Posts Tagged ‘budget’
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Day 5: The Cuban Sandwich
The Cuban Sandwich
There’s a special reason why I’m such a fan of the Cuban Sandwich. Years ago, when I was studying in Cambridge, Boston, Chez Henri, a French bistro with a Cuban twist was my local - my favourite bar/restaurant ever. I used to go there in the evenings to meet people in my neighborhood - so often that my bike is even pictured outside the bar on a photo on their website.. But apart from being a calm, safe haven for us locals it was also the best, most romantic place in Boston to go for a date - the reason for this being the Cuban Sandwich. Priced at only $8 (in my time!), this massive feast served with delicious plantain fries (banana chips) in romantic surroundings was ideal for sharing. Read full post
Posted in Food
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Gorgeous lunch for a fiver: Japan Centre
I had long heard great things about the Japan Centre (quality ingredients! low prices! amazing selection!) but I’d never got myself down to Piccadilly on a lunchtime to check it out. That all changed yesterday, when I finally got to know my new favourite sushi place – and for well under a fiver. Read full post
Posted in Food
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You like potato and I like potahto!
Baked potato hiding under melted brie
Had to resort to buying lunch again. Been so busy lately - there’s just no time for shopping! Came home from work around 22:00 last night - missing the little convenience store at the corner by seconds. Argh. No food anywhere - and I used the last leftovers for yesterday’s salad.
I decided to have lunch at my desk and headed towards Coffee Republik for something cheap & cheerful. Read full post
Posted in Food
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“Between soup and love, the first is better.”
… goes an old Spanish saying. Is there’s some truth to this? Maybe that’s why Molière famously said “I live on good soup, not on fine words”…
Day 1, £10 Lunch Week Challenge. Well, as much as I love quirky old quotes, I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve completely forgotten about my carefully planned lunch menu for this week. I’ve just blown away £2.75 of my £10 budget, on nothing but… you guessed it, soup.
Budget killer soup
How could I leave home without preparing lunch today? Pretty dumb, no? It wasn’t until I found myself waiting in line over at Pret’s that I suddenly remembered my lunch challenge. Fabulous. I really do have to begin writing notes on the bathroom mirror..
Horrified at all of this, I dropped the pricey salad I was carrying and asked for soup instead. “Want some bread to go with the soup?” the man at the till offered. “No thanks,” I answered quickly. Everything has a cost, I’m learning! I carefully counted my coins, paid up and hurried out of there. Although this rescued some of my budget, the remainder of my week is now looking pretty meager. And I’m still very hungry.
Spent so far: £2.75
Budget left: £7.75
Sigh. Will I survive this week?
Posted in Food
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Challenge: How much can you save by growing your own salad and herbs?
Image: Reclaimed wood-chalkboard trug/herb planter, by the Orchard, from Not on the High Street.
Like a lot of people living in London, I don’t have a garden. In fact, I haven’t owned a garden ever since I left home 15 years ago. Ergo, completely useless green fingers. But I do have a couple of windowsills and a balcony that’s officially not mine but I may be able to use it to grow stuff on anyway.
I’ve accumulated some very cheap gardening tools (Sainsbury’s have a great range), and I’ve picked up a packet of compost that’s meant to be ideal for growing seeds and seedlings. My goal is to do this on a shoestring budget, so no fancy containers for me.
Instead, I go down the nursery school method of using tin cans as containers – and after a bit of research I’ve discovered that parsley is probably the easiest herb to grow from seed. It’s ridiculously easy - and makes a great gardening project if you’ve got kids, too.
To make your own herb pot garden, you’ll need:
• Empty aluminum cans
• Screwdriver and hammer
• Compost
• Small pebbles
• Herb seeds or seedlings
You can also decorate your cans with acrylic paint, but I quite like the urban minimalist look of plain aluminium. Although, I’m quite tempted to make little cosies from old sweaters for my tins cans.
How to make them:
1. Wash and dry aluminum cans, remove paper labels.
2. Turn cans upside down and use a hammer and screwdriver to poke some holes in the bottom of them for drainage.
3. Layer the bottom of cans with loose pebbles, and then fill them up to two-thirds full with compost.
4. Sprinkle some seeds on top of compost, and then cover with another thin layer of compost.
5. Water and place in a sunny window … and wait for them to sprout!
I’m just starting out nice and easy with a bit of parsley, but I’ve got my eye on a couple of good seedling websites that India Knight mentions in The Thrift Book. She orders seedlings (that are best grown in containers and small spaces) from www.sarahraven.com and www.rocketgardens.co.uk - and they’re delivered straight to her door. It sounds ridiculously easy and it’s apparently very good value. In fact, the Instant Patio Container Garden (how I love the sound of that) from www.rocketgardens.co.uk costs £36.99, but it apparently yields as much as £300 in fresh organic produce. Definitely something to think about…
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Challenge: Spend a whole day in London without spending a penny
Now this one is easy. Too easy, in fact, as London is one of those brilliant cities which is actually chockers with free stuff to do.
One of the most obvious places to start is London’s world-class museums and galleries, which unlike other cities around the world, offer free admission to many of their permanent collections. You could easily spend days wandering the capital’s great galleries without spending a penny. But there’s a chance you could suffer from a serious case of gallery fatigue. Plus there’s loads more to see and do. Here’s a sample itinerary of a full (free) day in London:
11am Free 80 minute yoga class
Dermalogica, KensingtonThe Dermalogica store in Kensington hosts a whole line-up of free health and well-being classes and workshops. Check online to see what’s coming up and book in advance.
1pm Take a packed lunch and picnic in the splendour of Kensington Gardens. People-watch, squirrel-watch and bird-watch for free.
2pm. Take in some culture and visit a free gallery or museum. The V&A Museum is nearby and houses an extensive collection of art and design.
4pm Get ready for a big night out with a free makeover at The Body Shop.
6pm. Go to a free taping of a TV show and spend the night with your favourite celebrities. Some of them even give you free booze! Apply well in advance for free tickets at the BBC or at Applause Store. Just keep in mind that you need to queue up very early for tickets on the night, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll get in.
9pm. Time to hit the (free) night clubs! Death Disco in at Notting Hills Arts Club is my pick of the bunch –with guest DJ sets (including the likes of Courtney Love, Tim Burgess, and Mercury Rev) and free live acts as well. (Wednesday nights only)
Posted in Beauty, Entertainment, Health & Fitness, Travel
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Make your own instant (bang-on-trend) wardrobe update for £5 or less.
Guess what? I’ve been using a needle and thread! (cue murmurings of shock and horror). And I’ve been using tea as a make-do method for home dyeing. Yes, I have. In fact, I discovered a good strong brew of proper builder’s tea is the key to this season’s predilection for nude and neutral shades!
After hitting the various haberdashery and cheap jewellery shops of London’s Soho I spent no more than £5 on a couple of bits and bobs to create my own bang-on-trend instant wardrobe updater.
So here’s a free tutorial of my (totally humble) take on this season’s key fringe trend. Wear the necklace with a plain vest or dress for instant fringing (and straight from the catwalk) style.
You will need:
• 1 plain link necklace (I got mine for £1.25 from one of the budget jewellery shops on Berwick Street in London.) For a tougher look, you could get a length of chain from the hardware store and tie it with a ribbon at the back of your neck.• Fringing of your choice (The minimum length I could purchase was one metre, which was enough for optional layers – or extra necklaces for thrifty gifts!) If you’re in London, I recommend visiting Kleins haberdashery at 5 Noel Street, W1 (Tel. 020 7437 6162).
• Needle and thread in a colour that matches your fringing.
• Optional: tea bag and white vinegar for dyeing.
How to make it:
1. The fringing I found at Kleins was actually a stark white with tiny gold beads. A little too Texan cowgirl for my liking. I couldn’t find the on-trend nude/neutral shade I was after, so I decided to experiment with some home tea dyeing.
2. To dye the white fringe an antique-y nude colour, soak it in a (cooled) cup (or bowl) of strong tea. Take it out every couple of minutes until it’s turned the exact shade you’re after. Five minutes did the job for me. Don’t leave it in for too long unless you want it quite brown! Take it out and set it in a cup of water with white vinegar . I’ve heard that salt is also quite effective for setting the colour. Leave to dry on a piece of kitchen towel.
3. Cut the fringing to the length of your choice – experiment by pinning it to the necklace to see what kind of effect you like best.
4. Thread the needle and carefully hand-sew the fringing to each link of the necklace. At the end of the length, secure it with a double knot. That’s it – you’re done.
Watch me make the necklace on the video below.
Make your own instant fashion update! from OolaMoola on Vimeo.
Total spent: £4.75 (1 metre of beaded fringing £3.50; Chain necklace £1.25)
Cost of similar-style fringe necklace on Net-a-porter: £215
Total saved: £210.25
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How-to: A wedding dress for less than $200
Okay, I know under $200 might be pushing it. Unless you’ve gone all Oxfam chic (which is fine) and also plan on NO alternations/additions/cleaning of the garment, any British woman would be hard pressed to find any sort of luxury dress for so little.
The reason my dress was so cheap? It was handmade and not by someone who shows during Paris Couture Week. It sounds counter-intuitive, but if you have the talent at hand to do it, you can get a perfectly fitted, handmade dress you can use forever at a fraction of the cost. And it’ll be couture in the proper sense of couture:
cou·ture
n.- The business of designing, making, and selling highly fashionable, usually custom-made clothing for women.
How did I do this? By doing a DIY wedding must: use personal favours (a brilliant reason to not ask people for too much in daily life. Favours are best used when truly needed). My wonderful Aunt Kathy is the most skilled, creative dressmaker I’ve come across and she offered to make my dress. Hurrah! For my wedding, we were thinking of a classic cocktail shift with a bit of accoutrement at the waist nipping it in. Nothing too fancy and something that I could definitely use again.
After trying on endless dresses at the shops, we got a feel for what looked best and headed to the big fabric store in the not-so-nice neighbourhood to which serious sewers go for their goods and began the search for cut-out organza by the yard. We stumbled across this fabric and the dress was born — a shorter, updated version of Hepburn’s Funny Face dress with black embroidery, a detachable organza belt and bow and a giant red flower pin (into which genius Aunt Kathy sewed an antique button to cover the ugly plastic center).
The materials cost approximately $190.00 for the white organza, black organza, flower (from the fake flowers section at the habberdashers), liner fabric and tulle. Aunt Kathy had the extras (pin back for the flower, hook clasps for the belt, zipper, thread, extra fabric for collar, boning) sitting around her work studio. If this dress had been commissioned by someone to whom I am not related or BFF, it would have been priced well over $1,000.
Plus it fits my every curve perfectly. There’s no loosing weight or having last minute alternations to let it out (not to mention my self-confidence remaining in tact as the fit makes me feel so good, and that is priceless). I also opted for non-traditional fabric and style… it’s short (my dad says I look like a cupcake). Both of these help to save money on fabric and the labour costs if you are paying someone to create it for you.
Not everybody is lucky enough to have an Aunt Kathy (although everyone needs one. I thank god that she’s mine). So calling in this sort of favour is not always an option. But rack your brain when you start your planning. Do you know someone who sews or someone who knows someone who sews? Friends will always cut friends a deal and as long as you’re not Bridzilla, the process isn”t difficult: buy fabric, have fittings. If you aren’t blessed with friends who sew, there are still elements of this that you can take with you to the shops for cheaper off the rack gowns.
First, opt for a cocktail dress (or a simpler pattern and cut) instead of a tiered silk, trailing confection in a bridal showroom. Less fabric + less-complicated pattern = less expensive. If it’s a dress that’s not specifically marked as a bridal gown, all the better. Chances are it’ll be priced like a regular dress instead of in the highway robbery price range common in the bridal industry. Go to a department store instead of a specialty store or shop on Etsy for an affordable wedding dress. I found many a white wedding dress on the US department store website Nordstrom.com ranging in price from $88 to $570.
Additionally, if you buy/make a dress you can wear for other occasions (to other weddings, black-tie affairs, etc.) then you’ll continue to save money as time goes by. Who wants to pack their wedding memories into a box to collect dust anyway? Every time you wear it you’ll be reminded of the big day. Now isn’t that better than never seeing it in the light of day again? Detachable details (like the belt and bow) can help make the dress look different each time it’s worn.
The golden rule to remember when calling in personal favors to help you economise for the big day is that you can’t just take ‘em and run! Even if you don’t pay someone with cash, you need to acknowledge what they’ve done for you and thank them in a tangible way, whether it’s with a bottle of wine, a week of foot massages, making cupcakes… whatever. Use your talents to give them something they need just as they have used theirs to give you something you need. It’s like a bridal barter system. If you’re worried you’ll forget to pay them back or they don’t know you’re giving them something, give them a thank you card with an IOU. For me, my gift will be creating an Etsy site for my Aunt Kathy to sell her wares. It’s incredibly bad manners not to reciproate and no one’s going to help you again if you just take the favour and run.
And that is the story of how my bridal cocktail dress (and the dresses of all my sisters and cousins for every major life event) came about.
Total spent: $190.00 (£124)
Total saved: $810.00 (£532)
Posted in Bargains & Markets, Fashion, Weddings
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Gorgeous lunch for a fiver: Sacred Cafe
Serious coffee fans who flock to London’s alumni of Antipodean cafes usually end up lingering for lunch, especially when they offer up a host of delicious lunch options for less than a fiver. Take Sacred Café on Ganton Street, for instance. The blackboard boasts a line-up of affordable lunches that don’t come pre-packaged in cardboard and plastic, like quiche of the day with garden salad (£4.80) and pate of the day with toast and caramelised red onion chutney, (£4.60).
I was in the mood for something light and healthy, so I ordered the hummus with flat bread, cucumber sticks, olives and red onion chutney for £4.30. It hit the spot and I had change of a fiver. Quite perfect, really.
Sacred Café
Ganton Street,
London W1B 5PW
Tel: 0207 7001628Posted in Food
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Where can you find an off-the-peg designer wedding dress for under £500 [Part 3]
Many thanks to reader Fiona who suggested that we check out Etsy for affordable wedding frocks. In fact, we liked her genius idea so much that we decided to investigate further, and found that handmade weddings are indeed big business on Etsy. Here’s my top six Etsy wedding dresses under £500…
Above, from left: ‘Helen’ silk charmeuse and silk chiffon wedding gown,US$600 by Love June; and ‘A peaceful afternoon dress’ in ivory silk and antique lace, US$515, by Sarah Seven.
Above, from left: ‘Calla Lilly’ empire-cut sheath in heavy double crepe with a matt satin bodice, US$500, by London Demimonde; and Organza lace, silk satin wedding dress, custom-made to order (with matching veil), US$975 by Bellina Bridal.
Above, from left: ‘June’ tea-length wedding dress in Italian silk Duchess satin, US$800, by Lizzie Jane’ and ‘Ghost dress’ in cascading English net and tulle straps, US$650 by English Dept.
