Blog

  • Buying second hand engagement rings

    If you and your partner are thinking of getting married then you may have already looked at a number of potential engagement rings. Some people like to choose their own engagement rings and others are happy to let it be a surprise. Depending on what type of metal you opt for and whether you want any precious stones in it can drastically vary the price.
    Buying a new ring will often cost you more than the equivalent second-hand ring. Rings often lose a lot of their value as soon as they are classed as used unless they are rare or antique. Some people do not like the idea of buying a second-hand engagement ring, especially as it usually means the engagement or marriage didn’t work out, but if you are not too concerned about that then you really can bag yourself a bargain. When buying second hand it is important to make sure that you know exactly what you are buying. If a ring is sold as a certain carat diamond, then you should either see proof of the original purchase or have it examined by an expert before completing on the sale. This can be hard if you are buying it off Ebay or Facebook for example. If this is the case I would strongly recommend only spending a small amount. If you are wanting to spend more on a second hand ring then you are better to buy from a reputable jeweller that deals in second hand jewellery.

  • How to find quality clothing at reduced prices

    With many big retailers starting the Christmas sales early, now can be the perfect time to grab yourself a bargain. If you like named brand clothing then you will often have to fork out quite a bit for that sporty hoody or classy dress you have been after. When shopping online always be on the lookout for discount codes. Sometimes these are advertised on the home page of the website and other times you will need to visit third-party sites or social media pages to find the latest codes that work.

    If you have loyalty cards, be sure to scan them every time you buy something. You may be surprised how much you can save up by the end of the year. These points are often converted into special offers or money off coupons. When buying online you should be careful and need to ensure that the items of clothing you are buying are genuine as unfortunately there is a lot of fake merchandise sold on some websites. If possible always pay with a credit card or PayPal as these offer the buyer additional protection against fraud. If you are in doubt as to whether clothing is genuine then you there are some checks you can make to try and eliminate the risks.

     

     

  • Savings on Jewellery at Christmas

    If you are looking for the perfect gift to buy a loved one you may opt for jewellery. This may be a necklace, pair of earrings, bracelet, ring or watch or even a pair of cuff links or tie pin. Jewellery is a very popular gift to give at Christmas and prices range massively from a few pounds in to the thousands of pounds.

    Everyone likes to make a saving so when it comes to buy Christmas presents you have to be a bit savvy. Often sales start in early November for the run up to Christmas and you need to try and judge when the best time to buy is. Some jewellers will offer buy one get one free on jewellery or a certain percentage off, saving you a fair amount on more costly items. Always check the quality of the product and if buying online, be sure it is from a reputable company. If you are wanting to buy second hand jewellery then it is recommended that you buy it from a jewellers or that you can get the jewellery examined by an expert if it is expensive, before you complete the sale.

     

  • Upcycling old clothing

    Clothing can be expensive, it often doesn’t last as long as you would like or if buying for children, you find that they have grown out of it before it has had much wear. You could of course donate it to a charity shop or try to sell it online, but you may want to think of ways you could upcycle your clothes to get more wear out of them.

    Upcycling cannot only help you save money but it can also be a great hobby to get involved in. There are a number of ways in which you can change old clothing in to something new, below is a list of just a few of them:

    Bleach – bleach can be used to change the colour of your items. Do ot expect a perfect white finish as bleach often leaves a yellowish colour behind but used on an old pair of jeans or a black top, can transform it in to a new fashion item.

    Dyes – if you have ever bought a pair of black jeans or red tops you will know how easily they fade. You could use the bleach technique to change them in to something new or you could wash them in a dye to restore them to the colour they were when you first bought them.

  • What is the craze with Pandora Jewellery?

    Pandora is a well-known brand for jewellery. Over the past few years, it has grown in popularity with many stores popping up all over the country. Pandora specialises in jewellery such as charm bracelets that you can then build on over the years. They even do a child’s bracelet, which can be a great gift for a christening or a birthday.

    With the bracelets, you often have a choice of bracelets and clasps to choose from. Often they will do an offer that includes the bracelet, clash and one or two charms. The charms can then be bought separately and are often available in a range of designs to signify certain events such as a birth of a child, birthstone colours, special birthdays, weddings and even in ranges such as Disney. This allows the bracelet to be built upon year after year with the end result of a bracelet with many different memories attached to it. A Pandora bracelet can be the perfect gift for a mum, sister, partner, daughter or friend and prices start from around £100 for a set.

    With Christmas fast approaching, you may find some great deals on the Pandora range as well as sales that you may want to take advantage of.