Ooh the Christmas countdown has really snuck up on me this year and now it’s just 100 day until Christmas! So? That’s ageeees away, right? Well, in the world of thrifty living and financial planning, it’s actually a great time to start thinking about Christmas and I’ve written a little something to get your festive preparations off to a flying start and help you stay stress-free this xmas…
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It’s been a busy couple of months and I’ve been lucky enough to write a couple of interiors feature for issue 42 and issue 43 of Reclaim magazine. Plus, I’ve also written some blog post elsewhere around the internet so here are the links if you want to check them out..!
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If you’ve got kids, you’ll probably agree that kids’ clothing essentials soon add up and can take a big chunk out of your budget. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a more frugal way of shopping for your youngsters. I’ve chatted with some of the mums I know and have found out how they manage to save money on clothing every day, even though they’ve got babies, toddlers and children to look after. Here’s a handful of hacks to help you cut costs on clothing with a family in tow…
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Have you ever wondered what you can do to improve your retirement income? It may feel far away for some of us and for others it might be fast approaching. Either way, you’ll want to feel secure in your retirement and make sure you have enough money to live on, so how can you add more to your retirement fund right now..?
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While more and more people every day are looking for new methods to go green at home, many start with their own kitchens. You may be surprised to learn that each kitchen is adding to the nation’s environmental damage every day and even the smallest of changes can make a significant difference. To give you a few ideas, here are four simple tips that can make your kitchen a greener and more environmentally friendly place…
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If you’re like me and refuse to pay designer prices but you want to wear the latest trends AND save money, it can be tough to build a wardrobe you love. However, today’s guest blogger explains that there’s no shortage of ways to achieve this on a budget…
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Ahh it’s September. No sooner had the 1st of the month hit than my Pinterest and Instagram feeds became awash with autumnal colours and pumpkins. It’s like the whole online world was just waiting for summer to be over so that they could begin the wind-down into the cosy season. Here’s how to merge your decor from summer to autumn with the addition of just a few low cost accessories that’ll get your home ready for the changing season…
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Old and stained double-glazed doors can make your entire home look tired, and no amount of cleaning can get them back to their box-fresh whiteness. PVC doors can be costly to replace so why not spruce them up with a coat of paint? Not possible? Here’s how I revamped my ugly kitchen door with a vibrant pop of colour to keep summery vibes in my home for longer..!
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For this month’s Reclaim magazine I wrote about Ercol for the mid-century modern Design Icon column. And my research led me to some surprising results…
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All photos of Ju’s home by Alexandra Joseph If you’ve been hooked on the new BBC TV show Interior Design Masters since it started in August, you won’t have been able to miss designer Ju de Paula. Her colourful designs and pattern clashing style are taking the show by storm. I was lucky enough to […]
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Timeless decor items will be different for every person, but once you find them it can give a sense of comfort and permanence to your house. Plus, I’m a firm believer in ‘buy well, buy once’ so it’s a good idea not to follow interiors trends with your bigger investment pieces, such as the sofa, storage, tables etc. You can, of course change up your style over the years using soft furnishings and paint colours, but having those classic pieces as the basis for your future designs will save you money throughout your lifetime. Here’s how to figure out your style before you invest…
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Last week I mentioned that I’m currently working on renovating my kitchen and that I’d already revamped a few retro kitchen chairs. I’ve since been asked how I restored these junk-shop finds to their former glory so I thought I’d put together a little video to show you how to upholster a kitchen chair and renovate the wooden frame…
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So you’re coming to the end of the summer and it’s time to put those tees away for another year. Just a sec… why don’t you give your t-shirts a new lease of life by upcycling them for autumn? Here are four easy ways to revamp your summer wardrobe for the new season…
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If saving money was made easier, you would be much more likely to do it. So I’ve come up with some of the easiest possible ways to ensure that you save rather than spend and, if you follow these tips, your savings’ account should soon be full and you won’t have to worry about having money for those essentials that come up from time to time.
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Not everybody who is enthusiastic about makeup can afford to splash out on high-end stuff, but the good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to save money on your make-up collection today…
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So your family is expanding (congratulations!) and you need to upsize from your current home. Moving house is an exciting time, but it can also be a complicated and stressful process. Adding this on top of your already-busy family life can create frustration for parents so I want to help make the process as easy as possible with these handy house-selling tips…
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Have you heard about the Etsy Design Awards? If not, I would urge you to check it out today. The list of finalists has been announced and the winners will be chosen in September. It’s a great way to discover new sellers, and here’s what I found when I browsed the shortlisted businesses in the ‘Inventive Decor’ category…
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I don’t know why hostess trolleys ever went out of fashion. They’re so handy for gathering everything you need together, and wheeling it right where you need it to be. So, when I spotted this old wooden trolley in a skip, I was keen to rescue it. Here’s how to upcycle a retro trolley into a vintage style bar cart for bank holiday parties…
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It’s back-to-school time again and, as such, my thoughts have turned to kids’ rooms and how to design the space so that it suits them and their studying needs. Research suggests that children and their development are affected positively when they are surrounded by soft and safe environments, which is why investing in making their room comfortable and homely is one of the most important things a parent can do…
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Home is a place to relax however, sometimes that well-deserved rest becomes elusive & the most common hindrance is noise. Or maybe YOU are making noise & want to be a more considerate neighbour – so here’s how reduce noise the thrifty way…
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It’s easy to add warmth & autumnal vibes to your home & today’s blog post is all about using more wood in your decor. Just imagine the rustic, cosy look you can achieve with just a few low-cost items – here are 4 ideas to help you get the look for less…
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Athletic clothing & essentials aren’t only good for boosting motivation, they’re also useful for increasing mobility & comfort, on top of preventing painful injuries. That said, here are seven workout necessities every fitness enthusiast should have…
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To be honest with you, the kitchen was one of the most disgusting rooms in our fixer-upper home. So it was kind-of the room we tackled first. It got a coat of fresh white paint (to cover up the oil-and-nicotine stained walls eww) on the day we got the keys. We’ve since painted the existing cabinets. which has freshened up the units. But there’s still plenty more to do…
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I’ve been watching a lot of inspirational & motivational YouTube videos recently so I thought I’d share my my top 5 channels on the topics of minimalism, money-saving tips and living an unconventional life…
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OMG your bestie has just asked you to be maid of honour at her wedding, yay! What a great honour! But with this honour comes great responsibility, too. Because being the M.O.H is so much more than being the female version of a best man. You’ll be chief opinion-giver for dresses, flowers and decor, you’ll become an event planner, and you’ll be your pal’s life coach and emotional support throughout the whole process. Actually, Maid of Honour is one of the most integral roles at a wedding so here’s just some of the important M.O.H duties that you might need to take on in the run-up to your best friend’s big day and how to smash it…
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When I found a few brick pallets in a building site skip (and asked if it would be okay to re-use them!) my mind starting whirring at the possible projects they could be used for. The result is this kids’ mud kitchen and I thought I’d share the step-by-step project with you today…
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I’ve always believed that there’s a difference between being frugal and being cheap. So, when it comes to jewellery, is it better to buy cheap jewellery that costs less to replace or should you invest in high-quality jewellery? As a frugal fashionista, your choice ultimately comes down to pricing so here are the considerations for and against buying ‘real’ vs ‘costume’ jewellery…
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So you’ve already got a successful side hustle. SO successful in fact, that it’s now your main hustle. You’ve given up your 9-to-5 job and are working on your business full time. Congratulations! But having an extra income stream on the side is always a good idea, so you might want to consider starting some of these on-the-side-of-your-side-hustle-slash-main-hustle projects as a back-up plan and bonus income…
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