When you use your loyalty points to buy lunch instead of paying money and still feel guilty that you did not brown bag it. When you search out private views so you can get a free glass of wine. When you make your next Christmas gift list in December so you make sure you take [...]
Last week, I wrote about getting back to business in September. I think every few months, say every quarter, it is a good idea to have a look at where your money is going. With inflation making food prices escalate and the heavy energy hikes, it is vital to keep an eye on where it [...]
I seem to be bumping into more and more ‘well off’ people that circumsances have changed whether it be from divorce, businesses failing or just the banks putting the squeeze on them. Well welcome to the frugal gang! We have all been there at sometime, I have been on frugal bandwagon for longer than I [...]
I must admit I am having a bit of an identity crisis. I used to work as a stylist, so I used to live fashion then I got tired of the constant need for the new and the very large strain on my finances. This was about three years ago then I started The Lean [...]
Everyday I am finding more things I don’t know about that can affect my finances and therefore my quality of life. 1. A company you have a Direct Debit with can change the date they take the money from your account without writing you a letter. This just happened to me with Tiscali, they moved my [...]
I thought I was on the right road to financial independence when the rug was pulled out from under me. OK, I am being a bit over dramatic, the rug was not really pulled out, I just tripped a bit. You know the kind of trip that you don’t fall but your heart skips a [...]
What is wrong with a little cheap and cheerful clothing? Every girl would like to get a new dress for Saturday night, right? Wrong! Don’t we ever get tired of consuming? I know of people, no it is not only women, that have so much stuff that they could not list a quarter of it. [...]
Yes you read it correctly, but the definition I am using is – looking good on the outside without anything on the inside. I have been looking kind of ok on the outside but have been keeping it together with spit and gum. In what way you ask? I have been doing a bit too [...]
My long time readers might remember this image from the post Do you have a secret?, where I wrote about keeping your frugal/financial situation to yourself. I am pretty open about telling my friends and some family that I am working toward the goal to be debt free. I was not always the smartest and [...]
I think the summer is the best time to start a plan to get your finances in order. Why summer and not in January when most people make resolutions? In the summer with all the sunshine things seem a bit better, more hopeful even, so what better time to sit down and take a long [...]
We all know that there are numerous things you can do with a leftover chicken. I have made this handy chart for you to put on your fridge so when you are looking at that half eaten chicken and are not sure exactly what to do with it, you have a few ideas to hand. [...]
We all think about saving energy in the winter, we keep our windows closed, our lights turned off if we are not in the room but do we go any further? Here is a list of ways to save that will add up but not be painful or noticable. 1. Never leave anything on standby [...]