PARTY frocks and other togs for the festive season can cost a pretty penny. Around three in five of us buy at least one new item of clothing, spending on average £106.
So when I found out mum-of-two Nina Dixon 29, from Blackburn, bagged a dress for a black-tie party for just 10p, I just had to speak to her. Here are her top tips on hunting down bargains in charity shops and online . . .
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ALL IN A GOOD CAUSE: Nina cannot get enough of charity shops. She says: “Wherever I am, I always go into them. A few years ago there was a closing-down sale at one near me and you could fill up a bag for £1. I’m also passionate about charity shops now because of the environment — it’s good for things to be re-used.” My 10p dress has got me a lot of compliments, too. I bought it to go to see a charity boxing match. Everyone had spent a fortune on their outfits, which they would maybe wear only once, and there was I in a 10p dress.”
SNIP AT THE PRICE, FOR NIPPERS: You will often find brilliant, barely worn children’s clothes in charity shops. Nina says: Eighty per cent of my clothes come from charity shops and so does much of what my kids wear.”
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EXPLORE FOR MORE: When away from home, always check out the local charity shops. Different towns and cities will have different types of cast-off clothes. Nina says: “Try not to just stay local. Go to different areas because you don’t know what you’ll find. Be open-minded and you will be surprised by what you can find.”
NET A BARGAIN: The internet is always a great place to find bits and bobs, and not just clothes.m Nina says: “I get a lot of household items and upcycle. This week I’ve done up a desk I got for free on Facebook. I sanded it down and painted it and now plan to sell it online. Everything in my house is taken from charity shops or the likes of eBay and Facebook. These are all my favourite places to go.”
You can follow Nina on Instagram – @the_bargain_hunter
Deal of the day
HEAD to JD Williams today or tomorrow for a winter wardrobe refresh. Coats, knits and more are reduced by up to 50 per cent. This coat is £56, down from £80.
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Cheap treat
GET chilled this weekend with Haagen-Dazs Cookies & Cream ice cream, down from £4.20 to £2.50 at Tesco. What a brrr-illiant deal.
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SAVE: £1.70
My SunSavers fiver
PAM UTTING, from Rayleigh, Essex, says: “I’m saving my Savers fivers for a lounge makeover after Christmas.”
Send your Savers fiver story to sunsavers.co.uk/fivers and you will get 28 codes worth £5 if we print it. Please include your name and town.
For more bargains and money-saving news, catch our weekly Sun Savers Show every Thursday at 5pm at facebook.com/TheSunSavers
Top swap
LOOKING to freshen up your festive flowers this year? I like the tonal vase for £12.99, below, from The Range. It’s a steal compared with the similar vase, above, sold at Trouva for £55.
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SAVE: £42.01
Shop & Save
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SAVE up to 50 per cent on selected Christmas gifts at Superdrug.
The Revolution red eyeshadow palette is just £15, down from £30.
SAVE: £15
Your paper could be worth £50,000
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EVERY CODE YOU ENTER IS A TICKET: ONE lucky reader is in line for a bumper early Christmas present – thanks to our £50,000 Sun Raffle.
Every month YOU could win the super cash giveaway in our Sun Raffle just for reading this paper.
Entering could not be easier – simply download the Sun Savers app or sign up at sunsavers.co.uk.
Then, opt in to each month’s Sun Raffle by clicking “Yes!” when prompted and start collecting the codes printed daily inside the paper – scanning in the app or entering online.
Saturday November 9’s code is on Page 20.
The next big giveaway is on Saturday, November 30 – perfect for making it a Christmas to remember.
With every code you enter you will earn a Raffle ticket into that month’s £50,000 Raffle.
There is no limit to how many tickets you can collect per month, so make sure to enter as many codes as you can to give yourself the best chance of winning. Remember, you have got to be in it to win it.
Not already a Sun Savers member? Join Sun Savers today.
It only takes a minute to sign up – just search “Sun Savers” in the app store and then download the app, or head to sunsavers.co.uk. To get started, all you need to do is enter a few details.
– T&Cs apply. For full T&Cs see sunsavers.co.uk.
Kevin’s clan up for Disney delight
KEVIN FLANAGAN, 61, is looking forward to whisking his family away to Disney World after scooping £50,000 in the September Sun Raffle.
The semi-retired banker and his wife Sylvana will jet off to Florida with their children and grandchildren in tow.
Kevin, of Watford, said: “We have been talking about going to Florida as a family for a few years, but it was always something that was way in the future.
“Now we’re booking a holiday for the whole family next year.
“We’re going to do Disney World, Universal Studios – the whole lot.
“Everyone is so excited. My seven-year-old grandson can’t stop asking when we’re going.”
Betty plans a sentimental journey
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PART-TIME cleaner and carer Betty Preen, 52, couldn’t believe her luck after winning £50,000 in July’s Sun Raffle. Betty, who has been widowed for 15 years since husband Les died from a rare form of cancer, is planning to invest in a trip to see the Northern Lights.
The mum of one said: “It’s something Les and I had talked about doing when we both retired. Neither of us imagined Les wouldn’t live to see that. But you never know what’s around the corner, so now I’ve got this money I’m going to take the plunge and go for it. I know Les will be there with me in spirit.”
See it first… See it free: 4,500 tickets up for grabs
SEE the new film Knives Out before anyone else thanks to Sun Savers.
We are giving away 2,250 pairs of tickets to a preview screening for the whodunnit starring Daniel Craig and Chris Evans.
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Star Wars director Rian Johnson pays tribute to detective novelist Agatha Christie in Knives Out, a modern-day murder mystery where everyone is a suspect.
When renowned crime writer Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) is enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s death.
With an all-star ensemble cast including Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martell, the film is a witty and stylish mystery guaranteed to keep you guessing until the very end. Take your pick from 20 preview screenings across the UK, including London, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester and more.
The screenings will take place on the evening of Tuesday, November 26. To claim your free pair of tickets, simply download the Sun Savers app or sign up at sunsavers.co.uk. Then head to the “Sun Savers Screening” page found in the “Offers” section and click “Start Collecting”. You will need to collect FIVE consecutive Sun Savers codes from those printed daily inside the paper from today until Wednesday, November 13. Today’s Sun Savers code can be found on Page 20.
Once you have entered or scanned your codes on the app or website, click “Book” as soon as possible. You will be taken to a booking website where you can claim your free pair of tickets. But don’t wait around – tickets are first come, first served! Booking closes at midnight on Friday, November 15. If you miss out, Knives Out is in cinemas from Wednesday November 27.
Terms and conditions
18+ UK residents only (excludes Northern Ireland, Isle of Man & Channel Islands).
Multiple code collect 9/11/19 – 13/11/19.
Booking closes at 23:59pm on 15/11/19. 2,250 pairs of tickets to be claimed. Subject to availability.
Online access required. T&Cs apply, see sunsavers.co.uk.
