Tips, tips tips – those little easy short cuts that are not really meaty enough to justify their own post so I am putting together a select group for you.
Money Tips
1. Pay yourself first. This is especially important if you run your own business.
2. Make a budget – know where your money is going.
3. Use your tools be it a notebook to jot down your spending, iXpenseIt, text message banking etc.
4. Say no to 0870 – never use those expensive numbers again.
5. Make sure you are on the lowest tariffs possible go to comparison sites every six months to make sure you are getting the best deal you can on electricity, gas, cable and broadband.
6. Keep a bill calendar so you know exactly when items are debiting your account. I use Google calendar, which sends me an email two days before the money comes out.
7. Check out Ebay before you buy anything! I save on haircare, makeup and all sorts of stuff. You just need to know your prices.
Food Tips
8. You can freeze fresh mozzarella. Cut open the bag, drain the water then seal in a freezer bag. This is not great as the main component of a salad but will be fine for cooking with. I buy several when I find them on sale.
9. A slow cooker produces less heat and uses less power than your oven. Great to keep your kitchen cool in the summer.
10. Wrap fresh herbs in damp paper towels in the refrigerator to keep them fresher longer.
11. Freeze homemade stock in ice cube trays so you always have small amounts on hand for risotto or sauces.
12. Know what is in your freezer – label and date everything.
13. Take stock of your cupboards including spices. There is nothing more frustrating than finding 4 jars of mayo when you just bought a new one.
Style Tips
14. Dress at the level you want to be at.
15. Chic not trendy. That little black dress will always look good.
16. Frugal is not sloppy. Put your best foot forward, iron that skirt, polish those shoes, use the lint brush to get that cat hair off etc.
17. A change of makeup can change your whole look.
18. Solid colours are much more versatile than prints. When you where a bold print, people are more likely to notice if you where the same thing often.
19. Stick to a basic palette, know what colours suit you.
20. A red lipstick will always brighten your look. Find your perfect red for those days, you need to wow.
I am planning to make New York patty melts tonight for dinner; a patty melt requires caramelized onions. The onions take a bit of effort to make so I found a slow cooker recipe for them in which I can make a big batch then freeze what I don’t use.
