I was recently offered the chance to review the Simba Hybrid Mattress Topper (see cover photo). This is a premium mattress topper from the well-known Simba sleep brand.
I must admit, incidentally, I hadn’t realised the variety of sleep products Simba offer. I knew about their mattresses, of course, but wasn’t aware they also sell quilts, pillows, mattress toppers, and so on.
I currently sleep on a Slumberland king-sized mattress which – despite being barely three years old – is starting to sag. My sleep quality had deteriorated and I was waking up with an aching back and hips. Not good at all š So when I got the opportunity to test out Simba’s hybrid mattress topper, naturally I leapt at it.
I have tried mattress toppers before, and in fact got a cheap one from Amazon prior to receiving the Simba product. It helped a little but clearly wasn’t going to be the solution for me.
The Simba hybrid mattress topper takes sleep comfort to a whole new level. For starters, it’s deeper and heavier than my previous mattress topper. It came rolled up in a (very) large cardboard box. I wrestled it upstairs and opened it without any help (nobody else being around at the time) but ideally I’d say this is a two-person job.
The mattress topper comes tightly wrapped in a clear plastic bag. Once I removed it from this, it lay flat on the bed without curling. Unlike some sleep products I have ordered in the past, you don’t have to wait for it to expand to its full depth.
From the first night onward I was hugely impressed with the Simba hybrid mattress topper. It is no exaggeration to say that it felt as though I was sleeping on a brand new mattress. It is smooth, cool and comfortable to lie on and (for me anyway) offers just the right medium-to-firm level of support. I am sleeping deeper and longer before waking, and the aches and pains in my back and hips are a thing of the past.
I thought it might be useful to reproduce here the diagram from the Simba web page showing how their hybrid mattress topper is constructed and the different layers it contains…
As you can see, the Simba hybrid mattress topper includes a number of different layers (hence the ‘hybrid’ in the name, I assume). You can read more about this on the Simba web page, but briefly at the top there is a soft, breathable sleep surface, with a foam comfort layer under that. In the middle is a spring support layer (just like in a mattress), with a high-density foam base below that. This is very different from most cheap mattress toppers, which are basically just quilts with a cotton/polyester filling.
Obviously because of its layered structure, you can’t turn the Simba hybrid mattress topper over. You can rotate it from end to end though, and it’s probably a good idea to do so occasionally to even out wear. No instructions are provided about this, however, so that’s purely a suggestion, based on my previous experience with mattresses.
Are there any drawbacks to the Simba hybrid mattress topper? Well, I did notice a slight ‘chemical’ smell which took a few days to disperse. It didn’t bother me, but ideally you might want to let your new mattress topper air for a day or two before starting to use it. I’m afraid I was too impatient to wait, though!
In addition, as this mattress topper contains springs, I wouldn’t recommend trying to wash it (it wouldn’t fit in a standard washing machine anyway!). It does though come with a removable, washable cover. Essentially, you need to treat this product as if it was a mini-mattress in its own right. That isn’t really a drawback to the Simba hybrid mattress topper, just a feature of it.
Overall, I am happy to give the Simba hybrid mattress topper my highest personal recommendation. If – like me – you have an old mattress that is starting to sag, it should prolong its useful life. Also, if you have a mattress that is too hard, it should make it softer and more comfortable for you. It’s not cheap (at the time of writing Ā£219 for the single version or Ā£329 for the king-size I received) – but, as so often in life, you get what you pay for. Easy payment by interest-free instalments (up to 12 months) is also available subject to status.
I should add as well that delivery is free and fast: next working day if you order before 2 pm or two working days if you order after 2 pm.Ā There is also a range of options for buying a Simba double topper.
Many thanks again to my friends at Simba for allowing me to try out their hybrid mattress topper. If you have any comments or questions about this post, as ever, please do post them below as usual.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post (gifted product).
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Today I have another guest post for you on the subject of saving money and getting freebies š
My friends at Hot Free Stuff have put together this list of seven top money-saving websites where you can get freebies, discount codes, downloadable coupons, and more.Ā Check them out, and donāt forget to sign up for free emails from Hot Free Stuff to get all the latest free offers daily!
Are you a stressed-out mum (or dad) trying to make the family budget work?
It takes juggling to make the household budget balance without the need for taking a calculator on every shopping trip. That is because just a click of your mouse or a swipe of your tablet can reel in huge savings on credit card bills, home goods, fashion, electricity, and fun-filled family activities!
We have done the work of trawling the Internet to find you seven of the best money-saving websites around. Weāll help you get freebies, codes, downloadable coupons and more, so that you can do more with your budget every week. Here is our point-and-click guide to savings…
HotFreeStuff.co.uk
This site gets you access to lots of free samples you can really use, from lotions to perfumes. Save money using this site on lots of household goods and get a chance to try new products for free as soon as they are available.
Gumtree
At this so-called ‘classified community’ you can snap up lots of great deals on pets to property. There are many listings for rentals and jobs throughout the UK and Ireland. You will enjoy the deals, but you can also get free items via the freebies section. Just scroll beyond the ads and sponsor links to find many free listings for household items and furniture. At the time of writing there were listings on the London site for free sofas and mattresses, a working Hotpoint fridge-freezer, and free haircuts. Just a word of caution – we suggest for any classified site that you take someone along with you to collect any items, and be careful about giving away too much personal info when responding to ads.
HotUKDeals
This site has been around for well over a decade and is the most reputable place for people to share information on the freebies and discounts they have picked up on their website travels. It is free to register and features include ‘Top 10 Hottest Offers’, requests for offers, and fun, free competitions to enter.
My Voucher Codes
Get over 2000 discount codes at Britainās biggest voucher website. Tabs include top listings as well as categories, together with the ability to print out vouchers.
Groupon
Never underestimate the power of Groupon! Many times it can seem like a venue for free or cut-price beauty treatments. There are, however, great deals on family attractions, meals and holiday getaways as well.
Moneysaving Expert (MSE)
This massive site set up by financial journalist Martin Lewis has saved the UK millions. It is clearly written, easy to understand, and has lots of information on getting deals on everything from home and car insurance to broadband and mortgages.
Travel Supermarket
This is the best site to find travel deals and compare flights and hotel offers in one easy-to-navigate resource.
Many thanks to HotĀ Free Stuff for sharing their advice and information. If you have any comments or questions ā or other tips and resources for saving money ā please do share them below as usual.
Disclosure: this is a sponsored post.
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Today I have a guest post for you on a subject I’m sure will resonate with many Pounds and Sense readers.
We all love a freebie, but how do you ensure that by providing your details you aren’t opening the floodgates to a torrent of spam? Read and follow the tips below from my friends at All Free Stuff. And don’t forget to sign up for their free email newsletter to get details of all the latest free offers daily!
It’s completely possible for you to get free stuff. There are plenty of opportunities out there.
That said, for every legitimately free thing you can get, there are two complete scams set up to get your personal information at the cost of a few free samples. If you want to get free stuff without dealing with scams, try the following steps.
1. Set up a ‘spam catcher’ e-mail. This e-mail account is one you have no plans on using for normal correspondence, but rather the address you give out for giveaways and promotions. You can also use it when you register with a company that wants your e-mail address in exchange for free gifts. If you give the company your primary e-mail address, you’ll be swamped with a mass of promotional e-mails. It won’t take long for you to abandon your e-mail account in despair if this starts to happen.
2. Avoid giving personal information. You should never give out more than your name, e-mail address, physical address, and birthday. And you should be careful about giving away all of those, as well. If you can, try using a fake name or a PO Box. The more personal information you give out, the easier it will be for other companies to get that information. In addition, some websites ask for your credit card number ‘just to ensure you’re a real person’. Once they have your credit card information, you can’t make them forget it.
3. Be realistic about what you expect. If the deal seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is. It’s certainly possible the giveaway is legitimate, and if that’s the case then they should have company contact information readily available. You should also check the internet to see if you can find information. If the offer is that great, then plenty of people will be talking about it. Of course, if it’s a scam you’re liable to find discussion about that, too.
4. Visit only legitimate websites for samples. Manufacturers’ sites are generally trustworthy, whereas some retail-specific sites are not.
5. Write to the manufacturers of products you enjoy using. Companies are always happy to give a few freebies to customers willing to go out of their way to make their voice heard. It builds goodwill and often garners more customers. And all for the cost of a few free samples.
6. Learn to use coupons properly. It can take a huge amount of patience to learn to coupon well. That said, good couponing can save you so much you may even get free groceries. Couponing is a fairly big deal, so you can find plenty of websites that can help you learn. There are also many grocery stores or manufacturer sites that will keep you informed of what great deals and amazing coupons are available.
These are some of the best ways to get free stuff without dealing with scams. Do you have any other tips yourself? Please do leave them below!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.
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As from 6 April 2024, UK investors have a fresh chance to supercharge their savings and investments with a new Ā£20,000 Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowance.
To maximize the benefits of the new 2024/25 allowance, there’s a strong case for acting swiftly and using at least part of your Ā£20,000 ISA allowance sooner rather than later. This is due to the power of compounding. By investing early, you give your money more time to grow, benefiting from the potential snowball effect of returns generating further returns. So the sooner you invest that Ā£20,000 (assuming you are fortunate enough to have it) the more opportunity it has to multiply over time.
But the good news doesn’t end there. In addition to the ISA allowance remaining at a relatively generous Ā£20,000, the rules surrounding ISAs have undergone a welcome relaxation from this tax year onward. One of the most significant changes is the ability to open more than one ISA of the same type (e.g. a stocks and shares ISA) with different providers in the same tax year. This means investors are no longer limited to a single provider for each type of ISA, giving them greater flexibility and choice in managing their investments.
Previously, investors were restricted to opening one cash ISA, one stocks and shares ISA and one innovative finance ISA (IFISA) per tax year. This restriction could prove frustrating for those seeking to diversify their investments or take advantage of new opportunities as the tax year progressed. Now, with the freedom to open multiple ISAs of the same type, investors can shop around for the best rates, terms, and investment options without being limited to a single provider for each ISA type. They can also move some or all of their money from one provider to another without jeopardising its tax-free status.
It’s important to note, however, that while the rules have been relaxed, the overall annual ISA allowance remains fixed at Ā£20,000. This means that any contributions made across multiple ISAs of any type will count towards your total allowance for the tax year. You should still therefore take care not to exceed the annual limit to avoid any potential tax charges.
Cash ISAs offer a secure and accessible way to save, providing a tax-free environment for your savings with the added benefit of easy access to your funds when needed. Meanwhile, stocks and shares ISAs open the door to potential higher returns by investing in a wide range of assets such as equities, bonds, and funds, albeit with a higher level of risk. With a stocks and shares ISA you will never incur any liability for dividend tax, capital gains tax or income tax, even if your investments perform exceptionally well. Of course, there is no guarantee this will happen, but over a longer period stock market investments have typically outperformed cash savings, often by a substantial margin. IFISAs (e.g. from Assetz Exchange) allow you to invest is property crowdfunding and other forms of peer-to-peer finance. They are more specialized, but may appeal to some investors looking to further diversify their portfolios.
In recent years I have invested much of my own annual ISA allowance in a stocks and shares ISA withĀ Nutmeg, a robo-manager platform that has produced good returns for me. You canĀ read my in-depth review of Nutmeg hereĀ if you wish.
Closing Thoughts
In light of the new 2024/25 ISA allowance and relaxation of the rules surrounding them, now is the perfect time for UK investors to review their savings and investment strategies. Whether you’re looking to kickstart a new ISA or maximize your contributions to existing accounts, taking action early can set you on the path to optimizing your returns from this important tax-saving opportunity. By investing sooner rather than later and taking advantage of the increased flexibility in ISA provider options, savers can make the most of their money while minimizing their tax liabilities. So seize this opportunity to build your wealth and protect it from the taxman today!
As always, if you have any comments or questions about this post, please do leave them below.
Disclaimer:Ā I am not a qualified financial adviser and nothing in this blog post should be construed as personal financial advice. Everyone should do their own ādue diligenceā before investing and seek professional advice if in any doubt how best to proceed. All investing carries a risk of loss.
Cartoon image by courtesy of Bing AI.
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Iāll begin as usual with my Nutmeg Stocks and Shares ISA. This is the largest investment I hold other than my Bestinvest SIPP (personal pension).
As the screenshot below for the year to date shows, my main Nutmeg portfolio is currently valued at Ā£23,859. Last month it stood at Ā£22,994 so that is a welcome increase of Ā£865.
Apart from my main portfolio, I also have a second, smaller pot using NutmegāsĀ Smart Alpha option. This is now worth Ā£3,781 compared with Ā£3,640 a month ago, a rise of Ā£141. Here is a screen capture showing performance over the year to date.
Finally, at the start of December 2023 I invested Ā£500 in one of Nutmegās new thematic portfolios (Resource Transformation). As you can see from the screen capture below, this is now worth Ā£759 compared with Ā£530 last month, an increase of Ā£229 since last month.
I should though say that Ā£200 of this is ‘new money’. This came from a ‘Refer a Friend’ bonus, which I decided to pay into this pot rather than withdrawing. So if you disregard that, this portfolio has actually risen in value by Ā£29 since last month.
March was obviously another good month for my Nutmeg investments. Overall – and disregarding the Ā£200 RAF bonus – I was up Ā£1,035 or 3.55%. And since the start of the year (again disregarding the Ā£200 RAF bonus in March) I am up by Ā£1,882 or 7.15%. In these turbulent times I am more than happy with that.
You canĀ read my full Nutmeg review here. If you are looking for a home for yourĀ annual ISA allowance, based on my overall experience over the last eight years, they are certainly worth considering. They offer self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs),Ā Lifetime ISAsĀ andĀ Junior ISAsĀ as well.
Donāt forget, the current tax year ends onĀ 5 April 2024 and after that the 2023/24 tax-free ISA allowance of Ā£20,000 will be gone forever. But the good news is that you will then have a whole new Ā£20,000 ISA allowance for 2024/25!
I also have investments with the property crowdlending platformĀ Kuflink. They continue to do well, with new projects launching every week. I currently have around Ā£1,570 invested with them in 10 different projects paying interest rates averaging around 7%. I also have Ā£14 in my Kuflink cash account.
To date I have never lost any money with Kuflink, though some loan terms have been extended once or twice. On the plus side, when this happens additional interest is paid for the period in question.
There is now anĀ initial minimum investment of Ā£1,000 and a minimum investment per project of Ā£500. Kuflink say they are doing this to streamline their operation and minimize costs. I can understand that, though it does mean that the option to test the water with a small first investment has been removed. It also makes it harder for small investors (like myself) to build a well-diversified portfolio on a limited budget.
One possible way around this is to invest using Kuflinkās Auto/IFISA facility. Your money here is automatically invested across a basket of loans over a period from one to five years. Interest rates range from 7% to around 10%, depending on the length of term you choose. Full up-to-date details can be found on the Kuflink website.
You can invest tax-free in a Kuflink Auto IFISA. Or if you have already used your annual iFISA allowance elsewhere, you can invest via a taxable Auto account.Ā You can read my full Kuflink review here if you wish.
Moving on, myĀ Assetz ExchangeĀ investments continue to generate steady returns. Regular readers will know that this is a P2P property investment platform focusing on lower-risk properties (e.g. sheltered housing). I put an initial Ā£100 into this in mid-February 2021 and another Ā£400 in April. In June 2021 I added another Ā£500, bringing my total investment up to Ā£1,000.
Since I opened my account, my AE portfolio has generated a respectable Ā£173.90 in revenue from rental income. As I said in last monthās update, capital growth has slowed, though, in line with UK property values generally.
At the time of writing, 8 of āmyā properties are showing gains, 7 are breaking even, and the remaining 14 are showing losses. My portfolio is currently showing a net decrease in value of Ā£35.05, meaning that overall (rental income minus capital value decrease) I am up by Ā£138.85. Thatās still a decent return on my Ā£1,000 and does illustrate the value of P2P property investments for diversifying your portfolio. And it doesnāt hurt that with Assetz Exchange most projects are socially beneficial as well.
The overall fall in capital value of my AE investments is obviously a little disappointing. But itās important to remember that until/unless I choose to sell the investments in question, it is largely theoretical, based on the most recent price at which shares in the property concerned have changed hands. The rental income, on the other hand, is real money (which in my case Iāve reinvested in other AE projects to further diversify my portfolio).
To control risk with all my property crowdfunding investments nowadays, I invest relatively modest amounts in individual projects. This is a particular attraction of AE as far as i am concerned (especially now that Kuflink have raised their minimum investment per project to Ā£500). You can actually invest from as little as 80p per property if youĀ reallyĀ want to proceed cautiously.
As I noted inĀ this recent post, Assetz Exchange is particularly good if you want to compound your returns by reinvesting rental income. This effectively boosts the interest rate you are receiving. Personally, once I have accrued a minimum of Ā£10 in rental payments, I reinvest this money in either a new AE project or one I have already invested in (thus increasing my holding). Over time, even if I donāt invest any more capital, this will ensure my investment with AE grows at an accelerating rate and becomes more diversified as well.
In 2022 I set up an account with investment and trading platformĀ eToro, using their popular ācopy traderā facility. I chose to invest $500 (then about Ā£412) copying an experienced eToro trader calledĀ Aukie2008Ā (real nameĀ Mike Moest).
In January 2023 I added to this with another $500 investment in one of their thematic portfolios,Ā Oil Worldwide. I also invested a small amount I had left over inĀ TeslaĀ shares.
As you can see from the screen captures below, my original investment totalling $1,022.26 is today worth $1,303.49, an overall increase of $281.23 or 27.51%.
eToro also offer the freeĀ eToro Money app. This allows you to deposit money to your eToro account without paying any currency conversion fees, saving you up to Ā£5 for every Ā£1,000 you deposit. You can also use the app to withdraw funds from your eToro account instantly to your bank account. I tried this myself and was impressed with how quickly and seamlessly it worked. You canĀ read my blog post about eToro Money here. Note that it can also serve as a cryptocurrency wallet, allowing you to send and receive crypto from any other wallet address in the world.
I had two more articles published in March on the excellent Mouthy Money website. The first is Saving versus Investing – What’s the Difference and Why You Should Do Both. People often get confused between saving and investing, and it doesnāt help that the words are sometimes used loosely and interchangeably. In reality, though, there is a clear difference between them. In this article I explain why saving should always be your first priority, but ideally you should do both.
Also in March Mouthy Money published my article Are Solar Panels Still Worthwhile? As you probably know, solar PV panels generate electricity from sunlight. Growing numbers of homeowners (me included) have them on their roofs. At one time solar panels came with generous payment tariffs known as FiTs (feed-in tariffs), but those days are long gone. So in this article I examine what incentives exist today for installing panels and whether the sums still add up. I also look at the other pros and cons of solar panels.
As Iāve said before, Mouthy Money is a great resource for anyone interested in money-making and money-saving.Ā I am a particular fan of my fellow MM contributor and money bloggerĀ Shoestring Jane. She writes mainly about money saving and frugal living. Her latest article Save Money on Gifts Throughout the Year sets out some top tipsĀ for saving money on gifts without (of course!) being a skinflint. You can see all of Janeās articles for Mouthy Money via this web page.
I also published several posts onĀ Pounds and Sense in March. I wonāt bother mentioning those that are no longer relevant now, but the others are listed below.
One was a reminder that the Trading 212 welcome offer has reopened. If you haven’t done this before, you can get a free share worth up to Ā£100. As I said in the article, my free share in AMD is now worth Ā£151.88! This offer closes on 16 April 2024.
Also in March I published Donāt Miss Out! Use Your Ā£20,000 ISA Allowance Before Itās Too Late. This was a reminder to use your 2023/24 allowance before it vanishes on 6th April 2024. Obviously you will need to move very smartly if you are going to do this now. But (as I said earlier) the good news is that everyone will have a fresh Ā£20,000 allowance from that date.
One other bit of news this month is that I finally got around to buying a home storage battery to connect to my solar panels (see my recent MM article about panels). I used a local (Staffordshire) company called The Energy Box for this, and am very happy to recommend them.
I’ve had my battery for just over a fortnight now and it’s been quite eye-opening. Using the battery app I can see how much electricity my solar panels are generating at any time and how much I am using in my home. I can also check the battery charge level and whether it’s charging or discharging. Even at this time of year, if there’s a bit of sunshine I am generating enough electricity in the day to cover my needs and charge the battery to a level where I’m running the house from it till well into the evening.
In the summer I’d expect to be generating enough to live off solar-generated power entirely, meaning there will only be the dreaded standing charge to pay. So I will actually be saving more money than I originally anticipated, though admittedly it will still be a number of years before the cost is covered.
It wasn’t just a financial decision, though. My other aim was to be able to continue as normal in the event of power cuts (which I expect to become more frequent in coming years as the UK transitions away from fossil fuels), and that should be the case too. The only issue might be a power cut in the depths of winter when the battery hasn’t charged up from the panels. Even so, if I know (or suspect) a cut is coming I can charge the battery in advance from the mains.
I’ve written an article going into more detail about home storage batteries (including my own) for my regular clients at Mouthy Money. This will be published in April, so keep an eye out for it!
Finally, a quick reminder that you can also follow Pounds and Sense onĀ FacebookĀ orĀ Twitter/X. Twitter/X is my number one social media platform these days and I post regularly there. I share the latest news and information on financial (and other) matters, and other things that interest, amuse or concern me. So if you arenāt followingĀ my PAS account, you are definitely missing out!
Thatās all for today. As always, if you have any comments or queries, feel free to leave them below. I am always delighted to hear from PAS readersĀ
Disclaimer: I am not a qualified financial adviser and nothing in this blog post should be construed as personal financial advice. Everyone should do their own ādue diligenceā before investing and seek professional advice if in any doubt how best to proceed. All investing carries a risk of loss.
Note also that posts may include affiliate links. If you click through and perform a qualifying transaction, I may receive a commission for introducing you. This will not affect the product or service you receive or the terms you are offered, but it does help support me in publishing PAS and paying my bills. Thank you!
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I also published several posts onĀ 