The do’s and don’ts of passing on unwanted or duplicate gifts.
There’s a good chance at some point each year you’ll be given a gift you don’t want or need. Unwanted presents are frustrating and disappointing but also a bit awkward. So what do you do with it?
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What to do with an unwanted present
The worst thing you can do with an unwanted gift is just throw it away. Not only are you adding to landfill, but the money spent by the gift giver has been wasted. Not much better is just putting it out of sight in a cupboard or drawer. It’ll probably just sit there gathering dust for a few years until you have a clear-out, and then go to the tip too.
You could try to make use of whatever you’ve been given, even if you don’t like it. But why wear a jumper, use the vase or eat some chocolates that aren’t to your taste simply because you feel you should? It’s not your fault the gift wasn’t right, so you shouldn’t feel guilty about it. Saying that, you might find you later learn to love it.
You could try to sell the present, though the admin and fees associated might be enough to put you off. It’s worth having a look online just to see what similar items have gone for, but it’s something likely only worth it for higher-value items.
Perhaps the best option, if you’re brave enough, is to be honest about the present. Tell the gift-giver why it’s not right and ask if they would be able to give you a gift receipt so you could exchange it, or if they would do it for you. This will be a lot easier if the gift is something you already have than if it’s just not to your taste. Still, it’s worth a go.
But if you can’t see that working, your next best bet financially is to pass the present on, also known as regifting. This can be controversial. Imagine how you’d feel if a gift you put thought into wasn’t just unwanted, but given to someone else? Not great. But it’s better to know someone, somewhere is making use of it rather than it getting chucked away.
And if you can avoid the awkwardness, then it’s a winning strategy. You’re giving someone a gift they hopefully will like, you’re helping the environment by not chucking it away and you’re saving yourself some cash by not having to buy something new.
So here a few simple rules and tips to help you navigate the minefield of regifting.
Do: only regift to someone you think will appreciate the present
Regifting doesn’t mean you can just palm off an unwanted present to any old friend or family member. If they won’t appreciate it, you’re just passing the buck, and it could still end up in the bin.
Instead have a think about who might like it, and there’s a good chance you’ll have a few contenders. Most unwanted gifts aren’t bad gifts. They might simply not be to your taste, or perhaps be a duplicate of something you already have.
Switch bonus requirementsSwitch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 60 days of starting the switch
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Don’t: regift everything
It’s worth taking into account any politics within your family or friendship groups. It might be better to keep hold of something and just bring it out from time to time to avoid any rifts. Yes, that could mean keeping hold of that awful painting your gran got you. But that might be better than the potential fallout if she found out.
Also some gifts are just plain bad. The kind you can’t understand why someone would manufacture it, let alone buy it. If you’ve got one of these and there’s no one you can think of who would like it then don’t regift it.
Do: have a regifting box
It’s worth keeping any unwanted gifts together in one box or cupboard. This way if you need to buy a present you can check what you’ve got and see if there’s anything suitable.
Don’t: forget who bought you the unwanted gift
There’s a danger with regifting of whoever you gave the gift to finding out, or perhaps even getting it back themselves. You hear stories of presents being passed around the same group year after year. Neither of these scenarios are desirable.
To avoid this, make a clear note of who gave you the gift and when. Then when you regift it, make sure it’s given to someone in a different circle.
Take a good look at your unwanted present. Have they inscribed a message in a book? Is there a tag stuck to the bottom of the box that you missed? If you’re sure there are no tell-tell signs the item is regifted then it’s fine to re-gift.
Don’t: regift anything that’s been used
Any unwanted present you want to pass on has to be in as good a condition as if you’d just bought it yourself. Packaging is key here so ensure any tags are intact and the box unopened. It’s important to check use-by dates on any food or drink gifts too.
Do: remember charity shops
Finally, as we’ve mentioned a few times above, you can also give an unwanted present to a charity shop. But don’t just dump a bag outside the shop. Take it in and see what they will take and then you can deal with anything they reject.
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Flash promotions & sales
These offers are special deals that we’ve spotted
TodayTix: up to 50% off in Boxing Day sale
TodayTix tends to run sales throughout the year and the latest is offering up to 50% off tickets in their Boxing Day sale. There’s no end date published, but I’d expect it to be until the end of January, if not early December (though the actual performances can be after these dates).
Central Tickets: Get 10% extra credit with your first top-up
If you top up your Central Tickets account for the first time, you can get 10% added by Central Tickets, up to the value of £10.
The credit in your account is used as payment for seat filling bookings you make through Central Tickets. It can’t be used on West End offer tickets (listed in a separate tab on their site).
You won’t be able to get a refund on it, and it won’t be protected if Central Tickets were to go bust, so make sure you’ll make use of the money you top up before you do so.
Central Tickets will add up to £10, so you could get £110 worth of credit for £100.
These are offers that tend to come back each year, so keep an eye out.
Official London Theatre New Year Sale (November 2025 to March 2026)
Official London Theatre holds a New Year sale semi-regularly, with some big shows at least 20% off. This year it starts officially on 25 November 2025, however if you have a Mastercard, you can take part in the Mastercard pre-sale via Priceless from 18 November.
Tickets are either £10, £20, £30, £40 or £50, with no booking fees.
This year, it’s running from 10 am on 18 November for performances until February. It’s often extended into March.
Twice a year, TodayTix and other sites offer discounts at a decent number of West End shows in an event called London Theatre Week. It was originally running from 18 August to 31 August 2025, but it’s now been extended to 7 September.
During these dates, you can book to visit the theatre in the coming months for heavy discounts — prices are either £15, £25 or £35.
The dates you can get discounts on vary massively between productions, but for a lot of them, you can book for a couple of months. There are tickets to The Great Gatsby, My Neighbour Totoro, Hamilton and Hercules included in the promotion.
Kids Theatre Week runs every summer, and tickets generally become available in early June for shows in August. Tickets went on sale this year on 10 June 2025, and they tend to sell out fast, but more tend to be released to coincide with the start of the summer holidays.
You can get one free child’s ticket (and two more at half-price) at a series of West End shows when you buy one full-paying adult ticket. It’s for shows from 21 July to 31 August, not just one week. A child is anyone 17 years old and under.
Tickets are limited with big shows quickly selling out, but there are plenty of options including Hamilton, Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, Mamma Mia and kids’ shows The Lion King, Matilda The Musical and Alice in Wonderland. And keep an eye out, as more seats might be released for those popular productions.
The only thing I’d say is the adult tickets are full price so you might be better off looking at other deals if more than one adult is attending.
Each March there’s usually an offer run in conjunction with The National Lottery. In 2022 it was a 2-4-1 vouchers while in 2023 it was a free £25 Theatre Token. The latter went viral and all tokens were snapped up within 24 hours.
However, unused tokens from March were made available again, with a final chance to get tokens taking place in May.
Tickets are limited and go very fast. If you join the waiting room before 11am you’ll be randomly allocated a spot in the queue. Those joining after 11am will be put at the back of the queue – which likely means you’ll miss out.
In order to claim the voucher you’ll need a Lotto ticket or scratchcard. You’ll find a reference number on your Lotto card which you’ll enter if you make it through the queue.
Switch bonus requirementsSwitch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 60 days of starting the switch
Deposit requirementsDeposit £1,500 in the first 60 days from opening the account
Direct debits transferred overSet up two Direct Debits before or after the switch from a selected list of household bills
Existing customers?Can't have held any Santander current account on 1 January 2025
RestrictionsCan't have received a switching bonus from Santander already, offer limited to once per person
Eligible accountsOpen a new or hold an existing Everyday, Edge, Edge Up or Edge Explorer current account
£25 Amazon Gift Card requirementsTo qualify for the gift card, you need to complete a full switch using CASS, and make five debit card transactions within 30 days of opening the account
There are occasionally discounts such as save 10% on Theatre Tokens – the official theatre gift card that’s valid at hundreds of locations nationwide and the TKTs Booth in the West End. We’ll add them here when we spot them.
Theatre Tokens: 10% off
If you buy a Theatre Tokens gift card and use the code Tfl then you can get 10% off your purchase. These gift cards can be redeemed at over 300 theatres nationwide and don’t have an expiry date.
You can order a total of £500 worth of gift cards per household, which would get you a £50 discount.
Until 4 June you can book £25 tickets at 25 different West End shows via TodayTix. This includes Book of Mormon, We Will Rock You, Wizard of Oz and Punchdrunk’s Burnt City.
Here’s where I’ll post any particularly decent eBay deals and offers, whether selling or buying!
As you’d expect there are thousands of different products! Often you’ll see well-known shops selling on eBay now at prices less than their own website. Office and Argos are just some with “outlet” shops on eBay.
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Buying offers
20% off on eBay
Another eBay deal, this time offering 20% off a huge variety of retailers. The code for 20% is MERRY20. The code expires at midnight on 16 December 2025.
There’s a minimum spend of £9.99 and the max discount is £75. The code can be used three times.
Do always price check elsewhere before buying though as they could be cheaper even without the discount.
You can get an exclusive £20 new member bonus. You need to spend £10 via one of the retailers listed on TCB to get this bonus, and that includes eBay. You must go via this link or the button below.
Read the full terms and conditions when you click through. Ends 31 March 2026.
The best Quidco deal is for subscribers to our free newsletter who get access to an exclusive £20 first-time bonus when they spend £10. Though you can use this at any shop, it also includes eBay. You’ll also get the cashback offered on top.
Once you sign up, you’ll need to click on the sign-up confirmation email that will be sent immediately. If you don’t see it, please check your spam folders as it could be there, and then add our email address to your safe senders list.
Then look for a special email that will be sent to you with the exclusive Quidco sign-up link. Make sure to read the terms and conditions on Quidco’s website before making your first purchase to ensure it tracks.
This offer is due to end 31 December 2025, but will hopefully be extended.
Switch bonus requirementsSwitch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 60 days of starting the switch
Deposit requirementsDeposit £1,500 in the first 60 days from opening the account
Direct debits transferred overSet up two Direct Debits before or after the switch from a selected list of household bills
Existing customers?Can't have held any Santander current account on 1 January 2025
RestrictionsCan't have received a switching bonus from Santander already, offer limited to once per person
Eligible accountsOpen a new or hold an existing Everyday, Edge, Edge Up or Edge Explorer current account
£25 Amazon Gift Card requirementsTo qualify for the gift card, you need to complete a full switch using CASS, and make five debit card transactions within 30 days of opening the account
How often do you have to use ODEON Limitless, Cineworld Unlimited, Everyman Everywhere and other movie memberships to make them worthwhile?
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How cinema memberships work
There are two core types of memberships for the main cinema chains. The all-you-can-watch options will let you go every day, even more than once each day, if you want. The others will get you a handful of free tickets and then discounts on future ones.
Often you’re limited to just standard 2D screenings in normal seats, but some will let you access 3D showings, recliner seats and even event cinema such as theatre – though you’ll pay more for the privilege.
You can see the breakdown of ODEON MyLimitless, Cineworld Unlimited, Everyman, Curzon and Picturehouse memberships further down the page. But first, my thoughts on how to decide what represents good value.
Should you get a cinema membership?
I think value from cinema memberships comes down to three factors. If you can justify at least two of them, then potentially go for it.
How often will you go?
First is the most important, and it’s one very simple number – how often are you really going to go? Back in my 20s, my record was 60 times in a year, but even I found that too much. I forgot half the things I saw!
I think if you can commit to going roughly two or three weeks out of four (between 26 and 40 visits a year) then you’ll likely be getting a bargain. These are the key numbers I’ve used in the comparisons below, but that’s still a lot of films to see. Go less than this and the savings tend to be less likely.
Can you commit to just one cinema?
Next you need to consider if you’re likely to still visit other cinema chains. That could be because there aren’t many screens or certain films aren’t showing where you’ve got your membership – often the case for independent or foreign films. Perhaps it’s just a logistical matter because mates want to go elsewhere or you can only make a screening at 8pm.
There’s absolutely no point shelling out for an unlimited membership if you’re going to see movies elsewhere too.
But if you’ve only got one cinema then this is less of a problem.
Of course, some of these memberships can also be used alongside other deals. There are tricks mentioned below for both Everyman and Cineworld memberships which effectively give you free tickets for two people if you go certain days. Bargain!
When I lived in London I saw no point getting one of the annual cinema memberships. First, there are dozens of ways to get cheap tickets, meaning I rarely paid more than £6 a ticket in the capital. Second, you are tied to going to just one chain, which doesn’t work if the film you want to see at the time you want to go is at a cinema you can’t use your membership.
But now I’m out of London, my options are much smaller. We’ve actually only got two cinemas in town – an ODEON and an Everyman. Both offer membership schemes that let you go as much as you want. Are they worth shelling out for?
Having checked out all the deals, the cinema geek side of me is very tempted by the Everyman Everywhere membership – but only if I’m willing to go every week.
However, thanks to various deals, I tend to get more than 20 free tickets elsewhere each year, as well as a dozen or so free rental vouchers. Combined with so many fantastic TV shows on Disney, Apple and the BBC I don’t think I’d be able to get enough value from a membership.
Plus I still like to have the choice of where I go and I’ve enough money-saving tricks up my sleeve that I can keep prices just as low most of the time. So the answer – for now – is no.
But take a look at the different options below to see if one could work for you.
How the different cinema memberships compare
ODEON myLimitless
How it works
There are two versions of ODEON’s membership, called myLimitless. The standard offering works all over the UK, not just outside London. However you won’t be able to use it at Luxe locations. These are included in the myLimitless Plus membership.
With standard, you can go to as many 2D films as you want, though screenings can’t overlap. Extras such as 3D and IMAX require additional payments. You also can’t use your membership ticket to get another free ticket with Meerkat Movies.
You’ll be invited to free preview screenings. You can book up to four screenings in advance. There’s a 10% discount on food and drinks.
In addition, the Plus membership not only lets you watch films at Luxe cinemas, but also get unlimited access to premier or recliner seats, as well as 3D and iSense screenings. However you’ll pay extra for screen 1 in Leicester Square and Islington Luxe & Dine.
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ODEON myLimitless costs
Standard cost (excluding Luxe): £16.99 a month / £186 a year
Plus cost (inc Luxe): £19.99 a month / £219 a year
Annual discount: 8% if paid in full (12 months for the price of 11)
It’s worth keeping an eye out for occasional offers that bring down the price of an annual Plus membership, especially around Black Friday.
Switch bonus requirementsSwitch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 60 days of starting the switch
Deposit requirementsDeposit £1,500 in the first 60 days from opening the account
Direct debits transferred overSet up two Direct Debits before or after the switch from a selected list of household bills
Existing customers?Can't have held any Santander current account on 1 January 2025
RestrictionsCan't have received a switching bonus from Santander already, offer limited to once per person
Eligible accountsOpen a new or hold an existing Everyday, Edge, Edge Up or Edge Explorer current account
£25 Amazon Gift Card requirementsTo qualify for the gift card, you need to complete a full switch using CASS, and make five debit card transactions within 30 days of opening the account
Cineworld says that the monthly cost will be cheaper than two tickets a month – though the price will change depending on the location for your “home” cinema. There are four groups, and you can see which one your cinema fits into here.
The bulk of locations are in groups 1 and 2. Though not exclusively, group 3 contains most of the London cinemas, while group 4 adds in Leicester Sq. You can use your membership at all cinemas in your and lower groups – so group 4 is effectively every single Cineworld.
You can go to as many 2D films as you want, though screenings can’t overlap. Extras such as 3D and IMAX require additional payments, though if you continue for a second year 3D is included. There’s a 50% discount on “event” screenings.
In theory you can get another free ticket with Meerkat Movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so that would mean you’d only need one membership between you – if you only go midweek.
You’ll be able to see free previews and there’s a 10% discount on food and drinks, going up to 25% in year two.
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How much does Cineworld Unlimited cost?
Cost (Group 1): £13.99 a month / £167.88 a year
Cost (Group 2): £17.99 a month / £215.88 a year
Cost (Group 3): £19.99 a month / £239.88 a year
Cost (Group 4): £22.99 a month / £275.88 a year
Annual discount: None (though look out for offers)
Other savings: Recommend a friend to get a free month each, or use Clubcard points at 2:1 value
Cineworld Unlimited membership details
Minimum membership: 3 months
How to join: At the cinema, via Tesco Clubcard or via the Cineworld website
Is Cineworld Unlimited worth it?
This one has the potential to be incredibly cheap, but only if you combine your free ticket with Meerkat Movies.
If you mainly go on a Tuesday or Wednesday to take advantage of this two for one offer in Group 1, you’ll pay just £4.20 for two tickets, based on 40 visits. That falls to a fantastic £2.10 per ticket.
Of course, if you’re on your own, in pricier groups, go different days or go less often, then it can get a lot more expensive. So once more you need to compare it to prices at your cinema to see whether you’ll save or not.
Visits per year
Cost per film (Group 1)
Cost per film (Group 2)
Cost per film (Group 3)
Cost per film (Group 4)
52
£3.23
£4.15
£4.61
£5.33
40
£4.20
£5.40
£6
£6.90
26
£6.46
£8.30
£9.23
£10.61
12
£13.99
£17.99
£19.99
£22.99
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Everyman membership
How it works
The basic “Everyman” membership provides six free tickets. The next level up is the “Everyicon” membership, which offers 24 free tickets. However, both let you bring a friend for free on Mondays, potentially doubling your number of included tickets.
The “Everywhere” membership is a lot of money at £680 a year. However, it’s for two people at any time and you can go to as many films as you like.
All give you 10% off food and drink, and fee-free booking.
If an Everyman is your local cinema, or the one you like going to, then you could well save a little with the six tickets for £95, making them £15.83 a ticket, or £7.92 if you go on a Monday with a friend and split the cost.
The next level – ‘Everyicon’ – is a little cheaper, but again use the free tickets just on Mondays and that’s now 48 tickets, working out at a very nice £7.29 each.
The top ‘Everywhere’ could work if you’ve a partner or friend who will share the membership with you. Even then you need to go a lot. See 40 movies each in a year and it’ll work out as £8.50 each for your ticket.
Personally I’d go to a cheaper cinema instead, or get a trial for Times+ which offers 2-4-1 tickets every Wednesday.
Visits a year
Everyman
Everyicon
Everywhere (one person / two people)
52
N/A
N/A
£13.08 / £6.54
40
N/A
N/A
£17 / £8.50
24
N/A
£14.58 (for 24 visits)
£28.33 / £14.77
12
N/A
£29.17
£56.67 / £28.33
6
£15.83
–
–
*based on annual spend
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Curzon membership
What you get
The entry-level “Classic” includes five free tickets, and then discounts for you and a guest.
Next up, the “Cult” membership is seven tickets every week – so essentially free entry to as many films as you want. You can also use these credits to stream online movies from Curzon Home Cinema.
If there are two of you, you can add the “Events and Guest” option which gets you 14 tickets each week and you can use it on “event” screenings – but you’ll pay £50 more each month.
There’s also 10% off food and drink with all three membership levels. Sadly Curzon doesn’t accept Meerkat Movies.
How much is Curzon membership?
Cost (Classic): £70 a year (all cinemas) / £55 a year (non-London)
Cost (Cult): £25 a month / £285 a year
Cost (Cult plus Events and Guest): £75 a month / £850 a year
Go 40 times and the ‘Cult’ membership works out as £7.13 a ticket. That’s more than I’d like to pay, but not bad if you’re in London or only have a Curzon near you. However since Curzon has a more indie/arthouse lean, you might still need to pay elsewhere to see some of the big blockbusters.
Adding ‘Events and Guest’ to the Cult membership is the most expensive out there. Only if two of you go three out of four weeks, or a little less if you throw in regular event screenings, are you going to be making this worthwhile.
The Classic membership will be worth it if you are definitely going to go five times a year to a Curzon, or if the normal ticket prices elsewhere are around £11 outside London and £14 inside London.
Visits per year
Classic (London/Outside London)
Cost per film (Cult)
Cost per film (Cult+ one person)
Cost per film (Cult+ one person)
52
N/A
£5.48
£16.35
£8.17
40
N/A
£7.13
£7.13
£3.56
26
N/A
£10.96
£10.96
£5.48
12
N/A
£23.75
£23.75
£11.88
5
£14 / £11
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Picturehouse membership
What you get
There isn’t a subscription membership at Picturehouse, but I’ve included it for completion. Instead you get five free tickets and discounts on further tickets.
The Member Plus option gives you double the freebies (so 10 tickets), and you can get members prices on up to three further tickets for each screening.
There’s also 10% off food and drink, jumping to 25% from year two. Like all the others there are member’s previews, though these are free at Picturehouse, potentially saving you some more cash.
How much does Picturehouse membership cost?
Cost (Picturehouse Central): £100 a year (single) / £185 a year (joint)
Cost (London excl Central): £75 a year (single) / £120 a year (joint)
Cost (Outside London): £65 a year (single) / £110 a year (joint)
If you’re likely to go to a Picturehouse cinema over other chains then the ongoing discount after the free tickets will make it more affordable. Still though, that’s potentially more expensive than using other tricks at other cinemas.
I’ve used my membership free tickets alongside Meerkat Movies in the past – I can’t find any official confirmation this is allowed, but I can’t see why not. This essentially gives you double the number of free tickets to be used on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Visits per year
Cost per film (Outside London single)
Cost per film (Outside London joint)
Cost per film (London single)
Cost per film (London joint)
Cost per film (West End single)
Cost per film (West End joint)
10
N/A
£11.00
N/A
£12.00
N/A
£18.50
5
£13.00
N/A
£15.00
N/A
£20.00
N/A
Cineworld Unlimited vs ODEON myLimitless
The two most effective memberships in terms of value for money are the ODEON and Cineworld schemes. If you have both cinemas near you and aren’t sure which one to go for here’s what I’d do.
Ultimately, ODEON’s is cheaper but if you can combine the Cineworld with Meerkat Movies, then the latter is a better option.
If that’s not a deal-breaker for you, I’d look at which has the most screens and which ones tend to show the films you want to see. If it’s just standard blockbusters both should have them on, but if you want smaller films that might not be the case.
Everything you need to know to save money when going to a show
A trip to the theatre isn’t a cheap night out. Tickets for Hamilton go as high as £250. That’s for one ticket. Crazy prices. But there are ways to see West End and local theatre productions for less.
I obviously don’t pay that kind of price. Yes for the hottest shows that means I might go without, but there are plenty of ways to see top-quality West End and local theatre productions for less.
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Hunt out the best deals
There are some big sales throughout the year which are always good bets. The biggest – Get Into London Theatre usually takes place from December to March, while Kids Week is every August.
Ad hoc sales and offers pop up on TodayTix, while TimeOut has the occasional deal (it used to be better). There are sometimes flash sales at Ticketmaster too. Lastminute.com isn’t as good as it once was, but it’s worth a look.
Generally, avoid sites like TasteCard+, which offer money off tickets as part of the membership. Each time I’ve looked the deals can be beaten elsewhere or aren’t even discounted at all.
When there are any really good deals on lots of productions, I’ll list them on my theatre tickets deals page.
Pay with discounted gift cards
This trick won’t always work – sometimes the best prices are on sites that don’t accept gift cards (e.g TodayTix). But there are often deals to save here or there on the likes of Ticketmaster and Theatre Tokens.
Thanks to this I managed to get 50% off seats at rarely discounted shows Cabaret and Hamilton (though sadly it’s rare to see such a huge per cent off).
Choose the best value seats
If there’s a play I want to see my first stop is often always the excellent Theatre Monkey. The website provides seating plans for each theatre, with crowdsourced feedback from readers telling you which seats are good value, and which are bad. Often a ticket might be cheap because you can’t see half the stage!
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Get a cheaper day or rush ticket
A number of shows offer reduced tickets on the day, often called rush or day tickets. Sometimes these have been held back for the day, or they could just be returns. For the really popular shows this is a great way to get tickets.
It used to be you’d have to rock up at the box office very, very early. But now most of these are sold online. Theatremonkey has a list of how it works for each show, along with reader feedback on success rates for those queuing in-person.
However, the majority will be sold through the TodayTix where you unlock “rush tickets” at 10am. Most cost £25, but could be as low as £15.
The seats could be anywhere in the theatre, from restricted view through to the the top-end VIP seats. It’s first come first serve, though I’ve managed to get tickets as late as 5pm (obviously not for the most popular shows).
Some theatres have larger numbers of reduced tickets on set days. Over at The Royal Court there are cheaper seats every Monday (on sale 9am online on the day).
Try a lottery
Lotteries for plays can get you cheap tickets to performances, even the most popular and sold-out shows. However, as the name suggests, it’s a lottery as to whether your name is chosen to buy the tickets.
Over the years I tried for shows like Book of Mormon, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hamilton and Cabaret – with no success!
They used to take place at the box office. You’d just turn up at the box office a few hours before the show and give your name… and hope! Now most are online.
More often these are also run via the TodayTix app. Some still offer them on their own websites such as the one for Matilda or The National Theatre’s £10 Friday Rush promotion.
Check in advance what the rules are. Some take place once a week for all performances the following week, others are daily. There’s usually a cut-off time to submit your entry and if you’re successful you’ll likely only be able to buy two tickets.
Be a seat filler
I’ve nabbed dozens of free tickets for my parents through sites like Show Film First and Central Tickets often for big West End shows. The reason? Theatres want to fill up the seats.
This tends to happen at the start to help spread word of mouth, or near the end of a run when less people are going. There’s usually a £4 to £10 fee per ticket – a fraction of the actual ticket cost. Here’s my guide to how seat filling works.
Switch bonus requirementsSwitch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 60 days of starting the switch
Deposit requirementsDeposit £1,500 in the first 60 days from opening the account
Direct debits transferred overSet up two Direct Debits before or after the switch from a selected list of household bills
Existing customers?Can't have held any Santander current account on 1 January 2025
RestrictionsCan't have received a switching bonus from Santander already, offer limited to once per person
Eligible accountsOpen a new or hold an existing Everyday, Edge, Edge Up or Edge Explorer current account
£25 Amazon Gift Card requirementsTo qualify for the gift card, you need to complete a full switch using CASS, and make five debit card transactions within 30 days of opening the account
The Twickets website is a great place for people to sell on seats they can no longer use. Though sellers can’t inflate the selling price (it’s an anti-tout company), there are Twicket fees on top, so it’s always worth checking you can’t get the ticket for less direct.
However, the closer it gets to the performance date, sellers can reduce their asking price or allow offers. So if you can go last minute you might be able to nab a bargain. At the time of writing I spotted Matilda and Phantom tickets for this week’s performance going for below face value.
Go to theatres with special rates
The National Theatre offers hundreds of tickets at each performance at just £25. They go quick but you can sign up for alerts.
Meanwhile, The Globe has 700 £5 tickets for every performance (though they are standing) and The Young Vic has £12 Lucky Dip standing tickets that could be upgraded on the night to an empty seat.
You can of course avoid the West End and see something on the fringe, which will be much cheaper. The Arcola has a “Pay What You Can Tuesdays”, with a suggested price of £5.
Visit the official theatre booth
From when I was a kid through to just a few years ago I always used to head to the official TKTs Theatre Booth in Leicester Sqare to get my tickets (as long as I was flexible about what I saw). Unsold tickets for that day’s performances were often half-price – though there was usually a queue.
Recently the prices don’t seem as competitive as they once were, but they’re still worth a look if there are a few London shows you’d like to see. Don’t confuse it with other “discount theater booths” nearby.
And you don’t have to visit in person now. Last year I picked up tickets online to Dear England on the train down to London for that evening’s performance.
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Go to a less expensive performance
If you can go on a midweek afternoon – usually a Wednesday or Thursday – you’re more likely to find availability in the cheaper seats. The same goes for evening shows at the start of the week.
Previews are often discounted as they’re essentially ticketed dress rehearsals. Most shows will be cheaper. However with full prices already so high, you could still pay a fair amount.
Cut your booking and delivery fees
A good way to save is to collect your tickets at the box office on the night of the show. If there are no special deals or discounts, head to the theatre box office where you can normally avoid booking fees too.
If you can’t do this and have to buy online then do shop around as you might find See Tickets is cheaper than Ticketmaster for one show, but more expensive for another!
Buy a cheap seat and ask for an upgrade
Buy a ticket in the cheapest part of the theatre – usually at the top of the upper circle or similar then you could be automatically upgraded. For less-busy shows these parts of the theatre are often closed and the tickets redistributed.
I’ve had this happen a few times. A few years ago I bought £10 tickets (to Let The Right One In) via Lastminute.com. They were meant to be restricted view in the top circle level, but when we arrived we found we’d been upgraded to £50 stalls tickets to fill those seats (the circle was completely closed).
This is more likely to happen on less popular productions in larger theatres for performances happening earlier in the week.
If that hasn’t happened automatically and the theatre isn’t too busy, you can always ask when you collect your tix. Or just see if you can move in the interval – though you might be asked to move back by staff.
Ditch the West End
Yes theatre does exist outside central London! There are lots of top theatres, especially in Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester, Stratford-upon-Avon and Chichester.
Plus, many shows will tour the UK before moving to the West End, or will be revived a few years later. Seats will pretty much always be cheaper this way.
Watch it at the cinema or at home
If you’re not in London or can’t afford West End prices even when they are on offer, then your best chance to see the top plays is in the cinema. Tickets generally range between £15 and £20.
And there are streaming services that allow you to watch productions from your sofa.
Leave certain festive purchases and plans too late and it could prove costly.
There’s always a mad rush in the weeks before Christmas to get everything you need doing done in time. And the later you leave things, the more likely is is you’ll get hit with extra costs,
So to help, here’s a quick checklist of the things I think you need to prioritise:
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Check the last order dates
Whether it’s coming to you or straight to a friend or family member, it won’t be long before there’s no guarantee that anything you order will get to its destination in time.
It’s worth knowing that if the retailer still says you can get something in time for Christmas and specifies a delivery date – but it doesn’t arrive in time you have the right to cancel the order and get a refund. Contact the retailer not the courier for this as they’re who you have a contract with.
Of course you can select speedy or next-day delivery at lots of shops. But you do pay more for this. And if you’re trying to avoid using Amazon you are going to run out of choices the later you leave it.
Even then, there’s still the chance that premium delivery won’t arrive in time. If that does happen you can claim back the extra delivery costs. It’s a slight consolation, but it doesn’t help if you need something before visiting family.
Catch the last post
For cards, letters and parcels that you’re personally sending, the dates are a few days later than last year (there’s no strike disrupting delivery this time). Though you’ve still got time according to Royal Mail, but I’d get them sent ASAP. The last post dates are:
Wednesday 17 December 2025: 2nd Class
Saturday 20 December 2025: 1st Class
Tuesday 23 December 2025: Special Delivery guaranteed
If you do miss these dates you can look at using courier firms. Shop around for the best price.
For international letters and parcels the deadline varies massively. For many non-European destinations it’s already too late, and the rest are approaching fast – and that’s for the more expensive tracking and signature services.
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Avoid panic gifts
Christmas gifts bought at the last minute are either going to be a huge disappointment (like those toilet seat covers in Friends), cost you more than you planned, or if you plump for that perennial panic present the gift card it could also be a risky purchase.
All three are bad purchases. The pointless or useless gift is a waste of money. The expensive gift could cause you problems if you can’t afford it.
And the gift card… There’s enough for me to write a whole article on these (and I have), but essentially these can easily become valueless. Whether that’s because they’re forgotten about, they expire before they’re used or because the retailer they’re for goes bust. You’re better off giving cash and suggesting what you’d like it to go towards.
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Book travel NOW
As always you’ll pay more the later you leave it to book, so get on it now. You might also be required to have an advance ticket on some rail routes. In fact, you might find some Christmas Eve trains are already sold out.
As with every Christmas there will be no trains on 25 December, and very limited service on Boxing Day. Plus engineering works running 24 December to 2 January 2026 will cause disruption.
The same applies to coach and flight tickets too, which are going to be even more popular on those dates, so book these up sooner rather than later to avoid higher prices or be forced into more expensive alternatives.
Switch bonus requirementsSwitch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 60 days of starting the switch
Deposit requirementsDeposit £1,500 in the first 60 days from opening the account
Direct debits transferred overSet up two Direct Debits before or after the switch from a selected list of household bills
Existing customers?Can't have held any Santander current account on 1 January 2025
RestrictionsCan't have received a switching bonus from Santander already, offer limited to once per person
Eligible accountsOpen a new or hold an existing Everyday, Edge, Edge Up or Edge Explorer current account
£25 Amazon Gift Card requirementsTo qualify for the gift card, you need to complete a full switch using CASS, and make five debit card transactions within 30 days of opening the account
We all know food price inflation has been huge, so I’d recommend planning as much of your festive food now as you can to save money.
Doing this can help you to avoid food waste – which is effectively throwing money in the bin. So don’t get more than you need. Obviously some food you’ll need to get nearer the time, such as fresh fruit and veg. But others you can nab now and put in the freezer, even the turkey.
In fact, the room you clear in the freezer as you defrost these items is perfect for picking up those yellow sticker bargains that will appear on Christmas Eve. And with M&S and Waitrose supermarkets saying they’ll close on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day it’s a good sign there will be more reduced to clear items than on a normal day.
And of course, if you can still get one, make sure you’ve got any online delivery slots booked. If you missed out it’s worth checking again to see if extra dates and times have been released. Or you might even get lucky and find one that has been cancelled.
The latest free trials, vouchers, discounted annual passes and hacks to save money on Spotify.
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A couple of times a year there tends to be a new customer deal offering three months for 99p. When these come about I’ll list them below. Otherwise, new customers can always get one month for free.
Four months free Premium if you’ve not tried it before
New Premium customers and those who haven’t tried it before can get four months until 31 December 2025. You can cancel anytime or pay £12.99 once the free trial ends.
New subscribers can get three months free if you apply via the free H&M membership.
Head to the H&M app and in the offer section of your H&M account you’ll need to generate a code to trigger the free Spotify trial.
You need to redeem the offer by 5 November 2026.
This isn’t open to current subscribers, and remember to cancel the subscription if you don’t want to pay full price, as it’ll renew at £12.99 per month after three months.
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Previous Spotify customer deals
These offers for ex-customers are rare, but still appear from time to time.
Two months for £6.50
This “welcome back” offer gets you two months of Premium for the cost of half of one month. This one runs 17 November to 31 December 2025.
It’s for those who had a Spotify Premium account but cancelled it more than 30 days ago. But if you’ve used one of these offers in the last 24 months, you won’t be eligible this time.
Look out for an email offering you this, or you can also log in and see if the offer is displayed in your account. It’s for the individual Premium account only, not Duo, Student or Family.
We usually see it run two or three times a year, usually April, August and November.
Here are the previous dates from recent offers to give you an idea of when it might return.
17 November to 31 December 2015
Mid August to 22 September 2025 (for those who cancelled before mid July 2025)
Mid April to 19 May 2025 (for those who cancelled before mid March 2025)
End of November – 31 December 2024 (for those who cancelled before November 2024)
Mid August to 17 September 2024 (for those who cancelled prior to 12 July 2024)
Mid April to 14 May 2024 (for those who cancelled before 18 March 2024)
Mid January – 14 February 2024 (for those who cancelled before 1 Jan 2024)
27 November – 31 December 2023 (for those who cancelled before 27 October 2023)
August to 12 September 2023 (for those who cancelled before 16 July 2023)
21 April – 16 May 2023 (for those who cancelled before 19 March 2023)
29 November – 31 December 2022 (for those who cancelled before 28 October 2022)
August/September 2022 (for those who cancelled before mid-May 2022)
April – 19 May 2022 (for those who cancelled before 14 March 2022)
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Existing Spotify customer deals
You don’t need to pay full price for Spotify as an existing customer. Here are my top ways to save.
12 months of Spotify Premium for the price of nine (ish)
This is a decent deal from Currys for existing Spotify Premium customers. It’ll cost you £120 rather than £155.88, so you’ll get almost three months free based on the new prices.
You can it as a digital or physical gift card that is sent in the post. Frustratingly you can’t use gift cards with Family, Duo or Student accounts. It also won’t work on Basic plans.
You can stack this with an existing gift card, or buy one now to add at a later date, though you can’t have more than 18 months of credit on your account at any time.
Switch bonus requirementsSwitch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 60 days of starting the switch
Deposit requirementsDeposit £1,500 in the first 60 days from opening the account
Direct debits transferred overSet up two Direct Debits before or after the switch from a selected list of household bills
Existing customers?Can't have held any Santander current account on 1 January 2025
RestrictionsCan't have received a switching bonus from Santander already, offer limited to once per person
Eligible accountsOpen a new or hold an existing Everyday, Edge, Edge Up or Edge Explorer current account
£25 Amazon Gift Card requirementsTo qualify for the gift card, you need to complete a full switch using CASS, and make five debit card transactions within 30 days of opening the account
This new, slightly cheaper, version of Spotify started in May 2024 but seems to have disappeared.
However if you see it in your account, you get everything that Premium offers such as offline listening (downloads) and no-adverts, but you do sacrifice audiobooks. Not all users will be able to get this, so you’ll need to check your accounts to find out. Here’s everything you need to know about Spotify Basic.
Shared Spotify subscription deals
If you live with others who pay for their own Spotify Premium you can save cash by combining them via a Duo or Family plan.
Here’s the breakdown per month per person, with annual costs per person in brackets.
Plan
1 person
2 people
3 people
4 people
5 people
6 people
Premium
£12.99 (£155.88)
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Duo
£17.99 (£215.88)
£9 (£107.94)
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Family
£21.99 (£265.88)
£12 (£144)
£7.33 (£87.96)
£5.50 (£66)
£4.40 (£52.80)
£3.67 (£43.98)
Monthly cost per person on each plan (annual in brackets)
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Spotify Family for £21.99 a month and get six accounts
A decent option if there are three or more of you with your own Spotify accounts. Subscribe to a Family pass and you can pay £21.99 all in. So the more of you, the cheaper it gets. You can share with two people but the Duo option will work out cheaper.
Duo is the best option for two people living at the same address, and this is the one we use.
You’ll pay £17.99 a month for Spotify Duo, so £4 cheaper than the family option (£50sh less a year), or £8 less than two standard Premium accounts (£96 total less a year). You will be asked to verify your address.
Get more than £60 of birthday freebies from shops and restaurants
Everyone likes to feel extra special on their birthday. Which is why some companies offer birthday freebies, with everything from free cake to a bottle of Prosecco. The best thing about some of these is that you often get a few weeks to claim your freebie, letting you take advantage of more, and spread your birthday out even further.
One birthday, Editor-in-chief Andy managed to bag himself a free meal at his favourite burger joint Meat Liquor, some posh Hotel Chocolat treats, a Body Shop shower gel and he saved money on some flatpack furniture at Ikea, totalling £28 worth of freebies.
And here’s how you can get up to £60 worth of freebies for your birthday.
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How to get birthday freebies
While most retailers’ emails end up unread and clogging up your inbox, when it comes to a few weeks before your birthday, it’s time to pay a little extra attention to them, just in case you’re getting a little gift.
Of course, these brands aren’t giving you something for nothing. In all cases, you need to be signed up for their newsletters, loyalty schemes or apps, which means handing over your data and dealing with constant emails.
If you’re selective, and only pick the brands you regularly shop at and want to hear about, then it’s well worth doing. And often the birthday freebies aren’t the only offers and deals you’ll get sent during the year.
Don’t forget that you can always unsubscribe from emails once you’ve had your birthday, and possibly even sign up again – though it’s worth doing this at least a month before your birthday to allow time for your details to be processed.
One of our writers Nicky Selwood, says that she always gives a different birthday, so she’s got birthdays all year round to make the most out of. The odd one might want ID, so use your real birthday for these ones.
Free birthday vouchers
With these retailers, it could be worth signing up in order to get a free voucher on your birthday. These are often only £5, but you could get yourself a few freebies or take a discount off something you’ve been eyeing up. There’s often no minimum spend, so you can get something for absolutely nothing.
I’ve ignored those that give the likes of 10% off as those kinds of codes are regularly available.
Marks & Spencer
M&S didn’t used to guarantee a freebie or voucher on your birthday, but it recently changed the Sparks scheme to get one for everyone signed up to the M&S Sparks card who has signed up for marketing and enters their birthday more than 35 days before via the app.
Register for Hobbycraft Club and you’ll be sent a voucher to spend in-store or online on the month of your birthday. You’ll also get a 15% off voucher when you sign up.
Hotel Chocolat – £5 voucher
For a free fiver with a £5.50 minimum spend, you just need to be signed up for Hotel Chocolat’s VIP.ME scheme.
The voucher can also be combined with other offers.
Free food and drink
From smoothies to doughnuts, here’s all the free food and drink you can get on your birthday. We’ve ignored a lot of the offers where you get a free main or bubbly when you buy a main, though there are a couple listed at the bottom of this page. They’re still decent offers, but we’re more excited about the freebies.
If you manage to get a bill for £0, it’s still pretty good form to leave a tip.
Barburrito – free burrito
Barburrito is offering a free burrito on your birthday, as long as you’re signed up to the loyalty app. A few days before your birthday, you’ll be emailed a voucher for a free burrito, which should also show in the app. Show this at the till, and you can eat for free.
You only get four days to claim it, so you have to be quick.
Benugo – free drink
Coffee shop chain Benugo is giving away a free coffee on your birthday. You just need to sign up to the mailing list and you’ll get a free coffee and another on your birthday.
Boost – free drink
If you sign up for the Boost Vibe Club (you can do this online), you can get a free drink on your birthday.
This can be claimed up to 3 days before and 3 days after your birthday.
You need to have earned at least one point and you’ll need to show ID proving that it’s your birthday.
Burger King – free whopper
Add your date of birth to the BK Rewards app and you’ll get a free burger!
Caffé Nero – free cake
If you’re signed up for the free Caffé Nero app and ensure you have your birthday in your settings, you’ll get a voucher for a free slice of cake on your birthday. Plus you can get a free drink for signing up here.
Costa – free cake
If you’re signed up for the free Costa Club you’ll notice a reward for a free slice of cake appear in your app. Costa lets you know it’s there with an email too.
Make sure you’ve told Costa when your birthday is, you can do this in the app.
Greggs – free cake or doughnut
Sign up to the Greggs Rewards scheme via the Greggs app and you’ll be able to claim a free doughnut, cupcake or cream cake. The voucher is valid for a month.
Krispy Kreme – free doughnut
You get a free doughnut via the Friends of Krispy Kreme scheme each year, though it’s only in full shops, not the ones you find in Supermarkets.
With this offer, you can choose any doughnut during your birthday month. When it comes to claiming it, you will need to add the birthday reward to your wallet in the Krispy Kreme app.
Lidl – free doughnut
If you haven’t quite had enough free doughnuts on your birthday, donut worry — you can claim another one from Lidl.
This one is found in the Lidl Plus app and is valid for 7 days from the birthday listed in your Lidl Plus Account.
Lola’s Cupcakes – free cupcake
If you join the Lola’s Cupcakes Love Club more than 30 days before your birthday, then you can get a free regular cupcake on your birthday for free.
You have to show ID that confirms your birth date and you have to prove you’ve been a member of the Love Club for at least 30 days. This excludes Lola’s Bakery in West Hampstead.
Muffin Break – free Muffin
There’s nothin’ like a free muffin on your birthday. By signing up for the Muffin Break loyalty scheme, you can get a free muffin in the month of your birthday.
There’s also a free doughnut for joining, too.
Starbucks – free drink
One for regular Starbucks users. If you join the free Starbucks Rewards scheme and reach Gold level (you need to earn 450 Stars, roughly a spend of £150) you’ll get a free drink on your birthday. You’ll also get other freebies throughout the year at this level. You get a free drink for every 150 stars you collect, so you’ll get 3 free drinks on your attempt to reach Gold.
Subway – free cookie
Join Subway Rewards, add your date of birth and you’ll receive a treat on your birthday, usually a free cookie.
Our podcast
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Boots Advantage cardholders get double points for their whole birthday month. This will pop up in your Boots app on the first of the month, and you need to load the deal to your card before you scan it in-store. Check your details in the app to make sure Boots knows its your birthday.
Superdrug – triple points on your birthday
If you have the Superdrug Beautycard, you get triple points on your birthday. The offer is valid for 2 weeks after your birthday. You don’t have to opt in or add it to your card, just make sure Superdrug knows when your birthday is.
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Birthday gifts
Shopmium – free gift
Cashback app Shopmium often provides a special extra offer on your birthday. Andy’s managed to snag a free box of Celebrations.
Sign up for the Hobbs newsletter to get a free birthday gift. We’re not sure what you get, but in 2021 it was a candle. You also get 10% off your first purchase when you sign up.
Space NK – free gift
Again, it’s often a £5 off code but it could be a free miniature. And again you’ll get it by signing up to a membership scheme – for Space NK it’s called N.dulge.
This is a loyalty scheme, so you’ll earn points each time you spend money, which can be converted into money off future purchases.
Switch bonus requirementsSwitch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 60 days of starting the switch
Deposit requirementsDeposit £1,500 in the first 60 days from opening the account
Direct debits transferred overSet up two Direct Debits before or after the switch from a selected list of household bills
Existing customers?Can't have held any Santander current account on 1 January 2025
RestrictionsCan't have received a switching bonus from Santander already, offer limited to once per person
Eligible accountsOpen a new or hold an existing Everyday, Edge, Edge Up or Edge Explorer current account
£25 Amazon Gift Card requirementsTo qualify for the gift card, you need to complete a full switch using CASS, and make five debit card transactions within 30 days of opening the account
Sometimes you’ll be sent a discount voucher or a free meal/ bottle of bubbly as long as you get another meal. These can be good and might be worthwhile if you’d like to eat there anyway, but they’re not strictly birthday freebies.
Here are some of the things you can be offered:
Meat Liquor – 20% off the bill
Meat Liquor is one of Andy’s favourite burger places. A few years back you could get a free main meal and a side on your birthday, which he took advantage of.
Sadly it’s now 20% off the entire bill – but that’s still decent if you like the food there. Sign up to the mailing list and you’ll get sent a unique code to use, valid for a week before and after your birthday.
Bills – “free” bottle of Prosecco
Again, not strictly a freebie, as each diner has to order a main meal.
Make sure you’re signed up for the Bill’s Newsletter 4 weeks before your birthday and you’ll get an email with the gift.
You’ll also need to pre-book a table. It’s valid for 5 weeks from the date that you get the email.
Try out new apps to help you and your finances and also get a free money bonus or voucher when you do
We love trying out new apps that help us track our spending, put money into savings or earn interest. Often they’ll also come with a welcome or referral offer, and we’ll share these and any other decent ones below.
Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.
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Money app welcome offers
Snoop: £5 Amazon Voucher
Snoop is an app to help you track your spending. It also analyses your bank data to suggest ways you can save money. Right now there’s an offer to get a £5 Amazon voucher.
You must go via the link below for the offer to track.
Once you’ve downloaded the app and signed up you need to connect a bank or credit card account and stay connected until the end of the following month. Do this and the voucher will be sent.
Sprive is an auto savings app (more on how these work here) where the money moved from your current account goes towards your mortgage rather than a savings pot. The idea is you’ll slowly make overpayments that’ll get you mortgage-free faster.
The standard referral offer is £5 (it’s occasionally doubled to £10). You’ll need to sign up with a code (such as 5NN3KXFL) and set up a Direct Debit linked to your bank account.
The bonus can only go towards your mortgage – so sadly if you’re not a homeowner this won’t be one for you.
Switch bonus requirementsSwitch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 60 days of starting the switch
Deposit requirementsDeposit £1,500 in the first 60 days from opening the account
Direct debits transferred overSet up two Direct Debits before or after the switch from a selected list of household bills
Existing customers?Can't have held any Santander current account on 1 January 2025
RestrictionsCan't have received a switching bonus from Santander already, offer limited to once per person
Eligible accountsOpen a new or hold an existing Everyday, Edge, Edge Up or Edge Explorer current account
£25 Amazon Gift Card requirementsTo qualify for the gift card, you need to complete a full switch using CASS, and make five debit card transactions within 30 days of opening the account
Get the best of our money saving content every Monday & Thursday, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Expired offers
HyperJar: Up to 2% cashback (ended)
New users of the HyperJar app can earn up to £200 a month if they sign up before 21 June 2024.
You’ll get 1% back on spend with the physical debit card, and 2% on payments via Apple Pay or Google Pay, capped at £200 each month.
So if you spend £500 a month with your card you’ll get £5, and another £10 if you spend a further £500 via your phone’s wallet.
Most of your spending will count, but there are some exclusions, including paying off credit cards, Council Tax, utilities, gambling and tax bills. Also excluded are buying gift cards via HyperJar.
The cashback will last until 31 October 2024 so you’ve potentially got six months to earn the cashback. You’ll get your money 30 days after each month ends. So spend in May and you’ll get the money on 30 June and so on.
The HyperJar account is free so it won’t cost you anything to spend via the debit card.
