WITH the start of hen do season, organising a bash that won’t break the bank can be a big ask.

But with these money-saving tips, whether you’re a bride or a maid of honour, you’ll stick to your budget and enjoy a night to remember . . .

Getty – Contributor

Hen dos have started up again, but organising a bash doesn’t need to be hideously expensive[/caption]

• SUCCESS-ORIES: There’s no need to splash out to get your Bride Tribe looking the part. Boohoo has Team Bride ­balloons from £3 and sashes for £5, while Home Bargains’ personalised champagne flutes are down from £9.99 to £6.99. Plus Matalan has hen party T-shirts for £6. Save: £3 on champagne flutes.
• GOOD TRIP: Heading further afield? Groups of three to nine adults can get a third off off-peak train tickets via Groupsave, used by companies including Southern and Great Northern. Ten or more people should be able to get even bigger discounts, depending on the line. Save: Third off off-peak train tickets
• PRESENT AND CORRECT: A home-made gift will show your bride just how much you care. Fill a scrapbook with old ­photos and messages from her hens. Hobbycraft has scrapbooks reduced from £12 to £9, while Wilko’s £1 glitter stars are perfect for decoration. Save: £3 on a scrapbook.
• GAME ON: Cocktail-making classes can cost over £100, so try a thrifty games night instead. Pre-record the groom playing his end of a Mr and Mrs quiz, or update Pin The Tail On The Donkey with a bride snap and have hens try to stick a ring on her finger. Save: £100+ on activities.
• DRINK TO THAT: Save cash with a few pre-club bevvies. Aldi is selling 12 mini proseccos for £27 as well as a £4.99 75cl bottle. Most Revolutions have 2-4-1 cocktails if you book a table during Happy Hour, and signing up to the O’Neill’s newsletter will get you a free drink. Save up to £10 on a cocktail.

Deal of the day

KEEP kids busy with Paint Your Own Ceramics like this car money box, now £1.75 at Hobbycraft. Was £3.50
SAVE: £1.75

Cheap Treat

STOCK up your wine cupboard with Signal Post Shiraz 75cl, £5.50 at Co-op. Was £7.25.
SAVE: £1.75

Top Swap

B&M Retail Ltd.

But this B&M version is an affordable £9.99[/caption]

HEAD to B&M where you can snap up a furry cushion for just £9.99, similar to ones sold at M&S for £45.
SAVE: £35.01

My Sun Savers fiver

MAURICE DAY, from Street, Somerset, says: “My wife and I celebrate our golden wedding anniversary next year, so we are saving towards a nice bottle of bubbly to enjoy together.”

• Send your Savers fiver stories to sunsavers.co.uk/fivers and you’ll get 28 codes worth £5 if yours is used. Please include your name and town.

Reader’s saving tip

MARILYN DAVEY, from Bletchley, Milton Keynes, says: “Do not throw away old leather gloves. They are excellent for working in the garden and save you buying expensive gardening gloves.”

• Send us your tips to sunsavers .co.uk/tips and you’ll get 28 codes worth £5 if your tip is used. Please include your name and town.

Hols from £15 are back

HERE is another chance to book one of our fantastic Hols From £15.
Choose from 229 holiday parks in the UK and Europe. You can check out all the destinations and holiday parks at thesun.co.uk/holidays. The bargain breaks are available all the way until August.

Our Hols From £15 are peak dates, giving you a bigger choice of European holidays compared to our Hols From £9.50 dates.

Pick from either a three-night weekend break or a four-night midweek break. For those who are able to go midweek, you will get your fourth night completely FREE.

To book a holiday, all you need to do is collect FIVE tokens, codewords or Sun Savers codes from those printed daily inside The Sun until May 28. Today’s token and codeword are below, and today’s Sun Savers code is on Page 20. If you have collected FIVE codewords, go to thesun.co.uk/holidays and enter them to book.

Or to book by post, send back your printed tokens along with the booking form found online.

If you are collecting with Sun Savers, go to the Sun Savers app or sunsavers.co.uk and click “Start Collecting” on the “Holidays From £15” page found in the “Offers” section. Next, enter your FIVE Sun Savers codes to unlock booking.

You can even pay for your holiday using the cash in your Sun Savers wallet. Just make sure you book early, as the best holidays go fast.

• Price per person based on four sharing. Subject to availability. Code/token collect. T&Cs and date restrictions apply, see thesun.co.uk/holidays.

Play now to win £50,000 on the Sun Savers Raffle

JOIN thousands of readers taking part in the new Sun Savers Raffle.

Every Sun Savers code you enter will earn you a ticket for our £50,000 monthly Raffle.

There is no limit to how many tickets you can collect. So the more you enter, the better your chances.

To take part go to sunsavers.co.uk or open the Sun Savers app. Then opt in to each month’s Raffle by clicking “Yes!” when prompted and start collecting the Sun Savers codes printed daily in the paper.

Every time you scan or enter a code into Sun Savers, you get a Raffle ticket in the £50k Raffle.

Not yet a Sun Savers member? Just go to sunsavers.co.uk or find “Sun Savers” in the app store to get started.

• T&Cs apply. Full T&Cs at sunsavers.co.uk/faqs.

Fancy a free fiver?

YOU can get FREE cash with super Sun Savers just for buying your favourite paper.

Our brilliant new rewards club will pay back our most loyal readers.

Just pick up the paper each day to collect your Sun Savers codes and we will GIVE YOU £5 when you have ­collected 28.

This isn’t a one-off and there is no limit to how much cash you can save.

For every 28 codes you enter, we will give you a fiver. So over the course of a year, that could add up to £65.

We are keeping it super-simple. You don’t have to enter codes from consecutive days, so don’t worry if you forget a day or two.

Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at sunsavers.co.uk.

To get you on your way, join today and we will put a bonus £1 in your Sun Savers wallet tomorrow. And the good news doesn’t stop with free cash.

With Sun Savers, we give you the best hacks, deals and tips to save money every single day.

TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps.

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/9110733/sun-savers-hen-do-season-gifts-presents/

MILLIONS of pet lovers risk prison because they are not aware they are breaking our animal laws, Paws & Claws can reveal.

Out-of-control pooches, banned breeds and letting your four-legged friend sit in the passenger seat of your car while you drive can land owners in serious trouble.

Getty – Contributor

Dog owners could face big fines for letting their pooch accompany them in the front while driving[/caption]

The law says it is illegal to have a dog off the lead near to a main road and if your moggy rips up the neighbour’s prized flower beds, it is the owner’s responsibility to pay for the damage done.

Some more exotic animals require a licence — including snakes, spiders, hybrid cats and wolfdogs — and they become the owner’s responsibility immediately after purchase. Some wild birds such as an eagle or a peregrine falcon must be registered.

The country’s pet population was an estimated 51million last year — and around 45 per cent of UK homes have a domesticated animal.

Owners are at risk of prosecution if they buy, sell, breed or abandon a banned dog. Police can seize a dog even if it does not appear dangerous and has never bitten someone. Owners face a potentially unlimited fine and up to six months in jail.

Earlier this year, a couple whose dog kept their neighbours awake with “continuous” barking were given a conditional discharge for three months.

Neighbours in Cardiff complained about Linda Hill and Jason Badham’s Jack Russell terrier.

‘BIG FINES’

Cardiff Council recorded 1,350 barks from the yappy dog in a 45-minute period — one bark every two seconds or so.

James Farrell, a criminal defence lawyer at Slater and Gordon, told Paws & Claws: “Most people simply don’t realise there are strict laws detailing what pet owners can and can’t do.

“Breaking them can lead to jail sentences and big fines. But ignorance of the law is no excuse.

“So pet owners are leaving themselves open to arrest and prosecution if they are found to have breached the rules.”

Pet Vet

Sean McCormack, head vet at tailored food firm tails.com, is on a mission to help the nation’s pets.

Kenneth Clarke, 65, from Coventry, has a deaf border collie called Tia who is ten and loves being in the car but gets distressed when it is moving, pacing from side to side in the boot and licking the rear window.

Kenneth says: “It’s awful. I can hear and see her in the rear-view mirror. I tried putting her on a lead and in a cage but nothing works.”

Sean says: “It helps to go back to basics, turning the car into a place with positive associations. Start by inviting her into the car, switched off, on the drive. Give her treats and praise for getting in and out.

“As she can’t hear, focus on non-verbal rewards. Over time, gradually go through the motions of going on a journey, starting the car but not moving and getting out again, praising her with a gentle pat and food reward for calm behaviour.

“Do a journey around the block, avoiding eye contact or acting anxiously yourself if you see her anxious.

She will pick up on this.

Lots of gentle praise and reward-based training should help him associate other dogs with play and pleasant times

Increase the distance over time and reward only when she is calm. If her anxiety rises, go back a step and build on progress slowly. She should start to look forward to a trip and act more calmly.

A calming Adaptil pheromone collar or spray in the car may help.”

Meanwhile, Romy Turnbull is five and her six-year-old Dachshund Philip loves chasing balls but if there are other dogs in the park he just stops playing.

Sean says: “Dachshunds are bags of energy, and very alert to their surroundings.

“He may just be more interested in other dogs than playing ball. It’s hard to say without seeing how he reacts if he’s fearful, but that is a possibility.

“Taking him on a few dates with friends’ or family dogs may help him get over the novelty value of other dogs around. Lots of gentle praise and reward-based training should help him associate other dogs with play and pleasant times.”

• SEND your questions for the Pet Vet to sundayfeatures@the-sun.co.uk

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• GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk

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https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/9101638/pet-lovers-risk-prison-breaking-laws/

YOU can now buy crisps that taste like halloumi fries at the Co-op – and they only cost £1.

Halloumi fries have been one of the most popular side dishes in recent years but you’ve never been able to buy crisps that taste like them until now.

Co-op

The crisps are packed with cheesy halloumi flavour and there’s also a hint of chilli for a spicy kick.

And they look just like real halloumi fries as they’re tube-shaped.

They come in a 100g sharing bag for £1 and will be on sale all summer until the beginning of September.

Unfortunately, you can’t buy them online but you can pick them up now in one of the Co-op’s 4,000 shops.

They’re being launched at the same time as three other new crisp flavours: lamb kofta and halloumi flatbread, spiced coconut and chargrilled pinapple, and aromatic crispy duck and hoisin sauce.

These crisps cost slightly more than the new halloumi fries at £1.70.

Halloumi fries are very popular, with packs of the fried cheese sticks often selling out at Aldi.

But it was Nando’s who started the craze when it began selling the snack as a side last year.

Ursula Artjoki, the Co-op’s crisps, snacks and nuts developer, said: “We’ve seen halloumi fries pop-up on many a restaurant menu over the past year.

“So, we wanted to put our Co-op spin on this trend and give our customers the chance to enjoy the popular flavour conveniently in a crisp offering.

“Co-op Halloumi Fries are a really moreish crowd-pleaser that won’t last long once the bag gets opened.”

If you’re health-conscious, the crisps contain 119 calories per quarter of a bag, which is the recommended portion size.

NHS guidelines say an adult man should eat around 2,500 calories a day while it’s 2,000 for a woman.

Co-op seems to be the only major supermarket selling halloumi-flavour crisps.

But you can pick up a good old-fashioned bag of Walkers Cheese And Onion Crisps from Tesco for 65p, if you’re not fussed about what type of cheese your crisps taste like.

Earlier this year, we revealed the packets of crisps that have shrunk or shot up in price since last year’s potato shortage.

Crisps aren’t the only treat which has shrunk recently.

We exclusively revealed that Mini Eggs have shrunk in size with the price staying the same.

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https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/9094659/coop-sells-halloumi-fries-crisps/

SELF-EMPLOYED workers are taking pay cuts, working in jobs they don’t want and delaying having kids in order to get on the housing ladder, a new report has revealed.

With almost 5million self-employed people in UK, many are having applications for home loans rejected, according to online mortgage broker Trussle.

Self-employed workers have to jump through extra hoops to get on the housing ladder compared to those with permanent contracts.

They have their affordability assessed on the past two to three years’ earnings, rather than their current income.

This means that newly self-employed workers are being pushed back into full-time work that they might not want to do in order to get approved for a home loan.

‘I took a pay cut to buy a house’

For first-time buyers like Nick Murray it also meant taking a pay cut.

The 29-year-old from Devon was rejected for a mortgage while he was freelance, working in IT with a long-term contract.

He was able to get a full-time job with the company – but that meant earning 20 to 30 per cent less money temporarily.

After a couple of months he bought a house near Exeter in Devon with his wife, Oliva, 29, where they now live with their daughter Rosie, who is now 11-months-old.

“If I’d been self-employed for two years maybe I could’ve afforded a bigger mortgage,” Nick told The Sun.

“I was lucky because I could take a job at a company I liked working for – but some are not so fortunate.

“It’s either get a job or wait two years until you buy a house.

“We were in a position where we needed to buy a house because we were having a baby.

“But others have to carry on renting for two more years wasting money.”

After about 10 months working in a staff job Nick left to set up his own tech company – Pixel Fridge.

Trussle estimates that a fifth of self-employed mortgage applicants aged 25 to 34 are putting off having children to help with their application.

While a third said that their employment status made it harder to get a mortgage.

Trussle is calling on the industry to introduce new products to help self-employed workers.

“The self-employed sector is growing quickly, but the industry isn’t adapting fast enough,” Ishaan Malhi, chief executive of Trussle said.

“As a self-employed mortgage applicant, I was treated differently by lenders due to my employment status.

“I wasted hundreds of pounds between various brokers who eventually shut the door in my face. I ended up out of pocket, confused and without a mortgage.”

Use a specialist lender – and have a big deposit

Self-employed workers can apply using specialist providers, experts advise.

Jonathan Harris, director of mortgage broker Anderson Harris, said: “Lenders which specialise in lending to the self-employed include some mainstream or high-street lenders, depending on their varying specialisms and flexibility, and a few niche providers such as Kensington, which will take one year’s accounts.

“Applicants can also increase their chances of being accepted by having a larger than usual deposit – eg, more than 5 per cent.

“As with any mortgage application you will also need a good credit rating and proof that your income can cover your mortgage repayments.

“It is worth talking to a broker as they will know which lenders are most sympathetic to self-employed borrowers or contractors.”

A UK Finance spokesperson stressed that affordability checks are important to make sure that home loans are suitable for customers.

They said: “Lenders have to undertake a strict affordability assessment, before they are able to offer a mortgage including an income and expenditure assessment and ‘stress testing’ that the loan is repayable at a significantly higher interest rate.

“The purpose of this is to ensure that the borrower can repay their mortgage over the lifetime of the loan in all foreseeable circumstances.”

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https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/9075446/delaying-having-children-or-leaving-dream-jobs-the-problem-with-being-self-employed-and-getting-a-mortgage/

A NEW 50p piece with Sherlock Holmes on the front has gone on sale today – and it’s expected to go into general circulation too.

The Royal Mint has today released four commemorative coins featuring Sherlock Holmes’ iconic profile complete with his pipe and deerstalker hat.

In the background are the titles of other books written by crime author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle with lettering so tiny that you might need a magnifying glass to decipher it.

These include The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Sign of Four.

This year marks the 160th birthday of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes detective series, who was born on May 22, 1859.

The cheapest version of the coin is a brilliant uncirculated 50p in a presentation pack for £10.

There are also 6,000 silver proof versions available at £55 each, 2,500 chunkier piedfort silver proof coins available for £95 each, and 400 gold proof coins at £795.

But you might want to go quick as Colin Bellamy, founder of coin collection site CoinHunter.co.uk, thinks the coins will be snapped up within a few hours – and the gold proof version already says it’s “awaiting stock”.

Before now, the only way to get the coin was to buy Royal Mint’s annual coins 2019 set, which starts from £55 and ranges up to a whopping £5,250 for a gold proof version.

But the Royal Mint says the Sherlock Holmes 50p coin will also be released into general circulation in the “forthcoming months”.

It’s almost impossible to know exactly how much the coin could be worth as we don’t know yet how many will go into circulation – and we might not find this out until next summer.

But Mr Bellamy says it could initially be worth five to ten times its face value on eBay, meaning you could get up to a fiver for it.

Of course, the rarer a coin is the more valuable it’s likely to be, so its worth could creep up once we know the mintage.

The rarest coin in circulation, for example, the Kew Gardens 50p has sold for £90 – 180 times its value.

Just 210,000 of these went into circulation.

Other coins set to launch this year include a £2 coin commemorating diarist Samuel Pepys and a £2 coin celebrating the 260th anniversary of Wedgewood pottery.

This year has already seen the launch of a £5 coin to celebrate Queen Victoria’s 200th anniversary and a new £2 coin to mark 75 years since D-Day Landings.

But none of these coins have gone or are planned to go into general circulation.

The most recent 50p coins to be released into general circulation was Mrs Tittlemouse – a Beatrix Potter character – in May 2018.

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https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/9021459/new-sherlock-holmes-50p-worth-up-to-ten-times-face-value-will-be-launched-next-week/

GREAT news for thrill-seekers! If the bank holiday blasted your wallet, you may be looking for cheap ways to entertain the kids as the weather warms up.

Well, Sun Superdays is here to help. We’re giving you the chance to bag a pair of FREE tickets to Thorpe Park Resort, worth over £100.

RT

To claim yours, just collect NINE Sun Savers codes — printed at the bottom of this page daily — between now and May 28. There are more details on pages 28-29.

To celebrate, I took Sun Savers favourite, Loose Women presenter Stacey Solomon, 29, and her fearless sons Zach, 11, and Leighton, seven, to the theme park.

We had a great time — especially Zach, who braved heart-stopping rollercoaster Stealth not once but twice.

But along with your free tickets, you may want to know how to make your day out even easier, so here’s Stacey’s tips. . .

1. TIME SAVER: I sat down with Zach and Leighton and let them pick the rides they wanted to go on, and the order, which meant we didn’t have to figure it out while on the go, wasting valuable time in the resort.
   My tip: Download the Thorpe Park Resort app before you go, which can also help identify ride times — and the handy map is useful for directions.
2. SPACE SAVER: Be prepared. I bring snacks and ensure we have a brolly and coats in case it rains.
   My tip: Head to Wilko now and get multi-sized tupperware from just 50p. I also like the tiny round rainbow-coloured pots from Asda — a three-pack costs just £1.
3. MONEY SAVER: A buffet is good for the boys because they can pick what they want to eat — and can eat as much as they like.
   My tip: Spend the night prior to your visit at Thorpe Shark Hotel and get a free buffet breakfast along with free fast-track entry until 11am. If you book your free tickets via Sun Savers, we will send you an email that entitles you to 25 per cent off your hotel stay.

Deal of the day

ENJOY your favourite music with the iHip Bluetooth Flame Speaker, now £14.99 at B&M. Was £19.99.

SAVE: £5

Top swap

STYLE it out with a polka dot jumpsuit for £18 from Nutmeg at Morrisons, similar to Alice McCall’s £286 dotted dress.

SAVE: £268

Reader’s saving tip

HILARY MEAKIN, of Ripley, Derbys, says: “I make my own oven cleaner – quarter cup washing-up liquid, half cup lemon juice, one cup white vinegar, one and a quarter cups water, mixed in an old spray bottle. Spray on and after two minutes wipe off.”

• Send your hints to sunsavers.co.uk/tips and you’ll get 28 codes worth £5 if yours is published. Please include your name and town.

Cheap treat

NEED a pick-me-up? Grab a twin-pack of Fridge Raiders Slow Roasted Chicken Bites at Morrisons for £1. Was £1.50.

SAVE: 50p

Shop & save

©Laurence Hudghton Ltd

ADD a fruit twist to any party with a bottle of Lambrini So Strawberry. It is now £2.50 at Asda, reduced from £3.

SAVE: 50p

My Sun Savers fiver

LIZ HOWELL, from Cheshire, says: “I cash in my fivers to give to family and friends for birthdays.”

• Send your Savers fiver stories to sunsavers.co.uk/fivers and you’ll get 28 codes worth £5 if yours is published. Please include your name and town.

Grab 2 FREE tickets to Thorpe Park worth over £100

CALLING all thrillseekers – enjoy an action-packed day out on us with two FREE tickets to Thorpe Park Resort worth over £100.

Enjoy world-class rides such as the UK’s only winged rollercoaster The Swarm; brace yourself on Stealth, one of Europe’s fastest and tallest rollercoasters; make your way to the Safe Zone on The Walking Dead: The Ride and plunge the 100ft “beyond vertical” drop of the movie-themed coaster SAW — The Ride.

DANIEL LEWIS

Younger thrillseekers can get their kicks in Angry Birds Land — home to the world’s first Angry Birds 4D experience, a must-see attraction for families and fans of the hit game.

With more than 30 exciting rides, attractions and live events, there really is something for everyone at Thorpe Park Resort.

You can find out more about all the fun on offer in today’s special four-page pullout.

To get your hands on this amazing free day out, just download the Sun Savers app or sign up at sunsavers.co.uk. Next, head to the “Offers” section and click “Start Collecting” on the “Superdays — Thorpe Park” page.

Then, collect NINE Sun Savers codes from those printed daily in The Sun between today and Tuesday, May 28. Your first Sun Savers code can be found on page 20. Enter NINE Sun Savers codes on the website to unlock booking.

Plus, exclusively with Sun Savers you can pick the date you go, meaning no one has to miss out. You will also get the very best availability and the chance to book a day earlier than other readers. Just be sure to collect your Sun Savers codes quickly as the best dates go fast.

This year with Sun Superdays you can get two free tickets to lots of the nation’s favourite attractions, including The London Dungeon, Sea Life aquariums, The Bear Grylls Adventure and Warwick Castle — saving you hundreds of pounds.

Not already a Sun Savers member? Simply download the free app or sign up at sunsavers.co.uk. It takes just moments to register.

Sun Savers is our fantastic rewards club which gives all readers the chance to take advantage of FREE cash, treats and prizes. For every 28 Sun Savers codes you collect, we will give you a free fiver to spend however you like. Sun Savers codes are printed in the paper every day.

Find your Sun Savers code then enter it on the Sun Savers app or website. Once you’ve entered 28 we’ll stick £5 in your wallet.

So what are you waiting for? Join Sun Savers today and start pocketing from your paper!

•  Subject to availability. Sun Savers £2 booking fee applies. T&Cs apply, visit the sun.co.uk/superdays.

Play now to win £15,000 on the Sun Savers Raffle

JOIN thousands of readers taking part in the new Sun Savers Raffle.

Every Sun Savers code you enter will earn you a ticket for our £15k monthly Raffle. And for every ten tickets you collect in a calendar month, you get a GOLDEN TICKET for our £80k Raffle, which takes place every three months, with the first one at the end of June.

There is no limit to how many tickets you can collect. So the more you enter, the better your chances.

To take part go to sunsavers.co.uk or open the Sun Savers app. Then opt in to each month’s Raffle by clicking “Yes!” when prompted and start collecting the Sun Savers codes printed daily in the paper.

Every time you scan or enter a code into Sun Savers, you get a Raffle ticket in the £15k Raffle.

Not yet a Sun Savers member? Just go to sunsavers.co.uk or find “Sun Savers” in the app store to get started.

• T&Cs apply. Full T&Cs at sunsavers.co.uk/faqs.

Fancy a free fiver?

YOU can get FREE cash with super Sun Savers just for buying your favourite paper.

Our brilliant new rewards club will pay back our most loyal readers.

Just pick up the paper each day to collect your Sun Savers codes and we will GIVE YOU £5 when you have ­collected 28.

This isn’t a one-off and there is no limit to how much cash you can save.

For every 28 codes you enter, we will give you a fiver. So over the course of a year, that could add up to £65.

We are keeping it super-simple. You don’t have to enter codes from consecutive days, so don’t worry if you forget a day or two.

Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at sunsavers.co.uk.

To get you on your way, join today and we will put a bonus £1 in your Sun Savers wallet tomorrow. And the good news doesn’t stop with free cash.

With Sun Savers, we give you the best hacks, deals and tips to save money every single day.

TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/9048361/stacey-solomons-tips-making-thorpe-park-easier/

UNSUSPECTING McDonald’s customer Daniel Bird, 23, claims he lost £150 when fraudsters hacked into his phone app and placed 14 orders in just four days.

The scam happened a month after he deleted the official app for the fast food chain from his phone after using it just once to claim a free burger.

The journalist from Cheshire was working in Liverpool at the time, but purchases on the app were made in London, Uxbridge, Leicester and Hertfordshire, draining his account of cash.

“The whole thing was really stressful and confusing and at one point I had to borrow money from my family to pay for the toll road to get to work,” Daniel told The Sun.

“I don’t want anything to do with their app now.”

SWNS:South West News Service

During the next four days after Daniel claimed his freebie he continued to get notifications for orders from across mid and south England.

“There was one order for £40 in one go which was a massive amount of food and things I don’t even like.

“Some of the orders were in Walton-on-Thames and I didn’t even know that was a place,” he added.

Daniel contacted McDonald’s who said they would reset his account and investigate.

But as soon as he put the phone down to the customer service centre he received another notification for a McDonald’s order placed via the app.

The fraudsters appeared to be using his account in more than one place at the same time, ordering £17.27 worth of food in Hatfield at 5.27pm whilst also purchasing £29.55 worth of food at 5.33pm in Leicester on the same day, despite the two stores being two hours’ drive apart.

“I don’t know how they got into my account because I don’t have my personal email address online and my password is secure with numbers, letters and symbols,” said Daniel.

The pattern of orders showed the fraudsters testing out a 99p purchase first before placing a larger more expensive order minutes later.

On one occasion just two minutes after buying a 99p cookie the scammers ordered 10 chicken meals, dips, drinks and chips for £44.

This is the first known breach of the app in the UK but it follows reports in Canada of the Quebec Hamburglar, who has been hacking McDonald’s app accounts and racking up thousands of dollars in charges.

There have also been reports of the McDonald’s app being hacked in America too.

Back in the UK Daniel has received a refund for 11 of the 14 transactions so far but McDonald’s have not taken any responsibility.

In an email to Daniel, McDonald’s said: “Although we have no evidence these transactions were as a result of any issue with McDonald’s systems, as a gesture of goodwill we will be refunding the transactions detailed below to your card account today.”

A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “We are truly sorry for Mr Bird’s experience and our customer services team has been supporting him to ensure he has been reimbursed and to ensure his passwords have been updated to prevent this happening again.

“We have taken all appropriate measures to keep personal information and transactions secure. McDonald’s does not collect or store credit card information as the My McDonald’s app only holds a “token” with the payment provider to allow purchases.

“More than 120,000 customers use our App each month and we are determined to ensure they have the best possible user experience both on and offline.”#
The app, which launched its free cheeseburger promotion for new customers in January,  was previously manipulated by tech whizz Jordan Miller, 21, who ordered 100 free burgers in just one day.

Last year, Amazon shoppers were warned about scammers hacking accounts to make fake orders.

Meanwhile, McDonald’s fan this year branded Monopoly game a “scam” as it’s “harder than last year to win”.

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https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/9021367/mcdonalds-app-hacked-uk/

THINKING about flying off on a summer break that does not cost a hol lot?

Nicky Kelvin is director of content at Thepointsguy.co.uk, a site dedicated to helping you maximise the points you collect on flights to help you save on future travel.

Getty

Maximise your points and be a run-way success this summer[/caption]

He shares his best tips…

Deals: Keep your ears very close to the ground for deals. We scour the internet to source the hottest deals, for short and long-haul and for economy and premium- class flights.

• My tip: Sign up for newsletters from your favourite airlines so you hear of deals, sales and points offers early.

Flexibility: The more flexible you are with dates, the better chance you have of nabbing a deal, or finding availability for flights using your miles.

• My tip: A midweek break can usually work out a lot cheaper. Tuesday is one of the best days to bag a bargain flight.

Earn when you fly: If you fly on an airline that has a loyalty scheme, sign up to it and punch in your frequent-flyer number to earn points.

• My tip: If you have a flight booked, check their site now and set a reminder on your phone so you don’t miss out.

Earn as you shop: Use the British Airways Avios eStore (shopping.ba.com) or Virgin Atlantic Shops Away (shop.virgin-atlantic.com) portals to earn miles from all major online retailers.

Current offers include six Avios per £1 spent at Asos and 12 Avios per £1 spent at T M Lewin.

• My tip: £2.50 in Tesco Clubcard vouchers can be transferred to Avios points or Virgin Flying Club Miles.

Have a goal: Work out your dream way to use your points — maybe it is on first-class flights to New York.

Once you know how much your dream trip costs in points, use these tips to accumulate enough points to get you there.

• My tip: Avoid using your points on anything that is not your dream trip.

Deal of the day

SLEEP tight with ESPA skin-care Time For Sleep gift set, now £11 at espaskincare.com, down from £22.

Save: £11

Top swap

YOU do not have to fork out a lot on a fabulous frock. This denim dress from Nutmeg at Morrisons is £18, and looks very similar to a £174.99 Michael Kors version.
Save: £156.99

Cheap treat

YOU can now get gluten-free Cornetto vanilla ice cream, made with soy, half-price at Ocado. Now £1.50 for a pack of four. Was £3.

Save: £1.50

Shop and save

START your morning with a bowl of Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut – now £2 for a 500g box at Morrisons, down from £3.

Save: £1

Every code you enter is a raffle ticket

YOU could win £50,000 in our Sun Raffle – simply by reading the paper.

We know just how expensive life can be. That is why we are going to help by giving away £50k to one lucky reader EVERY MONTH in our Raffle.

To enter, download the Sun Savers app or sign up at sunsavers.co.uk. Then opt in to each month’s Sun Raffle by clicking “Yes!” when prompted and start collecting the codes printed daily inside the paper – scanning in the app or entering online. Today’s code is on Page 20.

With every code you enter you’ll earn a ­ticket into that month’s £50k Raffle. There is no limit to how many tickets you can collect per month, so make sure to enter as many codes as you can to give yourself the best chance of winning.

Start collecting your codes today, as the next giveaway is on Tuesday, April 30. Remember, you’ve got to be in it to win it.

• T&Cs apply. For full terms and conditions, see sunsavers.co.uk.

Fancy a free fiver?

YOU can get FREE cash with super Sun Savers just for buying your favourite paper.

Our brilliant new rewards club will pay back our most loyal readers.

Just pick up the paper each day to collect your Sun Savers codes and we will GIVE YOU £5 when you have ­collected 28.

This isn’t a one-off and there is no limit to how much cash you can save.

For every 28 codes you enter, we will give you a fiver. So over the course of a year, that could add up to £65.

We are keeping it super-simple. You don’t have to enter codes from consecutive days, so don’t worry if you forget a day or two.

Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at sunsavers.co.uk.

To get you on your way, join today and we will put a bonus £1 in your Sun Savers wallet tomorrow. And the good news doesn’t stop with free cash.

With Sun Savers, we give you the best hacks, deals and tips to save money every single day.

TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/9016659/sun-savers-flights-holidays-summer/

IT’S still cool to be part of the gin crowd.

Sales of the tipple soared 41 per cent last year, driven largely by a surge of interest in pink varieties.

Getty – Contributor

Thankfully, things are looking rosy when it comes to deals on the pink stuff . . .

FUNNY SPIRIT: Comic Graham Norton launched his Own Irish Pink Gin last month — but it comes with a not-so-amusing price tag of £29. Spare your wallet by swapping it for the similarly fruity Zymurgorium Flagingo Gin which is on offer from the online retailer for just £16 — usually setting you back £19.50.

SAVING: £14.50

BERRY GOOD: If you are after a super-summery sip, Beefeater’s Pink Strawberry Flavoured Gin offers soft fruit flavours of strawberry alongside the classic gin note of juniper. It is on offer at Sainsbury’s for just £13, down from £16.50. I also love Lidl’s Hortus Premium Pink Gin, £15.99, as an own-brand swap for big names such as Gordon’s, £16.50.

SAVING: Up to £3.50

LIQUEUR LIKEY: Flavoured, sparkly gin liqueurs are having a moment, too. Whip up refreshing cocktails using Mystical Unicorn Gin Liqueur, £7.99, from Home Bargains. It’s a cheap swap for Asda’s popular sparkling offering, Extra Special Raspberry & Rose Gin Liqueur, £12.

SAVING: £4.01

CANNY SAVINGS: On the go and need an easy tipple? Canned gin-and-tonic is the way forward — and yes, it comes in pink too.

Grab a few Gordon’s Pink Gin & Tonic tinnies from Morrisons. The cans are £1.95 each but you can currently nab four for £5. Or pop to Lidl where their Finton’s Pink G&T in a can is only 89p.

SAVING: £2.80 on five at Morrisons, or £1.06 per can at Lidl

Deal of the day

PUSH your little one in a Tour 3 Buggy in grey, £138 at Mamas & Papas, down from £185. Offer ends Tuesday.

SAVE: £47

Top swap

NEED extra storage for your staycation? Use Aldi’s roof box, rather than the version from Halford’s, and put the extra cash toward a fun day out.

SAVE: £30

Reader’s saving tip

ANTHONY MOORE, from Wigan, says: “Brass is hard to clean – but don’t buy pricey cleaner, use ketchup. Just brush on, leave for two hours and remove. It will look just like new.”

• Send your hints to sunsavers.co.uk/tips and you’ll get 28 codes worth £5 if yours is published. Please include your name and town.

Cheap treat

GET your hands on a triple pack of 30 Jaffa Cakes, now half price at Tesco. Was £2.50, now just £1.25.

SAVE: £1.25

Shop & save

GET a bottle of deliciously fruity red Montepulciano d’Abruzzo today or tomorrow at Marks & Spencer for just £4.66, reduced from £7.

SAVE: £2.34

My Sun Savers fiver

LYNNE FOLLAND-BOOTH from Rugeley, Staffs, says: “I’m using my Sun Savers fivers to have a special cake made for my daughter’s 21st.”

• Send your Savers fiver stories to sunsavers.co.uk/fivers and you’ll get 28 codes worth £5 if yours is published. Please include your name and town.

Win 2 FREE tickets to day at races

THERE is still time to get two FREE tickets to horse racing events across the country with The Jockey Club.

We are giving 10,000 Sun Savers members a free pair of tickets to a horse racing event of their choice.

Choose from the following racecourses: Newmarket, Nottingham, Epsom Downs, Sandown Park, Kempton Park, Market Rasen and Carlisle. From family fun days, beer festivals, ladies’ days, Eighties nights and summer Saturdays, there is something for everyone. Events take place all summer and into autumn, until Saturday, October 19.

You can check out all the available events on the Sun Savers app or at online at sunsavers.co.uk.

To claim your free tickets, go to the Sun Savers app or the website. Next, visit the “Free Horse Racing Tickets” page found in the “Offers” section and click “Start Collecting” there. Then, collect EIGHT Sun Savers codes from those printed daily inside the paper until Sunday, May 12.

Enter or scan your Sun Savers codes on the app or website to unlock booking. Click “Book” and you will get an email with a unique ­booking code and steps on how to claim your tickets on The Jockey Club website. Hurry – tickets are first-come, first-served.

2 for 1 tickets to Chessington World of Adventures

STILL looking for things to do on Bank Holiday Monday?

Then take advantage of this great two-for-one deal at top UK attractions.

Test your mental grit, precision under pressure, physical agility and problem-solving skills at the Bear Grylls Adventure in Birmingham.

Escape the everyday and meet some of your favourite children’s characters at Shrek’s Adventure! London or help the witch and her friends in brand new Room on the Broom: A Magical Journey at Chessington World of Adventures Resort.

And don’t forget you have been invited to attend Lord Vampyre’s birthday celebrations at the LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort with their new ride Haunted House Monster Party.

With more than 30 great attractions to choose from, where will you go?

Play now to win £15,000 on the Sun Savers Raffle

JOIN thousands of readers taking part in the new Sun Savers Raffle.

Every Sun Savers code you enter will earn you a ticket for our £15k monthly Raffle. And for every ten tickets you collect in a calendar month, you get a GOLDEN TICKET for our £80k Raffle, which takes place every three months, with the first one at the end of June.

There is no limit to how many tickets you can collect. So the more you enter, the better your chances.

To take part go to sunsavers.co.uk or open the Sun Savers app. Then opt in to each month’s Raffle by clicking “Yes!” when prompted and start collecting the Sun Savers codes printed daily in the paper.

Every time you scan or enter a code into Sun Savers, you get a Raffle ticket in the £15k Raffle.

Not yet a Sun Savers member? Just go to sunsavers.co.uk or find “Sun Savers” in the app store to get started.

• T&Cs apply. Full T&Cs at sunsavers.co.uk/faqs.

Fancy a free fiver?

YOU can get FREE cash with super Sun Savers just for buying your favourite paper.

Our brilliant new rewards club will pay back our most loyal readers.

Just pick up the paper each day to collect your Sun Savers codes and we will GIVE YOU £5 when you have ­collected 28.

This isn’t a one-off and there is no limit to how much cash you can save.

For every 28 codes you enter, we will give you a fiver. So over the course of a year, that could add up to £65.

We are keeping it super-simple. You don’t have to enter codes from consecutive days, so don’t worry if you forget a day or two.

Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at sunsavers.co.uk.

To get you on your way, join today and we will put a bonus £1 in your Sun Savers wallet tomorrow. And the good news doesn’t stop with free cash.

With Sun Savers, we give you the best hacks, deals and tips to save money every single day.

TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/9001656/drink-in-the-best-deals-on-pink-gin-with-supermarket-offers-on-top-brands-plus-grab-2-free-tickets-to-a-day-at-the-races/

PLANS to scrap 1p and 2p coins have been axed with the Chancellor today confirming that copper pennies will stay in circulation.

Philip Hammond had branded the coins as “obsolete” in his 2018 Spring Statement where he unveiled shock proposals to ditch them.

Alamy

He also questioned the future of the £50 note amid claims it is used almost exclusively by criminals.

But he has today U-turned on the policy, saying there will be no changes to current coins and notes, with all denominations – from the penny to the £50 note – staying in circulation.

Around 2.2million people in the UK are still reliant on cash, according to The Treasury.

There were fears that scrapping the smaller denomination coins could impact the elderly, vulnerable and those living in rural communities.

But surveys suggest that six in ten 1p and 2p coins are only used once, while 8 per cent are simply thrown away.

Mr Hammond, said: “Technology has transformed banking for millions of people, making it easier and quicker to carry out financial transactions and pay for services.

“But it’s also clear that many people still rely on cash and I want the public to have choice over how they spend their money.”

The Chancellor is also setting up a group made up of the Treasury, Bank of England and regulators to “safeguard the future of cash and ensure its availability for years to come”.

In addition, Mr Hammond says the Treasury will help to ensure cash is distributed across the country and will develop a new coin checking system to remove counterfeits from circulation.

Natalie Ceeney chair of the Access to Cash review, said: “Cash use is falling rapidly, but digital payments don’t yet work for everyone.

“We need to safeguard the use of cash for those who need it, and at the same time work hard to ensure that everyone can participate in the digital economy.

“If we sleepwalk into a cashless society, millions of people will be left behind.”

It comes as the end of free cash machine withdrawals looms as almost 1,700 started charging this year.

One British town has NO cash machines with residents forced to cough up £3.50 every time they want money.

Part of the problem is that the fees ATM providers receive from banks was cut in July 2018 by network operator LINK, making it less profitable for them to offer the service for free.

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https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/8987383/plans-to-axe-1p-and-2p-coins-ditched-as-chancellor-confirms-cash-is-here-to-stay/