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Archive for the ‘Fun’ Category

The Sun’s £9.50 Holiday Challenge, en Garde

July 23rd, 2010

The Lean Times have been approached to participate in The Sun’s £9.50 Holiday Challenge, which is where they want me to find something more exciting and more fabulous than a holiday for the grand total of £9.50. I must admit I was fairly stumped by this task but we never give up over here at The Lean Times.

I hit a few different internet deals – My City Deal, Wahanda and Living Social. All of these websites offer amazing deals based on how many they can sell in a set period of time. Wahanda does health and beauty treatments where I found a kind of cool, but maybe kind of weird fish pedicure for the fab price of £9.00 (50% discount). It did have a bit of a holiday feeling – feet in water surrounded by fish.

My City Deal does all sorts of deals from beauty to dining out, all at big discounts. Unfortunately the deal that was running today was out of the £9.50 ceiling. My next port of call was Living Social, which yesterday had a great deal – Zoo Lates, where you get admission to the Friday night soiree at the London Zoo and a cocktail for the unbeatable price of £8.00. I thought, this is it! I found something fun, exciting and different for under £9.50, hooray! Then the deal ran out. That is the thing with these deals you have to grab them when you see them. So off I went searching again, this was definitely not an easy task.

I decided to take a different tack – maybe I should buy something that will last and make an impression on my life. With my thinking cap on, I decided that the best way to spend my £9.50 was to buy a pedometer. This pedometer cost £9.49 so even got a penny change. I am hoping that if I use it on a daily basis I will look great for my holiday next year.

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Posted in Deals, Fun, Leisure, Tips

Tags: Deals Holidays Living Social My City Deal The Sun Wahanda

1 2 3 Swish!

May 29th, 2009

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Last Friday my good friend, Tracey and I went to our very first Swish. I mentioned Swishing last week but as a recap Swishing is the ethically way to get your shopping fix without spending a penny. Basically it is a very well organized swap.

The Swish we went to was the first ever only Accessories Swish organized by the super Lucy Shea, inventor of the Swish. I personally think an accessory Swish is a bit easier than a clothing one since there is no sizing considerations also you don’t need a changing room.

I must say this was fantastically well organized. When we arrived with our required minium of three items, we were greeted and our things taken away to put in the correct catagory. Then we had about 30-45 minutes to get a drink, chat and most importantly look over the goods we would be vying for.

The Swish is done in three stages – the first time you take your heart’s desire, the second the your head’s desire and the third anything else that looks good and at the end it is a free for all. Any remainders go to charity.

The most remarkable thing about the Swish is how polite everyone was! If two people wanted the same item then there is a raffle for the item: names put in a hat then a winner pulled out.

What did you get, you ask? I was in a red mood so I got a red with white polka dot silk scarf, then a seed bead choker and lastly some red crystal earrings. The other great thing about Swishing is it can get your creative juices going, the earring were really not me so I remade them into these to sell on Esty. Is not that the ultimate in recycling?

If you are interested in having your own Swish you can find out exactly how to do it on the Swish website. Tracey and I are thinking about having a Swish in West London, if you are interested in attending drop me a line. By the way, Tracey got some fabulous turquoise pearls that she wore to lunch today. What could be better a cocktail and free stuff? Come on ladies 1 2 3 Swish!

swish1 swish-3 swish-4

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Posted in Fashion, Fun, Leisure

Tags: Etsy Fashion Recycling Swishing

False Eyelashes and Carnivals

April 22nd, 2009

false-eyelashes

Are false eyelashes the new pick me up?

It is a well known fact that cosmetic sales go up in times of economic unrest. Lipstick sales in particular go up. Buying a lipstick is a quick, relatively inexpensive way to feel fashionable as well as making you feel like are treating yourself without spending a large amount.

So in this recession, I was expecting to see a lot of different coloured lipstick on the street but am amazed to find so many women wearing false eyelashes. I have seen them at the bus stop in the morning on the way to work and at the supermarket on a Tuesday morning (the lady was not out from the night before if you were wondering). I guess these women really need a pick me up.

I applaud their individuality and especially their patience in dealing with the fiddling things so early in the morning.

False eyelashes seem to be everywhere even the pop group Girls Aloud are putting their name to dorm Eylure styles with each band member having a different look. If you want to see them here is a link. Other companies that are making fabulous false eyelashes are the Japanese company Shu Uemura, who are featured in the photo and MAC has just launched a Hello Kitty version that is not for little girls.

What do you do for a quick pick me up? I recently started wearing really red lipstick again which I find is a great mood lifter. I am tempted to try out false eyelashes but will probably not be sporting them in the morning at Tesco’s.

wonder-wheel

It is carnival time again, I am delighted to be included in the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights No. 3 – The Money Box Edition and the Festival of Frugality with my post on Debt and the Death of Relationships. I was a bit overzealous and put it in two different festivals. Note to self – no applying to carnivals after wine o’clock.

I have also been included in the Fabulous Festival with my post titled Make do and Mend.

These carnivals are chock full of great posts, please have a look, you might learn something.