We’re just days away from announcing the winners in the 2016 SHO-MO awards – the only recognition of the best in UK money blogging.
Everyone has done really well to get this far, and I’d recommend you read every single one of them. But there have to be some winners, and the judges scores are all in and totalled ready for the weekend ceremony.
Winners will receive a £50 voucher and a lovely trophy, not to mention the adulation of their peers and readers! Runners up a £25 voucher and a pat on the back.
So to get you ready, here are all the finalists, and our sponsors who help make the event happen (so please do check them out too).
The 2016 SHO-MO Awards shortlists
Money blogger of the year
The best of the best. Members of the UK Money Bloggers group nominated their favourites and our judges have picked the blogger who we feel has made a difference in the world of Money Blogging in the last 12 months.
Finalists:
| fromalditoharrods.com |
| lottyearns.co.uk |
| skintdad.co.uk/ |
Sponsor: Quidco
Founded in 2005, Quidco has expanded rapidly to become the UK’s leading cashback and rewards platform. Last year we/they (depending on who’s perspective) helped over 6 million members earn cashback worth over £50 million on their shopping working with over 4,300 of the biggest names in retail. Members can earn cashback online and also in-store, via Quidco’s innovative High Street programme. Money back on what you buy is only a few clicks away.
People’s Choice
All the blogs that were nominated for one of the main awards made the shortlist for the People’s Choice award – a total of 56 blogs!
This award was chosen by the readers, who voted online, but we can reveal the top six ahead of the weekend.
| blog.themoneyshed.co.uk |
| excoupuk.com/ |
| facebook.com/TotalCouponery |
| fromalditoharrods.com/ |
| thefrugalcottage.com |
| mrsmummypenny.co.uk/ |
Sponsor:
giffgaff money is a facilitator. A helping hand to connect millennials with the experience and know-how of their financially savvy peers.
Our ambition is to become the trusted financial facilitator for ‘generation rent’ by connecting them to the best knowledge, providing them with tools and giving them access to the right products.
Content is what we live for. And we’d like to take you on that journey with us.
Best new blog
One for the newbies. As long as the blog is about money and was started after June 2015, it’s in with a shout. A really tough group to shortlist!
Finalists:
| feaststylethrive.com |
| lottyearns.co.uk |
| Mymoneyspot.com |
| refinedcurrency.co.uk |
| savingscotts.blogspot.co.uk |
| thinkingthrifty.uk |
Sponsor: Gocompare.com
Gocompare.com is a comparison website where you can search and compare a whole host of products, including car insurance, credit cards, energy tariffs and more. Founded in 2006, we’re here to help you find the right product, at the right price.
Best debt blog
This award is for the blog with the most inspirational story of how they escaped their spiralling debt, or gives advice to help people struggling to cope.
Finalists:
| cottageretreatist.com/ |
| debtcamel.co.uk/ |
| diseasecalleddebt.com |
| johnnydebt.co.uk/ |
| skintdad.co.uk/ |
| themoneyprinciple.co.uk/ |
Sponsor: Step Change
StepChange Debt Charity help over 500,000 people a year across the UK to overcome their debt problems, and get their lives back on track. As part of their work in helping people in debt, they run the hugely successful debt and budgeting blog MoneyAware.
Best deals, coupons or freebies blog
Who posts the best offers? This award is for the site that regularly cuts your costs through fantastic deals, competitions, coupons or freebies.
Finalists:
| becleverwithyourcash.com/ |
| couponmamauk.co.uk/ |
| excoupuk.com |
| mrsbargainhunter.co.uk |
| superlucky.me/ |
| Total couponery |
Sponsor: Latest Free Stuff
LatestFreeStuff.co.uk is updated everyday with new freebies and samples. We attract over 500,000 visitors a month and over 160,000 fans on Facebook and Twitter. Our team work with leading brands to show consumers how to get free samples from the biggest brands. We have recently been featured on the BBC show Dragons Den and have big plans to keep expanding and growing partnerships in the UK.
Best frugal & thrift blog
Many bloggers help their readers get by with thrifty tricks and frugal tips – but who’s the best?
Finalists:
| ecothriftyliving.com/ |
| frugalitymagazine.com |
| fromalditoharrods.com |
| frugalqueen.co.uk/ |
| mymakedoandmendlife.com/ |
| thefrugalcottage.com |
Sponsor: Splittable
Splittable allows people who share a home to easily split and pay each other back for all living expenses including anything from rent/electricity to buying rolls of toilet paper. Splittable is available as an iOS, Android and web app.
Best frugal food blog
Some of the biggest savings can be made by focusing on your food bills. These bloggers can help you whip up something tasty that won’t hurt your budget.
Finalists:
| fiveyeartarget.com/ |
| frugalfamily.co.uk |
| muchmorewithless.blogspot.co.uk/ |
| Reducedgrub.com |
| thriftylesley.co.uk/ |
| skintdad.co.uk/ |
Sponsor: Approved Food
ApprovedFood.co.uk is the UK’s largest online retailer of clearance food and drink. Products for sale include those that are nearing or past their best before date, surplus stock, or are in outdated packaging, giving their customers savings of up to 70% on the RRP. Registration takes a matter of minutes and is open to everyone, meaning thousands of great bargains are just a few clicks away!
Best investments, retirement or mortgages blog
This is the serious, and important, stuff. Who helps their readers make the big decisions on their home and their future?
Finalists:
| cantswingacat.co.uk |
| good-with-money.com |
| magicalpenny.com |
| moneytothemasses.com/ |
| moneybulldog.co.uk |
| the7circles.uk |
Sponsor: Vanguard
Vanguard is a leading provider of high-value investment services, whose mission is to help clients achieve their goals by being one of the world’s highest value providers of investment products and services. Since establishing the first indexed mutual fund in the U.S. in 1976, The Vanguard Group Inc., has grown into one of the world’s largest and most respected investment management companies. As at 31 July 2016, The Vanguard Group managed over US$ 3.6 trillion in assets worldwide, making it one of the world’s largest investment management companies.
https://www.vanguard.co.uk
Best money making blog
Who has the tricks and tips to boost your budget? These finalists can help you make an extra quid or two.
Finalists:
| blog.themoneyshed.co.uk |
| cantswingacat.co.uk |
| fromalditoharrods.com |
| Katykicker.com |
| lottyearns.co.uk |
| savingscotts.blogspot.co.uk |
Sponsor: Swagbucks
Best money podcast, vlog or social media
Who has entertained and informed through a podcast, vlog or use of social media – from Vine to Pinterest, via Facebook and Twitter?
Finalists:
| excoupuk.com/ |
| moneytothemasses.com/ |
| Moneystepper.com/ |
| mrsmummypenny.co.uk/ |
| skintdad.co.uk/ |
| Total couponery |
Sponsor: Lansons
Lansons is a full service strategic consultancy, specialising in corporate, media and political communications. We provide clients with true integrated consultancy, where we are able to look at their business from all angles and provide a 360 degree perspective – each account is composed of a dedicated team of consultants brought together to best serve a client’s needs and give them the best possible advice. We help our clients achieve their objectives by communicating more effectively with their customers, investors, employees, policy-makers, regulators and the wider public. Established in 1989, Lansons is possibly the only truly “employee owned” business in the PR industry, with 41 partners, 35% of the agency, owning the whole partnership. In an increasingly internationalised, corporate industry we are one of the largest independent consultancies in the UK.
Best personal finance blog
These bloggers know their stuff – and help their readers make decisions when saving and managing money, covering topics such as banking, bills and savings.
Finalists:
| becleverwithyourcash.com/ |
| diseasecalleddebt.com |
| good-with-money.com |
| moneynuggets.co.uk/ |
| mummymoneymatters.com/ |
| themoneyprinciple.co.uk/ |
Sponsor: Onedox
Onedox is a free web-based service that provides UK consumers with centralised access to household bills and automatic notifications whenever a consumer should switch to a better deal. The benefits of the service are to save consumers considerable time and money on household bills.
To get set up with Onedox, customers securely link their online household accounts with their Onedox account using our simple set-up wizard. Once this has been done, Onedox fetches information on the customer’s behalf and automatically displays it within their Onedox account.
Best specialist lifestyle & money blog
From the environment to fashion to parenting, this award is for bloggers who have cornered the market in money blogging for a specific lifestyle audience.
Finalists:
| ecothriftyliving.com/ |
| feaststylethrive.com |
| frugalfamily.co.uk |
| mrsmummypenny.co.uk/ |
| mumssavvysavings.com/ |
| mymummyspennies.com |
Sponsor: Mouthy Money
Mouthy Money is a money blog with a beating heart and a big mouth. We’re made of real people talking simultaneously every single day about real dreams, successes and failures.