10 treats for £1 or less


Updated on 26 February 2010 | 5 Comments

If money is a little tight, check out these top 10 treats for just £1!

Is your bank balance suffering a financial hangover after a heavy weekend? Worried you can't afford to go out till payday? How about treating yourself for just £1? Yes, you heard right, just one pound, and in some cases, even less. So no more feeling guilty about splashing out!

Get going with a fry up

Why not start the day with a traditional bacon and egg fry up? Ok so it's not the healthiest breakfast around, but it's always a great comfort food treat - and even better if you don't have to cook it yourself. 

Simply head to Ikea for its price busting 99p breakfast plate where you can choose six items including bacon, eggs, sausage, beans and hash browns before eleven from Monday to Friday.

Bear in mind you'll need to sign up online or in store first for the free 'Ikea Family' card to get this meal deal price - otherwise it'll cost you slightly more at £1.55. 

Book into a luxury hotel

Even with budget accommodation prices, you can't beat this price - and we're talking five star luxury at London's Hoxton Hotel, with plasma screens in every room and roaring log fires in the lounge. 

Booking a room here is like booking airline seats; the earlier you book, the cheaper the price, from £59 up to £199 for the same room. 

But if you're in the know, take advantage of the online sale every three months and you can stay for just £1! To find out the next sale date, you'll need to register online and standby your laptop on the day as they sell out in seconds.

Get away from it all

Can't face a long car journey? Visit friends and family by bus or train for just £1. Bear in mind that to get these rock bottom deals, you'll have to book your ticket around 12 weeks in advance at www.megabus.com.  

Right now you can book a £1 fare from London to Chester or London to Manchester travelling mid May. There's also free ticket deals, with ten thousand free tickets on offer, although all bookings include a 50p booking fee.

Go out for lunch

Lots of restaurants are offering '2 for 1' deals these days, but how about getting a second meal for just £1? You'll need to take a friend along for this one; and a generous friend at that, as they'll be the one paying full price so you get the £1 deal. Just remember to treat them next time round!

If you fancy an Italian meal at Ask, simply download your voucher here, and you can then choose any main meal and get the same or something cheaper for just £1. You'll also be helping Great Ormond Street Hospital in the process. This voucher is valid Sunday to Thursday until 18 March (excluding Sunday 14 March).

Don't forget to also check out our Frugal Food blog for more top deals.

Enjoy a night at the theatre

Most theatre tickets will set you back around £50-£60 each, but you can get tickets for just 10p (yes really!) for shows at London's Royal Court Theatre every night of the week - providing you're prepared to stand.

Numbers are limited as there are only eight standing tickets available every evening, but they're in the circle so you'll still get a good view.

Make sure you arrive at the box office an hour before show time to snap them up as they're limited to one each.

Fly to Spain

Lots of credit cards offer freebies or deals if you're prepared to spend a fixed amount. But with the 'Flybe' Mastercard there's no minimum spend. 

Simply use this card to make a purchase (however small) and providing you clear the bill on time, you'll get a voucher to cash in against a return Flybe flight anywhere in Europe. Destinations include Alicante, Amsterdam, Geneva, Paris or Milan.  

Go for a gym workout

Get a guest pass to a health and fitness club. Some clubs offer one day passes, but LA Fitness has a three day one which means you'll get the run of all the club facilities including the gym, pool, Jacuzzi and dance classes.

Apply online for passes or visit your local club. Best bit about this one is it's absolutely free!

Read a glossy magazine

Most of those monthly glossy magazines will set you back around £4 a time - nearly £50 a year.

But rather than give up your magazine habit, why not snap up introductory deals on your favourite magazines - such as three issues for £1? 

Magazines on offer at www.magazinesubscription.co.uk include Top Gear, Practical Parenting, Radio Times, and Moneywise magazine. Just be sure to cancel the direct debit if you don't want to continue with the subscription once it reverts to the normal price.

Go to the cinema

Take the family to see a movie and you won't see much change from £25. However, if you get up early at the weekend, you can take the kids to see a film for just 95p at Vue cinemas or £1 at Cineworld. Adults also get to pay the same price, but must be accompanied by a child!

Both chains offer midmorning weekend screenings so it's a chance to catch those films you missed first time round or watch your favourites again on the big screen.  

Buy a new handbag

Over half the items up for sale on eBay are actually brand new. As it's free to list items with a starting price of 99p or less, there are deals to be had if you can hunt down those 99p bargains with no bids.

Search for what you want at www.auctionfinal.com - right now there's over twenty handbags including brand new ones going for 99p or less with no bids. Read the full listing by clicking on the item to take you through to eBay where you can then bid.

Good luck!

If you like bargains, check out our new Frugal Friday blog, which rounds up the hottest bargains, freebies and discounts available on the high street, every Friday. If you're registered on lovemoney.com, you can follow the blog and find new posts as soon as they are published, via your personal homepage. Never miss a bargain again - register now.

More: Claim £££ of your money back | Six steps to frugal fashion

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