How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

bertiebots

JIL wrote: »

Now i need some advice here - I want to buy a bottle of champagne for when we move but dont want to spend a fortune but have no idea what to look for (I personally prefer lambrusco - got no wine palate at all!!) so does anyone have suggestions for a not too expensive nice bottle ?

A knowledgeable lady I work with explained that champagne is called champagne because that is the area in France it comes from. Cava is Spanish champagne, but due to the geographical conditions (like Melton Mowbray pork pies etc) it can not be advertised as such.

Lakeland sell wild hibiscus flowers, that you can put in the bottom of the glass of fizzy bubbly and they change the flavour and turn it pink. There is also a site on the internet that sells ORO its £16 for a bottle of cava but it looks stunning in a glass as it has flecks of edible gold in it.

If you enjoy lambrusco which is quite sweet you may not enjoy a good cava tbh as it can be very dry. As others have said sainsbugs own -either taste the difference or just their standard cava is very good but have you thaught about a sparkling rose? It is slightly easier to drink if you prefer a sweeter wine and looks just like pink champagne in a flute!
Sainsbugs have a very nice sparkling rose by first cape ,with a cafe version which is low in alcohol. They also do a white sparkling wine which is very easy to drink (with a cafe version too).

This:
http://wine.mysupermarket.co.uk/sainsburys-price-comparison/Champagne_And_Sparkling_Wines/First_Cape_Sparkling_Rose_750ml.html

Or This:
http://wine.mysupermarket.co.uk/sainsburys-price-comparison/Champagne_And_Sparkling_Wines/First_Cape_Sparkling_Pinot_Grigio_750ml.html

The white one is quite expensive but they often have it on 2 bottles for £10 despite it being £10.99 a bottle!...dont ask me how I know;):D ....:rotfl:hick!

silvasava

Originally Posted by JIL
Now i need some advice here - I want to buy a bottle of champagne for when we move but dont want to spend a fortune but have no idea what to look for (I personally prefer lambrusco - got no wine palate at all!!) so does anyone have suggestions for a not too expensive nice bottle ?

JIL - what about Asti Spumante - its sweet & fizzy (the cheaper it is usually the sweeter) We call it 'Big Girls Lemonade' at home - don't knock the Lambrusco, it still goes down a treat

espresso21

What a fab site. Have been browsing the recipes and other money saving ideas. And thanks for the messages of welcome - you're all a very friendly bunch!
Does anyone know of any cheap places that sell smart clothes? We are required to dress smartly for work but unfortunately that can be expensive. I have an awkward figure - think short and round, and you'll get the idea! - so the cheap places like Primark and Tesco rarely have clothes that fit me. I usually have to buy in places like M&S or Evans to find clothes that fit properly but might have to find cheaper options.

Charis

Winchelsea wrote: »

Also the glass plate from an old microwave (will find a use for it)!

I've got a fairly big one from an old combination microwave. It makes a good serving dish for nibbles, small cakes or quartered sandwiches at a buffet and looks even smarter with a doily for extra special occasions. I've got the oven's old tray too, which has a rack as it was a combi. It goes in the main oven as our pizza tray and works better than the teflon-coated, thin metal, purpose-made pizza tray that we bought a few years before.

bertiebots

espresso21 wrote: »

What a fab site. Have been browsing the recipes and other money saving ideas. And thanks for the messages of welcome - you're all a very friendly bunch!
Does anyone know of any cheap places that sell smart clothes? We are required to dress smartly for work but unfortunately that can be expensive. I have an awkward figure - think short and round, and you'll get the idea! - so the cheap places like Primark and Tesco rarely have clothes that fit me. I usually have to buy in places like M&S or Evans to find clothes that fit properly but might have to find cheaper options.

You will find that lots of us os'ers find many a bargain at our local charity shops..its always worth a good look;) , and welcome btw:D
Dont worry what size you are ...they tend to have something for everyone (for me its think short and scrawny:rotfl:) and I have found some real bargains and often stuff is new! It sometimes involves hunting around for a while .. I am on a quest at the moment to find a new coat as the one I have is now into its 4th year and I think I deserve a "new" one!

mrsspendalot

espresso21 wrote: »

I'm new here...hope no-one minds the newbie! I came across this thread quite by chance and have spent a while browsing it. There are so many good ideas on here - thanks all. I work part-time and am already finding it hard to get to the end of the month; in a few months time I am going to have my hours cut even more (not my idea!) so things are going to be even more difficult and I am really stressing over how I am going to manage. At least now that I have read this thread, I feel a bit more hopeful that I can do it.

Another newbie de-lurking

I've read through the thread over the last few days. It was the catchy title that caught my eye .... tough times indeed!!!

I'm going to have to watch the pennies as I'm having a baby in 12.5 weeks. Money is tight, but we manage at the moment. It is going to get tighter though, especially as more of the cuts come into force etc.

I work, but at the moment I'm off sick as my pelvis has decided it has better things to do than stay firmly together and allow me to walk (SPD). I've been off work nearly 10 weeks now (you can imagine how popular I must be at work ). I'm getting quite fed up now as I'm virtually housebound; I can't even drive

My biggest weakness is my shopping bill. Once I get that under control, I'll have more chance of getting everything else under control. I've done the grocery challenge in the past, but as I have to rely solely on Mr T to deliver online shopping at the moment, I'm not able to shop for reduced bargains or anything.

EstherH

The charity shops near me aren't very good as we live in quite a poor area. I always go looking when we go on holiday. If we have a wander around a town my husbnd always asks do I want to go in the charity shops when we come to them.

ChocClare

espresso21 wrote: »

What a fab site. Have been browsing the recipes and other money saving ideas. And thanks for the messages of welcome - you're all a very friendly bunch!
Does anyone know of any cheap places that sell smart clothes? We are required to dress smartly for work but unfortunately that can be expensive. I have an awkward figure - think short and round, and you'll get the idea! - so the cheap places like Primark and Tesco rarely have clothes that fit me. I usually have to buy in places like M&S or Evans to find clothes that fit properly but might have to find cheaper options.

I think we're quite a few of us devotees of the good old charity shop here!

Have you thought about somewhere like Littlewoods? It's certainly not the cheapest, but you can get all sizes, and pay off at so much a week interest free? And you can try things on in the privacy of your own home!

Failing that, can you do yourself a "capsule wardrobe" - have a nice jacket and skirt or trousers (or both) and then some cheapo or charity shop blouses or tops? You don't actually need a lot of clothes to give the impression you're wearing something different and smart every day.

Presumably you already have stuff in your wardrobe. Can you make any of it over? Change the buttons, for example? Dress it up with different jewellery, or a scarf? My late MIL was INCREDIBLY elegant - she had been a model in the early fifties and was used as a double for Ingrid Bergman - and she had loads of little tips to make cheap clothes look expensive. One that I particularly remember was to buy a cheap shirt, which invariably has tight cuffs, and to remove the cheapo plastic button. In its stead put a decorative button, and sew an indentical button to the INSIDE of the cuff. You then do the cuff up with the button that is on the inside, which makes it look like you are wearing cufflinks. I know that probably sounds masculine, but it isn't at all - and it's amazing how it makes a cheapo shirt look much more expensive! Her two other tips were that you can have the cheapest clothes in the world, as long as you have decent accessories. Your shoes and your handbag should always be the best you can afford, and be kept clean and polished. AND her other thing was that you should always try to have your tights the same colour as your shoes (though not if you're wearing red shoes, presumably), as black tights and black shoes, or dark brown tights with brown shoes will make your legs look longer and give you a much better "line".

Anyway, this edition of the Clothes Show is now off to bed. Best of luck and HTH!

gillst_2

What a lovely sunny day it has been today, long may it last - amazing how a bit of sunshine can make you feel so much better
Espresso21 you will find so much help and support here, I know I have
Kidcat congratulations
ChocClare Looking forward to trying sticky chicken - hoping it is as good as the chinese chicken
Bertiebots Good luck finding a new coat
Thanks everyone for making this such a friendly informative thread that is really helping me at the moment

purpleheather2810

Thanks ChocClare. I definitely need to take heed of this advice. I too struggle to find clothes on a budget (I think I've said before but I'm a size 22) - charity shops are VERY limited in large sizes. I should focus more on accessories and try to customise plain clothes more! Must do better!!