Three things you should always buy at Wilko – and the two items to get elsewhere

BARGAIN hunters will search high and low for the best deals, and Wilko is as good as any place to start your search.

The budget retailer has something for everyone, but that doesn’t mean everything needs to come home with you. We reveal what you should and shouldn’t buy.

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Wilko was originally called Wilkinson Hardware Stores, but fans know you can get a whole lot more than just tools for your garden shed in the shop nowadays.

You can still pick up a lot of DIY products, but there’s also homeware, cleaning products, stationery, kitchen and bathroom goods, as well as snacks to add to your shopping basket too.

You can browse and buy all of these online, or in person at one of the brand’s 400 stores – just use Wilko’s locator tool to find your closest.

But it pays to be a bit frugal about what you do add to your basket on your visit.

Not everything is a massive bargain – and you might be better off picking it up someplace else.

Here’s the do’s and don’ts of shopping at Wilko – including everything you SHOULD buy when you visit the store, and everything that needs leaving firmly behind on the shelf.

What to buy at Wilko

Something sweet

Wilko always hosts a massive half price Pick and Mix deal every time a Bank Holiday rolls around.

The sweet deal has cropped up on Halloween before, and shoppers have been able to snag a discount on Easter too.

Pick and Mix can often be an expensive way to fill up on a glut of goodies as sometimes it’s priced by weight or the size of the tub.

Usually a medium portion would cost Wilko shoppers £2 but it’s been slashed to just £1 in the promotion in the past, saving them 50%.

A large is normally £3, but during each limited run it’s only been £1.50 to buy, and an extra large is normally £2 in the deal, down from £4.

You don’t normally get long to cash in though, so if a new offer does crop up next bank holiday set your alarm as you’ll only have about a week to get down to the store and stuff your tub.

Something for the sunshine

Wilko has something for every part of the house, but this time of year most consumers will be focusing on doing up the garden.

Especially with sunshine on the way, now is the time to cash in on a bargain.

Wilko has a six piece patio set for example, that’s just £85 – making it much cheaper than versions from rivals like Argos, Asda, and Aldi.

The store also has a bargain fire pit on offer that’s cheaper than posh store, John Lewis, at just £55.

Exclusively online, shoppers can get 20% off right now too, meaning an even better bargain for your back yard.

Something to do it yourself

As well as its extensive range of homeware, Wilko has all the tools you need to crack on with that DIY project you’ve got in the pipeline.

The endless stock of paint, wallpaper, means you can save yourself a trip to the local hardware store.

You’ll find that a lot of the products on the shelf are much cheaper as well, and they’re just as good quality.

What’s more, is there’s up to 25% off selected decorating tools at the store right now.

Gorilla Glue for example has been slashed to just £5.85 for a 50ml bottle that would usually cost £6.50.

If you were to pick up the same size bottle from Tool Station though, you’d have to fork out £9.19 – another £3.34 whilst Wilko’s is discounted.

What not to buy at Wilko

Something for a furry friend

Forget food and snacks for humans, Wilko even has something for man’s best friend.

But you might be better off doing your dog’s shop along with your own grocery shop as you’ll probably find cheaper products on the supermarket shelves.

For example, an 800g bag of Iams dog food costs £3 at Wilko.

Meanwhile, Tesco shoppers, equipped with their trusty loyalty Clubcard, can bag the exact same product, for 30p less – at just £2.70.

The bag would otherwise be £3 at Tesco too, without a Clubcard.

But the loyalty offer means shoppers can exclusively pay just a fraction of the price less at the supermarket giant.

Something to clean up

If you’re looking to give your home a quick spring clean you might want to stock up on household products elsewhere.

While Wilko does have a great range of discounted products, everything is branded.

You won’t find any Wilko-own cleaning goodies – but experts say that’s exactly the way to save some pennies in your wallet.

Fo example, the cheapest surface cleaner the store stocks is a pack of 30 Dettol wipes for £1.

Asda has a pack that’s double the size from its own-brand range that’s 25p cheaper at just 85p.

We also reveal why you’ve been shopping at the high street store all wrong in the first place.

And here’s everything you need to know about the massive change that came in at Wilko branches earlier in the year.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk