B&M is the place to go to find a bargain, making it a great option if you’re shopping on a budget.
But, with rising costs battering pockets at the moment, it’s more important than ever to make sure your cash is spent on good value items.
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That’s why it’s handy to know exactly what you should pick up and what you could probably leave behind.
We spoke to bargain hunting expert Holly Jay-Smith about her top picks at the discount store – and those that might not be as worth your hard-earned money.
Holly, 37, is a self-confessed coupon queen and full time money expert.
She regularly shares her shopping tips and has been running the hugely popular Extreme Couponing and Bargains Facebook page, which has over 2million members.
Holly started the group more than seven years and told The Sun: “At the time, there were no UK money saving groups on Facebook and I knew one would prove popular.”
One of the stores posted about most regularly on the group is B&M.
“It’s a one stop shop for pretty much everything and is great value for money,” the shopping pro explained.
But low prices don’t always mean everything is worth your money.
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Here are Holly’s four items shoppers should always look for at B&M, and those you might be better off sticking back on the shelf.
Food
B&M is a great place to stock-up on things such as ketchup, tinned food and cooking sauces, according to Holly.
She said: “People often overlook buying food at B&M but by doing so I save at least £500 a year.
“Brands such as Heinz Ketchup tend to be at least 20% cheaper than the mainstream supermarkets.
“But with things such as cooking sauces like Dolmio and Uncle Bens etc – you can save up to 80%.”
Holly also pointed out that the savings are even bigger if a product is coming up to it’s best before date.
Although of course do bear that in mind if you’re not going to eat it right away.
She added: “B&M is also a great place to get packed lunch supplies for your children from multi packs of crisps to bread for the sandwiches!”
It’s not just regular food either, shoppers with different dietary requirements can also find some bargains.
“B&M has a large selection of gluten free food – which works out a lot cheaper than the main stream supermarkets – if you are on a gluten free diet you can save £100s per year these groceries,” she said.
Kitchen and dinnerware
Another top pick from Holly is kitchen and dinnerware for your home.
While there are plenty of sets and combinations to choose from, Holly says the single pieces could be the best value.
She said: “B&M is a great place to buy dinnerware as they have a lot of single items such as plates & bowls which you can mix and match.”
This sets B&M apart from other retail stores which often only sell kitchenware and dinnerware in multi packs, she added.
“These are perfect if you just need a replacement item, or living alone and don’t need an entire set.”
You can browse a lot of the chain’s kitchen and dinnerware offering online, although you’d have to head into a shop to actually purchase it.
Earlier this year a woman shared how she completely transformed her council house kitchen using just bargains from B&M.
Make sure to always compare prices though before you make a purchase.
Kids outdoor toys
As a mum-of-four Holly knows a thing two about shopping savvy for little-ones.
And B&M is one of her go-to places for kids toys.
She said: “B&M is a great place to buy outdoor toys to keep your kids entertained in the summer holidays.
“Also at the end of July they start to get reduced and you can pick items up as low as 10p!”
Holly recommends using the B&M scanner app to find these bargains.
Joining groups like Extreme Couponing is also a good idea if you’re looking to find big reductions in store.
Do bear in mind though that when prices are reduced to as little as 10p it’s usually in order for stores to clear excess stock, so prices and stock will vary from store to store.
It’s always best to phone ahead to your local shop to check what they have available to avoid disappointment.
You can find your nearest B&M store using the locator tool on the website.
And remember it pays to compare prices so you know you’re getting the best deal.
Recently, shoppers have been rushing to get their hands on an outdoor kids playing pool that B&M are selling for £20 less than its original price.
What to avoid
When it comes to what to avoid spending cash on in B&M, there’s not much Holly would single out.
Although one item is definitely something that others have mentioned before – makeup and cosmetics.
Holly explained: “Branded makeup such as Rimmel, Max-Factor etc purchased from B&M and other bargain stores is usually VERY old – some even up to 10 years!
“Even though the makeup is sealed, quality does decline over time , especially with foundation.”
In the past Holly has shared her top tips for spotting the old amongst the new and making sure you’re getting the right products.
Back in 2020, she went viral for making a video about how she can always tell how old products are by using checkcosmetic.net.
To begin with, the mum-of-two opened the site on her phone and selected the brand of makeup from the drop-down menu.
Typing in the product code she found the item she had picked up was actually four years old.
Holly said the same method will work in B&M.
Meanwhile, a savvy shopper has revealed the four things to always buy at Poundland and the two things to avoid.
Plus, the things to pick up at Sainsbury’s and those to leave behind.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
