living frugally
I know that the credit crunch is the big deal and drama of the moment. And whilst it is not nice that people are losing financial security and who knows what situation they (and we as a nation) will end up in, I don't see why people make such a fuss about living simply/ frugally. Why don't more people do this?
Whilst I spend hundreds of pounds travelling here and there, I try to not spend beyond my means. [When I got back to the UK last year, I decided to try not to fly long haul for 10 years, as my carbon footprint is - although nowhere near as high as David Beckham's- fairly high! Still, I managed to spend quite a bit over the last few months on holiday in Scotland and France. - But even then I got some good deals.] I have been brought up to live simply rather than extravagantly. I'm of the opinion that living, well, spending cheaply, can be fun!
Take today as an example:
The Cheltenham Literature Festival
-I went to see Alexander McCall Smith [of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency fame]. I thought £8 for a ticket was a bit steep, but hoorah, for the last time in my life, got a half price one for under 25s!
-Arriving at the Town Hall, I was fairly thirsty, so I (and I haven't pulled this trick in yonks), went into the cafe and ordered a takeaway tap water - after all I had paid £4 for the privilege of going there in the first place.
-This was just after I picked up my free copy of The Times, sponsor of the event. Well, I had to do it in pieces- a bundle of supplements first, then the main paper, then later in the tea tent, the magaziney bits. (A grand saving of £1.40, or however much the Sat paper usually costs.)
But I did slip up in the tea tent, it has to be said, spending £3 on some sandwiches that I ate in the extraordinarily slow queue. And I resisted the temptation to pick up a free cloth bag, as I didn't want Times spam to my house and email. So I was even avoiding some freebies!
After the talk itself, I very flukily realised I was sat right at the back, extremely close to the door, so was one of the first out and near the front of the queue for the book signing. Instead of paying full price for a brand new book, I asked him to sign a couple of books by him I grabbed from the bookshelf before I left the house. - Perfect.
Whilst I spend hundreds of pounds travelling here and there, I try to not spend beyond my means. [When I got back to the UK last year, I decided to try not to fly long haul for 10 years, as my carbon footprint is - although nowhere near as high as David Beckham's- fairly high! Still, I managed to spend quite a bit over the last few months on holiday in Scotland and France. - But even then I got some good deals.] I have been brought up to live simply rather than extravagantly. I'm of the opinion that living, well, spending cheaply, can be fun!
Take today as an example:
The Cheltenham Literature Festival
-I went to see Alexander McCall Smith [of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency fame]. I thought £8 for a ticket was a bit steep, but hoorah, for the last time in my life, got a half price one for under 25s!
-Arriving at the Town Hall, I was fairly thirsty, so I (and I haven't pulled this trick in yonks), went into the cafe and ordered a takeaway tap water - after all I had paid £4 for the privilege of going there in the first place.
-This was just after I picked up my free copy of The Times, sponsor of the event. Well, I had to do it in pieces- a bundle of supplements first, then the main paper, then later in the tea tent, the magaziney bits. (A grand saving of £1.40, or however much the Sat paper usually costs.)
But I did slip up in the tea tent, it has to be said, spending £3 on some sandwiches that I ate in the extraordinarily slow queue. And I resisted the temptation to pick up a free cloth bag, as I didn't want Times spam to my house and email. So I was even avoiding some freebies!
After the talk itself, I very flukily realised I was sat right at the back, extremely close to the door, so was one of the first out and near the front of the queue for the book signing. Instead of paying full price for a brand new book, I asked him to sign a couple of books by him I grabbed from the bookshelf before I left the house. - Perfect.
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Another trick I'm not sure I have the gumption to execute is, in future- if there is a famous person you would like to see/ get your picture taken with/ get their autograph, just to go and queue up to meet them after their event, without buying a ticket. And, why not even jump the queue by getting there early. Is this allowed I wonder?
Anyway, I'm either out of practice or still haven't lost the ability to ramble for ages and not quite get the point across that was so clear in my head before I typed this!
PS Oh, and when I was in Dorothy Perkins earlier & asked if I could keep the hanger for the T shirt I bought, the shop assistant asked if I wanted any more ("we've got loads"), so I asked for a trouser hanger ("just the one?") - bargain (!).
PPS Another tip, if you're guilty of splurging when shopping, is to develop what I shall label as shopping bullimia. This means, when you get home & find out the dress/ top you bought doesn't really fit or look very nice, to take it back and get a full refund. Thus, you get the adrenaline rush of shopping and spending, but the healthy bank balance at the end of it! (Think I did this again today- it is completely unintentional...)
Anyway, I'm either out of practice or still haven't lost the ability to ramble for ages and not quite get the point across that was so clear in my head before I typed this!
PS Oh, and when I was in Dorothy Perkins earlier & asked if I could keep the hanger for the T shirt I bought, the shop assistant asked if I wanted any more ("we've got loads"), so I asked for a trouser hanger ("just the one?") - bargain (!).
PPS Another tip, if you're guilty of splurging when shopping, is to develop what I shall label as shopping bullimia. This means, when you get home & find out the dress/ top you bought doesn't really fit or look very nice, to take it back and get a full refund. Thus, you get the adrenaline rush of shopping and spending, but the healthy bank balance at the end of it! (Think I did this again today- it is completely unintentional...)
posted by bananatree @ 5:37 pm
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