Hitting the sales!

 I know what you're thinking! I really must clean that mirror, the reflection is dirtier than the mirror and I will get some vinegar on it after I've finished this blog. And yes, that is Buzz Lightyear on the top of my wardrobe! Foster Mummy and I hit the charity shops today. I bought the Tracey Boyd striped skinny jumper in the Doggy Charity shop off the 50p rail and the Principles jacket was off the 75p rail in the Sally Army shop. The jumper is great for the weekend with shorts or a pair of jeans and the jacket will co-ordinate well with black or grey trousers for work.

I must add though, that I'm not intending to stay a size 14 so I won't be buying too many clothes. In the meantime, I'll keep my eyes open for bargains that will give me a few alternatives to the clothes I have that fit me. Most are too big but I've still got all of my size 12 suits and smart clothes and hopefully, I will be going back to school in them this September.

Anyone else get any incredible bargains this weekend?

Until tomorrow,

Love Froogs xxxx

Walking back to happiness.

A very serious looking, post walk Froogs wearing - LA Gear t-shirt £1 charity shop, Per Una jeans BNWT ebay £8 and Reebok trainers from the Sally Army shop for £2.

Thanks everybody for your supportive and encouraging remarks and comments yesterday. So much came out into the open yesterday that I've spent today reeling. I'll come to terms with it all when I can. In the mean time, I'll just keep the door, lines of communication, my mind and my heart open.

I've always found exercise to be a great stress reliever; if I've had a tough day, then a 3.5 mile walk up and down the hilliest hills I can find leave me a lot less worried. I thought I would use this blog to share my weight loss up date. I have kept going, as best I can with a few hiccups, with my frugal weight loss journey. I'm itching to spend some money on a gym, or at least on some sports clothes but I've just not got it sensibly to spare when every penny is needed else where. I go out and stride (I don't like 'power walking') in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. Now though, I'm doing it in a size 14 pair of jeans and size 14 tee shirt. The jeans are still a little too small and I like them to be more boot cut, but as I have hulking great legs and cankles, they look like skinny jeans!!! They will be my photo me and measure me jeans so I can look back and see 'where I was'. My weight has gone up and down a bit recently but it's settling at 12' 8lbs and I hope to get it down to 12' by August!

For those of you interested in the Dukan Diet, I'm back to making sure that no carbs go any where near me and it's no surprise, but when I eliminate them, then I go back to losing weight. It works and I've just got to stick to it!

Thanks again everyone, we'll get through this somehow...............and the diet!!!

Until tomorrow

If I can't afford it, I'll find a solution

 Excuse my enormous hips, but I promise, mainly myself, that they will reduce in size. I've looked at all sort of ways to exercise more, I tried the gym at school but usually I was the only one there, which I found a bit lonely. I'll use it every now and then, but I needed a more regular form of exercise. I'm walking every night for a brisk and puffing all the way thirty minutes.....Dearly Beloved and I both have achey knees from this but we're becoming more resilient. I quite like working out at home, usually when I get in from work and before Dearly Beloved gets in. My gym kit is very cool and frugal. The 'Elle' work out top was from the charity chop and off their 50p rail, the Long Tall Sally track suit bottoms are from their clearance sale for £5.....

 ......the biggest bargain I ever got from a charity shop was my new, still in the box Reebok Playdry trainers, I've had them a while and I often wear them just for walking or riding my bike and I paid £3 for them.

I've been looking for a piece of home gym equipment and snaffled this from Freecycle and picked it up this week. I like the 'power cords' attached to it, they have made my arms ache as I'm just not used to anything intense. The funny old bird on the DVD is about as irritating as a dose of thrush but I'll do what she does as it's easy to follow. Oh and the weight loss, another 3lbs this week, so another 1lb to go and I will have lost a stone; just another two to go and hopefully I will fit into the clothes I already own!!! That'll save me even more money.

Topping up my wardrobe in the sales

Was £25 - now £12.50

Was £14 - now £7

Was £16- now £8

Was £18 - now £9

I'm in the luxurious position of being able to afford a few new bits of clothes here and there. I usually shop in charity shops, car boots sales and even jumble sales. I'm the most popular size. Size 16. Any one who is that size, will know, most of the popular items soon disappear in the shops and there is little if anything in that size in charity shops. I'm also 5' 10" so most things are not long enough. I have to buy size 18 in cheaper shops such as Matalan, New Look or H&M. I just can't afford to shop in places like Dingles, John Lewis or M&S. I also find that items in charity shops can be over £5, therefore, it's often cheaper to buy new.

If and when I buy new clothes, they come from the big discount stores or the supermarket and I even bought a work suit on a discount (with money back vouchers) from Tesco. I'm thrilled to have bought: one jacket, one jumper and two cardigans for £36.50 and I even managed to find a free delivery code, so that is all they cost me. I also bought it through Quidco and got a further 7.5% cashback. Reducing the amount to £33.76. I saved really hard earlier in the year to buy some work clothes, and as I usually miss the sales; I'm thrilled that I was up early enough to buy these well needed warm clothes today. Thanks Matalan. BTW. This is not a sponsored post!

Those of an easily offended nature can stop reading now! I was up really early this morning and watched some recorded TV. I sat and munched my toast and drank my tea and watched Rick Stein's 'Cornish Christmas'. I then headed back to bed. No amount of affection would rouse the snoring Dearly Beloved! I must be losing my charm! So...............I went shopping instead!!! The moral of this is! More marital harmony leads to less shopping!!!!

Capsule wardrobe week 2 and homemade soup

 Does any one remember 'The Fast Show' and Jessie's diets and Jessie Fashion Tips - they were hilarious. So this blog is a homage to Jessie and his fashion and diet tips. Today I am mostly wearing: Matalan Jacket £14, Matalan Long sleeved T shirt £4 Per Una Trousers eBay and a Windsmoor black scarf from the animal shelter charity shop £1. Now onto the supper. Today I am mostly eating homemade leek and potato soup.

 Take two out of date leeks, three spud and onion and some butterish type of stuff. Chop the leeks, washing the grit out of them, chop the onions and .......

 Saute until soft. Peel and chop a few spuds and add, pour over a litre of UHT skimmed milk, add salt and pepper..........

 Cook for about 20 minutes and then blitz with a hand blender ................

Serve with any sort of bread. I'm using pitta as that's what we had in the freezer. It's so cold and I'm off to sit in bed with the electric blanket on, jim jams and a wooly pully to avoid putting the heating on just yet! Flask of herby tea, Radio 4 and snuggle down and mark year 8's books before spending the evening reading.

Feeling great and looking frugally fantastic.- part 2

6 a.m Firstly, sorry about the flash reflection but here goes with the next part of the frugal capsule wardrobe. Today I am wearing: charity shop skirt £2 (Woodside Animal Shelter shop) Black tights 3 pairs of 70 denier tights for £2 (Matalan) Black long sleeved T shirt, now over 2 years old £2.99 from Primark and my reduced jacket from Matalan £14. In answer to 'Damn the Broccoli' - I feel good about myself and I would encourage all women to do the same. The fashion industry can only make you feel unworthy if you let it, social expectation will only damage your self esteem if you let it. I am, as you can see, a wide hipped, wobbly bummed size 16 and DB can't keep his hands off one bit of me. I wear what I think looks good on me, I don't take any notice of fashion. If I like it, if I need it, if I can afford it then I might own it. I'm happy with who I am, what I look like.

6 p.m I've added this after reading Pixie's comments this evening. I've come to terms with being me over the last 45 years. It didn't happen over night. I've had periods of self-loathing, body consciousness, dieting, and insecurity. All of those are part of maturing. I've learnt the most valuable asset I have is my brain. I learnt to value myself when I went to night school at 32 years old with nothing more than a few O levels, take an Access course and get into University. I spent three years studying, working hard when it stressed me out, going with the fear and the pain and doing it anyway. Life still scares me from time to time, but it's OK to be scared. Part of me came alive when I graduated; I felt validated, intelligent and I have really achieved something.

I then battled through teacher training and took the toughest route of the Graduate Teacher Programme and worked full time as a teacher and trained at the same time. After qualifying as a teacher, I was turned down from the first five interviews I went to, on the sixth interview, I got a job. I threw myself into my career and after only teaching for four years became a Head of English in another school. Every day, even though I'm scared, even though I worry, I go to work and do my best and make a difference to the lives of hundreds of kids who depend on me. I feel validated, intelligent and I have really achieved something.

In all of this, you don't hear me mentioning any one else. I had to do this for me. I'm the girl who left home at sixteen, was a single mum at 19, divorced at 24, a single mum again, remarried a total bastard, escaped a violent home, now with two kids and learnt to pull myself together and get on with it. There's no time for regrets and there is only today and the rest is the future. I am responsible for me, my emotions and my well being. I have to value myself as there are those who don't and they really don't matter. No man who ever squeezed my bum ever wished it was smaller and I never realised until I hit 40 what an attractive woman I am. I haven't always felt this way but I enjoy every moment of feeling like this now. I have down days like everyone else, but in the main, I really value my life, my family, my friends, where I live, the world I live in. I found my own way to being totally beautiful and happy with who I am, may every woman do the same................although, like me, you might have to wait a while. Love Froogs xxxx

Making a capsule frugal wardrobe work

 A lot of my clothes were brand new, but I didn't buy them in a shop. I love eBay and the fact that people sensibly sell clothes they've never worn. I'm wearing a pair of really smart, Per Una trousers, which I bought for £7 including packing and they still had the tags. The scarf was from H&M, it was an deliciously expensive gift from Dearly Beloved at £5, but I wear it with so many things. It was bought originally to snazz up a dress that I wore to our friends' wedding a few years ago, so although it was expensive, it gets a lot of wear. The black T shirt was a charity shop find and the cardigan was a recent acquisition from Matalan. It's a 'dress down' Friday outfit. We had a training day today so I could relax a bit.

Sorry about the lighting, but here I am in another Per Una creation, again bought from eBay. This cost me around £25 including packing and postage, but again, was brand new with tags and never worn. It would have cost approx. £100 if I bought it from Marks and Spencer, it's pure wool and makes me feel very elegant when I wear it. The 'pashmina' was bought off a street trader in Plymouth who sold three scarves for £10, again a lovely gift from Dearly Beloved who knows I have as many girly weaknesses as the next woman.

I'm not even half way through my capsule wardrobe and I'll keep this going until I've worn every variation of every outfit. Gok Wan (fashion expert who makes women of any shape look lovely) always says, it's about having a few key pieces. For me, it's items that can mix and match and having colourful scarves or a bright jumper which just make an outfit. My most expensive item is my wool coat and most of my other pieces are a mixture of charity shop, eBay and discount fashion stores; it's about wearing them well and making what you have work for you.

As ever, Froogs xx

Frugally suited and booted

More of Froogs at 6am! It's a tough one, but never mind the expense, every teacher is expected to own a suit or two. I'm wearing a £22.40  suit from Tesco, with a £2.95 long sleeved T shirt from Primark and a charity shop pink Per Una scarf £1. I'll often wear the items separately to make the suit last longer or to vary the smart working clothes wardrobe. When I started teaching, all my suits came from Dingles, went on the credit card and just to keep up the appearances. I then 'down graded' to Next and thought that was a compromise. Now in Frugal world, Tesco will do. It was more than that but I bought it when all the clothes had a 20% discount. It's a training day tomorrow, so head to toe charity shop it will be!

Frugally capsule wardrobe

Here's the frugal wardrobe, second addition. Grey skirt (charity shop), yes, the same as yesterday and I won't wash it for a while. I won't wear it tomorrow but it will be hung up and put away, along with the red cardigan. The cardigan is £14 from Matalan and the white long sleeved t-shirt is an old favourite that goes with anything. I'm making a 'Tupperware special' for lunch as I never buy lunch, and always make my own for 50p instead of buying lunch for £3.50 (£700 a year if I buy lunch, £100 if I make my own..........I'll make the time to save £600!)

I wore the same black shoes, black thick tights - I even wear those for two days; they just don't get dirty. I used to wear clothes once and then wash them straight away, not only does it ruin your clothes, it's an environmental disaster and a waste of money when they are not dirty in the first place. I had lovely compliments at work today about my lovely new red cardigan and I felt really special wearing it.

Frugally stylish.

I asked Dearly Beloved to take my photo at six this morning. I'm always up and ready by then. It's pitch black outside and I leave for work at 6.30 on the dot every morning. We walk, chatting usually, to the station for me to catch the 6.50 train to work. I get off the other end and walk to my 'office' and I'm at my desk by 7.30 prompt. I thought I would show off part of the wardrobe of 'new' clothes. The jacket is from Matalan and was half price at £14; the skirt is from the local hospice charity shop. The scarf is eight years old and the jumper I have on underneath, is also a charity shop find. I stick to neutral shades when I wear trousers or skirts. My shoes are always black, so are my tights. Any thing will go with that.

I colour my own hair, I buy my 'award winning' skin care and make up from Aldi (£1.99 for Q10 moisturiser, 89p for cleanser, £3.99 for their version or touche eclat, £1.99 for mascara, £1.99 for eyeliner and £1.99 for lipstick.). I have a managerial job and have to look smart, parents can come in and see me at any time and visitors can turn up to the school at a moment's notice. Looking smart or stylish (I think I'm more smart than stylish) does not cost much. I'm a fan of Gok Wan and love the 'wardrobe' he puts together for his 'client' at the end of the programme, where all the clothes go together in one way or another, which means everything that person has in their cupboard gets worn and not wasted. I have been asked to show how to put such a small 'wardrobe' together and I will endeavour to do this over the next few days. Froogs xx

Making a frugal wardrobe work

 Today, I put all my summer clothes away. I have put them all in a big drawer in the bottom of the wardrobe and I judiciously went through my wardrobe and recycled, put aside to eBay and bagged up clothes for the charity shop. It may look as if I have hardly any clothes as the clothes in the picture below are actually my entire working wardrobe.

 I have two suits. One new and one from the charity shop. They are tonal and I brighten them up with a coloured tops or a black/white top along with a coloured scarf. Look out for the street vendors who sell 'pashminas' (not real one I hasten to add! the acrylic but nice and soft ones) - I bought four last year for £10 and will be wardrobe staples for years to come. I've been asked how to wear one - I wrap it round my neck and tie a knot!

 All my work skirts are of a similar style and are tonal and will go with any of my suit jackets, any of my coloured tops or any of my cardigans. I can vary what I wear to have a different outfit every day for almost a month.

 It may look as if we are getting rid of more than we are keeping but I think it's really important to look at your clothes and recycle them if they don't fit, you don't like them or you've worn them to death. I have six suits and jackets that are going to be sold on eBay because I've put on all the weight I lost. I may have liked being a size 12, but I didn't enjoy the discipline or the starvation required to stay that weight when my body wants to eat and be a size 16.

I have a chest of drawers for my weekend wardrobe which contains: three pairs of jeans, 1 pair of jogging bottoms, 2 cardigans, 1 fleece, 1 polo neck, 1 crew neck, several coloured t shirts, all of my socks and underwear. It may seem like a very small collection of clothes, but they all fit, I like them all and they are all a size 16.

A frugal wardrobe has very little in it; it will all fit you; you will like everything in it and you will wear it all on a regular basis. Go on, have a good sort out, check what goes with what and recycle what you don't want, need or doesn't fit.

Owl be seeing you!

A day out to be cheered up by Foster Mummy and Man Wonderful today. I've been totally spoilt! FM cooked the most delicious Dal and flat bread for lunch and then we went for a spot of charity shop shopping in the little nearby town of Plympton.

I read recently about a local man, who has pet owls and takes them for a walk every day. People talk to him about his owls and he and his owls are delightful I was mesmerised by them. I love birds, they always lift my spirits, even the finches all over the blackberry bushes are delightful. Here is the news article about Mr Russell....I feel as if I've met someone really special today! Another part of my spoilt rotten day!! Well I met the owl man and his owls today.

Owl Man: I feel famous

WALKING AGAIN: Russell Burt and a feathered friend

PLYMPTON'S "Owl Man" Russell Burt says the support he received during his dispute with Plymouth City Council has made him feel famous, writes Gayle McDonald.

The 74-year-old pensioner was banned from walking with his owls in Plympton after the council said they posed a health and safety risk to the public.

Readers of The Herald rallied behind Mr Burt, who has been walking his owls for nine years. The council has now said Mr Burt is allowed to walk with his owls in public.

Since the dispute, Mr Burt has received media attention from national papers, radio stations and magazines. He even heard about it when he was on holiday in Italy.

He says: "I feel famous. I didn't realise how liked I was.

"I would like to thank The Herald and everyone who showed their support."

Family friend Zoe Forsyth said all the attention had been quite a shock.

She added: "He's just a little old man who likes to walk his owls."

Mr Burt shows his owls at local care homes and events. He does not charge but accepts donations to Woodside Animal Welfare Trust.

He has seven owls including Ben, a Bengal eagle owl, and Spot, an African spotted eagle owl. FROM 'THIS IS DEVON' 24/08/10

Here I am with one of Mr Russell's owls. I love English eccentricity, I knew a man in Fowey, when I lived there, who used to take half a dozen ferrets for a walk on leads to the British Legion for his pint every day! Long live individuality!!!
Plympton was a fabulous place to shop, with plenty of independent local retailers. I bought a couple of bags of local tomatoes.
I bought three tee shirts for £1 each and a long tunic style jumper for £2.95 from the Hospice shop and Woodside Animal Shelter shop. We also went to the local craft shop and I bought three balls of wool for £1.50. FM and I had a really good root around and we managed to buy everything we wanted off the sale rails in the charity shops. So my shopping splurge cost £7.50 and I think it was worth that to have lunch and be taken out by wonderful friends and meeting the owl man was just magic.

Using every little last bit!

Every now and then I will stop buying any food until I've run down the stock in the house. I have odds and ends in my freezer that need eating and I am determined not to shop until the freezer is empty. I took 39p of smoked haddock, defrosted it and cut it into cubes. I defrosted some cheese sauce and poured that over it, I also took out some spare mashed potato and spread that on top, hence the fish pie.
I then used up some beans I was given today, they were so fresh and delicious.
I had a few carrots left from my garden too.
A tasty blend of leftovers, bits from the bottom of the fridge and freezer, gifted and home grown veg. I think it's important to use us everything we have and to make every penny count.
This has been a 'tight' month as my budget had to make sure I could afford to pay for my new glasses. If I need shoes, clothes or hair dye, then I have to make sacrifices else where and making sure I use up left over food ensures I can afford the odd luxury such as a 'hair do' or glasses.
The above pair are my single vision glasses and those below are my vari-focal and I can't get on with them yet, I feel like a nodding dog whilst I try to find the right part of the lens to look through! I have 28 days to trial them and if I can't get on with them then I can replace them with another pair of single vision lenses and have a refund of the cost of the vari-focal lenses. Enough of my glasses and stingy dinners, I had the most fantastic lunch with some people who Mike and I love so dearly! thanks to them both for the hospitality and their beautiful daughter for the musical accompaniment. xx

Keeping up appearances?

Today was the day to shed the winter layers and actually put a frock on! I went to Plymouth again today to see my daughter, to catch up for a chat and a cuppa and it was, as ever, a delight to see her.

Dearly beloved and I had paid for the car park ticket so we took the opportunity to browse around the shops as I needed some lighter clothes for work. I can get away with a reasonably smart dress on a average day when I don't meet any parents as our classroom have huge southfacing windows and even with the blinds closed; can be incredibly hot and will often be in the mid thirties as the days get even warmer.

I perused the shops and looked at the monochrome prints that are dressed up with vivid greens and pinks and looked at how I could do that on my budget. The dress above is from Monsoon and £45, which is way out of my league but I like the style and looked for something in that shape. I found a couple of high waisted dresses in the hospice shop and I have some chunky pink and some chunky green necklaces, I also have dark dress shoes and tights to wear with them if it's cooler..............oh and the price £2.99 each! So there's the summer work wardrobe all sorted! I also remembered to get the bean poles in so they will have something to climb!
Oh...........I think it's important to keep up appearances! Who knows what the beans might think of me if I wore any old dress!

Women will so get this!!!!

Today...............I'm having a fat day. When I was younger, I had fat days and thin days. Now I have fat days, OK days and sexy days.........today is a fat day.

The problem with frugality and in my case, remember, it's not optional and I have no credit facilities and every penny is counted for, is that I have very few items of clothing that fit me properly. I feel OK in my black (New Look - £30 for the lot!) work suit; it's just everything else that I have a problem with. You see, I am a size 15!!!! Size 16 is too big and size 14 is too small. So clothes either fit me too well or flap around me and I feel 'un-fitted'.

Shopping is in order and I need a day wandering around the shops and trying things on and finding a style that fits me. I need Gok Wan, Trinny and Suzanna, and some people who know about clothes to come with me and I need them to bring their money as I haven't got any at all. Clothing for me and so many women and I'll count any women on a fixed income: stay at home mums, retired women, women on benefits, women of meagre means, is that we can, on a splurge, afford maybe Primark or New Look or charity shops or jumble sales and we are, I'm afraid, the beggars who can't be choosers! I know there are rails of quality clothes that will suit a curvy woman of 45 in Dingles and other quality retailers such as Monsoon or Wallis and I know I can't afford so much as to place a leg in a trouser leg, even to speculate.



And as for bras! Don't get me started! Knockers like mine require at least £35 of support just to stop them looking like spaniel's ears! and the one bra that fits me, gets washed, dried in a towel and hung up to dry and believe me ladies I treasure it.........like Bridget Jones did in the Thai prison. So not only am I having a fat day,where nothing fits me, I need new clothes, have no money to buy any until 2012! and my bra hasn't dried yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Frugal elegance

For those of you who don't know, I'm an English teacher....so have to dress formally and smartly and the Head of English so have to meet parents at the drop of a hat and need to be 'presentable' at a moment's notice. In my current state of finances that means I have to be a bit creative. My 'new' suit cost me nothing and here's how it's done. Clear out under the stairs, photograph a load of stuff you no longer have use for. Place photos on ebay and create photographs. Sell things and use 'paypal' as another account which you use to buy clothing or things you can't go without. My new suit 'bnwt' which means brand new with tags, has never been worn and including postage cost £13.50.....which we had in our paypal account from selling things on ebay. Next time I have a conference or meeting with some government official; I'll pull this suit out of my repetoire of equally elegant suits from charity shops and ebay and dress to impress!! I'm off to change out of this now into my jeans and get the next load of washing onto the line and enjoy a potter in the garden whilst it's dry and sunny.

Frugal Queen's BNWT coat!

I'm hopeless with ebay! I always leave a bid for half of what things go for! Dearly beloved though is an expert. He researches and knows what things go for and I discovered that brand new coats for top quality shops go for over £20! Which although very high for me to pay is a fraction of what I would have to pay if I went into Marks and Spencers and bought this coat. So my coat arrived this morning, in time for me to put it on to hang out laundry and with postage my brand new -still with shops labels and unworn wool coat cost £25! I'm thrilled to have a new coat as I've worn the last one for nearlyfive years and I was very bored of it!