Early for pickup? Friend running late? Let Barclays know how you make the most of an unexpected 5 minutes downtime out of the house, for your chance to win a £200 John Lewis voucher - NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

Barclays say "It's happened to all of us - you're out and about and you find yourself with some unexpected free time on your hands - you're a few minutes early for pickup, or one of the kids is bravely allowing a hairdresser to trim their locks."

"We're putting together the ultimate list of tips to maximise lost moments throughout the day, to celebrate two ingenious apps from Barclays: the Barclays Mobile Banking app, which lets you manage your finances when you are out and about; and Barclays Pingit, an app that lets you send and receive money using just a mobile number."

So they are asking, what do you do with that time? How do you make the most of the moments and once they have all added up, what would you spend an extra hour on a week?

Let us know your thoughts on this thread - everyone who adds a comment before the closing date of 15th July 2013 will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £200 John Lewis voucher. Please note your anonymous submitted tips may well be used on the Barclays pages on MN as well as possibly elsewhere.

Thanks
MNHQ

Spare 5 mins - read on Kindle, check facebook or mumsnet on phone.

If I had an extra hour (it would take much more than a week to add those 5mins up to an hour) - I woul probably make the most of an empty house by spending half of it doing housework that I normally struggle to get done with a toddler hanging off me, and spend the other half curled up on the sofa with a book and a bowl of ice-cream cup of tea.

5 minutes on a weekday, I'll be on my Blackberry doing work emails, and if theres nothing outstanding on there (v unusual, but like this week when most of the US are off, does happen), I'll phone a customer on my 'needs a call sometime' list.

5 minutes on the weekend, I'll be cleaning the inside of the car with babywipes while listening to R4.

A whole hour? Either laying in the bath with my kindle, a run (without the dog), or an hour horse grooming with no assistance from dh, ds or dog

Check my bank balance on my phone app & then weep in 5 minutes

For a whole hour I'd sit down with a cup of tea and catch up on an episode of come dine with me

5 mins- check to-do list and add things to my next online groceries order.
An hour (like that would ever happen)- I keep failing to find time to call my mortgage adviser so I'd probably do that! Otherwise plan our next holiday.

Currently I would sleep! Or enjoy a nice coffee and a good book.

If I'm waiting somewhere nice, I'm quite happy to just sit back and wait, just relaxing and watching what's going on or daydreaming. If I'm in the car I might listen to the radio.
I often use a spare 5 minutes to catch up on my emails on my phone, check my calendar, Mumsnet, or call my mum for a chat.

If I had an extra hour a week to myself I'd bake or read the weekend newspaper.

5 minutes when out and about I'll use just to watch the world go by. At home I'd do an extra email or news check on internet. Or a tidy of something like noticeboard/handbag.

An hour is tailor made time for a coffee and catchup of something in my recorded TV backlog.

If i can i sit still and listen to a full song I love, otherwise mumsnet or Facebook. If I saved up an hours worth it would be wine and a new magazine of course - small pleasures!

I sit and organise my personal emails, putting them in folders and deleting inconsequential ones - it's amazing how unruly one's on-air can become without constant housekeeping.....

I select the choicest passing stranger and suggest a quick knee-trembler against the nearest wall.

Unexpected 5 minutes? I wish!
If I'm early for pick-up then there's usually something I need from the local shop which I can pop in to get. You can never have too many birthday cards, stamps or wrapping paper.

If I add up all the 5 minutes (I'm trying to go along with this idea that I actually have a spare 5 mins in the first place) then I could catch up with emails or even get a bit of extra work done on the computer.

However in my usual day, there is never enough hours or minutes.

My bank gives me a text every Monday morning which gives me a balance and the last 3 or 4 incomings/outgoings. I also get a text alert if the balance goes under a certain amount. I find that really handy.

I don't trust banking apps as I think that they are probably open to exploitation. I don't want my banking details on an app. Nothing is so secure that it can't be targeted by others.

Sometimes I will use my phone to listen to the radio, or sometimes Facebook or Mumsnet or just call mum or a friend for a chat. Actually it mostly seems to involve my phone .

I look for recipes and wedding ideas on Pinterest.

Daydream.

I make sure I always have a magazine in the car, so I can sit and enjoy a few uninterrupted minutes of reading something frivolous!

When I have an extra 5 minutes before pick up I read a bit of my book.

Yesterday, I filed my nails also.

I mostly read my book or catch up on news online.
Sometimes I will reply to outstanding texts or emails and make appointments etc.

My iPhone has my life on it so there is always something to do with a spare 5 minutes. I can either check in with my American friends & family via facebook, check the latest mum's net feeds or even open up my kindle app and read a few pages. I do bank with Barclays and have the mobile banking app - so if need be I can always check my account balance or make payments.

With an extra hour a week I would like Skype with my American family or maybe even treat myself to a manicure.

My iPhone has my life on it so there is always something to do with a spare 5 minutes. I can either check in with my American friends & family via facebook, check the latest mum's net feeds or even open up my kindle app and read a few pages. I do bank with Barclays and have the mobile banking app - so if need be I can always check my account balance or make payments.

With an extra hour a week I would like Skype with my American family or maybe even treat myself to a manicure.

I'd be on my phone catching up on emails, work or on Facebook /mumsnet preferably with a brew I hand too :)

I always have my kindle with me or I browse FB or MN on my phone.

Turn the radio up really loud and either.........

Mumsnet
Check emails
Read, I always have a book or my kindle with me.
Clean the car dashboard with a baby wipe

Forgot to say that with an extra hour a week I would have an uninterrupted bath and take the time to read

Generally I'd read, or I'd do a bit of shopping, or I'd go for a 5 minute walk.

Lately, I'd just stare into space trying to rearrange my thoughts, life's been too busy.