Primark

 Do you get it yet......?

Ok so fresh with new resolve following Susie So Sos fantastic post on shopping at Primark I headed off , with a friend for moral support, to try again. On the agenda - jumpers, preferrably with some content that is natural, a scarf, a belt, p.js ( for me this time), jewellery, and some kids bedding. Quite a list really.

• The first thing I did wrong was go at 11am rather than 9am, but I have 3 kids to get to school and the darn shop is a half an hour drive and then a walk and a coffee away so whats a gal to do! I did see a rather nice jacket just inside the entrance, but on closer inspection the collar was rather wonky so I hastily moved on to the 'knitwear'. 
• Now I did try, really I did. I looked at a fair few jumpers here. I also looked out for Sue hiding in a corner undoing and checking buttons in case she could help me, but no such luck! On the surface there was a few things I liked the look of , but touch the fabric and it goes downhill. Rough, rough, rough. I could not find one item that was not less than 98% acryylic. In the end I was throwing items back on the pile like a pro declaring "nope" " nope" and "nope again", before realising I was one of the culprits who leave this store in a devastatingly muddled mess that makes it so unwelcome to shop in at times. So gave up and empty handed moved onto...
• P.Js. Now I rather fancied the bird print p.j bottoms on Susie SoSos blog. Looking all ironed and pretty and well worth the money, but heres the rub. I'm a funny shape. Long legs. Short body you see. ( Think Olive Oyl)I need long bottoms. They seem to come in regular or cuffed and unfortunately I don't have regular or cuffed legs so it was a no go from the start. If you are a regular or cuffed type of gal then 100% cotton p.j bottoms from £3 are to be found. There were some rather pretty owl print ones . So Primark I will confess your  P.Js could be a winner - as long as you don't have long legs.

• Accessories then . Now I have had success here before. Buying a few scarves and the odd jewellery item that isn't too yellow or guady. If you can get over the fact that you will see a lot of people wearing your scarf then no problem. I have a lovely owl print scarf in grey, but so do two of my friends! Good job I don't mind. Today I was on the hunt for a splash of animal print. I don't want to spend much as it will go out of fashion and accessories are easily and cheaply replaced. It is also a good way of trying this trend out without looking like the old MDAL. Success - scarf in 100% cotton. Gorgeous print and feel, although the stitching needs a bit of attention, but for £4 who cares? Also an animal print belt with a gold buckle. Not too much bling, not too over the top and only £3. It won't last longer than this winter, but then will the trend?

• I had no luck with the bling today. All brightly coloured and gaudy. Horrid. Some you win some you lose.
• Now the bedding, again I was pleasantly surprised.100% cotton and some lovely simple and classic designs. I couldn't decide between two designs and also was uncertain what size bed we are getting my eldest son for his new room so chickened out on the purchase, but I will be back.
• Whilst in the depths of the store I also picked up 6m of wrap for £1 and Susie is right- it does the job and doesn't rip. 
• I also saw a few other odd bits amongst the piles of tat that is there - packs of strong wooden hangers for £2.50, antibacterial handwipes £1 for 2 packs, a scarf or tie hanger for £1, and of course my usual purchases of kids underwear and jeans.

So where am I now with the whole Primark is amazing thing? Well I would say I'm on a learning curve. I still cannot find adult buys that satisfy my need for quality over cost and the fear of throwing things away too soon when they wear out gnaws at my conscience. BUT there are bargains to be found if you hunt and look AND there is money to be saved by doing this. Wrapping paper is a huge expense with three kids so thats a big plus. Bedding - if it's good quality then it's a winner. I must admit to being a White company addict but for the youngsters I don't think they'd know the difference. Scarves for yourself or as a present that is pretty , yet affordable - yes. I'll go with that. Teachers gifts at end of term maybe? 

We still breathed a sigh of relief when we left and scurried guiltily off to M & S to look for school uniform. I don't know if it was the release of PPS (Post Primark stress), but I came out of M & S with a half price Mac and a pair of £5 P.Js ( 100 % cotton of course with the top included !). Very happy. And I know they will last.

I think it all comes back to the old question of budget . We have to live within our means and here is an outlet for us to get more for that budget. But,the questions that then get raised are:

• Is it a quick fix, but not a long term saving?
• Does it perpetuate the consumer mentality - Buy cheap, throw away quickly?
• Is this good for our environment?
• How do they get those prices down - or is it just easier to ignore that fact?!
• Are these really the great prices we think they are?

Very provocative questions I know and I'm sure apply to a great many stores other than just Primark. In our quest for fabulous fashion at great prices I think the answer is to be wise, open minded, do the research, shop around and then decide. And then throw into the mix a bit of the old impulse buying just to keep it fresh! 

The time to be Thrifty.

What does it really mean?

"There are people who have money and people who are rich "            

                                                                                                                Coco Chanel

I went to an event with some other bloggers recently and we had a discussion about what the word Thrifty really meant. If you read my blog regularly, you may have picked up that one of the things I try and do is look for the best use of my money when I purchase things - although this doesn't always mean the cheapest.

Thrifty = careful and diligent in the use of resources

With the current climate and being careful with our finances becoming a necessity for a lot of us, it is a great concept to explore and discuss. Expenditure quickly mounts up and before you know it, debt can be staring even the financially well off in the face.

We all find ourselves in different situations and stages of our lives that can govern our spending. For me, I would say we are in a stage of our lives now where money is not as tight as it was in the past. We can afford to send our children to music or sports lessons. We live in a large house in a lovely village, we go on 'nice' holidays, I drive a new car, but all this comes at a cost. 

So,I am careful that I get the best deal when I do spend. I don't waste money on things I know I can get for a much better deal somewhere else. I say no to my children and make them wait for the things they ask for. I don't want them to have a consumer mentality that just throws away stuff when they tire of it and replace it with the next trend.

Being Thrifty for me does not necessarily mean living cheaply . It means living well, but within our budget, getting the best out of our money at the same time as considering environmental factors such as waste. I do shop at charity shops - who doesn't love a bargain and to recycle clothes, but I will also treat us to a pair of designer jeans when we can afford it. I would rather spend money on clothes that stand the test of time than ones that have to be replaced after a few outings because the zip has broken or the knees have worn through too quickly. 

I must admit that my conscience does get bothered when I buy a cheap top I may well love, knowing it will only last me a few months. At this point I will discard it and buy another. Is this really the best for my purse and for the environment? However , there have been occasions when I have spent more on items I have thought would last , only to find them falling apart long before their time! It's quality, not price that counts! There is a great debate hidden in there somewhere.....

Here is my latest find at a local charity shop - a pretty, lined, rough edged and fitted jacket in autumnal colours for £5. The pockets were still sewn up so it was obviously fairly new.

Here are some interesting quotes I found:

There are plenty of ways to get ahead. The first is so basic I'm almost embarrassed to say it: spend less than you earn.Paul Clitheroe 


The amount of money you have has got nothing to do with what you earn.. people earning a million dollars a year can have no money and.. People earning $35,000 a year can be quite well off. It's not what you earn, it's what you spend.Paul Clitheroe 

The Best way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket

Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.

Use it up
Wear it out
Make it do
Or do without

“To earn what you can; spend what you must; give what you should, and save the rest—this is thrift.” ~ J.O. Engleman, 1918

 "Being frugal does not mean being cheap! It means being economical and avoiding waste." --Catherine Pulsifer

What does being Thrifty mean to you at this stage in your life?

Do you have any interesting quotes?