Christmas bargain thread 3 - I'm back!

[Reastie]

Look at post two for some hopefully useful links/info.

Does anyone know of any Mothercare sales between now and Christmas? DS's main present we plan on being the Happyland Rocket, I know they had a sale last year where Happyland was half price but I can't for the life of me remember when!

If anyone sees any bargains on the fur real JJ jumping pug then please let me know - I missed it on amazon for £22, and I've just seen it was down to £11 on boots website but now out of stock 😭

hello, new to thread. Does anyone know of a christmas planning type app to help store ideas and gifts bought etc? TYIA

I got an email today from PayPal offering 15% off any order over €40 at Boots.ie when you pay with PayPal and use the code PAYPAL15. I don't know if they have a similar offer through the uk site? or if it was a dodgy email

20% off Book People Hand picked favourites using code AUG20. Book People change codes regularly so if you're looking for something not included in the offer hold off for another while and see what they offer next.

Hobbycraft have special offers on cake decorating supplies if anyone is planning their Christmas cakes

Can't find them online but I was in Dealz/Poundland and they had little square sticker books with about 15 pages of the same 10-12 stickers. I thought they'd never great for party bags as you could put a little sticker sheet in each bag. They had fairies, emojis, soldiers, animals and others. Not especially Christmassy but a bargain's a bargain!

imsorryiasked thanks for the link. I think she might go for that as it's quite in keeping with the book, though I think she's thinking of something more glamourous. She's 6, but I'd say would easily fit 7-8 by Christmas.

wrecktangled you wouldn't have spotted a bargainous time machine by any chance ?

sixp I'm looking for haba extensions too but nothing so far. Ali express had nothing similar. Lidl do compatible sets cheaply but the cyclone in theirs is plastic and I was hoping for a wooden one. Please post if you find anything.

Just came across a good deal on hotukdeals. If you don't have quidco already (which I didn't) you can sign up and there is an offer for £6 cash back from zeek.me which I used to get DH a code for one week NowTV sky sports pass. The voucher is £9 but the code CLEVERCASH gives £5 off. So I paid £4 for the voucher & get £6 cash back. I think it should work for any voucher from zeek, not just NowTV.

Am off to explore the Quidco website more. For anyone who isn't a member I'll post my referral link below (disclaimer I'd get £10 cash back but then you could use your referral link & pass it on)

Quidco referral link

Just been to wilkos, these teddies are down from £6 to £3
So obviously I bought two

That's my niece sorted, jarmies and a matching teddy

Wowl I know last year Elc had a 3 for 2 offer on think before Xmas, I do have a 20% off code for mothercare for toys if it helps

The green pound shop (poundland?) had secret life of pet tsum tsums and mini kawaii DC superhero and villain plushes ideal little stocking fillers (see pic). Also Wilkos had lots of their pocket money toys reduced so I picked up a few bargains for the stockings all under £1.

imsorryiasked thanks I just ordered that little light up TV set think that will be a nice touch. I plan on using tester pots to paint it light blue and white and was going to get some sample wallpaper or wrapping paper for the walls.

And thanks haudyerweesht will check out poundland for some floor tiles!

Could I please ask those of you with haba (or similar) marble runs what age DC you have and how much they are played with?

DD is 7 and has both a cheap plastic marble run and couple of wooden Trix Tracks sets (aimed at younger children). She loves the plastic set, although gets frustrated with it as, being so cheap, it's unstable and the parts don't really fit well together. She barely touches the Trix Tracks.

Ideally, I'd like to find a set that she can set up herself, that isn't too fiddly/delicate, and that can be used in a number of configurations.

All feedback welcomed!

Thanks everyone who posted about Lisa angel, my order arrived today, beautifully packaged & lovely gifts, very pleased!

I second that Tickyboovicki. Thanks also for the NESS link. Getting birthday and Christmas presents so easily thanks to this thread.

sorry, posted before I'd finished!
The benefit is that they are easily adjustable if a piece is not balanced you can just shift it a bit, unlike a badly made plastic part. And you can do alsorts of crazy runs by stripping all the books out of the bookcase to make tall towers.

Thank you to previous poster for the John Lewis tree bargain!

To people asking about apps, if you have an iPhone you can download the numbers app free which is basically excel BUT there's a shopping list type template. I've included a photo to give example of what it looks like

Oh feck, I didn't post the first half
That was for sockeatingmonster, about marble runs.
We've had them from 3, still on the go (occasionally) and my eldest is 9. It fit in well with wooden blocks and Kapla planks which they were used to building with. I'm not sure if it might seem dull at 7 compared to the big fancy plastic sets?? ... see above for the rest of my post

Velvet (charity shop) makes excellent doll house carpet. I think carpet off cuts are too thick (perfectionist)
And if you need fabric with tiny prints for curtains, etc, men's ties (again charity shop) are a good scale.

Thanks Englishrose for the house of marbles tip, have just made an order. And they do free gift wrap too!

Thanks @Annwithnoe. Her brother has a Quercetti marble coaster which they both love but, like the cheaper plastic set, it's very temperamental.

Can I borrow the bargain thread time machine, when we've found it, to go back to Christmas 2014 buy her a nice Haba one instead of the bloody Trix Tracks?!

Can anyone else see if the Argos site is throwing up issues? Trying to check stock on items and it says it can't do it right now?

winch I have this Christmas app (and it seems pretty goo so far):

• Good

Poundworld (the blue one!) has Yankee votives in for 75p and some of the medium sized jarred candles for £5. I did take you all a pic but my iphone drowned today

Big thank you to @ja9r I just got a scarf from Ness for DSiL. I don't normally look at this thread because it moves so quickly it's overwhelming but chuffed to bits with my bargain!