Welcome back to Broke in Bristol – the blog that helps you save money, make money and live life to the full on a budget. I’m Ms Broke in Bristol and I’ve got 10 tips that will save you money this week!
Little Miss Diva and I have just got back from our holiday in Cornwall so for the last two weeks of the school holidays we’re really going to have to rein it in! We’ll be keeping busy by meeting up with friends and doing some of the free things on my 25 free and cheap things to do with the kids this summer.
Today, we’ve decided to get the train to Bath to see my friend, Ms Posh but Poor. It’s only going to cost a couple of quid on the train and we’re taking a picnic to Bath’s Victoria Park. If you’ve never been, this is a great free outdoor space where you can entertain the kids for at least a couple of hours – if not the whole day!
If your kids love animals, you could always take them to Bath City Farm. Groupon has a deal on at the moment where you can pick up a Family Picnic Hamper Package for half the usual price. Just £9.50 covers entrance to the farm park for a family of two adults and two children or one adult and three children. You’ll also get a hamper with two large rolls, two small rolls and two ice cream tubs, two soft drinks, two hot drinks and two bags of chicken feed.
Guitar lessons for a fiver
Back in Bristol and I’ll be taking Little Miss Diva to her first guitar lesson before the school holidays are over. I couldn’t believe it when Broke in Bristol reader David Lyons got in touch to say that he was offering half price guitar lessons until 4 September. It means that a half hour lesson is only going to set me back a fiver, so if you’ve been thinking about giving it a go email davidlyons3@hotmail.co.uk to arrange a lesson. David is based in BS3.
Pay off your debts with this credit card
The school holidays have certainly been expensive and, although as a general rule I don’t tend to use my credit card, it may take some battering in September and October. If you’re looking to transfer an existing credit card balance to a card with 0% interest there are some great deals to be had and Sainsbury’s has launched its cheapest ever 0% deal on long term balance transfers with its Nectar Exclusive Long Balance Transfer Credit Card. If you’ve got any debts, use it to pay them off for free over 40 months if you have a nectar card (a transfer fee of 2.4% applies).
Save thousands on your mortgage
Bristol-based Mortgage Protection Adviser Zoe Hadley-Clarke told me that people waste money all the time by not reviewing their mortgage at the end of their deal. Remaining on your lender’s standard variable rate is never the most competitive option as there are some great re-mortgage deals out there, which include free valuation and free legal fees.
People also waste money by not reviewing their protection policies like their Life Insurance, and, if you haven’t reviewed yours lately, there is a strong chance that you could be paying too much. The good news is that Zoe is offering Broke in Bristol readers free re-mortgage advice which could save you hundreds, if not thousands of pounds, in the long run. Contact Zoe by clicking here and don’t forget to tell her that you heard about her offer through the Broke in Bristol website.
Best deals this week
It’s not long until the students go back and if you’re off to live in halls or shared accommodation, you might not know whether you need a TV licence. If you never watch live TV, but rely on catch-up instead, you shouldn’t need to buy one. However, the law is changing on 1 Sept and you will need a licence if you watch or download BBC programmes on demand. Take a look at the official TV Licensing website for more in-depth information.
There’s just time to fit another camping trip in before the kids go back and we need to stock up on a few bits before next year which reminds me that Halfords has up to 50% off camping stuff until 31 August. This week I also spotted that you can bag yourself 55% off the price of Bristol Oktoberfest tickets by checking out this Groupon deal and that you can play the lottery for free at freepostcodelottery.com.
Get fit for free
The two worst things about the school holidays are the money you spend and the pounds you pile on! If, like me, you’re counting down the days before the kids go back to school, so that you can start trying to shift a few pounds then you should check out Ms Skint Single Mum’s five free fitness apps. Or sign up to This Mum Run’s Facebook Group for details of free social runs near you.
If you hear of a cheap local deal or event please email hi@brokeinbristol.co.uk and we’ll do our best to spread the word. Don’t forget to like our Facebook page, so that you never miss an update! We’ll be back on Thursday with our top picks of free and cheap things to do with or without the kids. See you then!
