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Security light ideas – solar and timers
Recently, we’ve had a spate of attempted burglaries nearby and decided that we wanted to bolster our defences. Lights are always a powerful tool, whether as a deterrent or to light up the dark passage down the side of your house or your front door.
However, wiring in lights is a nuisance and then the energy that they use may be pennies but it soon mounts up. So I decided to look at some solar security lights and a light switch timer to save money while being green, and here is my feedback.
The Curve Solar Motion Light
The Curve Solar Motion Light was by far our favourite light. It was easy to install, looks good and the light is strong (50 Watt equivalent) and diffuses quite far. We put it near to our white… -
Aldi’s Specialbuys Halloween range now in store
So I went to Aldi at the weekend and picked up my mum’s shopping, and picked up a couple of things for Halloween too. Wicked witches, ghoulish ghosts and scary skeletons really need look no further than Aldi this Halloween.
They‘ve got some creepy costumes, including a Children’s Dressing Up Set (£4.99) available in a witch, bat or scary skeleton design. Adults can also join in the fun, with an Adults’ Halloween Costume, a devilishly good steal at just £7.99 making it easy to transform into a Witch, Vampire or Skeleton. The outfits don’t come for larger peeps, so if you’re an 18 women, you’ll have to wear something else but go big on the Spooky Face Paint Kit (£3.99).
The Children’s Halloween Boppers Spectacles (£1.79) are for I’d say children younger than …
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Sell your home and save thousands
If you’re thinking about selling your home, the chances are that you’ll wait till January now. It’s the most popular time of the year to sell, probably because Christmas is out the way and people are full of fresh New Year optimism.
So before Christmas takes over entirely, if you’ve got sale boards on your mind, have a think about getting a free valuation with an alternative estate agent like Purplebricks, because they promise to save you thousands when you sell – an average of £3,035 outside London and £6,267 inside London – that’s a nice pot towards redecorating your new home, or those unforeseen expenses that come with moving.
When I asked how the firm saves people money, they said it’s because they don’t have expensive offices or cars. Everything is included in …
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Get ready for colder weather – with a sheep
While I hope that we have an Indian Summer (today is gorgeous), I am also planning for the colder months. One thing I will do is get the chimney cleaned and after that I will use my Chimney Sheep – a thick pad of soft grey felt – for no more draughts and no more getting covered in soot.
I got the product last year and the design and quality of the chimney sheep really impressed me.It has proved to be a great alternative to balloons that stop drafts in the chimney.
Our house has always been draughty around the fire place…essentially an open hole straight from the roof to the living room. Previous attempts to reduce the draught hadn’t really worked and I know that inflatable balloons popped easily or deflated over time. I …
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How we’ve made £2,744 from JustPark
JustPark has made our driveway a money earner. We rent out a house, which is two minutes walk from a station, and we rent the space out. We have an agreement with the tenants that they get the money and we then add half back onto their rent, so tax on income is covered that way. Seems complicated but it works, and if the space is yours it’s even easier. If you’ve got a drive or garage or allocated parking spot, sign up now to make money.
How much to charge – don’t be greedy
We don’t charge much – £6 per day – it’s basically a reasonable rate for the location. Some neighbours charge £8 – £10, but what I noticed is that they don’t get booked up as much. I do competitive searches …
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5 tips for saving while being green
As the schools have gone back and the memory of those activity-filled summer days force tighter purse strings, cost saving tips are like gold dust for many families, and two a penny.
So here’s a slightly different angle, let’s polish our eco-friendly halos and save money at the same time. Here are five green tips to help save money on household bills whilst achieving a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle.
AIR DRY, NOT HAIR DRY
Tumble dryers and hair dryers aid us in our day-to-day rituals, but to be more energy efficient and save those pennies, why not peg your clothes outside on the line (while there is still chance of sun) and let your hair dry free of direct and artificial heat (I do that virtually every day…just use a bit more conditioner for the smooth …
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Win some Aldi bed linen and more from their new Autumn Bedroom and Autumn Home range
To celebrate the launch of Aldi’s new Specialbuys Autumn Bedroom and Autumn Home ranges, in stores nationwide and online on 15th and 18th of September, we’re giving away a fantastic prize package to one lucky reader.
With everything from quality Hopsack Curtains (from £24.99) and a Hopsack Bean Cube (£14.99) to stunning Decorative Cushions (£5.99) and a Large Storage Pouffe (£14.99), Aldi’s Autumn Bedroom and Autumn Home ranges will enable shoppers to welcome in the new season and give their home a makeover, without breaking the bank.
The prize, worth over £70, will include:
1 x Memory Foam Double Topper
1 x Double Feels Like Down Duvet
2 x Feels Like Down Pillows
1 x Double Quilted Bedspread
1 x Super Soft Throw
This great selection of stylish home and bedroom essentials will be available …
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Aldi launches a showstopper range for budding bakers
I love cakes and baking, so was thrilled to hear that Aldi’s baking range is back in store from Sunday and online on 14th August and is already online, while stocks last.
Basically, some of their products rival Lakeland and are much cheaper…yay.
They have some fancy gear if you bake regularly and want to emulate the Bake Off bakers. The Classic Stand Mixer (£69.99) includes a six speed rotary control with a balloon whisk, beater and dough hook. In four colours from metallic red and pearlescent duck egg blue, it’s sure to add a touch of style to any kitchen.
Kitchen gadget users can also add Aldi’s Pie Maker/Waffle Maker (£19.99) to their collection – the non-stick cooking surfaces and base and lid cutters make homemade treats even easier to whip up. You can …
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How I saved £750 on cutting down trees
I was quoted a whopping £900 to have three trees removed (about 10 ft tall) and decided to do it myself!
We couldn’t keep on top of the trees and wanted some more space. They were two Cyprus leylandii and one tree that was already dead but we had a trunk left.
The first quote I got was, and frankly was an absolute con. I spoke to some tree specialists and they say to remove the trees really should have been less than £300. Anyway, this quote got me thinking:
- £600 to level the trees to the ground (£500 if I booked there and then!) – what a rip off!
- £400 to take their root stumps out, if manually as they couldn’t get a machine in, though should be around £75 if using a stump
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British Gas customers to get free electricity at weekends – FreeTime
British Gas is planning to offer free electricity for up to eight hours at weekends to two million customers who have smart meters installed.
Customers will be able to choose to use the free power either on Saturday or Sunday, between 9am and 5pm. This initiative could save customers around £60 a year.
However, when looking at comparison sites, it may still not be the cheapest deal on the market, so shopping around is still recommended.
As only 2.4 million British Gas customers have smart meters, most won’t be eligible immediately. Dual fuel customers with British Gas smart meters already installed will be able to take up the deal, as well as anyone else who wants a smart meter and is able to have one installed. The average dual fuel bill will be £1,001, based …