Buying excellent gifts for people really is an art and one that you can easily perfect. The main thing is to buy thoughtfully – if you select a gift that shows you have really put in some time and effort, it will be much appreciated. Here are some different gift ideas for various occasions:

Wedding gifts – why not think about buying something for the home? This is especially relevant if the couple is moving into a new home together. Coffee machines can make an excellent wedding present.

Christening gifts – buy something thoughtful for the baby that will help the parents to remember such a special occasion. Perhaps you could think about getting something personalised?

Birthday gifts – these can be some of the hardest to buy. The key to buying well is to get something that the person will really appreciate, and will actually make use of. In the weeks leading up to their birthday, really listen to what they say and think about things they are missing.

Everyone likes to feel as though they’ve got good value for money. Even if money is no object, overspending can make you feel a little hard done by. There are always steps you can take to help you save money on your shopping. Here are some of our favourite ideas:

1. Get loyalty cards. Many different stores will now offer them and the discounts can be considerable. You will be able to collect points over time, which can add up to give you some very good savings.
2. Shop at the end of the season. This is an excellent time for getting all the latest fashion buys as shops will be clearing out their stock ready for the new season. Buy items for next season, or get generic year-round things like t-shirts and jackets that shops are simply needing to get rid of.
3. Look for vouchers online. There are numerous websites that now offer you regular discount codes. These may need to be redeemed online but you can sometimes use them in store as well.
4. Check for promotions. You will often see signs in store, or if you join a mailing list, you will receive regular email updates on sales and events. Look out for vouchers in store as well – you will sometimes be able to pick up discount codes that incentivise you to carry out certain actions, such as placing your first order online.

Have you been invited to a wedding or a christening? Do you have a birthday party coming up? Is there a formal dinner you need to attend? If so, you will need to ensure that you look the part. We have put together some hints and tips to help you find the perfect occasion wear, whatever the event might be:

• Use a personal shopper service. Many high street stores will now offer in-store personal shopping, which can be a big help if you’re not sure where to start.
• Keep an open mind. It can be an incredibly frustrating experience when you just can’t find what you’re looking for. If you’re not looking for something specific, you’ll find it much easier.
• Try everything on. Internet shopping has its uses, but when you’re buying clothing for formal occasions it’s much easier to be able to try it straight on.
• Take everything into consideration. Think about the accessories you’re going to wear, and make sure you have shoes and a handbag that will work with your outfit.

Follow these tips to find the perfect outfit for any formal occasion. Sometimes, you just need to avoid the panic, think logically and start from the beginning. By allowing yourself plenty of time, you will be much more likely to find an outfit that you love.

If you’re holding an event, be it a wedding, christening, family BBQ or birthday party, it can be challenging to shop for everything you need. We have put together a handy check list for anybody hosting an event, and we’ve asked our experts for a few tips to help you along the way:

• Have a complete guest list to hand at all times. Work on the basis of the maximum number possible – it’s better to have too much than to have too little. This can end in embarrassment and can mean lots of hungry people at your christening or party.
• Plan your outfit well in advance. Once this is sorted, it will be a big weight off your mind. You can then begin to concentrate on the finer details.
• Have lots of lists. Not so many that you lose them all and need a list to keep track of your lists, but enough that you can be confident you haven’t forgotten anything.
• Budget. Have rough estimates of costs along every step of the way. Then, once you know actual costs, put them into a spreadsheet to keep track of how your budget is looking.
• Take into account all dietary requirements. When purchasing food for an event, you need to know that everybody will be able to eat something. Covering all bases is very important.

There are lots of cars to choose from. it’s a highly competitive marketplace, with all kinds of models for different preferences. So how do you go about choosing? Here is our guide to making your decision on a new car (and making the right one):

1. Decide whether you want to buy a car outright or purchase one on finance. This will immediately narrow down your options.
2. Consider what is important to you. Do you want a big engine? Do you like a car that is aesthetically appealing? Is there a specific colour you want? Is price the most integral factor to your decision? This will help you to know where to start.
3. Think about brands that you like. Look at adverts and websites to get a feel for the kinds of brands that appeal to you. Check what different brands offer and see how this matches up to your requirements.
4. Shop around. Visit different showrooms and talk to different dealers. Many of them will have different offers running, so you might find yourself a better deal.
5. Go for test drives. This is the only way to get a real feel for a car. it might well be love at first sight, but until you’ve driven it, you won’t really know.

Big supermarkets and chains have a lot of power within the shopping marketplace. However, as the economy improves and more people have cash available to spend, independent shops are making their way back onto our high streets. They make for a refreshingly different shopping experience for consumers and their popularity is very positive for small business owners.

Independent shops can sell anything from clothing, shoes and accessories to food and specialist ingredients. The variety of items available may be smaller than in a large chain store but the quality often tends to be very high.

Shopping for clothes in independent stores gives you the opportunity to create your own unique style. Some pieces may even be one-offs, so you will know that nobody else is wearing the same garments as you. Many of the accessories you can find in these shops, such as handbags and jewellery, are beautiful and are very professionally made.

Food shops are often based around cuisine from a particular area, such as Asia or Eastern Europe. This gives people an excellent opportunity to try different kinds of foods which they might not otherwise be able to find in chain stores. The choices available might also be more healthy and many independent food shops brand themselves as health food stores, specialising in whole foods and raw foods.

A car is going to be one of the most expensive purchases that you ever make. You want to know that you’re getting value for money, so it’s important to shop smart when buying yourself a car. Consider the following questions before you make any decisions:

Do you want to buy a new or used car? It may be worth looking at both if you’re unsure. New cars will lose a lot of value, but there are plenty of good finance options now available so it might be worthwhile. It’ll save you having to worry about maintenance. That being said, many used cars can be bought for an excellent price and shouldn’t be overlooked.

What condition is the car in? Make sure that you can’t see any scratches or damage to the paintwork. If you’re buying a used car it may be worth asking a mechanic to check it over first.

Is the place you’re buying it from reliable? Buying a car privately might be a bit risky as individuals aren’t constrained by as many regulations as a garage.

Will the car be the right size for you? It might seem like a good idea to buy a little sports car now, but will you still feel the same in 3 years’ time? A car is a big investment and you need to consider longevity.

What will running costs be like? Check whether it is petrol or diesel and how many miles you should expect to get out of a tank.

People often want to customise their car, both inside and out. There are a number of accessories which are available to help you to do this. From practical items like drinks holders and mats to pretty decorations, there’s plenty of choice for anyone, whatever their personal tastes might be.

It may be best to source car accessories from the car manufacturers themselves. If you buy accessories such as drinks holders, ashtrays or seat covers, they will need to fit with your car exactly and you don’t want to risk them not working. Most importantly, you don’t want to have anything that doesn’t work or fit properly around you whilst you’re driving. It could be distracting or cause problems, making it detrimental to road safety.

There are plenty of accessories around, and you will have lots of fun shopping for them. Choose items which will match your personal style to give your car a distinctive feel. You’ll feel like it’s an extension of your outfit and your personality, and you’ll be able to enjoy driving it even more.

Shopping during the January sales is an excellent time to find yourself a bargain. Money is likely to be tight straight after Christmas, so if you’re able to find anything which you like during a January shopping trip, you can save yourself precious money at the time of the year when this will be particularly welcome.

Numerous different retailers will have sales on during the month of January, including clothing stores, homeware shops and electrical vendors. If you’re willing to wait until January to buy your goods, you can definitely save yourself some serious money.

A major downside of sales shopping is the stores themselves. It can often be very chaotic, even to the point that people may queue up outside in order to be the first ones through the doors. It’s likely to be very busy and cramped inside, and staff will have a hard time tidying everything up so the products may be rather disorganised. In order to combat this, you may decide to shop online instead – there will be some equally good deals available for people buying via the internet.

It’s also incredibly easy to get drawn into the excitement and to end up spending money which you didn’t intend to. Avoid this at all costs or you will just feel unhappy about your new purchases. Instead, stick to buying products which you actually need, or enjoy spending any money which you received as a present for Christmas. With a little bit of perseverance, you never know what you might find in the sales.

If you haven’t yet bought all of your Christmas presents, there’s still time. Thanks to the internet and late night opening hours in stores, you’re no longer as limited as you used to be when it comes to choosing when you’ll make your purchases. Here are some tips for successful last-minute Christmas shopping:

• Check the opening times of individual stores. If they’re within a shopping complex, the centre itself may have different opening times to the shops.
• Be careful about deliveries. Make sure that your items are going to be arriving in time – if there are only going to be standard deliveries available, it might be too late to place your order.
• Have plenty of ideas. You need to have back-up plans in case you can’t find your first choice of gift.
• Ask around for ideas. Other people may be able to give you some gift inspiration and will pass on ideas that you might not have considered.
• Don’t panic! A lot of last-minute Christmas shopping is about being organised. Make sure that you have a list, and that you take it with you and cross items off as you buy them.