I realised today that I am one of those people who mourns the death of the high street whilst doing most of my shopping on the internet. Mostly it is a lack of time, but when I have enough of it I do enjoy a good shopping trip. Shopping is hardly frugal, I hear you say. Well, that depends where you shop! This week I got lost in Poundland!
Buying some budget makeup
Yesterday I met my daughter after work and we had a good look around a few shops. I got lost in Poundland for a good 45 minutes, which is easy to do. There are quite a few positive accounts on the internet about Poundland makeup, so thought I would buy some for myself.
I have yet to use any of it, so that will wait for a further blog post. There was loads of choice, but I decided on a long lasting foundation in warm porcelain, the hide and chic concealer and a fairly nude looking lipstick in sun-kissed beige. Three quid! That’s ridiculously cheap. I hope they are good. This review suggests that most products are worth a go.
Saving money on birthday cards
I resent paying a lot of money for birthday cards that will end up in the recycling bin. I always try to buy them in bulk when I see them cheaply. May and June feature loads of birthdays in our family – six in fact. The cards in Poundland were funny with some nice designs. At two for £1 I stocked up.
Bargain toiletries
Still in Poundland, I needed some general toiletries. I bought a L’Oreal Skin Perfection cleansing milk, a pack of two pairs of tweezers, a razor with a couple of spare blades and a pack of 40 nail files. That lot will probably last me for the rest of my life!
Free entertainment
Bank holidays can be an expensive business. It is tempting to bust the budget on days and meals out. The weather last weekend was fabulous fortunately, so we took full advantage.
On Sunday we packed up a picnic and drove with Mr S’s brother to Felixstowe on the Suffolk coast as there was a vintage vehicle rally. It was fabulous. Felixstowe is really an under rated place. It has been improved a lot in recent years using lottery funding.
On Monday we went in search of bluebells. We had a walk in the beautiful Chalkney Woods, near Earls Colne in Essex. There were swathes of bluebells and they were absolutely stunning. There is little I enjoy more than walking in the dappled shade of a wood on a sunny day. It is so relaxing. So, two days out for just the cost of the petrol to get there.
Out in the garden
Mr S has been working hard in the garden this week. There is always loads to do. He rotovated a big patch where we have previously grown vegetables. Rather than spending money on turf we are going to sow some wild flowers mixed in with grass seed. Cheaper and much prettier! I do love a wildlife friendly garden!
So, have you managed to get lost in Poundland this week? Have you managed five frugal things?
As ever, I am linking up with Cass , Emma and Becky in this week’s Five Frugal Things I have done this Week linky.
I confess to not having been to Poundland or any of those Pound-Something shops which all tend to look much alike but do have bargains, I’m sure, such as the things you bought.
We are fortunate in living in a tourist hot spot as there is so much going on at this time of the year if you want free entertainment – for example at the beginning of next month it is the Torbay Air Show on 2nd and 3rd June, and we don’t have to go far to see that. I think some areas are ticket-access only areas, but we can just stand in our garden and watch planes flying over much of the time, or look out of our upstairs bathroom window and watch the Red Arrows.
We also had a walk through Cockington Woods to Cockington Court this week (for a scone and tea – it was inexpensive and truly excellent quality scone, served with grated cheese and sweet chilli jam.) Who could be bored with such lovely countryside to explore? Over 460 acres of countryside with the Borough of Torbay. Also, each Wednesday evening in our town there is the BMAD festival – Bikers Make A Difference – when bikers from all around bring their bikes to the sea front, and collect money for charities. Some of the bikes are stunning. I’m not a biker but I can appreciate how some of them have been customized.
Margaret P
http://www.margaretpowling.com
“Lost in Poundland” made me laugh! I wish I’d thought of that for a blog name. The makeup is indeed pretty good. The nail varnish is great (although some colours go on better than others). I also love poundshops for garden “things” I can’t grow anything (that’s not immediately eaten) so I decorate with poundshop windmills and windchimes and the like…
Tx
There’s nothing like a bluebell walk on a beautiful day, is there? It just reminds you that the best part of life is priceless.
In the US, we have Dollar Tree, which can quickly turn into “$35 Tree” because so many things are so inexpensive and tempting. Lately I do stock-up trips there to buy bath soap, toothpaste, cleaning products, spiral notebooks and such. And socks! DT has surprisingly good socks. I’ve been wearing three pairs of them for the past few years, mostly in colder months.
I have heard of Dollar Tree. Fellow blogger Emma Drew loves their stores!
I love a good discount store, too. Unfortunately, it is a real battle not to stock up on ‘stuff’ that I never use! The woods look so tranquil and charming. I think that a walk in nature restores one’s equilibrium. In New Zealand, we call our woods, ‘bush’, which incidentally, is identical to the Indonesian ‘jungle’.
You have amazing countryside in New Zealand! Went once and always wanted to go back
Our Poundland recently converted store rooms at the back into a clothing area. I did a quick perusal but wasn’t impressed – but not much impresses me when it comes to clothing these days! 😀
Otherwise I tend to spend too much on “garden tat” in there!!
Our Poundland in the High street has had it’s floor space reduced because the clothes store Pep & Co now share it. A bit annoying because I don’t do clothes shops. I still go in for the odd thing that I need, but, there is a downside for me, they have Magnum ices for £1. Oh lordy, trying to stop my fingers from sliding the fridge door across takes a lot of will power.