I read a blog post this morning entitled “50 ways to get more done today” (it’s here in case you’re interested).  Well, I’d be fibbing if I were to say I’d read the whole thing.  In fact, I read only tip number 1 of 50 before deciding that I couldn’t face feeling guilty over my lack of productivity this early on a Monday and quickly flitted to something more lighthearted. What I find motivates me the most at the beginning of the week is not thinking about all those things I simply must get done, but rather, writing about the week that’s just passed and resolving to make the one that’s just beginning either as good as that or better.  So on that note, here are last week’s highlights (don’t worry, there are considerably less than 50 here)…

• Enjoying a post-work pint with a friend on Monday.  Yes yes, I’m unemployed I know, but having spent the entire day listing items for sale on eBay and Amazon I really felt like I’d been at the grindstone with the best of ‘em.  If I find myself muttering the words ‘roll on Friday’ under my breath I will cease all listing activity and take myself to a doctor, immediately.
• Climbing one of the Lomond Hills on a lovely sunny Friday before heading off for a weekend by the sea.  The Lomond hills are the highest points in Fife, and the view from the top of West Lomond, where we were, is breathtaking – you can pretty much see half of Scotland’s east coast.  Drinking the obligatory hilltop cuppa as well, obviously.
• Aforementioned weekend by the sea.  Trawling the beach for shells and breathing in some fresh sea air is always a good tonic for a flagging spirit.
• Making almost £100 from my various entrepreneurial endeavours (eBay, Amazon, extra writing, taking part in psychology experiments…) in a single week.  I’ll be honest: this was a particularly fruitful spell and nothing like normal where I’ll make £30 per week if I’m lucky.  Still, every penny most definitely counts!
• Chomping on salty, vinegary chips and pickled eggs on Saturday while watching the boats in the Anstruther harbour bobbing around in the sun.
• Having one of those serendipitous moments on Thursday.  You know the kind – you’re resigned to believing you’ll never see someone again and then bam, they walk right past you in the street, in an area of town you never usually have cause to visit…weird and wonderful and all sorts of good.
• Getting well into the action at Wimbledon and finding myself jumping around and shouting at the TV in typical mad sportster fashion.  I’m not a mad sportster when it comes to anything other than tennis by the way, just so you know.
• Eating sausage and mash and home-baked banana bread on Sunday night before settling down to watch Atonement, which I’ve curiously managed never to see or read before.  Such a powerful, heart-breaking story, and SUCH a beautifully shot, beautifully acted film.  Love.

I’m planning this week to be all about the following: reading, writing, seeing friends and more Wimbledon.  I might even go the whole hog and crack out some strawberries.  What are you up to my lovelies?

Image above from We Heart It.

One of the more unfortunate side effects of leaving my job at the end of tomorrow is saying goodbye to my lovely walk to and from the office every day.

Next year I’ll be taking a different route, which I very much doubt will be as pretty as this one.  It’s full of big, Georgian townhouses with perfectly manicured gardens and lots of leafy trees…

In the Spring they’re pink with cherry blossom, and in Autumn they burn orange and cast their crispy leaves all over the road.  They reflect the seasons so perfectly, and have never allowed me to forget, even for a second, what month I’m in.

At the moment there are lots of these little red things bobbing around – does anyone know what they are?  This bough was hanging so low I had to duck my way under it and almost crouch to get the photo!

So, adieu lovely streets.  I’ve trudged, wearisome with work and obligation, up and down your cobbled surfaces day in and day out for two years now, and I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve often forgotten to stop and really appreciate just how pretty you are, and how lucky I am to have known you.  I really do hope we’ll stay in touch…

One of the reasons I like Edinburgh so much is that it is quite simply beautiful.  And it’s a beauty that, to my mind at least, is never more apparent than at this time of year.  During the late Spring to the very early summer, cherry blossom is sprouting all over the Meadows, the flowers in the many beds around Princes Street are in full bloom and the ‘secret gardens’ (completely obscured from the street by iron rails and thorny bushes, accessible only to the local residents who have keys) of the New Town are, from what I can see by jamming my head through various railings to get a good look, vividly abuzz with bright and chirpy colours.

I spent Bank Holiday Monday jaunting around the place, doing my best to soak up all of this eye-pleasing bounty.  My initial intention had been to locate and explore Stockbridge – an area just north of Princes Street which might, for several reasons, be a good place to live come next year – but it was such a beautiful day that the said exploration was soon ditched in favour of a take-away coffee, a trip to the nearby Botanic Garden and a good spell of impromptu sunbathing.

I really wish I went to the Botanic Garden more often.  Not only is it free to get in (there’s a box for donations on the way out, which I always empty my pockets into) but it’s one of those tiny pockets of self-contained tranquility that many city dwellers frequently crave yet seldom come across.  On stepping inside the gates it suddenly feels like the traffic of the surrounding streets has melted away and you’re being hugged by Mother Nature herself, so completely engulfed do you become by the thick, luscious greenery of thousands of trees and plants.  I’ve never been one to gush over anything remotely horticultural (just ask the shrivelled mess of death on my desk for confirmation of that) but the Botanic Garden renders me awestruck each and every time I go.  It is beautiful, and so interesting.  Various interconnecting paths weave all over the place and the plants are so densely concentrated and so tall that it can be difficult to get any real sense of the direction you’re heading in.  You could easily walk round in a circle two or three times before you realised what you were doing and where you were going.  But it’s such a nice experience that you get the feeling that that would be just fine – there’s something new and pretty to see on every lap.

What I like most about the Garden is its sense of calm.  It absorbs whatever minor irks and qualms I’m fighting that day and I always leave feeling refreshed and inspired – something to do with the power of nature, I suspect.  I sat on the grass for around an hour on Monday, writing, thinking and spying on passers-by.  It’s the kind of experience I think I would benefit from having three or four times a week, so sprightly and ready to take things on do I feel afterwards.  The biggest bonus is that the Garden is completely free (optional donation aside).  Not bad when you consider the price of psychotherapy these days!

More information on the Botanical Garden here.

Image above from Flickr – g.naharro.  The Garden is also home to hordes of cheeky squirrels just like this one.  They are so used to human company that they will actually take nuts from your hand and eat them right before your eyes!

I haven’t managed to update my blog since Thursday, and I have to say, it feels very strange!  But I am now back again, so here’s a random rundown of my thrifty adventures from the past four or five days…

Well my log cabin adventure was nice, if not overly relaxing!  I spent no money other than on food and transport (time at the spa was included in the overall price of the break), so Lent wasn’t broken after all!  Yipee!

I arrived back to Edinburgh on Sunday afternoon to some glorious sunshine and a remarkably high temperature – it felt like summer for some reason, which made the trek up to Morningside from the train station decked in scarf, hat and gloves much more arduous than perhaps it ought to have been.  After a weekend of non-stop socialising I felt like I needed some space away from it all so I dumped my bag, had a quick shower and made straight for the top of Blackford Hill – absolutely my favourite spot in the city.  I stopped off on the way at a tiny place called Zulu for a take-away coffee and a choc chip flapjack (to die for!) and then sat cross-legged atop the hill munching away to my heart’s delight, feeling incredibly peaceful and making the most of the view in the late afternoon glow.  It was just what I needed after such a full-on weekend.

As Lent is slowly but surely beginning to have a positive effect on my finances, I’ve decided to try and capitalise on it by setting myself a mini challenge for the week vis-a-vis food budgeting.  While there are no restrictions on food for Lent, I feel like I’ve spent rather more money on it this month than I might have liked to.  I therefore put around £20 in my purse on Sunday evening and took an oath that I would make it last, without resort to my debit card, until at least Friday.  I bought a few essentials to keep me going (fruit and vegetables, milk etc) and am making a concerted effort to use up some of what’s in the cupboards to eke those out into some tasty, but thrifty meals.  On Sunday night I made a risotto with a bit of butternut squash, one sweet potato (which has been festering in the fridge for a fortnight now), half a green pepper and some mushrooms.  I made quite a large quantity which has provided lunch for two days as well as one dinner.  There’s also quite a lot of squash left, which I’m planning on turning into a curry later in the week.

Last night I made macaroni cheese with smoked mackerel and spinach which, again, provided dinner for two plus a further lunch or two.  Tonight I’m meeting a friend for coffee and so won’t be eating until later on.  I have some tortilla wraps left over from last week, which I might fill with tuna and vegetables for a quick and yummy dinner.  I also have three leeks in the fridge which I’m planning on making into soup tomorrow evening, along with a loaf from the breadmaker.  That should be enough for a couple of dinners and a lunch for Friday as well.

All in all, I think I’m doing quite well so far.  Sometimes all that is needed is some added willingness to make a little go a long way.  Thanks to Lent, I’m now in a position where my monthly outgoings are taken care of, a fair whack of money is already in the savings account and I have a decent amount left, which I will also save if I don’t need to spend it on anything essential.  The overall prognosis is looking very positive – I should have been doing this all along!

Green cross image available @ Flickr: Laura Mary.

Happy 1st March everyone!  Spring is here!  The sun is shining in the Scottish Capital today and suddenly Friday’s poppy field picture doesn’t look quite so out of place!

I always feel a huge sense of relief when March rolls around and Spring begins.  I think it’s symptomatic of me having had enough of cold, dark mornings, heavy snow boots and chapped hands.  I’m also susceptible to terrible bouts of the blues in January and February and it often means that I dread those months coming around.  While this year has been far more tolerable than previous ones (and I think, in all honesty, that I can thank the Thrifty Chick for that) I still feel very much cheered by the fact that Winter is now most definitely on its way out.

So with this in mind, here are ten thrifty reasons why we should all celebrate the arrival of the new season…

1. Long Weekends

Spring is a particularly favourable time of year for snapping up extra days off work, what with the Easter break, May Day and the Spring bank holiday.  I always notice a huge difference in my mood when the prospect of a long weekend is on the cards.  I feel more relaxed, I get out more and I also manage to get things done that I wouldn’t normally find time for during a normal weekend.  I return to work feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and consequently am much more efficient.  Just why the vast majority of employers don’t see that four-day weeks are the way to achieve a super-productive and largely content workforce I’ll never know.

2. Sailor Fashion

I’m not sure why, exactly, but the sailor look is one that seems to make an appearance in the shops every year, and usually around Springtime as well.  I always find it hugely refreshing to see rails of white linen trousers and navy blue striped tops after six months of looking at nothing but big coats and fake Ugg boots (yuck!).  It’s enough to make me want to set off down the Firth of Forth on my own maiden voyage!  And the beauty of the sailor look’s annual re-appearance is that trend junkies can rock out exactly the same outfits as they did last year, and the year before, without for a second looking by any means dated. I bought a stripey sailor-esque skirt in Primark two years ago now, and I still wear it all the time – Tres thrifty matey!

3. Warm Weather

I don’t think many people will be sad to see the back of the cold, dark days this year with all the snow we’ve had! Don’t get me wrong, I really have enjoyed Winter but I definitely won’t be much troubled if I don’t witness another heavy snow shower for several months to come!  I feel much more alive when the weather is nice, and April so often surprises us with a string of blissfully warm July-like days (apparently it has stolen these from July) when the suncream comes out and the barbeques get fired up.  Ah, roll on sunshine!  And as the temperatures go up outside, the thermostats can come down inside and energy bills can plummet towards something resembling a reasonable level.  At least that’s the theory.

4. Longer Evenings

And, of course, the clocks take their Spring leap forward at the end of March, leaving us with elongated days and many general feelings of increased well-being.  My own personal foray into the world of the 9-5 has taught me many things about myself, one of the most prominent being just how much I appreciate daylight.  Few things sadden me more than walking to the office in the dark at 8am, and then walking home in the dark at 5pm, as has been the case for a while now.  It just feels so completely unnatural.  Another thing I despise is the dip in energy levels I experience when there’s no sunlight to be had in the evenings.  The enthusiasm I feel for running, walking or even playing tennis in the winter is nothing compared to that when the sun stays out late and the day appears to have plenty left to offer even after work.  Sitting outdoors with a blanket and a flask of tea late into the sunset feels much more like living than huddling under a duvet watching Eastenders in January often does!

5. Salads

Spring is also the time when salads make their grand re-entrance to my meal planning.  I’ve had a few of these over the winter – mostly spinach-based, with smoked or peppered mackerel – but not half as many as I’m used to tucking into in the Spring and Summer months.  While soup has been something of a lunchtime lifeline of late (combined with home-baked bread from the breadmaker which is still going strong – I haven’t bought a shop loaf since Christmas!) I think it’s time to start phasing in salad a couple of times a week.  Cheap, ridiculously nutritious and also delicious – there’s no reason not to!

6. Easter

Chocolate eggs, picnics and two extra days off work.  What’s not to love?

7. Spring Cleaning

I find Spring cleaning to be incredibly therapeutic.  I’ve actually begun early this year, with several evenings of de-cluttering already in the bag and a good few more planned (I’m not really that dirty, but I like to do a good job and I do have lots of stuff!) – I quite honestly think it’s good for my soul.  Regular clear-outs are also useful when it comes to saving money – not only can you find things you haven’t seen in a while, but you also find new uses for old things that you might otherwise have replaced.  Disused tops often make nice new pyjamas and bits and pieces of fabric can be made into napkins or cushion covers.

8. Camping

The arrival of Spring also means that it’s just about time to think about outdoor holidays again.  Tents will soon be hanging out to air after months in storage, ready for new adventures and it’s not really all that long until festival season starts again.  My own caravan holiday is now less than 8 weeks away(!!)  I’m ridiculously excited about this and have been planning like mad the books I’m going to read and the board games I’m going to take.  I’ve already set aside a bottle of gin for cheeky mid-afternoon tipples as well – it’s going to be a good week!

9. Wardrobe Rotation

I always pack my most summery clothes away at the beginning of winter and don’t generally release them until the weather improves and the clocks go forward.  This annual wardrobe rotation is a big deal for me – I like to completely rearrange things so I don’t get stuck in a depressing ‘monoseason’ rut.  So when I do dig my summer things out in a few weeks’ time I’ll pack my heavy knits, winter coats and boots away until around Autumn, by which time I’ll have had a good break and will be able to appreciate them more fully.  Wardrobe rotations are great for thrifters, simply because they save you from buying new clothes on a seasonal basis.  You don’t get much of a chance to get sick of things when you only wear them for a maximum of six months at a time.  I sometimes also find myself seeing things in a new light after they’ve been away for a while – the dress I never wanted to see again suddenly becomes my can’t-live-without summer staple.

10. Nature

And finally…Spring never fails to remind me of how totally wonderful a thing nature really is.  It costs nothing to walk around, taking things in and simply feeling happy to be here.  After months of bare branches and flowerbeds weighed down with heaving great clods of snow, everything seems to come back to life in one magnificent burst of colour and fragrance.  Top of my list are daffodils, which just make everything look so pretty – yellow always brings a smile to my face!  As well as the trees and flowers jumping into action there are hordes of ridiculously cute baby animals all over the place – a trip to the countryside is well worth the time and effort in March or April.

Image courtesy of Flickr – Anvica.