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I’m a huge fan of eBay and over the years I’ve picked up a wonderful wardrobe of bargains.  Reckon my best one, (if we’re talking value for money), has to be a lovely black and white Coast halter neck dress that I bought as a ‘worn once’ on eBay for just a tenner.

Wore it to a New Year party, followed by the Brit Awards, (yes was a very lucky girl that year!), dusted if off again for an awards bash and then sold it back on eBay for £25, so I even turned a profit!

Another of my favourites are these fabulous shoes from Dune which were brand new and boxed and I picked them up for under £20 whereas Dune shoes are usually around £50 plus.

Not only can eBay be a little goldmine when it comes to picking up clothes and shoes at a snip, don’t forget you’re doing your bit for the environment too with a spot of recycling!

So here’s my top tips on how to hunt down some bargains!

Be size savvy

I only ever buy brands where I know my size inside out.  This way there’s less chance I’ll buy something that’s too big or small and waste my money.

Damage limitation

I go for brand new or ‘worn once’ items as this way there’s less chance of finding a snag, pull or scuff.

While I’ve always found sellers are very honest about any faults, can be easy to overlook a tiny snag, so unless something’s advertised as ‘brand new’ I usually always mail the seller and ask if there’s any ‘snags, rips or pulls’.

Means they’ll usually give the item a second check and if they say no, means you know you can return it for a full refund if it arrives in less than perfect condition.

Jack the jeans

Personally I never buy jeans on eBay even if they’re brand new.

My theory being, even when you know the size, style and cut you like, designs change and I find it tough enough finding the perfect pair of jeans on the high street when you can try on hundreds of pairs, let alone when you’ve narrowed down your choice to a couple on eBay!

Buy doubles

If you spot another version of your absolute favourite dress, top or whatever on there in your size, snap it up! 

Wear & recycle

I often buy, wear and sell items back again especially when it comes to telly clothes, aka this little red flower number I’m wearing on the right on Sky News.

And even if I don’t make a profit, chances are I can still end up with a dress that’s come in at a very cheap ‘cost per wear’ rate.

The golden rule of course is be honest.  If you buy something that’s worn once, you wear it a couple of times and flog it back, just say ‘worn just a few times’ and be honest with the state it’s in.

 

I’ve just got back from a trip to New York.  I absolutely love the place and it was my fifth trip to the Big Apple.  You can very easily spend a fortune in the city that never sleeps, but I’ve come up with some travel swaps and tricks so you can see the sights and save money.

Statue of Liberty

You can take a trip to Liberty Island for a close up view and if you book far enough in advance, get a ticket for the climb to the Crown.  

Tickets cost from $18.50 for the ferry trip, pedestal access and the new museum, (which opened on 16th May), along with Ellis Island for the Immigration Museum.

Or it’s $21.50 if you want to add in the climb to the Crown.  I booked our Crown tickets four months in advance and we got the first boat of the day at 8.30am, to avoid the crowds, which paid off as we were the first people to reach the Crown.

Savvy free tip…..

If you’re booking tickets do book through Statue Cruises as they’re the only official and authorised ticket company for trips to the Statue of Liberty.

Or for a free view of Lady Liberty jump on the Staten Island Ferry which runs 24/7.  It’s near Whitehall and South Ferry subway, totally free, and takes around 25 minutes.  Once you’re on, head for the top deck and stand on the right as  you leave Manhattan for the best shots.  Then just hop off the other end and come straight back.

Skyline views

You can head for the top of the Empire State Building for an amazing view of the city, but I prefer the Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Centre, which is where I took the snap below.  Tickets are  cheaper, it’s less crowded and this way you get the iconic Empire State Building in your shots. 

Savvy free tip…..

Or for a free view, you can book free tickets to climb The Vessel  It’s New York’s newest landmark at Hudson Yards.

Not for the faint hearted as it’s nearly one mile of vertical climbing with 154 interconnecting flights of stairs, 2,500 steps and 80 landings, but the pay off is  some great views over the Hudson River.

Cheap harbour cruises

The Circle Line Cruise will take you all the way round Manhattan but set you back $44.

Savvy moneysaving tip……

For a  cheaper option, hop on the New York Ferry Service  A ticket costs $2.75, just over £2, with routes including the East River trip from 34th Street that makes several stops in Brooklyn including a stop right by the Brooklyn Bridge before heading for Pier 11 & Wall Street.

Or go for the ‘Soundview’ route, where you can jump on at East 90th Street and take the ferry all the way down the East Side of Manhattan to Pier 11.  Ok so  you won’t get a commentary but it’s much cheaper and far less touristy.

Broadway shows

A ticket to a Broadway show can easily cost you well over £100 but you can bag ‘on the day’ tickets with big reductions from the TKTS booths in both Times Square and South Street Seaport.

Savvy moneysaving tip…..

We went for the South Street Seaport one, as it opens at 11am, that’s around 4 hours earlier than the one in Times Square, and we found much shorter queues there.  Plus you can book matinee tickets a day ahead here which is an added bonus.   Our tickets for Beetlejuice cost $88 each, which was exactly half price and we were just 7 rows back in the stalls.

But for what’s probably the cheapest ticket in town, head for Ellen’s Stardust Diner on Broadway.  For the price of a bagel you can sit back and watch the show as the waiting staff sing, dance & perform showstopping numbers from all the big musicals to entertain you.  Hugely popular and has big queues from lunchtime onwards, so we got there at 8am for breakfast.  Of if the line’s too long, try Gayle’s Broadway Rose  which has just opened up on 8th Avenue with entertainment while you eat.  Didn’t get a chance to go there but it’s had great reviews.

Snap up a Subway ticket

I’ve always used the Subway as I reckon it’s the easiest way to get around and see as much as you can plus it’s much kinder on your feet!

Savvy tip…..

A single ticket is $2.75 however far you go, but if you’re sticking around for a few days then an ‘unlimited’ card at $33 is the best deal.   As a rough guide you break even once you rack up 11 subway trips and we managed 20 in just five days.

 

Ever found hiring a car on holiday can seem more like playing the lottery?

All too often it can seem nothing more than a game of  ‘pay your money and take your chance’.  And no I’m not harking back to the chap I once hired a car from in Malaysia many years ago who told me ‘you drive careful’ when I asked about the insurance deal……..

Since my Malaysian experience, (and luckily both the car and I made it back in one piece), I’ve hired cars in heaps of places around the world.  Driving through the backstreets of Marrakech was certainly an experience……..but when it comes to the good guys of the car hire world, I’ve never found anyone who can even come close to Dimitris Rent A Car  which is based in Kefalos on the Greek island of Kos.     

Sadly the world of car hire isn’t always as good as Dimitris and his family, and yes that’s a shot of one of his cars that we hired our last trip.   All too often it seems it’s the big players in the world of car hire who can be the hardest to play ball with, especially if things go wrong.

The big car hire companies including Hertz, Europcar and Sixt have been told to clean up their act after the CMA, (Competition & Markets Authority), took five of them to task when they were told to be clearer about their pricing and charges.

So before you grab the keys and jump in your hire car, here’s my top five tips to save you a bumpy and costly ride.

Check the paperwork

Ok so a trawl through the small print isn’t the most fun thing on the planet especially when you’ve just arrived and want to head for the beach, but a few minutes reading can save you a whole heap of cash in the long run.

Beat the insurance ‘hard sell’

If you’re collecting your car from the airport, chances are you’ll be given the hard sell on extra insurance.

‘Excess waiver’ is usually the one most companies try and flog and it’s not cheap at around £20 a day.  Saves forking out the ‘excess’ if you have a prang, (which with some hire car companies can be as much as £1,000 even for the smallest scrape), so I always buy this before I go.

Buy before you go and you’ll pay around £2.99 a day, rather than the £20 airport deal, and you can shop around for the best deal through TravelSupermarket

Turn your car into a movie star

You should be shown round the car and get the chance to point out any damage, but let’s face it, you may not spot every last tiny nick and scratch on the spot.

So whip out your phone and take a quick video round the car as proof of the condition it’s in before driving away.

The fuel factor

Some companies like to bill you for a full tank, which can come with a hefty surcharge, so check the fuel deal as it can be a deciding factor in who you book with.

I go with the ones where you’re just asked to bring it back with the same level in the tank.

The drop off deal

Take the car back on time.   If you’re late, you could be billed for another 24 hours.

And make sure you know exactly where to park, as if it’s out of hours, there may be nobody around to ask.  I once got billed an extra five Euros in Gran Canaria after parking in the ‘wrong’ space at the airport when we dropped the car off at 5am and couldn’t find the ‘right’ parking spot!

 

 

I’ve just got back from a trip to Malta, a place that’s literally bursting at the seams with a rich mix of history, culture and sights.

This small archipelago of islands sits between Sicily and North Africa and at times I did feel like I’d stumbled on to a film set as there’s a definite Mediterranean facade combined with backstreets reminiscent of Cairo and Marrakech.

Here’s a quick run down of 5 things to do without breaking the bank along with some of my snaps.

Take to the water

We were staying at an Airbnb in Gzira, and yes the shot below really was the view from our balcony! 

It was a great location as we were just ten minutes walk from Sliema, which is the jumping off point if you want to get a ferry to the Valletta, which is the capital city.

You can of course catch the bus to Valletta but taking to the water means great views plus it’s only 2 Euros 80 return with boats every half an hour and late night crossings during the summer season from June.

Explore the backstreets of Valletta

It’s one of Europe’s smallest capital cities and while you’d be hard pushed to get really lost, do nip down the side streets and take some of the back routes, (though be prepared for plenty of steps!), for a taste of the real Valletta

Loved Caffe Cordina on Republic Street which has been a family run business since 1837 and housed in an old Palazzo.   Step inside and it feels like you’ve gone back in time, and from the look of the place you think it might be expensive but, it’s speedy table service and an apple cake and latte only set me back around  £5.

Hop on a bus

The buses on Malta are no longer the brightly coloured ones you used to see, so unless you spot a tourist version running a tour, don’t be disappointed if they look very similar to your average bus.

But it’s a super efficient service and cheap!  Costs just 1 Euro 50 however far you go, even if you change buses, plus you can use your ticket for up to 2 hours.

So you could always go for a short hop along to coast to explore some other bays, enjoy a glass of wine and get back from around £1.

Fares do go up slightly during Summer, (from June), to 2 Euros.

Don’t leave without seeing Mdina

This walled city was the capital of Malta until 1530 and if you’re a Game of Thrones fan you’ll recognise the main gateway into the city.

Known as the ‘silent city’ it now houses around 200 residents with tiny restaurants tucked away down tiny side streets.

You can get some amazing views across the island from the top of the city walls and it’s totally free to go in and wander round.  And buses stop just five minutes away.

Lots of people see Mdina and head off but make the time to wander to Rabat where you can go into St Paul’s Catacombs for under £5.  However we’re talking trainers for this trip and do watch out as some of the railings down into the catacombs are rather wobbly and the lights go out from time to time so take a torch!

Pick up some Pastizzi

As a cheese lover I could happily have eaten these pastries every day of the week and did manage to do so most days for breakfast!

Pastizzi are a Malta speciality and a yummy snack of puff pastry filled with goats cheese.  Plus they’re super cheap too at under a Euro from most bakeries or street stalls.

 

 

 

 

I love Tapas and even the thought of sitting at an outdoor cafe with a cheeky glass of wine with a few plates of Tapas brings back holiday memories.  Found a lovely little Tapas bar in Malta last week that was tucked away down a side street.  So I thought I’d round up a few of the Tapas deals back home.

Tapas Tuesdays

Lounge bars are great places to go.  I discovered one in Devon and been in a couple of others since.  As it says on the tin, think ‘lounging’, so squishy sofas, chill time, eclectic decoration and great food and drink with no rush to leave.

Every Tuesday from 5pm you can bowl up at your local Lounge and get three Tapas dishes with a glass of wine thrown in for £10.50.  Usual price is £3.95 a dish and a glass of wine costs around a fiver so this deal saves you over £6 a time.

Fourteen dishes on the menu including Salt & Pepper Squid, Patatas Bravas and Halloumi and Sweetcorn Fritters with Chilli Jam.

Free bottle of wine with Tapas

Another ‘Tapas Tuesday’ deal here, this time from All Bar One who will give you a  free bottle of house wine, (worth up to £17.95), when you buy any four small Tapas plates from 4pm.

12 dishes to choose from with prices between £5-£6 a time and 56 bars around the country.

20% off Tapas

Download the loyalty app or get a loyalty card at La Tasca and you’ll get 20% off Tapas.

Prices start from under £5 a dish up to around £7 and there’s a big choice on the menu.

Tesco Tapas deals

How about take out Tapas?  Pop along to Tesco as it regularly does a Tapas offer where you can snap up 3 dishes for £6.  Usual price is  £2.50 a dish so that’s a saving of £1.50.

My favourites are the mini sweet and spicy vine leaves and the mushroom arancini but plenty of choice with around 30 dishes to choose from.

We’re set to see our water bills rise by an average of £8 a year from 1st April so here’s my five easy ways to save money.

Switch to a meter 

If you don’t have one, you could save around £100 a year switching according to the Consumer Council for Water   As a rough guide, if you’ve got more bedrooms than people in your property, you’re more likely to save.

And good news is, if you switch and don’t find bills are cheaper, you can switch back for free.

Fish for freebies

Lots of water companies offer free water saving packs with gadgets to reduce the amount of water used when you flush the loo.  Have a chat with your water company to see what’s on offer.

Go green

Use the ‘eco’ cycle on your dishwasher or washing machine to use less water and try and wait till you’ve got a full load.

Jump in the shower 

Swap baths for showers.  A quick shower uses half the amount of water and saves around £50 a year if you’re on a meter.

Sign up to WaterSure

This caps bills if you’re on a meter, claim certain benefits and need lots of water due to medical conditions or if you’ve got a large family.  Contact your water supplier for details.