Frump to Fab 2016 - Lets make it AWESOME!!!

chanie

sugar I hope you feel better soon and that your tax credits are sorted out soon.

Today, we went to my sister's new house for a family dinner. It's the first time we've all be there together and hopefully some nice memories for them all.

This morning, I took DD out to pick some blackberries and we wore wellies to protect out feet. As the sun was blazing, I decided to wear sandals to my sister's. The children both wore their wellies even though I tried to talk them out of it. Whilst at my sister's, it started pouring down with rain, so the children ended up being appropriately dressed, whilst I got wet feet. The moral of the story - my 4 year old knows better than I do!!!

Ellsbel

Sugar, I hope you get things sorted out very quickly; how frustrating and worrying for you. Hope you feel a bit better today.
Chanie don't kids always know best?!:D;)
Maddie hope you're feeling less achey.
I like the sound of your outfit maman - hope you enjoyed the auction.
Bit of a lazy day here - pottering, cooking and watching sport. I'm having a bit of trouble sleeping lately and it's caught up with me today - feeling very tired, but trying to stop myself from dozing off in the hope that I'll sleep better tonight!
I booked a hair appointment for Thursday - the earliest I could get. I didn't book with the salon I've been using for the past year though; I decided to go into another salon nearby that I stopped using because they're so pricey. I just decided that, on balance, I used to come out of there feeling great, rather than just "that's better" if you see what I mean?!
Not very mse, I know, but "I'm worth it" as the ad goes
I can always cut back somewhere else.
Hope you're all enjoying your Sunday.

chanie

Ellsbel wrote: »

Sugar
I booked a hair appointment for Thursday - the earliest I could get. I didn't book with the salon I've been using for the past year though; I decided to go into another salon nearby that I stopped using because they're so pricey. I just decided that, on balance, I used to come out of there feeling great, rather than just "that's better" if you see what I mean?!
Not very mse, I know, but "I'm worth it" as the ad goes
I can always cut back somewhere else.

I know exactly what you mean. I have yet to find a hairdresser who can do wonders with my hair. Part of the reason is because it's curly, so it takes ages to notice growth, so I don't go very often and don't get to build a fallout with anyone.
I think it's fine to offset your pricey hairdressers by being frugal in other ways. Here's mine,or example:

Save
Groceries - mainly aldi/lidl, market
Cleaning products - pound shop, home bargains for a few trusted multipurpose items.
Work - I get off the train early and walk, making my ticket half price. I bring breakfast and lunch from home.
Bargains - I hunt out bargains and offers for whatever I can, getting cheap cinema tickets, English heritage membership.
Car -old but reliable.

Spend
Sky tv - me and OH rarely go out, but like to watch films together.
Clothes and make up - I go for good quality items to get my monies worth.

I'm not saying I'm brilliant with money, but I can afford a few luxuries by being careful.

Floss

Ellsbel could you reduce the frequency to balance the better cut & higher cost?

maman

chanie wrote: »

I'm not saying I'm brilliant with money, but I can afford a few luxuries by being careful.

That's interesting chanie. I was reading an OS thread the other day about 'guilty pleasures' while being mse. Although we know there are sadly people on the boards who don't have a penny to spare many of the posters were of the mind that they saved on some things (like you said shopping in Aldi etc) so that they had spare cash for things they enjoy. That's definitely my philosophy.


One of the things I do spend money on is my hairdresser. While perhaps not London prices it is in an upmarket county town so I'm partly paying for the location. I have highlights and an excellent cut and for a day or two the blow dry looks fab. For me it's worth it. I'm not knocking people who colour their own hair but the layered (mixture of golden blonde and caramel) highlights through my mousey hair make all the difference.


I went on a guided local history walk today with DH. Very interesting way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I wore my navy, silky trousers with a stripey Breton style top and navy espadrilles. Then we came home and watched the England game:(, had a lovely roast dinner and now about to settle to Poldark. Good day.:)

Ellsbel

Sounds like a fab day maman and I love the sound of those silky trousers:) do you mind me asking where they're from?
Some good tips there chanie, and I'm going to try Aldi for my weekly shop this week! I'm a creature of habit and so I'm a bit daunted by not being familiar with the shop layout and products but I'm going to go with a list and see what I save:) We love our evenings in front of a Sky Movie, too, so that's something that we also think is worth paying out for - we watch so much of the sport too, so we do get our money's worth.
Floss that's a good idea; I usually go every 6 weeks, other than when I forget to rebook as I leave the Salon, like this time! I could push it to 8 weeks though - any longer and the roots stand out too much next to the highlights!:D

Floss

Ellsbel wrote: »

...
Floss that's a good idea; I usually go every 6 weeks, other than when I forget to rebook as I leave the Salon, like this time! I could push it to 8 weeks though - any longer and the roots stand out too much next to the highlights!:D

I know that feeling - I've recently asked my hairdresser to put a lighter colour on my roots as the natural highlights show through less

chanie

Ellsbel wrote: »

Some good tips there chanie, and I'm going to try Aldi for my weekly shop this week! I'm a creature of habit and so I'm a bit daunted by not being familiar with the shop layout and products but I'm:D going to go with a list and see what I save:) QUOTE]





Shopping at Aldi/Lidl does take some getting used to. For a newbie, I would suggest only buying stuff where brand isn't that important e.g. milk, eggs, tinned tomatoes, fruit and veg and see how you get on and build up from there. Even if you don't like everything, you'll still end up saving money on what you do buy from there.


Me and OH try to be open-minded with the products and if we don't like them, we don't buy them again.

lessonlearned

Another Aldi and Lidl Fan here.

Guilty pleasures .........well why not. I save so I can splurge.

I freely admit to having champagne tastes and a lemonade budget. However over the years I have learned all sorts of little tricks to make the pennies stretch that bit further. Compared with some people I think I'm probably a bit too lax with the food spend. I could cut back but I'm happy enough.

I read the OS threads and think my goodness £20 for 4 people for a week, what on earth are they eating......I do buy the odd ready meal or quick fix but I don't feel even remotely guilty, some times I simply cba to cook every single meal from scratch.

My mum said something very interesting a couple of years before she died. I was reminded of it just a few weeks ago.

She said "I have been keeping house, cooking and cleaning, washing and ironing, shopping and budgeting for over 60 years. I have had enough".

Well I reckon I been at it for 42 years now and I am now starting to feel the same. DS2 is very good and does his share but quite simply there are days now when I do mutiny.

Hair......I'm still not happy. I think I need to try and find another hairdresser.

maman

chanie wrote: »

Shopping at Aldi/Lidl does take some getting used to. For a newbie, I would suggest only buying stuff where brand isn't that important e.g. milk, eggs, tinned tomatoes, fruit and veg and see how you get on and build up from there. Even if you don't like everything, you'll still end up saving money on what you do buy from there.

Me and OH try to be open-minded with the products and if we don't like them, we don't buy them again.

That's good advice chanie. I started Aldi shopping like that and now I buy 90%+ of our food there and then a few bits from Sainsbury's. That's partly because I've tried more things and partly because Aldi now stock things they didn't previously. It was common to hear people say 'I can't do my whole shop there' and I think Aldi have taken note. I use Aldi because it's closer to home with just an occasional trip to Lidl to stock up on DH's favourite muesli and dishwasher stuff.


P.S. if you have a taste for champagne as well as champagne tastes LL, try Aldi's Cremant du Jura. I have a bottle most weekends and it's great, better than cava or Prosecco IMO.


Sorry ellsbel but my trousers are last season from Red Herring and they don't do them any more. I hardly wore them last year but this summer the weather's been so much better/warmer that they've been very useful. I haven't worn jeans since I got back from holiday on July 1st.


I've got an appointment later to get my eyebrows done and will call in to see if they'll do my nails (separate shop). I've made a chiropody appointment for Thursday so will be well groomed this week.


Dull but fairly dry here. Hope the starting school went well chanie.