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7 money saving secrets for your Winter break

Friday 12 October 2018

With Summer now officially behind us and the holiday season fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to look at getting some Winter sun and enjoy some quality time with loved ones. 

To help you save money for you and your family, Vanquis Bank have given us some exclusive tips you can use when arranging your Winter break! 

Check out the best deals online  
Before booking your Winter break, makes rue that you are getting the best deal possible for yourself. There are many great comparison websites, which can help you save money and get a great deal. 

Clear your browser cache and cookies 

When planning a holiday, most people look up the price of a flight on comparison websites or airline sites several times before they make a booking.
Then when they finally click through to check out, they may notice the price has risen.
“Airlines and booking sites can record your browser history by installing cookies on browsers, meaning they can compare their price with what you have viewed previously and bump up the price as they see fit,” the Revolut team explained.
To avoid this, clear your browser cache and cookies and turn on private browsing before you go window shopping on airlines or booking sites, they advised.

Consider taking an indirect flight

If you don’t mind hanging around for a few hours, and entertain the kids  (we suggest packing books, I-pads and other things to keep the family entertained)– you can make a great saving. In addition to saving money, you can even see the stop over as a bonus because you get to see another place.




Pack lots of snacks

Pre pack some healthy snacks for the family before you head off. 
This not only helps you to save money at airport lounges, but when you get to your destination too. Knowing you have some healthy snacks to hand can also help you to avoid any potential grumpiness whilst travelling as well! 

Eat in at least once a day

Many restaurants offer lunch specials where items on the dinner menu are offered for a fraction of the cost you’d pay for the same meal in the evening. If you can, pop to a local supermarket and stock up on food items for your room, you’ll save a lot of money and time that you can use to sight see or relax! 

Hotels

If you're going down the hotel route, always check for special family deals, from discounted rates to free meals for children; many international chains offer these. Most hotels and guesthouses provide breakfast, but unless it's included in the room rate, it's often a waste of money for children, particularly if they only eat a piece of bread or a bowl of cereal. If breakfast isn't included, try asking for 'complimentary' ones for the children. 

Buy excursions online before you head off

Pre-booking holiday activities can not only save you the hassle of purchasing tickets abroad, but you can also take advantage of special offers that are only available online.  It would be a smart idea to do your due diligence and check that the website is credible. Be security conscious and check if they have a review page. Better yet, snoop online and look whether they have been mentioned on Trip advisor. 

The Presents New Mums Really Want

Monday 1 October 2018


From baby clothes and toys to photo frames, there are plenty of thoughtful gifts out there to celebrate a new arrival. But if you want to treat a mum to something she’s guaranteed to really want, where should you start? Keep reading for present ideas that are bound to tick the right boxes.

Nappy cakes

For such small things, it’s amazing how many nappies new babies go through - so parents can never have too many of these essentials. Rather than simply handing over a regular pack of nappies - which, let’s face it, would be distinctly lacking in wow factor - why not give your loved one a carefully crafted nappy cake? Designed to look like delicious baked confections, these presents feature disposable nappies and other baby must-haves such as socks and muslin squares. You can take your pick from a selection of different nappy cakes from BabyBlooms and other specialist retailers.

A keepsake book

Before the birth, parents tend to race around making sure they have all the practical things they’ll need for the new additions to their families - and so sentimental purchases often take a back seat. Given that the first months and years of the baby’s life will probably pass by in a blur, a great idea for a gift is a beautiful keepsake book that mum can record all those important milestones in. From birthdays to first steps, this book will hold treasured memories that all the family can revisit year after year.

Pampering sets

It’s no secret that pregnancy and labour can take its toll on mums, and then there are all those sleepless nights to contend with. So, what better present to give to your loved one than a luxurious pampering set? Spoil her with everything from hand creams and body moisturisers to cuticle and nail balms and lip salves. You can also get sets with soothing bath soaks and a variety of other treats in. Having the chance to spend even just a little time relaxing and looking after herself should help mum to start feeling human again.

Home-cooked meals

Proper nutrition is a must for new mums, but finding the time to prepare tasty, healthy and comforting meals can be impossible. So, one way to show you care is to get busy in the kitchen and rustle up some delicious food. For example, you could box up a week’s worth of home-cooked meals - and why not throw in a selection of healthy snacks to help keep mum going too? She’s bound to appreciate the effort and thought you’ve gone to.

A TV or film subscription

The chances are, there’ll be long periods of time when mum is at home on her own with the baby, so another thoughtful present is a TV or film subscription. For example, you could arrange for an Amazon Prime or Netflix subscription so she’s got plenty to watch and keep her entertained for those potentially lonely hours. Or, if your loved one’s more of a reader, perhaps a gift voucher she can use to buy books on her e-reader would be better.

The key to choosing a present that a new mum really wants is to try to put yourself in her position and think what she might miss or need. If you’ve not had kids yourself, you could ask someone who has for their suggestions.