Woznow.co.uk - Shop The Sales From The Comfort Of Your Sofa

You may remember a while back I wrote about a great new online shopping mall, Octer.  It's an online portal which allows you to browse and shop your favourite retailers whilst being able to compare and contrast the things you want.

My physical shopping trips usually involve a hefty amount and to-ing and fro-ing the length and breadth of Cardiff's shopping centres which, if you have the time and energy, is a very pleasurable pursuit.

Usually though I've got the Husband and kids in tow and the boys do not do shopping.  In fact Ieuan's idea of pergutory is the Pandora shop (which Caitlin and I love) and he'll flounce out and sit like a grumpy pixie on the floor outside the display window.

You don't need that on a Saturday do you?  So, particularly where Christmas shopping is concerned, I, like many parents have been doing it mostly online.

Now I'm very fond of saving money and whilst most retailers have a 'sale section', wouldn't it be great to be able to compare those sale bargains side by side online too?

Good news.  There is now a new site very similar to Octer which does just that called WozNow (www.woznow.co.uk) and it's updated almost daily with the newest bargains.

WozNow guarantees that all its sale prices are real sale prices and that every product has been previously listed at a higher price on the retailer's website. They are setting themselves apart from "discount retailers" who have never-ending sale prices.

WozNow allows you to search by category (e.g. Women, Men, Kids), department or store and then to drill down further within each of these to find exactly what you're looking for.

You can check size and stock availability without running around from store to store.  (I've lost track of the times we've had to hike from one Clarks Shoe Shop to another in the quest for a particular shoe in the kids' size).

So for example, clicking on jeans gives you the choice of skinny fit, straight leg, wide leg, tailored etc.  Clicking on Shoes & Boots gives you a choice of Casual Flat, Smart Flat, Heels and so on.

Once you have found your item, clicking on the link takes you direct to the retailer's site which happily opens in a new window so that you can not clicking back and forth on your browser back button.

Then you simply check out via the retailer's site in the normal manner.



WozNow is incredibly easy to use, up-to-date and rather addictive.  If there is a downside to it I'd say that it becomes fiddly if you want to use cash back or voucher code sites to save more money.

You would have to make a note of the item and then enter the retailer's site via Topcashback (or whoever) instead.

That said, generally the cash back and voucher offers I have come across are not usually useable on sale stock so this may be a bit of a red herring.

You do have to be quite quick off the mark too as lots of the bargains I had my eye on were already out of stock when I clicked through to the retailer.  Those bargains are vanishing as quickly as the site updates! For that reason, avid shoppers should visit the site often.

I'm afraid I did succumb and bought this fluffy faux fur coat from ASOS.  You can never have too much faux fur, can you?

Barney's Originals Ombre Faux Fur Coat From Asos £58 reduced from £95

I'll be checking back in the lull over Christmas to see what other bargains have appeared.  Just think - no endless queuing for the car park, no overheated shops and no stropping from Ieuan outside Pandora.

Much less "Oh what now!!!" and more "WozNow".

Bliss.

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A Better Way To Find Black Friday Weekend Bargains

Brace yourselves because Friday 25th November marks the start of Black Friday Weekend.

Ah, Black Friday.  Three words that conjure up visions of amazing deals, frequent confusion and occasional brawls in supermarkets.

No wonder then, that many of us would prefer to beat the battles in the stores this November, and find the best deals online with our feet up in the comfort of our own home.

This isn't without its frustrations either though because online home shopping often involves trudging through a thousand websites with fifty tabs open whilst you look through items you don’t want before you get any seriously good deals.

It's at this point that you find out your item has sold out in your size or your colour choice isn't available.

Or, even worse, the retailer's website crashes completely so you don't know if you have actually bought anything.

But I've discovered a website that brings all the sales across the internet in one convenient place with the aim of saving time and money, and keeping your stress levels manageable.

Lovethesales.com  brings together all the sales from over 500 of the top brands and retailers across the UK for you to choose from including fashion, homeware, electronics, outdoor and a kid’s section, making finding those hidden gems so much easier.

You can search the sales in your tailored sizes so you won’t be disappointed and can also sign up for sale alerts for your favourite brands so you never miss a sale again.

If you’re looking to find something a bit warmer over the Black Friday weekend, then the UGG sale  is a great place to start for warm, fashionable shoes and accessories from this world renowned brand.

These gorgeous gloves  feature a snug wool  lining and come in purple, grey, brown & black, a perfect Christmas present to tick off the list (and we bloggers do love a list, don't we?).

Classic 2point gloves, was £125 now £49. 61% off

Sticking with the warm theme, there’s nothing like updating old and tired coats for new and vibrant colours. In the coats & jackets sale you’ll find plenty of durable winter coats that will brighten up any outfit while keeping the chills at bay.

The Barbour sale mixes cool quilted jackets with waterproof winter coats, like this zip up waterproof parka.

Barbour waterproof parka, was £199 now £140, 30% off

Whether you’re getting your Christmas shopping done early, or stocking up for change of season clothing, this is a great way to shop the sales and avoid a shopping center meltdown!


*collaborative post

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Summer Bank Holiday Fun On A Budget With Ideal World

There's something equally poignant and special about the last bank holiday before autumn sets in.  

It's our last chance to pull out all the stops and ignore the fact that it has been raining for weeks, the Husband's locked himself in the shed and the kids have been rendered mute by iPads.

Many of us have blown our budget on days out around the UK, not to mention the fact that our offspring have eaten us out of house and home.  We are still trying to dig our way out of a crisp packet mountain having naively thought it was actually possible to win a holiday on that Walkers' Spell & Go promotion.

So, are there ways you can have fun cheaply without forking out another £100+ on a theme park family ticket for the privilege of inspecting the motorway tarmac as you roast in a traffic jam and then spend 2 hours queuing for a ride which lasts less than 5 minutes?

Well, possibly - but it might involve a bit of fibbing and a lot of "well that's what we used to do in the good old days".

Nothing like a good old fashioned game of  "hunt for the rusty bicycle"

If you're all out of bribery tactics and wine o'clock is now commencing when the sun is over the yard arm anywhere in the world,  here's some budget friendly suggestions for the last 'blow out' of summer.

*  plan ahead - you can save money by booking attraction tickets online in advance and there may be some last minute hotel bargains to be had from sites like lastminute.com.

* save on train fares by investing in a Family & Friends Rail Card which gives you 1/3 off fares and 60% off the kids' fares 

Thankfully the kids haven't noticed that the sea is approximately 5 miles away

* check for offers on your loyalty cards, such as Tesco Clubcard and dining cards like Tastecard which for a small annual fee gives you up to 50% off in over 7000 restaurants across the UK, plus a range of other attractions and cinemas.

*If the weather's fine, just pack a picnic and a football and head off to your local nature reserve or the beach (but be prepared for queues as usual).  Don't forget the suncream

*Of course there's the standby of the Great British Barbecue, even if it's raining!  

*Or what about a movie afternoon with popcorn for the kids and something made out of grapes for mum?  

* If it's raining, a family boardgame challenge will pass a couple of hours - the old favourites are best - Monopoly, Cluedo or how about Kerplunk or Mousetrap?  

If all else fails and the kids strop off to their bedrooms with their gadgets, you could always catch up with a bit on online shopping and snap up some of the bargains to be had.  

Why not join the fun with Ideal World (Sky 654, Freeview 22, Virgin 747, Freesat 812 and at www.idealworld.tv) who are giving free postage and packing on everything until 9 pm on Monday 29th August.  

They'll be running lots of fun competitions throughout the bank holiday weekend with some fabulous prizes on offer.

No queues, no public transport, no stroppy kids.  

Actually that sounds like quite a fun bank holiday to me......

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Review: Lose Yourself At Octer.co.uk - An Online Shopping Mall You'll Want To Revisit

I was recently introduced to online retail site Octer.co.uk, a new website which not only allows you to search for your favourite items but let's you select your purchases by store as well as item type.

Octer is a start-up company developing mobile-first, e-commerce technology with the goal of making online shopping simple. As you might expect you can shop using Octer via your mobile or tablet too.

The best way to describe it is as an online shopping mall.

I was given the chance to try the Octer shopping experience by selecting a maxi dress.

You select the category - in this instance "Womens" and you can either search by the item category "Dresses & Skirts", shop by brand or shop by store.

If you select "Dresses & Skirts", you are given a further set of options to select from.  I chose "Maxi Dress" and was taken to a page with loads of fabulous dresses to choose from.

These options give you an incredible amount of choice!

Once you have selected a dress, you simply click straight through to the retailer..

Whilst looking for your maxi dress, Octer will suggest loads of similar styles you might like and allow you to check details such as price, size and availability by a one click link through to the relevant store.

Each item clicked on appears in a separate window and everything is under one 'virtual roof' so that you don't have to have keep going to and fro from other websites.

Technically this will speed up shopping.  In reality I found I could spend hours on Octer!  You don't just get one or two alternative suggestions, you get pages of them which you can sort according to low or high price too.

Not only does Octer offer fashion but it also offers beauty, technology, interiors, gifts and sports products.

So what did I choose?

My lovely Jarlo Yara Green Maxi From Asos.Com

I found this lovely green overlay maxi dress from Jarlo Yara Maxi Dress at ASOS.Com.

Octer is well worth exploring if you fancy a full shopping experience without the stress of a crowded shopping mall on Saturday.  And if you've every tried that with kids in tow, you know exactly how stressful that can be!

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Christmas Shopping? 8 Ways To Keep Your Cool.

There are times when those of us prone to getting a little 'tired and emotional' need to treat ourselves with a little more care than usual.  And Christmas shopping is definitely one of those times.

If, like me, you find yourself getting too hot, too tired and decidedly cranky with kids in tow, here are eight ways you can mitigate the damage before you either blow your top or end up spending far too much money because you just want to go home!

Decide how much you are going to spend on presents

This is THE most difficult aspect of all but you really need to be clear about your budget and how much you can afford to spend on each present.  It's so easy to feel pressured into spending too much but we all know that after the kids have the thrill of ripping the wrapping paper off, so many toys languish ignored after a day or so.

Make a list of what you're going to buy.

An oldie but a goodie.  Make a list of what you're planning to buy for everyone and stick to it.  The list should include stocking fillers as well as main presents. It is amazing how bits and pieces such as novelty chocolates and tiny games can add up.

Research prices online before you go.

For bigger ticket items, it makes sense to at least have an idea of what the big retailers are offering and most of them will price-match (John Lewis, for example).

If you're shopping for gadgets, make sure you are comparing the like for like technical specification and check what extras are included.

You might also want to check any consumer reviews you can find in magazines like Which? or on Amazon. Whilst you need to be able to read between the lines when looking at reviews, generally you will get a sense of whether a product is OK or a complete dud not worth your precious cash.

Check sites like Topcashback, Quidco, and Vouchercloud to see whether there are better online deals for your gifts.  Sites like these also have mobile apps you can use to check prices and earn cashback on the go.

There are numerous other price-checking apps for your smartphone that you can use in store such as Red Laser or Price Grabber.

Plan Your Route

Once you know what you want to buy and where the best deals are likely to be, it's easier to plan your route.  Make allowances for the day and time you go shopping.  If you hate crowds, first thing on a Sunday morning will be a nicer experience than mid afternoon on a Saturday!

Dress Appropriately

I like to wear warm, casual clothes in layers with a stylish but comfy pair of boots that I can walk for miles in. You can find a great selection at Esprit.

Wear stylish boots you can walk miles in

If you've got kids, make sure they don't get overheated in all in one bodysuits and that their clothing is easily removable for dashes to the toilet!

Plan A Break

Particularly if you have kids, you'll need to schedule a toilet / drink break.  We like John Lewis as there is a good choice of food and snacks for kids, plenty of room, clean toilets and a welcoming environment for families.  Trying to cram into a tiny coffee bar with a pushchair and umbrellas is never a nice experience!

Make sure you have some bottled water and some healthy snacks (mini boxes of raisins or bananas) to stave off hunger pains.  If you're on a diet, a little snack pot with some fruit and nuts and perhaps a few cubes of cheese may help you avoid an enormous slice of fudge cake and a calorie laden festive coffee.

Keep Receipts

Why not start a folder specially for Christmas present receipts?  Just pop them straight in when you get home and you'll know when to find them should anything need to be taken back after Christmas.

Do It All Online Instead!

If you can't face the crowds, online shopping is the answer.  Just make sure that you take into account any delivery charges, last order dates and returns policies.  Not all online retailers offer to cover the postage costs of returning item.  If you're ordering a perishable gift, such as a cream tea hamper,make sure the recipient will be in to receive it.

It also helps to sort out a safe place for delivery as there is nothing more annoying than coming home to a missed delivery card.

With a bit of planning before your shopping trip you can minimise the stress and hopefully save yourself some cash into the bargain.

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