Frugal, thrifty, make do, mend! Let this debt come to an end!

badmemory

The one thing I didn't give up during lockdown was the hair colouring, although it did prove a little interesting.  The first time I went to the hairdressers afterwards I hadn't been able to find the right colour.  I walked in & my hairdresser burst out laughing.  I'd known her over 20 years by then as she went to school with my DS.  She did agree that whilst that colour was awful it was better than the alternative but stripped it out without charging me extra so no complaints. 

Cheery_Daff

I've mostly given up dying my hair for the time being. I quite like my own hair colour anyway (except for the grey tufts over my ears 🙄😂). And I'm always slightly concerned about upsetting the septic tank!

I'm in a similar camp with clothes though. I used to wear a lot of skirts and dresses, and have mostly stopped these days - partly because I put on weight and feel more self conscious in a dress or anything too flounce, and partly because I'm in and out of the chicken run several times a day and trousers feel more practical 😂 But I think it's mostly the weight for me 🙄 I do sometimes wear a dress for work, but out of work, I usually resort to jeans and something practical. 

I'd not come across cottage core til you mentioned it, but I must investigate. Although I already have a regular round of homesteading/gardening/food/sewing videos so I probably shouldn't add too many to the list! 😮😂

Elisheba

Afternoon, everyone, 

@badmemory I had been cutting my own hair since well before the pandemic, so that was one thing I didn't need to worry about during the lockdowns. My hair is wavy and it's a fairly basic layered style I wear, so I can get away with a lot and it's not noticeable.

@Cheery_Daff Yes, my problem is I have a grey steak at the front, and my hair is light brown so it doesn't really work together 😂. I just end up with a grey fringe which I got a bit bored with. 

I woke up early today, and treated myself to coffee and chocolates in bed, since I decided it wasn't fair only Mum's get chocolates! Then I was feeling superproductive and got the bathroom cleaned from top to bottom. Then I made a cous cous salad for Quaker shared lunch, went along to Meeting and found out the lunch has been moved to next week 🙄. Oh well, it will do for my lunches for a few days with some soup.

Since I had been so sadly let down over lunch I popped to a cafe afterwards and got the most ginormous baguette and massive strawberry milkshake. I kid you not, I'm still full 5 hours later and I've been on a 3-4 mile walk since then! I'm not going to be hungry for a proper dinner so think I will have tinned fruit with custard later when I'm peckish 😊. 

I picked up some platinum toner for my hair, which promises to get rid of the brassy tones. I'll use it tonight as I need to wash my hair first. Might have a nice bubble bath afterwards as well. Also got some dry shampoo reduced as the lid was missing, and picked up a few of my roll on deodorants which were still 99p, but have gone up to £1.20 most places. 

Lovely long walk with my dog along the river this afternoon. He was so well behaved when we met other people as well, which isn't like him. Normally he tries to jump up on everyone - not ideal in a 28kg Lab, often travelling at speed 🙄. 

I've lit the fire this evening - it'll be the last one of this winter, and I'll use up all my coal and kindling so it's not taking up room over the summer. It's lovely and cosy and my dog is currently stretched out in front of it. 

Very worrying news regarding one of my cats today. Quite a lot of blood in their poo. I don't know which cat it is, so I'll keep a beady eye out and take them to the vet when I find out. They are 16 and 17 respectively so I'm feeling quite despondent about it - not a good sign at all. They are both eating well, and I poked and prodded them both and no lumps or bumps or growths on them that I could find, so I've still got my fingers crossed it could be fine. Thankfully they are both insured so the money isn't a worry. 

It's such a shame the weekend is almost over. They disappear to quickly! Thankfully my new annual leave year starts in April, so not very long until I can take some time off again. 

Hope you all have quiet and relaxing Sunday evenings 😊

Elisheba

A picture of the last fire of the winter. 

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, that's lovely 🥰 Hope you're enjoying tonight's fire 😊

Sorry to hear about the cat, hope you figure out which one it is soon else they'll both end up at the vets! 😱 Poor things.

Fortune_Smiles

Lovely cosy picture.

Fortune x

foxgloves

What a lovely cosy fire. Hope your cat is OK. I'd be worried about that too. 
Re the hair colour debate. I colour mine myself at home, as it was expensive having salon colour (though also back in the Spendy Years, so I paid it without batting an eyelid) & I also have an allergic reaction to some dyes, so like to stick to the same brand. I used to dye it a coppery red for years, but as the % of grey in my hair rose, I didn't achieve such a good finish so changed to a medium blonde, which is pretty close to my original natural colour. I tend to alternate using a whole box with just mixing up a half quantity for my roots on top & at the front. It seems to work & saves a few ££ over the year. When I finally decide to let my hair colour grow out, I intend to have a purple streak or two around the front, so I shall still have some work to do to maintain that.
F x

Fortune_Smiles

I've embraced the grey 😆  During the first lockdown I realised that there wasn't much difference between my natural colour and the expensive highlights I was having put in so I just grew them out.  I'm properly ash grey now 😁

Fortune x

SuzeQStan

Loving the hair debate - I’ve been doin the L’Oreal home dyes (because I’m worth it lol) ever since lockdown.

 Me & my OH was proper shocked when we added up what I had spent on getting my hair done per year - over 1k per year! What an unbelievable sick making number that is for something that now costs me £55 per year MAX. I know hairdressers need to make a living too - but for me the price tag is just too high.

 It makes me feel really sick when I think about how I would rather add that money to regular donations to Trussel trust. I’d like to give my old self a shake to wobble my head. 

Shameful of me really

Elisheba

@SuzeQStan wow, that was a lot on your hair! Hairdresser prices can really be silly sometimes, but I suppose they have overheads they need to pay. Rather in your pocket than theirs if you are happy with you home dying though. 

@Fortune_Smiles if you are liking it natural then brilliant. Absolute result in terms of money saving and healthy hair!

@fogloves that's a useful tip for touching up my root, thanks 😊. I'm loving your plan for purple steaks when you are older. Hopefully with a red hat that doesn't suit 👒😁.

@Cheery_Daff Thanks 😊.