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Freebies and Bargains

Don't pay for stuff: the secrets to winning competitions

Filed under: Competitions, Freebies and Bargains

Why work for a living when you can just win everything you need? Pretty much all the things you will ever need in life - and some you won't - are being given away by someone, somewhere.

You can win houses, cars, holidays, money, lawnmowers or even a year's supply of chocolate hob-nobs, so long as you know how to go about it. What's more, even if you don't want the prizes, you can always sell them for cold, hard cash on Ebay.

Beat the autumn blues with five fantastic end-of-summer bargains

Filed under: Freebies and Bargains

September is upon us and the summer is all but over. The kids are back at school and all we've got to look forward to are shorter days and more expensive energy bills.

Depressing, isn't it? But don't despair! We've found five amazing bargains and freebies that will help you to forget all about that and put a summery smile back on your face.

Poundland's secrets revealed - what to buy

Filed under: Freebies and Bargains, Food and Drink, Families

Poundland and the 99p Stores are the new giants of the high street.

Like glittering Aladdin's caves, they tempt you in with their simple pricing structure and the promise of bargains undreamed of – mostly because you had no idea you even needed half the stuff you come out with.

Four in 10 cashback website users never receive their money

Filed under: Freebies and Bargains, Technology and Online

Cashback websites offering discounts on online purchases in the form of money back have soared in popularity over recent years, attracting around 2.3 million Britons.

But new research reveals that some 41% of the shoppers who use these sites have their cashback claims ignored. Worse still, 37% still receive nothing - even after making a complaint.

Cash in on car boot sales like actor John Barrowman

Filed under: Freebies and Bargains, Weird and Wonderful

New research from poverty charity Elizabeth Finn Care has revealed that more of us raise extra cash at car boot sales than by working longer hours.

In fact, 13% of people head to car boots to make money from their unwanted items, compared to just 9% who opt to work late to supplement their income. And even celebrities such as John Barrowman is getting in on the act. You can see pictures of his garage sale here.

Wealthy flocking to eBay to beat recession

Filed under: Fashion, Freebies and Bargains

It can be hard to keep up with the latest high-end fashions – especially when your clothes budget has been hit by a recession.

But dedicated followers of fashion have found a way round paying top dollar at their favourite boutiques. Figures show that the number of shoppers turning to auction site eBay to keep up appearances without breaking the bank has leapt in recent months.

Bargain hunting Britons spend more overall

Filed under: House and Home, Freebies and Bargains, Food and Drink

Britain is a nation of bargain hunters, with about 43 million Britons constantly on the lookout for special offers and promotions, new research shows.

But the figures, from internet payments company PayPal, also indicate that those who spend the most time finding the best value spend more online than their less savvy peers.

Firms offer free solar panels

Filed under: House and Home, Freebies and Bargains, Families

Companies will provide and fit solar panels for your home completely free. If you live in a suitable house, the firms will do the work in return for a cut of the energy produced by the panels.

The companies, Isis Solar, HomeSun and A Shade Greener announced the offers over the last month. Since then, they have received a cautious welcome while people have looked into the plans. It all seems genuine, although some people will be understandably suspicious.

Buy a classy £15 engagement ring from Tesco

Filed under: Fashion, Freebies and Bargains, Weddings

It's hard to put a price on a commitment of love. But Tesco thinks it's £15, since that's the price of their engagement and wedding rings.

It's traditional, of course, for the chap in love to blow a month's salary on the first ring. But times are hard, so £15 should do it, and the rest can go on the gee-gees.

Back to school bargains

Filed under: Freebies and Bargains, Families

It's that time of year again and getting your child kitted out for the new school year can be a costly affair. It can get difficult when they want the latest shoes, or are desperate for a new (and most likely expensive) school bag.

There are ways you can keep your bank account, and your kids, happy. Here is a selection of the best places to go for school bargains, plus a few top tips for savvy spending.