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Head East for your Valentine's Day romantic break

Car hire comparison engine eRentals.co.uk has announced a surge in bookings for unusual destinations in Eastern Europe this coming Valentine's Day. The site has seen a surge in recent bookings for destinations throughout that region for the week around Valentine's Day.

The car hire specialist has reported a recent spike in reservations in unusual Valentine's Day locations like Sofia in Bulgaria, Prague in the Czech Republic, Bratislava in Slovakia and Krakow in Poland. Brits are looking to Eastern Europe to source themselves a better value romantic break this February.

Briony Fairbairn, spokesperson for eRentals.co.uk, says: “France remains as popular a romantic destination as ever but we've definitely seen a change in booking behaviour this year. Brits looking for bargain breaks over the Valentine's Day period are using cheap flights, restaurants and hotels to enjoy bargain breaks to Eastern Europe this year."

“Ski resorts are increasingly popular this year too as people use value for money car hire as a way of getting more for their budgets.”

eRentals.co.uk is right now offering three day car rental deals such as Sofia airport for £20, Krakow airport for £40 and Budapest airport from £40. The site has also seen increased demand for deals in Faro, Malta and Bordeaux for Valentine's Day.

Briony went on: “It's understandable that people are still working to tight budgets and we really do sympathise - however the romantic couples who want to get away this year can do so without breaking the bank thanks to new value for money Valentine's Day hire deals.”

eRentals.co.uk is a specialist car hire company, providing cheap car hire in over 12,000 locations around the World. Committed to finding its customers the best prices, eRentals.co.uk offers a quick and easy search of the latest offers.

To check the latest deals visit www.erentals.co.uk

(EDITOR: Planning ahead, why not check them out to see what deals you could get for a special break for Chirstmas 2012?)

Hunter Dunn, Hunter Dunn, best place for Valentine gifts under the sun!

It is a sad but true fact that Valentine’s Day can turn even the best gift-buyer in to a monster. Despite good intentions it’s easy to get bamboozled by the barrage of love hearts and cherubs tempting us to buy such horrors as novelty lingerie, service station flowers and oversized teddy bears!

However, with the return of the recession, retail studies are showing a clear shift in our gifting practices and it appears that more shoppers are shunning Valentine’s Day novelty presents and giving practical and stylish gifts that their significant other will not only like, but cherish.

So how to go about sifting through the plethora of Valentine-themed items in the shops to make sure that you find the perfect gift for that special someone?

Amanda Wright, founder of online clothing boutique Hunter Dunn, says: “With people tightening the purse strings they are far less likely to treat themselves, so gifts such as cashmere knitwear or silk scarves are a fantastic way to show you care on Valentines Day.”

Still unsure? Follow our guide to buying the perfect gift from www.hunterdunn.co.uk!

For Those with a Passion for Fashion
Combine romance and style with a ‘Botanical’ necklace from London-based jewellers Comfort Station. Each necklace contains laser cut slices from an antique botanical book, making this the perfect unique gift for your one-and-only! (http://www.hunterdunn.co.uk/botanical-book-pendant-p-156.htm...)
RRP £197.00

For the Classic and Cosy
Your special lady can channel Riviera Chic all year round with this classic nautical jumper from renowned knitwear designer John Smedley, made from beautiful extra-fine New Zealand Merino Wool, this ticks boxes for being both practical and luxurious. (Carey indigo/white stripe sweater pictured) (http://www.hunterdunn.co.uk/carey-indigowhite-stripe-sweater...)
RRP £130.00

For the Simply Stylish
The lady in your life can add a dash of classic style to any outfit with a Weston scarf.

Prize-winning architect and landscape designer, Richard Weston creates unique pieces inspired by the forms, patterns and colours found in nature. This luxurious collection of silk satin scarves are digitally printed from his unique mineral, stone and fossil collection (Fluorite design pictured) (http://www.hunterdunn.co.uk/scarves-c-101_108.html)
RRP £147.50

For the Man in Your Life
Let’s hear it for the boys! Treat the man in your life to a luxurious 100% Merino Wool jumper from renowned knitwear designer John Smedley. (Beetroot Hunter Round Neck Sweater pictured) (http://www.hunterdunn.co.uk/beetroot-hunter-round-neck-sweat...)
RRP £95.00

For The Woman Who Has Everything
Treat her to a beautiful iPad sleeve from Vogue-featured designer Mimi Berry. Made from Raspberry Italian hard leather and designed to fit both iPad 1 and 2, this is the one item that the woman who has everything simply cannot live without. (http://www.hunterdunn.co.uk/raspberry-ipad-cover-p-291.html)
RRP £120.00

All items detailed above can be found at online boutique Hunter Dunn – visit www.hunterdunn.co.uk. 

(EDITOR: And, yes, we know it is early, but why not check out Hunter Dunn for some ideas for neat Chirstmas presents, too?)

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Got presents you didn't want or can't use? Swap them!

Confused.com is celebrating its Nectar Points promotion by bringing back the spirit of nostalgic TV show 'Swap Shop' to central London for one day only.

New research carried out by Confused.com, amongst 2,000 people in the UK, shows saving money is one of the biggest motivators for swappers, with 31% of people saying that they preferred to swap to save money, whilst 36% admitted to swapping 'to get something I actually wanted rather than something I would never use'.

With 17% getting more satisfaction from swapping than shopping and 48% of people having already swapped an unwanted possession online, it’s clear that swapping is on the up.

Confused.com 'Swap Store', which will take place at London's Victoria Station from 1-3pm on January 25th, is part of the give-away which sees 1,000 Nectar points given to every customer who buys a car insurance policy through Confused.com between now and the end of March 2012.

Swap Shop presenter, Keith Chegwin, will be compering the swap, said: "It's great to see that swapping is back in fashion, and I'm really looking forward to running Confused.com's Swap Store. Saving money is one benefit of swapping things you no longer need and it can be really entertaining too."

Mike Hoban, Chief Marketing Officer at car insurance comparison expert Confused.com added: "The popularity of swapping unwanted gifts has encouraged us to have some fun this January by arranging our very own 'Swap Store'. Those old enough to remember the children’s TV show 'Multi-coloured Swap Shop' will not be disappointed."

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