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Because I wrote about fancy cars and designer bags, it appears people think I’m rich. Far from it (unless we’re counting blessings, in which case I’m loaded). The rather sad and boring truth is that I’ve learned to be careful with money. So, here is a little bit about me. I’m very ordinary really. I don’t use a credit card, I save up for things I want.  I make, bake, sew (badly) and grow (better). I treasure time with my family and I’m a good friend. What more could a girl need?

The House: We live in a 1970′s bungalow, three bedroooms, reasonably large garden and big enough for us. I don’t really fancy a bigger house, the space would be nice, but I don’t fancy all that extra housework. Oh – and who wants to be saddled with a huge mortgage payment every month – not me!

The Car:Yes, it’s true we recently bought a Jag. It’s the  cheapest and smallest  sized engine we could get in  a diesel estate, the fuel economy’s brillliant and for the record although I paid for it I’ve yet to sit behind the wheel (anyone who has seen me drive, knows I was “born to be driven”), I prefer public transport anyway. We simply couldn’t face another camping holiday with 4 people, dog, tent, mountain bikes etc all packed into and onto a Peugot 206! We saved up – an alien concept I know, but a good habit to learn.

Food and Drink: I started making my own bread, cakes and biscuits out of necessity, it was cheaper than buying them. Now, I make for pleasure. I like the satisfaction of watching something being made from  nothing and I get a kick out of making things look nice and giving them away. I like cooking a meal from scratch, it winds me down after a busy day. Just me, PM and Nigel Slater, utter bliss.  If you’re buying, I like whisky (current favourite is 16 year old Lagavulin) and I have a weak spot for champagne but I mainly drink water, straight from the tap – not very glamorous – but good for the complexion I’m told (still waiting to see the evidence).  I usually carry a flask, because it irks me to pay £2.00 for a coffee when I’m travelling. So, when I am out shopping with the girls and we stop for a latte, it really is a treat.

Clothes: Sadly, the nearest place for me to go shopping is the wonderfully named “Cheshire Oaks Designer Village”, which sells discount clothing and accessories. In the past year I’ve bought an Armani shirt for a fiver, a pair of Kurt Gieger mules for a quid (yes, really) and indulged my fetish for Mulberry bags in their outlet store. Unfortunatley, being a dumpy, middle aged housewife I usually end up looking like a sack of potatoes whaever I wear. But, it’s generally cheaper than the high street and I like to buy things which are made to last and not fall apart the first time you wash them.

Nice Things: I know it’s shallow, but I do like “nice things”, especially if they come in pretty boxes. Fortunately I have a kind and generous family to know the emailed links I send them at Christmas and birthdays are not heavy hints they are Instructions to be followed to the letter. That’s why you’re more likely to see me wearing Tiffany than Elizabeth Duke or  smelling of  Jo Malone – the latter to mask the smell of wet dog – which it doesn’t!

Life’s Too Good to Throw Away: A simple mantra, which serves me well, when you pay good money for “stuff” do you really want to throw it away? I don’t.  So, I don’t go in for disposable, single use or recyclable. I buy to last, in bulk and have become adept and finding new uses for old “stuff”. Laddered  tights get used to store home grown onions, 5l washing up liquid containers make great mini cloches (all cut to exactly the same size, in straight, neat rows bacause I like neat), leftover wine dregs get frozen in ice cube trays for stews, stale bread makes a delicious bread and butter pudding and worn out clothes get cut up for dusters (the buttons go in my button box).

Value Friendship: The greatest gift a girl can have is a best friend and a family who love her. I’m lucky to have lots of the first and one of the latter.

There, I told you I was ordinary.