Anyone fancy joining me in a challenge.. Champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget

rachbc

Interesting challenge - not sure about an across the board 50% off on things but to me a lemonade budget is about getting the very best out of your money.

For example food wise - tonight we are having teryaki beef (waitrose steak bought on offer 25% of with an additional 25% ocado voucher. With basmati rice - bought in 20kg sacks for less than £1 a kg. Served with mange tout 8p yellow stickered.

We get lovely meal with good quality ingredients at budget prices

I have lovely christies towels - £3 each in TK Maxx clearance - and hopeful they will last better than cheap own brand ones

corrag

Brilliant thread. I'm reading with much interest.

Two random things I wanted to share:

Ants will not cross chalk, so you could find where they are coming from and draw a chalk line on the floor or sprinkle chalk dust in a line and they won't cross it. You could save money on bleach and mop heads that way.

A few years ago we saved up Morrisons Saver stamps and brought Morrisons own towels. They are very thick and fluffy and 100% Egyptian cotton. We've had them for years now and they are still the same great quality. Plus (at the time) if you brought a bath sheet you could a hand towel free.

Seakay

Another occasional watcher here!
Freebie shampoo and conditioner sachets usually last me for two washes, there are loads around and although I originally got them for going away I ended up with so many that I used them all the time for a bit.
I also keep an eye on Approved Foods for things that I would normally buy anyway, and when enough are available at once to justify the postage I go for it!
Similarly it's worth keeping an eye on http://www.madaboutbargains.co.uk/offers/view.htm?type=1
which claims it's prices are always half price or better.
Ebay shops can be fantastic for lovely lined curtains, often the most expensive bit is the postage. I've used Country House Delights, The Bay Country Life and The Antique Linen Cupboard but obviously there are many more.

Spendless

I live in a large market town so plenty of butchers stalls. We stocked up at the weekend and for £42 have 2 beef joints, 1 large pork shoulder, 15 chicken breasts (3 x 5 packs), 7 (fresh) lamb chops, 2 enormous thick rump steaks (will feed 4) and a tray of pork steaks (unsure of how many, but I have 4 out of this evening's meal and still several left).

Plan to maximise any loyalty cards. This xmas my neice will be getting a vanity case full of sanctuary products. I think full price was around £20-£25. I bought it in the Boots 75% sale in Jan and paid for it with my points. It was hugely satisfying to walk away with 2-3 bags full of next years pressies for nothing. I also have stashed away a 'designer' hairdryer for my DD, who will be 9 3/4 at Xmas. Full price was £60, they were selling it off I paid around £11.:j

For any of you who have kids, do you know about the family and friends railcard offer in the daily mail?

http://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/dailymail

passwords are friends and family.

Def worth it. When we went away last year Mr S was working south of where we live and was going to have to finish work, drive north to pick up me and kids and drive back south to kent for our hol to france. Instead I suggested to him that me and kids could catch train to where he was working and set off from there. The single train trip from where we lvie in Yorkshire to Alfreton was around £10. :T I've paid £7.50 before for us to do a bus ride from one part of my town to another.:eek:

oldtractor

The secret of fluffy towels a la B&B is no fabric conditioner and wash on very hot. Shake out as they dry.

lessonlearned

Stews & casseroles

Rather than using a full bottle of wine I keep a bottle of cheap own label red vermouth for cooking - just about 50 ml will do it, top up with stock. It works out cheaper in the long run because it keeps for a long time even when opened.

You can also use port or sherry, or even a slug of cheap brandy.

Spendless

BTW - Anyone buying individually wrapped muffins/cakes to save on a cupcake habit, do you have a Home Bargains? They sell individually wrapped fabulous bakin boys muffins/cupcakes for around 69p. The boxes of individually wrapped flapjacks is 49p.

Skintslimmer

Hi all, thanks to the new watchers and lurkers - who doesn't like champagne at lemoade prices?!

Butchers - yes, I have a BRILLIANT local butcher, who no matter how small my purchase will always give me a free bone or two for stock. The only thing is I'm quite upset at them because its the first place I've shopped at where there is NO meat I can scrounge off the bone! :rotfl:

RE Boots sale - I couldn't find anything decent in it this year - very disappointed. I have, however, found fantastic £25 wine and cheese hampers reduced to £5 in Mr T (wine and cheese long gone... hamper and posh packing kept ) and nice hand soap/moisturiser/gloves sets in Mr S which were £8 but I got them for 80p each Similar vein I found some very reduced cinnamon sticks tied in a nice bunch with a dried orange slice, so this year's Xmas hampers are looking good so far

Spendless wrote: »

BTW - Anyone buying individually wrapped muffins/cakes to save on a cupcake habit, do you have a Home Bargains? They sell individually wrapped fabulous bakin boys muffins/cupcakes for around 69p. The boxes of individually wrapped flapjacks is 49p.

YES I do, thank you so much! :T I also hadn't thought about freezing them, because that would prevent me from eating too many in one day when I'm at home :whistle: So much for skintslimmer

... I wonder if that works with multipacks of crisps? :rotfl:

Today I completely sinned, by waking up 2 minutes before I needed to leave the house So bought lunch full price, and coffee too :o:o To compound the issue the only thing I can find at home to make a packed lunch for tomorrow is lettuce and olives :rotfl:

Oh, and thanks for the bleach mopping tip. I'm a bit *harumph* at that, will have to try the chalk/talc ideas. I now have visions of a murder-scene-investigation type kitchen with chalk lines around everything!:rotfl: Or I could just stay with bleach mopping, my mop was from the £1 shop about 6 months ago.. I can cope with replacing it every 6 months.

trifles

Personally,I feel I live a champagne lifestyle when I feel comfortable' in my own skin' and can take real pleasure in my home,food,toiletries and clothes.I try to have an 'attitude of gratitude' in small pleasures.
None of these cost me a lot if I shop carefully. For example,I decant cheap shampoo,shower gel etc into pretty containers from charity shops or TK Max and then with no labels to see I just enjoy the product.I perfume E45 cream or aqueous cream with the less expensive essential oils(rose geranium and lavender is a gorgeous mix)and pot them up in some pretty jars-:DI make some sticky labels for them and stamp colourful designs on them.Gives me the illusion of bespoke face and body creams
I love candles and feel if I have groups of them burning in my living room or bedroom it adds a luxurious atmosphere.I use old coloured glasses to hold them in or float them in small bowls.Ikea do reasonably priced candles.
Charity shops can have some great bargains in clothes if you are patient,and can turn up great accessories.
There are many books in libraries and craft magazines that show you how to alter,upcycle and look at clothes to wear out of their usual season.Maybe there are classes or groups in your area that teach basic sewing-a great way nto have 'one off' clothes.There are loads of beads and bits of jewellery in charity shops-easy to restring and make bracelets and necklaces very cheaply-libraries usually have books on these.
:DHats!! love these! Try local craft fairs-don't be afraid to wear a hat with attitude! Scarves in silky material can really add a zing to an outfit-cut up an old peasant skirt and make one:j

sonastin

corrag wrote: »

Ants will not cross chalk, so you could find where they are coming from and draw a chalk line on the floor or sprinkle chalk dust in a line and they won't cross it. You could save money on bleach and mop heads that way.

Told OH about this one because we've got an infestation in our bathroom. He tried corralling the ants by drawing around them but the little blighters kept running away over the lines. Don't know if its because the chalk he was using was synthetic or something but certainly didn't work in our bathroom.