Silverton family named runner-up in national competition
In an intensely fought contest, the Humphrey family from Silverton were just pipped to the post for the title of the UK’s Savviest Family in the national Nectar Savvy Family Competition. The winning family has been announced as the Abell family from Oakham.
The Humphrey family were originally selected to go head to head with seven other frugal families in a blogging competition. For five weeks, the families kept thousands of readers updated at www.nectar.com/savvy with advice on how they save money on everything from shopping and days out to holidays and household bills.
Mum, Melinda, comments: “Obviously we’re disappointed to have lost out, but the entire competition has been really fun and we’ve learnt lots from the other finalists’ blogs. Reading their tips has encouraged us to find new and innovative ways to save money. The whole experience has been a real inspiration.”
With fears that a triple-dip recession could still be on the horizon, more and more families are searching for advice on how to be money-savvy. The finalists’ blogs are a handy resource for top tips on how to get the most out of your money. Some of their money-saving advice includes:
• Cycling has been booming here in the UK. Second hand bikes can be as cheap as chips, try local bike shops who take old bikes for others' upgrades. The Cycle to Work Scheme (http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk) is a great way of getting a new bike cheaply.
• Polish your shoes with olive oil for a cheaper eco-friendly shine I just pour a little oil on a dry rag and work into the leather. If you want lots of shine give it a buff with a chamois cloth as well. No need to buy commercial shoe polish and it’s easy to do often so you really look after your leather goods.
• Save on expensive exfoliators and body scrubs by blending your own straight from your pantry! I make my own exfoliator by simply mixing bicarb soda with warm water into a paste. Then I gently massage over face and neck with light circular motions for a couple of minutes and easily rinse off.
The blogs were judged by a panel that includes property developer and television presenter Sarah Beeny, who also wrote her own savvy blog on how her family make their money go further (see blog at nectar.com/savvy).
Sarah says: “All of the finalists wrote excellent blogs and choosing a winner was a tough decision. The Humphrey family shared really inspiring tips and I’ll definitely be using some of them myself. It’s fantastic to see so many families that are passionate about saving money and it’s spurred my family on to be the same! Being money-savvy is so simple these days; there’s really no excuse. It’s amazing what a few simple changes can do to make your money go further!”
Fellow judge, Nectar’s Marketing Director, James Frost, adds: “This has been a great year for the Nectar Savvy Family competition and the panel were blown away by the quality of the finalists. The blogs offer sound advice on how to face the tough economic climate and demonstrate that it’s still possible to have fun on a tight budget.”
First established in 2009 in response to the UK's economic downturn, Nectar Savvy Family has captured consumer imagination and established loyal followers with thousands of clever and unusual money-saving hints and tips being offered and shared.
To read all the Nectar Savvy Family blogs, which are live on the website, visit www.nectar.com/savvy
