Rambling thoughts

It's been just over a year since I found work the Shop of Snob (it's the politest name I could come up with, given the moo who runs it).

I can remember the letter I received regarding the Job Seekers Allowance I was claiming at the time.  I hadn't planned to claim long, it was simply a means of having something to pay my parents to keep a roof over my head while I applied for job after job.  Essentially, it informed me that the JSA wasn't going to be paid to me beyond June.  That was quite gut wrenching at the time.  I already had the leaflet delivery job but that wasn't paying anywhere near enough.  Without the JSA I would have to dig into my hard-earned savings which I didn't want to have to touch.

That same day, I went onto a job website and saw the advert for the Shop of Snob vacancy.  I applied in a hurry.  I was desperate for anything.

So desperate in fact, that I forced myself to ignore the rather unpleasant snooty attitude of Nora.  I turned a blind eye to the dirty glass of water she offered me as I'd politely turned down tea having spied the filthy teaspoons.  I tried not to look too closely at the generally lack of cleanliness off the shop floor (which was kept clean and tidy at all times).

Had I actually seen the state of the toilet ... well, perhaps I would have turned the job down, but as I said, I was desperate.

So many people are grabbing the first opportunity to come along because it means having a job and having an income.  People are applying for just about every job going, hoping to get an interview.

Even if the job isn't what they want.

It's a means to an end.  We need money.  Without it, we can't keep a roof over our head or those of our families.  We can't put food on the table or pay the bills without money.

Given the mess of the economy, it's no wonder that people who do find work aren't happy.  I took that job because I needed one, not because I had some calling to work with expensive jewellery.  I wasn't happy there and during my interview my gut feeling was screaming at me that it wasn't a good choice - but it was a choice I didn't have.

A year on, I'm now over four months in a new job.  It's not one I intend to stay in for too long.  I feel very lucky that I have a job that pays just enough to pay my bills and leave me with some that I can have the occasional night out or buy something without panicking over what's left in my account.

But my frantic job searching has calmed down a great deal.  I'm no longer searching for 'anything' that'll do.  It's much more refined and focused.  I know the ideal area I'd like to work but am prepared to look at a wider area that is a reasonable driving distance away.  (Done the long commute before -never again!)  And my chosen field of work is more narrow.  Before I was applying for any kind of office job and some shop work.  Now, it's restricted.

I'm no longer as stressed out.  Sure it is still a worry trying to find full time employment but at least I know what I'm looking for.  I can be more precise and methodical.

I can target potential employers with more direction and purpose.  I've stocked up on envelopes and stamps to write to some directly should my latest application fail.

I have some hopes but not letting them get too high.  The job is in a perfect location, but they naturally would prefer someone with experience.  Yet a trainee would be considered, so I'm hoping that even if I don't get an interview, that they may consider me should another position arise.

Here's to positive thinking.  If nothing else, it keeps your spirits up!
.

Kids = expensive?

A woman came to my till with two children in tow.  Amongst her shopping there were two toys.  Not little trinket toys but large ones. Not cheap to buy on a whim.

I hardly had time to scan the barcodes before the little darlings snatch them both off the counter, rush away and start tearing in the boxes.

The woman heaves a dramatic sigh.

"Oh, children are so expensive!  They want so much!"

Forgive me, but surely they recieved toys in the not too distant past?  It has been maybe two months since Christmas?  What happened to those toys?

Perhaps if some parents learnt to say no then raising their offspring wouldn't be quite as expensive as they make it out to be.

We all know what happened to this spoilt little brat because her parents never said 'no'!

.

Ah damn it!

Oh the joys of an unexpected purchase.

My mobile phone has just about given up the ghost.  It's quite old for a mobile, at least 7 years old - I know people who change theirs more often, but I'm on a pay-and-go phone rather than a contract.

It's been a bit off for a while.  The sudoku game feature's clock stopped working a few weeks again - my 'best time' is constantly "0.00".  And the other day it decided to stop sending and receiving text messages until I'd re-charged it and turn it off and on again.

Can't deny that it's dying.  A dead mobile is of no use to someone trying to job hunt - it's my main contact number and if my mobile stops receiving phone calls at inopportune times that's not going to do me any favours.

Whilst it has been revived somewhat, I can not rely on it now.  So I shall be off into town early (before my afternoon shift starts) in order to pick up a new one.  I have had my eye on a phone for a little while for £50 which is cheaper than my existing one and the only one I've liked the look of for ages.

So £50 plus credit - that's a large bill I wasn't expecting to have this week but it's a necessary purchase, not a 'well, I just feel like a new phone' purchase.

The sooner I get it, the sooner I can send my CV out again.  Seen two job adverts this morning I'd like to apply for so I shall do that this evening as I'm not sure I want to keep my old number - would be easier though.  Shall see what I can do at the phone shop.
.

What's easier to spend with?

Bit of a conundrum here.

As part of my role as a cashier, I offer cashback to the customers.  Essentically, I'm a cash machine with a human face.

What puzzles me is that at least once a day after posing this question I am given this typical answer: "Oh no, I'd better not, I'll only spend it!!"

Firstly, I have to question their self control.  Is it literally a case of putting a £20 note in their hand and they'll simply rush to the nearest shop because they have an uncontrollable urge to spend it?

I had some cash on me!  So I spent it!!

How is it easier to spend using cash than it is a credit or debit card?

Surely, with a card it's easier to spend and (by default) lose track of what you're spending?

I recently went to a museum exhibition and purchased a book.  It was an impulse purchase but it is on a subject I'm very keen on, so I felt it worth the money.  Not having any cash in my wallet, I used my card.

Then I went into a shop that was due to close down in a few days time.  Again, I made a purchase using my card, this time on a dvd that I had had my eye on for a while.  I know I may have been able to get it online cheaper but it was there in front of me and I had my debit card.

That was £20 spent in one afternoon without meaning to.

I like having cash in my wallet.  It actually works to curb my spending because I can see how much money I have.

If I go out with £50 in my wallet, I will look at it and be reminded that this is how much I have to see me through the month, I can not waste it.  Having it physically there helps restrict unnessecary purchases.  Had I had cash in my wallet when I went to the museum I may have hesitated on buying the book.  If I'd had enough I probably still would have got it, but then I most likely would not have got the dvd as well.  I would have looked online to get it cheaper. (Annoyingly so, I could have got it for just under £7 on Amazon with free delivery - yes, I kicked myself.)

Having made one unexpected purchase, I would have looked at the reduced amount in my wallet and put up a mental block on any more purchases.  I do not aim to spend everything that is in my wallet, I aim to keep it in there for as long as I can.

So why do some people feel that by having cash in their hands they ought to get rid of it?   Don't they feel anything when all the money is gone?   How is it easier for them to spend hard cash than with a card that is constantly there in your wallet, with no clear indicater as to how much money is available on the card?

Do you know how much is in your account before you hand your card over?

Is the mentality "Oh I have some money!  I can buy this nice thing!  Oh, I've wanted that for a while, I have the money on me so I can get it!" ?

Amongst the replies I get to my enquiry are comments such as "Oh I'll only spend it on rubbish", "It'll be gone before I leave town!", "Better not, I can't afford to buy anything else today!"

Honestly, where is the self control?   Whenever I've mentioned that I am the complete opposite, I get a mix of admiring looks and mild sceptism.  "Really? Wow, you're really good, aren't you?" , "Oh I don't know how you can do that."

It's really quite easy.  I know I have very limited funds. I prefer to use cash whenever possible because it's too easy for me to lose track of what I've spent if I just hand my card over all the time.  I use my card when I fill my car up (typically paying at the pump so I don't go inside and get tempted with anything they sell inside) or when purchasing something online.

I have an envelope of cash on my bedside table containing nearly £150 pounds, acumalated from Christmas and birthday gifts, all of which is earmarked for my new glasses.  It has been there, untouched, for a month and a half whilst I have been looking for frames I like (and getting quotes on lenses).  I did not recieve the cash and sprint to the shops to spend it all in a day, which is something I've overheard a lady say she'd done:

"I got, like, £200 for Christmas?  Now I'm, like, broke?  Dunno what I spent it on!!"

I'm busy scanning her overpriced shampoo and mentally shaking my head as it was only the first week of January.  How can you not know where a few hundred pounds has gone?  The odd fiver perhaps but that much money surely doesn't vanish without trace.

Does this look familar to you?

I am genuinely concerned that I'm in a very tiny minority.  In spite of the economy there are still a lot of people who have not got to grips with looking after their money.

Which tribe are you in, I wonder?
.

*jaw drops*

I've mentioned a few times about my lousy short-sight and glasses.  Given my prescription, I've taken it as read that when my prescription changes and I require brand new lenses that the cost is going to run into the hundreds.

The frames I've never spent over a hundred pounds on.  The lenses however always seemed to take up two hundred as a minimum, just on their own.

My latest quotations for lenses are high two-hundred to three hundred pounds.

That's a hell of a lot.   Plus the price of the frames, so I'm essentially looking at spending the best part of £400.  It's even more of stomach twist when it takes me nearly a month to earn enough to cover it. (And that's ignoring other bills that need paying.)

My dad told me about a place that did their business on line - you pick your frames from their website catalogue, send them your prescription and they post the finished product to you, all for extremely reasonable prices.

I had a look on their website - my current frames are so grubby and tatty now (impossible to clean them fully and I can't get them re-coated) so they are in dire need of replacement.  None of the frames caught my eye however.

So I emailed them yesterday to ask about my purchasing frames elsewhere since I had seen some I really liked in a local opticians, and to get a quote for the price of the lenses based on a rough estimate of my prescription.

Remember I said a moment ago what my current quote for lenses was?  Roughly £300.

This company quoted me ... £95

Yes, I just spent a few minutes staring mutely at my screen ... £95!?!?   I thought he'd mis-typed and missed out a 1 between the £ and the 9 ... but apparently not.

I was hoping to get a price of maybe a third less than what I'd been quoted already - not a third of that.  That's just amazing.

On the one hand, that is so much more affordable - with the frames I'd spend a grand total of £165.  On the other hand I'm feeling pretty miffed that opticians have been charging me an arm and an leg for so many years!  They lead you on, claiming you'll get the same kind of pricing at every optician ... jeez, it pays (and saves) to ignore them and look around yourself!!!

I'm just waiting to hear whether they'll fit lenses to the frames I want - I don't see why they wouldn't fit lenses to frames bought elsewhere but some companies have policies about not touching anything that isn't supplied by them, so it won't hurt to make certain before I book my eye test and buy the frames I want.
.

Discount Card

Hooray!  I finally have my staff discount card!  ^_^

I was meant to have received one about two weeks prior to Christmas so I was a bit concerned when it didn't materialise.  Since I'd been told I was being kept on for January I didn't push the issue and was assured it would get sorted.  Admittedly I did have to chase it up several times but never mind, I have it now.

It's 13% off which isn't bad at all.

At the dreaded Shop with Nora, I was granted a very generous 30% staff discount.  Seriously though, what good is a discount on jewellery?  It's a luxury item, not an essential.  My income was meagre enough without splashing out on pretty baubles when they're not even needed!

Thus my first purchase with my discount card consisted of:

1. Toothbrushes - pack of 2, my current brush needs replacing
2. Shampoo - just ran out
3. Cleanser - ran out a week ago and wanted one for under a pound
4. Pick n Mix cherries - little present for my boyfriend who adores these (so one non-essentials)

Total spend - just under a fiver.  Thank you very much.

Now need a new umbrella - my current one is becoming pretty manky!  And a new hairbrush as mine is starting to fall to bits.

I only replace once something is used up, broken or else no longer in a suitable condition for its use.
.

Literally cutting the cost

This may sound drastic but I can assure you that it is not as bad as it sounds.

I've started to cut my own hair.

It's something I've been wanting to try some quite some time actually and only a few weeks ago did I pluck up the courage and pick up the scissors.  Not that I did much on my first attempt; I maybe trimmed off a centimetre at most, but it was a start.  I washed my hair first, combed it to straighten it out and (tentatively) started snipping.

I didn't look this apprehensive - honest!

I tried to keep it reasonably straight, or at least in line with the existing ends and frankly it looked fine!  I was not aiming for it to be perfectly ruler straight and even - snipping upwards to chip little sections out to soften the line thus not too obvious that I'd actually done anything at all.

Overall I was rather pleased.  Nobody gasped in horror or even noticed that I'd had a trim.  Would have been rather surprised if anybody had considering how small a change it was, but it was quite encouraging that I hadn't made a hash of it.

So this evening I attempted another trim, taking off another centimetre or so.  This time I think I've gone a little wonky at the back (my hair is still wet - shall see how it looks once dried off) but at least it's not a drastic chop .... I'm hoping to get to that later.

My hair isn't down to my waist or anything, more mid-chest length, which is getting a little heavy for me and the split-ends are doing my head in.

And it wouldn't be a typical post from me if there weren't a saving-money thought in there somewhere, would it?

I hate getting my hair cut.  I appreciate I could be part of a minority here but I genuinely don't enjoy it.  Having someone else wash my hair and massage my head - love that, I'd love to have someone do that every time I wash my hair - but I've had so many bad experiences with hairdressers that my faith in them isn't particularly strong.

It's odd - they spend all day every day cutting and styling hair, you'd think some of them would be good at it.  Perhaps it's just the salons in my town but I've been to just about all of them in turn over the years and I've just about given up.  Once in a while I've had a marvellous haircut - miraculously restoring my sullied faith - but subsequent visits would reveal that the magnificent girl who'd previously worked magic has moved on to another salon out of the area.  Thus I'd submit to the hands of another girl who would invariably make a mess of my locks and I'd leave wishing I'd had the presence of mind to bring a hat, telling myself 'Don't fret, it'll grow out.' regretting the thirty-odd pounds I'd spent on an 'experienced' stylist.

Some years ago when my hair was very long I decided to totally change my look and get it cropped short - a spiked up, pixie-like style which actually really suited me ... at least when cut correctly.  I was somewhat put out that the stylist who I asked to cut my hair was more apprehensive than I was!  She was so hesitant and kept asking if I was sure, did I really want it short, that I almost told her that if she wasn't going to cut it then I was going to go somewhere else.  Does it really make that much of a difference cutting off an inch or 8 inches?   Same principles surely?   As it happened, she did a wonderful job of it.  I was bowled over with how good it looked and when it started getting too long to spike up properly I returned to her for a trim.

Very similar to what I previously had - shan't be attempting to recreate it myself however

She then made me look like a loo-brush!  I was mortified.  I went home and cried I was so disappointed with it.  And I didn't understand how she managed to be so hit-and-miss with subsequent visits (until she too disappeared).  Sometimes OK, others awful, but I kept hoping she'd recreate that wonderful first cut or at the very least do a decent job of it but to no avail.

Other salons weren't much help in giving me a good cut - I reached the conclusion that since so few women had hair in such short styles, preferring longer ones, that most hairdressers just didn't have enough experience with what I was asking for.   After a few years I grew my hair out - partly because of the bad haircuts I was being subjected to and partly because of the cost.  Short styles grow out fast and it was costing a small fortune to keep getting it trimmed.

I wish I'd tried to trim it myself back then - who knows, I could have mastered it by now!

Prices of haircuts are also a factor in my attempts to snip my own.  The cheapest price I can find in my town is about £14, which incidentally is at an awful salon that I will never go back to, in part for their habit of adding 'extras' without informing you - "Oh I'm just putting this gel / wax in your hair!"  and it's in your hair before you can object, adding another fiver to your bill.  At the other end of the scale, there's a salon that starts from £28 and goes right up to nearly £70 depending on who you want to cut your hair.

Personally, I think £70 for a cut and blow-dry is pretty extortionate!  Maybe if it were being styled for your wedding day, I could understand, but that's not a price tag I can even contemplate for a trim.  What are they using that the stylist charging £28 isn't?  Magic scissors?  What can they possibly do that's worth over £40 extra?  OK, you're paying for experience, maybe additional training (but how much of that training is going to be applied to what you want?) and maybe creative flair for 'special occasion' haircuts ... but all I want is a trim.  And right now, the best part of thirty pounds is too much for me.  I've not been able to justify the cost so my hair has simply been growing for about a year - split ends cut off as they appear and the occasional knot that's been beyond untangling.

Overall, I think simple trims at my local salons are over priced.  So I started asking myself, what are they doing that I can't do myself with some scissors and a mirror?  I've watched them do it enough times (cringing as I await the dreaded result) - holding the ends between their fingers and snipping sections away at a time - seriously, it's not rocket science and I know very well that there are people out there who cut their own hair without being pointed out at in the street for the mess they've made of their hair.  They go unnoticed because it's perfectly possible to do a good job of it yourself.

Practise and confidence - that's all I believe I'll need to give myself a half-decent haircut for free.  And perhaps my long utilised mantra - it'll always grow again!   (Hey, I'm anticipating making mistakes, bound to happen.)  I'm looking to cut my hair to about my collarbone - not too short and not too long.  A basic trim will do me just fine until I potentially venture into doing any kind of styling with the cut.

Youtube, wikihow and various other websites have videos and advice on cutting your own hair - a quick search will bring plenty up if anyone is interested.

Snip-snip-snip
.

Gift Shopping

Whoops.  Did not intend to go for a week without blogging anything!  In my defence I have been quite busy with work and my free time has been sucked into playing Skyrim (such an awesome game!) - but I'm feeling the urge to write again.

It's been more than a month than my last Christmas shopping post so it's about time I mentioned something about my progress.

At last count, I'd purchased three presents at total cost of £22.69.   [To recap, my budget is £10 per person but I will go up to £15 maximum if necessary.]

Next up, my aunt and uncle, whom I always find difficult to buy for.

Gift #4 - aunt ~ scarf and gloves set, bar of scented soap

It's an odd mix I know, but this is thanks to my mother who happened to have the set and the soap already and suggested them and only asked for £6 for the lot.  Cheers mum!

Gift #5 - uncle ~ bird table/bath and big bag of bird seed

Yet again it's my mum to the rescue, my uncle being even harder to buy for than my aunt.  Spotted during one of our weekly food shopping trips, it seems that my uncle is in the midst of adding various features to his garden and this hanging bird table also doubles as a bath so it'll suit him either way and the seeds can be put anywhere.  Table: £5.99.  Seed: £1.29

Gift #6 - older brother ~ boxers and snacks

I should entitle this post as 'people who are awkward to buy for' - I seem to be picking my mum's brain a lot of present ideas.  But over the years it does get harder, particularly if they don't really have any hobbies or collect things, yet ask for the same kind of thing every year which is fine since they want them but as the giver of the gift you do feel bad for not being able to give them something different.  There's only so many years in a row you can buy someone socks!   Not that I went with anything much different, but apparently my older brother is in need of boxers so Tesco came in with an £8 pack and I've bought some savoury snacks which he likes to nibble on as he's not one for chocolate.  Two packs for £1.38

Gift #7 - younger brother ~ bottle of Jack Daniels

Finally!  Someone straightforward in what they want.  Actually, little brother has asked for money primarily but I said I'd to give him at least some little thing to unwrap and he came up with a suggestion of Jack Daniels which I wasn't even aware that he drank - but he loves the stuff so off to Tescos for a bottle at £10.97.  Pity I couldn't afford the next size up but I'm still on a budget here!  If money isn't too tight by the end I'll add a fiver in with his Christmas card.

So that's the immediate family just about sorted!  So far I'm under budget with an average spend of just over £8 per person.

Running Total: 7 presents at £56.32
.

She shops, she saves, she scores!

I have purchased another gift. :)   And it has come in drastically under my budget.

Several months ago I signed up with a website for market research.  I get sent questionnaires and surveys to complete in order to earn points, which I can then exchange for vouchers.  It took a while but they're definitely worth it.

I traded in some points last week for a £10 Amazon voucher.  Found a DVD box set for my dad for just over £10 plus postage.

Total spend: £2.70!

Running total: 3 presents at £22.69
.

'The' Shopping has begun

I refuse to use the 'C'-word until after Halloween.  I detest that the end of year decorations and bits are already in the shops.

However, I must be organised this year.  If I'm still working at the Shop come December, there is a chance I could be working an awful lot so I can not put off the shopping for long because A) I won't have much time to shop and B) I won't be paid until the end of December (obviously) so the extra income I anticipate for that month simply won't be there in time to purchase anything!

Not to mention the buzzword of the year - budget.   Mine is quite limited, more so than last year.

I have 9 people to buy for.  Plus a birthday present.  Essentially, I'm aiming to spend £10 per person, going up to £15 if necessary.  I wouldn't want to find the perfect gift and not get it just because it's a few quid over budget but I can't do that with everybody.

So far I have purchased the following:

Gift #1 - sister ~ voucher for Hobbycraft

She likes making cards and will no doubt be making lots in the coming weeks.  She'll need to replenish her bits and bobs afterwards.  With any luck there will be a sale on in the new year so her £10 voucher will go further when she gets to spend it.

Gift #2 - mum ~ earrings

Fully aware of my financial situation, my mother dropped an obvious hint about a set of earrings she really liked for only £9.99.  A pity they won't come as a surprise but at least I know she'll like them!

So two gifts and only £20 spent.  Ideally, I want to purchase all gifts for £100 or under in total.

I'm sure I can do it. :)
.

Keeping Up Appearances

Today on the Daily Mail website is this article;

Keeping up appearances: Jane's husband doesn't have a job anymore ... and she can barely live with the shame

The title alone got me a bit annoyed.  With everything that's been happening in the economy you'd think by now there wouldn't be so much 'shame' and stigma about losing your job.  There's millions unemployed.  Unless you've got blinkers on and live in your own little world, you'll know someone who has been affected in some way, either by losing their job, their job currently at risk, or simply struggling with their bills.

So with trepidation, I read the article.

The first half of the opening paragraph left me with extremely limited sympathy.

"The children still have pony lessons, she's kept on the cleaner ..."

They have three children.  One girl is noted as having the riding lessons, a boy having tennis lessons.  Neither of these past times are cheap!  And as for the cleaner - can you not pick up a loo-brush yourself?  It's not hard to run the hoover around.

The youngest daughter, aged 8, suggests to her unemployed father about training as a bus driver - she saw an advert about the training opportunity and he could earn £125 a day.

"My husband, Andy, winces.  My eyes fill with tears.  He's got a History degree from Cambridge, a Masters degree in Business, and years of senior experience in strategic management.  Bus driving isn't exactly the future he'd planned."

No one who is employment planned for it.  Plenty of people with degrees are out of work.  I've got a ten-year solid work history, good skills and experience and I struggled to find something - but I did find some work.  I did not turn my nose up at the offer of delivering leaflets and working in a shop which was something I never wanted to go back to, but seriously, you can not afford to be picky.

This man has been unemployed for four years - perhaps he ought to lower his expectations a little?  I swallowed my pride early on and applied to fast food restaurants.  No offense to anybody who works in those places, but for me, at the time, it felt like desperation was kicking in - I wanted a job, any job.  This 'Andy' who has a wife and three children apparently failed to see the potential opportunity his eight-year-old presented him with.  Who says bus driving was to be his new career?  If it meant some income I'd have jumped at the chance!  Hell, I'd jump at it now!  £125 per day?  That's twice what I'm earning now.  There are plenty of people who would take that opportunity and be grateful for it.

"We were once a typical middle class family - comfortable, not super-rich, children in good state schools but with private lessons for tennis and riding. Skiing in February, a nice hotel in Spain or Italy in the summer."

Sorry, that's typical middle class??  I would peg that as 'lower-upper' at the very least.  My family is considered 'upper-middle' - we have a nice big house (most of the mortgage has been paid off, we've been here since before I was born), four children who went to local state schools (not the best but not bad, we all did well in our exams) but we certainly couldn't afford private lessons.  We each got pocket money each month which wasn't much but we learnt the value of money early on, saving up for nice things that we wanted; we were not handed luxuries to us on a plate.   As for holidays, we went to a caravan site most years, occasionally renting a nice villa in France in later years when we were all earning money and could contribute to the holiday as a family.   I wore a lot of hand-me-down clothes from my elder sister, my brothers did the same with their clothes.  We went to charity shops and car boot sales for toys and books rather than buying the latest new thing.   Christmases and birthdays, we never went without anything!

We were not poor, we just knew how to handle our money and not waste it on the most expensive things just because they're the most expensive things.

"Since Andy was made redundant four years now, our income has plummeted."

First thing to go would be the cleaner!  Honestly, who can't run a hoover or duster around?  Andy out of work, the children all old enough to help out and Jane works freelance - and they still need a cleaner to come by??

"Andy will probably have to sign on ... but it's unlikely that he'll find any jobs for his level of seniority advertised at the local job centre."

Apparently Andy hasn't bothered to even look.  There are all kinds of level of jobs being advertised, and if he has to take a job that's a little below 'his level' then boo-hoo; at least he'd have a job!

The attitude of this pair is mind-boggling.

"Some friends of ours were terrified of traumatising their children if they admitted that Daddy didn't have a job anymore.  So each morning he'd dress in a suit and head for the station, take a train to London and spend the day in a library.  They lived this charade for six months until he set up his own business."

Seriously?  I think those people were more traumatised than their children were likely to be!  You're not alone in this situation!!  I steadfastly maintain that it is not that shameful!!  Instead, they lied to their children instead of educating them that sometimes bad things happen and the family has to be careful with their money.  What's so traumatising?  Do the little darlings need to be kept in the dark so they can still enjoy their designer label clothing?   What bubble do these people live in?!

To Jane and Andy's credit, they explained the situation to their children instead of putting their heads in the sand.  But that said ...

"The kids have learned to do without expensive clothes and electronic gadgets; the paint is peeling from our windowsills.  There's a long list of things we dont' buy anymore; books, clothes, magazines, handbags.  Lucy proudly boasts of the money she's saved when she goes shopping with her friends."

Why buy kids expensive clothes in the first place?  They're kids!  They're going to play around in them.  A nice set of clothes for going out, fine, but don't stock their wardrobes with nothing from Next and then act like it's terrible to have to buy second-hand now and then.  Magazines and handbags?  Why are you buying handbags on a regular basis??  Mags and books - there's such a thing called a library where you can borrow them for free!  As for the girl boasting of money she's saved - she's 16 according to the article, has she found a part-time job or is that pocket money she's spending?

"We've managed to keep up Jack's tennis lessons and Emily's riding, with help from my parents.  I know they'd do anything to help us ... but it still felt humiliating when I paid their cheque into our account."

Unless your child is on track to become a world class tennis player or horse rider, these are expensive luxuries that they can survive without.  If there's a career in it and the child is set on it, that's different, you invest in their talent now.  But if I were the child getting pricey private lessons knowing my dad was out of work I'd volunteer to give up the lessons or contribute my pocket money / get a part time job to help cover the cost.  I wouldn't have my parents shouldering the full cost like that.  And we don't have grandparents to help with the costs either - we either pay for things ourselves or we go without.  We don't keep a cleaner and take money from others to pay for horse riding!

"Even worse was applying for a bursary so that Jack could go abroad with his cricket team.  I knew it was the only way we could afford it; I knew he'd be upset if he couldn't go.  But the thought of people in the cricket club - our peers, our equals - judging our need, made me physically sick.  I wrote the application three times, and three times I threw it away before forcing myself to send it off.  The bursary was granted and Jack went on his tour.  I haven't set foot in the cricket club since."

The boy does tennis and cricket?  How many clubs and lessons does this boy attend?  Sorry, if you're in financial difficulties you'd have to reduce the outgoings, even if that means you ask the child to pick which one they'd rather stick with.  As for 'the only way we could afford it', again, get rid of the cleaner for a start!

I notice she refers to the cricket club people as peers and equals.  Not as friends.  Friends wouldn't judge you.  If they're going to mock you for getting a bursary then they aren't very nice people, so why would you want to hang out with them in the first place?  The bursaries are there for a reason!  And so what if they know you applied?  They could be having money problems for their own for all you know.

Andy is also not keen on re-training given the time involved in re-training.  He's had four years out of work - he could have re-trained in something at the beginning and already be earning some money - but no, starting at the bottom means a salary to match.  A low income verses no income ... sorry, that's a no-brainer.

"And why re-train when head-hunters are still calling with opportunities?"

Perhaps because instead of waiting around for someone to phone you with 'the perfect job' Andy could look for work and get a job by himself?  He gets to spend more time with his children which is a good thing (and I'm sure it wouldn't kill him to put some washing on or change a few beds instead of having the cleaner do it) but aside from the head-hunter calls, there's no mention of him attending interviews on a regular basis or even applying for other jobs that he found off his own efforts.

I feel sorry for him having a bit of a break-down with the stress of not having a job.  I was climbing the walls within weeks!  But if the stress is that bad, then surely he'd take any job, if he's as keen for work as Jane claims.

"It's not that I think materialistic things matter, but life feels dreary and miserable without them."

Which is blatantly saying that you do think materialistic things matter.  If they didn't, then life wouldn't feel dreary and miserable!  You'd appreciate what you have and realise that you can live without lots of luxuries.  It's not all doom and gloom just because you can't buy yourself another handbag to cheer yourself up!

As for treating themselves to the cinema once a week ... my boyfriend and I go perhaps once a month, often less than that, and we use the Orange Wednesday phone offer of buying one ticket and getting one free.  That is a treat for us!  How terrible that this poor family can only afford to go once a week. (Note the heavy sarcasm.)

"I'm proud of his flexibility, his survival instinct.  I rage at the world which can't find a use for his talent and experience."

Flexibility?  Survival instinct??  He can't bring himself to apply to be a bus driver and earn some money, any money, to put food on the table for his family!  He's sat waiting for someone to call with his dream senior-level career position so he can go back to earning what he did before!  That's not survival or being flexible in the slightest.

My sympathies are extremely limited for these kind of people - making out they're enduring such hardships when they don't know what hardship is  There's no denying that we as a country are in a mess and a lot of people are struggling - and I mean really struggling, not like Jane and Andy here.  I'll admit, I'm not in a terrible position - my income is limited, but I have two jobs, I'm not on benefits, my parents are keeping a roof over my head and I contribute to the household bills.  I can afford to run my car (just!) and I have good friends who didn't and don't judge me for what happened with my job situation.

I am wealthy in friends and family.  My account may not have much in it, but I'm optimistic and continuing my search for a full time job.  I'm not saying it'll happen soon, but I'm confident that I'll find full time work eventually.  The recession will end and the economy will recover - we're all just having to ride it out and make the best of things.
.

Woohoo! I've cut back!

During my travels, it dawned on me that there was something I could cut back on in order to save some money.

I did a post not long ago about things I was already being frugal about and was puzzling over what to cut back on.  It finally occured to me and it was a total face-palm moment, I assure you.

Website hosting.  I have a website that I used for experiementing with coding and design, esscentially working like an onling portfolio of my web skills.   And it's been sat there for a while, not being updated much and sucking £5 out of my account every month.

A fiver may not be much, but that's still £60 every year being plugged into something I'm hardly using.

So this morning I have requested the closure of my account.

No idea why it didn't occur to me before - perhaps because I've not used it in a while!   I've had no complaints about the company I'm with so I'll no doubt go back to them in the future, but for now, I think that five pounds extra a month is better off staying in my account to be spent on more esscental things.

It's no loss on my CV either - I designed a website for a friend which is still up and running (plus she is paying for the hosting herself) so I can still highlight my skills with that on it's own, rather than two sites that proclaim pretty much the same thing.

Huzzah, savings made!  (Or they will be if the company are on the ball and close my account before the next payment is due; I appreciate it may not be instantenous but hopefully it won't take long to be sorted out.)

Money Blind

I work in an affluent area.  It's quite posh with nothing but private fee-paying schools and lots of boutiques.  When you're not earning much and are somewhat frugal, like myself, working in these kind of areas can be an endless source of puzzlement and despair.

For example, recently a woman came into the Shop to buy a present for someone she didn't really know that well, wasn't sure what she would like ... she picked out a necklace for £50 - for someone she hardly knows!  As she's chatting away about it to Nora, she looks directly at me and comments: 'Well, it's a mere £50!' with a shrug as if fifty pounds is of no real value.

£50!  It takes me a full day of work to earn that (roughly, after tax).  I wouldn't throw away that much on a gift for someone I didn't know anything about.  Would you??  Perhaps on someone close that I cared a lot about and whatever item it was happened to be the best gift ever ... but on a stranger???  Madness.

Please bear in mind that I don't often work more than 2 or 3 days per week.  £50 is extremely precious when you think that it's either half or a third of my weekly income.

Must be nice to have money to burn ...

I find it hard to fully appreciate why some people think that sort of money means nothing.   I understand that by having lots of money you may be more generous with it, but to talk about it in that manner, especially when you aim that comment at people with limited incomes -seriously, are they so well off that the recession hasn't affected them at all?  And are they so oblivious to the fact that shop workers in general don't earn very much?   I felt it was an insensitive comment to make but she was clearly ignorant of what £50 means to someone like me.

Back in my office job there was an older woman named Myrtle who didn't need to work; her husband was quite a high earner and she just wanted a job for something to do, not wanting to be a housewife.   But because she didn't have to worry about money, Myrtle could not comprehend why Sabrina a young woman renting a flat on her own (after her partner left her) and was just able to afford her bills, was so reluctant to go out to expensive restaurants when there were office get-togethers after work.   Honestly, she'd insist 'It's not that expensive!' when the starters were about £12!   The look of confusion on her face were completely genuine and she'd actually be rather sour about Sabrina not attending, not grasping the fact that the cost of the meals would probably cover her monthly bills and that she simply could not afford it.  For Myrtle, it was an alien concept - her husband paid all the bills - it seemed to be beyond her understanding.

Not all of us can afford fancy food at pricey restaurants!

Sab would often insist that she didn't have the money to spare as she allocated her income to bills and a little would be spent on an evening out or gifts for birthdays, yet there were several individuals who would rudely comment (when she wasn't around of course) that Sab was spending money on things whilst claiming she didn't have any - forgetting that Sab didn't have any left over from allocating it to where it was needed!  She didn't literally mean she had not a penny to her name!  It was simply budgeted already and there wasn't anything available to spend in pricey eateries!

For some of us, every penny counts these days and it irks me that some people who have never had to worry about money are looking down their noses at those that are in tough situations.  Hello?  Recession??  People losing their jobs or not had a pay rise in years?

You'd think the majority of the population would have heard about it ...
.

Do I have enough to park my car at work today?

What do I cut down on?

It's a pretty obvious thing that people have been pointing out to me regardless - cut back on things to save money.

That's all well and good if you were a big spender in the first place.  But what if you were reasonably frugal with your money to start with?  Where can I cut back?

Let's look at the obvious suggestions for a young woman in her twenties.

Magazines - I don't buy them. I'll read any that are brought into the house but I will not part with my money for them.  Never subscribed to any.

Make-up - don't wear very much and got enough to last me a while if I need it (bar an eyeliner that ran out - boo!)  I've actually given some bits away to friends because I'll never get around to using some of it.

Clothes - stopped buying when I became unemployed, with the exception of two cheap blouses suitable for work.  Even before that I only once had a splurge on clothing when I discovered an online shop that stocked clothing I actually liked, was reasonably priced, free returns, and I had been living in hand-me-downs and second-hand clothing for about a decade.  I was in full time work at the time with a good income - so I could afford it at the time, but I didn't go completely nuts, I simply replaced a lot of old things with a handful of decent fitting new things.   My wardrobe didn't really get any bigger!

Shoes - I did purchase a £40 pair of shoes a few months ago as I didn't have anything suitable for work and I desperately needed something that my feet were going to be comfortable in given that I'm on my feet most of the day.  A necessary purchase and a one-off.   Normally, I detest shoe shopping.  I own 7 pairs (work shoes, trainers, sandal-like shoes, sandals, black knee-high boots, brown knee-high boots, and black ankle boots)  They fit and they'll do until they fall apart.

"Treats and Treatments" - under this heading I include coffee shop purchases, chocolate, manicures, pedicures, all those kind of girly things.   I object to spending several quid on a cup of tea when I can buy a box of 100 teabags for less and make my own darn tea!   I've worked in a coffee shop before for about six months and I was constantly amazed at how much people will happily pay for a cup of coffee.  Best one - a 'dry' cappuccino - slightly less than half the cup is coffee, the rest foam.  Who the hell pays nearly £4 for half a cup of foam???  Sorry, I honestly never understood.  Not being a girly-girl I don't go in for manicures or getting my nails done in any way shape or form.  With the sports I do, I have to keep my nails short - trim them myself, tidy up with a nail file and that suits me fine.

Gym - something I did in the past but gave up my membership a few years ago when I got bored with the same stuff and the amazing Pilate's instructor left to be replaced by an atrocious one.  The other sports I do, I happen to help teach so that gets me free lessons in exchange.  Within walking distance so no petrol costs and if a lift is needed somewhere else 99% of the time I can get a lift.


So those are the 'typical' things that you'd expect someone of my age to cut back on.  But I either don't purchase these or any spending is already at the absolute minimum.

I'll no doubt do another cut-back post soon, see if there's anything else I ought to consider.

Any suggestions?
.

Is there a Black Hole in my wallet?

Well, my car at least seems to be the cause of the black hole at any rate.

It broke down last week - thankfully, my brother used to work as a mechanic so he picked up the new part required and fixed it right up.  All I needed to pay for was the part.  Had I gone to the garage that would have been three-figures easily!

My car insurance has gone out this month too.

But I totally forgot all about my car tax being due this month.  That's a bill I wasn't prepared for!  Gone up since last year as expected.

In short, my wages from last month have gone on my car and rent.  That's it!  Not a penny left over!  If anything, I'm still digging into what I had before being paid.

It's quite startling.   Yet Nora is still perplexed as why I'm looking for full-time work!  No concept of how little she pays me and that it seriously is not enough, particularly during months like this one.  You can't predict when your car is going to break down or when an expensive dental / health / vet bill needs to be paid.

I'm doing all I can to be careful with my money and still pay for my upcoming holiday, yet I'm genuinely concerned I'll have to actually take money out of my savings account - the account I've been putting money into since before I even had a job (saving my pocket money even way back then) which I've always intended for BIG purchases, like a deposit on a home or a new car (second-hand most likely but 'new' to me), possibly a wedding fund - those kind of purchases.

I don't want to have to touch that money just to keep my head above water.  I know it's there if I need it, but I fear that if I dip into it once, I'll keep doing it.  'I just need a little', or 'I'll be able to put the money back when I'm working full time!' - it's taken a long time to build it up, but it could easily disappear if I'm not more careful than I am now.
.

Not heard of this before!

I've finally discovered the blog of Miss Thrifty. :)

Frugal outlook and money-saving tips - yes please!  I've not read much so far; I have a habit of going through a blogs archives and reading everything in order so I've not got further than August 2008.

She gave a curious suggestion of how to clean silver jewellery.  Silver is my personal preference and as I work in a jewellery shop I tend to get asked about how to clean it.  Naturally, when the boss is around I recommend the pricey products of wipes and dips - when the boss is not around however I've always shared my tip of using bicarbonate of soda - warm water, a dash of soda and a gentle scrub with an old toothbrush to get in the nooks and voila!

But Miss Thrifty has suggested something rather unusual.  Bowl of hot water, generous dash of salt ... and a strip of aluminum foil.

I don't understand how that works (any science-minded types able to explain?) but the before and after photos look promising.

I fully intend to try that out next time I'm giving my things a clean.  I'd never pay for expensive cleaners, I don't believe they're ever worth the money.
.

Car Insurance

My car insurance renewal is coming up - I recieved my reminder in the post recently.  I had to phone them up to make a few changes to the policy, including my job which is specified on the policy.

What I didn't realise was that my profession has an effect on the pricing.  Whilst I was temporarily working in web development, the price was quite low - my policy was up for renewal just as I'd accepted the job.  But now that I'm a shop assistant, the price has leapt upwards!  This is because that more shop assistants have accidents than web developers - yet statistically, there's a lot more shop assistants in the country so of course the accident rate is understandably higher given that there's more of us out on the roads!  Odds are, we'll be in accidents sooner or later.

I was slightly miffed at that, being judged as a higher risk because of my job. I honestly don't see how it has a bearing on the likelyhood of me personally having an accident. Shop assistants are not auotmatically worse drivers, there's simply more of us.

But then, out of curiosity I asked what it would be if I were a dental nurse.

Surprise surprise, it's at the lower end.

Mental note - change car insurance policy the minute I gain new employment!
.

Supermarket Price Comparison - Part 2

Continuing on from a recent post - I went shopping in Lidl and Aldi in the hopes of purchasing all the ingredients I required for my latest cooking venture of chicken satay skewers and a beansprout salad, at a lower price than my local Tesco.

I have to say, after doing my first visit to Tesco I did have my doubts about whether I could get everything at Lidl and Aldi.  And it turns out that price-wise, it was not a foregone conclusion as to who was cheapest.

I was rather surprised by the result.

So how did the prices compare?

1 Bell Pepper
I was concerned about this one. I could not recall ever seeing single peppers sold in Lidl or Aldi - only packs of 3 little ones.  On the other hand, if I've got left over spring onions and beansprouts (very likely), I can make up a mini salad for a snack, so a third small one would not go to waste.  However, each supermarket did indeed sell individual large peppers.
Tesco - 80p
Lidl - 69p, or £1 for 3 smaller peppers (equivalent to 33p each)
Aldi - £1.29 for 3 (equivalent to 43p each)

Spring Onions
An impressive result in Lidl for a mere 39p
Tesco - 60p
Lidl - 39p
Aldi - 59p

Beansprouts
A blow to Lidl and Aldi - neither of them had beansprouts in stock. A point to Tesco!
Tesco - 50p / 310g bag
Lidl / Aldi - not in stock

Olive Oil
I was a little surprised that the smallest bottle of Olive Oil in both Lidl and Aldi were 750ml.  Technically, you're getting more oil for your money by buying the larger product.  But for this exercise, I'm looking to spend less right now, so Tesco wins this one.
Tesco - 98p / 250ml
Lidl - £2.25 / 750ml of Prima Dona
Aldi - £2.25 / 750ml of Solesta

Wine Vinegar
Surprising Tesco wins again on price but also on value.
Tesco - 54p / 350ml
Lidl - 99p / 500ml
Aldi - 99p / 500ml Solesta

Soy Sauce
Good lower price at Lidl for the exact same product from Tesco
Tesco - 98p (discounted from £1.14) Amoy
Lidl - 59p / Amoy
Aldi - 75p / Bramwells

Sunflower Oil
Another good saving at both Lidl and Aldi for a litre of sunflower oil.
Tesco - £1.58 / 1 litre
Lidl - £1.39 / 1 litre Vita D'or
Aldi - £1.39 / 1 litre Solesta

Onion
This one is awkward. Tesco sells by the lb, the other two by kg. I'm trusting an online converter calculator (maths is not my strong point) and I gather that 1lb is just over 2kgs.  I guess that makes Lidl the better value, but my recipe doesn't need 1kg of onions!  I'm saving my pennies with Tesco on this one.
Tesco - 39p per lb
Lidl - 69p per kg
Aldi - 79p per kg

Garlic Puree
This is my one bugbear with Lidl - it doesn't always stock the same things.  Previously I'd purchased my garlic puree at Lidl for an excellent price.  But, it was no where to be found this time.
Tesco - 69p / 90g tube
Lidl / Aldi - not in stock.

Peanut Butter
I was surprised by this one. Lidl's was more expensive than I'd anticipated, but Aldi to the rescue with an excellent 89p on offer.
Tesco - £1 / 340g jar
Lidl - £1.15 / 340g jar
Aldi - 89p (reduced from 92p)

Lemon Juice
Tesco's shocked me on this one - only a single brand on the shelf.  Was it misplaced and the dozen or so other brand hiding on another shelf? It was the last item and I struggled to track it down.  Lidl and Aldi however had none at all.  A lucky escape Tesco ...
Tesco - 60p / 250ml
Lidl / Aldi - not in stock.

Honey
Another surprise!  Lidl was a lot more expensive!  Plenty of jars to choose from but the pricing was a disappointment.
Tesco - 99p / 340g jar
Lidl - £1.81
Aldi - £1.29

Chili Powder
Very good value in Aldi, but alas you are 15p dearer than Tesco.
Tesco - 70p / 50g
Lidl - not in stock
Aldi - 85p / 100g

Milk
Much to my annoyance I discovered that Lidl does not sell 1pint containers, only 2 pints or larger.  Aldi appears to only stock the 4 pints.  Both better value, but I'm not looking at value here, it's price alone for this.  (I'm definitely considering re-doing this experiment with some refinement.)
Tesco - 48p / 1 pint, semi-skimmed
Lidl - 75p / 2 pints, semi-skimmed
Aldi - £1 / 4 pints, semi-skimmed.

Diced Chicken Breast
Very little difference here. Pretty much the same value for money.
Tesco - £3 / 377g
Lidl - £2.99 / 375g
Aldi - £2.99 / 375g

Long grain Rice
Lidl, Aldi, you both disappointed me here.  60p normal price? Even reduced Tesco has beaten you again. (And it's weird that you two had the same price reduction.)
Tesco - 45p / 1kg bag
Lidl - 49p / 1kg (reduced from 60p) Golden Sun
Aldi - 49p / 1kg (reduced from 60p) World Wide

Wooden Skewers
My primary concern about this experiment. Would Aldi or Lidl have these in stock??  NOPE!
Tesco - £1.75
Lidl / Aldi - not in stock

GRAND TOTALS

TESCO - £15.94

LIDL - £14.18 - 5 out of 17 items not in stock

ALDI - £15.56 - 4 out of 17 items not in stock

Not the result I was expecting.

I admit, I thought Lidl and Aldi would be a lot cheaper overall, but even with less of the items available, I wouldn't have spent much less than at Tesco's.  Very surprised by the result.

I guess the main thing to take from this experiment is that you shouldn't assume that particular shops that are deemed to be 'cheaper' by public opinion, are not always so.  Certainly there are various items you can get brilliant value on. For instance, the chili powder - great value in Aldi compared to Tesco's own, but downside is that the selection is more limited; but it's the place for milk if you get through a lot!

That's the other thing - whilst I focused on price alone for this experiment, I wouldn't have got the best value every time.  Going back to milk - £1 for 4 pints, great value, but if I was only buying for me would I finish 4 pints of milk before it went off?  In that instance, it's a waste of money as I'm paying for milk I won't use.  It's not a saving if it's not going to be used.

Things that will last for longer (and will be used, don't forget) tend to be worth paying a bit more to get better overall value for money.  Things like olive and sunflower oil, if you're going to be using them on a regular basis, then the more expensive option works out better than the smaller cheaper one.

So - I ended up purchasing only a few things at Lidl and Aldi before making a return to Tesco for the remaining ingredients.  Between the three supermarkets I did get myself the cheapest products available.  And in future I don't think I'll dismiss Tesco quite so quickly when it comes to shopping.

I am considering doing another experiment like this, but I shall put some more thought into it.  I had hoped this 'recipe' list would be more interesting that 'the weekly shop' but we'll have to wait and see whether I consider doing that in some shape or form.

Oh, and the meal was splendid!  Will have to have it again sometime ...

.

Supermarket Price Comparison

I'm not much of a cook - my boyfriend is often the guinea pig as I attempt to produce something edible. My cookbook bible is one aimed at students - simple instructions I can do!  I've had some good results with it and I delved into it again a few days ago, looking for something new to try.

So, this week I shall be attempting chicken satay skewers with rice, served with a beansprout salad.

I then got thinking.  How much would this cost me if I had to purchase all the ingredients from my local Tesco?  By local, I mean that mine is literally down the street, it takes me less than five minutes to walk there.  Now, my usual supermarket is Lidl, followed by Aldi.  They are also pretty convenient - OK, it's a longer walk but it's doable in about 20-25 minutes.  Even better when they're practically next door to one another.

I've been shopping at Lidl and Aldi for a while now for a couple of reasons: my mother does the weekly shop there as they're generally cheaper than Tesco, plus it's not as crowded and stressful (we've all been there, trolley-rage, can't-find-this-product-where's-it-been-moved-to-now!? rants).   Admittedly, it's slightly less convenient having to go the extra distance.

But just how much would I be paying for the convenience if I chose to shop at Tesco?  Is there really all that much difference?

Out of curiosity I am conducting some research on this, basing it on my current shopping needs of purchasing all the required ingredients for my chosen recipes.

For the purpose of this exercise, I am going 'shop' as if I do not have any of the ingredients available at home. In reality I do have a few to hand already, but for the sake of a fair comparison this exercise shall assume that I require to purchase every item I need to make the meal.

Armed with a list, I have just paid a visit to my local Tesco and sourced the cheapest available option for each ingredient.  In most cases, it was Tesco's own brand - where it was not the cheapest, I have noted the brand.

• 1 Bell Pepper - one large pepper: 80p
• Spring onions - 60p for a small bunch (marked down from 72p)
• Beansprouts - 50p for a 350g bag
• Olive oil - 98p for a 250ml bottle
• Wine vinegar - 54p for 350ml
• Soy sauce - 89p for 150ml of Amoy sauce (marked down from £1.14)

That's everything for the beansprout salad.  The soy sauce is required in the main dish too, so moving on!

• Sunflower oil - £1.58 for 1 litre
• Onion - 39p for a lb (awkward that I can't price a single onion so I'll compare it lb for lb in both shops)
• Garlic puree - 69p for Gia's 90g tube
• Smooth peanut butter - £1 for 340g jar
• Lemon juice - 60p for Consumers Pride, 250ml
• Honey - 99p for 340g jar
• Chili powder - 70p for 50g
• Milk - 48p for 1 pint of semi-skimmed
• Diced chicken breast - £3 for 377g
• Long grain rice - 45p for 1kg bag

And finally, I shall require some wooden skewers to complete the dish.

• Wooden skewers - bag of 100: £1.75

GRAND TOTAL: £15.94

[saving 37p with the two discounted items, 4 items out of 17 were £1 or more]

As I was going round, noting the prices, I did wonder whether Lidl and Aldi could actually match the prices and come out cheaper overall.  Some of these items did not cost as much as I would have expected, so it'll be very curious come Thursday when I make my weekly trip to find out how much I'll save.

Not only that, but can Lidl and Aldi provide me with all the necessary items?  Will they have the skewers I need?  Can I buy a single bell pepper when I can only recall ever seeing bags of three?  Perhaps I have simply not noticed single peppers but it remains to be seen.  A few items I'm certain I can get for less, but there's a nagging doubt in my mind as to whether between the two cheaper supermarkets, can I in fact get everything I need?

I shall be posting the results early next week - I probably won't have enough time on Thursday and I'm off camping over the weekend.  Check back Monday / Tuesday for part two!

[I'm also pondering whether I ought to pay a visit to Waitrose, just to see the differences there as well!  We shall see.]
.

Simple yet awesome

Wrapping presents is something that the majority of the population will do at some point - we wrap gifts for birthdays, Christmas, baby showers, weddings, and various other occasions.

Consider for a moment, just how much money do you spend on wrapping paper?  How much does a roll cost?  Do you go for the offers of 3 for 2 rolls?  Perhaps you buy the sheets.  Maybe you do what I do and wait until the new year and snap up several Xmas themed rolls cheap.  I've never seen any offers for birthday wrapping though.  Perhaps I just miss them.

With the paper there comes the sticky tape, ribbon, tags.  The cost adds up after a while doesn't it?  And over the years you could easily be spending hundreds.

Gift bags seemed like a good solution.  I have a few of various sizes.  They can easily be re-used.

But I've come across something else that I'm chuffed to bits about.

Furoshiki - Japanese wrapping cloths.

Easy to use, they look amazing, and can be re-used over and over again.  Storing them is also so much more convenient than trying to find a place for long rolls. (Mine are currently under my bed)  Just fold and tuck away in a drawer. Simple!

There's plenty of tutorials for wrapping with the cloths on YouTube, and various books available.  The cloths come in a variety of sizes, and you can always source your own from material shops to get the patterns and sizes you want.

Overall, I think it's a brilliant way to save money.  I would have to buy several, primarly to account for the number of Christmas gift reciepants I buy for.  Plus I am fascinated by all things Japanese so it's got instant appeal to me!  ^_^

The downside is that I'm looking at a website that supplies them and I'm drooling over so many designs that I would need to spend a few hundred to get them all!!  Must be restrained ... this is meant to save me money, not empty my account ... but they're so pretty ...

Now all I need is an alternative to buying cards for every occasion.
.