Thread 6 - the one where there is a very sweet STIbaby

[Reastie]

Thanks @moonbabyandthebeast for thread title

Just a reminder you can watch the thread by clicking on ‘watch this thread’ at the top of the first message. It’s much easier for everyone than so many place marking every time which can use up a fair chunk of each thread to scroll through

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Here’s Barbarara’s instructions from last year on doing clicky links:

Open double square brackets
No space
Paste link
Space
Name of link
No space
Close double square brackets

Like this
[[www.amazingbargains.com bargain ]] but with no space after/before the brackets.
If I do it again without the extra spaces only the word bargain will appear in blue

For more links etc see message 2

If any link doesn’t work or you want to add something please let me know by @ing me

[Carrie76]

Has anyone used onbuy before? I’ve just being reading reviews and they’re very mixed

[Duckyneedsaclean]

Ah, of course! Thanks @XiCi

[Sunshineskies]

@princessbear80 I know you asked about wh smith but my art loving teen dd loves the winsor and newton promarkers and they're currently half price in hobbycraft. She says they blend better than any other pens she's used and they also don't stink the house out like sharpies and some other pens can.

Although I did just put in an order for sketching pencils from wh smith so thank you for heads up on the free del and the 10% code. I've heard the wh smith own brand stuff is really good. The art and craft stuff on wh smith is buy 2, get 1 free. So i got three packs of pencils for the price of 2, yay! (dd goes through them so quickly).

Thank you reastie for the thread and all you lovely bargain hunters.

I can't remember who posted it sorry but my nip + fab order arrived today, so much stuff for what we paid (was it £39?? Can't remember now!). I must confess that i bought it for myself

[Sunshineskies]

I wonder if anyone could help me with ideas for my gran please? She suffers with terrible insomnia. Any ideas to help her sleep? The its works set posted above looks great but I'm not sure she'd use it all as she's not massively into toiletries and likes to stick to her trusted brands.

[Sunshineskies]

Another idea for my gran would be something fun to keep her occupied. She lives alone and has felt really bored and isolated over the past few months. I don't know if there's any games she can play alone? She enjoys solitaire on her computer bless her but isnt confident to go online so can't do any online games or complicated video games.
She likes wordsearches, crosswords, suduku but that's well known in the family so she usually gets lots of that kind of thing. She has arthritic hands so can't do anything too fiddly. I suspect puzzles and adult colouring would be too difficult. She loves craft but had to give up sewing, knitting etc because of her hand pain.
A good boxset might be nice but I don't really know what she's into, she tends to just watch whatever's on and doesn't have a smart tv for netflix etc.
Haha sorry I've just given you my gran's life story. But you lot have come up trumps for various hard to buy for family members in previous years so thought I'd give it a go

[Someaddedsugar]

@Sunshineskies a weighted blanket or a Kindle with an Audible voucher?

Or perhaps a set of personalised playing cards?

[Friedbanana]

Downton abbey cluedo £9.49 from argos! Sorry if it’s already been mentioned!

[Flibbertyjibbit]

@Sunshineskies what about a fire tv stick that will enable your gran to watch lots of box sets on Amazon prime, netflix etc?

[wibdib]

@Sunshineskies not very exciting for your gran but might be worth looking at the Boots ‘Aids’ catalogue... used to be printed but I assume it’s now online or a section on their website, not sure if it’s proper name but it’s basically a collection of all sorts of everyday things for people that are struggling with some everyday things. So obvious things like walking sticks or hot wheat packs to give you an idea but also so much more depending on if your gran is struggling with anything in particular.

For example my mum’s late partner had a great gadget that you could load a sock onto, to make it much easier to put on/take off that got used daily and was thanked every time. Or a grabber hand. Or kitchen gadgets and knives from the oxo good grips range - designed to be ergonomically much easier to hold and use if you have problems with your grip, then made stylish. A non slip tray that can be held from a handle. Non slip feet for mobility aids. A thing to put bread and knife into to cut bread easily. Lots of different ideas that might spark other ideas of things that might make her life easier - check on amazon and google to see if they have nicer versions of things.

Not exciting but if you can make her life a bit easier I’m sure she will be very appreciative!

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

There's this type of solitaire but you'd have to choose one that wasn't too fiddly. Otherwise I agree about personalised playing cards, for patience etc.

Whoever was saying about microscopes, USB ones are really good (especially with multiple children who all want to look nowwww). Small, robust, you can change magnification levels,and most have an internal light. You do need a laptop, but they're a nice compromise if they're more interested in looking at things than actually making up slides, and you're not sure how much use it will get.

[73kittycat73]

@fourquenelles

Thank you so much for these threads. So far I have sorted my DD (Lisa Angel and WHSmith), her partner (Sockshop), my grandson ((puppets!) and friends (Spode sale and Cocoa Loco).

My contribution is this company who I came across watching small studio tours in New York City on Youtube. Lots of cheap stuff.

Shein Code 2020AW gives 15% of anything.

Thank you for the Shein code and link, got a nice new dress.

[HanPanPeg]

@Sunshineskies for your gran, Lush do a moisturiser / body lotion (?) called Sleep which people rave about. You put it on before you go to sleep and it helps relax you - predominantly lavender scented I think!

Ah found the link: uk.lush.com/products/body-lotions/sleepy?gclid=CjwKCAjw74b7BRA_EiwAF8yHFMkv6D4drhBsDlkAZt3V4VFrcHZawLnrsijwOmRT61Lh4L9PCxzruhoCHEYQAvD_BwE

Sleepy not sleep!

[thelegohooverer]

Tiger do packs of really big playing cards. I’m not sure if they’d suit your gran, but I gave them to an aunt whose eyesight was deteriorating and she has thanked me several times.

Would she enjoy a Spotify subscription? You might need to give her a bit of help to find songs and set up a playlist. If she can manage computer solitaire, she will be well able to open Spotify and click play. I’ve done this with all our elderly relatives and it’s been a great success. I’ve been able to find songs that they haven’t heard for decades. Mil found one that her father used to sing and was in tears. It’s worth paying the extra to get rid of distracting ads if they’re not tech friendly.

The other thing we’ve Dh has done for our older relatives is set up Dropbox for them. He uploads pictures of the dc regularly into a folder called “new pictures” and moves the ones they seen into other folders. So all they have to do is click Dropbox and click new pictures. It’s made it very manageable for all of them. Probably one of the most appreciated things he’s done (alongside some grumbling about wanting more new pictures). But again, if your gran can manage solitaire, this is definitely manageable.

[Lellyo]

What about a digital photo frame for your Gran? We bought our mum one last year and she loves it.

[XiCi]

For anyone ordering from Shein please remember that its Chinese sizes so roughly S M L XL corresponds to 6 8 10 12. They do give measurements because of this for a lot of items so do check as it's a faff to send back. Its international postage and you have to pay which can mount up if you get carried away and order a big haul. If you do send back remember you can claim the postage back via PayPal.

[Bluewavescrashing]

50% off sale at paperchase. Photo frames, pretty notebooks etc. I've used key worker discount on top of sales before so it should work if you have blue light discount or discounts for teachers.

[Lellyo]

Sorry very similar suggestion to @ thelegohoover above.

[Methenyouplus4]

Bought this for 8 year old (£3 recommended on here but can't remember where from!) but realised it says age 14+- is it rude? Back just shows smelly nappies/ sick etc?

[Blankiefan]

@Sunshineskies for your gran, what about an Alexa and an audible subscription. She can just ask it to play her a book. Also, other family could chip in for other voice activated stuff (such as plugs so she can switch a lamp on or off without fiddling with the Switch).

[MarkingMyPlace9]

@peasando

Don't have any codes but TCB are doing up to 10% cash back on Matalan staggered depending on how much you spend - you have to spend £100 to get the full 10%.

Not sure if it's already been posted but Radio Times are doing their 6 issues for £1 and it includes the Xmas issue now (you just select the start date as part of the checkout process).

Thanks for the Radio Times info!

Do you know if it's easy to cancel after the 6 magazines have been delivered?

Thanks again! So many bargains to be had on this thread 👍🏻

[gingerbeerandlemonade]

Oh God! Thanks for the beanies recommendation. I am going to spend a small fortune. Anyone have a code at all? No worries if not- they seem great value anyway but I thought i would ask.

[Notlongnow1]

Came across this wooden puzzle toy which looks good for the price.

[nocutsnobuttsnococonuts]

sunshineskies also suggesting an alexa. My dd uses hers to play quizzes and games which your gran might enjoy. You could also link it up to Spotify like another poster suggested so she can listen to music/podcasts. Ours was originally bought as it was on offer and cheaper than a dab radio, still predominantly a radio but used for so much more too! We set reminders, alarms and timers when cooking.

[MarkingMyPlace9]

@XiCi

That OnBuy site is brilliant. Got Cards Against Disney for about half the price I've ever seen it and a few nice stocking fillers as well.

Duckyneedsaclean its really easy to cancel the Radio Times subscription. You just cancel the dd with your bank and it doesnt renew.

Thanks for the Radio Times cancellation info!

[coffeetofunction]

Im pleased to have another bargain to share, most years I struggle🤣

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/UrbanBearCo

I got two winter hats for people as christmas gifts from here, the quality was fantastic. Well they have 15%off

The hoodies as amazing too, I bought my son one and both my children fight over it 😂😂