There are monthly subscriptions for just about everything you could possibly dream of. We select our favourites.
These days you can get all sorts of wonderful, and practical, things delivered straight to your doormat, so take advantage of one of these subscription services to cheer up your morning post. From monthly brownies to books to herbs – they are guaranteed to perk up your day, or discover new products, authors or garden favourites. They also make fantastic presents for birthdays or Christmases.
Pong
Have the pleasure of oozy, unusual cheeses arriving at your house in monthly chilled boxes. Pong offers 150 kinds from Britain, Spain, France and Italy so that you get a far more interesting selection that at your local supermarket. Prices start at £28 for the decadent one kilo Chef’s Selection Standard Box.
pongcheese.co.uk
London Herb Garden
As a seasonal treat, sign up to have packets of seeds sent to you in the month that they need to be sown – that way you will never have to worry about what to plant when. Selections from the London Herb Garden could include lovage, mizuna, coriander, sorrel and parsley. It costs £3 a month for the herbs, or for a vegetable seed subscription.
londonherbgarden.co.uk
Common Farm Flowers
What could be more uplifting in the post than fresh flowers? Common Farm Flowers grow the most beautiful seasonal blooms which continue to grow in their bouquets. Tasteful and a little bit wild, they are always amazing and also smell out of this worls. They will send a year of flowers by post, all fresh from the garden, for a year. It’s the ultimate present for someone you love, or even for yourself. Prices from £700.
commonfarmflowers.com
Lifebox
Lifebox’s quaintly packaged parcels are designed to inject your life with extra vitamins and a little variety. You will enjoy all the items that you can add into your normal food to make it a little healthier, particularly if you’re a keen dieter. Coconut oil, Shiitake mushrooms, goji berries and flaxseed mix are among the nutritious gluten-free snacks and ingredients on offer. For a three-month trial of the ‘Everyday’ box it is £62.85.
lifeboxfood.com
Card Nest
For £7.50, CardNest members receive a selection of three colourful cards a month from designers around the world. The cards are much prettier than the ones you find in the big chains – some are handy multipurpose scenes, while others are tailored for birthdays, anniversaries etc. They all come with details about the artists so that you can always stock up on your favourite. You can also opt to have stamps delivered with your package, so there is no excuse not to get that birthday card out on time.
Cardnest.com
Birchbox
To freshen up your make-up bag sign up to Birchbox, who will send you over five miniature beauty and cosmetics must-tries every month. They make sure that you never get the same sample twice, so you are guaranteed a surprise from either well-established or up-and-coming brands. Recent goodies include Laura Mercier primer, Lola Barcelona nail varnish, Bliss face wash and Liz Earle’s Cleanse and Polish. It’s £52.95 for a six-month sign-up.
birchbox.co.uk
Nudo
At £32 per quarter it’s not cheap, but once you have tried olive oil this rich and tasty it will be hard to go back to the supermarket standards. Nudo operates by encouraging you to adopt an olive tree in Italy and you then get a quarterly delivery of three 500ml bottles from your tree, and as an adopter you get 20% off all Nudo produce. They also welcome you to drop by for a tour if the olive grove to see how your tree is getting on if you are ever in the area.
nudoadopt.com
William Curley
What could be a greater treat than having chocolate, sweets and biscuits by William Curley sent over to your house? Three months as a Curley Chocolate Club member will cost £90, and for that they send a selection of seasonal and bestselling truffles, shortbread, marshmallows and their famous chocolate bars. It’s an ideal service to ensure that you always have attractive presents up your sleeve, or fancy chocolate for visitors.
williamcurley.com
Willougby Book Club
Based on the information you give them, The Willoughby Book Club will send you a new, thoughtfully chosen and beautifully wrapped book once a month. Life is too short to read terrible airport books, so make sure that you are never without something worthwhile to read. There are ten themed subscription packages, including ones tailored to children, fiction-lovers and budding chefs. From £29.99 you can get the children’s book package, going up to £49.99 for the cookery book club. They also donate a new book to Book Aid International on your behalf.
thewilloughbybookclub.co.uk
Close Shave Society
Yet another chore ticked off your list – remembering to buy razors. From £4 a month you can have four delivered to you by the Close Shave Society, with different blade choices for men and women. It’s a handy service if you never seem to have a sharp razor ready to hand, and you can halt the service anytime that you like.
closeshavesociety.com
Hobbs House Bakery
After a long week at work, come home to brownies that you haven’t had to bake yourself. Prices start at £52.50 for a six-month subscription. For that, once a month you will receive a tray of brownies in rich flavours such as chocolate orange, peanut butter and honeycomb from Hobbs House Bakery in the Cotswolds. A service sure to keep any gluttonous brownie connoisseur very happy indeed.
hobbshousebakery.co.uk
Rare Tea Company
For a midweek treat that will not leave you feeling too guilty, try the Rare Tea Subscription. Exceptional flavours in their beautiful patterned tins include the Sri Lankan Lemongrass, White Silver Tip or Wild Rooibos – all lovely flavours to brighten a dull day. It costs £50 for a 6-month service, with the option to have dainty tea-ware included.
rareteacompany.com
Pact
Coffee addicts can have their horizons broadened with Pact’s freshly roasted coffee arriving through the door as often as they like. An amazing aroma comes through Pact’s envelopes of Fairtrade beans, starting at £6.95 for 250g which makes about fifteen cups. Current choices include fruit and nut espresso, the Finca La Joyeria, which tastes of dark chocolate and pear, or the Finca Buenos Aires, which has tones of red plum. You can choose to have it ground or unground.
pactcoffee.com
