We could all do with cutting our household expenditure, so we’ve come up with 51 easy ways you can save money in your home. By making these tiny changes in your everyday life, you will notice a big difference. It’s a huge list, but every little saving adds up – even if you choose just a few to start with.

1. Raid the Kitchen for Cleaning Alternatives

Forking out for ‘miracle’ cleaners that don’t work is a pain. But there’s no need – have a go with an old-style cleaner instead. White vinegar unblocks sinks, removes limescale and cleans your worktops, and it works a charm to clean windows, too. All you need to do is mix it with a bit of water and a few drops of essential oil to mask the smell. If you have pets, make sure the essential oil you choose is safe for them (for example, cats can’t process lavender while dogs can’t handle teatree).

Bicarbonate of soda works on descaling teacups and teapots, gets rid of smells in your fridge and is a great microwave cleaner. For cleaning, just make a paste with a small amount of water, or mix with water and leave to soak for descaling.

2. Cheap Lick of Paint

Save money when sprucing up your house by checking out the ‘oops’ paints at DIY stores. These are paints left over from when the mixer doesn’t quite get the colour right. Some shades are not so nice, but you may find exactly what you’re after for half the price. You may also get lucky and find a really nice shade that is on sale.

If you only need to touch up a few bits here and there, or have a craft project such as turning that bland wooden mirror into something colourful, check out the tester pots. They’re more expensive per litre compared to a large tin, but if you’re only using a small amount it will save you a lot of cash.

3. Do a Mortgage Check

Mortgages have been hot news for the last few years as interest rates have been doing some… interesting things.

It looks like we’re due an interest rate cut in the near future, and if that happens it could be a prime time to remortgage your home if you’re out of your fixed term. Shopping around can save you thousands of pounds, while it could also reduce your overall mortgage term if you’re able to pay more each month than you currently do.

4. Put a Lid On It!

Save energy by always boiling pans with the lid on – it’ll use less energy and heat faster. If you’re an avid cook and want to save more money in the kitchen, consider a pressure cooker, which makes dishes like slow-braised roasts in a fraction of the time.

When it comes to pre-heating the oven, let’s be honest: you don’t always need to if you’re cooking a midweek dinner that’s not served up for guests. If you do pre-heat, don’t leave it for more than ten minutes (ideally five) to save energy.

5. Revive Carpets with Steam Cleaning

If your carpets are looking tired, they can be spruced up with some elbow grease – so don’t race to replace them at a small fortune just yet. Hiring a steam cleaner from somewhere like HSS is easy and costs around £30 a day, depending on where you live. This will give your carpets a serious deep clean and revive the pile.

For very busy families or messy households (usually those with fluffy pets), it could be worth investing in a wet/dry carpet cleaner to keep on hand like the Bissell SpotWash. This can also revive your sofas, mattresses, and soft furnishings, as well as your car interior.

6. DIY It

In an previous version of this article, we suggested taking a local DIY course for around £100 to learn the basics of being handy around the home. But the truth is, you can learn most things you need for free on YouTube and social media these days!

Before you call an expert, do a little online research. That dripping tap can be fixed with a washer, the strange cubby hole can have some custom-built shelves by your fair hand, or your bathroom retiling could revamp an entire room. Whatever you need to do, take some time to look online and learn what you can – it could save you hundreds of pounds. Some things, like electrics, we always recommend using an expert for, of course. But if you want to try and fix that wobbly stair bannister before calling a carpenter, look to YouTube.

7. Make a Shopping List

Some of us like to collect things, others have a penchant for fashion. Some love shiny jewellery, yet more can’t walk past a craft shop without picking up ‘supplies’.

When you go into the town centre, or the grocery store, make a list and stick to it. Only buy what you need – and if you pick up what seems to be ‘a bargain’, think long and hard whether you want this unplanned purchase. Do you really need it? Do you already have something like it? Will you use it? These questions will help you curb your spending at a time when costs seem to be rising rocket-fast.

8. Make Your Savings Earn Maximum Interest

If you’ve held onto the same savings account for more than a year, it’s time to shop around. There are lots of different types, and it is often worth opening more than one if you have some spare cash to set aside.

Regular savers limit how much you can pay in each month – usually around £200 or £250 – but have a high interest rate. These are great for building an easy-access rainy day fund. They’re usually only available to people who hold a current account at the same bank – which means you can also often set up ’round up’ savings. This is when your bank rounds up everything you spend to the nearest pound (or £5 for some, if you choose). For example, if you purchase something at £4.50, this is rounded to £5 with the 50p moved into a savings account. It’s an easy way to save without realising it.

ISAs have limits (an annual pay in limit of £20,000) but they’re wonderfully tax-free – so you don’t pay any tax on the interest earned. There are several different types of ISA (Cash, Lifetime, Stocks and Shares, IFISA) and you can have more than one – but the £20,000 limit is across all of your ISAs each year, rather than for each account.

A fixed term savings account locks your money away for a period of time but has a much higher interest rate. So, if you can afford to lock up some of your savings for the future, consider one of these.

If saving feels impossible as you’re on a low income and Universal Credit, find out if you’re eligible for the Government’s Help to Save account – which could net you up to £1200 FREE over four years.

9. Re-use Old Clothes

Make old jeans into draught excluders by cutting the legs off, stuffing them (try newspaper, magazines, or old plastic bags) and then sewing up the ends. You could re-use baby trousers by turning them into shorts for slightly older kids, or use odd socks for puppet making or stuffing to make dog toys. Tights are great for making cress heads, storing onions and bulbs, packing together to make abrasive cleaner for your sink or wrapping around ordinary coat hangers to pad them out.

Learn how to make do and mend – a smart bit of embroidery or an iron-on patch can work wonders for covering the stain on your favourite top you can’t bear to get rid of!

10. Make a Budget

Take control of your spending by sticking to a budget. Make a list of everything you spend in a week and weed out all the little extras you don’t need. Total up the costs of things you really have to buy, and this is your budget. Make sure you can afford this budget and keep a little left over if possible.

If you don’t have enough money for this budget, then more things need to go. Do you really need to buy lunch at work? Can you live without that Spotify subscription? Make your budget realistic and then stick to it. This should leave you with a little extra every month. You can use this to pay off loans, or make more money by putting it into a savings account.

11. Refuse to Buy Until You Run Out

Go on, admit it: you’ve got half-empty shampoo bottles, a freezer drawer with forgotten leftovers, and at least three opened ketchup bottles in the fridge. We throw out so much food and household waste each year, when making sure we maximise our usage first could save you a significant chunk of cash.

Make a rule: items must have run out (or have one use left, for commonly-used items like washing up liquid or laundry tablets) before you replace them. Keep a list on the kitchen fridge or somewhere easy to see, and write down whenever you throw away an empty container.

This will help you control your spending and minimise overall household waste.

12. Claim Benefits You’re Entitled To

Alright, we’ve snuck this one in because it’s not so much a way to save money in your home as it is a way to ensure you’re getting all you’re entitled to, to boost your income. With recent changes to things like Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit, your household could be entitled to receiving some financial support – even if you previously weren’t.

Use an online benefits calculator such as EntitledTo or Turn2Us to find out if you could claim financial support.

13. Spend Time to Shop Around

Whether you’re renewing your car insurance, house insurance, or broadband, don’t let autorenew catch you out. Make a note in your calendar for EVERY contract renewal (yes, every one) and set a reminder for three days before (or thirty-two days, if your contract has a thirty-day notice period).

Take some time to compare prices online and shop around for deals. Even if you like the current service you’re receiving, getting a cheaper quote elsewhere gives you a bargaining chip to renegotiate with your supplier for a reduced price.

14. Batch Cook

Buying in bulk is a great way to save money – so if you see a BOGOF offer on a household staple like chicken, beef mince, or your favourite veggies, stock up.

Cooking several extra portions in advance and freezing them not only saves you money because you’re only cooking the meal once and you’ve saved on discounted food, it also stops you from reaching for Deliveroo on a night you just can’t be bothered to cook. Replacing one takeaway night each week with a prepped freezer meal could save you around £50 a week – or £2,600 a year.

15. Renegotiate Your Mobile Phone Plan

If you’re out of contract, it’s time to shop around. And now, many providers will let you renegotiate while you’re still in contract, too! Mobile phone providers are clamouring to keep your business, so make sure you contact them to see if you can nab a better deal. If you have a partner or children on the same network, you might also be able to benefit by bundling these together – even better if your broadband could do with upgrading, too.

16. Don’t Pay for Entertainment

Ditch your Sky contract and opt for streaming. Make the most of free trials with a rotating savvy trick: rotate through streamers like Netflix, Apple, and Amazon Prime each month so you’re only using one or two at a time, and set up the free trial. Make a note for when the trial ends!

When you next want to use the service, set up a free trial with a new email address. You sometimes need to use a new payment card, too – but if you’re rotating services each month, this means you could get a year of free entertainment before you’ve run out of payment cards to link to each new account!

If you’re an audiophile, check out Spotify’s family plans – it could save you a fortune, as could Apple Plus (which includes every Apple service for a single fee each month).

17. Make Your Home Energy Efficient

Losing heat and electricity is like throwing money away. According to the Energy Saving Trust, the average household loses around 50% of the heat generated from inside it. So, you’re paying for power you’re not even getting the benefit from. There are easy ways to fix this:

Block draughts

A whopping 20% of the heat lost is through draughts and poor ventilation. So, even small insulating measures like draught-excluders, or thicker curtains, can really make a difference.

Turn your heating down

It’s hard to do it when it’s chilly, but turning the thermostat down a few degrees can save loads of money. According to the Energy Saving Trust, a reduction of just one degree can reduce bills by as much as 10%. It’s clearly worth it. So grab a big woolly jumper and socks, and turn down that thermostat – even if it’s only by one degree.

Switch everything off

We spend £1 billion every year on powering our electrical appliances whilst they are on standby. It’s so easy just to turn them off at the mains and save money.

18. Save Your Hot Water!

The average bath uses about twice as much hot water as a five-minute shower. That means it takes twice as much energy to heat the water. We know five minutes isn’t much, but if you’re having a bath every day, then swapping some for a few five-minute showers will really reduce your energy bills. (Now add that up for a family of four or more and it’s easy to see how quickly you can save!). If you must have a bath, don’t let the water go down the plughole – reuse it for indoor plants or your garden to save water.

You can also save money in your home by only boiling enough water for what you need – 67% of us boil too much, so save energy and only heat as much water as you need.

19. Go for Own Brands

Own brands are the key to big household savings. You might be attached to your favourite names, but own brands are cheaper. They are also often really good quality. If you aren’t sure, just try them out. We’re not just talking food either – own brand cosmetics and medication are cheaper, too. A pack of Nurofen will set you back around £3, but the same ibuprofen costs as little as 16p when it’s own brand.

20. Sort Your Insurance

You should always be checking to see if you can get a better deal on your insurance. With road tax on the rise, reducing your car insurance costs are a must. Lots of companies are also offering 12 months home insurance for the price of nine, or 25% off when you buy online. Click here to compare home insurance premiums.

It’s also worth considering whether you even need some of your insurance policies – you might accidentally be doubling up. Some paid-for bank accounts offer insurance as a perk, for example, while your home insurance could cover your mobile phone when it’s out of the house. Check the small print and work out which insurance packages overlap, and which are the cheapest to keep.

21. Ditch the Tumble Dryer

Tumble dryers are one of the most power-hungry appliances in the home. They use twice as much power to dry your clothes as washing machines do to wash them. According to the Energy Saving Trust, only 35% of us have a tumble dryer. Those who don’t are already ahead in the energy saving race. Those who do can save easily by ditching the tumble dryer altogether. If you are really attached, try spin-drying your clothes before putting them in the tumble dryer. This way they won’t take as long to dry. You can also dry your clothes outside or on a heated airer, and then just finish them off in the tumble dryer.

If you can’t give up the dryer, make sure you keep your dryer’s lint screen clean and its outside exhaust free of obstructions. Clean the lint screen after each load of laundry and check the exhaust regularly. A lint screen in need of cleaning and a clogged exhaust can lengthen drying time and increase the amount of energy used.

22. Get Supermarket Savvy

Keeping your wits about you when shopping can save you money. Look at the price per unit (usually per grams or kgs) to compare prices. Buying in bulk often means you get more for your money. Buying own-brand food is also cheaper.

If you are reluctant, try it at least once. You’ll probably find own brands are equally as good. Trolley will do all the price comparison work for you. Go online and choose from Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s or Waitrose. Then select items from your list as normal. Once you’ve totalled everything up, the website will tell you what items you can swap to save money. It will also tell you how cheap you can get your shop at the other supermarkets. If one is cheaper, then consider switching and saving money.

There are also lots of membership cards and loyalty schemes that help you make the most of your shopping – from the Lidl Plus card that gives you 10% off a shop for every £250 cumulatively spent in store, to Tesco Clubcard and Morrisons’ More Card special offer prices for members. They are free to join and hold a card, but could save you a pretty penny every time you top up the pantry.

23. Plan Your Weekly Menu

Meal planning can help you make the most of ingredients, avoiding food waste and reducing your grocery bill each week. It also allows you to buy in bulk, which adds to your savings. For example, if you know you want chicken fajitas on Monday and a curry on Tuesday, a large pack of chicken will be cheaper per gram than buying smaller packs for each meal. You can freeze leftovers, too, which helps cut down on future shopping bills.

Before you go to the shops, check your cupboards, fridge, and freezer. It’s often easy to buy multiples of things you already have at home – common culprits are things like ketchup and other condiments, which you don’t use all the time and might think you haven’t got in stock. Looking at what you already have helps you meal plan as you can see what needs to be used up and you can get creative with your menu that way, too! Sites like SuperCook let you submit the ingredients you already have in the cupboard to find out what meals they’ll make – and if you’re off to the shops, add a few ingredients you want to buy and you’ve got a zero-waste approach to groceries!

24. Use Your Computer as a TV

Gone are the days we all sit around the single TV in the house for the evening. We’re surrounded by screens all the time – so if you want to watch something in your bedroom but only have a TV in the living room, don’t think about buying a new TV for the second room. Instead, use your laptop, tablet, or even phone to watch something.

Alternatively, you could buy a portable projector for around £70 – much cheaper than a television, and they come with an operating system that lets you download your favourite streaming apps like Netflix, Prime, and Disney Plus. They’re pocket-sized, often have built-in speakers and connect to external speakers with Bluetooth, and can give you a massive screen anywhere!

25. Buy Seasonal Fruit and Veg

It’s no longer trendy to eat peaches in the middle of winter. It’s bad for the environment to ship them here from hotter destinations. Plus it means they cost more. Try buying seasonally – root vegetables like carrots and swede are winter vegetables grown in the UK, while spring and summer bring you amazing greens like asparagus, lettuces, marrow, new potatoes, beetroot and raspberries. The National Trust has a great guide to seasonal eating in the UK.

26. Winter Woolies

Wearing your winter woollies indoors can save you money in your home. The human body gives off heat at about 390 BTUs (British Thermal Units) per hour for a man and around 330 BTUs for a woman. Wearing closely-woven fabrics can help you retain an extra half degree in warmth, and a light long-sleeved sweater is another two degrees. Go for a big woolly jumper or hoody and you can gain up to 3.7 degrees more.

What this all means is that you can turn the thermostat down and save money. So don’t walk around your house in a T-shirt and shorts in the winter if you need to turn up the heat to do it. Layer up just a bit so you can turn the heat down.

27. Clear Out Your Junk

You could have hundreds of pounds’ worth of unused stuff lying around in your house. All you’ve got to do is gather up all the old junk that you don’t need and sell it off at a car boot sale. You might have a secret goldmine in the form of vintage vinyl or collectible toys, but even if you just want to get rid of last year’s wardrobe apps like Vinted help you sell them to make some money and make sure they get a new lease of life elsewhere.

28. Grow Your Own

With food prices seemingly on a constant rising trend, and reports of a risk of food shortages in the future, growing your own is one way to help improve your finances, eat nutritious seasonal food, and have some food security. However, we realise most people don’t have massive gardens or allotments to plant, or even tons of time to turn their fingers green.

The good news is there are lots of things you can do even with a windowsill in an apartment (you can grow an entire herb garden on one shelf!). For balcony space, ideal small-area growers are potatoes, tomatoes, leaves like lettuce and Swiss Chard, beetroots, and carrots. There are some ingenious space-saving planters available these days, which let you use vertical space for planting, so check out your local garden centre to get inspired!

Read our article on growing your own veg for more tips.

29. Thrift It

According to Oxfam, its 2019 Christmas sales were the best for eight years. Loads of clever clogs are already rooting around for bargains in charity shops, so get in on the game. The best places to shop are in affluent areas. You’ve got a better chance of getting good quality picks where people have enough money to throw them away. You can get clothes, toys, books and music from charity shops. It takes a bit of effort, but don’t be put off. Plus, buying from charity shops means your money is helping someone else. Get the real finds by making friends with the staff and persuading them to give you a call when any good stuff comes in.

Charity shops are also fantastic for starting a new hobby – you can often find an absolute steal on used equipment, which is great for trying out before you know whether you like something enough to splurge. For example, you are almost guaranteed to find a yarn corner in your local charity shop, complete with knitting needles and crochet hooks, for just a few pounds – ideal if you want to start knitting but don’t want to splash out just yet.

If you need new furniture, most areas will have a warehouse-style shop, either for a larger charity or your local hospice charity. There, you’ll find all kinds of furniture – which is all up to fire safety standards, too – at a fraction of the price.

30. Ditch Bottled Water

Some bottled water is more expensive per litre than petrol. If you could get free petrol, would you continue to spend so much on it? We didn’t think so!

Keep a jug in the fridge if you like cold water, and refill from the tap. It’s not only more cost effective, but it is much better for the environment – a win-win situation.

31. Use the Dregs

Don’t throw away a ketchup bottle with the dregs left in the bottom. Save money by draining it into the new bottle. This works for most condiments and it can be a bit of fun for the kids to get the bottles balancing. You can also re-use sunflower oil for deep frying. Just drain it into a jar using a funnel and a piece of kitchen towel for a filter. This will clear out everything that isn’t oil.

Other handy saving tips are to snap dishwasher tablets in half, water down beauty products, mix value products with more expensive stuff, turn stale bread into breadcrumbs and use scissors for cutting open old toothpaste tubes so you get everything out.

32. Do Your Sums on Supermarket Offers

Usually we tell you to be wary of supermarket offers. But there is a strategy to making them work for you.

First: only buy something that is already on your grocery list. The exception here is if you see a fantastic bargain on a household product you would usually buy, but haven’t put on your list as it hasn’t run out yet. Things like cat litter, kitchen roll, toilet paper, bleach and cleaning supplies, bin bags, and laundry detergent won’t go out of date but could save you a pretty penny if you snap them up on a bargain.

Check the labels on the shelf, too. Something might look like a good price, but look for the price per kilo, litre, or gram, and compare to other labels. A packet of something may seem like the cheapest option – but you might be better off getting the larger packet at a smaller cost per kilo if it is an ingredient you use a lot.

Definitely make the most of the newer supermarket loyalty schemes, too. They’re free to sign up to, but the new trend is to offer ‘loyalty only’ prices, which can be up to half price on some top label items. You’ll also get vouchers, bonus rewards, or even in-store credit on your spending, saving you money in the future.

33. Use Your Local Library

Libraries are the unsung heroes of our local communities. Sadly, many have closed in recent years – but the ones that are still around are a fantastic resource for saving money. If you can’t walk past a bookshop without ‘just going to browse’ and coming out with three books and £30 less in your pocket, try the library! You can also borrow eBooks, CDs, DVDs, and some even have board games you can borrow. Find your local library here.

34. Say No to Packaging

Items that are pre-packaged are often more expensive. This is because you have to pay, not just for the packaging but for the person who put it in the packet. Buying loose is cheaper and produces a lot less waste. You can also choose exactly how many items you want, rather than paying for items you don’t need.

35. Don’t Gamble

Gambling might make you think of casinos or betting shops, but it includes scratchcards and a weekly flutter on the lottery. You are more likely to be struck by lightning than you are to win the lottery. It’s better to put that weekly couple of pounds into a high-interest savings account and make it your Christmas shopping budget.

36. Drink Less Alcohol

With the average cost of a pint now over a fiver, that Friday night after-work drink (that usually turns into more than a few) is looking like a costly weekly expense. Have you added up how much you spend on alcohol each week lately? You might be surprised. A bottle of wine with a meal out can easily be £15 or more, while a spirit and mixer is over £8 in most establishments. If you go out to drink twice a week but stay moderate – let’s say you have two pints on a midweek date night and three pints on a Saturday afternoon at the pub – that’s at least £25 a week (or £100 a month) just on alcohol.

And that’s before you consider what you buy for home, too. If you regularly have wine or beer in the house to have a glass with dinner most nights, you’re easily adding £30 a week to your grocery shop (or £120 a month). Add that to your going-out alcohol budget and it’s easy to see how savings can be made.

We’re not saying go sober! (Unless you feel you need to, of course). But cutting back on a few drinks a week could save you at least £50 a month (that’s £600 a year).

37. Make Your Own Fun

There are loads of ways to entertain the kids and save money in your home. Recycle old paper by letting them draw and make collages on the other side. Make anything you can out of leftover packaging. Add a little glue and paint to some cut-up cereal boxes and they can create some great 3D pictures. Make your own ice lollies and sweet treats. It’s fun and a lot cheaper than buying them in the supermarket!

38. Don’t Spend More for the Garden

Almost everything you need for the garden can be made from household products and waste. Don’t buy new garden pots – re-use old colanders, teapots, or even old terracotta chimneys. Great compost can be made from vegetable leftovers. You can also make your own weedkillers from washing up liquid, water and vinegar.

Check out your local neighbourhood groups like NextDoor, FreeCycle, and Facebook community groups, too. Very often you’ll be able to nab free soil, rocks (great for drainage) or even old pallets to make garden furniture and troughs from.

39. Reduce Laundry Drying Time

Your washer probably has an ‘extra spin’ function. Use it! It is usually around ten minutes long, but it’ll significantly cut the time required to dry your clothes after. All it does is use the spinning action of the drum to draw water out of the clothes, so they come out much drier. Some fabrics even come out almost entirely dry!

You can also use a portable dehumidifier (around £30) to reduce moisture in the air and help clothes dry faster. Did you know it also doesn’t have to be a sunny day for your clothes to dry quickly outside? As long as it isn’t raining or below freezing, your clothes will benefit from being hung out to dry if you have outside space.

40. No Half Empty Runs

We know you’re not supposed to overfill them, but running washing machines and dishwashers half-empty defeats the purpose. Both dishwashers and washing machines use the same amount of water and heat, no matter how full they are. Get your money’s worth by filling them up as much as you can before they are overfull and won’t work properly. This will save money in your home, and it’s better for the planet.

41. Use Supermarket Schemes

You’ve got to get the most out of your shopping loyalty points, offered by the likes of Tesco (Clubcard) and Sainsbury’s (Nectar). But before you get the most out of them, you’ve got to get them. Sign up for the card your supermarket offers and start earning points to save money in your home ASAP. Even Lidl has a loyalty scheme these days – you’re missing out by not being signed up to them all! If you don’t want to give out your personal details, create a new email address just for things like this and check it periodically.

42. Buy in Bulk

Save money in your home by buying toilet paper, detergent and other household items in bulk from a wholesale supermarket, or from your regular supermarket when there is a special offer. Try specialist stores for cheaper prices.

Find out if you could benefit from a wholesale membership such as Costco. Remember: only buy the things you need and not the things that grab your attention as you walk around! It is easy to get distracted by the many bargains on offer, but it’s not really a bargain if you weren’t planning to buy it in the first place. If you don’t have a membership card, or only need it just for a big event (like in the run up to Christmas), ask around your family and friends to see if they’ll take you for a visit.

43. Keep Your Freezer Stocked

Freezers work far more efficiently when they are frost free and full up. Defrost your freezer, and while you’re at it, check what you’ve already got in stock!

Keep your drawers full even if you don’t have food in there, to make it run as efficiently as possible. Use ice cube trays to fill the spaces (and get creative – fill some with stock, pancake batter, or even slices of lemon to use in your cooking and drinks). Any ice-proof vessel will do to fill the space too, even old takeaway tubs or Ziplock bags filled with water. You can take them out to make space for food and reuse them again later.

44. Don’t Shell Out for New Furniture

Give old chests of drawers and wardrobes a new look instead of replacing them. All you need is a lick of paint and a new inexpensive handle.  They will really change the look of your furniture without changing the look of your bank account for the worse.

You can do this with most household furniture – and if you really need something, check out apps like FreeCycle to see if anyone is giving something away for free. You could even make a decent side hustle out of flipping furniture if you discover a hidden talent for upcycling old furniture!

45. Go Electronic

Direct Debits and electronic statements can save you money. Paper bills now incur extra charges from some services. Mobile phones are a prime example, with companies charging up to £3 more for a paper itemised bill. These bills are often available online free of charge. So if you really need one on paper, you can just print it off.

The same goes for Direct Debits. This is because the process of sending you a letter to request payment and then waiting for it costs them money. Payments can always be queried, even after they’ve been paid. So embrace the Direct Debit and save some cash.

46. Never Throw Fabric or Towels Away

Fabric and towels are some of the easiest things to recycle. Old curtains can be made into seat and cushion covers, table cloths, new clothes and even just tea towels and cleaning rags. All you need for new upholstery is a good staple gun and for the rest, a sewing machine or some time for hand sewing.

If your towels are going a bit grey, bring them back to life by dyeing them a new colour. Thinner towels are great for drying hair or taking to the swimming pool when you don’t have much room in your bag. You can also use them for stuffing draught excluders or making toys for your pets to play with. The possibilities to save money in your home are endless, and all free!

47. Check Your Council Tax Band

When the council tax system was put in place in the early 1990s, houses were put into bands from A-H according to their value. The valuations were done in 1991 and so are not necessarily accurate. Your house could have been worth more then than it is now, especially considering the drop in house prices. This could mean you are paying more than you should be. To check if you are paying too much, see what your neighbours are paying at GOV.UK.

48. Less Dust, More Heat

Make sure you bust the dust on your radiator surfaces. Dust and grime seriously impede the flow of heat in your house. So make sure there is no dirt on your radiators so you don’t spend more money than is necessary heating your home.

While you’re in cleaning mode, make sure you empty the filter on your tumble dryer! You should do this regularly anyway, as it can be a fire hazard, but cleaning the lint out will help your dryer run efficiently.

49. Get Rid of Ready Meals

Even if you think you can’t cook, there’s no excuses for ready meals if you’re trying to save money. They’ve got extra additives and preservatives in compared to a homecooked meal. Plus they are far more expensive than it would be to make the same dish yourself. Life doesn’t always give you time to cook, but if you can cook from scratch three times a week and make double, you’ll still be able to have the convenience of microwave meals the other days – just healthy, low sodium, homecooked dinners instead!

50. Keep Track of Your Finances

Always check your receipts, bank statements and bills. You never know who has got hold of your details, so you need to keep tabs on what is going out and coming in. This way if anything is amiss, you’ll be on it like a flash, saving time and money in your home. And of course, always read the small print!

You might be surprised to find old Direct Debits going out for things you don’t use anymore – magazine subscriptions, streaming services, even gym membership. Set up text alerts for your credit and debit cards, so that every time you make a purchase you get a text. It will help you spot possible places to save – and stop fraud in its tracks if you see a transaction you don’t recognise, too.

51. Use Your Oven Less

Ovens use a considerable amount of energy per year, especially if you’re using the oven to cook for a single person. Instead of heating up a full oven why not try using a microwave oven? They are smaller and take less time to cook than regular ovens. There are also other options available such as air fryers and slow cookers. Air fryers have become so popular in recent years, even Jamie Oliver has a cooking show dedicated to them!

The post 51 ways to save money in your home appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Selected Iceland stores across the UK, that are located nearby a Domino’s, are offering customers free vouchers to spend in-store to swap their Domino’s takeaway pizza… for Iceland Takeaway pizzas instead. 

On Saturday 13th April only, the first 100 Iceland Bonus Card customers (per store) that buy into Iceland’s 2 for £5 deal on their delicious Takeaway pizzas, will receive a £15 Iceland voucher to spend in-store at Iceland and The Food Warehouse stores between 14.04.24 and 30.04.24.  

The free £15 Iceland voucher can be used to buy anything from Iceland or The Food Warehouse stores, including more pizza from their entire pizza range. 

Savvy shoppers buying into the 2 for £5 deal on Takeaway Pizzas can use their £15 voucher to then bag 6 more pizzas from the Takeaway range – all for the same price as just one medium Domino’s Pizza which costs around £20. 

Andrew Staniland, Group Buying Director at Iceland Foods and The Food Warehouse, said: “We want customers to swap their usual takeaway pizza for our exceptionally priced Takeaway pizza range. We know once they try ours, they’ll never look back and they’ll be saving money on their usual takeaway every week!” 

What’s more is Iceland’s range of Takeaway pizzas has an amazing variety of toppings to rival those of fast-food favourites. 

Toppings such as meat feast, BBQ chicken and bacon and double pepperoni are all available as well as stuffed crusts.  

The money-back offer, which is only available in selected stores, has been launched in an effort to get local customers to swap their Domino’s pizzas for frozen pizzas and help to save money in the process. 

The post Iceland give away FREE food in cheeky dig at DOMINOS appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Rising Water Rates

During the cost of living crisis, water bills are rising alongside other household bills. While you can’t choose the supplier of your water, there may be a few things you can do to reduce your water bill and save money.

If you’re on a low income (usually under £19,000 household total income, but check with your supplier), you could qualify for something called a social tariff. These are not broadly advertised but every water supplier must offer one and it is a reduced rate for low income households. Other schemes are called cap schemes, which limit the total amount you can be charged for your water.

How a Water Meter Could Help

A water meter can help smaller or low usage households save a significant amount of money on their water bill. One of our MoneyMagpie team managed to take their quarterly bill down from over £200 to just £45 – that’s a whopping annual saving of around £600, and that’s not an unusual case study!

Water meters measure the exact amount of water your household uses instead of estimating it based on factors like the size of your home. You might, for example, still live in your four-bed family home but now alone or as a couple as the children have grown up. Your water usage will be significantly reduced, but the water bills stay the same on an unmetered rate.

Anyone can request a water meter, but a general rule of thumb to know if it is a good idea for your household is the occupant ratio. If you have fewer people than bedrooms in your home, a meter is quite likely to save you money.

Your supplier will arrange for someone to visit your property to make sure a meter can be fitted, which is the case except in highly exceptional circumstances. If they refuse, because it is too difficult or expensive to fit a meter at your property, they MUST offer you an assessed charge rate instead.

Renters can have meters put in, too. It’s polite to ask your landlord first but they are not allowed to refuse.

A household can change back to an unmetered rate within the first 12 months, but then the property remains on a meter after that period.

Extra Help for Disabled or Large Households

If someone in your household uses a lot of extra water due to a disability, you may qualify for extra financial help towards your water bill. Similarly, if there are three or more children living full-time at the property, you can apply for a cap to your bill which means you won’t pay over the average price of a bill for your property size even if you use more water.

WaterSure is the scheme you need to look out for on your supplier’s website to find out more.

Save on Water Bills with Water Saving Tips

There are lots of ways you can reduce your household water usage, which is not only great for the environment but also your wallet! Follow these tips to save water and save money.

1. Only run a cycle if you’ve got a full load

On average, one washing machine cycle uses 19 gallons of water. The average household runs between 5 and 6 loads per week, which adds up to 5,605 gallons of water per year.

So, if you wash your clothes only when necessary you can save water and reduce your electricity bills. If you were to drop down to just 4 loads a week, you’d use over 1500 less gallons of water a year.

Half loads are very inefficient so if you’re a small household, wait until you’ve enough for a full load. Of course, if you’ve got children you’ll probably have no problem filling up the washing machine!

You might want to consider washing your clothes at 30 degrees instead of 60 degrees too. Higher temperatures use more energy, so it’ll cost you in the long-run. Pre-soaking overnight can help to loosen a lot of dirt and stains and make the wash cycle more efficient too.

2. Use the dishwasher

This might sound strange, but it really does work! Most modern dishwashers only use 12 litres of water, whereas hand washing uses between 60 and 70 litres.

However, this only works if you scrape your plates rather than rinse them. Like with a washing machine, you must only run the cycle when it’s full. If you’re a smaller household, it’ll may be worth investing in a smaller dishwasher.

Remember! When you’re buying new appliances, consider those that offer cycle and load-size adjustments, as they’re more water and energy efficient.

If you want to cut down on your bills further, check out our article on cheap, green cleaning products that you can make yourself, here.

3. Take showers instead of baths

According to Waterwise, a short shower with an efficient shower head uses less water than a bath. But this is only the case if you take less than 10 minutes in there and don’t have a power shower. We recommend saving your singing voice for after your shower!

Try adapting your daily routine to fit in a shower rather than a bath. If you really can’t do without your bath, why not pour it an inch lower every time as it’ll save you around 5 litres. You could even use your bath water to water household plants, but make sure to keep your baths to once a week.

4. Turn the tap off

A staggering 80% of British adults are wasting water regularly.

Brits waste water while brushing their teeth and while they’re filling up the kettle. Leaving the tap on for a minute wastes 6 litres of water, so if you’re leaving it on while you brush you’re wasting 24 litres a day!

Luckily, these bad habits can be remedied, so you can save on water and cash.

If you have any persistently dripping taps, make sure you get them fixed. This can be a huge waste of water over time, costing you money if you have a water meter.

5. Re-use water for plants and vegetables

Wash your fruits and vegetables in a bowl of water instead of running water from the tap. You won’t notice the difference at all when you’re cooking. However, you’ll be able to re-use to water for house plants.

When you boil an egg, save the cooled water for your houseplants. The nutrients released from the shell will be good for them. Not only will you save water, but you’ll make your plants healthier too.

Equally, if you have a fish tank, the dirty water is rich is phosphorus and nitrogen, which are great for your plants!

6. Keep water in the fridge 

If you’re a stickler for cold drinking water, this one’s for you! Rather than running the tap for a minute or so, store bottled water in the fridge. Refill your water bottles in the morning and store them in the fridge for a perfectly chilled beverage.  This way you won’t have to run the tap for ages if you want to have a cold drink and you’ll be helping the environment too.

7. Hippo water saver

The Hippo water saver is a pack that goes inside your toilet cistern to help you save water.

Every time you flush, the Hippo can save up to three litres of water. This will save you approximately £20 a year. They cost £2 so they’re a great investment!

8. Eco shower head

According to the Energy Saving Trust, by simply switching to an eco shower head you could reduce your water usage by an average of 74% and cut your hot water bills by as much as 40%.

You can get a PulseEco shower head for around £33 and it’s easy to fit onto your shower hose too. All you have to do is unscrew the shower head you do have and replace it with this new one

9. Get a water butt

If you love your garden, get a water butt to use rainwater on your plants. If you don’t have lots of space for one, a rain chain and bucket is a good alternative. You could qualify for a reduced cost water butt through Save Water, Save Money.

• 10. Get free water saving devices

Save Money, Save Water has a nifty questionnaire to help you show how much water you’re using – and how much you could save. Even better, you can choose from a range of free water saving devices, from shower timers to tap aerators and even strips to put in your toilet to make sure you don’t have a sneaky flush leak.

The post Get the Best Deal on Your Water Bill appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

• Easter gifts for the home
• Easter cookware
• Easter gifts for kids
• Easter gifts for adults

Easter gifts for the home

Lakeland has a lovely range of Beatrix Potter-inspired kitchenware, including a set of Peter Rabbit tea-towels (£9.99) and matching wooden spoon and spatula (£11.99).

They also have a lovely set of floral egg cup ‘buckets’ which means the whole family can have boiled eggs in matching cups. Available from Lakeland

Hand-crafted from galvanized sheet metal, this Duck Watering Can from Getting Personal is just the thing to water the plants in style or to decorate the garden and makes a great alternative gift for green-fingered friends and family. Handmade in India, each one is unique and suitable for indoor or outdoor use. So adorable, it’s bound to make your gardening enthusiast smile! (£19.99) Available to buy here

Easter cookware

Laura Ashley’s China Rose range of small domestic appliances includes this very pretty 4-in-1 Hand Blender Set and Hand Mixer. The  Hand Blender Set includes a a large blending pitcher to whisk and chopper attachments, and a 300ml whisking cup and pouring container for sauces. Specifically designed to make food preparation simpler and faster, you’ll be making culinary wonders in no time. From £54.99 (21% discount) Available from VQ Website Here

The VQ Laura Ashley Hand Mixer takes mixing and baking to a whole new level! Now, you can whisk away any culinary challenge, no matter the texture, with this powerful 300-watt motor and 5-speed settings. Clean-up is simple, too with the easy-to-use eject button.  From £49.99 (17% Discount) – Available from the VQ Website Here

Make your own Easter eggs and Easter biscuits with Lakeland’s Stainless Steel Cookie Cutter (£4.99) or 12 Easter Chocolate Shapes Mould Gift Set (£6.99)

Easter gifts for kids

Anglecare Pabobo Projector Bunny (£36.00)This may be the cutest lil Easter bunny we have seen and perfect for parents of a newborn. It’s a cuddly plush that helps baby fall asleep and has been tried and tested with our own newborn in the MoneyMagpie team. Marc (the father says) “Our baby has found this hugely soothing and it’s even rather nice for a tired Dad to watch”.

Spring Care Bears (£11.99) Care Bears fans can get their hands on three new besties from Basic Fun. Dressed in spring themed outfits, the 22cm Hoodie Care Bears will have fans smiling from ear to ear. Cheer Lamb has beautiful soft fur, a cute ribbon, and amazing ears that look just like a little lamb. It may seem he’s in a mood, but Grumpy Chick in his bright yellow costume can spread oodles of happiness and will give the best hugs. (£12.00) 

Gabby’s Dollhouse Dough Backpack (£12.00) Available from Argos.  Step into the whimsical world of Gabby’s Dollhouse with the delightful Dough Backpack. Unveil 2 colourful dough pots, moulds, a shooter and a tool.  The backpack is a treasure trove of possibilities, inviting children to sculpt, play, & explore just like Gabby. This promises hours of entertainment & imaginative fun and let creativity run wild.

Deddy Bear 30cm Plushies (£19.99) Available from Smyths. These collectible Deddy Bear Plush Characters come in Deddy Bags/Body Bags. Teddy Bears are complete with fun and quirky Autopsy Report with 8 endearing characters to collect (each sold separately). Impulsive, Fun, Super Cool and completely On-Trend, Collectible Deddy Bear Plushies are the beautiful balance between Fright and Adorable. 

Build Your Own Unicorn – £9.99

Discover a magical world with Build Your Own’s new Unicorn kit. Perfect for the junior builder, little ones will love creating their very own mythical creature. The cute moving head action, stardust markings, and multi-coloured rainbow mane will delight unicorn fans of all ages.

Your majestic unicorn comes complete with grooming accessories, colourful gems, a miniature toadstool friend and more for a fun-filled, imaginary play experience.

Plus, an adorable trinket chest for you to safely store your precious items.

What better way to spend a fun afternoon with the kids then decorating some eggs for the annual egg hunt? Inside this Spring Bunny Egg Decorating Kit form Talking Tables (£9.99). Brightly coloured paints, brushes, stickers and stencils to spark their imagination and help them their create colourful eggy masterpieces ready for hiding around the house or garden, or using as Easter decorations. Available to buy here.

This Easter Stamper Set is perfect for Spring and Easter activities. Create cards and crafts with these fun stampers, a great activity to do with the kids.
Contains 10 different stampers, all with fun Easter and Spring themed designs. Also ideal for adding to Easter hunts and Easter baskets.

Trust GXT 489 Fayzo Multiplatform Gaming Headset– £29.99

 Extremely versatile, the Fayzo can be used on every platform. Whether PC, console or other 3.5mm device, it is a great all-rounder to use with a preferred device, or simply swapped between them. The headset is also super comfortable with a lightweight design and mesh/leatherette earpads that are breathable and able to be worn for long periods of time. Perfect for the gamer in your family!

Easter gifts for adults

Independent British brand Kind Bag have beautiful vibrant bags, pouches and backpacks all made from 100%  recycled plastic bottles and perfect for carrying everything from your weekly shop, gym gear, through to taking on holiday. We love their Wavy Daisy set of three zip pouches RRP £26.00. With so many designs and colours to choose from, you’ll find it hard to pick a favourite.  Shop the range here

Lola’s Cupcakes irresistible Easter Cupcake Box contains six regular (or 12 mini) deliciously adorable treats. Regular cupcake (6 box) £22.20 or Mini cupcake (12 box) £26.40. Available to be collected fresh from your local Lola’s store, delivery to all London postcodes, or across the country* courtesy of the nationwide delivery service (*selected lines only)

Lonely Planet has released its top travel and lifestyle inspiration titles, from wild swimming or how to bag a bargain break, to bucket-list adventures or beautiful beaches, there’s a book for every taste.  Available from all good books or shop.lonelyplanet.com

The post The best, non-chocolate, Easter gifts for 2024 appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

It’s well reported in the news lately that the cost of living crisis has affected the way we spend our money somewhat casually on streaming services like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime. Thousands upon thousands of people just can’t afford to make all those payments right now, and Netflix has just reported a drop-off of 1 million viewers in the last year. 

One of the problems is that there is too much choice, but that also means there’s a LOT of choice, so we’ve rooted around to find the best FREE streaming services where you can watch free movies, usually extremely simply or with a free sign-up. So here we go. 

 We’ll start with the obvious one: 

YOUTUBE 

While YouTube does contain a lot of free films, legally they’re only supposed to show ones that are out of the public domain, and there is a huge list of these, with multiple places to legally get them. 

Obviously though, people do disregard copyright and upload films – or more likely clips from films, or films in chapters – to the channel, so if you can find them and you don’t mind watching them (this isn’t illegal in itself: it’s the uploader who’s liable) this is a good way to go. It may also give you a ton of ideas as to what movies are out there: you may find something unexpected. 

• Public Domain Movies on YouTube 

the main British channels that let you watch films for free: 

CHANNEL 4 

Channel 4 is available on Freeview and on-demand via the All4 service, which is free and requires quick registration so that you can watch it on phones, tablets, computers or TV. There are adverts but we’re all used to them, aren’t we? 

All 4’s film collection may contain films that are a few years old at least, but how better to catch up on those films you missed amid all the hype? All 4 has classics old and new. 

• Channel 4 Films Category 

CHANNEL 5 

Like Channel 4, C5 is one Freeview and has its own app, this time called My5, which again is advert-supported and free and requires registration. 

A large number of free movies on C5 come from Pluto TV Movies, and there are a staggering 11 channels solely devoted to movies. Now, most of them are obscure titles among the more recognisable ones but leafing through the options may find you intrigued to watch movies that are a little off the beaten track. 

• Watch Free Movies on My5 

A bit more ‘out there’… 

TPTV 

Similarly to C5, this excellent oldies site has reams of TV and film titles: comedies, dramas, war, westerns, some exclusive titles you can’t have seen anywhere else.  

And with a great selection of sci-fi and monster movies, you’ll get to see some kitsch classics without having to go back in time to a 50s drive-in. 

• Watch TPTV Movies 

THE INTERNET ARCHIVE 

A free digital library: not just movies but also digital books, games and old websites.  

Again, these are mostly old or obscure titles which can be a benefit for movie fans because you can bet you’ll never find them on the mainstream streamers: Sci-Fi, Horror, Comedy, Film Noir, you name it. 

• Watch Free Films on The Internet Archive 

Let’s move out of the obscure and into the better-known… 

IMDB TV 

This channel is owned by Amazon so it has a lot of famous films like Zero Dark Thirty, Chicago, American Beauty, A Streetcat Named Bob… and it’s free to watch as a Prime Video Channel or as a standalone Amazon Fire TV plugin.  

Again, it’s free because you don’t need to be on Prime, which is what Amazon charges for. 

• Watch Free Movies on IMDb TV (Directly) 
• Get The IMDb TV App for Fire TV 

PLEX 

Plex has both an on-demand Movies & TV section and a Live TV section. 

The movies are quite niche and there are a lot of US titles, but probably not so many UK titles you’ll be familiar with. The Live TV section has various channels and some of these show movies, again on the obscure side. 

• Watch Free Movies on Plex 

FILMZIE 

Filmzie boasts films, TV shows and adverts and the unique selling point of indie films from lesser-known filmmakers, who will benefit when you watch something they created, usually outside of the film industry system. 

They also offer many apps to make it e mobile phones, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung TVs and more. 

• Watch Free Movies on Filmzie 

———-

If you love a bargain, don’t forget we have our EntertainmentMagpie blog. Where we bring you the best deals on theatre, film and going out every single month. Because who doesn’t love a bargain really? 

The post Where to Legally Watch Films For Free appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

As far as we’re concerned it’s just a great excuse for an indulgent evening for anyone, and a nice way to inject some warm feelings into the cold months before spring.

Of course, if there is a ‘significant other’ in your life then you have a great reason to celebrate in a loved-up kind of a way… or not, depending on what you like.

But if you’re a singleton, or you’d actually like to do something a bit different, then why not treat yourself or your pals to a fun and sweet-filled day/evening on 14th February?

It’s also a great excuse to give yourself a present, or gift a friend who means a lot to you. Maybe you have a friend who really needs a lift. Or perhaps you have a family member who has been really good to you and you’d like an excuse to give them something lovely.

Whatever the excuse, we have lots of ideas for you to make 2024’s Valentine’s Day really special!

• Sweet treats for you and your pals
• Gifts for your Valentine or your friend
• Fun Valentine experiences for you and a special friend
• Have some ‘Me Time’ this Valentines

Sweet treats for you and your pals

If you’re currently a singleton, why not get together with other singleton friends and have your own indulgent party?

Valentine’s Day is a particularly good excuse to overdo the sweet stuff and, as if on cue, Lola’s Cupcakes have a fantastic set of Valentine-themed cakes that anyone would enjoy any day. Their master bakers have lovingly crafted a range of scrumptious sweets such as cupcakes with heart-warming decorations, beautiful layered cakes and decadently indulgent brownies. Choose the cakes that you’d like delivered to your door here.

Also, Creams cafes have some truly indulgent cakes and desserts that you can eat either in store (find your local one here) or have delivered through Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Just Eat. Describing themselves as the UK’s ultimate dessert date destination, their cafes have a host of sweet treats, perfect for sharing between two or enjoying all on your own. They also have hot desserts such as the Sticky Toffee Hot Skillet; Spiced Winter Berry Waffle; Caramel Apple Skillet; and Banoffee Hot Pocket.

CROSSTOWN DOUGH BITES

The season of love has arrived at Crosstown, with the creation of four limited edition dough bite flavours for Valentine’s Day. Everything will be available between 8th and 14th February, with two of the new flavours available exclusively online. Vegan and alcohol-free options also available, as well as DOUGH BITE BOXES including:

Valentine’s 15-pack – A selection of 15 dough bites in three flavours: Ruby Chocolate & Cherry Liqueur, Passion Fruit & Chocolate (ve), and Sauvignon Blanc & Strawberry + the option of adding specialty drinks (from £42.45).

Valentine’s three-pack – One each of the Ruby Chocolate & Cherry Liqueur, Passion Fruit & Chocolate (ve) and Sauvignon Blanc & Strawberry dough bite flavours + the option of adding specialty drinks (from £10.95).

…and tons more, so check out their website… BUT be aware, these are now only available for delivery within Greater London.

For nationwide (England, Wales & lowland Scotland) they have a box of six or 12 Valentine’s Day topper doughnuts – their popular Chocolate Truffle and Homemade Raspberry Jam sourdough doughnuts (both vegan) with three different toppers – Be Mine, I Love You and Happy Valentine’s Day.

FATSO believes chocolate, like life, should be less savoured and MORE devoured. Bored of the seriousness and restraint of posh dark chocolate, FATSO delivers super chunky, personality-packed flavour combos for uncompromising deliciousness. Each of the bars are made from true single-origin, Fino de Aroma certified cacao from Colombia for the highest quality, 100% ethically made chocolate.

The Love bundle, which is made from fully recyclable and compostable materials, is available to buy online, www.sofatso.com (3 x 150g, RRP £19.50).

We’re big fans of Lily O’Brien’s chocs because they taste good and they don’t break the bank. Right now they have a new and exclusive Desserts Collection, designed especially as a scrumptious gift for Valentine’s Day. The usual price is £12 but they have £9 promotions across a range of stores including ASDA. It’s a 24-piece chocolate box containing classic and limited-edition centres from their Desserts Collection including Hazelnut Torte, Raspberry Infusion, and Crème Brulée. Buy yourself a box or treat your loved-one for less!

Spice up your drinks – having the girls around for a ‘we’re single’ Valentine’s evening? Spice up your drinks, whether they are alcoholic or non-alcoholic, with Spice Drops. You can get them in a range of flavours and use them to make fizzy water really interesting!

Relax and recharge with Joe & Seph’s Pamper Night In Box, brimming with luxurious gourmet goodies.

As beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside, it comes delivered in Joe & Seph’s signature gold gift box. Comprised of Pina Colada Michel Roux, Strawberries and Cream, Prosecco Popcorn Mini Gift Box, White Chocolate and Raspberry Popcorn Bites and so much more, it promises to delight everyone looking for a little indulgence.

For all lovers of chocolate

For chocolate enthusiasts, the Chocolate Indulgence hamper from Virginia Hayward is sure to satisfy any chocolate lover’s craving. Filled with an array of decadent treats such as chocolate fruit and nut biscuits, glittery chocolate cake, and a warming hot chocolate spoon, this is so moreish, you may not want to share.

If you’re a fan of retro classics then why not try the Valentine Chocolate Bouquet from The Sweet Hamper Company. Containing a combination of luxury chocolate and classics such as Kinder Happy Hippo and  Milky Way Magic Stars for some tasty nostalgia.

We’re big fans of Lily O’Brien’s Truffles at MoneyMagpie. They’re tasty, come in nice boxes and are really affordable. Indulge yourself and your friends with a £5 box of milk chocolate or salted caramel truffles. Great with a cup of tea!

The LoveRaw® Starter Mix is the perfect vegan chocolate selection box: with one of each bar, it’s the perfect way to get a true taste of some game-changing vegan chocolate.

The updated Starter Mix includes:
1 x Caramelised Biscuit Cre&m® Wafer Bar
1 x M:lk® Choc Peanut Caramel Bar
1 x Milk Choc Peanut Butter Cup1 x White Choc Cre&m® Wafer Bar
1 x Salted Caramel Cre&m® Wafer Bar
1 x M:lk® Choc Nutty Choc Balls
1 x M:lk® Choc Cre&m® Wafer Bar

Gifts for your Valentine or your friend

Christmas is long gone, but that doesn’t mean  we’ve lost an excuse to give nice presents to others…or ourselves!

Valentine’s Day is a great reason to give a lovely gift to someone who’s been good to you, or just give yourself a gift…because you’re fab!

Do you need some new boots, trainers or sandals? Or perhaps you’d just like some snuggly slippers to curl up on the sofa with this evening? The online vegan shoe store Heavenly Feet sells all of these with a big heart attached.  The styles are on trend and kind to animals – no leather. They have a range that is particularly light-weight too so that you can skip to your next appointment with genuinely light feet!

• De-stress with this gorgeous aromatherapy handmade necklace. The Hamsa Aromatherapy Necklace (£39) is made from natural Lava & a 14K gold plated hamsa charm. The gift box includes a 2ml bottle of Lavender, Bergamot & Ylang Ylang pure essential oil blend. Simply use the wand inside the bottle to dab essential oil onto the stone to diffuse essential oils throughout the day.  Only available from Boostology

Super Facialist Rose Hydrate Miracle Makeover Facial Oil, £16, available from Sephora, is a dual purpose ‘wonder-blend’ of aromatherapy oils ideal to pre-cleanse, hydrate and calm dehydrated, sensitive skins. Formulated with Avocado and Carrot oils, both rich in vitamins, and hydrating Raspberry oil, known for its high Omega 3 & 6 essential fatty acids content.

Dr Paw Paw YOUR gorgeous SKIN 4 in 1 face serum is the ultimate multipurpose superhero 4 in 1 treatment. This vegan formula effectively delivers multiple skin benefits by combining four serums into one – saving you time, space, and money. £15 from Dr PawPaw

For a new look hairstyle, the Revamp Progloss Hollywood Curl Automatic Rotating Hair Curler will do just that at the touch of a button. We love the right and left handed rotation buttons which alternates the direction of your curls for a true Hollywood look. Available from: revamphair.com and Boots

Homedics 2-in-1 Nail Polish Dryer is easy to use for a quick, fuss-free manicure. Suitable for use with gel polish, nail polish and acrylics, giving nails a flawless finish. Available from homedics.co.uk and Argos

Time for some pampering? The Awesome Hamper Company’s Valentine’s collection has a range of pamper hampers such as its Treat Yourself Gift Box  which includes Lavender Essential Oil and Aromatherapy Candle to truly relax and unwind, or The Awesome Pamper Hamper, a luxurious hamper packed with everything you need for rest and relaxation, from scented candles to luxurious body scrubs.

The luxury lingerie brand Xintima has a marvellous range of sexy nightwear which you can wear for yourself or for your squeeze. It’s also a great range for presents for girlfriends. This mini satin dressing gown, for example, makes a great gift for anyone.

For a more humorous touch and one for the mum’s, this bespoke art print apron features Frank Canvas’ artwork and is available from
Art Merchandise at £29.99.

Fill your kitchen with the aroma of your favourite pizzeria with the Just Spices DIY Pizza Kit. Just follow the simple step-by-step instructions to make pizza the way you like it. The kit includes all the equipment you need, plus a helpful booklet and a range of spice blends to season your sauces and toppings!

VISTAPRINT

Everyone loves photos, collages and albums, and VistaPrint are offering a bunch of great deals that make it easy to treat a loved one to showcases of their own photos, or an album or framed

picture or two of someone or something that will make them smile. From mugs and blankets to calendars and cushions, create a memorable moment with photo gifts that won’t bust your budget. There’s deals on wall calendars, custom mugs and canvas prints. Photo books, cushions and wall art. They’re currently offering 40% off across the range, so there’s bound to be something you can create for your loved one.

LEGO Flower Bouquet – £54.99

Giving and receiving beautiful flowers is such a joy. If you’re looking for a flower gift with a difference, the LEGO® Flower Bouquet (10280) is an inspired choice. Perfect for treating a loved one, this flower bouquet model building kit lets you relax, unplug and create something wonderful. With adjustable stems to tailor to the arrangement for any vase or container, this impressive flower display brings a touch of fun and colour to any room.

Fun Valentine experiences for you and a special friend

The Two Together Railcard entitles you and your BFF to ⅓ off rail travel when you travel together by train – which is more fun anyway! Forget Valentines, this year it’s all about our besties, and Railcard.co.uk can be the perfect easy and affordable Galentine’s gift for you and your fave friend to share.

It’s not just a card for couples – together you can save on practical everyday journeys, fun Galentine’s day trips or relaxing weekend breaks – as many times as you like, saving a 1/3 on rail travel each time you make a trip together.

Have some ‘Me Time’ and Stay Warm this Valentines

The Hoodie Blanket from kudd.ly has a breathable MicroCool teddy fleece exterior and a soft sherpa fleece interior.  30% longer than other hoodie blankets, it’s just what you need for relaxing on the sofa. Available in various colours and patterns and currently on special offer, what’s not to like.

OHS has a fab range of cosy comforts including weighted blankets (from £12) , Fleece Onesie Jumpsuits (from £9) and the return of their popular Faux Fur Hot Water Bottle Foot Warmer (£13). Shop the range here

The Beverley Women’s Waterproof 3-In-1 Jacket – faded pink – teams a fully waterproof coat with a detachable quilted jacket. Layer up and wear this versatile combo as your warmest of winter coats, or use each one separately.  The 3-in-1 concept makes it so easy to adapt to changing temperatures and conditions, so you’ll never be caught out at any time of year.

Tallard Womens Funnel Neck Microfleece – faded pink – is a super soft, comfortable microfleece roll neck jumper that looks great with just about anything, designed to feel fantastic against the skin with a buttery smooth finish on the outside. This is made for cosy days a t home as well as for walks, hikes, camping trips, and meals out at the pub.

Preparing and serving your culinary creations will always be a success when you use this cherry-red coloured mini cocotte from STAUB.

The 10 cm mini cocotte is excellent for preparing small portions of gratin or soufflé. You can serve food in style during romantic events using the heart-shaped mini cocotte. The small dish is suitable for use in the microwave as well as in the oven. The top-notch ceramic ensures the perfect distribution of heat for the best results.

• Ideal for preparing and serving in portions
• Versatile
• Easy to clean thanks to enamelled surface
• Suitable for use in microwave and oven

Ploov is a cordless heating cushion with infrared technology and rechargeable battery. The Original fabric is super soft and fits every style. The cushions warm you efficiently with battery powered heat and infrared technology. This warmth is felt throughout your body and does not heat the entire air unnecessarily, but only you.

Love yourself and your partner

Give yourself ‘Heavenly Feet’

Heavenly Feet have a great range of shoes and boots and Valentine’s Day would be a good time to show your pins some love by buying them some new boots. I did! I got these Weston2 boots in the sale for just £48.95. Check out their range and see what’s on offer!

Pamper yourself

Pamper yourself with Grace & Stella’s fabulous VGP’ Day collection bundle filled with all your selfcare essentials. The moisturising Pink Eye Masks are formulated with plumping fructose, glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which are both hydrating and help reduce fine lines and wrinkles; the Rose Spray has anti-inflammatory properties and refreshes the skin leaving behind a beautiful floral scent. The Rainbow Bath bomb nourishes your skin whilst helping you unwind. The smoothing Berry Lip Masks leave lips pillowy soft. These four products are the perfect combination for gifting. Valentine’s is for the Gals and Pals, show your appreciation to those you love by providing them with the self love products they never knew they were missing.!

Get sexy nightwear!

Step into enchantment with the sexy mini satin dressing gown from the amazing brand X Intima.

This mini gown is a delicate masterpiece destined for an elegant Valentine’s Day. The cute little number is adorned with full soft lace and 3D crystal stone embroidery on the shoulder, which exudes sophistication, creating an atmosphere of refined romance. Your every movement will be a graceful dance thanks to the charming, tasselled sleeve.  It retails at £166.75.

The post Valentine’s gift guide for pampering yourself and your pals on the big day appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Your most valuable asset is you – your knowledge, your skills, your time. Perhaps even your aptitude for making meringues? Someone, somewhere will want your skills. By using the idea of skill swapping, you could get something you want in return.

Based on the premise that you trade in skills rather than cash, it’s a great way of saving money for unavoidable expenditures. It can be a fun way to meet new people, too.

• Skill Swapping Online
• Swap Your Stuff
• Swap Your House
• More Ways to Save Money

Skill swapping online

While you can of course swap skills with your family and friends, lots of organisations cater to whole communities of skill-swappers. This is great if you want to widen your horizons.

The degree of skill or amount of time that you want to contribute is totally up to you. Of course, what you offer will need to match with what you want to exchange it for. You can’t do an hour’s ironing and hope it will get you an hour’s helicopter flying lesson.

Here are some places to look if skill swapping online.

LETSLINK

Local Exchange Trading Schemes were set up to create a community for skill swapping. They represent grassroots initiatives around the country where people advertise ‘Offers’ and ‘Wants’. For each offer you fulfil, you gain LETS credits to spend on your ‘Wants’. This ensures everyone’s time and effort is rewarded.

The website gives a list of schemes in your area. If there isn’t one nearby, you can always set one up yourself.

TIMEBANKING UK

This is the national umbrella charity linking and supporting time banks across the country. Participants ‘deposit’ their time by giving practical help and support to others. They are then able to ‘withdraw’ their time when they need something done themselves.

The site has a ‘find my nearest‘ search. If there’s nothing near you, have a look at the guide for setting up your own time bank.

SKILLBOUND

For those who have a specific or unusual skill to offer, Skillbound is the platform of choice. After registering, it’s a case of posting the skills you have and those you want to learn. You’ll be alerted if a member is interested, and you can browse to see who could teach you. If you’re an accomplished pianist but long to learn how to tap dance, for instance, then this could be the site for you. You can also pay to learn if you don’t have a skill to offer.

done with skill swapping? Swap your stuff instead

It’s not just skills that are swappable – your unwanted stuff is too.

There are hundreds of sites around devoted to swapping clothes, DVDs, books… pretty much anything. One man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure, after all.

While an auction site can get you cash, your stuff might not make people part with more than 50p. They will probably be more willing to part with their unwanted items, though, giving you something much more tangible in return.

MoneyMagpie has had a look around and come up with a list of some sites for you.

Freecycle

This main site runs a host of Freecycle groups around the country, matching people wanting to get rid of stuff with those who might be able to use it. After finding a group near you, you can browse and post any ‘wanted’ or ‘offered’ items.

GET SWISHING

For swapping clothes. The site gives all the advice you need to set up your own clothes-swapping (or “swishing”) event, in five handy stages.

READITSWAPIT

If your books are gathering dust on the shelf, this site can help you swap them. Register, make a list of your unwanted books, and add the books you want to your ‘wishlist’. When another member has a book on your wishlist up for grabs, ReadItSwapIt will send you a notification.

Alternatively, if you don’t fancy swapping online, you could always organise your own swap shop with your friends and family.

Swap your house

No swipe-able card keys that never work, no towels folded into swans, no chocolates on the pillow… okay, well the latter isn’t a good thing, but you can always put those on yourself. Swapping homes instead of paying for a pricey hotel or apartment can make you a massive saving on your holiday. It can give you a much better sense of what it might be like to be a local, too.

There are a number of sites that help organise this service, including Home Exchange, Home for Exchange and Intervac.

With Intervac, you pay a one-off membership fee to become part of a community of home-swappers. This ensures that all members are serious about the concept and will look after your home the way they expect you to look after theirs.

More Ways to Save Money

• 12 Top Money-Saving Tips for Families
• House-Swapping for a Nearly Free Holiday
• 50 Money Saving Tips for Parents

The post Swap to Save Money appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

• Save Money at Home
• Save Money on Your Car This Winter
• Seasonal Savings

Save Money at Home

20 wonderful ways to make and save money in winter:

This article outlines 20 ways to save and make money in the winter months, with everything from preparing a Christmas budget, clearing out clutter to making money from valentine’s day. There are tips for something for everyone in this article which you can read here.

Save on heating bills and in the home – webinar Q and A

We recently held a webinar with MoneyMagpie founder and CEO Jasmine Birtles to discuss ways to save money on heating bills. You can watch the webinar here or read the write up linked above.

Winter Chills: easy ways to cut heating costs:

From quick DIY fixes, government grants to turning your thermostat down, there’s a host of ideas for you to look through to see what might work for you this wintertime. You can find the article by clicking here.

Getting your home ready for the winter:

With the night’s drawing in, it is safe to say winter has arrived, look through this article to find a few simple tips that can dramatically improve the warmth of your home.

10 ways to stay warm at home:

From reducing draughts, putting on an extra layer to making the most of the daylight, there are some quick and easy ways to stay warm at home whilst saving money on heating costs. Why not check out this article and see if any could benefit you.

Save money by working on your garden this winter:

From starting a compost heap to protecting your plants and trees, there are many ways to save money when it comes to gardening especially if you start over the winter. By preparing ahead of time you can cash in on garden centre sales as well as protect your plants. Why not check out our article for more winter savings?

Save Money on Your Car This Winter

Winter car care: save money and stay safe with these simple tips:

Winter roads can be unpredictable, with ice, wind and rain all showing their faces over the coming months it is best to look after our cars. From breakdown cover to economical driving, this article is full of tips to stay safe and save money.

7 tips to save on car insurance this winter:

This article covers 7 quick tips we put together to help you save money this winter on your car insurance from having a winter service to asking yourself if you need a car at all, you’re sure to find a way to save.

Seasonal Savings

Make money from heavy snow:

In some parts of the UK, we have already seen our first snowfall of the season so why not cash in on that? From running errands, selling your snow photos, or offering transportation, there is a whole host of ways to make quick cash this winter. For even more ideas check out this article.

The post How to Save Money This Winter appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

You can get Christmas gift sets with all sorts of products from beauty to food to stationary to homeware. See the ones that we have picked out for under £50 so that you don’t have to break the bank.

• Beauty gift sets
• Foodie gift sets
• Homeware and stationery gift sets

Beauty gift sets

Beauty Bay Skincare Superstars – £50

A truly impressive, highly-coloured box of skincare must-haves. This well-made box includes a load of products including 5% Squalane + Grapeseed Oil Serum Hybrid 50ml, Hyaluronic Acid + Sea Moss Hydrating Face Mist 100ml,  1% Salicylic Acid + Zinc PCA Cleansing Gel 150ml, Megababe Le Tush Clarifying Butt Mask 200ml, Megababe Space Bar Detoxifying Charcoal Underarm Bar 99g , LastObject Lastround Single 1 x PAD, Nursem Caring Skin Fix 50 ml  – and much more!  Great for anyone who loves their skincare routine!

Altruist beauty gift set – £26.95

Presented in an eco-friendly brown box with red shredded paper inside, the Altruist gift set features products created by consultant dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon, Dr Andrew Birnie, who specialises in offering affordable, high-quality skincare. The gift box has been put together to offer everything needed for year-round skin protection, including Altruist’s brand-new SPF50 Primer. For the price this is a good value box and would be enjoyed by anyone who is serious about skincare.

‘Let it Glow’ bundle – £28 (or £25 with SNOW discount code)

The ‘Let It Glow’ bundle from Absolute Collagen features a mini Collagen Boosting Serum (10ml) and mini Deep Lift Night Cream (15ml) for luminosity that lasts long after the fairy lights are turned out. It’s light and in a pretty brown and gold box that is very easy to send in the post.

Hydra Collagen Face and Body Heroes Gift set – £54.99 (worth £138.50)

This is a bit over our budget but we’re including it as it is such good value. The best-selling products in the Hydra-Collagen range such as intensive moisturiser, body lotion, shampoo, moisturising gel and more is practical and beautiful at the same time.

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Gift Set – £20

This simple, no-nonsense set is hugely practical, It’s especially good for  for those with normal to dry skin in need of a little extra pamper. It contains Daily Moisturising Body Wash 300ml, Daily Moisturising Body Lotion 300ml and Daily Moisturising Hand Cream 75ml..

Green Therapy CBD skincare gift set – £50

This set comes with a lovely embroidered black bag that you can use as a make-up or sponge bag for weekends away. It includes Age Defying Hydrating Moisturiser CBD 500mg 50ml and Multivitamin Age Defying Recovery Serum 500mg CBD 50ml. All products in the range are 100% natural, vegan friendly, and all are suitable for any skin type. It is very light and easy to send anywhere. Buy it here.

Holy Lama Naturals Face Care Travel Set – £16.50

Small and light, this is a set of natural face care products that you can pop in your handbag. The kit includes 30 ml Cleansing lotion, 30 ml Face wash, 20 g Face cream and 20 g Face pack. This face care gift set is packed in a handmade, eco-friendly, sustainable travel case made with fallen, dried coconut palm leaves.

So..? ICONIC Mini Galore Set – £5

This is a great  stocking-filler and good value at £5. It includes four delicious body mists (50ml each) including ‘Sinful’, Kiss Me, Red Body and Exclusive mists.

AOURA LONDON Collection set 4x60m – £13

Another great stocking-filler or Secret Santa present, the Aoura London collection of body mists looks more expensive than it is. The fragrances include Pretty Woman, Midnight Passion, London Rush and Paradise Bliss

Roald Dahl BetterYou Bath Set – £26.95

The BetterYou Roald Dahl children’s range features characters everyone loves such as Matilda, The BFG and James and the Giant Peach. Make The bath range helps relax and prepare your little ones for sleep. The range is dermatologically tested and suitable for sensitive skin. The pack includes: Magnesium Sleep Kids’ Bath Flakes, Magnesium Sleep Kids Body Lotion, Magnesium Sleep Kids’ Body Spray.

7th Heaven Pamper Hamper – £9.79

This really is a little spa in a box. With a vast selection of their incredible peel off masks, all presented in a rather tasteful grey cube with a lovely bath fluffer. This is a fantastic gift set for anyone who really needs a little home pamper session. Great value too.

My Hair. My Canvas. Me Time Everyday Shampoo & Conditioner – £39

Foodie gift sets

Good in Bread Savoury Christmas bundle – £24.50

This is a fantastic gift for any food-lover who lives in London (currently they only deliver to London although they are planning on expanding).  It includes their signature white country loaf complimented with a 200g Vintage Godminster cheddar cheese, fig chutney and organic charcuterie meats.  There’s a lovely, fresh, sourdough loaf and, with the first delivery, a hessian gift bag to put your loaf in! 

Santa’s Workshop Christmas Cupcakes -£21.30 

Send a really well-packaged (with slab of ice to keep them cool) box of six Christmas cupcakes fro Lola’s Cupcakes, anywhere in the country.  Cute elves and gingerbread men meet traditional Christmas wreaths and candy canes in the perfect box for sharing at festive parties or posting as a delicious gift to show someone you’re thinking of them.  The cakes are either vanilla or chocolate and the buttercream icing is all sorts of colours!

Little’s Winter Warmers – £12

At just £12 you will give the coffee-lover in your life something to pick them up in the long winter nights. This selection pack includes three warming, wintery and delicious flavours including Christmas Spirit, Creamy Caramel and Rich Hazelnut. It’s in a sturdy box which isn’t too heavy to send in the post.

Spice Drops Barista Flavour Collection – £20

For the mad-keen coffee-lover in your life, this collection of ethically produced, natural food flavourings that spice up your morning brew will be a fun present for your giftee to try for a few weeks after Christmas. This box includes cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon and chai spices to add some zing to anyone’s coffee.

Tracklement Gift Set – £23.05

This really is the perfect gift for any foodie this Christmas. Their luxury, full sized jars of delicious condiments will also look glorious on any Christmas table. With apple and cider brandy churney, Christmas Spice Chutney, Cranbury Port and Orange Sauce and incredible Horseradish sauce, these scrumptious condiments will help any cheesboard come to life. I can also confirm they take that leftover sandwich to incredible culinary heights.

PACT Coffee Christmas Filter Selection Box – £19.99

Pact really do bring that taste of artisinal coffee shops into your home. Their expertly selected coffees create flavours unlike most supermarket coffee, they are fresh and aromatic. This incredible selection pack is evidence of this. The warming mulled wine flavours of Nyangoma. The aromatic orange and clove of San Carlos. The juicy Turkish delight and blackcurrant notes of Kiri. All of that, plus chocolatey, curranty, boozy natural flavours that are reminiscent of Christmas pudding in the Christmas Blend.

Each sachet weights 100g, which is enough for five generous cups of coffee.

This is an absolute must for any coffee lover.

Homeware and stationery gift sets

Cole and Mason  Christmas hamper of salt and pepper mills – £50

This is a great present for anyone who is house-proud. It comes in a sturdy, attractive box with two wooden mills – they come in either natural beech or chocolate wood – plus salt and peppercorns and a funnel to fill the mills. They are beautifully presented in a Cole & Mason branded gift box, and cushioned in black tissue paper and include complimentary delivery within the UK.

Stick to the Plan, stationery set – £28

This is lovely and light to send in the post. In fact it’s so slim it could fit through the letterbox, which makes it easy to send. It’s really for the sort of person who likes to make lists and plan things. It includes stickers, a pen, and neon pen clip

The post Best Christmas gift sets 2023 for under £50 appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

And the prices: they range from just a few quid to hundreds.

So we have looked at lots on the market and come up with this range of fun and festive advent calendars for you to try.

• Advent calendars for children
• Chocolate advent calendars
• Foodie advent calendars
• Plant based
• Beauty advent calendars
• Gift advent calendars

Advent calendars for children

Playin Choc advent calendars

Playin Choc, vegan chocolates for kids come in two calendars:

12 Day Advent Calendar – £27.50

24 Day Advent Calendar – £55.00

Each window  in the advent calendars offers a 10g mini-chocolate bar, a 3D puzzle toy made from 100% recycled board, 3 stencils to use for creative drawing, and a fun facts educational info-card.  The calendar sleeve also easily reverses into a play mat, offering hours of extra fun. 

Build your own slot machine advent calendar – £24.99

This clever wheeze for kids is rather good value. It includes all the elements you need to make your own slot machine. Different aspects of the machine are in the boxes for different days so by the time it comes to Christmas you have built your own slot machine that you can play with. Load your swirly glass marbles into the spring-loaded launcher and let the game begin! Made from 100% sustainable card, it’s also fully recyclable.

Gabby’s Dollhouse advent calendar -£24.99

Premier League 2023/24 Adrenalyn XL Countdown Calendar – £30

Young lads and lasses who are football fans will love counting down to Christmas with this official Countdown Calendar. It’s a substantial calendar that opens up to let you find 22 trading card packets. Each packet contains 6 trading cards and a QR code to unlock a digital packet. Good for children from 3 upwards.

Pokémon Holiday Calendar, £29.99srp, ages 4+

Let the holiday magic start on December 1st! With the Pokémon Holiday Calendar, discover 24 seasonal Pokémon surprises, including 16 figures and 8 accessories. Your little one will love the excitement of opening a new toy every day!

Chocolate advent calendars

Divine chocolate advent calendars – £5 each

Get milk chocolate or dark vegan chocolate in these nice, light (so cheap to post) advent calendars, Their Fairtrade advent calendars have a new chocolate heart each day, and also you money is helping improve  the lives of cocoa farmers and their families through Divine’s commitment to fight exploitation in the industry.

Wickedly Welsh chocolate advent calendar -£19.99

The Wickedly Welsh Chocolate Advent Calendar is less your run-of-the-mill calendar, and more a festive box of delicious chocolates that you just happen to limit yourself to one-a-day. The handmade chocolates come packaged in a beautiful Christmassy blue box and boast an array of flavours – including milk and dark, salted, orange, raspberry cream and more. The cost might initially seem high but once you’ve tasted the quality, you’ll realise every bite is worth the price. An ideal gift for the chocolate lover in your family (or you could treat yourself…why not?!)’ 

Advent Calendar

Lindt chocolate calendars

Everyone loves Lindt and they are brilliant as Christmas gifts. They have a selection of advent calendars including these two:

Lindt Festive Selection Advent Calendar – £15.00

Traditional Lindt festive favourites; including, a decadent assortment of Lindt Lindor truffles and Luxor chocolate, along with double chocolate snowballs with a milk chocolate filling, not forgetting the Lindt chocolate coins.

Lindt Gold TEDDY Advent Calendar – £20.00

This lovely gold box includes 24 delicious festive chocolate treats hidden behind the 3D Teddy.

Love Cocoa Truffle Calendar – £25

Countdown to Christmas one truffle at a time with this beautifully illustrated, gold-embossed, A3-size 100% plastic free calendar. It’s a really attractive-looking calendar with pictures of iconic London elements. The truffles are all handmade using ethically sourced, single origin Colombian cocoa… The chocs include Hazelnut Praline Heart, Giant Hazelnut Rocher, Salted Caramel Truffle and Spiced Gingerbread Truffle. And not forgetting a surprise Love Cocoa Mini Chocolate Bar to enjoy behind door number 24!

Lakeland Santa Milk Chocolate Advent Countdown Slims – £12.99

This is one of my favourites as it is light, attractive and involves a delicious, simple chocolate every day. It’s a traditional picture of Santa Claus on a red background made up of 24 chocolate slims. What’s not to like?

Foodie advent calendars

Fabulous Just Spices advent calendar – £99.99

This is an amazing, huge, round spice rack made of card. It’s beautifully designed but is pretty heavy so best to get the company to send it if it’s a gift. Itr includes 24 full size mixes, seasonings and toppings,plus the brilliant Just Spices Cookbook.  The cookbook is a gift in itself with over 100 recipes. The spices include Oatmeal Spice to warm up breakfast and Chicken Curry Seasoning to jazz up Friday evening dinner, and of course the very popular Avocado Topping among other cool spice mixes.  The whole calendar is really worth over £139. A big present in itself.

Maison Bremond Provence Calendar – £60

Cheese Advent Calendar – £8

If you have more of a savoury tooth then this is a fantastic alternative to chocolate. Containing 24 individual cheeses, the award-winning advent calendar features 11 mouthwatering varieties from award-winning Somerset-based cheese specialists, Ilchester Cheese Company.

Founded in the heart of cheese-making West Country, Illchester Cheese is known for their innovative flavours and high-quality locally-sourced ingredients.

Fantastically priced and available in Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Lidl and Ocado from 10 November.

Plant Based

Chococo Christmas Countdown Chocolates – £27.50

One of the first, if not the first, artisan chocolate company in the UK to offer fine chocolates for Advent back in 2005, these boxes, containing 25 delicious and award-winning flavoured chocolates. They really are exceptional and like no advent calendar I have ever seen.

With flavours such as Bottoms Up (a dark chocolate gem filled with a Marc de Champagne infused creamy oat m!lk chocolate), Chai Spice (oat m!lk blended with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove), moreish Fruity Cluster, Panela Panache (a single origin dark chocolate truffle with Colombian panela sugar) and Oat M!lk Honeycombe Gem (crunchy honeycombe pieces in an oat m!lk gem).

This dairy allergic woman hasn’t tried flavours such as these in years.

H!P Oat Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar – £10/120g

H!P’s 2023 Advent Calendar is filled with 24 squares of oat m!lk chocolate in four different flavours: Creamy Original (classic and smooth), Salted Caramel (a salty sweet sensation), Gingerbread (the official taste of Christmas) and Orange (zesty and creamy). Vegan or not, this advent calendar will make every day of December delicious.

Joe & Seph’s Advent Calendars – £30 each

If you like popcorn then you will love Joe and Seph’s Advent Calendars. They have three 24-day ones including ‘Find Joe’, ‘Vegan’ and ‘Classic 24. They’re nice big boxes but quite light as they are mainly popcorn, so that helps for postage! The highly-decorated pictures include doors behind which are small packets of the company’s signature popcorn in all kinds of flavours including candy cane, brandy butter, strawberry caramel and vanilla cheesecake. Great for children as well as adults.

Love Raw’s M:LK CHOC ADVENT CALENDAR. £6.99

Love Raw have some of the best vegan milk chocolate on the market and this really is delcious. For an incredible price and lovely box this will appeal to all of your milk dodging friends and family.

Beauty Advent Calendars

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory x Revolution 12 Days Advent Calendar -£40.00

i thought this was a chocolate advent calendar when it arrived! It really looks like a nice box of chocolates with a sturdy box around what you assume is going to be a delicious set of chocs. But no! It’s beauty. It includes some great cosmetics including Blueberry powder blusher, Chocolate Cream Bronzer, Candy cane eyeliner and gold shimmer shadow pot. A really fun and useful present for the make-up fan in your life!

Gift Advent Calendars

Personalised chocolate advent calendars –

Who wouldn’t want a chocolate advent calendar with a photo of their children, their dog or their favourite holiday destination on the front? It’s a great idea and this year at least two companies are doing it.

Firstly Vistaprint is offering this service. They have lots of templates available on site or you can chose to personalise it with your favourite photos. It is available in different sizes, A4 and A5, different formats (horizontal and vertical) and with classic milk chocolate or vegan chocolates. Prices are £15.12-16.90.

Then CREWE offers an extra large personalised advent calendar that you can personalise with your own photograph too. The calendar is 48 x 36 x 3.5 cm in Landscape or Portrait and you can either add in your own photo or use one of their templates. It’s filled with filled with 27 fairtrade Tony’s Chocolonely chocolates in 10 different varieties. This one costs £37.99.

Lakeland Festive Joy Musical Christmas Tree Advent Calendar – £79.99

They describe this as an ‘heirloom piece’ and it’s certainly the sort of thing that you can bring out each December, putting the Christmas charms in the numbered boxes so that you can all have fun taking them out one by one and hanging them on the wooden tree. It is a quality, long-lasting product. The sort of thing that you might send to relatives for them to use year-in, year-out

The post Best advent calendars for all the family 2023 appeared first on MoneyMagpie.