Spring Has Sprung

The Grass Has 'Riz.....

I Wonder Where My Breton Is?

Well technically speaking it is still flipping freezing and this is not a breton, but the sun has shone nearly all week. 

I found my linen striped jumper I got last Spring and it has that feel good factor about it so, despite it's lack of wool content, it had to be worn today. 

I love pairing spots and stripes still ( last seen here).  This scarf will be a Spring favourite again I think.

 These jeans were a Zara bargain this week for £12.00 . I couldn't walk away from that, especially as my last beloved Zara jeans are way past their best. They are a lovely blue/grey colour and I have worn them constantly since I got them!

 The Boots were a steal at Next in the Autumn for under £30 . I have loved them all winter and will continue wearing them into the Spring. Suede wedges aka Rebecaa Minkoff.

My favourite nail colour of the moment. - Essie angora cardi. A lovely deep, dusky pink. Love it. Looks chipped here - it isn't !!

I came across our wedding photos in my big sort out this week. Boy do I look young AND wrinkle free in those pictures. 

15 years and 3 kids does some damage! 

Still.....

A close up - tired this week , but proud of those lines and wrinkles - they tell a lot of stories!

I may be brave in April and post a wedding photo on our wedding anniversary!! 

A few codes courtesy of Savoo to help top up your Spring wardrobe on a budget!



20% off all orders and free delivery and returns with Boden

25% and free delivery of all orders at Dorothy Perkins

Printable 25% pass off Dorothy Perkins

10% of all orders and free delivery with Asos with VALENTINE10

Linking up with Visible Monday 

Frugal Friday

Buy One Get One Free Offers - are they what they seem?

 Wylio
I have never seen an individual tin of these chocolates priced at more than £5.00 . When this offer is not on, the price becomes £5 a tin. This seems to be a way to get you to buy two at the usual price.

I have always had a bit of a suspicion about the offers that are thrust in our faces at the Supermarkets and whilst some do appear to be good deals I have learnt to approach them with a degree of caution. At the end of the day Supermarkets want to make a profit and want us to spend our money and I suspect that motive is what lies behind these offers.

How we shop is looked at closely by retailers and how they display their stock is obviously designed  to capture our attention. They will make what they want to sell most visible to us - at eye level in the middle of aisles. Brands will be charged large fees for the optimum placement of a product as they know it will sell better.

 Wylio

 Speed is often of the essence for shoppers. How often do you actually look at the price of a product? Could you tell me how much a pint of milk is or that pot of jam you got last time ? We tend to buy our products based on other visual clues and the supermarkets know this. Their aisles are full of signs of rewards and offers and deals which draw our attention rather than the actual price you are paying for a product.

It all sounds rather cold hearted, but you look at the research and it comes down to business. The loyalty cards? They are about data collection to facilitate sales.

This is why I like the filter of My Supermarket ( they are not aware I am doing this post) as they will highlight good and bad deals, direct you to the best deals available on the products you want and present you with cheaper alternatives where appropriate. They save you £17 on average each time you shop. If you shop online then I do recommend that you check them out. You check out, pay and get your goods from your usual supermarket ( Tesco, Sanisburys etc) , but do your shop via My Supermarket. Their site is fantastic, easy to navigate and they have introduced cashback on some items if you have a paypal account.

 Wylio

So,back to these offers. The "Buy One Get One Free" and the " Two For The Price Of One". The multibuys - Are they worth having? I think you have to look carefully before you throw them into your trolley. Ask yourself these questions:

• Did I intend buying this?
• Do I need two items and will I use them?
• Is there a cheaper alternative that I would usually buy?
• Is this a better price than usual?

I would then check down the aisle, as these offers are generally displayed at the end of aisles. Last month I did find 2 bags of oven chips displayed for 2 for £3 which looked a good deal until I looked and saw a large pack, with more in ( the same brand ) for £2.50. I also don't buy chips, I make them myself so was almost drawn into that one! I read an article in Which Magazine recently that highlighted these deals saying that one in ten multibuy offers actually increases the price of the product. Here are some daft examples from Which Magazine:

• Nestle Munch Bunch advertised as a multibuy at 2 for £2, but generally over the past year this product had been priced at £1 a pack so however you buy it , it is £1 for one.
• Goodfellas's Deepan Pepperoni Pizza. For 6 months costs £1 when not on multibuy. On multibuy it increased to £4.50 for two!
• Garnier Moisturising Lotion Milk. It was usually £5 when not on offer, but £7 for one or £10 for two when on multibuy.
• Pampers baby wipes. These are £1 when not on offer. On multibuy they are 1 for £2, 2 for £2.50 and 3 for £3.

It all makes for interesting reading! There are some good articles around if you want to read further like this one called Multibuy rip off revealed . I think we have to be aware when we shop of the hidden motives and be wise about what we put in our trolleys if we don't want to overspend.

 I still think the best and most simple way to avoid all these pitfalls is to write a list and stick to it! Learn to turn a blind eye.

What are your thoughts and experience of the Multibuys at the Supermarkets?

Money Off Codes

In Town or Online

So are you a big "Go To The Shops Gal" or an "Online Browser?"

Ok so I did venture into town today with my 5 year old in tow. Fortunately she was pretty excited about the prospect as she had a few pennies of her own to spend. I needed to pick up some items of school uniform for the boys that I had ordered and had been informed had arrived. So off we set, yet again in the pouring rain.

On arrival at the uniform shop - which incidentally is not in the centre of town , but about a 10 minute walk in the other direction, dragging a by then slightly reluctant and hungry 5 year old - we were told that they had made a mistake and the items were actually out of stock. Great.

After about a half hour wait, they managed to find replacement items and sent us on our way ! I hate uniform shopping, really hate it. At least most of it was done in June - yes June. I went early this year.

I fully intended trying to pick up a couple of items from my A/W wish list today, but with the rain and the trek and the child, I just wasn't in the right frame of mind. I wandered into Primark, hoping for the inspiration that befalls so many of you and wandered out with a top. I just don't get it ......yet.

I did manage a nice pair of skinnies and a long sleeve T from Gap - in grey of course, but everything else on my wishlist was out of stock. As I am trying the 'plan, be wise with what you spend' approach this A/W, I decided to jump ship and much to my daughters delight at this point, head back home.

However ..........

the story does not end there! Later this evening I decide to log on and see if I could pick up a few of the items online. I always look for codes and money off first - never one to pay full price for something and I came up with some gooduns! 

I'd wanted a few staples from H and M - cardigans, blouses etc and came up with these codes saving myself £8.50. I had a sale item as well. So four items for about £35 - not bad going. You can use 2 of these codes at any one time. I think they are valid for about 4 more days so hurry! The 10% and £5 combination seem to give a really good deal . I don't think it operates on the sale items though.

1304 = £5 off

9954 = 10% off

9921   = 25 % off one item

9844 =  free delivery ( I didn't use this one so haven't checked it yet)

I have also had my eye on this large scarf from Baukjen , but at £89 was hesitating. I picked up a code from another blogger ( link below) for 15% off which makes it a lot more attractive!

 She also mentioned a code for Clarks for 20% off, making those boots I wanted even more tempting! 

Pop on over to her blog at Pret - a - Mummy to pick these awesome codes up and grab some bargains!

I'm also after a few high street items from Next, but I am determined not to pay full price for them or delivery so I am holding out for some valid codes ! The £10 online for new customers I cant use as I am already registered. Unfortunately neither of the stores locally do these items either.

My mainstays during the Autumn and Winter seem to be skinny trousers and bootcut jeans, blouses, long sleeve Ts, scarves and jackets. I always top up on a few of these basics at this time of year as I will wear and wear them to within an inch of their lives!

On this occasion I do wish Id had stayed at home and shopped online. I like to be able to browse and look at what I'm buying, but lets face it when does that actually happen if you have young children with you and I never feel it is really that fair on them either! My little girl quite enjoys the outing , but the boy's capacity is two shops at most before a Costa and a trip to Game is required. Anyway, I've found that the money off this time has made it far more worth my while shopping online, although I shall wait until said products arrive before the final judgement is made. I will do a few outfit posts when they do and if they are staying. 

So your shopping preference - home alone or out and about?