Happy Thrifty Christmas

By Emma Pinch on Nov 12, 08 05:02 PM

HARDLY a day goes by at the moment without some SW12 yummy mummy revealing her tips for living well and living thriftily.

Sunday Times writer India Knight is the latest to tear up the Amex and leap on the thrift bandwagon.

I'm as devoted to Martin Lewis's money saving tips as the next person, but while some of India's tips are well, interesting - crush up a cheap bottle of aspirins, mix with water and paste over the skin for a cheap clarifying face mask - others make my top lip curl.

Apparently a scarf lovingly hand knitted out of dog hair (ok it was lurex) by your time-poor friend means much more than a voucher for Elemis now consumerism's so off-trend.

Well I'm sorry, no. No! I don't want any wonky scarves or over-baked home made biscuits for Christmas thanks very much, however long it's taken you to grow your own Yaks or whatever. If we're in a Credit Crunch and I'm buying my clothes from Asda and eating manky going off veg, for Christmas, I want nice, luxurious,top brand treats, thank you very much.

ps: Obviously I'm not including the five jars of chutney I improvised from the tomatoes that didn't ripen over the summer in the bracket of manky home-made present. That is (adopt breathy M&S advert voice), 'hand-made, mature, Lancashire chutney, bursting with fruit, spices and vine ripened tomatoes.' Recipients must appear suitably thrilled.