This post is written in collaboration with Money Plus Advice. As somebody who lived with low-level debt for many years, I know how disheartening it can be. I used to look forward to pay-day, only to find a large chunk of my money disappeared into my overdraft or debt repayments. But there are ways to […] The post 5 ways to deal with debt appeared first on Shoestring Cottage ..read more

Well, January wasn’t a low-spend month for us. I often go for a no-spend start to the New Year, but I knew there were too many purchases we needed to make for it to be feasible. So, instead, I have been aiming for a frugal February! The plan has been to spend as little as […] The post Frugal February: a low spend month appeared first on Shoestring Cottage ..read more

This post contains affiliate links marked with *. If you click through and make a purchase, this site will earn a small commission. If you have decided to rein in your spending and save money this year, we have some ideas to inspire you. Here are 24 frugal things for 2024. 1. Make a budget […] The post 24 Frugal Things for 2024 appeared first on Shoestring Cottage ..read more

What on earth is Vlogmas, you may ask? Each year, you will find many YouTubers heralding the coming of Christmas with a kind of video advent calendar, vlogging every day of December in the lead-up to the 25th of December. This year, I have decided to join in the fun! It will be a challenge, […] The post Join me for Vlogmas 2023! appeared first on Shoestring Cottage ..read more

Autumn is well and truly upon us, and I love it! Such a beautiful season, with all the reds, golds and coppers of the trees and misty, silvery mornings. It feels like an opportunity to cosy up and embrace the change of seasons. So, what better time to look at some thrifty things for Autumn? […] The post Five thrifty things for Autumn appeared first on Shoestring Cottage ..read more

A while ago, I published my first book, largely based on this blog, Extreme Frugality: Save Money Like Your Grandma (full information can be found in this post). The good news is that for the next week, you can purchase my book in Kindle format at a hugely reduced price on Amazon.co.uk* and Amazon.com. Early […] The post Quick! Get my book for just 99p or $1.99! appeared first on Shoestring Cottage ..read more

As I write this, we are having a mini heatwave in October. It certainly feels more like summer than autumn! Nevertheless, it is an inescapable reality that Christmas will be upon us in just over two months. It can be a lovely time of the year, seeing friends and family and joining in the celebrations. […] The post How to prepare your finances for Christmas appeared first on Shoestring Cottage ..read more

We just got back from a lovely week in Whitby in Yorkshire, the first time we had visited the area. It was fabulous, and we both loved it. The only problem with holidays is catching up with everything when you return. So, I have been running around like the proverbial blue-bottomed fly! Time for a […] The post A post-holiday catch-up! appeared first on Shoestring Cottage ..read more

Since my Dad passed away six weeks ago, I have been extremely disorganised! I think grief does that to you. It leaves you with scrambled brains and a lack of motivation. However, I have been determined to start organising my life again – whilst continuing to be frugal and save money, of course. Here’s what […] The post Organising my life (and death…): frugal things I have done this week appeared first on Shoestring Cottage ..read more

It can be tough to teach your children to be frugal. I originally wrote this post for Lee at Homely Economics.  I thought it would be a good time to revisit it. Whatever your reasons for saving money, it can be tricky to bring family on-board, particularly kids. When you need to cut back, it […] The post How to teach your children to be frugal appeared first on Shoestring Cottage ..read more