B&M shoppers are rushing to do their Christmas shopping with toys scanning between 10p and £1.

Two savvy savers recently spotted the cheap toys in their local branches and finished festive shopping for the children in their family.

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The shoppers posted their find on the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group after snapping up various toys for pennies.

One of the members who posted about their finds shared pictures of the toys they purchased and said that their daughter’s Christmas shopping was “finished thanks to this”.

Another member gushed over the find, saying they “never get any of the bargains but today [they] did!”

They also added that items were apparently reduced due to having old barcodes on.

Plenty of fellow bargain hunters have liked and commented on the posts keen to find toys in their local branch.

One user said: “Wow! Well done on being in the right place!”

Another commented: “Brilliant well done on your bargains.”

And: “That is amazing!”

A B&M employee even confirmed the discounts in the comment section.

They said: “These are all old stock so it’s not going to be every store. I work for B&M.”

Any B&M shoppers looking to snap up the £1 and under toys won’t be able to find it online.

It’s not guaranteed you’ll find it in your local branch either, so it might be worth calling your local branch ahead to avoid a wasted trip.

In any case, you should always shop around before buying something like this as you might find the same, or similar, item for less at another retailer.

You can use online price comparison sites like Price Spy and Trolley to see if a product you have found is the cheapest against others.

You can also use the Google Shopping/Product tab to do a quick scan of the internet.

However, we had a quick look online to see if any other retailers are selling some of these toys for under £1 and there weren’t any.

If you’re looking to pick up a bargain on your next B&M shop, you should get the retailer’s scanner app.

It’s free to download on to your smartphone via the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Once downloaded, you can use the camera on your phone to scan barcodes in-store.

It then tells you if a product has been reduced in price, even before a member of staff has changed the label.

The app also offers you a description of the product you are scanning.

It’s quite common for shoppers to find under £1 bargains in their local B&M stores.

One customer recently found a stainless steel egg slotter for just 10p instead of £2.99.

Another shopper found pet toys slashed to 10p in their local branch this summer.

Remember, you can find your nearest B&M branch by using the retailer’s store locator tool on its website.

Other ways to save money at B&M

One ex-B&M manager said the best time to visit your local store is first thing on a Wednesday.

This is when staff slash items to as little as 10p to clear excess stock and make way for new lines.

Deals expert Tom Church urged shoppers to keep an eye out for red stickers products as well.

These are put on special buy products that have also been reduced in price.

It’s worth signing up to Facebook pages dedicated to hunting for bargains from B&M and other discounters too.

Some of the best ones to join are B&M Bargains, Extreme Money Saving Deals and More and Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group.

HALF a million workers employed by more than 15,000 companies paying the real living wage will get a pay boost from today.

The rate will rise by 60p to £12.60 an hour across the UK and by 70p to £13.85 in London for workers.

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Unlike the government-set minimum wage, the real living wage is the only UK pay rate based on the cost of living.

It is voluntary meaning, employers can opt to pay their staff this amount but are not legally required to do so.

As of today, a full-time worker earning the new real living wage will earn £2,262 a year more than a worker earning the current government minimum, according to the Living Wage Foundation.

Employers who are signed up have until the deadline of May 1 to pay the increased rates but are encouraged to pay it as soon as possible.

Katherine Chapman, director of the foundation said low-paid workers have been “hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis”.

She said: “The real living wage remains the only UK wage rate calculated based on actual living costs, and the new rates announced today will make a massive difference to almost half a million workers who will see their pay increase.”

The real living wage was introduced in April 2016, and since then thousands of employers have opted in.

Recent joiners include Pieminister, Fred Perry and the National Theatre.

They join half of the FTSE 100 companies and household names like Aviva, Everton FC, Ikea, Burberry and LUSH.

Darren Taylor, country people and culture manager at furniture retailer Ikea, said: “A business’s success is purely driven by its people, and as a values-driven company we care about our co-workers and their wellbeing. “

“That’s why we’re committed to pay our co-workers a Real Living Wage that creates a fairer, inclusive and healthier standard of living for the many.”

You can find out which companies are signed up to pay the Real Living Wage on the foundation’s website, www.livingwage.org.uk/.

The rates are separate from the government’s national living wage, which sets the minimum hourly rate at £11.44 an hour for workers over the age of 21.

The national minimum wage is also set by the government and it is the minimum pay per hour for workers under the age between 18-20.

Will the national living wage increase?

The national living wage set out by the government usually rises every year to keep in line with increasing prices.

In April this year, the rate increased 10% from £10.42, and has generally risen by more than inflation in recent years.

In September, the Low Pay Commission (LPC), which advises the government on the minimum wage, announced plans to raise the statutory rate to £12.10 per hour.

The government usually confirms how much the National Living Wage will rise when it delivers its Autumn Statement, which will take place next week on October 30.

However, the national minimum wage for children under 18 will not be raised to the same level as that planned for adults.

This means kids aged 16 and 17 still have a slightly lower hourly minimum wage requirement.

Currently, those under 18 are legally required to get £6.40.

Apprentices are paid the same rate, too.

A MONEY-saving expert has revealed a little-known button on tumble dryers that could cut energy bills by £35 a year.

As temperatures drop, many households will be worried about the lengthy and sometimes costly process of drying their clothes indoors.

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Tumble dryers are household staples for many, but they can become pricey to run.

Especially now Ofgem‘s new energy price cap has come into effect, leading the average bill to rise by £149 a year.

But there is a little-known feature that could help curb the cost of running the device.

The Sun spoke to Fiona Peake a money-saving expert at Ocean Finance, who explained that by using the “sensor dry” function households could save up to 20% on costs.

Fiona said this setting “detects” when your clothes are dry and automatically stops the machine.

She explained: “This prevents over-drying—a common issue that wastes energy and can damage fabrics

“By making the switch to this setting, households could save as much as 20% on their drying costs, making a noticeable difference in monthly energy expenses.”

So for example, a vented tumble dryer can cost up to £179.21 to run per year, according to analysis by consumer website Which?

But using the sensor dry feature could shave up to 20% or £35 off the yearly bill.

This would mean a household would be left with a bill of £144.21.

But this could be higher or lower depending on your model and how often you use the machine.

For example, a heat pump washing machine usually costs less to run than its vented counterpart.

On average the annual cost to run one of these tumble dryers is £76.09.

With this in mind, a household could save £15 on their yearly bill by using the sensor dry feature.

To make the saving you will also have to ensure that your washing machine has the sensor dry feature.

Some tumble dryers will have the sensor dry feature built-in meaning it runs automatically without you having to do anything.

Otherwise, it can be found on the dial of your tumble dryer where the other settings can be found.

If you are confused it may be worth digging out your manual to see if your tumble dryer has the feature or searching the details of your model online.

Fiona added that cleaning the lint filter regularly can also help save money.

She added: “A blocked filter can cause your dryer to work harder and prolong drying time, wasting both energy and money.

“Keeping your dryer well-ventilated allows the machine to operate more effectively, helping you save more money.”

Other ways to save money drying your clothes

There are plenty of other gadgets which can help dry your clothes quicker this winter.

For example, heated airers can be a cost-effective tool that costs a few pennies to run.

Heated airers can save money on your energy bill as it offers a cheaper alternative to drying your clothes on the radiator.

This method can become costly as it requires you to turn on the central heating.

Heated clothes airers are like traditional ones, but you plug them in, with the bars of the dryer heating up.

You can buy covers for some as well, which speeds up the time it takes to dry your clothes.

Aldi launched an upright heated airer across its stores on October 20, for £79.99.

It was part of its Special Buy range meaning once stock has been cleared it will not be coming back.

The retailer also launched a smaller version for £34.99.

You can find a similar version on Amazon or Dunelm if you can’t find one at Aldi.

Another hack for keeping your clothes dry is using a dehumidifier.

These devices can help remove dampness from your home and can prevent the growth of mould.

They can also be great for helping clothes dry quicker when placed near your airer.

This is because it can help suck the moisture of your clothes helping them dry at a faster pace.

RACHEL Reeves was handed a pre-Budget boost as the economy is set to grow FASTER than expected this year, new figures show.

The Chancellor was given the boost by the International Monetary Fund declared the battle against inflation “has largely been won”.

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The upgrade comes after Ministers have been accused of peddling doom and gloom about the UK which has dented business and consumer confidence.

Growth in the UK is now expected to be 1.1 per cent for 2024 up from a forecast of 0.7 per cent projected back in July.

The IMF stated that the world economy this year will grow by 3.2 per cent rather than its previous estimate of 3.3 per cent.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “It’s welcome that the IMF have upgraded our growth forecast for this year, but I know there is more work to do.

“That is why the Budget next week will be about fixing the foundations to deliver change so we can protect working people, fix the NHS and rebuild Britain.”

Sir Keir Starmer and Ms Reeves have put growth as a key mission at the start of their time in office.

Ministers have repeatedly said that strong economic growth will help deliver vital public services such as the NHS and education system.

But the Chancellor has warned of a £22 billion financial black hole as she prepares for next Wednesday’s Budget.

It’s also understood that the Treasury are also looking at a funding gap overall of some £40 billion which will include building a financial buffer to withstand economic shocks.

The IMF also said that UK inflation for the year will be higher than expected at 2.6 per cent, up from a previous forecast of 2.5 per cent.

Their inflation figure for next year was set at 2.1 per cent which is up from 2 per cent previously.

The rate for UK unemployment is set to have been 4.3 per cent for the whole of this year compared to the earlier estimate of 4.2 per cent.

But they warned in their World Economic Outlook that there is uncertainty in the forecasts due to a raft of elections – including the US on November 5.

They said that there could be “significant shifts” in trade and fiscal policy which could change future growth in different regions.

Reeves will travel to Washington DC at the end of the week to meet finance chiefs at the IMF annual meetings.

KLARNA, Britain’s biggest “buy now, pay later” firm, says it has saved customers nearly half a billion pounds in interest since its UK launch in 2014.

Around 10million — more than a third of households — have used Klarna to buy goods in the past year.

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And the boom in “buy now, pay later” has prompted the Government to say it will legislate the sector to protect shoppers.

Last week Tulip Siddiq, economic secretary to the Treasury, confirmed rules would come in next year.

And Klarna co-founder and CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski welcomed the move.

He said: “We are in favour of regulation — I’m not an anarchist that doesn’t believe in rules.

“The main thing I’m worried about is if it will reduce competition against the banks who are raking in profits from customers.”

Klarna said that during its decade in the UK, the banks and traditional credit card firms such as American Express have made £160billion from customer interest charges.

The Swedish firm, co-founded by Mr Siemiatkowski in 2005, lets customers buy goods and split payments over three months without interest.

It made almost £1billion in revenues in the first half of this year from ads and charging retailers commission.

Klarna charges people who miss a payment a maximum £5 late fee.

However, it says its default rates are 30 per cent lower than traditional lenders’.

Mr Siemiatkowski, who started his working life flipping burgers at Burger King, told Sun Business: “We’ve saved consumers nearly half a billion pounds in interest — that’s real money in their pockets, not lining the banks’ coffers.

“We’ve proven that paying for everything — from flights to garden tools and getting your boiler fixed — doesn’t have to mean being gouged by high interest rates.”

Debt charities have argued that Klarna encourages people to buy things they can’t afford.

But Mr Siemiatkowski said: “Having fixed payment instalments without interest is a lot better than racking up credit card debt.”

HSBC to be split in two

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HSBC has announced a big shake-up that will split its UK and Hong Kong business into separate divisions.

The overhaul comes six weeks after Georges Elhedery, the bank’s former finance chief, was promoted to the top job.

HSBC also named Pam Kaur as its first female finance chief as part of its restructuring.

The bank said the overhaul is along geographic lines of “Eastern” markets and “Western”, which will include UK high street branches.

HSBC, founded in Hong Kong in 1865, has been in the middle of rising geopolitical and trade tensions between Beijing and the US and UK.

Its biggest investor, Chinese insurer Ping An, had tried unsuccessfully to agitate for a break-up of the company last year.

Mr Elhedery, who replaced Noel Quinn, said the revamp will result in “a simpler, more dynamic and agile organisation”.

Don’t let red tape ruin AI

ARTIFICIAL intelligence is not some sci-fi fantasy — it is here already.

In San Francisco today you can take a ride with a Waymo self-driving car.

At KLARNA, we have seen how our AI customer service agents help to resolve problems in just two minutes, compared to 12 minutes before.

Our lives and the way we work are already changing and it will affect jobs at an ­accelerating pace.

Governments need to stop dragging their feet.

While we need smart regulations to keep AI in check, we can’t afford to strangle it with red tape.

The looming threat is that if our governments dither too much we will fall behind less democratic countries who do not share our values.

The answer has to be to promote progress while also offering an answer to those people impacted by the changes.

AI is already shaking up the job market — and we’ve already paused hiring more staff because of AI efficiencies.

Some jobs will change, new roles will emerge and some will disappear. Some firms talk about retraining and upskilling ­but can we really expect a 55-year-old translator to magically become a TikTok star or influencer?

That’s why governments need to wake up and step up.

While AI is driving progress, they must ensure that it benefits society as a whole, not just a select few.

Failure of duty

THE VIRGIN WINES boss has attacked government plans to hike alcohol duty as “ill-thought through and amateurishly executed policies”.

Jay Wright, chief exec of the online wine seller, said the drinks industry had been “battered beyond belief” in recent years by people with “no understanding of the effects”.

Another duty hike is feared in next week’s Budget.

Mr Wright still toasted £1.7million of profits, after a loss of £700,000 in the year to the end of June.

A cost-cutting drive saved £1.4million.

THE new Minister for Investment, Poppy Gustafsson, is launching a scheme to attract more funding into women’s sport.

She will say today that women’s sport, including football, rugby, tennis and netball, could be worth over £1billion this year alone.

LABOUR’S massive public sector pay hikes led to a record-busting September of borrowing.

The Office of National Statistics say the government has borrowed £6.7 billion more than planned this year after the third highest September on record.

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It came despite an increase in tax take due to fiscal drag meaning more workers were stung on their wages.

The stats bosses said: “While tax revenue increased, this was outweighed by increased spending, partly due to higher debt interest and public sector pay rises.”

Government borrowing rose to £16.6billion in September – £2.1billion more than a year earlier.

Borrowing for the year stood at £79.6billion, £1.2billion more than a year earlier and £6.7 billion more than forecast.

This came despite the first fall in central government benefit payments since early 2022, in part due to Labour’s decision to test the winter fuel allowance, which is paid out in November and last year cost around £2 billion.

Treasury Chief Secretary Darren Jones said the state of the public finances meant there would be “difficult decisions” in the October 30 Budget.

City firm Blick Rothenberg said “Income Tax annual receipts were “up 8.6% in the last 12 months, equating to £22.6bn more in the Treasury’s coffers.

“The main cause of the income tax increase is fiscal drag which continues to bring more people into higher rates of tax.

“This has been created by wage rises over the past 12 months and the freezing of the personal allowances and tax bands.”