Have you got a Sparks Card?

"Have you got a Sparks Card?" one of my many rehearsed lines I have to say to every customer at work but infact it may seem annoying being asked a million and one questions, I'm actually doing you a favour. A Sparks Card, as well as many other loyalty cards, are THE best excuse to go shopping and I swear by them so I'm going to show you the collection I have and why they are brilliant to have.

Sparks Card

This card is relatively new, being introduced just before Christmas, this isn't just any loyalty card, it's a M&S loyalty card (see what I did there?) Simply pick one up from any store and register it online. From there, you get asked questions based on your lifestyle, this gives it the insight on what you would be likely to spend your money on using it. You pick a charity too, which with every transaction a fraction of the prices goes to your selected charity. Then you get to select from a series of discounts that only you will get by using your shiny new Sparks Card. I must admit, the food ones are the best! {currently they have 20% off sandwiches!*} You get 1 point for every 10p you spend and the more points you get the more advantages you unlock including invites to M&S events and shows! Points definitely make prizes.

Boots Advantage Card

Ok, so I'm sure this has been around for as long as I can remember. My mum and sister always had one and it's only this year I've decided to own one myself. You can order one online and it gets sent to you within a week {i think}. With an Advantage Card you get 4 points for every £1 you spend and you also get emails updated you on the latest offers. Sometimes they have promotions on where you earn triple points if you buy a certain product or you get money off if you purchase using your advantage card. The best thing about this is your points convert into money so I think 100 points means you have £1 to spend on there which is perfect if your short on cash or in a rush! So technically your spending out on your favourite foundation and geting money back. Amazing or what?

Superdrug Health + Beauty Card

This is extremely similar to the Boots card but it's got a shiny mirror! Sorry, vain moment. You can pick up one instore to get started and they even register it for you. With a Health and Beauty card, again it's every 100 points you earn it's £1 to spend but it's only 1 point for every £1 you spend. You get promotional offers online and instore, right now it's 100 points when you spend £10 on hair products, and we can't ever have enough hair products right?* Also, by being a member you automatically get free delivery on all online orders, we ALL love free delivery! You get exclusive birthday treats and sometimes exclusive prices for cardholders. Being a VIP has perks.

Costa Coffee Club

Who doesn't love a pricey coffee or hot chocolate every now and again? If you get a Coffee Club card instore you and get your moneys worth and more. For every £1 you spend you get 5 points {which isn't hard} and every point is worth a penny. You get exclusive access to offers and promotions before everyone else and if you get the app or check online it will even tell you what you can afford with the amount of points you had gained so far, which is handy instead of guessing. I think everyone deserves a free coffee sometimes, especially if it was a Monday Morning!

B&Q

This was a total impulse pick-up from when I was redecorating my bedroom but it's actually pretty handy! As a joining offer you get a voucher for £5 off a £50 shop, which if you know you're doing a big shop is worth having, then from there you will get emailed different offers and rewards such as 10% off, a special promotion on paint, free home delivery etc etc. It also comes with a key fob too so you don't have to go through 100 cards to try and find the club card. 

So, that's my stash of cards, honestly they are worth the hassle of bulking up your purse so the next time a shop assistant asks you, don't roll your eyes either ask for one or proudly hand it over. You'll be thankful for it when you want to save money for a new outfit!!

Happy Shopping!

Katie x

*any offers i mention was valid on 18/04/16. i cannot guarantee they will work after.

My 5Oth Post featuring March Favourites.

Happy Blog Day! I'm in a very excited mood because I've just realised this is my 50th blog post! I started Life Beyond The Till as something tedious I could do as a hobby in the little free time I have and I've grown to love it. This blog is my baby and already I've met online so many lovely people thanks to it and thank you to everyone who has taken the time to support and read my ramblings. Here's to the next 5000!

I thought today would be a great opportunity to do to my first ever Monthly Favourites which is a huge staple post for all bloggers, but yet I've avoided doing one until now because I've not had enough things to rave about. But without further ado, here goes!

Redecorating:

featuring my mum lol

There's something so therapeutic about changing up your home every once in a while to keep it fresh and comfortable to live in. This month, after talking about it for like 50 years, my mum, dad, sister and I have eventually decorated and revamped our living room, going from a drab unfinished duck egg and cream scheme to a warm, cosy purple and silver layout and I love it! Also, I've finally put the finishing touches in my bedroom to make it my own after all this time. I've shared beds, been forced into the box room to sleep but now this space is all mine, decorated exactly how I've wanted. I did a Bedroom Tour post the beginning of the year but since then I now own a floor length mirror (eep!) a proper chest of drawers (double eep!) and some cube shelves! It's the simple things in life guys.

Kristin Cavallari: Balancing In Heels

It was only natural to mention this as it is featured on my bedroom shelf but I am currently about a quarter of the way through this book and it's everything I expected and more. If you don't know Kristin Cavallari she was a reality TV star in Laguna Beach and The Hills, two of the "original" American structured reality shows, waaaay before the likes of TOWIE came along. She was percieved as this fun-loving, care-free, straight-talking bitch and I adored everything about her, but of course as she explains in her book, alot of it was heavily edited and manipulated. Now 29, she is a mum of 3, a wife, a fashion enthusiast and a business woman and this is an insight to her world and how she manages to balance it all. What I love about this is that this isn't a typical autobiography of "ooh look at me, I live the perfect life, be jealous of me" it's more of a "this is my life, and it's pretty damn difficult juggling all this but I'm proud of how I do it and maybe you can take some tips from me" She's honest, she's funny and she's herself. She shares beautiful photos, both old and new and even reveals some of her secrets to surviving a somewhat normal, yet extremely busy life. This is way more than just a celebrity tell-all.

Swisse Women's Ultimate Multi-Vitamins

So originally I was going to pick up the Swisse Hair Skin and Nails product for obvious beauty reasons but then I spotted this and came to realisation that I think my insides need a bit of a boost and some love aswell. This one tablet, massive one at that, contains multiple vitamins of goodness that work all different parts of your body without being harmful and it also makes your wee luminous yellow woo! (it's actually some vitamin it contains causing it but it's a sign that something must be working!) I've noticed my hair to be shinier for definite but I haven't examined the rest of me in depth, but I guess I have less breakouts but I have Shellac nails so can't benefit from that side of it really. So affordable too, considering it's a named well known brand.

Jake Sims: Long Time Coming EP

Well first things first, the title is accurate! Me and alotttt of others have been waiting far too long for Jake to finally release his own music that 100% shows his true talent and Long Time Coming is a reflection of his hard work. I mean of course I'm biased, I've supported him for a while now but it's so refreshing to listen to good music for a change, and something different than todays chart music. He's a rapper aswell as a singer and there aren't many "good" ones out there anymore. I'm beyond proud of him, and you can listen to it for yourself here and make your own opinion but I highly recommend it, and he's such a humble, nice lad. There are good things coming for him for sure!

Breville Blend Active

This is another impulse buy in attempt to give myself a health kick. I've always wanted a blender but never invested in one so I thought it was time. It was actually reading Kristin Cavallari's book and seeing her recipes that gave me the inspiration to use it. It's the easiest way for me to digest fruit and veg without thinking about it, see i'm such a fussy weird eater, I get bored easily so if something is chopped up or even blended i enjoy it alot more. It's also "Katie-proof" so simple to use. So let's see how this works out.

Nails

I have the least girliest, glamourous job ever so by doing my hair make-up and nails is the only thing that keeps me sane. For ages now I've avoided getting my nails done because I was worried they'd chip easily, ping off or break {only one has but only because my finger got jammed!} but the girly girl in me finally caved and since my best friend is a nail technician what other excuses do i have? I've fallen inlove and cannot wait to keep getting them redone, they make my hands look sexy.

Revlon ColorStay 24 Hour Foundation

Last but not least, Revlon ColorStay 24 Hour Foundation. I know I've done a review on it and I know it's all I've spoken about but this product, along with the rest of my make-up it has helped me finally master a routine that suits me and actually makes me look half decent covering my flaws. I still think I could have done with a shade lighter but the coverage is amazing, the long lasting element is perfect just what more could i ask for from a foundation? My new Holy Grail yassss.

And that's it. A bit of a mixed bag but a nice little insight to what I've been loving in the month of March. How is it April tomorrow?? Christmas was like yesterday! Crazy. 

I also got new glasses last week so here's a lush selfie of yours truly to end the post.

What have you been loving this month?

Lots of love

Katie x

Day 9 of #Blogmas | DIY Decs

So I put my tree up at the end of November but I've been so tied up sorting everything else out for Christmas, I'm slacking in putting up actual decorations!

I always love the thought and that personal touch of doing DIY decs (how many times did you make paper snowflakes at school?!) that I picked up these cutesy packs from Wilko for £1. Bargain!

Here we have paperchains, make your own star and "glass effect" (but actually just tissue paper) decorations. Each pack comes included with everything you need and instructions. It's such a good idea to sit down and create if you have younger children or not! I'm the youngest in my family and I still enjoy it just as much (with the odd stress and swearing) however they aren't straightforward to do. They are so fiddle and time consuming but they add that perfect touch of DIY to your Christmas, it's worth it!

I also picked up this gingerbread bunting it's absolutely adorable and the easiest thing out of them all, very therapeutic. I couldn't resist them!

I'm nowhere near the most creative person in the world so making these make me feel like I'm not completely useless!!

Oh and you can never have enough tinsel everywhere can you?!

Do you have any DIY decs this year?