Showing all posts tagged frugal

In General, MoneySaving

Money For Nothing & Kicks For Free

Author Nicki CawoodPosted on 2 Comments

No, this isn’t a post about the Dire Straits song, it’s a post about getting money for nothing (or very little) and using it for whatever you like, perhaps a treat, perhaps to pay off a bill?

Lot’s of people talk about cashback, but how many actively visit a cashback site and regulalry make savings and earn extra? I do!

Quidco is my site of choice, mainly because it so easy to use but also because it is packed with features. I’ve done pretty well out of them so far too. Basically, before buying anything online I check to see if the business is featured on Quidco, if so (and I don’t find a similar business listed that might have what I want cheaper!) I click through to the site via Quidco, shop as usual and voila…. after a period of time pennies start appearing in my account!

I contacted Quidco prior to writing this, to see what was new on the site, and their reply was:

Quidco now has 1.2 million members and works with over 2,900 retailers.  Originally set up as a cashback company, Quidco’s services have grown extensively.  Last year we introduced voucher codes (which can be used alongside cashback offers to allow you to save twice), printable vouchers and In-store cashback (which allows you to earn cashback on purchases in certain stores with any of your debit or credit cards).  This year, we launched Quidco Compare (our car insurance comparison tool which works out the best deal for you (inclusive of cashback)).  Furthermore, we now offer cashback on Group buy sites such as Groupon and Crowdity.

We also launched a Save 1K page which allows you to record your voucher savings as well as cashback earnings, and Smart Shopper which is an online blog which pulls together all of our best deals and promotions.

The average member saves about £450 a year with us and it’s so easy because you can make savings on everything from household bills to travel and everyday shopping.

Put like it’s well worth a look!

I’m posting this today because I like to save money, I like to make money and I like to help others do the same too. This is not a sponsored post etc, the only contact I’ve had with Quidco was asking their press team to supply me with up to date info re new features, so you can be sure I am telling you this because of a positive personal experience with the site! So, take a minute and pop along, you’ll be surprised by the number or retailers on there (not just shops but car insurance and more), special offers and other ways to save or make money. There is even a nifty toolbar you download which reminds you to shop via Quidco (which I must download actually lol) so you don’t forget and miss out (Firefox only at the moment but available soon for Chrome, Internet Explorer etc).

Go and have a browse and let me know what you think!

 

 

In Candidly Cleaning

E-Cloth Clean Green Challenge – Wk 3

Author Nicki CawoodPosted on 2 Comments

Week 3, and I have a confession to make. I did vow to go completely chemical-less but then, Kieran was ill. A lot. In many different places. The disinfectant and what not had to come out, so yes, I’ve “broken” the challenge, but seeing as all my other cleaning has been eco, I’ll keep going!

This week I need to tell you about:

The Deep Clean Mop.

This mop is blinking fabulous. You don’t need any liquid cleansers or chemicals, the special fibres are designed to break up and hold grease and dirt, it’s pretty absorbent so no soaking floors and it is very easy to use. Basically, the mop is a long cloth (see pic) which attaches to the velcro on the bottom of the base. No screws, funny clips, or fastenings, just pop the cloth on the floor & the mop base on top and go. The handle is adjustable so even my lanky husband can wash the floors, and the base swivels so that getting around corners is easy. Being flat it is ideal for getting under the appliances! The head you can literally wash/rinse out in the sink, wring to get rid of excess water and pop back on again. I have also had mine in the washing machine and it is as good as new.

Will I replace my pre-challenge mop with this one? Most definitely! 10/10!

Bath & Shower Pad

The website states “Ideal for the bathroom and kitchen, this cloth is designed for cleaning wet areas around sinks, baths and showers. The padded construction gives it very high absorbency and it has three sections for flexibility“. This is the only product I’ve tested so far that I’m not convinced about. It doesn’t seem to have enough “scrub-factor” for me. Perhaps I just have a muckier bathroom than some. I could be missing something however as it did win a Good Housekeeping award in 2009. My advice on this one is try it for yourself.

General All-Purpose Cloth

This however really does do what it says on the tin! Brilliant for all round cleaning I keep this in my kitchen for constant use. Use only with water, no chemicals, and it really does seem to just lift dirt and grease. This one gets thrown in the washing machine everynight (a real test of it’s durability). So far it’s had 21 washes, and is as good as it was was when I first started using it. £4.99 seems a lot for one cloth but one that you use time and time again, does the job, that doesn’t need chemicals….. a winner for me.

So, three weeks in and I’m still enjoying exploring Eco cleaning (apart from when people vomit ahem) and my way of thinking is definitely changing! Come back next week to hear about the last of the eco-products and how I’ve been using natural cleansers as bic of soda, vinegar & lemon to get the job done!

As alway, all the E-cloth products and more information can be found on their website and you can contact them via Twitter.

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