A few times a year, I like to take inventory of the stuff in my flat from the food cupboards to my lingerie draw. I tend to do this with the change of the seasons. It is so rewarding to start each season knowing just what you have and what you will need from dried [...]
You have survived Christmas and the empties from your New Year’s Eve festivities are in the recycling bin so I guess it is the time to make our resolutions. Here are a few of the bigger categories for me, not in any specific order. SHOPPING – My first resolution is to plan ahead and to [...]
Friday is tip day, here at The Lean Times, today’s topic is how to save money with eBay. 1. Many of the items on eBay are new. They may be from stores liquidating or just having overstock. 2. Know your prices in store then check eBay before buying anything. I use eBay for items like [...]
Ages ago, I wrote the post eBay I Love you! and would you believe, the love is still going strong. Most people think about eBay when they are looking for something special, like a specific antique plate that you need to replace or something second hand that you don’t want to pay full price. I [...]
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 [...]
Ok, Christmas is almost here and I am guessing that a lot of us are in a panic about how much we have all spent. What are we to do? Keep calm and carry on, of course. This WW2 saying pretty much says it all. No matter what is going on in our lives, Christmas [...]
Food prices have gone up, that is a fact, so now is the time to rethink how we cook. Meat does not have to be the hero of a meal other cultures use it as a flavouring. Expand your thinking into other cuisines. I am not saying to be a vegetarian or to live on [...]
It’s autumn and my social diary is filling up. How does a girl about town keep on a budget and still have an exciting social life? My only answer is stealing from one area of my life to pay for another. I have had a very lazy summer being freelance and living very lean on [...]
I know we are all supposed to be cutting back BIG time in this Credit Crunch addled world. What if you just can’t bear to give up your beloved high end products? Ebay to the rescue! Yes you heard correctly, you can buy all sorts of fancy, fabulous products on Ebay. I buy extra large [...]
We all have times in our lives when we have the need to save money whether it is for a deposit on a property, reeling in our over extended credit cards or just a new pair of designer shoes that we have decided will make our life perfect. We should be able to live thriftily [...]