Category: Saving £££

Before we begin, let me point out that I have just applied for a job as a wellbeing consultant and mentioned to my potential future boss that I run a blog which is all about mum fitness and wellbeing. Now she will click on the link I gave her and….oooppps…. a fast food feast! So Gemma, my future boss, if you are reading this, please scroll down and focus on all the posts about running and exercise, and ignore this little slip up 😉

So, if you’ve been munching on carrot sticks and salad leaves since 1st January, you are officially allowed to be naughty for a day. Here is how you get this feast for £3:

It’s all about the apps. Step 1: Download the KFC app which will automatically grant you three loyalty stamps just for joining. Those stamps will give you a free side, which includes any drink (no champagne, sorry). I went for coffee as my little baby supervillain didn’t allow me to sleep last night. Step 2: Use the “two snackboxes for £3” offer in your app (expires on 27th January). You can choose from classic, popcorn chicken or mini breast fillet, each of which comes with a serving of chips. Step 3: Download the McDonald’s app and treat yourself to a completely free hamburger or cheeseburger (valid until 25th January). Step 4: Combine above mentioned items into a super naughty mega meal and stuff your face. Or, uhmmm, be sensible and share it between your family with generous servings of salad 😉

Alternatively, if you don’t want to spend any money at all. Use the McDonald’s offer to get yourself a burger and three KFC stamps to add chips! A completely free meal!

Oh, and since my blog is all about fitness, now go run a half marathon to burn all the naughty naughty calories! Enjoy (both food and running)!

Winter is coming. You better get that heating on and wait for the dreaded electricity bill…

You all know how passionate I am about saving every penny so when I recently met a lady who was a real pro at reducing your electricity usage and therefore your bill, my heart rejoiced. Based on her advice and on what I have already been doing I put together a little guide on how to save you some cash.

• Switch it off

Do you have TV on in the background without actually watching it? Switch it off. Is there a little light on your washing machine, microwave, printer and other devices you’re not currently using? Switch it off. Are you home alone but your light is on in three different rooms at the same time? Switch it off. Is your fancy baby monitor on even at times when your baby doesn’t need monitoring? Switch it off. Do you leave your router and TV on when going on a holiday or a weekend away? Switch. It. Off.

• Insulate

Traditionally, British houses are terribly insulated, side effect of which is that you can hear your neighbour fart and sadly winter chills comes in. You might not be in a position to insulate the walls or get a double glazed windows, but there is still something you can do. Start with draught-proofing that is easily achieved with the use of a draught window seal, a draught excluder for your door and some thick curtains. Visit the Energy Saving Trust website for more info.

• Shop around

I have a friend who switches her electricity supplier every year and saves over £100 each time. The process is actually easier than you think. To compare prices and find out which supplier offers you the best deal click here.

• Warm Home Discount

Have you heard of Warm Home Discount? No one has. It is a one-off sum of £140 towards your electricity bill. Find out if you qualify and apply on your supplier’s website – simply type you “Warm Home Discount” and the name of your supplier into Goole. But hurry – it is awarded on a first come first served basis each autumn.

Finally, you can visit Community Council for Berkshire website for more information and many useful links.

Now that you saved yourself some cash, go spend it on wine that will warm you up from inside so you can turn your heating down and save even more money that you can spend on wine etc etc 😉

Here is a little hack for Boots Parenting Club members. You probably recently received a coupon for 50p off on Pampers wipes that usually cost £1 each. If you download the Boots app, you can load an equivalent coupon onto your Clubcard. Not sure if it’s a glitch or not, but you will be able to use both coupons at the same time which will make your wipes completely free. It already worked for me a couple times. Wiping poo and vomit is wayyy more pleasant if you’re using free wipes – trust me 🙂

From my previous blog you all know I love a good freebie. Here is the latest one I discovered: if you’re an Amazon Prime member and have/create a baby wishlist, you can receive a free value pack of WaterWipes (260 wipes). All you have to do is spend £10 on baby items from your wishlist.

This is how it works: save items to your wishlist and shop as normal. Add a value pack of WaterWipes (4×60 wipes sold by Amazon) to your basket (make sure you have the right item) and the price will automatically be deducted at checkout.

If you’re not an Amazon Prime member you can get a free trial as long as you cancel within 30 days. Btw the WaterWipes promotion lasts till the end of June.

Now let’s do some maths: to qualify for the freebie I bought a pair MAM bottles and spare teats that I needed anyway. In Boots they retail for £13.50 and £5.09. On Amazon they were £7.50 and £4. Plus £10 for Waterwipes (they are currently £9 on Amazon but I’m comparing to Boots prices). So overall I spent £11.50 on items that would cost me £28.59 if bought on the high street. That’s £17.09 saved! Bargain!

Any questions please ask, and let me know about your favourite bargains!