OK, some quick tippetty-tapping. I'm snowed under with bookish bits and am having a bloggy tea-break. I've also just ditched British Gas by way of EnergyHelpline - could have done it myself but this way I get £15 cashback. Hurrah!
This month has been a little on the impoverished side, as I've has an enormous phone bill and had various household expenditures, including a dead kettle to replace (sob! disaster!). The phone bill was due to the stoopid phone company applying the wrong discount/tarrif to my bill and then clawing it back all in one go, the bastards. Unfortunately they are legally entitled to do so. Oh well.
But it isn't all doom and gloom as I've had a few unexpected bits of cash float in, nothing major, just enough for covering the worst of the bill payments and getting a few treats to cheer myself up while locked away typing for weeks on end. I've received a small fee due to old books being photocopied, plus annual cashback from my credit card, and a payment from Quidco.
Since a treat was in order I've had a jumper dress (£5.40), some costume jewellery (£5), and a couple of tops (£8) from boohoo.com. If you order from them over the Easter weekend you can get 10% discount using the code: EAS001. I've also treated myself to a couple of Urban Decay eyeshadows and liners - they've changed some of their packaging and sold the original stock off cheaply. Anyway, it's still in perfect condition and the liquid eyeliners are all great, you can smudge them onto your eyelids and wear them as eyeshadow that lasts pretty much all day and all night.
Sadly, Pout cosmetics have gone bust, which is a real shame as their products were good quality and made great gifts. You can currently find their much-reduced stock at branches of TKMaxx, some big local chemists, and the beautycounterdirect website. I really rate their 'eyeslicks', and wifey loves their blush sticks. I've stocked up on 3 of the eyeshadows and a pack of 5 of their 'plump' lipglosses.
My remaining £35 quid has gone on evening bags from eBay (mint condition vintage ones) and a pair of dove grey shoes from Peacocks - who are worth checking out for some very fashiony footwear at the moment.
So I guess I'm ready for my close-up, Mr DeMille. When I finally get away from the desk.
http://www.timeout.com/london/features/4395/1.html
Some shopping tips from Time Out that are fairly useful, including buying quality and learning how to haggle.
Lots of lovely sales listed over at Urban Junkies (try not to bankrupt yourselves now)
Also, Secret Sample Sale is back:
Catwalk, studio and showroom samples and clearance stock at up to 80% discount. Womens and menswear: Belstaff, Blumarine , Missoni, Celine, Serfontaine, Matthew Williamson, Catherine Malandrino, Bea Yuk Mui, Junk Food, Funky Urban, Stone Island, Fred Perry and others. Plus shoes and bags from Balenciaga, Chloe, Prada and Tods etc.
Friday 4th to Sunday 6th of April
12 to 7 Friday - members day, register at www.secretsamplesale.co.uk for membership and pass
12 to 7 Saturday - open to public
12 to 7 Sunday - open to public
T2, FBLOCK
Old Truman Brewery
87 Brick Lane (opposite Woodseer Street)
London EC1
Nearest tubes - Old Street, Aldgate East, Liverpool Street, Shoreditch
Cash and cards accepted, no cheques. Admission £1.
Hello! I have been mucking about on www.boohoo.com during my copious tea-breaks, and am surprised to say that I can heartily endorse their £6 jumper dresses. Their claim of next-day delivery isn't quite true, more like day-after-next, and their website is far from user friendly but I'm not going to whinge if they're that cheap and their stuff looks good on. No siree, Bob.
Meanwhile, I am writing something at the moment where I need to interview a few 1st and 2nd year UK uni students. Where's the best place to go to chat to them? Ideally some busy friendly message boards or something. Any ideas anyone? I will pay you back in bargains.
Penny x
Just dropping by to feed the blog and water the plants. Have managed to wangle a day off today to do some more writing - it's going OK really, but my home is a hive of displacement activity too.
There has been some excessive online shopping, some mending, some extreme tea drinking, and a full wardrobe and drawer sort out that probably wasn't needed. I'll be taking a few things to the charity shop later when I go out for some fresh air. Let's hope the fresh air doesn't turn into an excuse to stay out all afternoon.
I'm subsisting on beans on toast, omelettes and sausage sandwiches, and fruit salads, having figured that six weeks of frozen pizzas and takeaways would do me in. Oh, and I have no life, and stayed in on Saturday night to work instead of going out to a party.
Why am I doing all this again? Oh yeah, I like it.
Right then, back to work.
