Wednesday Beauty buys

Superdrug's Bargains!

I do like to give a small gift to my children's teachers at the end of term, but it can get expensive if you are not careful. See my post on Teacher's Gifts here. I popped into Superdrug to look for a hot water bottle to replace the one that leaked all over my bed, but ended up with these instead!

I thought they had a touch of the Orla Kiely about them and I know when I was a teacher I would have really appreciated a simple gift like this. They are tubes of grapefruit,lemon and cassis hand cream in a pretty box. 

The best news was they were only £1.99 each and on a 3 for the price of 2 offer. This was one occasion when I was happy with the multibuy and got 3 teachers gifts for £3.98. 

Ideal.

Eating My Words.

Humble pie can be tasty.....

Ok I admit it....if you keep at it at some point you will have success and I did. I stuck with it.... and I am finally, actually, really, quite completely, delighted with my purchases......from Primark.

I set off to town to start my Christmas shopping with a list in my hand and a budget in mind. First on the agenda was Primark - for

• P.Js for Christmas Eve - adults and kids
• Stocking Fillers
• Presents for my sister's girls who a.d.o.r.e Primark
• Leggings - for moi
• A coat, if available, for around £30
• A berry skirt or dress to brighten up the abundance of grey and black in my wardrobe.

How did I do?

I managed to get the 3 children a pair of pjs each for Christmas for a grand total of around £17. We have a little tradition that they open a present on Christmas eve in a new pair of snugly pjs to drink hot chocolate in before going to bed. I also managed find an adorable pair of p.js that were long enough for me! Cuffed ankles is the way to go lanky legged ladies!

Firstly to make it clear. I do not intend, ever , not even in the comfort of my own home to wear a babygrow, aka onesie, but what does appeal is the soft fleece that they are often made from. So my compromise was these cuffed owl fleece pj bottoms. So gorgeous I went back for a second pair and overnight they had sold out every size UK 8 to 10 in every colour bar one in the owl print again. My lucky day. I snapped that baby up! Not too hot, not too cold, sooooo soft and comfy . I couldn't wait to put them back on again at the end of the day! Cost ? £5 a pair!

I got some black, long leggings with heel holes as well.These are gloriously fitted, no baggy knees and almost too long - perfect. They were the bargain price of £4. I am not ashamed to admit that I went back to try and get some more in grey and blue, but not to be - sold out in my size again. I shall keep looking for these as it isn't often I find reasonable leggings I am happy with.
I did well with a berry colour skirt which, although short, is perfect with leggings and a lovely deep colour - nowhere near as bright as in the second, overexposed picture! I have since seen they have this as a dress which would be a much better option as the skirt has a rather bulky waistband. Happy all the same.

My boot crush this year has been the Ash Jalouse Boots, but I couldn't bring myself to splurge on boots again this year. So when I saw these bargainlicious tan, stud boots from Peacocks for only £25, I didn't hesitate! Totally head over heels! So comfy and not too big at the ankle. Always a complaint I have!

But that's not it. I also decided to act a little on impulse and buy the pleather sleeves Khaki coat that seems to be back in stock. Ive been looking for a jacket that was a bit warmer than my blazers and leather jackets and this certainly is. I am really delighted with it. The only 'cheap' bit of the coat is the belt which is flimsy and awkward, but I realised this before buying it and decided it was worth it anyway!

Boots - Primark
Leggings - Primark
Skirt - Primark
Coat - Primark

I am all Primarked out and just look at my smile - almost hysterical!
The bag was a gift from my husband in the summer from Troop in London and the snood is from Dorothy Perkins. 

In the top picture I am wearing a black lace T shirt from Zenana  Outfitters  at T K Maxx and a black cardigan from H and M. The necklace was a thrifted gift.

I also managed to get other bits and pieces and gifts which I can't share here for fear of giving the game away!! 

So I will eat humble pie and declare Primark a resounding success this time. I feel like    I have not been shopping for clothes apart from at the occasional charity shop for quite a while, so this small splurge was a welcome treat! 

I do tend to take the approach with clothing that it is preferable to have in your wardrobe a selection of different brands, but the best is to mix more expensive, investment pieces with interchangeable cheaper pieces (that you will probably have more of). I will save for an item that I really want from a certain designer or brand and look after it well so it lasts and lasts. I will often buy it in the sale or when I can get hold of a voucher or money off code too! There are ways to get the standard of wardrobe you want for the budget you have. It just takes time and patience!

To live a careful life with your money is a good and wise trait, but to be able to enjoy your hard earned pennies is also a great blessing to be enjoyed when you are able!

Linking up with " Not Dead Yet Style"

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Music Monday - What's Playing on your Ipod today?

On mine it is Coldplay and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

Frugal Friday

Buy One Get One Free Offers - are they what they seem?

 Wylio
I have never seen an individual tin of these chocolates priced at more than £5.00 . When this offer is not on, the price becomes £5 a tin. This seems to be a way to get you to buy two at the usual price.

I have always had a bit of a suspicion about the offers that are thrust in our faces at the Supermarkets and whilst some do appear to be good deals I have learnt to approach them with a degree of caution. At the end of the day Supermarkets want to make a profit and want us to spend our money and I suspect that motive is what lies behind these offers.

How we shop is looked at closely by retailers and how they display their stock is obviously designed  to capture our attention. They will make what they want to sell most visible to us - at eye level in the middle of aisles. Brands will be charged large fees for the optimum placement of a product as they know it will sell better.

 Wylio

 Speed is often of the essence for shoppers. How often do you actually look at the price of a product? Could you tell me how much a pint of milk is or that pot of jam you got last time ? We tend to buy our products based on other visual clues and the supermarkets know this. Their aisles are full of signs of rewards and offers and deals which draw our attention rather than the actual price you are paying for a product.

It all sounds rather cold hearted, but you look at the research and it comes down to business. The loyalty cards? They are about data collection to facilitate sales.

This is why I like the filter of My Supermarket ( they are not aware I am doing this post) as they will highlight good and bad deals, direct you to the best deals available on the products you want and present you with cheaper alternatives where appropriate. They save you £17 on average each time you shop. If you shop online then I do recommend that you check them out. You check out, pay and get your goods from your usual supermarket ( Tesco, Sanisburys etc) , but do your shop via My Supermarket. Their site is fantastic, easy to navigate and they have introduced cashback on some items if you have a paypal account.

 Wylio

So,back to these offers. The "Buy One Get One Free" and the " Two For The Price Of One". The multibuys - Are they worth having? I think you have to look carefully before you throw them into your trolley. Ask yourself these questions:

• Did I intend buying this?
• Do I need two items and will I use them?
• Is there a cheaper alternative that I would usually buy?
• Is this a better price than usual?

I would then check down the aisle, as these offers are generally displayed at the end of aisles. Last month I did find 2 bags of oven chips displayed for 2 for £3 which looked a good deal until I looked and saw a large pack, with more in ( the same brand ) for £2.50. I also don't buy chips, I make them myself so was almost drawn into that one! I read an article in Which Magazine recently that highlighted these deals saying that one in ten multibuy offers actually increases the price of the product. Here are some daft examples from Which Magazine:

• Nestle Munch Bunch advertised as a multibuy at 2 for £2, but generally over the past year this product had been priced at £1 a pack so however you buy it , it is £1 for one.
• Goodfellas's Deepan Pepperoni Pizza. For 6 months costs £1 when not on multibuy. On multibuy it increased to £4.50 for two!
• Garnier Moisturising Lotion Milk. It was usually £5 when not on offer, but £7 for one or £10 for two when on multibuy.
• Pampers baby wipes. These are £1 when not on offer. On multibuy they are 1 for £2, 2 for £2.50 and 3 for £3.

It all makes for interesting reading! There are some good articles around if you want to read further like this one called Multibuy rip off revealed . I think we have to be aware when we shop of the hidden motives and be wise about what we put in our trolleys if we don't want to overspend.

 I still think the best and most simple way to avoid all these pitfalls is to write a list and stick to it! Learn to turn a blind eye.

What are your thoughts and experience of the Multibuys at the Supermarkets?

Christmas has arrived.

 Our decorations!

We always put the decorations up on the 1st December if we can. If it falls on a busy school day I try and convince the children to put them up on the next weekend, but  they give me so much of a hard time, it is easier to give in and stay up later. I always feel it is such a short time to have the house decorated I want to make the most of it and have them up for a month. I love all the fairy lights and the smell of the greenery, but once Christmas is over I am itching to get those decorations back in the loft. They are lucky if they make it to the 1st January. I like to start the new year with them all put away.

So last Saturday I dragged it all down from the loft and began the process of organising super excited children to decorate the tree! My 9 year old boy has his best friend who lives in our road. They do everything together. If he is not in his friends house , then his friend is in our house. They never argue...ever. They are lost without each other. He is our extra family member and fits in beautifully. I don't notice the extra one! He helps us decorate the tree too! Such a special friendship.

We have an artificial tree - you know why ,it's cheaper, doesn't drop needles, blah, blah, blah.....It takes a while to put this up so whilst they do that I put on Christmas music and clear space for the other decorations in the house. My little girl doesn't like the feel of the tree so spends the next half hour dancing and twirling around the lounge to "Rocking around the Christmas Tree" . An extra benefit was the absence of The Boss who had managed to wrangle himself a ticket to the All Blacks/England game so was away all day....he hates putting the decs up! We were able to indulge in peace!!

There was the usual tangle of Christmas lights and beads, but once everything was unwrapped, plugged in and hung up, it looked rather nice. 

We've managed to make do this year without one new purchase! It's all a bit simple and thrown together, but the kids love it as memories are now wrapped up in these rituals and decorations. Perhaps if I had a child free home I would have beautiful White Company decorations and wreaths adorning my house, but thats not the case at the moment. I've yet to add the greenery to the stairs and table, but it's a bit too soon for that.....

So here's how far we got!