11 Jan 2015
That said, the last few years have been tough on most folk, and lots of us have been tightening our belts all year round. I’ve found there are plenty of things I can save on yet certain luxuries I’ll do my best to keep. What are you willing to compromise on and what you can’t do without? My list looks like this:
Save: The Energy Saving Trust reckons you save £75 per year just by turning down your heating 1 degree. I’ve tried it, and I honestly didn’t feel any colder. I’ve also turned the radiator off in the spare bedroom, and I’m investigating various grant options to have my loft insulated (worth looking in to as lots of local councils are offering these and they’re not well publicised). Plus, there’s always a jumper or two. I’ll be interested to see how my energy bills look this winter.
Splurge: I just can’t resist a real fire, so am currently getting quotes to have my gas fireplace removed and my chimney swept. Wish me luck!
Save: I’m swapping my regular shop to Aldi. Lots of my friends told me to, including our lovely Tracey, and I have to say the savings really surprised me. Just for starters, they have cheap but tasty staples (Pesto 99p, superior tinned tomato 40p a can); great fresh fruit and veg and delicious, high quality Moser Roth chocolate. Plenty of bargains to be had.
Splurge: I don’t eat much meat but what I do get is from my organic and free range local butcher. It’s not cheap but I can taste the difference in quality every time.
Save: Asda’s Koru New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2012 at £5.98 a bottle. It honestly tastes much more expensive; a cheap but tasty glass-after-a-hard-day wine.
Splurge: Call me a snob, but I just can’t drink bad champagne. As luck would have it, Co-op’s own brand Les Pionniers 2004 Vintage won three top prizes at the inaugural Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships, including the award for Best Vintage Blend. At £24.99 a bottle it’s hardly cheap, but it is superb value for money. Cheers.
Save: I’ve become a convert to the second hand clothes shops around where I live. So far I’ve found a vintage full length velvet coat (£20), a black cashmere jumper (£10) and a pair of brown leather gloves (£3.50). It takes some digging around but there are bargains to be had and you’re also supporting a worthy cause. What’s not to like?
Splurge: Shoes are my weakness, and for some reason I can’t bear the thought of someone else’s plates of meat being in my footwear before me. I also can’t tell you how badly I behaved in the sales. Ahem.
So, life is full of compromise, my friends, and this is my way of feeling not-so-hard-done-by, even when watching the wallet.
