Help Santa Save Money with Price Comparison Websites!

With Christmas shopping in full swing, this week I thought I’d share a few top sites to help Santa find the best deals on everything on his list!

King of Comparison Sites:  www.megashopbot.com

Brought to you by Martin Lewis and the Money Saving Expert team, this is a great tool which covers books, music, dvds, games, perfume, electronics and more over several comparison sites all at the same time!

For General Price Comparison:

www.kelkoo.co.uk

www.123pricecheck.com

From cameras and iPads, dvds to toys - you can search for the best buys on a whole load of gifts. (Kelkoo also covers travel and holidays.)

Music:  http://www.tunechecker.com/

Another fantastic MSE site that will give you the cheapest deals on music downloads and CDs.

Perfume and aftershave:

www.fragrancescompared.co.uk

www.cheapperfumeexpert.com

Save Even More!

Once you’ve found the best deal, search the Cash Back websites featured in the previous P4P post and see if the website you plan to buy from is featured. 

If so, make sure that you click through to the site from the cash back website (clearing cookies before this is always a good idea too).

Further discounts may also be available through voucher discount codes.

Try:

www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/discount-voucher-codes

www.vouchercodes.co.uk

www.discountvouchers.co.uk

www.myvouchercodes.co.uk

These sites are also good for money off vouchers for restaurants and online supermarket shopping (among many other things!).  It’s worth signing up to their mailing lists for up-to-the-minute deals.

I hope these sites are useful and manage to save you a few pennies.

If you have come across any other great comparison, cash back or discount sites, please share them with us by leaving a comment below!

Happy Shopping!

Mummy Money Saving Tips!

A while ago I asked some lovely Mummies for thier top money saving tips and this is what they came up with:



“Buy toys, equipment clothes etc at he NCT nearly new sales.”

“Join Freecycle - all sorts of unwanted items offered for free on there, or you can post a wanted if you need something.”

“Best money saving tip I would give is save as soon as you know you're expecting ... I can't believe how much money we frittered away whilst DINKies!! (Double Income no Kiddies)” 
Emma of www.facebook.com/DottyMayscrafts

”Meal planning, before going shopping write out a list of 7 meals i will use for the week ahead and what i need to make them, then on my shopping list only put the things I NEED to stock up on, and stick to this list when shopping without going off buying 'deals' “

“Use online banking, regularly checking incoming and outgoing money.”

”Switch to 'own brands' everything taste the same its just cheaper to buy.”
Kerri of www.imaginedesigncreate.org.uk

“It's very basic advice, but I always buy in bulk for things like nappies & wet wipes as you're going to use them eventually & the more you buy the cheaper they are.  It pays to shop around a bit & know where the deals are on too as there's always one somewhere.”
Cathy, Taunton

"Making sure you have loyalty cards such as Tesco / Nectar as they come in handy at Christmas.  We only saved £15 in vouchers for Tesco this year but we doubled it so had £30 to spend on toys ... excellent money saving for us :)”
Joanne of www.joannedewberry.co.uk

“I have a four year old and an 18 month old; one of my tips to save (or to NOT spend needlessly) is to give my eldest pocket money and to encourage a little bit of understanding.  So when we're in the supermarket and she's asking me to buy her something I can explain that it costs money and that she'll need to use her own pocket money!  It works... most of the time!  The thing you need to do is never give in, or they expect it all the time!”
Claire, Taunton for Tots

"Buy your toys second-hand from ebay (or wherever). Your kids won't notice or care and you will get three times as many for your money."
Vicky, Taunton

“Get the best value for Tesco clubcard vouchers by using them for days out and the sun (or other newspapers) £9.50 holidays are an absolute bargain. My girls love them.”

“I keep any paper that is blank on the back in a pile by the pc, the girls can paint and scribble all they like, I hardly ever give them new sheets, unless I think I'll want to send them to anyone, I also use it for any printing (maps etc) that won't matter.”
Elaine, Taunton

"Be a wise shopper and buying nearly new quality clothes for your little ones instead of splashing out on the high street! After all they grow out of them so quickly and it leaves you with a bit more cash for the other things... like a much needed latte or a well deserved glass of wine at the end of the week!"
Vicky, Looking Good Baby! Taunton: www.lookinggoodbaby.co.uk

“Join Sainsbury's Little Ones and Boots Parenting Clubs. Lots of vouchers/tips in magazines.”

“Stocking up when deals such as Sainsbury's 1/3 off baby and Asda baby week event.”

"Always check online for items you've seen instore. Websites like Kiddicare and Practical Puschairs have much better deals than in stores.”
Jackie, Taunton

"Join the local library - we buy some books new, some second hand, and borrow some from the library."
Georgi Rollings of www.starfishaccounting.co.uk



And my top tip is to visit comparison websites before you buy ANYTHING (either online or in store) to find out where the best deal is.  Then check voucher codes sites and cash back sites to see how much more money you can save! 

(There will be more on the best sites to use soon.)

What's your top money saving tip?  Please leave a comment below! :o)

Save money with the Utility Warehouse Discount Club - Julie Brooke

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Save money with the Utility Warehouse Discount Club

You may not have heard of the Utility Warehouse before – that’s the secret to saving lots of money! The company does not advertise in the national press or on TV. Instead, it relies on personal recommendation; satisfied customers letting their friends, family and colleagues know about the savings they have made. The company passes the savings it makes on to its members – by charging less.

Price Promise

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Or they will give you back Double the Difference!

Charges, terms and conditions apply. For full details of the Utility Warehouse Price Promise see http://www.blogger.com/goog_1335582249

Helping you switch

The Utility Warehouse will even reimburse up to £50 of early termination fees charged by your previous supplier(s) when you switch your services to them.

For a limited period (until 24 March 2012), the Utility Warehouse will refund up to £200 of early termination fees charged by your previous supplier(s) 

No minimum contract term

The Utility Warehouse is so confident that you’ll be happy with the money you save that most services have no minimum contract term, so you’re not tied in. If you're not totally happy with the money you save and the Utility Warehouse’s award-winning UK-based customer service team, you can go back to your current supplier's higher prices at any time!

Energy

The Utility Warehouse Price Promise means you can benefit from:

The UK’s cheapest standard Gas and Electricity Or they will give you back Double the Difference!

Charges, terms and conditions apply. For full details of the Utility Warehouse Price Promise see http://www.blogger.com/goog_1335582253

You'll be amazed at how much the Utility Warehouse could save you compared with the cheapest standard direct debit tariffs available from their competitors. And once you've transferred your energy to the Utility Warehouse you can relax, confident in the knowledge you'll always receive a really great deal with their unique 'Triple Value' guarantee.

 

'Triple Value' guarantee

The Utility Warehouse provides customers with complete peace of mind on their energy bills. They compare their prices every month against the average of the cheapest direct debit tariffs available from each of the 'Big 6' suppliers*, on a like-for-like basis and will adjust their prices on a regular basis if necessary.

1.   For your gas, they guarantee their prices will always be cheaper than British Gas,    wherever you live in the UK.

2.   For your electricity, they guarantee their prices will always be cheaper than the prices charged by the regional electricity supplier for the area where you live.

3.   And for your complete peace of mind, they guarantee their prices will always remain competitive compared with the cheapest standard tariffs available from the 'Big 6' suppliers*.

*'Big 6' means the six major energy companies who currently supply over 98% of UK households, comprising: British Gas, E.ON, npower, EDF, Scottish Power and Scottish & Southern Energy. Guarantees and price comparisons are based on the OFGEM standard domestic usage profiles for low, medium and high users  on a like-for-like basis, and exclude Club Membership fee, surcharge for gas customers using an Independent Gas Transporter, dual-fuel discounts and online tariffs. Applies to residential energy customers who pay by direct debit only.

10% Extra Discount on Energy

You can get an extra 10% discount on the energy you have used (gas, electricity or dual fuel) after you have been with the Utility Warehouse for a year. Ask me for details!

Feed-In Tariffs (FITs)

With the Utility Warehouse Feed-In Tariffs, you could save money – or even make money – by generating your own electricity at home, using solar panels or wind turbines. The Utility Warehouse will pay you more than any other supplier for the electricity you generate. Ask for details!

Julie Brooke

Authorised Distributor

The Utility Warehouse

Telephone: 07817 032484

Email: juliebrooke@utilitywarehouse.org.uk

Web: www.easytosavemoney.co.uk

A note from Pennies 4 Parents:

This is not a sponsored post and I have received no payment in order to feature it.

I just think it is something my readers may be interested in finding out more about. :o)

Money Saving Expert (aka THE Best Money Saving & Advice Website in the UK!)

My regular followers will know that I am a HUGE fan of Martin Lewis and his MoneySavingExpert.com website. 

You may have seen various links to his articles and videos in previous posts here on Pennies 4 Parents. 

Photo used by kind permission from Martin - thank you!

Many of you will know Martin as the fast talking money guy from TV shows such as Daybreak, Lorraine and Watchdog.

MoneySavingExpert.com is THE place to go for advice on saving money, consumer rights, finding the best deals on just about everything, reclaiming money, and a whole lot more!

Martin set the website up in 2003 for £100.  Today, it has 10 million monthly users and there is a 30 strong team behind him.  I wouldn’t like to even take a guess at just how much money his tips and advice has saved people!

I advise everyone to visit the site and sign up for Martin’s weekly email where you’ll get hot-of-the-press news and deals, advance warnings of sales about to start and really important advice that I don’t think you’d find anywhere else but really should be finding out about!

 

The website has a dedicated Family, Income and Benefits section:  http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/ - a must read for any parent.

Here you will find advice on everything from Childcare Costs and Tax Credits to Student Loans.

Martin continuously campaigns to raise awareness of financial issues. His current big campaign is to “Make financial education a compulsory part of the school curriculum” - something that I think is really important for parents to get involved with.  For more information see here.  To sign the petition please click here.

You can follow Martin on Twitter: @MartinSLewis

And become a fan on Facebook

 

Find out more about him in this short biography video

Money Saving Tips for Birthday Parties - Joanne McGowan, Act One Parties

Nowadays it is common to invite the whole class to your child's birthday party and this means entertaining, feeding and watering and party bagging up to 25-30+ children.  This can lead many parents to feel that costs are spiralling out of control.  It doesn't have to be this way and I hope the following tips will help you to create a fantastic party for your child that doesn't break the bank.

Tip No. 1 – Join Forces

One of the best ways to half or even third or quarter the cost of your child's birthday party is to join forces with another family in your child's class who has a birthday around the same time.  Joint parties are becoming increasingly popular (I entertain regularly at parties where there are 2 or 3 or sometimes even 4 birthday children).  If they are all in the same class at school they are likely to have the same friends so it can be a win win situation.

As well as significantly reducing the cost of the party it can also reduce the workload as you can split the organisation and jobs between the different families involved.

However, a note of caution, ensure that if you do join forces with another family that they have the same outlook as yourself on costs, type of party required and be clear about who is responsible for what in the lead up to the party.

Tip No. 2 – Shop around for venues

In my hometown of Guildford I know the price of venues can vary significantly for very little difference in facilities.  I will be writing about things to look for in a venue in a later blog but generally the closer to a town centre the more expensive a venue will become where as those on the outskirts can be considerably cheaper with similar facilities and generally more parking.  Schools sometimes offer a discount if your child is a pupil there but sometimes can charge a caretaker fee so don't assume this will be the cheapest option.  Some village halls will offer a cheaper rate if you live in the village and it is often worth seeking out halls that charge for the morning or afternoon rather than the hour as this can work out better value for a party.

Children generally don't care what a venue looks like, it is us parents that are bothered by things like that, so as long as it warm and dry and safe most venues can look good with a few decorations.

Tip No. 3 – The internet is your friend

For two reasons – if you choose to do a lot of DIY preparation for the party ie decorations, invites etc, there are many sites that will provide you with the inspiration and templates to do this.  The internet can also be a good place to find special offers for party bags, decorations and tableware.  Many companies will have a newsletter or a facebook page you can sign up to where special offers will be advertised – even getting free postage can be a good saving.

Tip No. 4 – The Early Bird Catches the Worm

By planning your party early not only will you get the pick of

party entertainers and venues but you will have time to research the best deals on party ware, party bags, decorations etc.  It will also give you more time to do some aspects yourself like maybe make some decorations with your child for the party.

Tip No. 5 – Feeding the 5,000

The thing that most goes to waste at a children's party is always the food.  Children generally eat less than you think and always have eyes bigger than tummies so controlling quantities is key.  Putting food in food boxes is a good way to guage portions effectively and means that children are given appropriate sized quantities and a balance of naughty and nice.  And whilst we may opt for locally sourced, organic produce at other times, when catering for a children's birthday tea all the supermarkets do great value ranges on party tea favourites.

For more information on Joanne and Act One Parties, visit:

http://actoneparties.co.uk/wordpress

Twitter:  @actoneparties

www.facebook.com/actonecreativeandactiveparties