A bargain-hunting mum who has saved thousands of pounds using the scanner tool at B&M has shared her top money-saving tips.
Holly Smith, 36, is a self-confessed coupon queen and regularly shares her bargain hacks online to her thousands of followers.
The mum-of-four is also a huge fan of B&M and says she’s managed to snap up products from as little as 10p from the discounter.
Over the years, Holly says she has bagged over £2,500 worth of toys for less than £250, which she donated to children’s hospitals.
She has also picked up Cadbury’s selection boxes and various toys for 10p, as well as lamps, duvets and curtains, also for 10p.
Other deals include BT Home Phone Sets for £1 instead of £39.99.
Holly told The Mirror: “I have saved thousands by using the B&M App’s barcode scanner to find ‘reduced to clear’ bargains as low as 10p.
“The secret to finding bargains is by scanning as much as possible. Products can still be reduced, even if the price tag states the full price.
“It just means the staff haven’t had the chance to update the labels.”
How to use the B&M scanner
The B&M scanner is a free barcode checker available on the B&M Stores app.
The nifty tool allows shoppers to find discounted items before they've been reduced by staff.
To use it, you first need to download the B&M Stores app on the App Store or Google Play.
Then once you’re logged in, click on the "scan" button at the bottom of your homepage.
Have you found 10p bargains through the B&M scanner? Let us know: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk
This will then bring up the camera on your smartphone.
Point your camera at the barcode of the item you want to check, then the app will tell you what price it is.
This is when you'll know if it is reduced or not.
How to find the best bargains
Holly, who recently published her Money Saving Book, says the secret to finding the best bargains is all about timing.
Shop out of season, and when stores are trying to shift stock, and you’re much more likely to find reductions.
For example, you’ll likely see lots of seasonal bargains after Christmas, and plenty of cheap chocolate after Easter.
Holly said: “By timing your B&M stores visits and by using the B&M barcode scanner you can save thousands.
“Some people will claim ‘the staff bag all the bargains’ but this isn’t true, as they only know when an item is ‘marked down’ when they are asked to change the price label.
“By using the B&M App you can find the bargains long before the staff find out about them.”
Here is Holly’s breakdown of what items are likely to be reduced each month:
January: Scan all Christmas products for the best chance of finding a deal. Holly says she once found Christmas trees that were originally £40 for £1, as well as Christmas decorations, gift sets and chocolate selection boxes for 10p.
February: After Valentine’s Day, scan anything ‘Valentines’ themed to find gift sets, chocolates and gift cards reduced to 10p.
March/April: After Easter, scan anything Easter themed. Most Easter eggs and Easter craft sets will scan at 10p.
August: This is the time B&M starts clearing out ‘outdoor toys’ to make room for Halloween and Christmas stock. Scan things such as football goals, sand tables and swing ball sets to find them priced at £1.
September: This is when you can get Back to School items and outdoor furniture as cheap as chips. Stationery sets, backpacks and anything from B&M’s Back to School event will scan cheap. People are currently finding rattan outdoor furniture sets, fire pits and BBQs for £10.
November: This is when you can get Halloween decorations and fancy dress costumes for only 10p. Holly says she always buys fancy dress costumes to put away for World Book Day.
December: At the end of the month is the best time to scan toys as they need to clear stock for the new year. This is when Holly says she has found many 10p bargains.
