It's that time of year where Christmas gift ideas and recommendations are flooding in to the team and we have a host of great ideas and inspiration from bargain deals on Samsung Galaxy Tab A9's to hundreds of pounds off STÜHRLING Original watches.
Our shopping experts have been picking their favourites and scouring the internet for the best deals. One of their finds is the a sweet offer from M&S where shoppers can get the sought after beauty calendar for £60, or families can enjoy the The Traitors official board game , bringing a touch of betrayal and treachery to the Festive dinner table for £20 at Argos.
For shoppers looking to save even more, setting up a free TopCashback account here will give a further £15 sign-up bonus on some sites, which can effectively bring the overall price of a purchase down.
Check on TopCashback to see which retailers are covered. With this savvy saving, shoppers can effectively reduce the price of items, such as Pokémon Legends: Z-A for £36.31 on Nintento Switch and Switch 2.
Let's take a look at what's on offer for Friday, and if you have something specific you are looking for, or have a great recommendation of your own, let us know in the comments or email tom.canning@reachplc.com
Wrapping up the week..
Well that as they say is that, for another week. I'll be back bright and early Monday morning with a specific focus on energy saving, cost of living friendly products and deals.
A few bits worth a read over the weekend:
- Weekend wishlist: 9 fashion and beauty picks recommended by the Mirror shopping team
- 9 autumn buys chosen by shopping experts to snag the M&S advent calendar for less
- 28 iconic shops we grew up with that have vanished from our high streets
Deal of the Day: It looks like everyone's okay with me pronouncing Tetley Tea as the best. It certainly is best value in bulk at £30.23 for 1,540 tea bags compared to 1,040 Yorkshire Tea Bags for £30.99.
Ariana Grande tickets
Wicked: For Good, the second part of the Wizard of Oz prequal starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande is released in cinemas on November 21 in the UK.
It undoubtedly means we're going to be seeing a lot more of Ariana and Cynthia promoting the film, and for the former, quite likely a huge interest in tickets for her 10 night UK stint at the O2 Arena in London.
General sale tickets are mostly sold out, but it's always worth checking TICKETMASTER and LIVE NATION every so often.
However there is a market on resale websites for Ariana's Eternal Sunshine tour with many tickets being sold for around £300. While these are certainly large price tags, they are currently the only websites fans can reliably purchase tickets from.
VIAGOGO, VIVID SEATS and STUBHUB are where you need to be if you are looking for tickets for the Ariana fan in your life.
Huge saving on M&S beauty calendar when you bag yourself a a full price fashion, homeware or beauty item for £35 or more
A sweet offer from M&S, shoppers can get the sought after beauty calendar for £60. All shoppers need to do is add the calendar to their bag, bag themselves a full price fashion, homeware or beauty item for £35 or more, and the calendar will be automatically discounted to just £60 - saving £270.
With collections from the likes of Sienna Miller, Bella Freud and Claudia Winkleman, the M&S is packed with some seriously swoon-worthy yet affordable garments for all ages - like its sell-out barn coat - as well as premium beauty buys including its £330 Beauty Advent Calendar.
Launched on October 9, the Beauty Advent Calendar from Marks and Spencer contains some high-end products ranging from skincare to help smooth dry skin and iron out fine lines, to makeup that'll lengthen lashes to self-care, to help lure shoppers into a deep sleep.
For shoppers taking advantage of the offer, the calendar will cost less than the combined cost of just three of the products. For example, the This Works Deep Sleep Body Cocoon retails at £28, the Benefit Benetint Lip And Cheek Stain at £22.50, and the Clinique High Impact Mascara at £26. These three items alone total £76.50.
Energy saver: 42% off cordless vacuum that 'picks up more dog hair' than pricier rivals
When I thought about 'saving energy', naturally I was thinking about gas and electric.
BUT when I saw the claim by Ultenic that their U20 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner 'picks up more dog hair' than its more expensive competitors, I thought that sounded like a really good energy saver.
Amazon has cut more than 40% off the price of the cordless vacuum bringing it down to £139.99. The budget-friendly model competes with Shark's signature anti-hair wrap feature with its 'zero tangle' brush head that's 'made for fur'.
The vacuum includes both hard and soft bristles, along with a 'tooth-gap' design that prevents hair wrap, making it perfect for homes with pets. This is complemented by a 600W brushless motor delivering powerful suction on either carpet or hard floors.
The Ultenic U20 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is a real energy saver!
Absolute luxury for a bargain price from NEOM
NEOM's Wellbeing Luxury 4 Piece Gift Collection has been reduced to just £65.95 from QVC.
New to NEOM? Eleanor Fleming explains: "NEOM's sets are a go-to for those who love relaxing home fragrances and self-care rituals.
"This particular bundle - which is worth £149 when the items are totalled up - includes some of the brand's most-loved products, offering a full sensory experience designed to help shoppers unwind, destress and sleep better."
She adds: "It's the kind of indulgent gift that feels special without the premium price tag".
Another good option, and food for thought, is the Macmillan 24 Days of Joy Beauty Advent Calendar at Boots, which right now is half-price when you use the code MACMILLAN50 at the checkout.
Gamers: How to get Pokémon Legends: Z-A cheaper
Time to throw in a great TopCashback offer, and this time it's the brand new Pokémon Legends: Z-A on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
The game was releaded on Thursday and is available at Argos for £51.99. Thanks to a deal at TopCashback, it can be knocked down to £36.31.
What you need to do
TopCashback is currently offering a £15 sign-up bonus to those who sign up with a new email and then buy the game from Argos. If it all sounds a bit confused, never fear. Here's a quick rundown of how to get the game for only £36:
- Sign up for Top Cashback via this link
- Search for Argos as the retailer on Top Cashback and choose "Get Cashback"
- That will take buyers through to Argos, where Pokémon Legends: Z-A can be ordered as normal
- The cash will be deposited in shoppers Top Cashback accounts a couple of days later
Family fun: 'The whole family love' Traitors board game
The nights are drawing in and the Festive season isn't far away..
A classic board game is the perfect way to bring family and friends together (not to mention a brilliant gift idea) - unless, of course, it’s The Traitors official board game. Based on the hit BBC show, the game brings a touch of betrayal and treachery to the table, and it’s now only £20 at Argos.
Designed for four to six players, the game involves completing missions and tasks to earn gold. However, one player is elected the Traitor, performing secret assignments in return for the right to ‘murder’ a fellow player during the Night phase of the game.
One reviewer said: "Bought this after seeing the TV series. The game works really well. However, be prepared to get up and about, as well as finding objects in your house... that's all I'm going to say! Great fun and a really interesting twist at the end of the game."
Something different with a little less backstabbing, shoppers might want to try Herd Mentality, available from Amazon for £21.99.
Instalments: MacBook Air deal drops price to 72p a day
Apple fans rejoice - new tech means reductions and offers on older models and Sky have a great way of spreading the cost of an M4 MacBook Air.
If you are looking to upgrade, or just bag a new machine, Sky's deal on the older models can be paid monthly at £22 a month with a £2 upfront cost for the 13-inch MacBook.
The M4 MacBook Air has up to 18 hours of battery life and built-in Apple Intelligence to help users accomplish tasks effortlessly.
Sky aren't the only ones with savings on laptops though. If you fancy an epic gaming laptop you can snap up the HP Omen laptop with an RTX 5050 for £1,381 from Amazon.
And Currys have a brilliant deal on the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge for £599, thanks to a £200 price drop.
Energy saver: Heat the space not the home
The Dreo 1500W Portable Electric Heater is now £45.99 as part of a Limited Time Deal. Usually £54.99, Dreo have a good range of heaters available to help heat the space you're in, rather than your whole home.
The heater comes with a remote control and has three modes plus a 12-hour timer. And it features a child lock for peace of mind. Amazon also offers the same heater in grey, at the slightly higher price of £59.99.
Designed with the latest technology, it creates warm air in just two seconds, while Dreo says it produces 53.9% more heated air than traditional heaters.
Which is something my wife has been known to say about me..
Dunelm also has a small portable heater for sale. For £16, its 2000W Flat Fan Heater uses an electric coil to create heat and then blow the warmth across the room, so it is also perfect for small rooms.
Another option is the Beldray Portable Hot & Cool Fan Heater, which is on offer at Currys for £19.99.
Big bags of tea - but which is the best value?
The Amazon Gift Guide reminded me of the annual bulk bag of Yorkshire Tea my parents gift my sister-in-law. It's a bit of a family joke because she drinks about seven or eight cups a day.
Anyway, I just had a glance at bulk buys of tea bags and discovered that a) there's such a thing as Lancashire Tea and b) you have options when you are bulk buying tea.
Typically a 1,040 Yorkshire Tea Bags costs £30.99, Lancashire Tea is £19.99 for 1,100, and good old Tetley Tea is £30.23 for 1,540.
As we all know, this means that not only is Tetley Tea the best tea bag, it's also currently the best value.
Amazon Gift Guides: Fashion
The Amazon website, and particularly the 'Gift Guide' section is a treasure trove of inspiration.
I'm browsing the fashion section this morning for ideas and some top pics on the page include Levi's jeans, some funky wellies and naturally, the Calvin Klein boxers three-pack.
The Calvin's were a hugely popular purchase during the Prime Day sale, and they remain a staple of the online retailer.
Among Amazon Fashion's Most Gifted then:
Wowcher: Huge price drop on Apple's iPhone 12 Pro
If you are hunting for a smartphone bargain ahead of Black Friday you might want to check out Wowcher's latest deal as the retailer has dropped the price of a refurbished iPhone 12 Pro, making it cheaper than its original Apple launch price of £999 back in 2020.
The offer gives shoppers access to premium performance, high-quality photography features and a sleek design for a fraction of its original cost. This iPhone is powered by the A14 Bionic chip, which delivers fast multitasking and smooth gaming, while the 128GB of storage ensures plenty of space for apps, photos and videos.
One reviewer said: "I bought this phone for my dad. It looks new. Battery life is 100% amazing."
Bag a bargain: NEOM gift set reduced by £71
Renowned for its high-end wellness products and beautifully presented collections, NEOM's sets are a favourite for those who adore relaxing home fragrances and self-care rituals.
Now the brand has the Wellbeing Luxury 4 Piece Gift Collection at a bargain price. Worth £137, it is on sale at QVC for £65.95, a total saving of £71.05.
With NEOM's signature essential oil blends and top-quality natural ingredients, it's the kind of lavish gift that feels special without the hefty price tag. The bundle includes a Real Luxury Reed Diffuser (usually £55), blended with pure essential oils including lavender, jasmine and sandalwood. It's designed to disperse a soothing scent throughout the home, and lasts up to 12 weeks.
Also included is the Perfect Peace Scented Candle (1 Wick) (usually £40) that is made with '100% naturally derived wax' and fills spaces with 100% natural fragrances. The candle features a blend of fir, myrrh and lime, designed to help tension lift away.
Energy saver: Silentnight heated cuddle cushion under £40 'perfect for reading and working'
I write a lot about not heating the whole house when you are working from home, and I'm constantly keeping an eye out for items that support that idea.
Anything to help heat just your workspace, rather than a whole empty house.
Silentnight are pretty good with this and offer a wide range of products designed to keep people warm, without costing a fortune.
On Amazon, readers have spotted a 15% off deal on the Silentnight Cosy Cuddles Heated Cuddle Pillow, now on sale or £38.24 down from £44.99 in the colour 'natural'. This beats the price of Sleepy People and B&Q where it is still full price.
To heat the cuddle cushion, simply plug it into a USB power bank, with no need for a main plug, meaning it can be moved around the home. A power bank will need to be purchased separately, but shoppers can get an Anker one for £12.99 from Amazon. This did disappoint one customer that said 'not sure if it is worth it in my opinion'.
I'm absolutely trying one of these out for my office chair.
The White Company: The new winter scent that's already selling out
The White Company has expanded its scent line-up with a brand new fragrance collection, and it's already proving to be a runaway hit.
Tonka is the latest addition to brands fragrance family. Ideal for winter, the scent blends warming notes of tonka bean, rich tobacco and woody spice, creating the kind of cosy atmosphere that'll make you want to stay in all season.
The Tonka collection includes five products; a luxury signature candle, a larger three-wick candle, a reed diffuser, a fragrance oil, and a home spray. Prices range from £12 to £70, making this a perfect pick for stocking fillers or a more luxurious gift for a loved one.
Worth a look: Amazon reduces 'beautiful' Yankee candle that 'fills the house' to £9.99
Good morning! Happy Friday..
An old lecturer of mine used to say: "It's Friday, that's 80% of the week done, 20% to go."
This was usually after a skinful on a Thursday night and it wasn't particularly helpful or indeed well received. But anyway, I digress.
It is Friday and my job today is to save you money, help keep your energy bills down and spot a bargain or two. Speaking of which, Thursday's Deal of the Day was:
I've gone for the Nutribullet Magic Bullet Air Fryer on Yimbly. It is down to £39.90 with an extra 10% off until the end of November if you use the code AUTUMN10 at the checkout.
As ever, let me know what you are looking for, or great deals of your own you've spotted. You can reach me through the live blog comments or email tom.canning@reachplc.com