Page 6 - link magazine

6 swindonlink.com • November 2009
Scouts prepared for
Does your existing agent have a
Landlords!! laid back attitude? Why not try us? Christmas post
We are an independent family owned and run Are you sending Christmas cards to people in Swindon and surround-
estate agency offering over 40 years of combined ing areas and want to save money?
property experience in Wootton Bassett, Purton, The Scout Christmas post costs 18p per card regardless of size and 7th
Lyneham, Swindon and surrounding villages. Swindon (Abbey Meads) Scout Group will be selling stamps at Asda
• Only 10% pcm for our Full Property Management Walmart on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November 10am - 4pm; Sundays
service.
6 and 13 December, 10am - 4pm, Fridays 4 and 11 December, 6pm - 9pm.
• Competitive one off fee for our Introduction Only To buy stamps at other times, call Philippa Kennard on 07960 485206.
service.
• Further discounts on multiple properties &
recommendations. Joy’s top 10 tips to save money
• Advertising through the web & local publications
this Christmas
• No costs until a tenant has been housed
• 7 days a week viewings
The recession is not over say many commentators and with so much
01793 855222 uncertainty, caution is the watchword. Joy Aldred suggests some ideas
www.alanhawkins.co.uk to keep spending under control for the festive season
After years of excess, spending on credit and getting into debt, this
THE COMPLETE CURTAIN SERVICE year, as a nation, we’ve been cutting back and taking stock. In July the
amount of personal debt fell for the first time since records began. So,
as we all tighten our belts and the credit crunch continues, how can
Curtains to satisfy every requirement you make sure you can still have a merry Christmas?
• Free estimating, design and advice 1. Instead of worrying about how rative touches such as buttons and
much money you'll spend on ribbons, anything already in your
• home visits by appointment the family, why not all agree to a scrap box. Contact friends and
• make-up and fitting service spending limit? Don't see this as family and ask for funny anecdotes.
Scrooge-like: challenge everyone Online photo print services like
to come up with the most creative/ Photobox offer great quality and
and BLinds of aLL kinds fun/best buys for the money. It's prices.
•wooden •Venetian •new linen •roman amazing what even £3 or £5 can buy 6. Make your own Christmas cards,
if you search hard enough. It could
•Verticals •roller •new eastern materials also add a lot of fun to the present tags and decorations. Collect pine
receiving ceremony. tree cones and glue and glitter them
Free parking outside the showroom at 252 CriCklade road with the kids; use as ornaments
Call tracey or amanda on 01793 611051 or [email protected] 2. Look around for great gifts in around the house or in a bowl or
www.completecurtainservice.co.uk unusual places - check out charity hang on the tree.
shops, which often sell unused
items, as well as shop sales, and 7. Encourage the children to make
pound shops. Don't forget car boot and decorate your own Christmas
sales (Sunday outside the Link tree decorations. Recycle old yo-
Centre, officially 1pm to 4pm, but ghurt pots by painting/glittering
starts earlier; at Abbey Stadium, the outside, attach a sparkly pipe
Lady Lane on Wednesday, Saturday cleaner as a handle and then add
and Sunday, 6am to 2pm). a few wrapped chocolates to the
There are bargains to be had pot before hanging on the tree. The
at Swindon Freecycle - http:// younger children will love it and, if
groups.yahoo.com/group/Swin- they want to give Christmas gifts to
don_Freecycle their friends, this is a great way of
making something special for little
3. On Ebay - www.ebay.co.uk - you cost.
can pick up brand new toys, gadgets 8. Send e-Christmas cards or make
and other gifts for much less than them, as well as gift tags using old
they're retailing in the shops. Make greetings cards (in the New Year
sure you include mis-spelt words in save this year's Christmas cards,
your search, as items are occasion- and cut to re-use next year)
ally listed incorrectly, leading to
fewer bids. 9. Food and drink. There's always
too much on the day. Make a list of
And you can make money by selling
items on ebay. If you don’t want what you really need, with some
to do this, call Marc Tielemans at luxuries, but don't go overboard.
Swindon’s Let Us Auction it and Suggest your guests bring a bottle
he’ll sell items for you. See his to help spread the cost.
advert on page 7. 10. Don't forget evouchers. Some
websites offer promotional codes to
4. Give a promise gift. Offer your
time instead of buying unwanted use at online checkouts. Before pur-
items. Decorate a card offering your chasing anything online, whether
services - babysitting, cooking a food or gifts, search 'discount
meal for two, gardening, etc. - en- codes' or 'evouchers' and look at
close in a box or similar and wrap the various sites, typing the name
nicely. of the shop you will be using into
their search facility. Offers may be
5. For a special but low-cost gift, on specific ranges or include a dis-
why not make a memory book count of the total cost, or delivery.
for one of your loved ones, using Try www.evouchers.com or www.
photos, stories, humour, and deco- netvouchercodes.co.uk

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