#cheap roses from Aldi

[artbyisabelh]

Ooops, I did it again!

Yes, you already know my obsession with these roses that you can buy for a fraction of the price at Walmart, Tractor Supply store, and Aldi’s. Okay, let me go back to the store listings. I had previously posted about bare-root bagged roses that I purchased from Walmart. Today, I will be posting about two more roses from Walmart, two roses from Tractor Supply Store, and two roses that I bought…

[roseyycheeked]

🌿

[wrestlingisfake]

Best in the World preview

Hey, everybody, remember Ring of Honor?  They still exist!  Let’s see what they’re up to...

Matt Taven vs. Jeff Cobb - Taven is defending the Ring of Honor world championship, which he won at the big Madison Square Garden show on April 6.  That same night, Cobb won a double title match, defending the ROH television title and capturing the NEVER openweight title.  Cobb has since lost both of those belts, and he has declined to pursue rematches to instead challenge Taven.

Cobb is scheduled to enter the G1 Climax (July 6-August 12), so if he wins here he would bring ROH’s most prestigious prize to wrestling’s most prestigious tournament.  To my knowledge that’s never been done before, and probably with good reason--it’s rough to book around your top champion being off your schedule for six weeks so he can lose a few matches in another company.  Still, that might be a shot in the arm for Ring of Honor’s credibility, after looking second-rate on their own MSG show and being overshadowed by All Elite Wrestling.  Keeping the title on Taven is going to feel like a commitment to mediocrity, and unfortunately that fits ROH to a tee.

Shane Taylor vs. Bandido - Taylor won the ROH television championship on May 9, but Bandido scored a win over him before that, which puts Bandido in line for a title match.  Taylor is nearly twice the size of the challenger, but he moves pretty fast for a big man.  Bandido was a key acquisition for ROH after the AEW exodus, so you would expect him to be winning matches like this one.

Ordinarily I would feel like a title change can happen, but ROH has sort of conditioned me to expect heel bullshit for months before a babyface can get the brass ring.  The safe bet is on Taylor, I think.

Marty Scurll & PCO & Brody King vs. PJ Black & Tracy Williams & Mark Haskins - Scurll’s team, Villain Enterprises, is defending the ROH six-man tag team championship.  Williams and Haskins are part of the Lifeblood stable, but they’re shorthanded seeing as Bandido is in another title match, David Finlay is injured, and Juice Robinson apparently isn’t coming back.  So Black (formerly WWE’s Justin Gabriel) teamed with them recently to win a trios match, putting them in contention for this championship.

The biggest storyline here that I’m aware of is that Villain Enterprises is actively searching for a fourth member, but I’m not sure how that would play into this match.  I suppose the fourth man could reveal himself by helping Scurll’s team win the match.  But this isn’t exactly helping the Four Horsemen or the NWO protect the world title; it’s just Villain Enterprises and it’s just a trios title.  It’s not a spot for a big star, and if it’s not a big star there’s no point to doing it here.  A better formula might be for the new member to help regain the trios title later on, so for that reason alone I think it would make sense for Black’s team to win here.

Kelly Klein & Jenny Rose vs. Angelina Love & Mandy Leon - Love and Velvet Sky (formerly the Beautiful People in TNA) showed up in ROH on April 6 to team with Leon as “The Allure.”  They attacked Klein after her women’s title defense, and took out Rose and Stella Grey when they attempted to make the save.

Love and Sky did the “hot mean girls” bit years ago, and now they’re adding the “bitter veterans” gimmick to it, demanding credit for recent improvements in major league women’s wrestling.  This should be exhaustingly familiar to anyone who lived through Nikki and Brie Bella’s last few years with WWE--the connotation is that the super-hot women “can’t wrestle” and got ahead by their looks, so now that we’ve supposedly moved beyond that they’re trying to undermine the slightly-less-hot women who are “real” wrestlers.  It boils down to the same cliche WWE has been using for over 20 years: Women are fighting over which of them is wrong about what a woman should be.  I’m not excited to see that trope make its way into ROH.

I could see the Allure losing this match if ROH has decided to abandon the experiment.  (The concept was originally developed to convince Madison Rayne to stay, but she didn’t, and the group’s debut was widely panned.)  But otherwise, it would be a mistake to job them out so quickly after their debut.

Jonathan Gresham vs. Silas Young - This is being billed as a “pure/scientific rules” match.  Back in the day ROH made its name by being the polar opposite of hardcore brawling, and there was even a “pure” championship that could only be contested under strict enforcement of the standard rules.  I assume this is meant to be a throwback to that idea.  Gresham is a master technician in the ring, but Young has bested him in the past with cheap shots and foreign objects.  So in theory these rules give Gresham the advantage, but it’s ROH in 2019 so I’m pretty sure Young will still manage to break the rules behind the ref’s back for the win.

Dalton Castle vs. Dragon Lee - Castle suffered a humiliating loss to Rush on April 6, causing him to turn heel and vow revenge...on Rush’s brother, Dragon Lee.  Lee is just coming off of a nice run in New Japan, having lost the IWGP junior heavyweight title to Will Ospreay.

Castle’s stock has dropped a lot since back problems led to him dropping the ROH world title last year.  It’s hard to tell if his recent downturn is due to in-ring limitations holding back a renewed push, or to set up the heel turn.  The fact that he’s still wrestling in a back brace doesn’t make me very optimistic.  Even if he wins (he should, or the heel turn is pointless), I’m not expecting him to do very much, unfortunately.

Nick Aldis & ? vs. Mark Briscoe & Jay Briscoe - Billy Corgan bought the National Wrestling Alliance a few years ago and has been partnering with ROH to promote matches.  This led to an NWA/ROH co-promotion of the Crockett Cup tournament on April 27 to reactivate the NWA tag team championship.  The Briscoes were disqualified in their tournament match against PCO and Brody King, who went on to win the whole thing.  That made the Briscoes mad enough to attack NWA national champion Colt Cabana after a match with James Storm on May 12, at which point they called out NWA world champion Nick Aldis, dragging him into the fight.  So this match was originally made with Aldis teaming with Cabana, but then Colt suffered a minor leg injury and had to pull out of this show.  Aldis’s new partner is supposed to be revealed on the pre-show.

Logically this should all build to PCO and King defending the NWA tag title against the Briscoes, but to get there the Aldis team needs to fail somehow.  The key to that may lie in the NWA’s hype video for the mach, which showed James Storm walking away from the Briscoes’ attack on Colt and oddly emphasized tensions between Aldis and his enforcer Kamille.  One way or another I expect shenangians that blindside the NWA team while handing victory to the Briscoes.

Rush vs. Flip Gordon - This is scheduled for the pre-show for some reason.  After Gordon won a four-way over Rush, Dalton Castle, and PJ Black; Castle talked shit at Rush but wouldn’t back it up, so Gordon proposed this match and Rush kicked his ass.

They’ve spent over a year building up Gordon as the underdog hero of the masses, but Rush is the biggest star in the company.  I don’t think this will be as quick as the squash of Dalton Castle on April 6, but I expect Rush to make similarly sort work of Flip.

[bbcbreakingnews]

FEMAIL blind test the best Valentine’s Day roses to send to your loved ones

Flowers are a great gift for Valentine’s Day but do you need to break the bank to impress the one you love?

British supermarkets such as Aldi are offering bouquets of red roses for as little as £3.99, while some online retailers suggest customers should splash the cash, with Flowerbx roses costing £80 for 20 stems.

But are expensive bouquets really worth the price? And can you really tell the difference between cheap blooms and high end ones?

FEMAIL has blind tested out budget-friendly buys against luxurious flowers to see which are the best Valentine’s Day roses to send to your loved ones.

The bouquets were sent without the price so our reviewers could reveal how much they really think the blooms are worth.

Coming out on top was UK online-retailer Bloom, which offers 10 stems for £60, while at the bottom of the rankings was Lidl, with their deal of £10 for a bunch.

1. BLOOM

The Red Naomi Roses (pictured) are part of Bloom’s Market Flowers collection, meaning they are freshly cut on the farm to order and delivered directly to your doorstep 

This means zero flower waste as the products don’t spend days sitting around waiting to be purchased and the customer receives the highest quality fresh flowers, says Bloom. Pictured is their flowers

WHAT YOU GET:  The Red Naomi Roses are part of Bloom’s Market Flowers collection, meaning they are freshly cut on the farm to order and delivered directly to your doorstep. This means zero flower waste as the products don’t spend days sitting around waiting to be purchased and the customer receives the highest quality fresh flowers, says Bloom.

Hayley said: ‘The bouquet arrived beautifully presented in simple brown paper packaging – not unlike the sort of flowers you’d buy from a market stall, which I really liked. Perhaps this was purely down to our “blind” test requirements, but either way, it was a classier approach than the usual transparent plastic wrapping. 

‘The 10 roses themselves were huge and luxurious; thick, long-stem blooms and rich scarlet in colour – they definitely looked expensive. I’d guess they’re priced around the £30-£40 bracket, if not more.

‘I was interested to see how long they lasted, as some of the outer petals were a little weather-beaten and a few of the leaves looked a bit limp, but I removed some lower ones and trimmed an inch off the stems before putting them in water (a tip my mum gave me – there weren’t any care guidelines included in the box, again perhaps down to our blind test requirements) after adding one of the sachets of food. One or two were a bit squashed, but I’m confident they’ll perk up now they’re out of the confines of the box.

‘After three days: The roses still look beautiful; they’ve barely changed which is impressive, if anything they’ve bloomed more since being put into water.

‘I changed the water and added the second sachet of food to give them an extra boost. I’d be very chuffed if my other half sent me these for Valentine’s Day (hint hint).

‘After a week: Most of the roses are still looking great, a couple of them are starting to droop slightly (I binned one this morning as it had dried up) and some of the petals have taken on a dark tinge at the edges.

‘Mark out of 5: 4.5. Nearly five, but some of the petals were a little damaged on the edges.’

Estimated price by Hayley: £30 to £40

Actual price: £60 for 10 stems 

Rating:

2. FLOWARD

For those looking for that alternative to red, these memory lane roses look stunning in a hand tied bouquet (pictured), according to Floward

WHAT YOU GET: For those looking for that alternative to red, these memory lane roses look stunning in a hand tied bouquet, according to Floward.

Siofra said: ‘These elegant flowers arrived wrapped in cellophane – although it’s a shame to see so much plastic wrapping – in a carrier bag, so I could tell straight away that they’re from a more upmarket brand.

‘I love the delicate pink colour, they look really classy and it’s something different if red roses aren’t your thing.

‘With thick, long stems they stand up proudly in a vase without much need to arrange them, and they seem to already be in full bloom, so they look picture perfect.

At first I wondered how long they would last because they seemed to be at their peak, but after two days they seem to be opening even further and look really impressive. 

‘They don’t particularly smell of anything, which doesn’t bother me, but might put others off if the scent of roses is a big draw with their bouquet.

‘Overall they look really simple and elegant and they’d be perfect for someone who doesn’t like Valentine’s clichés.’

Rating:

Estimated price by Siofra: £30 – 340

Actual price: £36 FOR 20 STEMS 

3. PINKS + ROSES

On their website, Pinks + Roses said: ‘Introducing our stunning red rose bouquet’ (pictured)

WHAT YOU GET: On their website, Pinks + Roses said: ‘Introducing our stunning red rose bouquet. The perfect gift this Valentines Day. Beautiful Naomi red roses combined with a variety of seasonal foliage including sweet rosemary and helleborus.’

Jessica said: ‘These looked truly majestic, in a “top hat” type of container that instantly gave my dining room table soom added glamour.

‘While looking unique with the vase design, the flowers themselves were equally divine, boasting various vibrant colours and foliage.

‘The roses were a beautiful dark red and arrived already open so could be appreciated straight away and there was plenty of them to admire.

‘The whole arrangement screamed luxury and this bunch would’ve received a five out of five if only they lasted a little longer. 

‘The flowers started to wilt after just a couple of days – but perhaps that says more about my gardening skills then the bouquet!’

Rating:

Estimated price by Jessica: £60 

Actual price: £70 FOR 12 STEMS 

4. MOONPIG

‘Try something long-lasting with this medley of red and white (pictured). The red roses are the centre of this bouquet, supported by pavri and white gypsophila,’ said Moonpig

WHAT YOU GET: ‘Try something long-lasting with this medley of red and white. The red roses are the centre of this bouquet, supported by pavri and white gypsophila,’ said Moonpig.

Harriet said: ‘I’m not a huge fan of roses – far from it – but this bouquet is really pretty.

‘The bunches of the smaller white flowers, alongside the large red blooms, and tons of greenery has made the bunch a lovely addition to my working from home set-up. 

‘The flowers came beautifully arranged, and have remained vibrant and colourful over the past week since their delivery. 

‘Some of the petals have withered a little at the edges, but it could just be time to change the water and give the stems a snip to give them a new lease of life. Here’s hoping they last till the 14th!’

Rating:

Estimated price by Harriet: £25 

Actual price: £32 FOR 12 STEMS 

5. FUNKY PIGEON

‘Two dozen stems of luxurious red roses (pictured) are tied together with white gypsophila to create the ultimate expression of love’, a statement on the Funky Pigeon website read

WHAT YOU GET: ‘Two dozen stems of luxurious red roses are tied together with white gypsophila to create the ultimate expression of love’, a statement on the Funky Pigeon website read.

Georgia said: ‘The roses arrived in an upright box, already arranged in a bouquet, with a smaller box shaped around the flowers to protect them in transit. A moist bag was secured around the bottom of the flowers with an elastic band to prevent them from drying out.

‘The two dozen red roses were adorned with white baby’s-breath, making the bouquet look full and stunning. However, in the bouquet when they arrived, there was a lot of baby’s-breath and it seemed to take over and drown out a couple of the roses. With some rearranging, the roses popped more, with the white flowers complementing and not overwhelming them.

‘The flowers came with instructions on how to care for them and with a small bag of flower food attached to the bottom of the bouquet with a plastic band, making it very easy. I trimmed the stems and removed the outer guard petals before filling the vase with warm water.

‘After two days, two of the flowers opened up at the front, while the others stayed more closed. I noticed more of them starting to open up after four days, by which time only one of the first roses to open had wilted.

‘The roses had a very pretty, interesting shape, with crimping along the edges of the petals, which is very different to other roses I have seen. It makes them very interesting to look at when their petals open out more.’

Estimated price by Georgia: £30

Actual price: £44.99 FOR 24 STEMS 

Rating:

6. SERENATA

This deal includes 12x Red Rose Short Stem (pictured above) wrapped in clear cellophane

WHAT YOU GET: This deal includes 12x Red Rose Short Stem wrapped in clear cellophane.

Chloe said: ‘Blooming lovely…for convenience and a budget! The dozen roses arrived in a flat-packed cardboard box – perfect for easy delivery amid a pandemic, but the packaging failed to offer any sort of wow factor. The flowers came wrapped up in brown paper with instructions on how to assemble and care for them, along with a card which could be filled out to a loved one – a nice added touch!

‘The roses are yet to open up, but each stem appears to be good quality and they are a stunning deep red colour – a delivery sure to put a smile on the face of that special person in your life.

‘If I were to guess, I reckon these are mid-priced roses costing around £30. Overall, a respectable bunch which would be ideal for creating a pretty floral arrangement on a budget or to gift as a thoughtful token, but a far cry away from a luxury bouquet for those who like the finer things in life!’

Rating:

Estimated price by Chloe: £30 

Actual price: £34.99 FOR 12 STEMS

7. ALDI

The bunch (pictured), which is available from 11th February, is the cheapest bouquet of a dozen red roses to be found at any supermarket

Estimated price by Amelia: £10

Rating:

WHAT YOU GET:  The bunch, which is available from 11th February, is the cheapest bouquet of a dozen red roses to be found at any supermarket. The bouquet features 12 single stems, each rose with delicately ruffled petals and a beautiful scent to captivate the room.

Amelia said: ‘Overall I was really pleased with the roses. There was a decent amount and they really brightened up the room. 

‘A few of them had gone over slightly and I would have wanted some flower food with them as it helps them last longer. 

‘However they were a beautiful colour and were a good size. They arrived in water which was nice but the packaging seemed a bit flimsy and I don’t think the black crate was recyclable. Of course, this wouldn’t be an issue if you’re grabbing these flowers with your shopping.’

Estimated price by Amelia: £10

Actual price: £3.99 FOR 12 STEMS

6. FLOWERBX

Flowerbx said: ‘A true romantic, the Red Naomi rose is sure to stir emotions of love with its deep red colour and soft, velvety petals. Roses (pictured) are in season year-round, and are undeniably one of the most popular flowers.’

Rating:

WHAT YOU GET: Flowerbx said: ‘A true romantic, the Red Naomi rose is sure to stir emotions of love with its deep red colour and soft, velvety petals. Roses are in season year-round, and are undeniably one of the most popular flowers.’

Jessica said: ‘These arrived beautifully packaged in the brand’s signature complimentary gift wrapping, which boasted an elegant and lavish feel.

‘Handing these over to any loved one would make for a great treat at the start, as they are tightly held together and appear fresh and lovely.

‘Even when in a vase, they still hold their shape perfectly and are a great addition to any room for a while and didn’t appear to be damaged by the journey.

‘However, they don’t seem to last the longest, with the red roses getting dark in colour very quickly – but they still keep their shape, so removing a few unwanted petals wasn’t too much trouble and is what the company suggests you do.

‘But saying that, I suspected that these were a very pricey bunch and I would’ve wanted more of a wow factor, and to not have to take off several layer of petals within the first couple of days to pay the price I feared they cost.’ 

Estimated price by Jessica: £40 

Actual price: £80 FOR 20 STEMS 

7. WAITROSE

A dozen roses with red petals and pretty crinkled edges is what Waitrose offers (pictured)

WHAT YOU GET: A dozen roses with red petals and pretty crinkled edges is what Waitrose offers. 

Bridie said: ‘There was nothing special about these roses. They were well packaged and delivered well – but I’d be surprised if they cost more than £5, I definitely would guess they’re at the cheap/budget end of the floral market.

‘I imagine they’re from a supermarket not a florist – and feel like something you’d grab last minute on Valentine’s after forgetting to pick up a bunch for a loved one.

‘While a dozen roses is always nice, the blooms were pretty small and after five days didn’t really get big and the outer petals were starting to darken.

‘In terms of packaging, they were well looked after – and came in a bucket of water that was cleverly packed not to leak, and came with a floral food.

‘Overall I’d say these were pretty and a decent budget bunch, but certainly not a grand bouquet to blow a special someone away on V day.’ 

Rating:

Estimated price by Bridie: £5

Actual price: £5 FOR 12 STEMS 

8. LIDL

The budget-friendly bouquets (pictured above) are made up of roses and gypsophila

WHAT YOU GET: The budget-friendly bouquets are made up of roses and gypsophila.

Latoya said: ‘The roses arrived standing in a bucket of water in a cardboard box, which wouldn’t have been practical to carry if they were a surprise delivered to the office or somewhere else. 

‘When I opened the box I was surprised to see the blooms were wrapped in red plastic without a flower food sachet or instructions for how best to care for them. 

‘The roses were a deep red wine colour and had smaller white flowers to compliment the arrangement. 

‘Based on the size of the bunch I would assume the flowers were from a supermarket and I would need to have at least two bundles to properly fill my vase. 

‘Some of the roses looked like they’re beginning to wilt and may not not last until Valentine’s Day. If I had to guess the price it would be less than £10 and reasonable for those who are purchasing flowers on a budget.’

Rating:

Estimated price by Latoya: Less than £10

Actual price: £10 FOR 12 STEMS  

9. MARKS & SPENCER

A bouquet of large headed red roses with long thornless stems from Marks and Spencer. Grown slowly which is thought to give the blooms more intensely red, velvety petals

WHAT YOU GET: A bouquet of 12 large headed red roses with long thornless stems. Grown slowly which is thought to give the blooms more intensely red, velvety petals.

Claire said: ‘These roses won’t earn you any steamy kisses, let me tell you that.

‘First, the delivery, which was quite thorny: The roses, of which I received three bunches, looked like they had been in transit for a while and about to give up on life.

‘From the way they were presented, I assumed they were more bunches of roses you’d bulk buy to make your own arrangement rather than a ‘buy and gift’ type of ready-made bouquet.

‘It took a little bit of TLC to spruce them up, cutting a lot of leafs and fighting off the occasional thorn that was still on there.

‘Bottom line is, it’s the intention that matters, but these just didn’t offer the wow factor I was looking for.’

Rating:

Estimated price by Claire: £10

Actual price: £15 FOR 12 STEMS 

source https://bbcbreakingnews.com/2021/02/11/femail-blind-test-the-best-valentines-day-roses-to-send-to-your-loved-ones/

[isay]

The Bachelor.

So yesterday I finally got a connection of a phone line at the new house, but…now I have to wait for the NBN to connect me, which is ironic because I’m not in an area that is serviced by the NBN. Apparently they own the infrastructure which is used in order to connect me even though they don’t yet provide that service where I live. Anyway now I am being told I should be connected on Monday, which is something.

In other news Mrs iSay left for a trip back to Trumpistan yesterday to see the latest addition to the family. Unfortunately I could not go because a) I need to have vacation time available for when the girl child is on her summer holiday from school and b) we don’t have enough kidneys to be able to fund me going as well. For the next 9 days I am in effect a bachelor. There will however be no rose ceremonies, I quite like being married to Mrs iSay and so I am sworn off cocaine and showgirls. Instead, last night, for my first evening of bachelordom I made a vegetarian jalfrezi curry, which was rather good, probably needs a naan bread accompaniment though.

For the week ahead I shall be commuting by train and if this morning’s experience was anything to go by it should be pretty ok. Usually we drive into town and Kim drops me at work before heading on to her job, but coming in by train was not too bad. Out of the house at 6.45, jump on a bus to the station, express train into town in about 35 mins and then a tram to work and I was at my desk by ten to eight. Not too shaby.

To make this bearable, and to ensure I don’t have to interact with other people I used up a bit of data downloading a couple of podcasts for the trip. My go to is Adrift with Geoff Lloyd and Annabel Port, I’ve listened to Geoff for around 15 years and it is in a way a touchstone back to the mother country for me. Anyways if you want an easy going, amusing and very British podcast to pass the time it’s worth checking out.

This weekend Melbourne is meant to experience a month’s rainfall in the space of 48 hours, which should be fun. Yesterday I made sure I had the pathways blown free of leaves and detritus in preparation for the deluge which will undoubtedly undo all my good work. Thanks to having no internet I shall not be watching all the Netflix as I had hoped, however I have a few movies that I have been wanting to watch for a bit that no-one else at home would be interested in so I shall probably have a different binge.

Also I’m thinking it’s time to dust off the PS4 and get some roach killing action happening again, although I have been mightily tempted by Battlefront 2 even if the idea of loot boxes puts me off. (I don’t do the online bit because I am old and rubbish at videogames and would get my ass kicked on a regular basis.) If anyone has any other recommendations for games with interesting characters and shallow learning curves please let me know.

Due to being holed up at home I might also take some of the time to watch the cricket, drink some beer (Peroni Red this week thanks to Aldi having it very reasonably priced) and doing a bit of cooking for the week ahead. Unfortunately due to Mrs iSay being overcome with the reasonably priced selections of Australia’s favourite cheap supermarket and distracting me as I tried to get groceries for the week ahead, I failed to get chicken. Looks like I’ll be heading to the supermarket on the way home then.

[unclebeggar93-blog]

Unbelievable High End Face Mask Dupes

When it comes to skincare it can be costly, which is why when it comes to the "extras" my skin doesn't necessarily need I prefer to save money.

This is where face mask dupes come in! Because in general, I believe whatever the cost of a face mask it always feels like a pampering treat but imagine one that actually costs very little but feels like a much more expensive face mask - it's a total win! Below you will find more than enough face mask dupe suggestions that not only feel like the real deal but act it as well. I've also made sure that all skin types have been catered for, so you will find face mask dupes for hydrated, oily, sensitive skin and more here.

SPLURGE: Glamglow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment SAVE: Skinfood Freshmade Coconut Face Mask (SAVE £ 31) Glamglow has to be the most popular face mask brand worldwide and for good reason! While their clay masks are the most popular Thirstymud is loved by many as it offers deep hydration without making the skin feel heavy or blocking pores.  The light gel-like texture comes in an interesting nude colour with a fresh coconut scent that gives instant uplifting summer vibes and can be used as a wash-off mask (or left on overnight) or moisturiser for those with drier skin.  While the dupe for this mask, Skinfood Freshmade Coconut Face Mask, doesn't come in the same nude shade (although they both apply translucently) it does have a very similar texture making it ideal as a mask and moisturiser much like Thristymud!  It's also very similar in scent, not many face masks are coconut scented after all, and as it's a Korean skincare line you know you are getting a quality product that will do the job - in this care, hydrating the skin.  If you are looking for a dupe for Glamglow Thirstymud or you simply want a comfortable hydration face mask then this is definitely the one. 

SPLURGE: Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask  SAVE: Andalou Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask (Save £45)

If there's a face mask with cult status then it's the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, but at £55 it doesn't come cheap! 

Why is it loved? Well I think it is partly down to the glorious pumpkin pie scent, a lotta people love pumpkin, and the fact it's a good all-round exfoliating mask. But as there are a lot of enzyme masks on the market I kind of think it's more to do with the look and scent of the product.  But that's not to say that this mask doesn't deliver, because it certainly does with mass positive reviews on every website it's stocked on. With customers saying the gooey mask gives a tingle yet leaves their face looking brighter and much smoother and softer.  However, there is a similar offering with the Andalou Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask at only £9.99, which is sweeter thanks to the honey (FYI: It's also organic!). Andalou is also an 'under the radar' skincare brand loved by skincare fanatic Trinny Woodall. While the mask is less on the gritty side (it doesn't contain aluminium oxide crystals like the PTR offering) it has a similar gloopy texture that gives a little tingle to the skin. It also offers the same exfoliating benefits, removing dead skin cells for improved skin texture and an overall brighter look. 

Whether like me you simply fancy trying out an autumnal seeming face mask or want something to exfoliate and renew the skin then this budget under £10 mask seems pretty great to me! 

SPLURGE: Dior Hydra Life Glow Better Fresh Jelly Mask  SAVE: Vichy Double Glow Peel Mask (Save £26)

Enter a scrub, peel and face mask in one with Dior's extra long titled face mask! At £40+ this is another luxury mask that comes in a jelly yet gritty consistency packed full of small apricot seeds for extra physical exfoliation.  It does look a nice mask, however, a very similar looking mask both in look, description and texture is Vichy's Double Glow Peel Mask. This is also a unique gritty gel/jelly consistency but instead of apricot seeds contains micro volcanic rock for that physical exfoliation as you apply it. 

I should also point out both masks are perfect for if you are in a rush as you leave both on for no longer than 3-5 minutes. Both masks leave the skin looking and feeling fresh and well exfoliated. Personally, I love the Vichy face mask as it chemically and manually exfoliates the skin leaving it feeling so so smooth. A great dupe here! 

SPLURGE: Fresh Rose Face Mask  SAVE: Nature Republic Real Rose Petal Face Mask (Save £40)

One of my most favourite face masks to apply when I want my skin to feel fresh and soft is the Fresh Rose Face Mask as the watery gel real rose petal consistency sits on the skin without drying to leave behind the freshest softest skin ever. 

I also find it's a great mask for using after a clay-based mask that has dried out my skin or if my skin is feeling tight or a little angry - the rose really does help to calm it down. 

However at £52 for 100ml this is one luxury skincare item. But thankfully I've found a really amazing alternative with Korean skincare find - Nature Republic Rose Petal Face Mask. Not only is the jar similar, but the entire mask range dupes a few other Fresh masks so I'm pretty certain it was their intention to create a similar face mask to that of the Fresh Rose Mask. 

The dupe face mask is very similar in texture, looking watery yet gel-like and smelling of natural fresh roses thanks to the real rose petals. It also doesn't dry down but sits on the skin for a soothing/cooling effect. 

While I haven't tried this dupe I'm almost certain that is will give similar soothing and hydrating results due to the masks consistency. Definitely one to try if you have ever lusted after the Fresh Rose Face Mask!  

SPLURGE: Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment SAVE: Lacura Exfoliating Mud Mask - in-store (Save £35)

Described as a 10-minute 'facial-in-a-jar' Glamglow Youthmud isn't for the faint-hearted. It packs some punch working as a clay-based mask while exfoliating the skin. And while I do adore this product for some deep pore cleansing it is an eye-watering £42 for a 50g jar.  But thankfully the queen of supermarket dupes, Aldi, have us covered with a £5.99 budget alternative that is such a good dupe that I decided I needed to write an entire blog post about it -  Lacura Mudmask Glamglow dupe review. Not only do these two product look and feel very similar on the skin, they have a lot of the same ingredients - Lacura at Aldi know what they are doing. So if you have ever fancied trying Glamglow Youthmud I highly recommend saving your money and hunting down the Lacure Exfoliating Mud Mask dupe.

If you live outside of the UK I have another dupe alternative for you. The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask, which isn't as cheap at £17 but is a wonderful face mask that is oh so similar to the Youthmud treatment mask. 

SPLURGE: Farmacy Honey Potion Hydration Mask SAVE: The Body Shop Ethiopian Honey Deep Nourishing Mask (Save £19)

If you are after a soothing hydration mask then you may have come across Farmacy's Honey Potion; a gloopy natural honey mask perfect for dry skin. 

While the application of this mask hasn't been duped before, you apply it and then massage it in, turning it into a sticky cream consistency, I personally think it doesn't effect how the mask works and it's more about the honey formula here.  Which is why I believe The Body Shop Ethiopian Honey Deep Nourishing Mask to be a good cheaper alternative. This runny sticky mask is similar in texture and while it doesn't come with a spatula I recommend applying it with a face mask brush or old foundation brush for an even application.  Both masks are non-drying when on, giving a comfortable application time, and leave the skin feeling hydrated, smooth and plumper! 

RELATED: How To Get The Most from Your Favourite Face Masks

PIN FOR LATER 

Let me know which face mask dupe you are most intrigued by? For me, it's the Andalou Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask as it seems fitting for this time of year and I do love to exfoliate with glycolic acid. 

It's also the face mask that offers the biggest saving! 

Fee xo. 

Source: https://www.makeupsavvy.co.uk/2018/09/best-face-mask-dupes.html

[mylovelettertonobody]

Which roses did you buy and which David Austin roses do you own already?

I bought:Tantau Roses• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe • Purple Haze• Jazz• Bienenweide rot• Bienenweide weißD.Austin Roses:• Darcey Bussell• Variegata di Bologna•VeilchenblauAnd I already own this D. Austin Roses:• William Shakespeare 2000• Tuscany Superb• Bobby James• Charles de Milles*whispers * I also own very cheap roses from Lidl and Aldi and they are also very pretty, but they lack the heavy fragrant I so love...that's why I only buy roses of known breaders nowadays

[vettelcore]

i’m just gonna say one last thing

thanks mum for giving me good genes and a low maintenance skin type <3

[couchcushings]

ch. three of trash fic 2.0, time to start the fun

Eglantine sat in the fourth guestroom from the stairs. It had been allocated to her at the beginning of her stay at Chateau Frankenstein and she had done what little she could to make it her own. A single candle burned on her bedside table, illuminating the pages of her book and not much else. Every few moments she pulled a watch from the table and consulted it. As the hour grew closer to midnight she found it harder to concentrate on the story.

It was a romance novel of the lowest quality—a cheap yellow-back that Mrs. Clemens had picked up in  a London bookshop some years previously. The plot was full of fainting heroines and sub-par heroes with “flowing locks” more luxurious than their paramours. The hero of this particular novel had just seized his lover in his arms and was about to make mad love to her. Somewhere in the depths of the chateau a clock chimed midnight. Eglantine gripped his book until the pages crumpled beneath her fingers.

The clock chimed for the twelfth time. Her eyes flitted to the doorway. Nothing happened, no one appeared. She waited, tense, for a full minute before turning her eyes back to the page.

“Oh, Fabian, I could never leave Alexander for you,” the heroine cooed to her lover, “I am promised to be married to him in the morn.” She slumped evocatively into his arms.

Eglantine clucked her tongue. “Make up your mind, you silly cow.”

Her good humor vanished at the noise of the doorknob rattling in the darkness. She held her breath. The door opened and admitted Baron Frankenstein. He closed it behind him, and, true to his earlier promise, locked it.

“You’re as good as your word,” she commented.

He padded across the room, his candle flickering at the sudden movement. “My word is all I have left, Miss Dupré. If I don’t keep it, I shall cease to be.”

“How terribly dramatic.” She surveyed him in the flickering half-light. He was wrapped in a threadbare purple dressing gown that had, at one time, been of the finest China silks. The collar of his nightshirt was equally as worn. “Were your clothes not part of the expense of restoring the chateau?”

“They were not,” he cast off his dressing gown. The rest of his nightshirt was every bit as worn as the collar. It was frayed at the bottom and there were unsettling stains on the cuffs. “These, despite their age, are every bit as comfortable and warm as they were on the day I bought them.”

“And when was that? 1870?”

He graced her with a severe look before draping his dressing gown artfully over the bed post. “1875 actually.” The baron pulled back the edge of her coverlet and slid into the bed. “You know, I believe this mattress is more comfortable than my own. Perhaps I shall make a habit of this.”

Eglantine stared at the pages of her book. “Or perhaps not.”

It was a strange sensation, she decided, sharing a bed with someone. The warmth of his body was rapidly spreading through the bed. She swallowed and pulled at the collar of her nightdress. How did married couples stand it? Eglantine glanced at the baron. He was leaning back on the pillows, his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. She shook her head and turned her attention back to her book.

Fabian was clutching the heroine to his breast. "Leave Alexander," he urged, "the man is a fool and a liar! I know for a fact he has bedded three different women this week alone!"

The heroine burst into tears and pulled at her hair. "What shall I do," she moaned.

"Kiss me," Fabian said. "Throw caution to the wind and kiss me!"

Eglantine snorted and threw the book down on the coverlet. "How anyone finds this type of thing entertaining is beyond me. I'm surprised that anyone bought one copy, let alone," she examined the back of the book, "a thousand!"

He picked up the book. "'The Rose's Forbidden Love'? It doesn't strike me as something you would read, Miss Dupré." He leafed through the pages. "Although it certainly is... imaginative. Tell me, how did it come into your possession?"

"It belongs to Mrs. Clemens. She gave it to me to, and this is a direct quote, 'pass the lonely hours.' She's just the kind of woman it was written for: lonely and desperate. I'm shocked that she hasn't made a play for you by now." She made a disgusted noise.

"Mrs. Clemens hasn't made a play for me because she knows that I am already spoken for." He caressed her arm, never once looking up from the pages of the yellow-back. "The very idea of her reading this is somewhat unsettling. Listen to this: 'Fabian took Johanna in his arms, pressing her whole body to his. He gripped the back of her dress in his strong, manly hands and ripped it from her body with a pull. She went limp in his arms. "Oh, Fabian," she sighed, "take me now!"'" Baron Frankenstein laughed. "What horrible writing. And inaccurate, too, dresses don't rip that easily."

"Do you have some experience in that department, /Herr Baron/?"

He looked at her, his sharp blue eyes glittering in the candlelight. "You will find out the answer to that tonight. I trust you wore something suitably salacious for our romantic assignation."

She pulled the edge of the coverlet up to her chin. "I did, and you won't lay eyes on it unless absolutely necessary. What, exactly, do you have planned for this evening? I would like to know what I've agreed to."

"I believe I outlined our plans in the laboratory this afternoon. When your deranged ex-fiancé graces us with his presence we will make suitable noises. Should he barge in we will engage in a suitable facsimile of lovemaking. It's very simple. However, we could always try what Fabian and Johanna tried in chapter six." He handed her the book. "They're very flexible people."

She flipped through the pages until she found chapter six. Her eyes widened. "I'm not certain that the human body is capable of that! Among other things it might kill a man of your age; not to mention crippling me."

"I assure you that I am in better condition than you give me credit for. Besides, I would be willing to take the risks involved. For research purposes, you understand. A controlled experiment on the plausibility of sexual escapades in romance novels would make an intriguing paper. Even you must see that." He gave a wolfish smile. "And we do need to do something to make noise."

The sharp clicking sound of someone turning the doorknob rang through the room like a gunshot. Eglantine tensed. She didn't know whether to be more afraid of Aldis getting into the room or what Baron Frankenstein had planned to keep him out.

"Blow out the candle," the baron hissed, following his own advice.

With her candle extinguished, the room was plunged into darkness. She could feel her heart hammering against her sternum. The baron touched her arm and it was all she could do to keep from crying out. He pulled her close and positioned himself on top of her, resting his weight on her thighs. The edge of his nightshirt brushed against her legs for a moment before being whisked away. Her breath caught in her throat.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a strangled whisper.

"Don't fret, my dear, I'm wearing my finest undergarments." The baron leaned down and started kissing her neck. "Remember the noises."

Eglantine let out a little halfhearted moan.

"Is that the best you can do? Put a little more effort into it! We are talking about your future health and well-being!"

"In present company, yes, it is the best I can do; and as for effort," she scoffed, running her hands down his arms. "I think you're the one who has to make more of an effort. You neck like a fifteen-year-old boy at his first cotillion!"

The barb worked. He grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head back, exposing her neck. He started at her collar bone and trailed kisses all the way up to just behind her ear. "Do you have much experience with necking at cotillions?"

Her breath hitched in her throat as she felt his teeth graze the hollow between her collar bones. "I was a debutante. It was compulsory."

"Remember the noises," he muttered into her skin.

She panted loudly and touched his chest. She was rewarded with an extremely convincing moan on his part. "There's the old college try," she giggled.

The door rattled audibly on its hinges.

Baron Frankenstein sat back on his heels, resting on her thighs again. She heart the distinctive scratch of a match as he lit his candle.

Eglantine was taken aback by his appearance. He chest and arms were criss-crossed with scars. There were the unmistakable marks of bird shot on his right shoulder; the angry slash of a knife almost cutting his torso in half; countless burns and acid stains on his arms and hands; and, mostly notable to her, a perfect scar that encircled his neck like a ring of fine pearls. He hadn't been exaggerating when he'd said he was hanged for his work. She found that she couldn't tear her eyes away from his neck. She swallowed, trying to find words to express some kind of sympathy for a man who had clearly been put through the meat grinder for his beliefs.

He raised an eyebrow, staring at her negligee. "If I had know what you were wearing I would have concentrated my attentions a bit lower." He glanced over his shoulder at the door. "Perhaps Mr. Jones can wait for a few more moments."

All sympathy for him left her mind. She crossed her arms. "The plan, remember? Or are you thinking with your smaller brain at the moment?"

He smirked and slid out of the bed. The baron grabbed his purple dressing gown on the way to the door and had it on, but not closed, by the team he reached it. "After a few moments," he whispered, "come and join me." Baron Frankenstein threw the door open.

Aldis, who had clearly been standing with his ear pressed to the door, fell backwards.

"Well, Mr. Jones, what have you to say for yourself?"

He cleared his throat. "I was just checking up on your progress, /Herr Baron/."

"My progress is downstairs in the laboratory."

"That is not the progress I was speaking of."

The baron grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the floor. "You dare to come into my home and spy on me, and then have the audacity to ask how I am 'progressing'? I should strike you dead where you stand!"

Eglantine took her cue and joined him by the door. When she bought the negligee originally, she had intended it for her wedding night. But when Aldis told her of his "wasting disease" she packed it away in tissue paper, never to see even the softest of candlelights again. It was made of the finest woven lace and softest cotton and it was daringly sheer in strategic places. The neckline plunged well into her breastbone. She relished the look of raw lust on Aldis' face as she walked up behind the baron.

"Victor," she said, trying not to choke on his name, "what is going on?" She wrapped her arm around his waist. "Good evening, Aldis. Do put him down, darling, he's turning purple."

The baron unceremoniously dropped Aldis. He straightened himself, pulling at his collar. "Faithless bitch," he choked. "I never intended--"

"Oh, but you did." Baron Frankenstein put his arm around her shoulders, his hand straying dangerously close to her décolletage. "Remember? Miss Dupré was part of our business arrangement. You get a new body and I get whatever is left of the money and," he leaned in, pressing a kiss to her cheek, "I get Eglantine." He let his hand drift downward until it rested on her hip. "You gave up any right you had to her the moment you threw her at my feet."

"Besides," she purred, hoping that she sounded seductive, "there is the small fact that the baron can please me in ways you'll never be able to."

Even in the half-light of the single candle, she could see the color rising to Aldis' face. "Very well. You've cast your lot."

"On the contrary—you cast my lot for me when you brought me here. Goodnight, Aldis."

Baron Frankenstein gave a little wave with his free hand and slammed the door in his face. He turned the key in the lock and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the gods that's over." He leaned in and graced Eglantine with a deep kiss. "You played your part wonderfully, my dear."

She slapped him. "I did, and that part is now over."

"I'm not certain of that. In fact, I'm quite sure that Mr. Jones will be listening for the rest of the night."

"Will he." She reached out and unlocked the door. It opened onto an empty hallway. "You were wrong, /Herr Baron/."

He relocked the door. "He may be gone, but I cannot leave the room for the rest of the night. Then he would know that we were merely acting." The baron frowned. "Coincidentally, I can't have you calling me Victor left and right. It's unseemly and I don't like it."

She folded her arms. "I thought it was your name. It's printed on your letterhead."

"It might be; but I don't even let my genuine lovers call me Victor, why should I let you?"

"For authenticity's sake if nothing else! Most lovers do use their Christian names while making love." She paced back to her side of the bed. "And you used my first name."

"You are not a member of the aristocracy."

She waved a hand dismissively. "Titles are meaningless in America—money is what speaks to us and I am just about the richest woman on the east coast. So I suppose that makes me a kind of aristocracy."

"Hardly," he scoffed and threw his dressing gown on the floor.

Eglantine was once again transfixed by the sigh of his scars. "Earlier today you told me that you were shot, stabbed, and hung for your work. I didn't believe you."

He smoothed his hair back. "And now?"

She stepped forward, hesitant, and touched the scar on his chest. "Who did this to you?"

"A man I once called friend. His name was Paul and he was my tutor. He's also responsible for this." He took her hand and placed it on his neck. "We built my first creation together. But, in the end, he turned on me like the rest of them."

For an instant, she saw something like regret in his eyes. "What happened to him?"

"Paul? He married my cousin Elizabeth. They live in Geneva and have no fewer than five children at last count."

"That's quite the contrast. What about this one?" She ran her fingers along one of the burns on his forearm. "You've got quite a few of these."

"Carelessness on my part," he said. "Years of working around electricity without proper protection. I always seem to be up to my elbows in something or other and it usually burns me in some way. What about you? Do you have any scars, or is your skin as flawless as alabaster?"

"Hardly," she held out her left arm, exposing a long, thin cut, "one of my patients didn't want to be operated on by a women and took his protest to the next level."

"Ghastly but understandable."

"What is that supposed to mean?" She scowled.

"I don't think I'd want a woman operating on me, either. Especially you."

"At least I actually have medical training. You're an unlicensed maniac! You didn't even go to school! Thank God you only operate on the dead. I hesitate to think what you would do to a live patient!"

He laughed. "I've had live patients before and I did very well out of them, thank you. Now, shall we go to bed?"

"Yes, we shall, but if you so much as touch me during the night I'll give you some new scars to decorate your sorry hide!"

[recoverydiariesposts]

Valentines day sucks

Fighting all day today, it would've been a much better day if he had actually gone to his appointment instead of cancelling. He was supposed to be at some job placement seminar all today from 10 am till 5 pm but he called and cancelled because he got accepted to work at a place he applied, it doesn't start until the 19th but he basically lied and said it starts sooner so he needs to "prepare". I'm happy he got this job, finally we'll actually be making more than bare minimum, but last night when he got the acceptance email he didn't make it know to me that he wasn't gonna go. I had planned to take a long shower and maybe treat myself to a coffee, but I woke up at 10 in a fright because I could hear him clacking away on his keyboard in the living room and thought he was late. I actually was upset. Then he all the sudden says that he cancelled because he wanted to spend all day with me. That's nice yea? Well he also said he wanted me up and dressed cause he wants to have breakfast at his favorite place, thing is it 10, breakfast ends at 10:30. He of course doddled so we were still in the house when it was 10:40, he decided to check the lunch menu to see if he liked anything, he didn't, so he had me whip up his lunch. He doesn't want to go out to dinner because he is so looking forward to my fajitas he doesn't want restaurant food. So here we are, I've been spending all week making him a plush toy as a gift (it's not done yet), I've made both our lunches and will be making dinner, will have to clean all the dishes by myself, and I don't even get a lousy card to say thanks. So much for "we need to keep the romance alive", yea mate where's your bloody effort?

I bet he'll "joke" and say that him getting a job is my present, thanks hun but I'd really like even a card or a cheap chocolate bar, just anything traditional at all. Two years ago he bought me an elaborate €50 bunch of roses because we had a fight he started to say sorry but doesn't do anything romantic like that for any holidays or such. Three years ago he bought me chocolates and a giant bear. I guess after marriage guys just stop trying because they "already got you so why keep chasing". I feel lied to honestly, tons of romance unprompted for the first two years and then once I move in and we get hitched he couldn't be bothered to get me a card from aldis, that we live right next to. I sound ungrateful, but what's there to be grateful for? He just now got a job for the first time in 3 years, my mom pays for our apartment, and I get to see my family once a year! Yay my life is full of regret!

Oh and I had a massive mental breakdown the other day cause I'm genuinely starting to think I may have delusions, but now honestly I think the only delusion I have is that he cares about me and that we'll push through this and work out.

[jamieclawhorn]

Thinking of buying into the Morrisons share price? Read this first

Supermarket share prices have come under pressure since last summer. Brexit fears and tough competition from Lidl and Aldi have pressured profits and growth.

Despite this, Wm Morrison Supermarkets (LSE: MRW) outperformed the FTSE 100 by a comfortable margin over the last year. Its share price has fallen by just 5% over the last 12 months, compared to a 12% drop for the FTSE.

Is this a good time to put more cash into supermarket stocks, or are conditions likely to get worse as 2019 unfolds?

Christmas cheer

Today’s Christmas sales figures showed that the group’s like-for-like sales rose by 3.6% during the nine weeks to 6 January. However, this solid figure didn’t lift the retailer’s share price, which was down 3.5% at the time of writing.

The reason for this seems to be that this growth mostly came from its wholesale division. Today’s figures show that retail like-for-like sales rose by just 0.6% over the Christmas period. The other 3% growth came from Morrison’s wholesale business, which supplies convenience store chain McColl’s and Amazon‘s grocery service.

Buy, sell or hold?

I’m a big fan of the business’s wholesale expansion, which is allowing it to add growth without requiring costly new stores. Because the company produces much of the food it sells in its own factories, adding sales this way should also help to support higher profit margins.

I’m also keen on the group’s solid balance sheet and attractive 3.9% dividend yield. The only question in my mind is whether the stock is cheap enough to add to my portfolio at the moment. The shares currently trade on 16.3 times forecast earnings for the current year, falling to 15 times earnings for 2019/20.

That seems about right to me. I’d hold, but I plan to wait for a better buying opportunity.

A bargain retailer?

One big-cap retailer that may already be priced at bargain levels is DIY chain operator Kingfisher (LSE: KGF). This group’s main businesses are B&Q, Screwfix and French chains Castorama and Brico Depot.

Kingfisher shares have fallen by 35% over the last 12 months, leaving it lagging far behind the FTSE 100. The firm has two main problems. The worst is that sales are falling. B&Q sales dropped 2.8% during the third quarter, while sales in France were 3.9% lower.

The only real bright spots were Screwfix, where sales rose by 10.6%, and the group’s Polish business, which is also performing well.

The other challenge facing chief executive Veronique Laury is the tough task of unifying the product ranges sold across its different store chains. This five-year programme is expected to add £500m to annual profits by the time it completes in 2021.

Why I’d buy

The main risk I can see is that DIY chains like B&Q and Castorama will continue to struggle, as more people opt for ‘do it for me’ rather than DIY.

On the other hand, I can see several reasons why Kingfisher could be a good buy at the moment.

If the ONE Kingfisher unification project is successful, profits could rise strongly over the next 3-5 years. 

The business benefits from good cash generation and the shares look good value to me. Kingfisher stock currently trades on 9.5 times 2018/19 forecast earnings, with a tempting dividend yield of 4.9%.

On balance, I’d rate these shares as a contrarian buy.

Want To Boost Your Savings?

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The report is entirely free and available for download today, so if you’re interested in exiting the rat race and achieving financial independence, click here to download the report. What have you got to lose?

More reading

Why I think the Morrisons share price is an opportunity to play the FTSE 100’s crash

I reckon the Morrisons share price could smash the FTSE 100 and Sainsbury’s in 2019

John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Roland Head has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK owns shares of and has recommended Amazon. The Motley Fool UK has recommended McColl’s Retail. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

[digitalmark18-blog]

From secret deals pages to tracking price drops, the 10 ways to save money when shopping on Amazon

New Post has been published on https://britishdigitalmarketingnews.com/from-secret-deals-pages-to-tracking-price-drops-the-10-ways-to-save-money-when-shopping-on-amazon/

From secret deals pages to tracking price drops, the 10 ways to save money when shopping on Amazon

IT’S the online retail giant that some say is helping to destroy the high street, but there’s no denying Amazon is a cheap and convenient way to shop.

Its prices are already cheaper than those offered by high street stores, but savvy shoppers have now revealed to The Sun how you can pick up products for even cheaper using some clever thrifty tactics.

Amazon shoppers have shared their savvy secrets for bagging a great bargain on the website – including secret pages that will get you a good deal

From making the most of Amazon’s secret deals pages that offer some great bargains to using price trackers to make sure you snag products at the best prices, The Sun has put together the best tips for saving money when shopping on Amazon.

The website is booming, and in July the website delivered record quarterly profits, according to the BBC.

The website’s prices are usually competitive but using tips from bloggers and money-savers who shared their tricks on The Sun’s Money Saving Tips and Deals Facebook page, you could save even more money on already low-priced goods.

Here are the best tips for grabbing a bargain on Amazon that we found.

Tom Church

Tom Church, founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, has shared some of his money-saving tips for shopping on Amazon

Amazon

Amazon Outlet offers big reductions on items

Amazon

There are secret pages such as this one which tells you which gifts are under £15 with free shipping

Amazon

There’s also a secret page that reveals gifts under £10

1. Secret Pages

Tom Church, founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, has revealed there’s two hard-to-find pages on Amazon: one that shows you everything on sale on the website under £15, including free shipping, and another that reveals ideal gifts priced under £10.

He said: “It’s perfect for Christmas shopping on a budget.”

2. Outlet Sales

Not many people know it exists, but Tom Church revealed that Amazon’s Outlet service will show you the biggest price drops on the website.

From baby products to home and healthcare, thousands of items are heavily discounted on the page and more products are added regularly all the time.

3. Student Trick

Francesca Mason, who runs the blog From Pennies to Pounds, says there’s a student version of Amazon Prime that’s cheaper – but you do have to be a student.

She said: “Students can get their own version of Amazon Prime called the Amazon Student club. It’s £3.99 per month (or £39 per year) – much cheaper than regular Amazon Prime, and they also qualify for a free 6 month trial.”

4. Wait Until It Drops

Francesca, of From Pennies to Pounds, recommends using Amazon price tracker CamelCamelCamel. You can add products to it and it will alert you when the price drops.

Dropster meanwhile monitors drops in prices for Amazon products, so you can see if it is currently at its cheapest price – or highest.

Francesca also advises setting up price alerts on the service for particular items. You put in the amount you want to pay for it and get an email when it drops to that price.

If you want to take bargain hunting to the next level, Tom Church recommends signing up for Keepa, which sends you emails when a certain item, such as Nike trainers, drops in price.

5. Price Check

Never assume that just because it’s on Amazon, the price is the cheapest you can get. Tom Church recommends using PriceSpy to compare product prices.

Amazon

Amazon Warehouse sells refurbished or returned items at a low price

6. Bag A Deal

Amazon has Deals of the Day, known as Lightning Deals, which run for 24 hours before increasing in price again.

Many money-savers on The Sun Money’s Facebook page, Money saving tips and deals, advised bargain hunters to check the deals page everyday.

7. Hold Items In Your Basket

Bargain hunter Anna Hughes wrote in the Money saving tips and deals group that she holds items in her basket to see if they decrease in price.

She explained: “I add things to my basket, and then save them for later. Then when you view your basket it comes up at the top saying how many items have changed price, and then touch or click it to view them.”

8. Avoid Sponsored Reviews

Money savers on The Sun Money’s Money saving tips and deals Facebook group advised to watch out for sponsored reviews on products, as they can be misleading and not actually tell you if an item is genuinely worth the price or not.

9. Prime Is Worth It

The consensus of bargain hunters in our Money saving tips and deals Facebook group was that Amazon Prime – its free delivery subscription service – is worth the £79-a-year fee.

Eleanor Rose said it “pays for itself,” while Francesca Mason, of From Pennies to Pounds, says you can trial it free and then cancel it before you are charged.

10. Use Amazon Warehouse

Amazon Warehouse sells off any warehouse-damaged, refurbished or otherwise not up-to-scratch items at cheap prices, so it’s worth checking the website for deals.

Tom Church also recommends using Amazon Warehouse deal tracker, The Forklift, where you can set up price alerts on items. It will then email you when someone has returned an item, and you can often buy it at half price or less.

ALL THAT GLITTERS

Wetherspoon’s now serves glittery pink unicorn gin

BANK FAIL

HSBC, Barclays and TSB online banking and apps down

SUPERMARKET SWEEP

Asda and Sainsbury’s merger could spark sale of almost 500 supermarkets

BERRY NICE?

Tesco is selling STRAWBERRY-flavoured Jaffa cakes – we don’t know how to feel

PEAKY BLINDERS

Poundland’s twin peaks Toblerone copycat bar is back but there’s a twist

AISLE BE DAMNED

Aldi may launch a same-day delivery service in the UK

Amazon has just released its list of top 10 Christmas toys for this year.

Meanwhile, we’ve revealed there’s a tool you can use on Amazon and other websites that will automatically apply discount codes.

Savvy shoppers have also shared their top tips for bagging a bargain at discount chain B&M.

Amazon reveal top 10 Christmas toys 2018, including Lego, Barbie and Unicorn that poos glitter

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team? Email us at money@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 78 24516. Don’t forget to join the Sun Money’s Facebook group for the latest bargains and money-saving advice.

Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/7362223/from-secret-deals-pages-to-tracking-price-drops-the-10-ways-to-save-money-when-shopping-on-amazon/

[josephkitchen0]

Battery Hen Rescue with the British Hen Welfare Trust

By Susie Kearley – While your backyard chickens probably enjoy a pampered life of luxury, some commercially farmed chickens have a more difficult life. The hen rescue initiative finds chickens new homes with space and freedoms they’ve never known before, so they can enjoy comfort and happiness for the rest of their lives.

In England, the British Hen Welfare Trust was set up in 2005 to give factory-farmed hens a second chance, helping them find loving new homes at the end of their commercial lives. The Trust also educates people about hen welfare, encouraging support for free-range chickens and a better life for hens.

In the past 12 years, the Trust has rehomed 600,000 commercial hens, destined for slaughter. The charity’s founder, Jane Howorth, was moved by a television documentary she saw in the 1970s about the conditions in which hens were kept. It planted the seed of an idea for a hen rescue and the educational work that she does today.

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“I was 19 years old when I saw the program.” she explains, “I’m sorry to say at that point I was more interested in finding a handsome boyfriend, moving out from my parent’s home, and getting a job. At this stage I’d not actually seen or stroked a caged hen; had I done so, I’m pretty sure it would not have taken me so long to get on the case. The two main triggers for founding the charity were the loss of my parents, nine months apart in 2001, at a relatively young age; there is nothing like the loss of loved ones to sharpen the focus and make you realize that life is short. I wanted to do something much more meaningful with my life from that moment.”

Jane worked out a plan to rehome factory-farmed hens and save them from slaughter. She opened the hen rescue to give as many chickens as she could, a better life while educating consumers and still supporting the British egg industry.

Daisy

Welfare Standards

Why support the industry? Jane explains: “From the moment the charity was founded, The British Hen Welfare Trust has been a staunch supporter of the British egg industry. It’s preferable to see consumers purchasing eggs laid in Britain, which has some of the best welfare conditions in the world, rather than imported eggs from other countries where welfare controls are not as stringent. Battery farms were banned in the UK in 2012 and replaced by colony cages, in which up to 80 birds can live together. These cages offer improved conditions to battery cages, as they provide some enrichment such as nest boxes and scratch pads. However, these hens still do not see the light of day, nor do they get to dust and sunbathe as free range hens do, which is why the charity is working toward a day when all laying hens are kept in small flocks, free range, or organic farming systems.

“We are not in conflict with the industry. Change lies with consumers — the less demand there is for cheap eggs, the fewer hens will be kept in cages.”

Chickens on TV!

The British Hen Welfare Trust appeared on TV in 2008 and the publicity generated a surge in interest, with more volunteers stepping up to help. Jane explains, “The TV documentary, hosted by TV chef Jamie Oliver, was called ‘Jamie’s Fowl Dinners’. It was a one-off program which focused on intensive poultry farming. At the time, I was running the charity from my house, with only two phone lines. Once the show had aired, my phone started ringing non-stop with people wanting to volunteer for the charity and re-home hens. We received 4,000 calls in a single week!”

The charity grew and was able to undertake more hen rescues and rehome more hens. Then in 2010, another TV show resulted in another surge of hen adoptions and public support. The BBC television program, called ‘The Private Life of Chickens’ was presented by well-known farmer and television presenter, Jimmy Doherty. It looked at the behavior and psychology of chickens, revealing that the birds are not as daft as people thought!

Jane says, “When I appeared in ‘The Private Life of Chickens’, this raised the charity’s profile even further. A few years later, I took the step of securing a permanent office and moving charity operations away from home. The show went a huge way toward helping people realize what intelligent, sentient animals chickens are. Both Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty went on to become patrons of the charity.”

In 2015, the British Hen Welfare Trust was the British Veterinary Nursing Association’s official charity of the year. Then in 2016, Jane received an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List. This recognized the value of her charitable work.

Romany and Tuppy – Photo by Cindy Calvert.

Changing Consumer Behavior

So what advice do they give to consumers? Jane says, “The Trust’s slogan is ‘for a free-range future’ and, since its inception, we’ve always emphasized the importance of buying British organic or free-range eggs to ensure the hens that laid them had the best welfare conditions possible. However, this is the easy part; it is less well-known that a large percentage of caged eggs are hidden within processed foods such as cakes, quiches, pasta, and even red wine. Therefore, the charity encourages shoppers to read food ingredients lists carefully if they want to ensure that only free-range eggs were used in the products they are buying. The general rule is that, unless it is stated in the ingredients list that free-range eggs were used, then it is most likely the eggs were from caged hens. Worse still, much of the egg used in processed food comes in powdered form and is imported from countries where welfare conditions for laying hens are considered less important.

“Increased consumer awareness has led to big names switching policy to free-range eggs, such as Hellmann’s® who started using free range eggs in their mayonnaise. Policy changes such as these have improved the quality of life for tens of thousands of hens. This is consumer clout at its most powerful.

Photo by Tracie Emerson.

“Over the years, the Trust has continuously campaigned for retailers and supermarkets to make the switch to free range eggs. We have targeted big name brands such as Aldi, Mr. Kipling, and more recently, McVitie’s. One organization could never solely take credit for encouraging such huge corporations to change tack, but the British Hen Welfare Trust has undoubtedly played a big part in changing hearts and minds.

“Another great example of change within the industry is the percentage of free range egg sales making up just 34% of market share in 2004 compared to 62% in 2017. It’s clear that attitudes are changing, but there is still much more work to be done before we see a day when all laying hens are free ranging.”

Rose, Fern, Heather, Daisy, Bluebell, Iris, Marigold, and Lily – Photo by Christie Painter.

Working with Vets

With some hens being kept as pets, and individuals raising chickens for eggs, the Trust has also become involved in training for veterinary surgeons, which has led to better diagnosis and treatments for backyard hens. Jane explains, “The main problem was, and still is to a degree, a lack of knowledge when it comes to treating backyard poultry. Vets will have been taught during their training how to diagnose and treat poultry on a commercial scale, but often struggle when presented with a pet hen. We have a map showing hen-friendly vets all over the country, and there’s a course vets can take provided by Chicken Vet, to gain additional knowledge about common problems. The situation is improving all the time and the charity is currently working with a British university to provide additional training to vets.”

Rehoming Hens

The hens usually arrive at their new home with few feathers, looking shabby and frightened, and turn into beautifully feathered confident chickens, who love life. Prunella, Sibyl, Henrietta, and Gertrude are one example of four happy hens! They were adopted by Debbie Morris-Kirby in Cornwall in 2015, and some might say it’s a match made in heaven. Debbie says, “The hens are so happy in their new environment, with different adventures each day. We have enjoyed watching them progress from shy and nervous creatures into confident, beautiful girls, with amazing personalities. They love any form of interaction with us humans. We can’t imagine life without them now. Thank you to the hen rescue Trust for all the fun we have had with our new extended family.”

Debbie Morris Kirby with Prunella hen.

Lucia chicken in her new home with her new doggy friend.

Some people keep their adopted hens as therapy chickens because they can lift your mood! What about roosters? Click here to read about rooster rescue!

For more information on the hen rescue initiative go to British Hen Welfare Trust: www.bhwt.org.uk.

  Battery Hen Rescue with the British Hen Welfare Trust was originally posted by All About Chickens

[jamieclawhorn]

Retire wealthy: why the Tesco share price could continue to smash the FTSE 100

Supermarket giant Tesco (LSE: TSCO) has been a top performer over the last year, beating the FTSE 100 by a solid 28% or so.

However, the firm’s share price is down by about 7% at the time of writing, following the publication of Tesco’s latest results. Do shareholders need to start worrying, or are big investors simply locking in some gains after a strong run for the firm?

A well-oiled machine

Tesco grabbed headlines last month when it launched its own discount chain, Jack’s. The move is a bid by chief executive Dave Lewis to keep hold of customers who would otherwise have gone to Aldi or Lidl.

It’s too soon to know whether Jack’s will succeed, but what’s clear from today’s half-year results is that most of the other changes made by Lewis are working well.

Group’s sales rose by 12.8% to £28.3bn during the period, thanks to the integration of wholesaler Booker Group. But this isn’t simply a case of acquisitions flattering growth — like-for-like sales in Tesco UK stores rose by 2.3% during the half year.

Alongside this, Booker like-for-like sales rose by an impressive 14.7%. This suggests to me that the group’s move into wholesale and foodservice (delivering food to restaurants) has been well timed.

What about profit?

Old stock market hands know that turnover is vanity, while profit is sanity. Luckily for shareholders, the group’s profits are also growing strongly. Underlying group operating profit rose by 24% to £933m during the half year, while adjusted earnings rose by 18% to 6.4p per share.

This progress lifted the group’s adjusted operating margin to 2.94%, up from 2.64% for the same period last year. Lewis appears to be making good progress on his promise to increase operating margins to 3.5-4% by the end of February 2020.

One final highlight is that net debt fell by 4% to £3,126m during the six months. This reassures me that Lewis is keeping spending under tight control as he rebuilds Tesco’s profit margins.

Dividend +67%

Tesco may be performing like a growth stock at the moment, but I think most investors would agree that over the long-term it’s likely to be an income play.

Today’s figures certainly included some good news for dividend collectors. The interim dividend will rise by 67% to 1.7p per share, putting the firm on track for a full-year forecast payout of 5.2p per share.

This payout should be covered 2.7 times by forecast earnings of 14.1p per share. This suggests to me that there’s still plenty of room for dividend growth as the group’s recovery continues.

Should you buy today?

Analysts’ forecasts for the year ending 24 February put the stock on a forecast P/E of 15 with a prospective yield of about 2.4%.

Looking further ahead, earnings are expected to climb by another 20% to 17p per share in 2019/20, putting the stock on a P/E of 13, with a dividend yield of 3.2%.

This valuation looks reasonable to me, if not especially cheap. For investors wanting to build a long-term position in Tesco, I think today’s dip could be a buying opportunity.

Buy-And-Hold Investing

Our top analysts have highlighted five shares in the FTSE 100 in our special free report “5 Shares To Retire On”. To find out the names of the shares and the reasons behind their inclusion, simply click here to view it right away!

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Roland Head has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Tesco. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

[jamieclawhorn]

Have £1,000 to invest? 2 FTSE 250 dividend growth stocks for 2018, 2019… and the next few decades

German discount grocers Lidl and Aldi have been blazing a trail in the UK for well over a decade now. Surging in popularity over the past 10 years, thanks in no small part to aggressive expansion in that time, they have shown British consumers that they can fill up their shopping baskets without facing an eye-watering tab at the checkout

In times of constrained consumer spending power like these, this strive to deliver exceptional value cannot be underestimated, as traditional retailers like Tesco and Sainsbury’s will attest to. And I’m backing this groundshift in our shopping habits to keep driving profits at B&M European Value Retail (LSE: BME) higher.

The FTSE 250 retailer’s most recent trading release outlined its rising popularity with Britain’s shoppers. It said that it had made a “strong start to the new financial year” as its “disruptive value model continues to prove highly attractive to customers.” Group revenues boomed 21.6% between April 1 and June 30, with UK sales rising 8.3% in the period, or by 1.6% on a like-for-like basis.

B&M isn’t just making terrific progress at home, either. At its Jawoll stores in Germany, revenues rose 7% in the past quarter.

Dear but delightful

What’s more, like Lidl and Aldi, B&M is committed to expanding its store network in the UK and overseas to create strong earnings growth over a long-term time horizon. The business opened four new domestic B&M-branded outlets in the last quarter, as well as four of its Heron Foods convenience stores, putting it well on course to attain its goal of 50 new B&M shops in the current year alone.

City analysts believe the retailer has the recipe to cook up earnings growth of 13% in the year to March 2019, and a 14% rise is predicted for next year as well. And who would bet against profits growing by double-digit percentages long beyond fiscal 2020?

B&M is slightly expensive on paper, with its forward P/E ratio of 19 times sitting just outside the accepted value territory of 15 times, or below. Given the company’s strong growth profile, I consider this slight premium to be more than fair, though.

Good for the environment, good your stocks portfolio!

I would also consider Renewi (LSE: RWI) to be an exceptional selection for growth hunters today.

Following its merger with Dutch business van Gansewinkel Groep a couple of years back, the FTSE 250 firm now has significant revenues opportunities across the continent. More specifically, the move gives it a major presence in the Benelux region (comprising Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg), a part of Europe that Renewi describes as “one of the most advanced recycling markets in the world.”

Rising costs have been problematic of late, but the company is increasingly taking the sting out of this problem with volumes and prices both on the rise. As a consequence, City brokers feel that group earnings will jump 34% in the 12 months to March 2019, and an additional 22% advance is forecast for next year.

At current share prices, Renewi carries a cheap forward P/E multiple of 9.5 times, a figure that I consider seriously undervalues its excellent earnings outlook through the coming years. Throw a prospective dividend yield of 5.1% into the equation too, and I reckon the firm’s a pretty compelling share to pick up today.

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Royston Wild has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Tesco. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

[jamieclawhorn]

Why I’d ignore the Tesco share price and buy this FTSE 100 dividend stock instead

Is Tesco (LSE: TSCO) the brilliant investment opportunity that rampant investor appetite suggests it is? Well, despite strong buying that has seen its share value leap more than 30% over the past year, I’m yet to be convinced.

Sure, thanks to the anticipated 19% earnings rise for the year to February 2019, the FTSE 100 supermarket deals on a bargain-basket, sub-1 prospective PEG reading of 0.9.

But, as my Foolish colleague Alan Oscroft recently suggested, the turnaround efforts of chief executive Dave Lewis may have proved impressive. But the argument that Tesco’s transformation may be running out of road is compelling.

Latest Kantar Worldpanel data certainly suggested an ongoing threat to Tesco’s recovery. This showed that while sales at the chain rose 1.8% in the 12 weeks to August 12, the ongoing customer grab by cut-price specialists Aldi and Lidl, the supermarket saw its market share fall 50 basis points to 27.4% year on year. And the global expansion of these chains promises to keep the likes of Tesco on their toes.

Internet sensation

Now Royal Mail (LSE: RMG) isn’t without its fair share of risk either. 

As challenging economic conditions in the UK could force more and more grocery shoppers into the arms of the German discounters, a worsening domestic economy could also weigh on Royal Mail’s domestic operations in the near term. What’s more, the terminal decline in the letters market is another gauntlet that the centuries-old courier has to get past.

I’m confident that the Footsie business can rise to the challenge, however. Not only because of the brilliant opportunities that the e-commerce segment throws up (latest data from the British Retail Consortium showed online’s take of total British retail sales rose to 23.2% in August, from 21.4% a year earlier), but because of its exciting foreign expansion plan as well.

I’ve touched upon the excellent earnings potential of its pan-European GLS division before, and now Royal Mail is casting its net even further afield. This month, it bought Canadian business-to-business parcel delivery giant Dicom Canada for £213m, a company with a vast footprint in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec which collectively account for almost 60% of Canada’s entire GDP.

A better long term selection

Royal Mail can also be picked up for next to nothing today, the firm sporting a forward P/E ratio of 12.2 times, below the accepted value watermark of 15 times and below. What’s more, it also carries a mighty 5.3% dividend yield, smashing Tesco’s corresponding reading of 2.2% to smithereens.

A warning, however. The parcels play is expected to endure a 15% earnings drop in the 12 months to March 2019, reflecting those aforementioned troubles in the letters market. Still, the City is expecting the firm’s recovery to kick in with a 3% profits rise in fiscal 2020, a period in which the dividend is expected to rise again and thus push the yield to 5.6%.

Recent newsflow may not have been as encouraging over at Royal Mail when compared to that of Tesco, and this trend may continue for a little longer. That said, I remain convinced the courier’s long-term outlook is vastly superior to that of the supermarket. And for that reason, I’d much rather buy Royal Mail today.

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Royston Wild has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Tesco. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.