Thrifty? frugal? stingy? whatever!

I don’t care what people call it. I love a bargain and absolutely hate feeling I have been ripped off.

The days of looking at an RRP in shops and handing over the readies is a thing of the past for most people. Ebay and the like have made us all far more consumer savvy.

For me, however, it’s been a way of life since I was a child.

At the age of nine I discovered a place that would become my Nirvana for many years – ‘Missionary Mart’, a permanent jumble sale where I would buy vintage clothes. Yes, as a child I bought a pair of boy’s cricket trousers and had the coolest ‘peg tops’ of all my friends! For a little girl who collected everything and anything from stamps to 1940s’ powder compacts this place was a gold mine with a chalk pit pricing structure. I learnt quickly that a cheeky smile and a fistful of coppers could get the price down even lower.

Rummaging was a hobby that stretched my pocket money far beyond it’s face value and that taught me a life-long lesson; look for what you like and pay what you think it’s worth. Obviously this won’t work everywhere. I’m not sure department stores would fall for the cheeky smile act.

Although I love a second hand shop and have had my fair share of ‘finds’ I have never really tried my hand at actively seeking out good deals from mainstream shops, suppliers, services etc. This year, however, as the economic climate gets colder I am determined that I don’t spend over the odds for anything and that I end the year in control of my finances and having had a jolly good time.

If, like me, you want to make your ends meet with slightly more aplomb, watch this space – Beth’s Blog – as I explore all money saving avenues from coupon clipping to bartering.

If you have any tips I would love to hear them – mail them to ms.bethdavies@hotmail.co.uk

Also in: Cheapskate