Beating the Credit Crunch

The daily news had been pretty grim lately (well minus Obama’s inauguration – bring on change!); every time I turn on the TV or read the paper there’s another high street chain closing down or more people loosing their job. You can never be too careful during times like these and cutting back where you can helps the most. Of course I don’t however want to compromise on looking good (even after the war when people were still on rations they’d go to great measures to look good – women would use to ‘paint’ their legs with tea bags then draw a line up the back to make it look they were wearing tights – true story!). Luckily for us we don’t have to go that far to make a difference in our spenditure. Here are some tips:

1. DIY pedicures & manicures: they’re fast and easy, and above all free! When you get out of the shower, trim your nails and push back your cuticles - removing any excess with a nail clipper. Then paint those bad boys and place a top coat to seal them in.
2. Massages: We could all use a good massage every now again. If you have a partner, why not buy a nice bottle of massage oil from the Body Shop (or the like) and take turns pampering each other? If not (or you can’t be bothered) try a beauty school, they usually charge less than half the price of most spas so not only will you feel rejuvenated but your wallet won’t suffer either.
3. Lunch/Coffee: Bring your own lunch to work rather than buying it everyday. Make extra for dinner the night before and you’ll have gourmet meals for lunch. Soup can be dull on its own, why not pair it up with a nice bread roll and/or a side salad to liven it up? In the same vain, why not bring your coffee or tea to work rather than grabbing one from Starbucks?
4. Groceries: Make a list! Trust me on this one, if you make a list of what you actually need you’ll be less likely to impulse buy and your bill (I promise) will be cut by 20% - if not more.
5. Gym: Do you keep or membership or give it up? Answer this – how often do you go? If it’s more than half the week then yes, it’s worth it. If you only go every now and again it’s time to ditch it. Try running outside (free) or one of the many fitness DVDs (I highly recommend: 10 Minute Solutions: Blast Off Belly Fat – it’s SO good and easy to do everyday before work. I couple this with going to gym, as I like to swim, for a total workout that works).

How are you getting through the credit crunch?