My Thrifty Life by Cassie Fairy | Inspiration for living a lovely life on a budget | STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

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Beauty

3 Ways to save money on beauty and cosmetics

Great news! Your beauty and cosmetic routines do not have to consist of costly, overpriced products and procedures. I’ve been blogging about cruelty-free beauty for a few years now and I’ve found that it’s not only an ethical way to shop, but it’s also cost-effective too. That said, you don’t have to splash out for named brands and special formulas when you can DIY some beauty items and get a discount on the rest. Here are a few tips on how you can save money whilst still looking good…

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

4 Things to know when buying your first running shoes

Running is one of the most effective types of exercise. It improves your mood, boosts metabolism, improves cardiovascular health, strengthens your joints, and actually add years to your life. It is also the easiest to take up, because you don’t need any equipment, other than a good pair of running shoes. However, finding the right pair is easier said than done. Do you look for the footwear online, or browse the shops? Is brand a major factor? And what exactly is arch support? Keep calm and read on to find out all you need to know about running shoes…

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Thrifty fashion tricks for a summer wardrobe overhaul

Our personal style should be based on more than just whatever piece of clothing happens to be on top of the pile. Your clothing is

Events & Entertainment

Summer festival fashion inspiration from Latitude

If you’re heading to a festival this summer and are wondering what to wear, you’ve come to the right place! Today I’m showcasing the colourful outfits of the creative folk at Latitude festival to give you some inspiration for your own festival looks so read on to find out what to add to your backpack…

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Seven fashion-forward trends to try in 2018

What you wear says a lot about you and can even improve your self-confidence. Not only do the changing fashion trends keep life interesting, but adding new on-trend pieces to your wardrobe can give you a much-needed boost. In case you’re thinking of updating your wardrobe for summer 2018 and are looking for ideas, here are some fashion-forward trends that you might want to try…

Beauty

How to save money on your contact lenses, glasses & sunglasses

Eye-wear can be expensive, can’t it? I’ve winced at the price of prescription glasses many times! But this year been I’ve searching for ways to

Books

Step-by-step granny squares festival bag crochet project

Learn how to make this colourful crochet festival bag and enter my giveaway to win a copy of the fabulous “Granny Squares Weekend” book…

Birthdays

Why handmade jewellery is the best gift ever for special occasions

If you’re looking for a meaningful present for a special occasion – or just a treat for yourself – you can’t go far wrong with

Beauty

4 Easy ways to save money on hair care

I’ve come up with some very easy ways you can save money on your regular hair care costs. Nothing here is hard to do, but

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Versatile clothes you should pack for your next holiday

With the scorching hot temperatures we’ve been enjoying this week and the fun-in-the-sun feeling I got from the bank holiday, my thoughts turned to holiday

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Brighten up your wardrobe for summer (on a budget!)

For many women, colour in an outfit can be a scary prospect. But with summer around the corner, it’s time to brighten up your wardrobe. With

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Guest post: Men’s style trends for 2018

When it comes to men’s fashion, choosing on-trend pieces to add to his wardrobe can be a minefield. Thankfully, fashion experts at It’s Hot have agreed

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

3 Classic outfit essentials every wardrobe needs

There are just three essentials that every wardrobe needs to give you a strong foundation to build upon with your own unique style. Read on

Cruelty-free Life

4 Natural homemade remedies to stop bugs coming into your home

If you want to throw open your windows and doors to let some spring freshness in, here are a few natural, low-cost and cruelty-free remedies

Beauty

How to DIY an alcove dressing table – the finished project

When space is tight and you don’t have room for a dressing table in your bedroom, how about turning an alcove or cupboard into a

Beauty

How to turn an alcove into a fitted dressing table

Today I’m sharing my DIY project to turn an alcove cupboard into a fitted dressing table, read on to find out the inspiration behind this

Beauty

Cruelty-free beauty: What can egg whites do for your skin?

Did you know that besides being good for your dietary health, eggs—specifically, egg whites—can also be great for your skin? Read on to find out

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Tuesday Shoesday – The ultimate sale bargains of 2018

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve sat at my laptop on a Tuesday morning and written a shoesday blog post. In fact, come to

Special Occasions

How to pick a special occasion outfit you’ll wear again

Shopping for special occasions. It’s something that I really don’t like to do. Sure, I love buying the happy couple a wedding present, and it’s

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Thrifty festive fashion for Christmas parties

While it’s nice to look lovely for special occasions over the festive period, there’s no sense in buying an outfit that you’re only going to

Hen parties

How to refashion & re-wear your bridesmaid dress

Were you a bridesmaid over the summer? Do you have a gorgeous freshly-laundered bridesmaid dress hanging in your wardrobe? Think you’ll probably never get a

Autumn

Six transitional wardrobe essentials to take you from Summer to Autumn

Summer in the UK is drawing to a close and with it the warm weather and sunny days have been left behind. I’m convinced that

Autumn

The ultimate ‘Pomegranate Noir’ scented candle sniff test

Have you heard about the candle that shoppers going wild about this summer? It’s a budget version of the Jo Malone ‘Pomegranate Nioir’ scented candle

Tuesday Shoesday

Tuesday Shoesday – The ultimate espadrilles

It’s not often that I write a brand feature on my blog but after following the development of Alice X over the past couple of

Seasons

Get the ultimate beach look for less

There’s no better reason to make summer your favourite season than the opportunity to hit the beach. With the heat ramping up as the summer

Beauty

My cruelty-free night-time routine

Today I’m sharing my night-time routine along with a little cruelty-free product review. Remember when I blogged about my first impressions of The Hero Project

Thrifty gifts

Tuesday Shoesday – Where to find summer shoes for under £5

Okay, I admit it – I’ve been browsing the summer sales. Every year I try to resist, but when I see those footwear bargains start

Beauty

How to tan safely on your next holiday

When we head off on holiday, one of the things we hope for is to return with a great tan. After all, we can’t wait

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Menswear: What shoes to wear with shorts in summer

Attention fellas! It’s that time of year again when you might be considering pulling on a pair of shorts and showing off your footballers legs

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

My dream summer jacket – weatherproof, colourful and fun

Following on from yesterday’s timeless summer essentials blog post, I thought I’d share some quick pics of my new jacket. I’ve been searching for a

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Tuesday Shoesday – Timeless summer classics

Can you believe this heat? I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced anything like it in the UK before. It’s meant that I’ve been to the

menswear

Truly personal gift ideas for Father’s Day

It can be hard to find a unique gift for “the man who has everything” but don’t fret – I have the solution. Personalised gifts. I

Beauty

Cruelty-free skincare – The Hero Project

The Hero Project is a skincare brand that I’ve only just discovered. Of course, I’ve heard a lot of murmurings about this collection from the blogosphere

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Fashion tips for curvy girls

I’ve been looking through a lot of different fashion blogs recently, and one thing really stood out – hardly any of them have articles and

Special Occasions

Thrifty fashion – Re-wear your wedding clothes

When you plan your wedding outfit, it’s with the knowledge that it’s only for a day. For this reason, some brides choose to hire their

Tuesday Shoesday

Tuesday Shoesday – Time for tennis?

When the sun starts shining and the smell of freshly cut grass is in the air, that can only mean one thing; time for tennis.

Special Occasions

Tips for men’s wedding attire (on a budget!)

Weddings are just fantastic occasions, aren’t they?! Attending someone’s special day is a great opportunity to relax as a family, catch up with friends and

Cassiefairy's News

Lint roller printing – and my April showers scarf is in Reloved Magazine!

So excited to share with you my latest project for Reloved because my DIY infinity scarf was chosen to be photographed on a model for the

Tuesday Shoesday

Tuesday Shoes – Springtime pumps with a sporty sole

My spring essentials are pumps. I’ve lived in my tan brogue boots and my hiking trainers all winter but now that the weather is warming up

Money Saving Tips

3 things you can sell to make extra money this week

Happy hump day everyone! It’s the middle of the week and already I’m looking forward to the weekend. Want to know why? I’m planning to

Tuesday Shoesday

Tuesday Shoesday – 100 years of Converse All-Stars

Did you know that 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the famous Converse All-Star high-top trainers? I didn’t either until I started Googling “Converse” when

Days Out

Tuesday Shoesday – Our his ‘n’ hers walking shoes

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Hubby and I celebrated a day early because it was a really sunny day yesterday and we wanted to take advantage of the lovely

Tuesday Shoesday

Tuesday Shoesday – Quality vs price in mens footwear

Just what IS the difference between a £25 pair of boots and a £250 pair? Can the higher priced pair really be that much better than the

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Thrifty winter wedding outfit ideas

Being invited to a wedding always lifts my spirits. It means that one, often two, of my friends have found happiness, and are ready to

Beauty

Cruelty-free winter skin care

At this time of year I like to give my skincare routine a bit of a shake up. With all this warm air indoors and cold

Autumn

Homemade upcycled gifts – How to make a memory bear using baby clothes

What do you get for your niece and nephew when you’re the coolest aunt in the world? Why, handmade teddy bears, of course! It’s a

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Top Winter Hat Tips – We’ve Got You Covered

It’s time to bundle up for winter but first use your head about what’s covering your head. All winter gear isn’t created equally. Here is

Festive

Have you got your festive knit ready for Christmas Jumper Day?

I know I have. Well, every day in December is Christmas jumper day for me… but I’m talking about the official Christmas Jumper Day with

Tuesday Shoesday

Tuesday Shoesday – No shoes, but a new satchel

I’ve decided to write about my new handbag for this week’s Tuesday Shoesday blog post. Okay, I know it’s not strictly a shoesday post without any

Beauty

My advent calendar – 12 days to a beautiful Christmas

Yes, I still have an advent calendar every year, even at my age. I’ve had chocolate calendars to countdown the days until Christmas for as

Tuesday Shoesday

Tuesday Shoesday – The Soft Texture Trend

This Tuesday Shoesday I want to talk about one of my favourite new trends for A/W16 – textured shoes. I’m talking suede, velvet or even

Autumn

Tuesday Shoesday – Blue suede boots for autumn

I’ve never seen an autumn like it. There are so many leaves on the ground at the moment that you can’t really see the grass

Money Saving Tips

Money-saving tips for your autumn wardrobe

Finding the perfect style to suit your everyday life can be difficult, especially when you need to save money. Whether you work in an office,

Beauty

Cruelty-free eyebrows + the Little Book of Cruelty-Free

I’ve always had trouble finding products to suit my eyebrows, cruelty-free or otherwise. In fact, I’ve never found a match before. The thing is that

Autumn

Guest post: 4 hair trends to try this autumn

Hairstyles come and go, but one thing is certain: Hair is always going to need cutting, trimming, colouring, and styling. Now that autumn is upon

Autumn

Tuesday Shoesday – My week in #FloorSelfies

When I first heard about the #FloorSelfie challenge, I found myself getting a little excited. Not only do I love a good photo challenge, but

Beauty

Cruelty-free mascaras – which is the best budget brand?

I’ve really struggled to find a cruelty-free replacement for my mascara. Considering that I have some very blonde eyelashes under all the layers of black

THRIFTY LIVING

Tuesday Shoesday – Comfort shoes for a more active life

Whenever September rolls around I get that ‘new-term’ feeling. Even though I’m no longer a student, when you add up all the years that I

Money Saving Tips

Tuesday Shoesday: How to dye your shoes – step by step video tutorial

When you really love a pair of shoes, you find yourself wearing them at every opportunity. Perhaps they are the comfiest shoes you’ve ever worn,

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Guest post: 50s Summer Party Dresses

Does a stack of wedding and party invites leave you with a ‘what to wear’ headache this summer? Why not look to the era of

Cruelty-free Life

Cruelty-free Laundry

In my quest to live a cruelty-free life, there was one thing that I hadn’t really thought about: Laundry. When you think about cruelty-free, you

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

How a new dress can help you stay cool this summer

So I went away last weekend. I didn’t go far, just on our yearly jaunt to the Essex coast, but boy was it nice to

Beauty

What’s in my cruelty-free make-up bag?

Earlier this year I made the switch over to living a cruelty-free life. I’ve been gradually replacing all my products with their non-animal-tested counterparts over recent

Beauty

How breakfast cereal can improve your health

Did you watch Inside The Factory on BBC2 last night? I love programmes like this; finding out about the inner workings of factories that produce

Bathroom

Cruelty-free summer cleaning hacks

In the run up to the summer holidays is when I start to notice what needs doing around the house. I realise that spring has

Cassiefairy's News

I’m Cut Out + Keep’s Crafty Superstar!

Did you spot this news on my Twitter feed earlier this week? I’ve been tweeting and instagraming all week long because I’m just SO excited

Tuesday Shoesday

Tuesday Shoesday – ‘Soled’ out, vintage style

You know the story – you are looking for that perfect pair of shoes for that perfect outfit, but the high street stores just keep

Cruelty-free Life

A spring cleaning surprise (& a cruelty-free gift!)

You may have already done the big spring clean in your own home, but what about your relatives? In particular, I’m thinking about your grandparents,

STYLE ON A SHOESTRING

Tuesday Shoesday – Those “other” accessories…

It may be Tuesday Shoesday but today I’m doing things a bit differently. Instead of focusing on beautiful shoes and fabulous bargains, I’ve decided to

Beauty

Cruelty-free products I already use…

Last month I wrote about the reasons why I’ve recently made the switch to living a cruelty-free life. I’ve since written about homemade beauty as

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