Brits are continuing to tighten their belts throughout the ongoing cost of living crisis but no matter what state the economy is in, Christmas is always an expensive time of year.
That being said, as inflation has hit a 41-year high this month, we could do with more tips and tricks on how to pinch the pennies than ever and, thankfully, finance guru Martin Lewis is reminding festive shoppers of a brilliant way to save money when ordering from Amazon.
The Money Saving Expert team recently detailed more than 30 different Amazon tips and tricks for saving money and one of them is so annoyingly simple we’re annoyed at ourselves for not thinking of it.
Ranked second on his list after simply looking for promotions and discount codes is to shop via the Amazon Warehouse, specifically, rather than scrolling for hours through the main website in hopes of saving a couple of quid between sellers.
While this might be nothing new to the shrewd spenders amongst you, for others (a.k.a. half the people in our office) this simple Amazon tip is an absolute revelation to many people.
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For those still unaware, the Amazon Warehouse is basically a specific section of the online shopping site where either slightly damaged, used or even just returned items are sent and, as a result, have to be resold at a marked-down price. It’s really that simple.
Better still, because there are certain standards surrounding what Amazon are able to take back and resell, the quality and condition of most of these goods are much better than you think — sometimes nothing more than a couple of scratches.
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Either way, since they cannot sell them at full RRP, everything from technology, kitchen appliances, toys and more are regularly sold at a significantly discounted price. They even have an Amazon Warehouse price checker and discount finder to help you see how much you can gain in savings.
For example, as shopper Angela emailed in as an example: “Bought a £200 Tefal Actifry for £70, listed as cosmetic damage. Arrived with not a mark on it. Total bargain.”
Now, we’re obviously not going to pretend that you’re always going to get north of 50% off – what deals are on and how much you can save changes from day to day – but it’s always worth a look.
Of course, you can always shop around to see if you can’t get it cheaper elsewhere, but the convenience of Amazon stocking pretty much everything you can think of is rarely beaten.
Other tips included sharing Amazon Prime subscriptions, searching for products on the even lesser-known Amazon Outlet and using price comparison tools just to name a few.
You can see the full list of suggestions as to how you can soak up the most savings possible when ordering from Amazon on the Money Saving Expert website. Every little helps.
Given the tough times we’re all going through right now, as Lewis himself has suggested, there is also another alternative beyond trying to budget on presents this Christmas.
Featured Image — The Martin Lewis Money Show (via ITV)
Christmas
‘Glittering winter adventure’ set to take over Tatton Park this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
The magnificent grounds of Tatton Park will be transformed into a ‘glittering winter adventure’ this festive season.
With spooky season now a thing of the past, and Christmas merely a few weeks away, families will soon be whisked away into a world of folklore, enchantment, and enthralling performances as they enter the gardens of the stunning Tatton Park in Cheshire for an immersive, festival-like experience known as Yuletide.
Organisers say the captivating event promises to be a “truly magical experience” where folklore stories come to life through storytelling and live music.
A ‘glittering winter adventure’ is set to take over Tatton Park this Christmas / Credit: Supplied
All set to transport visitors right into the heart of Yuletide tales, the exciting new event – which opens next weekend, and runs through until late December – is produced by Wild Rumpus, who you may know for other magical local events such as ‘The Lanterns’ at Chester Zoo (2018-2022) and Just So Festival.
The highlight of this new event has to be The Glittering Trail, where beautifully-illuminated puppets and performers bring legendary stories of Yuletide to life as visitors wander through the park’s popular Japanese Gardens and make the most of the stunning winter landscape.
Families can gather around an open fire to toast marshmallows, all while they watch live performances that add even more magic to the evening.
Yuletide will be running at Tatton Park on selected dates from Saturday 16 November through to Monday 23 December, and tickets are on sale now – with adult tickets costing £20, children paying just £12 each, and free personal assistant passes are also available.
Why Big Santa WON’T be in Manchester when the Christmas Markets open this week
Daisy Jackson
The sheds have taken over the city centre already, with the huge Christmas Markets officially opening on Friday 8 November.
A big character during the festive season in Manchester is, of course, our light-up Big Santa.
He’s taken on a few different forms over the years, from the huge inflatable character who used to scale the Manchester Town Hall to the piercing gaze of the city’s legendary ‘Zippy’.
The newest Big Santa is a large fella sitting on a big present, sporting a white handlebar moustache and holding a Manchester bee in his hand.
Over the years, this festive figure has been joined by several other glowing installations, like twinkling baubles you can walk through and huge stars.
And when the markets were held at Albert Square, they normally opened with Big Santa proudly already in position.
But this year the arrival of the Manchester Christmas Markets doesn’t mean the start of the festive light trail, or the return of Big Santa – so don’t go looking for him on Friday.
That’s because he won’t be installed on his perch at St Peter’s Square until after Remembrance Sunday, with a poignant service being held at the Cenotaph in the square next weekend.
Big Santa won’t be there when the Manchester Christmas Markets open on Friday. Credit: The Manc Group
Father Christmas will be installed at St Peter’s Square in the days after Remembrance Sunday.
Speaking of the Manchester Christmas Markets, councillor Pat Karney said: “Nowhere does Christmas quite like Manchester and with more than a quarter of a century of our world-famous legendary Christmas markets under our belts, we reckon we’ve got everyone’s Christmas wrapped.
“The number of people who’ve visited our markets over the years must be well over the fifty million mark by now and twenty-six years on from our first-ever Christmas Market in 1998 we regularly attract visitors from around the globe.
“We can’t wait to welcome everyone back again to Santa’s favourite city to enjoy the markets and share in all the festive fun. Grab some tinsel, find a friend or round up the family, and come and join us!”
The Manchester Christmas Markets open on Friday 8 November and close on Sunday 22 December, with Big Santa arriving in mid-November.
Danny Jones -
17th November 2022 
