Saturday 9 April 2011

Learning to be thrifty at thirty (better late than never)

A girl who has absolutely no restraint when it comes to spending, and has never EVER saved a bean, gave up her salary to be a full time Mum - so how does that work?


My friends and ex-colleagues are always asking me how I'm coping not having an income.


This is how I cope:


Birthdays and Christmas -Always ask for vouchers - not for Wasrehouse/Oasis or similar. For somewhere you're really going to get your money's worth - H & M and Outfit are my personal favourites. But don't spend them all at once - they've got to last all year (or 6 months each way in my case) and they do - choose wisely now, those purchases are forever (well it feels like it),


Any loose change around the house - IT'S YOURS.


Never pay for the following yourself, it is his job now and he won't argue with you: - underwear, razors, tampax, wine.


Make sure you are in charge of any rewards cards - Nectar, Boots, Tesco  - that's what you use to buy all your luxuries (the one's you promised to give up on "cut-backs".


NO MORE BRANDS! We were marketing fodder - if it was branded, we'd buy it and convince ourselves: "anything other than Heinz is minging". Not true.
Or... "that won't wash our clothes" Not true.
Or even... "it smells weird". Not true.


And failing all that, have a very generous, eccentric and extravagant Mother - who will palm of unwanted groceries on you, turn up at your door with a orange Sainsbury’s bag brimming with fresh fruit, let you keep the pound from the shopping trolley (a tradition from when I was a teenager) and a thousand other wonderful things like slipping you the odd twenty and telling you to treat yourself! If you don't have one, I suggest you adopt one. They are marvellous! My currently has blue streaks in her hair - an added bonus!

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