ll save more money.

How do you use the group-buying sites?

Every site runs in a similar way. To take advantage of the deals, first of all you have to become a member and sign up. It’s a free process. So long as you don’t mind getting extra emails every day, it’s probably worth signing up for all of them as they all come up with different deals.

Most sites will let you view deals without signing up first so you get an idea of what they offer. Others require you to set up a membership first.

When the deals come into your inbox, you can just scan them and decide whether you’re interested or not. All deals have a time limit in which to buy them – usually that day. So you need to make sure you subscribe to the purchase before the time runs out.

Most sites will allow you to pay by credit or debit card, or by PayPal. You’ll need to enter these details when you sign up as payment is automatic once the number of buyers has been reached.

You’ll only be charged for the deal once it has met the required minimum number of sales. In other words, if enough people sign up to it then the deal goes through and you’ll be charged. You’ll find out (probably the next day) if that has happened. If the deal doesn’t reach the number, it’ll be cancelled and you won’t be charged.

Once the deal closes, you’ll be sent a printable voucher for your offer via email which you can then redeem. Don’t forget that most offers have an expiry date. Also, most require you to make a booking or reservation.

Which group-buying sites should you join?

Group-buying is becoming hugely popular and there are now loads of sites you can use. We’ve compiled some short reviews of some of the better-known ones to let you know their pros and cons and what they can offer.

Best for homeware

The MoneyMagpie readers are really keen on Dealtastic. They mainly offer limited time-only deals so you’ve got to be quick.

Dealtastic have some fab offers on lovely homeware items such as cool retro clocks for your kitchen and energy-saving products to dramatically reduce your electricity and water bills. In these hard times, we could all use a bit of help there!

If you narrowly miss out on a fab offer, don’t despair. Dealtastic have a new deal every single day!

MoneyMagpie rating: ****

Best for luxury holidays

Voyage Prive

Voyage Prive is a free members-only site offering hand-picked luxury holidays discounted by up to 70%. Holidays range from world-class spa breaks to all-inclusive exotic island retreats, with every holiday being 4* or 5* bliss and relaxation! Fresh deals are added on a weekly basis. But they don’t stick around for long.

So sign up to enjoy fabulous once-in-a-lifetime holidays with Voyage Prive.

MoneyMagpie rating: ****

Best for theatre and cinema

• Groupon

Groupon is a firm MoneyMagpie favourite. It promotes the best deals from across the UK depending on the location you select. The site has great offers on things to see, do and eat as well as more unusual deals such as cosmetic surgery discounts.

Groupon focuses on one main offer but it’s always worth checking the ‘more deals’ section where you’ll find some real gems.

Once you’ve signed up to Groupon – for free – you can recommend as many friends as you like. If any of them go on to sign up, you’ll get £6 for each one who does. The money will be credited to your account so you can use it towards your next purchase on the site.

MoneyMagpie rating: ****

Sign Up – Newsletter

Best for health & beauty

Treatwell

Treatwell specialises in health and beauty deals. You’ll find offers such as facials, massage, manicures, spa breaks, haircuts and all sorts of weird and wonderful beauty treatments.

The fantastic thing about it is that it also offers free deals – like gym passes, personal training sessions, pilates and reflexology sessions and even burlesque dance classes! There’s a whole range of free offers but be careful what you go for – a lot of them are simply consultations for things like botox, teeth whitening and cosmetic surgery. You’re not going to get your fine lines removed for free.

You can search for deals in your region by clicking on the map if the daily deal doesn’t take your fancy. The site also offers spa breaks in France and Italy but these are more holiday bookings than discount deals, so stick to the UK for the real bargains. You can, however, use the site as a how-to health and beauty guide. Got a question? Post it online and you’ll be notified by email when another user offers their advice.

As with Groupon, each deal is timed and the site will announce when the deal has tipped. You can’t refer friends though, so you’re really counting on others buying the deal as well.

MoneyMagpie rating: ***

Best for days out

Wowcher

Wowcher features some really nice deals and a good range of fun things. These include spa breaks, paintballing, afternoon teas, meals out, museum trips, beauty treatments, cinema tickets and more. The chances are you’ll come across something that appeals. They’re particularly strong on days out and attractions, so it’s a great site if you’re looking for a weekend activity.

Every day the website runs one new deal which is sent to your inbox. They don’t offer any incentives (i.e. money) for you getting a bunch of your friends to join, but then the more people that buy the deal the more likely it is to go ahead, so you’re still on to a winner. The website for this one is also excellent. It presents the deals clearly, with good descriptions of what will happen on the day. You can read reviews of past deals to get a feel for whether or not the company offers good experiences. Again, though, make sure you book quickly, as all the previous deals we viewed had expired so there’s no real chance of you bagging a last-minute bargain.

MoneyMagpie rating: ***

Are group-buying sites worth it?

If you like to grab a bargain, these sites are definitely worth a go. The good thing is that new deals are added every day but you’re not overloaded with offers. You shouldn’t be tempted to sign up to too many than are good for you.

Don’t sign up to an offer just because it’s offering a good discount, though. Half price off a skydiving session sounds great but if you’re afraid of heights it’s just a waste of money. And keep in mind that you’ll be charged as soon as the offer reaches its minimum number of buyers. Only commit to the offer if you’re happy to pay for it.

Don’t be put off by the fact that you have to register your payment details in order to take advantage of any deals. Your information is safe. If you encounter any problems, just deactivate your account immediately.

There’s always the chance that a deal will be cancelled. Increase your chances of it going ahead – and make some money with some of the sites – by referring friends to the deals.

If you’re worried about getting hoards of emails in your inbox every day, set up a separate account (say a free one with Hotmail or Yahoo) and use that for your deals. Just remember, that most deals only last for that day so if you don’t get to it in time you could miss it.

All in all, group-buying sites are a goldmine for bargain hunters. We recommend that you sign up to all of them to get your choice of great offers every day.

If you like the sound of group-buying sites, you’ll love our article on cashback sites! You could redeem hundreds of pounds every year by shopping through them.

We love hearing from you. If you’ve managed to grab yourself some hot deals from group-buying sites, let us know on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

The post Get hot deals with group-buying sites appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Having been working for MoneyMagpie for 10 years now, the financial impact of this decision my partner and I have made has always weighed very heavy on my mind. Every parent knows having children is not cheap, so it’s vital that you get the best quality equipment for the best price possible.

And, indeed, what shocked me was the amount of things I needed to get in advance of having the child – you need a car seat installed, a pram ready to go, bottles ready to feed etc.

So, to help those like myself who are complete novices to the baby-raising game, I put a call out for products I could review to help give our readers a sense of how these things work and how these individual items compare.

I’m going to be adding to this article as I go because some of it only really becomes useful when the baby is born, but I’ve put together some thoughts below and will continue to expand with new items and new thoughts as my journey continues.

Inglesina Aptica XT

Since launching in the UK five years ago, leading Italian pram and travel system brand, Inglesina, has seen a rapid rise in popularity.  Inglesina is a family-run business that puts baby wellness at the forefront of what they do.

I got a chance to review the Inglesina upgraded Aptica XT model, which was released in early 2024, and it surpassed my expectations.

And don’t get me wrong, I had high expectations. Inglesina are one of the few brands who build the model in Italy itself, and the prams are made by hand, and checked by hand and machine.

I also knew the pre-existing model had already won numerous awards – including from Dadsnet, Made for Mums, Junior Design Awards and Project Baby -but the upgraded model improves on things further. Let’s go over the various elements to find out what makes the Aptica XT so special.

Wheels – The wheels are sturdy, puncture proof and built for all terrain. There is the option for different suspension depending on the type of walk you’re embarking on. Whether going for a town walk or a bumpy trek through woodland, the Aptica XT is built to handle it all. The wheels can also be removed to be cleaned – some silicone spray every six weeks should do the trick.

Carrycot and Welcome Pad – The Aptica XT also boasts a revolutionary and large carrycot, with a Welcome Pad mattress and an inclining base. The carrycot is lined with bamboo velvet and the base has plenty of ventilation to make sure your little one doesn’t overheat. The bamboo fibre helps prevent flat-head syndrome and is designed to ensure all pressure points are protected.

The ability to raise the Welcome Pad has been a lifesaver when my baby has had reflux. A small raise, with full supervision, makes sure my baby can sleep comfortably whilst also being upright enough to aid digestion.

Car seat – The car seat can be taken on and off the pram base with ease and comes with a full rotational base. You can recline the car seat so baby is laying flatter, which is preferable if they’ll be in the car seat for a while, and it’s easy to check it’s safely installed when inserting into the car.

Other benefits of the Aptica XT include a new, padded stroller seat offering a lighter, double breathable mesh layer to enable air circulation in the summer, and a padded Comfort Cover to protect against the cold in the winter. There’s also a stand you can put the carrycot on, so you can have that ready for when you’re bringing the pram in, take off the carrycot, pop it on the stand, and leave the pram in the hallway – all without waking little one up.

The pram is very easy to fold and unfold – which clearly marked buttons, and there’s even a little cup holder to attach to the frame.

At £1,695, it’s at the higher price end of the market, but if you’re looking to spend a fair chunk on a pram, then the Inglesina Aptica XT is well-worth considering. I’m over-the-moon with it.

Didofy stargazer bundle

This Stargazer Bundle is designed for effortless practicality and sustainable style, and is a premium multi-terrain travel system.

This 11-piece bundle offers incredible comfort, safety, ease and practicality for your family, all for the very reasonable price of £799.

We were lucky enough to get a sample to review, and it exceeded our expectations for a travel system in this price-range.

The key features include:

GravityFold – using innovative technology, the Stargazer can be folded and unfolded with one hand. Admittedly it takes a little getting used to before you’re able to do it one-handed (it took both hands and a bit of working out initially!), but once you get used to it, it couldn’t be simpler.

Sustainable – Now this we really love! The Stargazer’s fabrics are made exclusively from traceable, sustainable recycled PET bottles. 92 recycled PET bottles go into each stroller, and 73 per carrycot, whilst still giving the system that high quality, comfortable feel. What’s great is it still feels high-end – I think there can be the association that something recycled means compromising on the look or feel, but not at all. This feels high-end, the recycling element really just is a bonus.

All-Terrain – using the Didofy advanced four wheel suspension and All-Terrain tyres, the Stargazer is suitable for both rural and urban living.

Collapsible Carrycot – the quick and easy ‘two click’ foldable carrycot saves space at home and in the car boot. Suitable for overnight sleep, and featuring a rocking base to soothe and comfort little ones. This is a really nice touch because some travel systems don’t include this, particularly in this price range.

Pros

• Easy-to-use
• It looks really nice
• Being made recycled PET bottles is such a nice touch
• Wheels are a really decent size and feel very sturdy across a range-of terrains
• Drink holder is a nice touch
• Very reasonably priced
• Comes with everything you need (including a car seat)

Cons

• For those with tiny car boots (like mine), it can still be a struggle to squeeze into the car without taking off the wheels
• Car seat doesn’t have I-360 base

Leona² Luxe from Maxi Cosi

The Leona² Luxe is a special edition pushchair and is part of the Luxe collection with premium and stylish finishing and fabrics.

I’ve got to be honest, I’m not a confident parker and so the cars I own tend to be on the smaller side. Most of the time this isn’t an issue, but when it comes to fitting a pram into my boot…well, that can be a problem. A lot of prams take up quite a bit of space!

Thankfully, Maxi Cosi have me covered with this pushchair, which can be folded down and easily fit into a small little boot like mine. The compact size also makes it ideal for travel, and can be stored in a travel bag.

The ultra-compact Leona² Luxe is also designed for comfort with its bigger puncture-proof wheels, super-absorbent suspension, uber-comfy seating and an extended canopy.

Obviously there is a bit of a trade-off – a smaller pram with smaller wheels can’t quite compete with the bigger models when it comes to trickier terrain – but when it comes to generally getting about, it does the trick.

It also is easy-to fold, has a reversible seat with height adjustable backrest and can be used from birth to 4 years old.

For just £399.99 it’s not as expensive as some of its chunkier competitors. If you’re like me and don’t have a huge amount of space for an all-terrain pushchair, the Leona² Luxe is worth looking into.

Air purifier

With all the news around air pollution, it’s not surprised that more parents are considering an air purifier for their child’s room.

We were lucky enough to sample The Purification Pal from Solenco UK. One of the first thing we noticed was the low running costs (uses just 30-45w) and filters that last for 4,320 hours, making it a great solution for health conscious parents keen to give their baby the best start in life.

With a 4-stage purification system the Purification Pal captures up to 99.975% of particles/allergens, helping to protect little ones from respiratory illnesses and bugs and making sleep for parents that little bit easier!

We’ve seen loads of parent reviews saying they’ve noticed a real difference with their child’s chest conditions since purchasing a Solenco air purifier, so that’s a really encouraging sign it’s doing the job!

The air purifier has a timer, a soft night light (perfect for night feeding), four speed settings and low noise output (vital at night when you don’t want to wake the little one), so it’s a great companion for a nursery. It also has fun interchangeable and reusable animal face stickers which is a lovely way to personalise it, and lots of fun for perhaps an older sibling, or the baby when it is a little older!

And at £69.99 on Amazon, it’s not a massive outlay either.

EZVIZ BM1 Baby Monitor

The EZVIZ BM1 Baby Monitor is the latest innovation from EZVIZ.  The BM1 transforms advanced camera and AI technology into a visually pleasant, user-friendly and baby-safe helper that simplifies daily parenting tasks.  The camera sends immediate notifications when it detects crying.  It also has out-of-crib alerts and baby activity detection (powered by human shape algorithm).  The monitor also auto-plays soothing music and has clear night vision without a visible red light.  The camera has a view from anywhere and there is also a hear and talk function, enabling a parent to communicate with the baby from another part of the home. The BM1 is easy to set up, has an all-night battery and supports microSD cards. It is also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

The EZVIZ BM1 comes in two colour versions, pink with bunny ears and blue with teddy bear ears.  It is made with baby-safe non-toxic silicone and no sharp edges and with 100% wire-free setup, the Baby Monitor 1 keeps curious hands or walking toddlers away from dangerous cords. The monitor can be clipped to a cot or crib with an adjustable bracket and can also be removed from the bracket and placed on a table near a play area or similar. It is also perfect for taking on a trip or for a stay-over with the grandparents.

For me personally, having that peace of mind to know if anything is wrong, I’ll be immediately notified, is so reassuring and makes sleeping that bit easier.

Available from Amazon for £99.99 and EZVIZ for £129.99, currently £99.99

Breast pump

The V2 wearable breast pump is a great option for achieving your breastfeeding goals. Weighing only 120g each, it is lightweight and portable. With a large suction -288（±5) mmHg, it offers better suction than one-piece breast pumps and better mobility than traditional two-sided pumps. Its close-fitting design provides maximum comfort and doesn’t require hand support, making it ideal for on-the-go mums.

The pump retails at £199.99, so it’s a relatively substantial purchase. If you’re still pregnant, it’s possible you might not need a pump, but for many mothers the help it offers is invaluable.

It’s early days for me yet, so we haven’t had a chance to trial out the pump, but I’ll be feeding back as soon as I have.

Sienna Twist

The Amana Sienna Twist boasts unbeatable safety, comfort, and adaptability. In fact, it’s so good, your child can use it from birth all the way to 12 years old (which is a great way to save money in the long-term.)

The soft bamboo newborn insert gives your baby the coziest welcome, ensuring comfort during the early months.

It’s key features include:

• A 360 swivel base – it makes accessing the seat super-easy, and doesn’t requite you to contort your body
• Side Protection System – which gives you peace of mind knowing there is extra protection for your child
• ISOFIX system for easy install – I’m not a natural when it comes to installing things like car seats, but the ISOFIX system makes things so much simpler.
• Made from sustainable material – which is always a great added bonus.

At £199.99, it’s a high-end product, without a hefty price tag.

Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence.

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Previously, Monzo had two paid-for plans: Plus and Premium, at £5 and £15 respectively. Paid bank accounts might not suit everyone, but they can offer a number of perks that save you more than the monthly fee each month. To acknowledge that not everyone wants (or can afford) a higher-cost £15 account, Monzo now has Monzo Extra which is just £3 per month.

Monzo Extra comes with a number of features on the banking app, such as connecting your other bank accounts and credit cards for an easy overview of your finances (and quick transfers),  a spreadsheet feature to export transactions with ease, and advanced roundups for easy saving.

The new mid-tier option is the £7-a-month Perks Plan, which replaces the previous Plus £5 plan. But there are more benefits to this one: a free weekly hot drink or snack from Greggs and a free Railcard from Trainline are two of the top ones. Monzo say that someone taking advantage of the Greggs benefit alone will save money, as the plan costs £88 per year compared to £84 per year for a weekly Greggs treat.

A new benefit to celebrate is fee-free unlimited cash withdrawals in the UK and Europe. Previously, there were limits on both the amount and frequency for cash withdrawals, and some fees. This is a huge step forward!

You can also access a savings account with a 4.6% interest rate (at time of writing) compared to Monzo’s usual 4.10% rate. Subscriptions above the Extra tier can also benefit from discounted investment fees.

The top tier subscription is now called Max and costs £17 a month. It might sound pricey but you could save hundreds of pounds a year with the benefits. As well as all the Greggs, Trainline, and Monzo Extra benefits, Max customers will have worldwide travel and phone insurance as well as breakdown cover in the UK and Europe. Those with dependants under the age of 21 can also opt to pay an extra £5 per month to include their family on the insurance cover.

If you’re already on a Monzo Plus or Monzo Premium plan, you can opt to switch to a new plan or stay on the current one. But new customers can’t apply for a Plus or Premium plan. Monzo also still offers its basic bank account which is free and does not come with perks (but also has no monthly fee).

Find out more about the Monzo subscription bank accounts here.

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