Browsing Archive

July, 2012

Top Ten Unusual Homemade Beauty Remedies

beauty
July 31, 2012 By In Beauty, Fashion, Guest, Lifestyle, Top 10

For British women an average lifetime of looks maintenance will cost around £133,000 with the male population not far behind at £75,000.

All this spending seems a little excessive however, in an image obsessed world, it can be almost impossible to avoid. But this isn’t your only option.  There are a number of natural alternatives that will help you stay looking your best without parting with your life savings. This summer, take the opportunity to embrace all things natural – and save a small fortune along the way. Not only are natural, homemade beauty remedies cost effective but they are also friendly to the environment.

We’ve scoured the web to find you our top 10 effective natural beauty remedies to try at home. So, next time you find yourself needing a little pampering, bypass the bathroom and head straight to the kitchen cupboard.

1. Baking Soda Scrub – Removes Self-Tan Streaks

Self tan streaks can be a serious faux-pas if left unattended. They occur when tan is applied unevenly, or when the skin hasn’t been properly exfoliated prior to application. To help amend this problem you can create your own streak-stopper scrub using plain old baking soda. Taking a small amount of baking soda add a little water and carefully rub into the streaky area.

2. Vaseline in Your Socks – Helps Dry Skin.

Combat calluses with this quirky trick to reduce dry, flaky skin on the bottom of your feet. Slather your feet in Vaseline before bed, keeping your socks on over night and wake to silky smooth, sandal-ready feet.

3. Vodka Shots – To Stop Dandruff

Next time you have a big night out why not try saving one of those shots for your scalp? – no, really. Mix one cup of vodka with some of crushed rosemary, allow the mixture to rest over night then pass through a coffee strainer in the morning. Massage the mixture through your scalp and rinse with cold water to help reduce dandruff.

4. Seaweed Anti-Aging Mask

Seaweed (or kelp) powder can be found online or at specialist retailers and works as a really effective anti-aging remedy. Mix the powder together with 1 egg white, a table spoon of dark honey and a teaspoon of orange juice until you have a smooth paste. Rub the paste onto your skin and rinse off with warm water after 15 to 20 minutes. Rich in vitamins and minerals the seaweed will help improve the look and feel of you skin helping to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

5. Potatoes to Reduce Dark Under-Eye Circles

Potatoes produce a cooling effect that can lighten the skin around the eye area, reducing the appearance of tired looking eyes. Take a peeled raw potato and thoroughly wash with cold water. Then cut two segments from the potato and place them underneath your eyes for ten minutes. Potatoes also work as an astringent and can help reduce water retention and reduce the look of puffy eyes.

6. Vinegar for Shiny Hair

Give dull hair a boost of life with this chip shop staple. Combine 500ml of cool water with 250ml of vinegar. Apply the mixture to wet hair taking care to avoid your eyes and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Thoroughly rinse away and your hair will be soft and shiny.

7. Toothpaste for Spot Fighting

Acne suffers will know that there is nothing worse than having an important event coming up and discovering a huge spot the night before. Rather than rushing to purchase expensive spot creams, everyday toothpaste produces the same rapid results without the additional costs. Toothpaste quickly acts to dehydrate spots, absorbing the excess oil. This will help reduce the redness of the spot helping to keep skin blemish free.

8. Peach and Honey Soothing Face-Mask

This yummy recipe is good enough to eat but also great for soothing and brightening skin. Taking a peeled peach (or nectarine) mash together with 3 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of yoghurt to form a workable paste. Apply to clean, damp skin and relax for 10 minutes. Remove with warm water and follow with your normal toning and moisturising routine.

9. Almond Scrub Hand Exfoliator

Tend to dry, cracked hands with this yummy homemade hand scrub. Take a small amount of ground almonds and combine with 1 teaspoon of honey, two teaspoons of sunflower or walnut oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Rub the mixture into your hands for a few minutes and rinse away. The mixture will leave your hands feeling smooth and supple. This is a great one for cold winter days.

10. Pepto-Bisbol Face-Mask

Not just excellent for settling stomachs, Pepto-Bismol is unexpectedly effective when it comes to brightening your complexion. The remedy contains many of the same ingredients found in the most expensive skin creams and so works as a great alternative. All you need is two teaspoons. Rub into your face and leave to dry for 10-15 minutes. This will make your skin feel softer, but should be avoided if the skin on your face is especially sensitive.

We thoroughly recommend giving some of these a go. Let us know if you see results. Will you be swapping your pricy potions and lotions for these natural alternatives?

For all the best beauty discounts remember to check MyVoucherCodes

main image taken from Google images/www.dailyglow.com

The 10 Best Games of 2012 (So far…)

mass effect
July 27, 2012 By In Gadgets, Games, Technology

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been doing my level best to make the most of the miserable weather that had been pouring in from just about everywhere for the last couple of weeks.  And then suddenly the summer arrived…

But I’m sure it won’t be too much longer before the rain is with us again.  Waking up to discover that the clouds have (once again) declared war on the ground is a bit of a downer of course, but at least it gives you the chance to catch up on all the latest games.  So rain is not all bad, hey!

Thankfully, despite a relatively slow start to the year, twenty twelve has treated us to a number of standout titles, and that’s before we even consider the deluge of quality games arriving this holiday season.  Standout titles include Hitman: Absolution, Resident Evil 6, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Assassin’s Creed 3, and the highly-anticipated Halo 4.

But before then, join us as we count down the 10 best games of 2012…so far.

Max Payne 3

Set eight years after the events of the original game, Max Payne 3 is arguably the darkest title in the series yet. Rockstar’s protagonist has always harboured demons, of course, but never have we been so privy to Max’s inner turmoil. Double-crossed and locked in a city of violence and bloodshed, Max must blast his way to the truth in this third outing, resulting in one of the most electrifying experiences of the year. With breathtaking animation and some of the most cinematic storytelling ever committed to a video game, Max Payne 3 is a full-on assault on the senses.

Journey

Few games convey solitude as brilliantly as Journey, but then we’ve come to expect nothing less from the studio that brought us Flower – a game in which players control the destiny of a windswept petal. While less abstract than previous titles (there’s an objective of sorts: an ominous mountain in the distance, and it’s up to you to get there), Journey is certainly a unique experience. Puzzle-solving can be infrequent at times, which may disappoint some people, but if you’re looking to explore a mysterious and spellbinding world, Journey comes highly recommended.

Lollipop Chainsaw

With the exception of Tim Schafer’s eclectic adventures, comedy in games is still a relatively unique concept – especially given the number of po-faced shooters vying for our attention these days. Lollipop Chainsaw, then, is the breath of fresh air we’ve all been waiting for. A cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dawn of the Dead, players assume the role of Juliet, a high-school cheerleader who just so happens to moonlight as a zombie hunter. Oh yes, and she also carries the decapitated head of her boyfriend, Nick, around with her at all times. So far, so normal, then. While not technically astounding, Lollipop Chainsaw is so entertaining you’ll soon forgive its shortcomings. Indeed, it’s one of the most memorable games of the year.

SSX

After disappearing for what felt like an eternity, SSX returned to our consoles this year, looking better than ever. Sporting a darker, edgier tone that wouldn’t feel out of place in EA’s Need for Speed series, this year’s SSX was all about nature’s ‘deadly descents’ – impossible peaks, imported from real-world NASA data. While some bemoaned the lack of trademark silliness, SSX’s stomping soundtrack and familiar gameplay managed to strike a chord with both old-hands and newcomers alike.

Fez

If you’re new to gaming, there’s a good chance you haven’t heard of Phil Fish, the enigmatic designer behind indie platformer, Fez. Of course, it’s safe to say he’ll be a household name before long, such is the quality of his debut title. A delightful combination of 2D platforming and 3D puzzle solving, Fez is one of the most imaginative and creative titles this year.

Spec Ops: The Line

Spec Ops: The Line could well be the most subversive shooter ever made. Indeed, that it slipped by censorship boards relatively unscathed is testament to its status as an anti-war game. Of course, you wouldn’t know it given the game’s nondescript protagonist, frenetic gunplay, and bland-o-title, which recalls every other military shooter in existence. Stick with it, though, and you’ll discover that Spec Ops has the brains to match its brawn.

Minecraft

It’s been the talk of PC folks for ages, but console gamers had to wait until twenty twelve for the release of Minecraft on Xbox 360. While the Xbox 360 edition isn’t quite as fully-featured as the PC original, we’re pretty chuffed with the results. Essentially a virtual Lego set (with the odd tower defence element thrown in for good measure), Minecraft allows you to express your inner-creativity, while also murdering a few zombies – and for that reason alone it deserves your attention.

The Walking Dead

Video games based on TV shows are almost always terrible, but not so The Walking Dead. Running in parallel to the TV show of the same name, Telltale has adopted the tone of Robert Kirkman’s graphic novels to inspire the game’s design, and the result is one of refreshing focus and brevity. The story, told in five downloadable episodes, offers a range of moral choices that greatly affect the outcome of the narrative, forcing players to think very carefully about their actions.

Diablo 3

It takes a certain kind of mind to enjoy action RPGs, especially ones with hack and slash elements, or a strategic edge. Diablo 3, on the other hand, treads a delicate line between depth and accessibility that few other games in the genre manage, inviting both veterans and newcomers to jump right in. Little wonder it’s one of the biggest selling PC games of all time.

Mass Effect 3

Put simply, Mass Effect 3 is a storytelling experience like no other. Picking up where the previous game left off, players once again assume the role of Commander Shepard, humanity’s last hope against the Reapers – a synthetic race of starships, hell-bent on wiping the galaxy of sentient life. Boasting incredible dialogue, stunning visuals, and voice acting from Hollywood’s finest, Mass Effect 3 is arguably the most impressive big-budget release of the year.

Remember to check MyVoucherCodes for all the latest and best gaming discounts.

Four Household Items Worth Splurging On with Tesco Voucher Codes

cleaning
July 26, 2012 By In Homeware, Lifestyle, Top 10

We all love to save a bit of money, but let’s face it – some household products just aren’t worth scrimping on.

These items are often referred to as “false economies”, meaning they might be cheap compared to similar products on the shelves, but as the quality isn’t as good, they often end up costing you more in the long run.

From locking your bike up with a cheap padlock, to washing up liquid that’s short on bubbles, here are four things that are worth spending a bit more money on…

Razors

Although attractive next to the pricey high end versions, cheap disposable razors not only take double the time to work, but you’re more likely to cut yourself too. If you’re getting money off your weekly shop with our Tesco voucher codes, you can avoid the scabs and painful razor burn by investing in a good quality one, and you won’t have to replace it as often, saving you even more money.

Sun Cream

Products like moisturisers are fair game, but when it comes to sun cream, we say don’t scrimp on the skin protection without checking the details on the bottle first. Not only will a good quality SPF cream feel less greasy and sticky on your skin – meaning you’re more likely to put it on regularly and stop yourself from burning – but making sure the cream you’re buying has a five star UVA rating is important too, as it protects from the skin damage you can’t see.

Loo Roll/Tissue paper

When it comes to loo roll, we say treat yourself. And we’re not talking about the double layered velvet textured paper with scented ducks on them, we just mean go a step above the brown recycled ones that feel like tracing paper against your skin. The same goes for tissues; the only thing worse than having a runny nose is wiping it with something that shares the same texture as a fast food napkin. Ouch.

Bin Liners

Bargain bin bags always seem like a good idea when you’re faced with rows of packaging all offering the same thing but for vastly different prices. But the novelty of your wafer thin plastic purchase soon wears off when you’re picking rubbish off the kitchen floor after the bag’s split, mopping up a leaky mess from a hole caused by a cereal box, or getting through the pack twice as fast by using two bags at a time.

Over to you – which household items do you splurge on, and what can you get away with buying cheap?

 

 

*Image from Google Images

You Tell Us: Your Top 10 Money Saving Tips

money
July 24, 2012 By In Lifestyle, Saving Money

Throughout July on the blog, we’ve been talking about all the different ways you can save money.

We’ve discussed haggling in shops; found out how much MyVoucherCodes can really save you; pondered five brilliant reasons to shop online and looked at some more extreme lengths people go to when trying to save a bit of cash (macaroni roadkill, anyone?).

Then, last week we threw the question over to you and asked the MVC Facebook fans and some of our favourite thrifty bloggers for their top money saving tips.

Here’s what they had to say…

  • Sign up to be a product tester. You will get loads of freebies through the door and all you have to do is fill a short survey - Daphne Le Roux (Facebook)
  • If you shop online, use a price comparison site. You choose all of your shopping and it compares all of the supermarkets and tells you which is the cheapest, you could save a small fortune in the long run - Andrew Lyons (Facebook)
  • Put a pound a day away –  instead of wasting it on sweets or rubbish, put it in a box for a rainy day - Katie Bridget Jones Dugan (Facebook)
  • Use empty yogurt pots to plant seeds in for the greenhouse, it will save loads in the long run - Belinda Watts (Facebook)
  • Over the school holidays, get to your local library and don’t buy books - Jen and Cass, writers of Frugal and Fun
  • Always use cash even if it means hitting the cash point before shopping. You spend up to 30% less when you use cash instead of cards - Viviana from The Lean Times 
  •  Before a night out, take out cash and leave your card at home. Literally make it impossible to spend over your budget! (Nothing worse than looking at credit card receipts with a hangover) - Jenny from How-to Home 
  • If you make a dinner and cook too much, don’t throw away the leftovers, freeze them for days when you feel too lazy to cook - Hollie Anne Wood (Facebook)
  • I often find myself going from meeting to meeting without time for a break and realised I was spending far too much on takeaway snacks from coffee shops. Now I buy multipacks of cereal bars from the supermarket during my weekly shop and keep an ‘emergency flapjack’ in my handbag for when I get the nibbles. It’s a bit healthier than muffins and pastries, and it’s only a fraction of the price - Penny from Penny Golightly
  • Be a savvy and sensible supermarket shopper: Menu plan before you go for the week ahead and check and see what you already have in your cupboards, then shop without your children, when your tummy is full, with a clear list of what you need and a clear budget in mind. If you call your local supermarket, they will tell you what time of day they reduce their prices on bread and fresh produce - Becky Goddard-Hill from BabyBudgeting and Family-Budgeting

Thank you to everyone who took the time to send us their tip. Hopefully you’ve found a few new ideas, and as well as some new blogs to read.

Let us know if you try out any of the ideas, or if you’ve got an idea that isn’t featured – just leave us a comment! 

Comeback Fashion: Embrace or Escape?

new
July 20, 2012 By In Fashion

It’s inevitable that past trends will make their return in the future, although they may have a ‘modern’ twist to make them current. As it’s near enough impossible to keep creating brand new designs; the ‘much loved’ or ‘dreaded’ trends will RETURN!

Boyfriend Cardigans – This trend was created by girls in the 1950′s borrowing their boyfriends’ varsity cardigans, which is how they got their very apt name. Boyfriend cardigans are over-sized, long and usually have large buttons and a v-neck when done up; they also look great teamed with skinny jeans or left open with a cute pair of shorts.

Leggings - Have pretty much been around since time began! Whether you love or loathe leggings, they have been popping up in various forms and under various names, worn by both men and women throughout the centuries for warmth and protection. Ok, we don’t need them for practical reasons nowadays, we just need them for comfort and ease – leggings will be with us forever!

Military Boots – So these weren’t exactly ever designed as a fashion statement, however they have now firmly made their mark as a ‘must have’ item for both men and women. Back in the 1960′s, during the Vietnam War, the US Government was responsible for the creation and distribution of combat boots to soldiers, and soldiers ONLY. This is because they were specifically and obviously designed for combat and therefore needed to be tough, water-proof, and easy to lace. As fashion concious citizens, we won’t be going into combat, but it still doesn’t hurt to be comfortable, have dry feet and of course look fab!

Hi-Tops – Leading on from the military boot, there is of course the good old hi-top. Back in 1917, Converse released the world’s first performance basketball shoe – the Converse All Star.  In the 80′s, they became a fashion statement – well the Reebok Hightop Aerobic shoes most certainly did – and now Converse appear to be bigger than ever! Hi-tops in all brands, for men and women DO look cool.

Chinos – They quickly became associated with the 1940′s preppy look and the young men wearing chinos after WWII only reinforced this further. The 1950′s could be viewed as the peak for their popularity, as most schoolboys and college men wore chinos, as jeans weren’t always acceptable. Today, chinos are popular with men and women and are versatile enough to be dressed up or down, plus they suit most shapes – perfect!

I am all for the comeback fashion! My goodness we’re getting ourselves very comfortable in 2012 and who would’ve ever thought fashion could be comfy? Please never let these trends leave us! What do you reckon?

 

*Images from Google Images

How to Haggle: Tips for Bargain Hunters

haggle2
July 17, 2012 By In Lifestyle, Saving Money

Last week’s Big Debate on haggling certainly got everyone on the MyVoucherCodes Facebook page talking.

While some people were firmly in favour of haggling (“If you don’t ask you don’t get”), others labelled it an “embarrassment”, or were happy to give it a go, but only on holiday abroad in places like Turkey.

Wherever you are in the world, we think being able to bag a bargain is a good skill to have up your sleeve – along with some vouchers from MyVoucherCodes, of course.

So we asked our friends at the How-to Home blog for a few pointers on how-to haggle. Before you try it in a shop, you might want to give it a go at a market or car boot sale. Here are their best tips for beginners…

Do:

1. Smile – this is one of the most important things to remember. The more you smile the happier you will feel, the more confident you will look (even if you don’t feel it) and the more likely the seller will warm to you, which is important.

2. Assess the value of the item. This is really important to help you gauge how much you should pay. Knowing what you’d like to purchase before you go to shops, car boots and markets is a good idea and you can then go prepared knowing what the items sell for. Know your limit and stick to it.

3. Now the first thing I do when something catches my eye, is pick the item up and inspect it. Sometimes the seller will notice and offer their price straight away. If not, catch their eye and ask “how much do you want for this?” without showing any emotion. If you think you’ve found just the thing you’re looking for – try and contain your excitement!

4. Even if you think the price is fair, halve it. (unless the price is just too good not to accept, in which case, accept it!) It’s a good rule to start with, the more experienced you get then you might even cut the price down even lower but you don’t want to offend the seller or they might not even sell to you at all.

5. At this point the seller may do one of two things. They may refuse blankly and say that it is their lowest offer or they will offer another slightly lower price. If they refuse, up your offer a smidgen and see what their response is. If they flat out refuse again, it is time to make up your mind – take it or leave it. The best response is “you drive a hard bargain, I’ll take it” or “you drive a hard bargain, I’ll leave it” Simple as that. You’re not offending anyone if you don’t take the item, so don’t feel obliged.

6. If the seller then begins to haggle you could up your offer a little. If they continue to drop the price after a few goes you’ll probably find yourself and the seller agreeing at a price quite quickly. Never go over your maximum amount in your head though and don’t go above the original offer you gave.

7. If you’ve offered your final price and the seller refuses to budge, walk away. It may not work, but sometimes you will get called back and they’ll accept your last offer.

8. There’s another tactic if you want to try it out: bring cash and tell them you’ve only got a certain amount of money. It is at this time when you can really go in with a low offer (lower than 50%).

Don’t:

1. Say how much you want to pay for the item until its nearing the end of the bargaining process. Even if they ask you outright, just keep asking them what price they want for the item. This keeps you feeling confident and in control of the situation.

2. Get angry. Sometimes someone will get to you when you try to haggle, and on occasions they might be a bit rude. It really isn’t worth getting angry about it and you can always walk away if somebody winds you up. This doesn’t happen that often but it’s worth just keeping in mind in case it does.

These tips originally appeared in this post on How-to Home - so thanks to the girls for allowing us to share them here!

If you’ve got any advice on getting a good deal, we’d love to know about it – just get writing in the comments below.

Friday 13th – Unlucky Gadgets and Inventions

friday13th
July 13, 2012 By In Gadgets, Technology

Friday 13th has a long reputation for being unlucky, so what better time to rundown a whole host of failed inventions and gadgets that never took off.

It would be pretty easy to signpost our lives by notable gadget inventions, such is the effect they have on all our lives.  For example, I was born shortly before the first music CD was released (Billy Joel’s 52nd Street) and started secondary school in the year that Dyson sold the first bag-less cyclonic Vacuum Cleaner.  But what about those technological wonders that never quite caught on, who remembers those?

Sometimes even a well-designed and innovative product can fail to find a market, but why?  Primarily for a gadget to hit the big time it needs to tap into certain core criteria, primarily convenience.  A good example being Apple, which dominates the MP3 player market because of its convenient eco-system of iTunes software for organizing music files, iTunes Store, and the accompanying iPod.   Also, it’s a sad fact that advances in Technology mean that quite often a gadget can have a very short shelf life, as competitors and entire industries look to the next upgrade.

As a result many gadgets have ended up on the scrap heap; laughed at relics of a bygone age.  But no more, let’s celebrate those unlucky gadgets!

MiniDisc
The MiniDisc, a disc-based data storage device was introduced by Sony in 1992 as a replacement for cassette audio tape recording.  But while MiniDiscs proved to be popular in Japan, they  made very limited impact elsewhere.  Ultimately recordable CDs went on to reign supreme.
Lesson to be learned – Don’t introduce a whole new format for something that can be done by technology that already exists, i.e. the compact disc.

Amstrad E-m@iler Telephone
The awkward looking E-m@iler Telephone was meant to allow users to both make calls and send e-mails easily on a single device.  But the ‘pay as you use’ business model that the E-mailer used proved highly controversial, as did the on screen advertising.  The Result could only be big losses for the company.
Lesson to be learned – Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.  The all-in-1 device is not always a good thing, and people hate advertising!

Sega Dreamcast
The Sega Dreamcast was rush released in 1999 into a packed gaming market dominated by the popular Playstation console, and immediately found it hard to make an impact.  While not a total disaster, the 6th generation console failed to live up to the success of its predecessors, and sales plummeted when Sony announced the release of the all conquering PlayStation 2.
Lesson to be learned -  Do not rush release a product to purely beat a competitor.  First place doesn’t always guarantee a prize.

Sinclair C5
The battery-assisted tricycle, that was the Sinclair C5 was invented by Sir Clive Sinclair, and released onto an unsuspecting market in 1985.  Media ridicule soon followed resulting in commercial disaster, selling only around 17,000 units in its short life.  A top speed of 15 miles per hour simply reduced the noble Sinclair C5 to a novelty item.
Lesson to be learned -  Do your research, don’t design something that is impractical for the British climate.

LaserDisc
Although the LaserDisc format was capable of offering higher-quality video and audio than its rival VHS, the oversized LP size discs remained largely obscure in Europe primarily because of cost.  However the LaserDisc’s legacy lives on through its eventual offspring’s; the DVD and ultimately Blu-ray.
Lesson to be learned – Bigger is not always better.  Look out for upstart siblings that are compact and cheaper.

Electrolux Trilobite
The Electrolux Trilobite, a robotic vacuum cleaner was meant to revolutionise home cleaning by taking the effort away from you.  Unfortunately the tiny machine left small areas around the edges of a room not fully cleaned, and disliked Sharp corners which it was likely to bump into.
Lesson to be learned – While robotic technology in films looks cool, in real life it can be a little disappointing.

And these are just the tip of the iceberg, there is a long line of unlucky gadgets and inventions that never had a chance to shine.  We salute you all!

For discount codes on gadgets that do work, take a look at the MyVoucherCodes website.

Did you ever buy any of the gadgets above? 

Five Really Good Reasons to Shop Online with Discount Codes

ONLINE
July 12, 2012 By In Lifestyle, Saving Money

For some of us, shopping online is a way of life. But the now familiar process of browsing a website, adding items to a virtual basket, popping in a discount code and paying over the Internet is still a relatively new concept.
So if you still need a bit of convincing, then perhaps the research behind these five reasons might change your mind.

1.  Keep Calm And Shop Online

Stuffy shops, overly chatty shop assistants, indecisive customers: pick the wrong time to shop and queuing can be a total headache. In fact, research by the Payments Council found that us Brits last on average 10 minutes 42 seconds before a queue starts to annoy us, with 66% saying, “others faffing in front of them” is the biggest cause of irritation. Luckily, you can avoid this by following that age old advice: “Keep calm, and shop online.”

2. Internet + Comparison site + Discount Code = Bargains

There’s nothing worse than finding the perfect item in a shop, but having that niggling feeling at the back of your mind that there might be a better price elsewhere. So it’s not surprising that 90% of shop savvy Brits now use price comparison sites before they buy, according to the Office of Fair Trading. Add a discount from MyVoucherCodes into the mix and you’re laughing all the way to the online check-out. Brilliant!

3. Discount Codes Are Trending

Recent research by Nationwide has shown that four out of five people now collect money off vouchers to get discounts on their shopping, with 72% of people making their buying decisions based on where discounts are offered. This many people can’t be wrong, so join the voucher code trend and hop on the bandwagon – your wallet will thank you for it.

4. The Shop-Psychology Can’t Get You

Just like magpies have a fondness for shiny things; humans also have a tendency to be drawn towards flashy shop fronts, and our bank balances are often the unwitting victims of “supermarket psychology”. The tips and tricks used by shops to get you to buy more are well documented, but even the clever psychologists can’t catch the online shoppers. So keep an eye on your total spend as you go along; pop in a Tesco discount code at the end of it to keep the price down even more and prepare to feel good for the rest of the day.

5. Someone Else Will Carry Your Shopping Home

With long queues and busy streets, shopping can be stressful enough, but research from the Chinese University of Hong Kong has shown that carrying heavy bags can increase stress levels – so you might literally ‘shop til you drop!’ Luckily, if you shop online, someone else will deliver your purchases straight to your front door. Life’s stressful enough without shopping getting in the way.

How often do you shop online? 

*Main image from Google Images

10 Strange Money Saving Ideas

save money
July 10, 2012 By In Humour, Lifestyle, Saving Money, Top 10

The Internet is full of weird, wonderful and at times, slightly strange money saving ideas.

And here at MyVoucherCodes, where preserving the pennies is a way of life, we love them all – even the really odd ones. Actually, especially the really odd ones!

So, this week we’ve been digging around trying to find the most extreme money saving ideas on the web. There’s no need to pay full price nowadays, if you know where to look.

1. Aubergines: for all your footwear needs.

To save money without carving your shoes out of vegetables, try our Very or New Look discount codes.

Image credit: beautifullife.info

 2. A painstakingly thrifty alternative to buying ketchup: filling empty bottles with the contents of free sachets.

 If this looks like too much hard work, get money off with our Tesco voucher codes instead.

Image credit: digitalsite.info

3. This use of a broken umbrella is particularly unex-spoke-ted (sorry). 

Image credit: lifedeathtoptips.tumblr.com

4. In some corners of the world, rising petrol costs are leading to an increase in cars being cut in half and pulled by horses (apparently). 

Image credit: thegreeky.blogspot.co.uk

5. Reusable toilet roll. 

No comment.

Image credit: Pinterest

6. Reusing tea bags. 

On second thoughts, make mine a coffee.

Image credit: polarbearstale.blogspot.com

7. Hungry? Just add roadkill for a delicious and cheap macaroni dinner! 

Alternatively, you could always order a pizza using Dominos voucher codes.

Image credit: Hooniverse.com 

8. Dumpster Diving: we’re down with reduce, reuse and recycle, but this just looks like hard work. 

Image credit: margokelly.blogspot.com

9. Why waste money on a set of porcelain plates and fabric napkins when you can just wash, dry and reuse the paper versions?

Image credit: tlc.howstuffworks.com

10.  And finally, there has to be an easier way to get a can of drink than putting your hand in the vending machine and having to be released by a fire crew.

Image credit: cache.daylife.com

If you’re looking for an easier way to save money, remember MyVoucherCodes is on hand with discounts for all of your favourite brands.

How many of those strange money saving ideas would you try?

 *Main image from Google Images

Roll up, Roll up….Make Sure you Get your Fair Trade Goody Bag!

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July 9, 2012 By In Fashion, Gifts, Guest

Get a New Wardrobe and Make a Difference with People Tree.

It is an unfortunate fact that at this very moment millions of people in some of the world’s most marginalized communities are struggling to escape poverty.  We are all suffering the consequences of the economic crisis, but it is not purely a Western problem.  The effects it has had on some of the world’s most vulnerable populations are vast.  But charity is not the solution; Fair Trade target the vulnerable and help deliver sustainable livelihoods by developing opportunities for small and disadvantaged producers to support themselves.

People Tree agrees with this philosophy, and actively support 50 Fair Trade producer groups, in 15 developing countries around the world.  The brand has this worthwhile cause at the centre of everything they do.  Known as the leading 100% Fair Trade and environmentally sustainable clothing retailer, People Tree are genuine pioneers.  Previously, they have done a collection with Emma Watson (you might be lucky and get some in your Goody Bag) and now have styles from hot designer Orla Kiely.

Why not show your support with a Fair Trade Goody Bag, an absolute Bargain at only £35.

Goody bags contain a surprise assortment of 4 items of Fair Trade organic cotton, hand-woven clothing and a small hand crafted item worth more than £150 individually.  I can hear you asking what is the catch?  Rest assured there is none; these beautiful items are simply past season styles.  Every Bag is unique, containing variations on colour and style, so items you could get include dresses, skirts, bottoms, jackets and tops. (Items may differ to image)

The Goody Bag makes a great gift idea for friends and family, so take that first step into Fair Trade clothing.

Get Free UK Postage and Packing on Fair Trade Goody Bags at People Tree with MyVoucherCodes, valid until 31st August 2012.

Main image taken from www.graziadaily.co.uk