I was a Wilko worker – my hack to spot secret sales and the £1 Yankee Candle dupe I can’t live without
EVERYONE loves shopping at Wilko for the best bargains but there’s a few penny-saving hacks only the staff have up their sleeve.
45-year-old Hannah Golding worked at Wilko for five years and learnt every insider trick in the book.
The hard-working mum, who now lives in Bury, Lancashire, has shared her top tips with Fabulous.
“Working the night shift meant I was the first to see all the new stock,” she reveals. “I didn’t shop anywhere else for years and Wilko is still by far my favourite shop.”
Hannah’s first hack is how to spot a sale before it hits the shelves.
She says shoppers should pay attention to the seasonal aisle.
“Keeping tabs on the seasonal aisle is like having a secret weapon. Take note of when Easter eggs make way for flowers and seeds, and Halloween costumes are replaced by Christmas trees,” she advises.
“Products get swapped out about every four weeks, so bide your time and mark the date in your diary to get ahead of the sale queues.”
But the Wilko guru urges shoppers not to jump on the first sale they see. The biggest discounts of the year take place as winter arrives.
“Don’t be fooled by post-summer sales. Sit tight and wait until Christmas decorations hit the shelves,” she explains.
“As soon as you see tinsel, big items like patio furniture, toys and garden decor will be reduced by 70 percent. It’s an absolute steal.”
Next, she tells bargain hunters to give big brands the boot because they’re not worth it.
“Stop buying big brand items. Wilko own brand products are great value and do the same job, if not better, and you’ll save hundreds a year on things like laundry powder, loo roll, shampoo and cleaning products.”
Even Hannah was a brand girl until she worked at Wilko, she confesses.
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“I used to spend a fortune on candles and wax melts from big brands like Yankee Candle and my Wilko colleagues trolled me for it. I think they thought I was snobby, and then they showed me the store’s value range.”
Wilko’s scented candles start at just £1 and Hannah claims they’re dupes of Yankee with matching scents like exotic fruits and sea breeze.
“They’re literally the same, smell so good and last just as long – I’ve not bought anything else since.”
To get your hands on the sweet-smelling dupes, you need to visit at the right time – and Hannah says Sundays are the worst.
Instead, drop by early in the morning when all of the bargain-hunting mums are on the school run.
“The best time to shop, believe it or not, is during the morning school run,” she reveals. “It’s an ideal time to dash around and bag a few sale items before everyone else gets their hands on them.
“Regular shoppers always visit on a Sunday and love chatting to the cashiers so if you want a quick and quiet shop without any hassle, avoid weekends at all costs.”
Fabulous approached Wilko for reply but they declined to comment.