-
Read more
How did the Dyson V11 perform vs the Gtech AirRam?
They’re both among the best cordless vacuum cleaners you can buy, but they take very different approaches to the business of cleaning. I have used both, one at my own home and one at my mum’s.
So, how are they different? Let’s start with our Dyson V11:
Recent Dyson vacs have all sported excellent bin emptying mechanisms and this one’s no exception. The bin itself holds 0.76 litres of dust and debris which may seem small but it’s enough for dusty stair carpet and another big room’s carpet in my house.
It comes with lots of handy attachments for the stairs and webs and skirting boards. It also switches from carpet to hard floor seamlessly. To empty its contents, you simply push down a latch and the outer transparent sleeve jolts down, ejecting everything …
-
Read more
Ovenpride vs. Oven cleaner
Oven cleaning is one of the most dreaded chores when it comes to blitzing the kitchen.
Cleaning the oven can seem like a complex task. You can choose to do it by using the single-use all-in-one deep cleaning product Oven Pride product or if it’s a bigger hassle than you thought then perhaps using a professional oven cleaning company is a better choice.
But how can you decide which would be easier for you? When it comes down to what you get for a better price, well you can get the Oven Pride for £4.00 at Tesco and other grocery and discount stores.
To get the best results when using Oven Pride to clean your oven, we would recommend leaving the product to work for at least 4 hours.
If it’s convenient, leaving it overnight …
-
Read more
Have you seen Aldi’s new interiors range?
With summer just around the corner and temperatures rising, how about introducing some coastal cool to your interiors with Aldi’s new Natural Coast Bedroom and Bathroom range, available online and in stores now.
The range features a selection of products including soft teddy bear rugs, climate control bedding and retro fans which are sure to keep the temperature down during the hot summer months. Aldi fans will be able to update homes without the hefty price tag, with an average saving of over £200 compared to leading homeware brands.
Sink into softness with Aldi’s Textured Cotton Rich Duvet Set. Available in four different designs and three sizes – Double (£15.99), King (£18.99) and Super King (£22.99), this stylish bedding will help to ensure a relaxing night’s sleep.
-
Read more
Want to permanently reduce your household bills? Invest in solar panels
We installed our solar panels back at the end of 2015, but even though the Feed In Tariff has reduced, having panels can save you money long term, so I asked solar lighting specialist, The Solar Centre, to discuss how harnessing solar power throughout your home could mean huge long-term savings.
Whilst there are many ways that you can save money on day-to-day bills, consumers are, understandably, always on the lookout for long-term ways to make substantial savings. One way of doing this, while also being more environmentally responsible, is through solar power.
How does it work?
Solar panels work by capturing energy from the sun using photovoltaic cells. The cells convert sunlight into electricity, which can be used for home appliances and lighting, thus substantially reducing household bills. Once you have paid the …
-
Read more
Get 20% off Crown paints with their paint recycling scheme
An award-winning recycling scheme is hoping its fifth anniversary year will be the biggest and best yet, with a little help from UK homeowners.
With the return of the annual Kick Out The Can recycling campaign, Crown Decorating Centres’ are urging householders to bring unwanted paint containers into their stores to help the environment, charitable projects and ensure they are rewarded too.
Last year was the most successful Kick Out The Can yet with 20,000 containers of surplus paint brought into the network of 135 Crown Decorating Centres.
Homeowners can drop off any brand of unwanted paint at their local Crown Decorating Centre from April 1st to 30th and as a thank you they receive a 20 per cent discount voucher which is redeemable throughout 2017.
Now in its fifth year, the campaign has collected …
-
Read more
Getting Ready For The Summer Garden with Jive Hippo Club
The seemingly endless winter is finally drawing to a close. The daffodils are blooming, and – every so often – we are getting a glimpse of warm sunshine. I have already been gardening for a few weeks clearing up the dead leaves, sewing new seeds and bulbs and more.
So to help you on your way, here are some tips to get your garden ship shape for the summer, and to save money, we’ve made it more interesting and put in a sample of the discounts and money back that you could get if you used Jive Hippo, a membership club that gets you discount on high street prices.
Reset The Beds
It’s time to grab that shovel and that trowel and get down and dirty pulling up the weeds and roots. The roots …
-
Read more
Ideas for saving money in the garden
I love gardening, so was excited to hear about a fella called Peter Burkes who’s offering free gardening advice at his “virtual garden cente” www.potterandrest.co.uk. I know I have raved about Garden Compass, but you still have to pay for it, even though it’s great value for money, so this is another option.
Anyway, make over your plot on a budget with some of Peter’s tips below and then you’ll have more money to spend on other plants, products and gadgets on your wish list:
1. Always check out special offers. Garden centres are always offering deals and money off on certain plants so make sure you do your research.
2. Save money on buying canes and collect sticks and twigs now for use later as pea or bean supports.
-
Read more
Five money saving tips for your home
Swinton Insurance shares its simple but effective tips that’ll help you avoid any emergencies in the home, and minimise your bills:
1.Dispel those draughts
Once you’ve warmed up your house, it’s important to try keep the heat in – after all, the more often you have to turn the heating on, the bigger the bill. Make sure no chilly breezes sneak in by filling any gaps around doors with a draught excluder and windows with draught proofing strips.
-
Insulate and insulate again
Not only will insulating your home keep you warm and toasty, it could cut your energy bills too. Consider the following:
- Cavity wall insulation to avoid losing heat through your walls
- Draught proofing so cold air doesn’t creep in through doors or out through windows
- Floor insulation – make sure gaps in
-
-
Read more
Have you checked your neighbours’ house price?
With some Brits sitting in a big pile of cash that is their home….it’s the topic of conversation at dinner parties all across the land: how much is your property worth?
We are, it’s fair to say, a nation obsessed with property value, so I decided to share this news with you, as I must admit I do check up! It’s hardly surprising, considering we’re one of the few European countries where being a homeowner – and aspiring to it – is more common than being a renter. And what with property values tending to go up (largely – recessions aside), we Brits see our homes as our nest egg, as well as just our nest.
Estate agents Keatons surveyed 2,000 home owners in the UK to find out how clued-up we are about property …
-
Read more
Recycling in the bathroom – low cost bin idea from John Lewis – £5
While I religiously recycle in the kitchen, all my good intentions go to pot in the bathroom.
So I decided to get recycling upstairs too. Only issue is who has space for a recycling bin in the bathroom – you know one of those metal two or three bucket bin in the bathroom? And frankly, they look rather unattractive too.
Now in the kitchen I had my three compartment recycling bin and my normal bin, and this was overkill, so I changed to two of the same bin and we recycle in one and rest of the waste goes in the other.
I wanted to replicate this upstairs by buying two of the same bin, this time in white or perspex. Specifically I wanted square bins to leave no gaps like round, oval…
