Tired of your morning bowl of Credit Crunch?

Tesco does an unbelievably yummy cereal made with pecans and clusters of oats. I'm not sure what price it is but my sister found the same cereal in Aldi for 98 cent.

More yumminess for your euro.

At Christmas every year my Dad would protest that buying him presents was a waste of money given that it was all ultimately his cash and if he needed something he would just buy it!

So year after year we all had to trot out the beglittered and glue splodged handmade cards that he swore he preferred to anything shop bought.

So this year he is getting a selection of drawings by me (I might frame some myself). Paper and pastels were reasonable in Reads on Nassau St and the more paintings I do the more friends are getting presents!
Framing might be a challenge but I'll give it a go.

Lunch Time Eats

Had yummy lunch in Botticelli Italian in Temple Bar. A friend told me about their lunch deal for under 10 Euro. A starter, main (pizza or pasta) and a coffee.

Three of us had two courses and coffees for less than thirty!

Billy Goats

Cashmere woolies are becoming more affordable. Penneys now stock classic cashmeres in shades of cream and black at about 40 Euro. I bought one and it is lasting well - no stretching or fluffing.
Just remember to treat it right. Handwash and lay flat to dry.

Ralph Lauren Home

Twenty-two big ones for a sumptuous snow white cotton and wool queen sized blanket by RL Home in TK Maxx. I needed something snuggly; Mr (I'm always) Right is busy at the moment so the blankie is a welcome replacement!

Twenty Euro Babes

I brought a discerning friend to the sample sale organised by BDB, the guest list of which I was on.
We were disappointed. The stock was dreadful. Think Guineys.

I have been to better sales by this group so I hope this was an off day.

Fakies

On Georges St/Aungier St a full set of gel nails is priced at 40 euro; a reduction of approx 35 euro from the same salons last year. Moral of the story? They were overpriced to begin with.

Ten euro transatlantic aviation. Boggles the mind. In the spirit of the blog I'm posting this - however O'Leary will fleece passengers in every way imaginable to recoup losses. I predict coin operated toilets.

Find of the Day

Davidoff Cool Water Aftershave for his stocking....you'll never guess how much...20 euro. I know...suspend your disbelief and check out TK Maxx.

On a roll

Third post this afternoon - life on a shoestring is becoming easier in Dublin every day.

Toning up for Christmas parties? Try TK Maxx for an amazing reduction on balance balls, free weights and yoga mats.
No longer the preserve of unloved stock clearances, it also offers sleek gym clothes for stylish work outs.

Remember ladies - low weight but high repetition = sinewy limbs for your recession friendly party dress...more on which later on.

Bootiful

In an upmarket shoe shop in the city centre this recessionista, egged on by Mr (I'm Always) Right, asked the hapless sales assistant if she "could do anything with the price" on a pair of bootiful boots.

She fluffed her backcombed blonde tufts in that trademark D4 way and shifted uncomfortably...but desperation to make the sale prevailed and a 10% reduction was there for the asking.

Tea Cosy

As an update to the last post - Dunnes are also stocking funky sequined berets - nowhere near the 20 euro price tag in Dorothy Perkins.
Cosy cosy cosy chic.

The humble black woolen beret as modeled by it girls du jour Peaches Geldof, Alexa Chung and Daisy Lowe is extortionately priced in most high street shops - usually at least 15 euro - except Dunnes pricing at a recession friendly 3 euro.

Fashionable and cosy when turning on the heating in October just can't be justified

Nailicious

Beautiful hands need beautiful nails. Men love them, women respect you for them and nothing boosts confidence like tailored talons.

For those of us who cannot grow them naturally however, tastefully finished gel nails are a saviour. Usually priced at eighty big ones - a new salon on Liffey Street is offering an introductory deal of 65 yo yos.

Lucky ladies or gentlemen without nibbled extremities should keep filing and buffing especially in bitter finger chapping nail splitting weather.

So try a selection of excellent emery boards in fruity colours from Penneys at 1.50.....
how can they produce them so cheaply?!

Hermes or High Street?

Nothing is as timeless as a fabulous Hermes scarf. Tie on to last years 'it bag' for an instant revamp, wrap hair up in a fifties housewife style or channel your inner landed gentry lady and wear with equestrian elegance.

Urban Outfitters are the place to go for a selection of very reasonable yet Hermes - ish scarves like the above UO offering.

Think Grace Kelly or maybe an effortless Parisian chic neck knot and you are the right track.

Lunatic Fringe

My hair has a chemical addiction. It also grows really fast. Suffice to say that peroxide is burning through not only my scalp but my hard earned cash. One head of highlights plus a trim in Tony & Guy or Peter Mark, not to mention any number of smaller high end salons, was averaging at 200.

So I tried Lunatic Hairdressing school. They are trainees but the result was perfect honey blonde tresses. I was also impressed that they hit every millimetre of hair leaving no tell tale dark roots - natural blonde perfection at 70 notes.

That cannot be beaten!

Think of recession as a detox.

A time to purge those thoughtless buys and needless spends from your system.

Unlike certain recession hyping media sources (I'm looking at you, Sunday Times Style) no one is suggesting hacking the sleeves from an innocent Vanessa Bruno coat whose only crime is to be last season.

Irishrecessionista is a guide to living stylishly at minimal cost.

Tip 1:







Any Milano fans out there should scour the house for yesterday's Sunday Times. It contains a complimentary main course voucher valid until 23rd November 2008.

That said Mr (I'm always) Right and I were in the restaurant for over two hours because of poor service. Nonetheless, garlic bread, a pizza, pasta dish, glass of wine and a soft drink came in at a reasonable under thirty big ones.

Happy half price munching.