If you want to update your wardrobe for 2019 but don’t have the budget to go out shopping, why not reuse what you already have in your wardrobe? When you refashion a plain t-shirt, you’re creating a unique fashion piece that no-one else owns and you can usually do it for less than £5 because there are so many low-cost DIY hacks out there. Here are 8 creative and thrifty refashioning ideas to get you started…
Read More
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 part of the story you tell the world and is ultimately a big factor in how others perceive you. Starting to gain some awareness about your style isn’t superficial or […]
Read MoreShopping 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 wonderful to watch the youngsters heading off to their first prom. But it’s the concept of spending out on an outfit specifically for that special occasion that bothers me. In […]
Read MoreSummer 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 as soon as the 1st September hit, we’ve had nothing but grey days and drizzle – it’s as if the weather knew that the calendar had flipped over to autumn. […]
Read More
Buying a kitchen second-hand may seem unheard of, but it can be a great way to update your home on a budget. So many people think that their only option is a basic store-bought kitchen, but there are alternatives out there – purchasing a designer kitchen second-hand is the future. You can get great quality […]
Read More
One of the most important days of your life is your wedding day. It’s just one day of celebration, yet we spend more money on this than many of us earn in a whole year. A few short hours costing thousands seems a little excessive. So is there a way to maximise the experience while […]
Read More
I’ve recently laid laminate flooring in two rooms of my home and I can honestly say that it was a really easy process. I thought it would take days to install but we were finished within a couple of hours. As long as you have the right equipment – a saw, knee pads and a […]
Read MorePut the word ‘wedding’ in front of anything and suddenly the cost goes up. It’s insane to think how much the average wedding costs. In the days when I got married 14 years ago, there wasn’t half the choice there is now. Then again, the services that were available didn’t cost half as much as […]
Read More
When most people think about thrifty living they automatically think of frugality: cutting costs and counting the pennies. But thrifty living is about far more than that. Of course, not paying too much for things you buy is important, as is making your existing possessions work harder by upcycling or repurposing them. But one of the things I’ve […]
Read More
I’m delighted to share with you some pics of my latest project in Reloved magazine. This month I made a breakfast-in-bed tray as a romantic treat for Valentine’s Day. What do you think??I upcycled an old picture frame and turned it into a breakfast tray by removing the glass, and decoupaging old book pages (a falling-apart […]
Read More
Hi all, how has your week been? Today I thought I’d quickly shared my ‘Take 10’ interview about upcycling and thriftiness from Reloved magazine in case you didn’t get a chance to pick up a copy of Issue 38 last month. My project on restoring leather was also in the January issue, with the aim […]
Read More
Today I’ve got some really exciting news to share – I’ve been featured in Papercrafter magazine! A whole two-page spread has been dedicated to my tips, ideas and projects and I couldn’t be happier! I’ve taken some photos of the feature so that you can see what it looks like and maybe have a read of […]
Read More
If you are living on a tight budget, each season brings its own challenges and I think that winter might be one of the most difficult. During this season one of the biggest issues homeowners face is finding the money to pay for higher-than-usual power bills. We all know that it’s likely that we’ll be […]
Read More
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 settle down to a life together. It also means a party, a chance to meet up with old friends and family, dress up, and generally have a good time. Weddings […]
Read More
I don’t know about you, but I’m about ready to hibernate for the whole of the Christmas period. If you’ve got some time on your hands this week, why not have a go at making some of my festive crafts? All of these projects can be completed within an hour, and you only need a […]
Read MoreWinter is the time for festivities and celebrations and is a great excuse to get dressed up in your sparkliest clothes. It’s also the time of the year when you’ve just splashed your pay cheque on presents for your nearest and dearest so are unlikely to want to spend much more on a new winter […]
Read More
Over the past month I’ve been busier than an elf in Santas workshop – yes, I’ve been DIYing lots of festive projects ready to share with you on the blog this December. And what better way to kick off the month than with a simple gift project – a felt camera case.This easy-sew project lets you […]
Read More
Today’s blog is a quick and easy decor update that can make your home feel really autumnal in a matter of minutes. And you don’t need to spend loads of money on new soft furnishings, or hours crafting a garland, or days painting your walls to add a touch of autumn colour to your home. My […]
Read More
So now that bonfire night has exploded all around the country last weekend, I think I can safely move on to Christmas. That’s the rule, is it? Halloween? Check! Bonfire night? Check! Christmas? Ohhh yeaaah! Here it comes! Which is precisely why I’ve waited until now to show you my new festive decorations. I’ve been […]
Read More
Brr, it’s cold out there this morning! I’ve already loaded up the fireplace with coal and eaten a bowl of porridge to warm myself up. And we’re not even in winter yet! Ooh, it’s making me shiver just thinking about the chilly days to come. If you’re looking for ways to save money around your house, and keep […]
Read More
Is it your first time designing a full-on renovation for your bathroom? It’s easy to get bewildered by the many design combinations that you can choose for your bathroom. Here are some professional design pointers that can serve as guidelines to help make your bathroom renovation project less overwhelming (and help you stick to a […]
Read More
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, as a shop assistant or are a student most people like to put a little effort into their daily outfits, with an increasing amount of cash being handed over to […]
Read More
If you’re already thinking about Christmas, you’ll probably be wanting to find a few extra pennies for your festive shopping. When money is already tight it can be hard to imagine how you can save anything between now and Christmas but believe me when I say it can be done! And here’s how:Earlier this week […]
Read More
Today’s blog post is a super-fast DIY project to add a little personality to an off-the-peg high street top. Yes, I’m doing a Primark hack, and I don’t care who knows it! It’s such a quick project that I did it just half an hour before heading out to a party wearing the top. AND […]
Read More
Today’s Pieday Friday recipe is a lovely guest post from my blogging pal Lucy. When I saw her mouth-watering curry recipes on her blog LucyLovesYa, I emailed to ask her permission to share these delicious dishes with you today. And thankfully she said yes! These vegetarian dishes are packed full of freshness and flavour – […]
Read More
Some people call it ‘tight’, other’s say I’m being ‘stingy’, and some would even nickname me Scrooge. But I say; why wouldn’t you want to keep hold of as much of your money as possible? Okay, okay, let’s call it what it is: I’m a money-grabbing scrimper. And I’m proud of it. Because I know all […]
Read More
As you may remember, I’ve been asking some of my favourite bloggers to help me out with some guest posts this summer so that I can take a little time off. Luckily my pals didn’t let me down and emailed over a huge variety of inspirational blog posts for me to share during August. Here’s […]
Read More
With more sunny days than not in recent weeks, my thoughts have turned to summer holidays. While I’m not actually planning to jet off anywhere luxurious for a beach holiday, I DO want to inject a little holiday fun into my life. But how can I do it when I’m having a staycation, I hear you […]
Read More
What better way to start the week than with a giveaway, right? And how better to lift your spirits and ease those Monday morning blues than with a bit of pampering? Yes, I think you all deserve a little bit of luxury this week so when the very kind folk at Bolsius Aromatic got in […]
Read More
Did you know that 4th-10th July is “Catch The Bus Week”? As a thrifty gal who likes to save money on travel this really interested me. Other than using park-and-ride services to travel into big cities like Cambridge and Norwich (which is a really thrifty way to park in cities like this, not to mention […]
Read More
If you’re keen to get out and enjoy the sunshine this summer, I’ve come up with a list of days out and fabulous events that you can enjoy in Suffolk. It’s a great county to visit (with plenty of gorgeous places to stay!) and it doesn’t get too busy on the roads during the summer […]
Read More
As a thrifty gal who runs a blog on saving money in all walks of life, you can imagine how interested I am in financial affairs. Okay, perhaps not as interested as you might think but I DO still take an interest in my own money, my savings and the property I hope to investing in. After […]
Read More
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 to be featured on one of my favourite sites. When Cut Out + Keep got in touch to invite me to be their Crafty Superstar, I was literally bouncing around […]
Read More
If you’re planning a summer party but want to stick to a budget, how can you get a pulled-together chic look for only a few pounds? Well, if you’re up for a little DIY then adopting a ‘shabby chic’ style will do the trick. Your party decor can be as quirky as you like and, […]
Read More
One of the key things that a bride-to-be should consider for her wedding (besides her wedding dress of course!) is the wedding bouquet. Any bride would want to be sure to choose the most amazing, beautiful and unique flower bouquet on her wedding day, but simply choosing beautiful blooms is sometimes not enough. Some flowers have different […]
Read More
If you love entertaining and organising parties, but haven’t currently got the budget to spend on a fancy dinner party or big blow out with drinks, decorations and entertainment, then that’s no reason to put your hosting skills on ice. Bank holiday weekends tend to have a party atmosphere (woo an extra night out!) and bring […]
Read More
Can you believe that Fashion Targets Breast Cancer has already been running for 20 years?! I remember being a teenager when this ground-breaking campaign first launched – where have those years gone? Nonetheless the 2016 campaign has launched and is celebrating 20 years as the nation’s most powerful fashion movement.Running until the end of May, the campaign calls […]
Read More
As a teenager, saving – and sometimes, making – money can often be a struggle. For many teens who are still in school, employment is out of the question, whilst others who attend sixth form college may not be able to work as much as they would like to, due to revision for exams and […]
Read More
Does your living room look exactly the same from one year to the next? Or could you tell what year a photo was taken just by sussing out the décor in the background? Some of us like to make changes to our décor every year; we like to mix things up, introduce new colours or […]
Read More
Sometimes decorating a home can seem like such a large project, and with a worryingly large budget required too! But there are so many ways you can add a personal touch and your style to a room without spending an arm and a leg. How you choose to design your home is purely down to personal […]
Read More
Earlier this year I started to sort out my clutter. It was an absolute necessity, as I was moving house and I didn’t want to take all the accumulated clutter with me. Plus, I knew that I would have much less storage space so some of my belongs either had to go to the charity […]
Read MoreWho said it will cost a fortune to make your home a home? You don’t always have to spend a pretty penny on kitchenware, although you do get what you pay for in terms of knives and electrical items. When it comes to cookware, bowls and dishes, there’s plenty of great value for money options […]
Read More
Want to maximise your finances this year and keep hold of as much cash as possible? I do too. You probably know that I’m a rather thrifty lady and that I’d make any changes to my lifestyle in order to live better for less. But thankfully, this option doesn’t require any big changes, no hardship […]
Read More
When you’re a thrifty kinda gal who doesn’t really want to splash out her hard-earned cash on pricey pumps where do you shop for shoes? I’ve made no secret of the fact that I want to spend less this year, (so that I’ve got more to save for the house of my dreams!) so now […]
Read MoreIt can be hard to find the right pair of party shoes to suit your overall style. You want them to be on-trend yet timeless, match your party outfit but go with everything, and ultimately, be comfortable enough to dance the night away. But where can you find all of that on a thrifty budget? […]
Read More
What do you give to your special someone for Valentine’s Day when you’re both trying to save money and clear the clutter? Something very thrifty and useful, that’s what. I know you wouldn’t expect anything less from me so I’m happy to oblige! I’ve upcycled a gift box that I received for Christmas, used a […]
Read More
In honour of the new year and with the aim of making positive changes to my life, I’ve decided to get involved with a really important campaign; #WomanKind. The campaign carries a simple message that is so easily overlooked; care for yourself. With a recent survey by WeightWatchers showing that 88% of women wouldn’t criticise others […]
Read More
What are your plans for the weekend? Not all that busy? Well I’ve just found out about something that I’d love you to get involved with. A series of special events is taking place in and around London this weekend and, if you’re anything like me, I think you’d love to go to some (or all!) of it. Yes, […]
Read More
If you’re anything like me, the chances are you want your home to look as perfect as possible but you also have to be mindful of your budget. If you’ve been reading my blog recently, you’ll have seen that I’ve shared a couple of very low-budget room makeovers in my own home including decorating my […]
Read More
With the Autumn/Winter season in full swing, I thought that today would be a good time to share a menswear styling post with you. As you know, I’m a rather thrifty girl and I like to come up with ways to style my clothing to create many different looks from just one special piece. I believe […]
Read More
It wasn’t too long ago that I was starting university. I packed up a car with all my worldly goods and moved myself to the other side of the country to start a new life 5 hours away from home. I remember those first few weeks when all I worried about was whether I could squeeze in […]
Read More
Happy Tuesday Shoesday everyone! How’s your week going so far? Got though Monday okay? Did you head back to college yesterday? Are you making the big move to uni this week? Let me know what you’ve been up to – I’d love to hear from you while I’m sat here blogging away at my computer. […]
Read More
The other day I was sorting through my wardrobe with the aim of getting rid of some of the things I no longer use. I did that and found quite a lot of things I no longer needed, but surprisingly I also realised that I was short on something and that was handbags. I’ve used […]
Read More
Us women know only too well how difficult it can be to keep up with the latest fashion trends without forking out an obscene amount of money each month, just to look good without wearing the same go-to outfit multiple times. For many ladies, there is even an unwritten rule which says that when it […]
Read More
So you have a dress for prom. It’s a straight-forward little black dress or even a plain, but gorgeous, floor-length gown that fits like a dream. But it’s just too simple for you. It is one solid colour; or maybe the cut is just really basic. You really want to glam it up. Make it […]
Read More
And I mean ‘mini’ in both senses – it’s a mini room and I’m on a budget so it’ll be a mini makeover. I’ve actually lived in my home for over three years now and am yet to tackle the kitchen. The trouble with this room is that it is probably the smallest room in […]
Read More
Now that summer has finally arrived, you’ll be wanting to make sure that your interiors capitalise on the light and airy weather by giving your home a quick facelift. And as the living room is often the centre point of the house, it’s the perfect place to begin. So here are a few quick and […]
Read More
This week I’ve been out in the sunshine spray-painting my brogues gold. Yes, completely on purpose. That sentence would have previously been due to an over-spray while tackling some kind of interior design project (which happened when I spray painted my retro desk!) but this time, it was with good reason (a DIY on the […]
Read More
For my Style Icon Challenge this Spring I chose Holly Willoughby. I’ve always loved her classic girly style and could easily picture myself in any of the cute tea dresses she wears so it was an obvious choice for me. I am a huge fan of floral patterns, especially as we head into summer, so […]
Read More
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been taking on the challenge to give my garden a bit of makeover. The weather is finally lovely enough to encourage me outside and I’ve had the urge to start digging, weeding and planting ready for summer. A trip to the garden centre for couple of bags of […]
Read More
With blustery weather and April showers just around the corner, I thought that today would be the ideal time to share a super-simple, really fast DIY project to jazz up your winter hats for spring. I have a plain grey beanie hat (I think I got it from the pound shop) that I’ve never worn, […]
Read MoreYour home can be the source of some of your biggest outgoings, but that can also make it a great place to make some big savings. As part of my new year’s resolutions I wanted to start keeping an eye on my budget and save as much money as possible so I’ve been doing lots […]
Read More
Earlier this week I wrote about my plans for Valentine’s Day and shared an idea for a thrifty DIY date night at the movies – if you missed my post, you can check it out here. With cinema prices rocketing I’ve come up with a way to enjoy a romantic evening with your Valentine without spending […]
Read More
Just in case you didn’t know and have stayed away from the high street shops for as long as I have, it’s Valentine’s Day this Saturday! So today I wanted to share a blog post about thrifty ways to celebrate the big day with a DIY date night, which is especially good if you’re looking for […]
Read More
Even though I only picked up a handful of goodies in the sales this year, I think you’ll agree that my husband has got a great deal with his bargain purchase: a new coat from House of Fraser. It’s been literally years since he got a new coat and even though he already has a […]
Read More
Earlier this week I was invited to join in with the Thriftmas Style Blogger Challenge, to buy a complete party outfit for the festive season for less than £75 online. Could it be done? There was only one way to find out… I was very excited to give it a try and set to work […]
Read More
I’ve been massively inspired by watching Dawn O’Porter’s This Old Thing show on channel 4 for the past few weeks. I know thrifting is nothing new to this blog and I’m sure you all know that I was huge fan of vintage long before this programme was launched, but it’s just given me an extra […]
Read MoreI love the thrifty nature of a makeover project to ‘get the look for less’ and I’m always keen to recycle and renovate old or unwanted items to keep them out of landfill. So when I needed a little extra storage space for my little vintage caravan, I headed to the car boot sale and […]
Read More
Being self-employed, it’s sometimes difficult for me to know what to wear for business events – should I go corporate and professional or should I try to stand out from the crowd? Similarly if you’re working in an office and going to a sales call, making a pitch or meeting with a client, it’s sometimes tricky to work […]
Read More
I mentioned last week that I’ve been working on a project for the past few months to create my own collection of Cassiefairy t-shirt designs. I was so excited when I was approached by Got-The-T-Shirt.co.uk and they invited me to design a range of t-shirts. I had completely free rein over the design and I […]
Read MorePlease agree to the use of cookies to continue using this website. Read our Privacy Policy for more info
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. Cookies store information about a user’s interaction with a site but no personal details. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Any information gathered is anonymous and will not be used for marketing purposes. Read our Privacy Policy for more information.