Dont you just love a bargain

My friend wasn't happy when I bought the identical M & S cardigan to hers from our local charity shop for £4, with a matching necklace thrown in free. She had paid £35.

Half the stores wouldn't have closed down if they'd kept their prices low. Even half the sales are a con.

Online last week there was what I called a bargain and I'd have bid for it had it been my size. It was an 18ct 0.40 carat diamond ring for £100 ! Size k/l---small. Now that to me was a bargain !

Marlow, not Marlowe. Sorry.

I have had a good week for bargains.

I was sent a £10 voucher from White Stuff for buying some Christmas presents there and found a lovely cardigan in their online sale knocked down to £27. With my token I got a £57 cardi for £17.

Yesterday John Lewis was doing a pricematch reduction on my excruciatingly expensive Clarins facecream and, having saved a birthday present token from October was able to get a £70 jar for £36 which will last me months. Not only that, but it was in a gift set with two extra products I use worth another £20 or more.

Finally, the DH and I found ourselves in the very posh Waitrose in Marlowe where the knockdowns are absurd. We found gravadlax, duck, St Emilion wine and prosciutto at silly prices and saved £9.

Live like emperors on the budget of beggars is our motto.

The trick to it is the phrase ‘see it, buy it’. If no bargains beckon keep your hand in your pocket. I have not bought anything for months but pounced on the offers.

I think our love of a bargain is the ‘gatherer ‘ part of being hunter gatherers. That is my excuse - we are hardwired to be savvy shoppers!

Last year our daughter decreed that the whole family should wear a Christmas jumper for our seasonal visit to her home. I went to several different charity shops and bought jumpers for everyone - then donated them back a couple of days later. All were cheap as chips and the charity shops benefited twice over.

When it comes to bargains I'm always conscious that if I wasn't planning to buy something anyway it isn't a bargain just because it's cheap.

Marydoll

Wow!! What a bargain. Lucky you (or rather, him)

Oops! That was a general remark after reading another post on GN about a DH buying his DW 2 jumpers, one of which (showing a robin and tinsel) showed up as an ad on here below the comments. I clicked on it to look and read the reviews.

I got a Zara black velvet jacket in T K Maxx this week for £5.99! I'll cut off the very long wrap around sashes with fringes at the ends and make it edge to edge. Bargain!

My best buy, a man's cashmere jumper from M&S after Christmas last year in the outlet for £0.99, it was originally cost £99!

Gabriella, admittedly I've just had a wine or two, but I can't work out who you're talking to. What cost £29?

What a waste of £29. A jumper you can only wear for a few days per year. Most reviews say that it sheds glitter all over the place. Not a good buy IMO.

try charity shops ,we got loads christmas jumpers...only £4 i think...salvation army..

Do love a bargain.

Mabon1 ...... BINGO!

It was handy being in Englsnd the last week or so as there were some great bargains to be had. Not so DH he paid £110 for a pair of waterproof motor cycle gloves when he diesnt take his motorbike out when it is cold let alone raining. For the same amount I managed to buy at least 12 tops and sweaters as well as 2 pairs of leggings from TU because they had a 20% discount on all clothing. I went to 2 branches of Sainsburys and it was surprising what different stock they had despite being in the same town. Add the great discounts on 3 pairs of Hotter boots and I was very happy. A bit of a packing exercise though to get it all to fit in my suitcases.

I second that, Rosina! A bit of silliness can brighten up life!

How do you lose a jumper?

My best bargain was a pair of curtains. I was a single parent with 3 kids, but fortunate not to be struggling too much financially - just having to budget more carefully. Marital home was sold and I had just moved house with my kids. The new house had very large windows and I needed very wide curtains with 108" drop. Saw nice material in department store but would have been too expensive at over £600 to get that material. I happened to see a set of curtains in same material on their "bargain table" . They were made for someone who had refused to accept them due to an almost invisible catch at the seam. They were exactly the right size and, after an extra 10% off that day, I got them for £67.50.
When I later sold the house, I was a bit miffed on driving past, to see these curtains being used to cover the furniture while the new owners were painting the walls!

More or less the same experience a few months ago, I bought a lovely pair of jeans type trousers at Bon Marche went back next day for another colour but they didnt have my size,I tried in many Bon Marche stores without any luck,when I arrived back in this country a few days later, I thought I could look on line, and there they were reduced to half price, the right colour, right size etc and not only that with the postage to this country they were cheaper than the original trousers in the shop.I have two pairs which I love, a bargain is a bargain after all.

My DH managed to acquire a gift card for M&co. He went in yesterday, just a as they were hanging new jumpers on the racks. He brought me two to try on. A pale blue sparkly one with a sequin robin on the front, perfect for Christmas day. The other is a deep purple fine knit jumper embellished with jewelled insects. They both fit me perfectly. Fabulous.

My recent bargain was courtesy of my son. He knew what I'd bought DH for Christmas and asked what it cost. He informed me that it was now about £25 cheaper than when I bought it a few weeks ago online and I should return it. I did. From the drop down list of reason for return, I chose "better price". When asked to state where I had found it cheaper, I entered "From you!' I had to pay a few pounds return postage but I'm still £18 up on the deal so yes I do love a bargain!

I was walking past New Look yesterday and spotted some sneakers that I thought would match a summer dress I have. I bought them and was delighted to be told that they were reduced from £12.99 to £6! £6 for a pair of shoes - I couldn’t believe it!

Where was it made?
Taiwan? Bangladesh?
Bon Marche are covering their costs anyway, if not doubling their margins.
The item probably cost nearer to £4, landed.

Having decided it was time for a new mattress,I ventured out yesterday to the local bed shop. The choice was alarming. Anything decent seemed to be priced between 700 and 1600 pounds. Wow. Then I passed just what I was looking for. A sprung mattress starting out at 800.00 so it said anyway. Reduced to 180,00 because it had been on display in the shop. Free delivery and including disposing of old mattress. I was so happy with such a bargain.

I've ordered a breathable, waterproof jacket by Craghoppers was £99 now £27 so, dear reader, I bought it!