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HSBC launches 2016 student account with £3K interest-free overdraft
HSBC today launched its 2016 student account, offering an interest-free overdraft of up to £3,000 as well as a £60 Amazon.co.uk Gift Card plus a year of Amazon Prime benefits, and what’s more, a range of exclusive offers and discounts across top brands.
The new HSBC Student Bank Account is available from 22nd in branches and online and includes:
- Up to £3,000 interest-free overdraft with no fees (subject to status and account conduct)
- £60 Amazon.co.uk Gift Card
- A year of Amazon Prime benefits
- Optional student credit card with a limit of £500 (APR 18.9%)
- Credit interest paid on balances up to £1,000 in the first year of study
- HSBC Mobile Banking app, including Paym
- Contactless debit card and access to Apple Pay and Android Pay
- Text alerts: customers set their own limits and we’ll text
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Cost of raising girls higher than raising boys
New research and analysis into the cost of families from Sainsbury’s Bank has found that some children come with a heftier price tag than others. Parents of children under the age of 18 estimated that a daughter is more costly to raise than a son, across all age points(1).
The survey, which was conducted for the bank’s second Family Finance Report launched today, suggests that it is around £300 a year more expensive to raise a girl at ages 0-5; around £400 a year more at 6-13 years-old and around £600 a year more at 14-18.
Average cost of raising a child by gender and age group, 2016
Age Cost of Son Cost of Daughter 0-5 £5,475 £5,767 6-13 £6,414 £6,794 14-18 £7,172 £7,747The reasons for this may be varied but government data …
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Boots Opticians launches free clever eye check storybook
I take my children for eye checks every year, but I still love the idea of this neat, free, fun eye check storybook called Zookeeper Zoe that launched last week.
Up to 80 percent of what a child learns is through their sight, so this innovative book contains a range of interactive eye check activities to help understand if a child might need support with their vision. The book is also designed to remind families that all children should have a regular eye health check as research shows 53% of children2 have never had their eyes checked.
350,000 printed copies are being given away in Boots UK and Boots Opticians stores, so get your skates on and grab yourself a copy. It is also available as an interactive app and can be read online and …
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Grants not loans – how can low income families send children to university?
When I was younger…which is quite a few years ago, my tuition fees were paid and I got a grant…not a full one but a fairly decent grant. Well last Thursday, the government decided to axe student maintenance grants, with what may leave up to half a million 18 year olds no longer able to afford university.
The government is turning these grants into loans you see. Unfortunately, we can protest all we like, but this legislation is being pushed through without a vote. In this time of austerity, I can understand why maybe some subjects aren’t top priority, but removing this funding from youngsters who want to be doctors, engineers, or teachers is crazy.
The loans (£3,387) are for accomodation, food and other necessities, and are essential for students who can’t ring the bank …
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January 2016 giveway – win tickets to The Baby Show at ExCeL, London
January is such a hard month, so I want to help my readers to have a little treat by organising as many giveaways as I can for you. We’re starting off with a pair of free tickets to the Baby Show, worth £40.
The Baby Show with MadeForMums, the UK’s leading pregnancy and parenting event, will be returning to ExCeL, London from 19th – 21st February 2016. The Show is a must-attend event for new and expectant parents with over 200 exhibitors showcasing the very best baby and infant essentials. It’s the only show to feature all the major retailers alongside well-known brands including iCandy, Stokke, Philips Avent and Chicco who will all be selling amazing products with equally amazing discounts! Everything you need for bump, baby and beyond…
The Baby Show highlights
• Over …
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Pretty tin of Conte colouring pencils – gift idea
Another gorgeous Christmas gift idea for the artist in your life. Master Bargain Hunter was over the moon when he recently got these pencils, so I thought I’d share with you.
Firstly, the colours are so bright and vibrant so fantastic for someone who loves drawing or even for a new adult colouring book fan. They come in a nice tin, so great for carrrying them around if the user doesn’t have a pencil case, and you can get them in packs of 12 or 24.
The quality is excellent, so rather than buying a cheaper pack that doesn’t last, these are a better option. They look great too as they are black except for the coloured leds.
Master BH informed me that as they are quite soft, it’s easier to build up colour with …
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Awesome family game gift idea – Mr & Mrs
As part of my series on Christmas gift ideas, here’s a TV gameshow game that I would recommend. Either for yourselves at Christmas as after-dinner party game or as a gift for another family or couple, this is a great game. Athough it’s called Mr & Mrs, any pair can play, so we had Mr BH and his sister vs me and my son, and we laughed A LOT. We had five people so the “spare” became the host.
In the game, you get question cards, paddles cards, pads – the only thing you need to provide yourself is the pens/pencils. Questions are multi-choice and include “who would your partner say has the best smile in the room”, “where would your partner like to go on holiday most”.
There are some expansion packs that you …
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A cashback site that helps you save for your kids
So today, I heard about KidStart – a free shopping club for families that enables you to save money for your kids while you shop.
It’s a bit like a rewards card or a cashback site, but across thousands of retailers – a lot of which you probably already shop at – Amazon, John Lewis, Achica, Boots, M&S, Ebay, Argos, Next, Waitrose, Saindsbury’s etc – and you get actual money rather than points.
KidStart is a similar service to TopCashback and Quidco, the difference is that it is all about saving for your children rather than just ‘cash back’, which has benefits…it means that the service is able to work with different retailers who are less keen to work with ‘cash back’ companies. Partners such as John Lewis, Amazon, eBay, Waitrose and Sainsburys are working …
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ALDI Halloween night ideas
Whether you’re trick or treating, or hosting a Halloween party this year, Aldi has a ghoulishly good range of Halloween costumes and accessories in store on 1st October, while stocks last.
Aldi has something for everybody including Children’s Dressing Up Sets (£3.99) from witches and ‘baterella’ costumes to vampire and skeleton outfits. The range includes a Halloween Tutu Set (£1.99) and freakishly cool Children’s Halloween Tights (£1.29) in black and red stripes.
Trick or Treat Tins (£1.79) come in a choice of four fun designs, making candy collecting even more exciting this year.
If you’d prefer a family fright night indoors, get into the spirit with Children’s Halloween Pyjamas (£3.99), available in a choice of two designs. There’s these Children’s Halloween Boppers (£1.79) including ghoulish headbands and spectacles so the little ones can have …
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Bargain cinema tickets for family cinema trips from ODEON
My kids have been to the cinema loads this summer. My eldest is off to watch Fantastic Four today and we’ve seen Ant Man and Inside Out too.
So I just wanted to highlight an offer that might be of interest if you have an ODEON nearby.
ODEON Kids is a brand from ODEON cinemas and offers screenings of some of the best kids films of the year for just £2.50 per ticket (for kids and parents/grandparents/friends). They run screenings every morning during the school holidays (and every weekend during term time), so is the perfect affordable activity for the family.
Tickets can be picked up at any branch of ODEON or booked up to 4 weeks in advance from ODEON.co.uk/kids
ODEON Kids also polled the country to find the most influential kids films of …