Knickers for Gambia

Today is a sick day, not a good day, but I had to see the doc so on the way home popped into the Cancer Research shop and found 12 pairs of brand new, with the tags on, kids knickers...for £3.00. They are going to The Gambia with us. Everyone needs knickers, so let's hope these get to cover some little bums. 

Touching base

Life seems a bit mad at present so Wednesday mornings are such a treat. The boys are erecting our new shed in the garden today. It is icy cold, but sunny. The old shed came down earlier this week and has opened out a great space in the garden. I love it. No plans for what to plant yet - Big J and I have to do our walking around and talking about it thing! Maybe veg? Maybe plants?

I have caught up with the news from other bloggers and so enjoy doing it. Especially when they add in links for what inspires them or where they have been. It does mean a lot longer in front of the computer though.....

I am trying really hard to be careful with our food and the use of it to avoid waste and to save money. I had to do a run to Aldi this morning for eggs and milk, but that is not bad. There is enough meat/veg and other staples to get us into next week so when I top-up shop this weekend, we won't need so much.

I am an avid fan of Moneysavingexpert and have been for years, long before we moved to England. I read the emails weekly and have had some brilliant advice. Big J and I are overpaying our mortgage as fast as we can - and I am saving hard.  The kids laugh at me and occasionally think I am 'weird' but when things go well on ebay and my cashback sites payout, they are pretty impressed. They are now well used to the fact that most of my clothes and shoes are from the OP-SHOP!! I so want to instill in them the habit of reflecting before they reach for their wallets. Do I NEED it? Will I USE it? and CAN I AFFORD IT? I also tell them to save at least 10% of everything they earn or are lucky enough to receive as gifts. 20% would be better - they still get to spend 80%!

Even little Juno will be a frugal puppy! Her first puppy training pads were left overs from a local litter - I got tons of them for £10.00. This afternoon I am going to collect her cage, again used by a local pup who at six months has graduated from it. It will need to be disinfected, but it is perfectly sensible to re-use a nearly new cage.

I think while I am working and am fit and well I owe it to myself, my kids, husband and society at large to put away money that will keep me in old age, so that someone else does not have to!!!

Okay you lovely people, I am off to town - on foot - to do some errands.

Thanks for popping in.

x










 

A day away from work

The dentist has been at me again, bless him! Indeed, bless him. He is great, careful and thorough. AND he is off to Morocco (again) to treat kids there with dental issues. He is raising money for a dental bus, they will be able to treat 600 kids from it, so he got some help from me.

I then found an Orla Keily skirt in the charity shop for a song - truly a song.... it is lovely. Her designs really appeal to me - but the prices do not!

Sadly, one of the older clothes traders in town is closing down, another lovely family business going. They sell jeans and for the first time in many, many years, I bought a pair of real jeans that are CUT FOR MY SHAPE...Whoooppeeeee. At half price too. Then Big J met me for coffee and I took him in to the shop and he got some trews.  We found out that the owner is in a BOWIE tribute band and they have a show coming up soon in our town.  We are signing up for it with our teens who are so into his music.

Both girls are in London today, Em for her final work experience day (she made shortbread to take to the office) and Han who is catching up with a friend she went to school with in Hong Kong, who lives in Canada, but is visiting his sister in the UK this summer!!

Ads is working long hard hours and needs to be fed large amounts of good food. That means time to don the pinny!

My frugal finds today

I have always been a fan of op shops (charity shops in Strine...) and today I got 3 pairs of tights for a £1.00 and a new T-shirt for £3.50 which was for sale in the shop three doors up for a lot more. Nice.

I get lots of comments about my clothes at work, (nice ones - don't think anyone is pointing and laughing!!).  I like dresses and many of mine are op shop finds. I love a thrifty bargain and get very excited about finding yarn. The trick as with any purchase is to buy only if it will be used or is needed.....such a hard trick at times.

As a rule of thumb, if I can get something at a reduced price, I will. I will even ask sometimes, very nicely, if the price on offer is the best price. My girls hate it, but hey, we all reap the benefits, even the vendor as they KNOW they will get a sale. It always amazes me how people will pay the asking price for so many things. Yes, there are manufacturing, shipping, advertising, storing, labour costs and all that involved, but even so. A friend of mine makes glasses frames in Japan. They cost less than a pound a piece. Stick a brand label on them there you go, sky high profit margins.

But there are days when I want a new dress or shoes and I want to feel as if I have shopped. When that happens, it feels like a real treat.

It is all about balance. My scales tip in favour of the bargain though!