If I don't enjoy a programme on TV I turn it off, for the sake of my blood pressure I am doing the same with some blogs. I have stopped following a few lately, I'm sick to bloody death of reading blogs by people who lecture on about how they live a frugal life whilst having no idea how difficult it is to manage on a low wage.
Bloggers wittering on about doing without, when they have three holidays in the sun or think nothing of spending £100 on new clothes or magazine subscriptions claiming that the free gifts make it worth while etc.
I expect I'm just jealous really as my lifestyle is so different.
Today I went through my bedside table and collected a few hair ties, as I said I've had a pay cut and it's started to bite. So I'm not having my hair cut now, I was spending about £50 a year on hair cuts, £50 a year I no longer have therefore I am doing without and will let my hair grow.
Yes I bought new boots as I cannot go through the winter with bare legs and canvas shoes.
I won a pinafore dress on eBay, £2.99 plus postage, still under a fiver. It is not a fashion item, it is essentials. Two of my winter dresses have been relegated to the bin as they were wearing into holes.
These purchases are the reason I'm dog sitting, lovely as my lodger is I could really do without out the extra work he entails, I have enough on my plate with my L&M not being well, a friend has just had a horrible medical diagnosis and DD1 moved on Thursday and is knee deep in DIY & unpacked boxes.
Scrimping and saving, ranting and raving. Past retirement age.
17 comments:
Oh Hester - I always think it would be so nice if just once in a while, folks who work so hard at everything and who have so much on their plate just got a bit of a break!
There are some wonderful blogs out there - full of great information - but I know what you mean about some - I deleted a few and moved a couple of others from my "Frugal & Green" folder to my "Lifestyle" folder - that way they don't aggravate me quite so much! :-)
Having my hair cut and coloured is an expense I'm having to carefully consider these days - so far I've done the colour every other cut route and lately I've been stretching things by a good 2 to 3 weeks longer between visits - I just get out the velcro rollers and the hairspray and make do for the extra time. Do you know of anyone who does hair that you could trade services with or is there any opportunity where you live to go to a hair dressing school for a cheaper deal? Sorry, it's all I can think of at the moment.
I understand how you feel.
I didn't have my hair cut for about six years when things were extra tight, I cut Dan's hair too. Same with clothes, I wore things that were past their best or too big for me for quite a few years. Thankfully thing are good for us at the moment, I hope you get a break soon.
Hope things go better for you very soon. Will the move ease things a bit for you? I actually think one of the first things I do when finances were/are tight is give up my haircuts.
I get my hair cut at a small local barbers much cheaper.You can still grow it just a trim every few months to cut the colour out xx
Christine
I emphasise with you entirely in the not being able to buy anything new, but I'm fortunate as my daughter is an ex hairdresser and I get mine cut and coloured for free, God knows what it would be like otherwise! And yes there are some smug bloggers under the guise of frugal, I have to really like a blog to go back to it, any iffy or self righteous ones get short thrift! Just a thought Hester? Have you considered going to a college hair salon, cuts are very cheap or put yourself forward as a model for any local hair salon as they are always looking for models and it's free:) keep smiling Jacqui
Hair cuts are so expensive and I try to go as long as possible without one. I quit coloring the gray years ago and went with what it truly was...white. Living on retirement is a life style change too. I know you are struggling and impressed at how you just get on!
I once watched the mother of one of bear's pals not have enough money for a pint milk for the family. Some people don't understand that.
You man the thrifty preachers who've never eaten toast to hide he mould...lol
When you have reused tea bags twice and turned your socks upside down to stop the hole on the bottom letting in the cold then you can call yourself "frugal"! Do agree some of these thrifty tags are not deserved. Hope your man gets better soon.
Hester, sometimes I just want to punch your guardian Angel on the nose for falling down on the job.
I do agree about the smug frugalistas. They proudly tell how they have turned 2 carrots and a stock cube into a tasty meal for 4 and later on refer to the difficult car journey they have had to their holiday home or the airport chaos they have endured.
I suppose it is all relative.
A friend of my daughter-in-law kindly cuts my thin, fine hair for me. I did try cutting my own once with spectacularly unlovely results.
Life on a basic state pension is not a bed of roses but Hey! I'm still here and still smiling. Mostly.
One foot in front of the other Hester, but you deserve so much more than you are getting.
Can I guess what blog you might be referring to?! I won't name names since I once
criticised said blog and was flamed! However, suffice to say I removed her
from my bookmarks and have not read her blog since. While I'm on the subject
there's a local (Australian) blog that really gets up my nose - I'm
convinced that that once they get any attention from the mainstream media (trashy
current affairs TV in this case), they become insufferably smug. Hopefully
things will get better for you - you deserve it a lot more than a lot of
people in blogland I could think of !
I can understand you giving up your haircuts Hester.
I would like to know why a man can get a short back and sides and pay no more than a fiver but for me to have a dry trim involving no more than an inch cut off the bottom I have to pay at least sixteen quid. It's disgusting-x-
Hi sue, I'm writing this off my mums blog so I'm GD!! I just want to wholeheartedly agree with your post. For a long while now we have been close friends with and grown apart from quite a famous 'frugal' blogger. So frugal they can own more than one property and ferry themselves from country to country. Just a funny story really one evening this said person wrote about making their other half lovely homemade lunches. Coincidentally I was in KFC the next day and who should walk in but the husband who ordered a large meal. This person is 100% a liar and she has personally attacked me and my mum so I don't care if they read this.
I know exactly who Tracey is talking about. My god how rude this blogger is, I remenber asking her advice about one of the recipes she had posted she was so rude and ended up saying "it's not rocket science is it". If she speaks to her pupils like this heaven help her. Frugal is a way of life not a lifestyle choice in my opinion. If you run up massive debts should you be patted on the back for clearing them NO! It is your duty to do so.
I wrote a blog post about this person preaching to people, making them feel inadequate, I had dozens of comments on that post. I still occasionally read her blog. She made me really cross when she started giving people quilting lessons. Quilting is an art form which has certain things which need to be followed. Teachers of quilting quite often have taken a two year City and Guild Course which is very demanding. Just because she is a teacher does not automatically mean she can teach quilting.
I too stopped reading the Aussie blog some time ago.
I have to say I know who you mean.
I too have stopped reading her blog. Selling her bags, sewing classes for a charge etc. All sanctimonious as well, so the KFC story made me chuckle!.
Amazing what some people see as essential.
I recently watched a TV documentary about life on the benefits system and how much some people struggled to get by.
One grossly overweight candidate was bemoaning the fact they couldn't afford to eat healthy as the food was so expensive and they needed yet more benefit money to pay for this.
Stated in all seriousness while sitting on a couch eating a take-away which had just been delivered, smoking tailor-made cigs, drinking high strength lager from the can and watching a 55'' TV.
And they thought they were struggling.
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