Sizzling Pubs dealsActive deals! incl Free kids' meal per adult

Important! Ensure you know how to shop safely before trying these deals

Tips for shopping safely

Whether it's a retailer or restauranteur, airline or air-conditioner seller, computer shop or car rental company, there are always two main risks: either it's a dodgy company, or it's a legit company that has financial problems and goes bust.

The aim of these tips is to help you minimise the risks.

What happens if a company goes bust?

Quite simply, its customers are immediately transformed into creditors.

This hits hardest if you've ordered goods or tickets from them, and not had delivery, as then you are simply one of a line of people trying to get your money back out of the company's assets, and you usually get back much less than you paid in.

Even if you've had delivery, if the company you bought from goes under and there's a problem with the goods, it can mean you've no comeback.

While MoneySavingExpert.com endeavors to check deals are valid, we don't check companies' finances - even huge names like MFI and Woolies have folded - so it's very important you use the right strategies to stay protected where possible...

DO: Pay by credit card for goods over £100

Pay by credit card for something over £100, eg, flights, kitchens, sofas, and Section 75 laws super-charge your consumer rights.

Unlike debit cards, cheques & cash, pay in full or part (even just £1) on a credit card and by law the lender's jointly liable with the retailer. This means you have exactly the same rights with the card company as you do with the retailer, so if it goes bust, you can simply take your complaints there instead and get money back if no delivery.

Yet it's important you ALWAYS REPAY IN FULL each month, so there's no interest cost. See the Section 75 guide for a full guide and Cashback Credit Cards for how to earn cash on top too.

DO: Protect purchases under £100

Section 75 doesn't apply to purchases under £100, but there's still an option which can help. It's not a legal protection, just Visa rules, but it's a good secondary back up.

Spend on a Visa credit or debit card and, if the goods don't appear within 120 days, you can ask your bank to reclaim the cash from the seller's bank. See the Visa Chargeback part of the Section 75 guide for full details.

DON'T: Use unfamiliar sites without checking

Bogus websites are often set up to cash in on popular products like Ugg boots and Tiffany necklaces, so be wary if it's an unfamiliar site. And don't think that because it appears on a reputable search engine, that makes it a reputable site - always check.

DO: Check the site's legit

Most folks know to look for a security padlock on a website's bottom right, but that doesn't mean the site's legit, just that payment's secure.

To find out who registered the site and when, search the Whois database. Reputable firms should also appear on the Companies House site, the UK Govt's official companies register. Be very wary of businesses with just a PO BOX or email address.

Study the site's worldwide web ranking on Alexa. Anything in the top 100,000 means it's reasonably big - a good, though not foolproof, indication of legitimacy. Do a quick Google search for other shoppers' experiences.

DON'T: Let your anti-virus run out

Crucially, ensure your security's up-to-date - free software can be downloaded to your computer in five mins. Full details in the Free Anti-Virus Software guide.

DO: Know your distance selling rights

Many people are surprised to learn you've MORE rights buying online (or telephone/catalogue) due to the Distance Selling Regulations.

This gives a legal right to send most goods back within a week for a full refund (including outward delivery costs), even if there's no fault. You'll usually need to pay for the return delivery. Read Consumer Rights for a full guide.

However, of course this is balanced by the fact that, order online, and that automatically means a time gap between ordering and delivering - when the company has your money. So if it goes bust in that time, the distance selling rights don't help.

DO: Understand sometimes there's no protection.

Ultimately, there is always a risk that a company can go bust. If the above routes don't apply, then you have to make a decision about whether you're willing to take the risk of parting with your cash.

Don't be overly scared of this: every day we all make transactions based on trust, and this is part of that, but do balance up the amount you're spending against the risk. Don't give large amounts of money to a company you're not sure of.

Close

Current Sizzling Pubs Deals

Print voucher

Voucher

Sizzling Pub Co. Kids eat 'free'
Click 'n' print

What: Free kids' meal per adult	When: Every day from Sat 11 Feb 2012
Ends: Wed 29 Feb 2012	Where: Nearest Sizzling Pub
How: Print voucher	Food: Pub grub

The detail: Get a free child's main meal worth �2.99 when an adult buys a main meal.

Restrictions: Max six meals per voucher. One free kid's meal with every adult main purchased. Can't be used with any other offer. Children must be aged 10 or under.

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Expired Deals

Voucher

Sizzling Pub Co. Kids eat free
Register 'n' print voucher

What: Kids eat free	When: Sat 11 & Sun 12 Dec, 5-7pm
Ends: Sun 12 Dec	Where: Nearest Sizzling Pub
How: Register 'n' print voucher	Food: Pub Grub

Restrictions: One free kid's meal with every adult main purchased.

Notes: This is a great offer as it's valid at the weekend. But the time limit is very restrictive. Normal price around �2.99 depending on region.

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Voucher

Sizzling Pubs 2 meals 'n' drinks for �9.99
Register 'n' print

What: 2 meals 'n' 2 drinks for �9.99	When: Every day
Ends: Sun 14 Nov	Where: Nearest Sizzling Pub
How: Register & print voucher	Food: Pub Grub

Restrictions: Not valid with other offers. Subject to availability. Present the voucher when ordering.

Notes: Choose your nearest Sizzling pub, sign up to the special offers and your voucher will then appear in the next window. Get two 8oz steaks or half roast chicken with chips, onions and a grilled tomato (or for veggies Cajun mozzarella salad) and two of the following drinks: a pint of Carling, pint of Smoothflow Ale, a 175ml glass of house red, white or rose wine or a large draught of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi or Lemonade, all for �9.99.

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Voucher

Sizzling Pubs 2 meals 'n' drinks for �9.99
Register 'n' print

What: 2 meals 'n' 2 drinks for �9.99	When: Every day
Ends: Sun 10 Oct	Where: Nearest Sizzling Pub
How: Register & print voucher	Food: Pub Grub

Restrictions: Not valid with other offers. Subject to availability. Present the voucher when ordering.

Notes: Choose your nearest Sizzling pub, sign up to the special offers and your voucher will then appear in the next window. Get two 8oz steaks or half roast chicken with chips, onions and a grilled tomato (or for veggies Cajun mozzarella salad) and two of the following drinks: a pint of Carling, pint of Smoothflow Ale, a 175ml glass of house red, white or rose wine or a large draught of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi or Lemonade, all for �9.99.

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Other ways to eat out on the cheap

As well as food vouchers, there�s a raft of permanent ways to save money on meals out. These methods are especially handy if you wine and dine on Friday or Saturday nights, which some vouchers exclude.

Book online

Dedicated dining websites allow you to browse restaurant offers and book online. Here you simply search for a table, book and print out the email or voucher. There are three top ones:

• Toptable.co.uk Online restaurant booking service Toptable features everything from local pizza joints to Michelin Star restaurants. For the best deals, click the 50% off button on the left-hand side. Some of the other offers are less hot, ie, free glass of wine when you spend �30.

• Lastminute.com. Lastminute.com has offers throughout the UK and commonly offers 50% off food or 2for1 main courses. Again, some offers are better than others.

• 5pm.co.uk. The discounts are smaller, but 5pm.co.uk is worth a look. Deals are mostly set menus and 20% off.

Get bargain meals with Tesco Clubcard

Use your Tesco Clubcard points on meals out at restaurants, and you effectively get them for a third of the normal price. This is because 100 Clubcard points are only worth �1 if you use them in-store. Yet spend the points on goodies from its Deals Brochure and you get three times the vouchers' face value, eg, �5 worth of Clubcard vouchers are worth �15 in Bella Italia vouchers.

Restaurants include Caf� Rouge, Planet Hollywood and Chez Gerard; see a full list. For more tricks to maximise Clubcard points, read the Loyalty Schemes guide.

Taste card

A Taste card (formally Taste London) entitles you to 50% off at 5,000 restaurants nationwide, including Thai Square, Pizza Express and Strada. At �70, 12 months membership ain�t cheap, but can be worth it over the year, especially if you often take out large groups.

Restaurants can get mardy if you suddenly produce the card at the end of the meal, so always book ahead, mentioning the offer, then show the card before ordering. Taste often offers free month�s cards; these are always included in the free weekly email.

Bring your own booze

If you like a bottle of plonk with your dinner, BYOB (bring your own bottle) places are a great way to save. Restaurants rake in profits by charging inflated prices for booze, eg, bottle of Louis Jadot Bourgogne Chardonnay is typically �16 on a wine list. Yet pick up the same bottle at Tesco before you hit the restaurant and it costs just �7.

For a list of BYOB restaurants across the UK, see Wine-pages.com. Some charge corkage of �1-ish, though many don�t.

Michelin stars on the cheap

If there�s a fancy Michelin joint you�ve always wanted to try, your foie gras and lobster ravioli will be vastly cheaper at lunch than at dinner. As an example, a three-course set dinner at Gordon Ramsey at Claridges costs �70, but the same thing costs �30 at lunch � a massive �40 saving. Check restaurants� own websites for offers.

Home-cooked fayre

Eating out can munch away at your money, so do it yourself at home with recipes from forum�s Old Style (thrift) board. There are hundreds of lip-smackingly gorgeous ideas; see a full index of moneysaving menu plans.

If you�re a curry fan, here�s how to make a three-course Indian Takeaway for �5. Many Old Stylers report they now find restaurant grub disappointing.

Don�t feel embarrassed about tap water!

Finally, there�s absolutely no shame in asking for tap water. And it�s better for the environment too.

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