santas Challenge 2016... Gifts, chat, challenges

mum2one · 29 December 2015 at 3:51AM

When the idea of Santas Challenge started, it was there to help / point in right direction for help / bargains / survey
s / cashback - with the view to start in Ja, with the plan by December to be money neutral... all our costs were covered back / in advance.

Over the last few years, the thread has involved from just money making, to friendship, support, good chatter, a challenge on the 24th (or nearest or bit late), to keep in line for Christmas eve, as well as get organised throughout the year.

Part of the monthly challenge - I call its Miss Hoodie's challenge / corner, its my daughters nick-name, she helps with the challenges, - i can be those jobs that we try to put off (defrosting the freezer or cleaning the oven) but by someone else doing it as well, then turns into a job well done.
Including the famous "miss Hoodies challenge", where Miss Hoodie finds those lovely jobs we all try to avoid.

Whether its planning for Christmas, Birthdays, Mothers Day, Fathers Day or any celebration your among friends here, whether you want to moan about that special man, or your stuck on what to buy a family member, that man in your life, between us all, I'm sure we can help if you get stuck.

mum2one · 29 December 2015 at 4:02AM

Starter Tips

1. Make a list of everyone you need presents for, whether you use notebook / spreadsheet, always keep a 2nd copy somewhere safe, (remember to update both thou)

Give yourself a total up..
Eg...
Bday - 7 to buy - budget £125 running total ... Final spend

Xmas - 30 to buy - budget £295 ......running total....... Final spend

Mothers day 2 to buy budget £30

Fathers Day -2 to but budget £35

I use a spreadsheet to do mine with, simple principle... (here goes)

Page 1...
Running total, notes etc... (if someone else in the household opens the spreadsheet by error (or goes internet researching....as Miss Hoodie describes it), then it doesn’t give any names / presents away

Page 2...BIRTHDAY
Date of bday/ name / Gift / budget / Actual Spend / original cost
1st Jan / Jo Bloggs / Bottle of Whisky / £20 / £10 / £20

Page 3.... XMAS
Name / Gift / budget / actual spend / original cost
Jo Bloggs/ 4 mini whisky / £10 / £5 / £12
Jen Bloggs / Yankee candle set / £15 / £20 / £20

2. Keep your eye out in the sales for anything that might suit that person for their birthday or Christmas - try and buy it with loyalty points/vouchers

3. Try and earn the cash to cover your purchases see following post for a few thoughts

4. Keep us posted on how you are doing with your bargains, earnings and how you are..

5. Subscribe to this thread - come back to us! Click Thread tools above and click ‘subscribe’ then you can get emails to your inbox whenever there is a new post!

6.Re-gifting, check expiry dates (some toilettries have them), check who you had the present from, so you don't regift to the same person.

. Christmas Cards - What we do is recycle the Christmas cards into gift tags for the following Christmas, you can pick up a pair of kids scissors that have the patterned edges, and these are available for under £1.00

Birthday Tags - You can also do the same with birthday cards.

Save using Expensive Tags - What I do is before I wrap the present I cut a small strip of the side,

Rose, Flower, Teddy -patterned paper - I cut around a design and use this as a matching tag.

Spotted or plain paper - Cut a strip and make it into a cloud shape

x

mum2one · 29 December 2015 at 4:06AM

SURVEY SITES

There are numerous sites out and about, I've just detailed ones that I knw about

Valued Opinions (email you when survey available) – Vouchers / ecards

Onepoll – Payment at £40 Paid by BACS,Paypal or cheque. The surveys are very quick, and there are many a day, you need to keep checking back. £2.50 credit when you join.

(You need to check for surveys, but do check as some are money others are not, so worth looking at them)

Toluna – average figure 80,000 - £15 voucher

NewVistaLive – Payment is according to how long your survey lasts, anything from £1 upwards. Payment is at £50 by cheque

Globaltestmarket - This is an American site, paypal, 1087 points apr £30
(They contact you regarding surveys, the surveys are paid in points, but do check as some are sweepstakes)

Gratis Points – Surveys

Word – Surveys – contact you, pay by Amazon vouchers - £5 payout

Maximiles - (It is a mix of contacting you and you logging in)

Swagbucks – Mix of ways to get points, surveys, games, cashback(via points), - there is a separate thread about swagbucks

Pinecone Research - This is quite a private site, (in a nice way), as membership seems to be limited, and they send you surveys, and sometimes you get product trials,

(£3 per survey if completed - they notify you, seems to average 1 a month- paid by paypal)

My Survey- There online surveys, some are points (get paid) others nonpayable, it does say whether you get paid. Points vary according to the length of the survey.
You can cash out from as little as £3 into paypal or save for vouchers or larger paypal amounts.

YOUGOV -There are payable surveys as well as the non-payable which they call "oracle", these tend to have a stronger chance of finishing the survey, as they tend to be based on your profile.
Payment is at £50.00 - by bacs (direct bank transfer), surveys from 25p to £1.50

(They notify you when a survey is available).

There are other survey sites out and about, the best source to search them out are though the up your income threads, as survey companies come and go, your find ones you like and ones you dont. Always worth looking at the up your income thread.

..............

mum2one · 29 December 2015 at 4:08AM

CASHBACK SITES

Topcashback- With this you can earn cash back though purchases, such as % back on your orders, as well as free rewards, such as a search for insurance or ordering a sim card. With this there are two levels of membership, basic or premium which gives you a higher cashback and or this £5 is taken yearly from your earning, - if you do not earn £5 you don't pay.

Depending on the purchases, you can get paid direct into your bank account, order vouchers, there are a wide range of choices.

Quidco - Again this is the same principal astopcashback a % or a set amount of money, with this you can earn through purchases, freebies (such as insurance search, free sim card). If you have a smart phone you can also set up the package where you can recieve discounts instore and offers.

This is again a £5 taken from membership - as long as you earn £5 per year.
With both sites it is worth checking before making an online purchase as the rates can vary between the two sites.

The sites are not always the fastest of payments, some cashbacks can take upto 4 to 6 months, depending on the offer and the company, but you can log into your account and see what stage the cashback is.

As always I always say treatcashback as a bonus, as the cashback is offered by the company not the cashback link, I always work on the basis if it comes through its a bonus.

Example
Car Ins – renewal quote £350.......................... end amount £350
Comp A - £600.... but it offers me £400 cashback .. in theory car ins would be £200 after cash back.. (I have to find £600/the £400 could take 6 mths to come back / it might fail, risk paying out £600

Or
Comp B.. £330 with a £60 cashback... Snap it up, it the cashback fails I stlll am £20 cheaper on policy...
xx

mum2one · 29 December 2015 at 4:09AM

Selling
(my thoughts / what I do)
Ebay

Time Listing..
10 Day..I start this on a Thursday – usually afternoon to 11pm... this way the listing has 2 weekends of views, finishes on Sunday evening, - good time for last minute biddings.

Pictures – If you can use the additional photos, whether that it is to show close up design, different angle.

Clothes –eg – Bit time consuming, but there will be someone who wants the inside leg wtc when the auction is due to end...
Arm length - under arm measurement
Bust - width from front and double that
Inside Leg
Total Length
Skirt or trouser - Is it fixed waist or elastic.

You need to have items weighed and get some idea of postal charges. I get my information from https://www.royalmail.co.uk. There are parcel services as well.

Free listing events
Ebay have these offers on a different times of the year, as present eBay allow personal sellers 20 free listings a month.

Facebook Sellers Groups
There are many different facebook sellers groups, def worth a look / selling, You have to be prepared to be bartered with / let down, - but its free ...

CAR BOOT SALES / TABLE TOP SALES
Most are lovely early morning starts, if the advert says 8am start, most of the time these could be as early as 6am starts.... Some venues you need to pre-book with, if it is an indoor venue or others such as schools may be running a car boot alongside a summer fayre and will have limited spaces.

Prices do vary - generally your looking at £5 to £10 per car, some venues charge per car / other per table. If its a per car – see if you can double up with a friend and share the cost.

Money /Float
Have a selection of change, I try to keep a float of £15, (£5 note, £7 of £1, 50p, 20, 10p in change.

Check any noted that you get – usual tests such as watermark, silver strip, how I try to check any notes – is on the top front of the note there is the words BANK OF ENGLAND if you run your fingertips across these words your find that they are raised. It can be done in a couple of seconds, without anyone knowing what your doing x

I would take drinks, a snack with me, plenty of change, some people prefer to price (A quick tip, (try it at home 1st), is on the front of the note - almost central, near the top of the note same for £5, £10, £20 notes) the wording BANK OF ENGLAND this is raised, just a little but when you run your fingers across the rest of the note you can feel this raised section.)
FREE ADDS - LOCAL PAPER
Most areas have free weekly paper, with ours you can list items up to £200 for free, check when the cut off date is for adverts, great for bulkier items.

Gumtree – I haven’t used it, so apologies can’t give an opinion.

.

You need to have items weighed and get some idea of postal charges. I get my information from https://www.royalmail.co.uk.

....

mum2one · 29 December 2015 at 4:12AM

LOYALTY POINTS

Remember to always use your cards for EVERY shop. It’s free money (well not free exactly, but if you were shopping there anyway ).

NECTAR - THROUGH SAINSBURYS
If you check on the website, it tells you who Sainsburys partner up with, on the store receipts it gives you a running balance. Generally you can use your points anytime, they do have double up promos (although based on my last redeem ) they have a limit how much you can change - £20 per department = gave £40 spend, if you had £200 and you were saving for a ipad, you could only £20 - £40 double off it....

TESCO –
Website lists partners, - Running total on till receipt, pays out 4 times a yr with vouchers, plenty of uses – Tesco have double up promos.... You can use all your vouchers on redeem – eg I had £200 vouchers – double up to £400 and get the ipad.
Do check expiry date of vouchers – if your saving for something bigger (think its 2 yrs)

MORRISONS-
Now do Match and More – use instore as well as petrol..

WAITROSE-
I have one – but haven’t really used it, - any info on website
....
Stores
A lot of the high street stores have loyalty cards,
Boots – 4p in the £1 – have special events 10 points to £1, bonus offers eg buy xx shampoo get 200 points back, spend £100 get 1000 points, I find Boots are good in terms of having a bonus points voucher, the same time as spend xx get xx back.
If you buy 3 for 2 offer / spend £15 get a free gift, both offers word via the full payment – gives you the free the same as paying
(My local boots have stopped using the loyaty machne, - you need a smart phone, app, the offers are uploaded direct to phone

Redeem – as and when you want, but must cover full price of the item
Superdrug - Instore bonus points / as well as running total, redeem that off your shopping basket

Coffee Shops / Fast food– Most now do the buy xx amount – get a drink / meal

mum2one · 29 December 2015 at 4:22AM

SuperMarket Intro Offers

Over the last few years, online grocery ordering has come into the forefront of the traditional grocery shopping.

As well as checking if you can get cashback from cashback sites (can be hit and miss), check the supermarket home page, as even if you are a "footfall customer" you could be a newbie customer....

Over the last year, I have done about 60% of my shopping online, and despite being loyal to my supermarket, I'm sorry bout money off I need to jump.

Supermarket 1 - I had £10 off grocery for 5 shops, took them, went back to my supermarket, - on average I get a £10 off £100 spend every month as a nudge to come back to them.

Supermarket 2 - £30 off 1st shop / £20 off 2nd and 3 x £10 ... (free delievery - I've used the £30 - I will get round to the others

Supermarket 3, 25% off shopping - I have some offers sent me

Budget chain - look for their newspaper style / leaflet - in store shows you future promo's - generally has £5 off £40 spend..

Online delievery - Pre-Pay, I know Mr T, Mr S, Mr A - each have delivery options - i'm signed up with Mr T... I pay £3 per month, get free delievery (Tues / Thurs), I could have paid £6 pm for anytime... as long as I have 1 order per month I'm in profit..

............
If there are 2 people in the house, some supermarkets may let you both take advantage of the intro offers..

xx

mum2one · 29 December 2015 at 4:23AM

Reserved to put challenges in xx

mrs-moneypenny · 29 December 2015 at 11:43AM

Thank you for the new thread, I'll definately be in again.

mum2one · 29 December 2015 at 3:48PM

i've brought my first set of presents for 2016, got some bayliss and harding sets from superdrug, redemeed points, so 3 sets free. Think most stuff has sold out by now, know online at Boots and Superdrug - a lot is sold out..

I may be mad.... stupid.... daft..... but I joined a gym last night.... basically Miss Hoodie wanted to join but she needed a responsible adult (was that really me...) to join with her, so they did us an opening offer of £9.99 each rather than £14.99 each.

xx

curiouscrafter · 30 December 2015 at 3:48PM

Hello, I am looking forward to joining in with you all....I am a long time lurker

santas Challenge 2016... Gifts, chat, challenges

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