Shopping: My Sarenza sale picks

Hi guys,

Long after the January sales are over and everyone is starting to talk about their new season wardrobe I have good news: The Sarenza sale is still going strong! And frankly, there's something for everyone. It's not just the left over winter boots or sparkly heels that are on offer either. There are perfect spring-like pumps and sandals to get your hands on too!

I can't resist a good sale (especially when it comes to shoes and accessories) so was delighted. Here are the amazing bargains I picked up from the Sarenza sale this month:

The 'wear now' ankle boots

I got these clog-style ankle boots to replace my tan clog ankle boots from Topshop: The heel has fallen off them! I am a huge convert to clogs. They are the most comfortable heels I've ever worn because they have such a high platform at the front (in relation to the height of the heel).

These will look amazing teamed with skinny jeans and my favourite leather panel leggings to ride out the rest of the winter months.

Studio TMLS boots, reduced from £109.70 to £43.90

The snake skin pumps

Apparently snake print is the new 'in' skin! I love animal prints in their many different forms, so I just couldn't resist these. They'll be perfect for livening up my majoratively black work outfits, or clashing with pretty floral dresses when spring arrives.

Eden Kawi pumps, reduced from £72.50 to £29

The classic-with-a-twist heels

Another Sarenza Ambassador Jen actually picked these up last month, and as soon as I saw them I knew I had to have them! These heels are timeless and seasonless and they really could be worn almost anywhere but the stud detailling on the heels stops them from being boring. I got these to team with a simple tea dress for my nephew's Christening next month.

Ravel Heidi heels, reduced from £75 to £52.50

What do you think of my picks? And what shoe trends will you be looking out for this spring/summer?

Love Tor xx

Frugal February activities: Movie parties, poker nights, sunday lunch...

Hi guys,
As part of "Frugal February" Mike and I have been organising lots of free and fun activities at home. Just because you're saving money doesn't mean you have to live like hermits and never see your friends, right?!

First we had a couple of friends round for Sunday dinner. Aside from the cost of the joint of meat, Sunday lunch is a surprisingly inexpensive meal to make: and easy to do too! It was a great and relaxing way to spend a couple of hours catching up with friends, which is something we'd usually do at the pub, but at half the price!

This weekend we organised a small poker night, using up all of the left over beer and wine we didn't drink at Christmas. The slight flaw in the otherwise-cunning plan, of course, is that I don't actually know how to play poker. In fact, the closest I get to even thinking about poker is when I'm humming along to Lady Gaga's poker face. Mike has tried to explain the rules to me several times: what risks to take, what makes a good hand. But I just don't get it! (I do however play a mean game of Pontoon!) So what really happened is that other people played poker whilst I sat in the corner drinking wine and gossiping: a great night had all round!

Next weekend my little sister is coming to stay with my nephew. This means that we can't go out anyway (without finding and paying for a babysitter). So I am going to organise a movie night: Clueless, Ten things I hate about you, Never been kissed....the list of chick flicks we want to watch is almost endless. The left over Christmas candy will come in handy here (yup, I still have loads) as will my rarely-used popcorn machine.

Are you taking part in frugal February? Or are you on a money saving drive? What have you changed or tried to do differently to save some cash? All tips welcome!

Love Tor xx

Frugal February

Hi guys,
As I mentioned back in January, all of my New Year's Resolutions revolved around saving money. I've been shopping (who can resist the January sales?) but not half as much as usual. And as the accompanying image to this post illustrates, I've taken my packed lunch to work every day (bar two slip ups, when the extra ten minutes in bed was just too tempting!) These little changes mean I've been able to add an extra £200 to my savings account.

This month though, I'm taking things up a notch: No unnecessary spending. On anything. I read about Frugal February on Big Girls Browse, and thought it was such a good idea that I joined up immediately. Frugal February participants stick to one simple rule, which is…
I vow, for one month from 1st Feb, to avoid shopping for anything other than essentials.

And no, new shoes, red lipstick, and that little dress you spotted at 75% off don't count as essentials. I've stocked up on my basic toiletries and filled our fridge and freezer. Instead of socialising at expensive bars and restaurants, Mike and I have invited our friends to our house this month for movie nights, Sunday lunches, and we've even organised a boozy games night.

I know it will be hard to avoid post-work cocktails, too-lazy-to-cook take aways, and especially the new season collections that are hitting the stores. But I know when we finally own our own home it will be worth it. And I'm excited to see how much money I can save!

Want to join in too? You can sign up over at Big Girls Browse, or just let me know how you're getting on in the comments: we can motivate each other!

Love Tor xx