Filling your wardrobe with fast fashion is both surprisingly unaffordable and definitely unsustainable, argues Dana Raer. And with the recent Boohoo modern slavery scandal, she says it is time to change our fashion habits.  

I’ve always had an eye for a quality piece of clothing. I avoid buying cheap and instead prefer to invest in higher-value and better quality items. This decision has multiple positive effects.

Firstly, on my budget. I try to save money for a bigger budget to spend on one or two pieces instead of an entire wardrobe in a shopping session. Saving for a bigger purchase doesn’t break my budget in the long run through constant spending on cheaper items. On average, I take three to four shopping hauls a year and save a lot overall.

Secondly, it impacts my consideration of ethical choices, such as buying vintage or sustainable brands. These can be more expensive but are definitely more ethical. I almost never buy from unsustainable collections (Primark socks are my only weakness) and I always look for ethical brands.

Thirdly, it has a great effect on my whole look. Valuable pieces make a valuable outfit.

But beyond my personal motives, there are five broader reasons why you should consider stepping away from fast fashion trends, and look to sustainable style instead.

1. Durability

Affordable clothing lines, so-called ‘fast fashion’, usually rely on underpaid work, and on unsustainable mass-produced materials. The whole sector enables people to wear the dupes or fashion trends they see online for a lot cheaper, and a lot faster.

But many people find that buying that one shirt from Primark or Pretty Little Thing won’t guarantee its durability in the upcoming season. It won’t even be worth the price if it’s just been worn a few times before it goes off trend. If you buy that cool shirt in March, it may look ruined or cheap by June.

Brands that promote ethics and vintage stores should be your go-to for fashion items. Shops such as We Are Cow, Vulgar and more are ethical brands where you can find real vintage high-end brands at a lower price.

2. Inheritance

Fashion tends to move in cycles. I have my mother’s outfits from when she was in her 20s. Now 40 years later, I have six extravagant work outfits, with vibrant colours that you cannot find anymore, created during the 80s and that are still vintage chic for the 21st century.

I even have a denim jacket from the 90s that came back to fashion a year ago, giving me the pleasure of wearing authentic vintage.

3. Choice

Investing in pieces that you will not throw away later has its perks in time.

After a few years there will be no such a thing as “I have nothing to wear”, but more like “I can combine this jacket with these trousers and create a whole new outfit with what I already have”.

Being able to mix and match outfits together is more fun, and less consumption-heavy.

4. Comebacks  

In the past few years, a gradual nostalgia for the 70s and 80s has crept in. First the denim, then the extravagance in colours and later, the shoulder pads. That is because fashion has historic value, one that fights issues in society through activism and manifests itself through outlooks.

The shoulder pads are the statement of working women, of feminine power and enthusiasm to earn a living. The feminist movements of this century have brought shoulder pads back.

With this trend I searched my mother’s wardrobe once again to find exactly what I needed. Call me a hoarder but, the longer you keep the item, the more you or your family will use it in time!

5. Ethics

Mass production and ‘trends’ are the embodiment of modern day fashion issues, projected through the lenses of misleading advertisements.

Stories about clothing companies neglecting their employees’ working conditions or pay seem evermore frequent. But posting on social media about Boohoo’s labour rights abuses in Leicester is not enough. Reading or sharing an article is no longer sufficient either.

Statements against the wrongdoings of the fast fashion industry need to be followed by actions to see change. And change happens with us and our lifestyle choices.

While there is an ongoing debate about whether being eco-friendly is a privilege, you do not have to be rich to be ethical. As an immigrant studying and working in the UK, and able to shop ethically by spending my money carefully, that seems like just another excuse.

Don’t cave to momentary trends. Be smart in saving money and spending it more wisely on style over fast fashion.  

The post Five reasons to stop buying fast fashion and invest in style instead appeared first on Mouthy Money.

This is the philosophy behind Wish.com, a fast growing online Chinese marketplace – sell items quickly and cheaply. However, some caveats can easily be identified; more often than not, you get what you pay for, not always what the product photos will have you believe.

Much like Amazon and eBay, Wish is made up of many different independent sellers, and not all of them are honest. Here are some things that I’ve found are generally safe to purchase on this website.

T-shirts

I’ve managed to find some pretty unique and generally well-made t-shirts on Wish.com over the past couple of years. Although Asian clothing sizes are notoriously small when compared to their Western counterparts, I’ve found the t-shirts sold by Wish to be quite true to size. Here are some of my favourites:

Cat bus t-shirt (from My Neighbour Totoro)- £5+ £4 P&P

Not Today t-shirt £2 + £3 P&P

I Have Plans with my Cat £3+ £4 P&P

Costume Jewellery

As a general rule of thumb, you should steer clear from anything that looks like it’s trying to seem expensive, but costs £1 – if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. You can find a lot of tacky engagement ring style pieces on Wish, but there are also quite a lot of cute and simple bits and bobs to be had, too. For example:

Bumblebee necklace– Free with £2 P&P

Lucky Cat bracelet £1 with £2 P&P

Socks

Realistically, you can’t really go wrong with socks. Wish.com has a wide variety of cute and unusual socks available on the site.

Fruity socks – I purchased the avocado pair- Free, with £2 P&P

Cat socks – £1 + £1 P&P

Moomin socks – £1 + £2 P&P

When shopping with Wish.com, you should set a small budget – something that you’d be happy enough to shrug off if the item doesn’t look at promised – I usually go for a couple of quid, plus P&P.

You should also pay close attention to the reviews on the items that you’re interested in – often people will post photographs of what the product actually looks like, and these can be very telling.

Overall, while you shouldn’t rely on Wish, you can pick up some pretty decent finds – you just have to be tactical about it.

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

The post REVIEW: will online shopping make your Wish.com come true? appeared first on Mouthy Money.

It is 11am and I am meeting Carole Ann for a coaching session, as part of my plan to become as successful as multi-millionaire bra tsar Michelle Mone.

MM (as I shall call her) recently launched a business and lifestyle app – Connect 2 Michelle Mone – offering advice and inspiration, as well as sneak peaks at her personal life hacks. As MM is jolly successful, I would like to know what makes her tick. But although the app is free, it is only available for iPhones and I have a Samsung. This seems to be the first clue as to where I am going wrong in life.

However, undeterred by my inability to download the app, I go online and plough through a decade’s worth of Daily Mail stories. “She flushes slightly as she reveals her one guilty secret is that she gets her hair professionally blow-dried five times a week,” gasps a Mail exposé from 2013. “Naked selfies helped motivate her to shape up” exclaims the Mail in 2017. She was “frequently drinking as much as a bottle of wine a day” divulges the Mail, alongside pictures of MM’s 2010 lingerie shoot.

As I wade through whispers about MM’s sleepless nights and the solace she found in white wine, I identify aspects of her lifestyle which I feel I could emulate, and I ask myself: will adopting the habits of Michelle Mone make me a millionaire? I decide to find out.

WEARING ULTIMO LINGERIE

I usually wear a yoga bra and a pair of knickers from a Primark multi-pack. If my underwear ever matches, it’s in a stopped-clock-being-right-twice-a-day sort of scenario. But perhaps this casual approach to my personal upholstery is spawning a casual approach to my career. Michelle Mone wouldn’t waste her day dicking about on Twitter retweeting reviews of hair removal cream written by men with ravaged ballsacks. And in a matching set of Ultimo, nor would I.

Julia Roberts wore Ultimo when she played one-woman lawsuit tsunami Erin Brockovitch; and Michelle Mone, who left school at 15 with no qualifications, became a Baroness with an OBE and a Government Jag after launching Ultimo in ’96. So I think it’s clear that Ultimo is synonymous with success. The company stopped trading last year, but I track down some stock at Belle Lingerie and find that when I wear Ultimo, I mean business. These lingerie sets could become collectors’ items.

GETTING A PROFESSIONAL BLOW DRY

Fuck knows how MM fits in five of these a week, because logistically it’s a nightmare. “Is that temperature alright for you,” I’m always asked when I have my hair washed before it’s cut. And it’s like, “yeah, the temperature’s fine, I just wish the water wasn’t all over my face.” I have a busy day ahead and I won’t have time to do my make-up after the appointment, so I am dreading mascara streaks and a giveaway white forehead where my foundation’s washed off.

How does Michelle Mone manage this? Is there advice on her app? I don’t know because I can’t access it, but it’s as if MM knows what I’m up to because she tweets to reassure me she’ll be bringing it to android.

As it happens, I am late for my blow dry at Duck & Dry which means they don’t have time to wash my hair. Instead they simply style it, so my make-up is unscathed, while my MM-style blow dry (I show them a picture) bounces about on my shoulders, crowned by slightly oily roots.

SEEING A CELEBRITY LIFE COACH

According to the detailed dossier compiled by the Daily Mail, “Michelle says intensive sessions with a celebrity life coach helped her overcome negative feelings about the marriage break-up.” I have been mooning over my ex-boyfriend for longer than we were together, so I sign up for a session with Carole Ann Rice to sort out my love life.

It is my first day as MM, who I’ve only ever seen looking red-carpet-ready, hence my entrance in an evening dress with MM’s steeply plunging signature neckline. The morning sun ricochets off my sequins, and when Carole Ann recovers her eyesight, she suggests that I make a vision board with words and pictures that represent everything I want from a relationship.

“Look at it every day – smile at it, love it, and act as if you’ve already got it.” This sounds like Law of Attraction, which I fleetingly read about before binning it off as bollocks – along with the cork board I’d bought from Ryman’s that reeked of a rodent’s cage.

When I convey my cynicism to Carole Ann, she shows me a book by a neuroscientist that backs up what she’s telling me, explaining: “If you don’t know what you want, you won’t get it. You have to change the way you think!” I like Carole Ann, and I think she may be on to something here.

LIVING IN A HOTEL

According the Mail, MM spent at least 18 months half-living in a five-star hotel after she and her ex agreed to a “week-on, week-off” arrangement for the family home. Explaining her decision to stay in a hotel instead of a rented flat, MM tells the Mail: “I’m the sort of person who needs hustle and bustle around me.”

In the interests of living-like-MM, I spend the night in a Travelodge where I discover that hustle and bustle aren’t the only advantages of a hotel room. That night, I get into a freshly made bed without having to change the sheets myself. There are Kit Kats and Galaxy hot chocolate sachets in my mini bar and I only wish someone stocked my kitchen cupboards in this manner.

In the morning, I discover the joy of sending croissants for a ride on the roller-toaster, before caking them in butter and marmalade that I haven’t had to buy myself. I decide it is no wonder MM makes so much money when she doesn’t have to worry about running out of loo roll or wrestling with a duvet cover.

DRINKING SHITLOADS OF WINE THEN GOING JOGGING

While I’ve gleaned my intel from various points in MM’s life, I feel that embracing all her habits at once will really help me peel back the layers. She’s been quoted as saying, “I was drinking almost two bottles of wine a night,” and according to the Mail, MM sleeps for four hours before going for a 6am jog.

I fully relate to the break-up binge drinking as I was buying wine by the box myself. But running with a hangover after four hours’ sleep is going to be a struggle. I pick up some wine from Asda (they do a lovely Pinotage) then drink two-thirds before going to bed at 11pm. MM, apparently, is up until 2am, but if I follow her routine to the letter, I’ll look so awful I’ll be quarantined as soon as I step outside, on suspicion that I’m carrying a deadly disease.

When my 6am my alarm goes off I am devastated at the prospect of dragging myself out of bed, but finally make it out of the door at 7.01am. Heaving myself around the park is deeply unpleasant, and my mantra of “oh my God I fucking hate this” probably doesn’t help. But I do feel excellent afterwards.

The post “My week as Michelle Mone” appeared first on Mouthy Money.

I flick through Instagram and watch my favourite influencer ‘unboxing’ the three free parcels she’s been sent today. One by one, she shows off her new jade face roller, cashmere knit jumper and Mulberry handbag.

I imagine a life where, having just put on my new cashmere jumper, I take my jade face roller out of the fridge, de-puff my eyes, pop it into my Mulberry handbag and
head out for brunch with my influencer friends.

Wiping cheese from my mouth, I order a jade face roller and find an almost identical cashmere-blend jumper in the sale. I feel one step closer to the influencer life I dream of.

Now to secure an all-expenses-paid trip to Bali.

Influencers (those with a large social media following that literally ‘influence’ others) are
contacted by brands wanting to promote a new product. Brands either pay influencers to
promote said product, or ‘gift’ an item or experience in exchange for social media
promotion, thus advertising it to the thousands of people that follow the influencer.

The lines between advertising and entertainment have become blurred and we’re actively choosing to watch those we admire flaunting the latest hair product.

Consumers lap it up, frantically buying the latest ‘must-have’ and both the influencer and
the brand saunter off into the sunset a few thousand pounds richer, while we, the consumers, are left penniless despite having ‘super-soft’ hair.

Every time we open Instagram, we’re presented with another product that we ‘need’. We’re encouraged to use discount codes and ‘buy before it sells out!’. But what does this mean for those of us spending 10 hours and 27 minutes on Instagram a week? (I hate you
weekly screen time.)

I’m presented with a world full of free shellac nail treatments, paid partnerships with Gap, and gifted trips to 5* resorts in the Algarve. I’m happy to admit that I desperately want that life, but know I can’t have it without spending my life savings.

Having dabbled in the influencer industry myself, I’m fearful of being a hypocrite; I regularly accept ‘gifting’ opportunities and have been sent free clothing and haircare products, not to mention a pair of Gucci earrings. I’ve never been able to afford a pair of Gucci earrings and am confident that, unless I win the lottery this weekend, I never will.

So why am I, as a ‘micro-influencer’, presenting an ideal of life that I, myself, am not really living? Why am I ‘influencing’ others to buy things I wouldn’t normally be able to afford

Let’s be honest, unless you’ve taken a Buddhist vow to renounce your desire for all
possessions, it’s nice to get free stuff.

I regularly scold celebrities that use their platform solely to encourage you to purchase the latest teeth-whitening treatment.

But I also feel morally thwarted: should I be accepting free products in exchange for promoting them to others? Making those of us with smaller means feel inadequate and unfulfilled? Or even worse, making those desperate to live the life I’m presenting fall further into a spiral of debt?

Some will say this is not my responsibility but the responsibility of the brand and their
advertising campaign. But since I was given the Gucci earrings, I’ve felt more and more
guilty promoting products I simply wouldn’t have if it weren’t for my mere Instagram
following of just over 3,500.

I regularly scold celebrities that use their platform solely to encourage you to purchase the latest teeth-whitening treatment, yet I fall into this category myself.

Previously, advertising was distant and impersonal: a billboard near your local train station, adverts on the TV between Blind Date, leaflets posted through your letterbox. We were able to ignore them, mute the TV, and throw away the leaflets without a second glance.

But now the lines between advertising and entertainment have become blurred and we’re actively choosing to watch those we admire flaunting the latest ghd hair product in their
beautiful two-bedroom Islington flat.

Of course, for the brands, this is advertising at its best. Influencers are selling a lifestyle,
not just a product, and 100,000 willing Instagrammers watch and crave the supposedly
glamorous life the influencers present.

But for us as consumers, it’s dangerous; it sparks a desire for products we otherwise wouldn’t have known about, it encourages frequent spending on products we don’t need and promotes an unrealistic and unachievable lifestyle.

Instagram is an ideal: a picture in a catalogue, an IKEA showroom, the elderly couple running along the beach in the BUPA advert.

The Instagram bubble becomes the norm and we’re sucked into a world where
influencers go on six holidays a year (five of which were free), while we’re desperately
saving to go on one package holiday to Mallorca.

I have to admit that I find accounts that solely advertise products incredibly dull – it’s like
watching a 24-hour TV channel full of adverts. The ever-expanding world of social media is becoming increasingly focused on ‘stuff’.

What happened to asking someone about the last book they read? Or their views on the climate change crisis? Having a platform means having power, and influencers should use that power to make an impact, and I’m not talking about one in sales.

As consumers we need to remind ourselves constantly that Instagram is an ideal: a picture
in a catalogue, an IKEA showroom, the elderly couple running along the beach in the
BUPA advert. It’s an advertising platform that we shouldn’t get sucked into, unless we want our finances sucked out of us.

I’m not saying I’m never going to accept gifting opportunities again, because I am. But I’m
certainly not going to accept them so frequently, nor am I going to accept things I wouldn’t normally be able to afford. What you don’t see is what I’ve turned down: the jewellery, the fancy skincare, the expensive clothing I won’t ever wear.

As an influencer, no matter how many followers I’ve got, I have a responsibility to portray my ‘real life’ as well as my ‘Insta life’, and if that means saying ‘no’ to free stuff, then so be it.

I don’t want to think about the amount of money I’ve wasted purchasing things I thought would drastically improve my life, because let’s face it, I’m never going to be that jade-
face-rolling, Mulberry-handbag-swinging, cashmere-jumper-wearing girl I see all over the internet.

I’ve come to terms with the fact that every Tuesday I’ll be sat on the sofa, watching Friends and eating a ready-meal mac ’n’ cheese. (And I’m secretly delighted.)

The post Is influencer marketing immoral? Confessions of an insider appeared first on Mouthy Money.

Meet Mouthy Money’s new writers – they tell stories about their financial lives, dreams, successes and failures. And their words won’t just twang your heartstrings or make you clutch your sides with laughter – though they’ll certainly do that! – no, they’ll also help you make the tough decisions looming large in your life.

Get the best of our real life stories once a month in your inbox by subscribing here.

Our writers

Joanna Blythman

Joanna is an award-winning investigative journalist, the author of seven landmark books on food issues and one of the most authoritative, influential commentators on the British food chain. Read: How vegan evangelists are propping up the ultra-processed food industry

Holly MC Thomas

Holly is a freelance writer and editor based in London. She writes regularly for CNN and The New Statesman, among other top tier publications. Read: The true cost to women of Russell Brand’s toxic masculinity

Emma Real-Davies

Presenter of The Female Struggle Is Real podcast and writer, Emma says she’s struggling with freelancing, struggling with being sustainable and struggling generally. Read: Saving the planet is bankrupting me

Lynn James

Winner of UK Money Blogger 2017 best parent and money blog. Radio presenter on SG1 Radio. Author of Blogging Your Way To Riches. Seen on BBC, ITV, HuffPo. Read: My experience of emotional spending

Samantha Rea

Samantha Rea is a freelance journalist living in London. She studied at the LSE but has since annihilated a fair few brain cells by watching too many episodes of Love Island. Read: Fresh air and scenes worthy of the Edinburgh Fringe: why I won’t be joining a gym 

Amy Treasure

Food writer and photographer. Amy has a simple approach to great home cooking. Runs. Read: Your diet is making you fat (and nine alternatives that actually work)

Holly Thomas

Holly is an award-winning financial journalist and former Deputy Personal Finance Editor at The Sunday Times. She writes across all areas of personal finance and consumer issues. Read: Want to cut the cost of Christmas 2019? Start shopping now…

Michael Taggart

Who, me? Oh, I’m the editor. Y’know…behind the scenes. Don’t like attention. Please ignore me. Do that at @michael_taggart. Read: Like giving crack to a cocaine addict: my life with a 110% subprime mortgage

Subscribe here to Mouthy Money’s monthly email for the best real-life stories about every day money challenges.

The post Introducing our writers appeared first on Mouthy Money.

So, here are my tips to help you squeeze beauty products into your budget:

What can you save on?

Ask yourself if you really need it. When you’re on a budget, you need to prioritise. Is it something you need, or at least really, really want? Assess all the products you have and see if it fits in. Will it complement what you already have, or will you need to invest in further products to go with it?

What are you prepared to scrimp on?

What products do you really want to invest in – perhaps its foundation, or your can’t stand smudgy eyeliner or clumpy mascara? Spend more on those products and then scrimp on the others. Ask yourself if you’ve just been seduced by the brand, or is there a high street alternative that does the job? They’ll be plenty of comparisons to the popular big brand products.

Don’t impulse buy

We’ve all been there – you’ve seen a great new product and it looks fantastic on the sales assistant so you pick it up. Take the details of what you want and, if you still want it later, you can either go back or order it online. The other thing I do is, throughout the month, make a list of everything I want and then narrow that down before payday. Give yourself time to think about things.

Is this the cheapest you can get it?

It’ll usually be cheaper online than in a department store and that also gives you time to assess if you really want it. Check Amazon, and trusted sellers on eBay – you want to make sure it’s genuine. Feel Unique regularly does sales and of course you should try beauty outlets, like Beauty Bay and All Beauty.

What can you make yourself?

There are a lot of online tutorials to make your own products, especially things like cleanser, toners, and hair masques. You can also support independent beauty entrepreneurs on Etsy and try homemade and natural products.

Research, research, research

If you have your eye on a particular product then read up on reviews and check blogger/vlogger experiences. Will it do what you expect? Does it actually suit your skin type? Is it worth the money? Don’t be tricked by the packaging – is it actually a teeny tiny amount of product in a ginormous bottle?

Can you try before you buy?

Can you get a sample from somewhere before you purchase the product? You can do this by just asking at a department store counter. Especially if it’s an expensive product you’re looking to invest in, make sure it’s right for your skin type and that it’s going to perform as you expect. We all have those products lying around that we’ve only used once but are just too expensive to throw away.

The post Beauty buying on a budget appeared first on Mouthy Money.

I used to think it was such a faff to put things on eBay – how could anyone be bothered? Then I made £70 on an old skirt that didn’t fit and I was hooked, I could finance my new wardrobe with my old one!

So, once you’ve done the wardrobe clear out and you’ve got your pile of old clothes ready to find a new home, make yourself a cup of tea (or big glass of wine) and open that laptop.

Research what you want to sell

Look up the item on eBay. What kind of price has it actually been selling for? What is a realistic price to list yours for? Look at how successful sales have described and labelled the item. What title did they use to encourage people to take a look? If you find out you have a hidden gem then you can start the auction a bit higher, add a buy it now, or put a reserve price on it (just bear in mind that eBay’s minimum reserve price is £50) – it may take longer to sell but then you wont end up short changed.

Add as much detail as possible to your listing

Take good photos in good light so people can clearly see the item. A white decluttered background is best. I see so many crumpled up items laid out on the floor on eBay which just doesn’t show the item’s potential and isn’t going to persuade people to pay good cash for it. Try adding in promo photos from where it was originally sold or outfit ideas.

Help buyers find your listing

What would you need to search for to find your listing? Include that in the title. Is there a fashion trend it fits into that you can mention? ‘Beautiful Boho layered dress’, for example. Does the product have a specific brand name or product title that people will be keeping an eye out for?

Sell your item

Don’t focus on why you’re getting rid of it, instead focus on what’s great about the item? Why would someone else enjoy it and get a whole new lease of life from it? Include the details from the original listening on the brand’s website. This will undoubtedly show it in the best light. How much did it sell for new? Show how much of a bargain they are getting. Suggest what kind of event to wear it to and what clothing it goes with. What body shape does it flatter?

Be completely honest

This goes without saying, but you need to be honest and include all the details in your listing. Not just because you’re selling an item and are responsible for it, but because people will return it or complain if it’s not as described. This will affect rating and reputation on eBay.

Likewise, make sure you’re covered

Take photos of any defects and make sure they are clearly listed in the description. Point out any repairs or faults that would impact the value of the item. If the item is worth a lot of money, make sure you send it signed for, get proof of postage, and use insurance if it’s an electrical item.

Think about the auction time

Schedule the auction to finish in the evening, the weekend is better, too. No one is going to be watching an eBay auction at 10am on a Monday, so you won’t get as good a price!

Price it right

Looking at how other similar items have sold should give you a good idea of what to sell yours for, and whether to use the auction or ‘Buy it Now’ option/s. But eBay will also advise you what similar items sold for. If you’re doing an auction, start on the minimum price you’re willing to let it go for because you may just get the one bid. If you’re going for the ‘Buy it Now’ option, go a little higher than it usually sells for as most buyers will get in touch to ‘Make an Offer’ – in which case, you’re more likely to get a price you were expecting.

Post as quickly as possible

Once you’ve received the payment, aim to post the item within a couple of days. Remember: you are offering a service that people will feedback on! Beware of what constitutes as a large letter, small package, etc. as you don’t want to get stung with a huge postage bill for something you sold for 99p! Don’t forget to include the price of packaging in your postage price up as you’re going to need to get an envelope to put it in as well, or recycle an old one. Keep the planet green!

Customer service

Want to get good reviews? Customer service is an invaluable currency on eBay that enables you to sell more items but also is an important proof point when people are deciding whether or not to buy from you. You’re ranked on whether the product was as described, on good communication, and on efficient postage. So, don’t package in a crappy plastic bag if you’ve charged for postage. Make sure the item is clean and ironed, if possible. Respond to any questions in a reasonable amount of time. Likewise, leave feedback on buyers’ profiles so you get feedback in return.

Finally, don’t forget that eBay takes a cut of the listing, so budget for that coming out your PayPal account at the end of the month and keep an eye out for offers. eBay often does ‘don’t pay unless you sell’ or money off listings – take advantage of these for your second eBay haul.

Anything I’ve missed? What are your top tips for being a savvy seller on eBay?

The post Tips for a smooth eBay sell! appeared first on Mouthy Money.

Pros

It’s a snip! Hair salons or training establishments offer hair cuts, colours, treatments, and other services for a very low price, if not completely free in some cases. Toni & Guy charge a fiver for a cut and substantially less than full salon prices for other services such as perms, colour changes, or hair relaxing treatments. See their price list here. Other training schools include the Sassoon Academy, Headmasters, and Hob Salons.

Your appointment will be supervised to an appropriate level, according to the stylist’s level. If the stylist is very inexperienced, the more the supervisor will intervene, resulting in a very professional finish to your hair cut. While trainees are learning, they are being monitored and so it’s in their best interest to give you a great look that’s what you asked for. They are keen to progress and impress. If you aren’t happy, the supervisor should step in.

The low cost gives you an opportunity to try different looks and colours without the financial commitment and you’ll gain from the advice of the trainee’s experienced supervisor, too.

You’re helping someone learn their trade! While academies provide learning situations in the ‘classroom’, nothing beats hands-on experience for confidence and building up a client base.

Cons

Your appointment might be after-hours, at inconvenient times, so you might have to re-arrange your diary in order to fit it in. Allow more time than usual as the process is often a lot slower, with a more detailed consultation at the start, and frequent checks (depending on the experience level). Make an evening of it!

Your nearest training school or academy might not be close by, so factor in some travel time and/or expense. However, ask at your local salon whether they need models. Even if they don’t need any at the time, they may do in the future, so it’s worth leaving your name and number.

You might miss out on building up a long-term relationship with a trusted stylist. It’s possible to follow your newly-qualified trainee to their new place of work, of course, or you might be lucky to find someone nearer the beginning of their training, which means you might get a few appointments in while they complete their studies.

The post Would you have your hair cut by a trainee? appeared first on Mouthy Money.

We make so many decisions every day and, because of that, sometimes decision fatigue comes into play. Decision fatigue is the idea that the more decisions you make, the more they deteriorate in quality – which is far from ideal. Removing just one decision from our morning routine (like choosing clothing) frees up our mental capacity to deal with others more effectively. Barrack Obama says ‘I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.’ Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has a similar outlook on clothing, instead keeping his decision making fresh for what actually matters.

Why do we buy into clothing trends? Ones that are dreamt up by the people who are ultimately going to benefit from us spending our money on said trends?

Life becomes less stressful if you know what you’re going to wear – you don’t question your attire ‘Is this too informal?’, ‘Is this colour too bright?’ Eliminate some of that morning stress.

I also get stressed when I go clothes shopping – It’s an in-joke between my wife and me that when I need jeans I go by myself as I’m a real pain. I hate it. Not only is it stressful, but it takes so much time. So, I have figured out what jeans I like and what size I need, so that I can buy them either online or easily when I’m at the shops. Often I buy a couple of pairs at a time and pop one away for when I need a new pair. Less stress, less time taken. Done.

Removing just one decision from our morning routine (like choosing clothing) frees up our mental capacity to deal with others more effectively.

Then there is the money aspect. Why do we buy into trends? Ones that are dreamt up by the people who are ultimately going to benefit from us spending our money on said trends? As a nation, most of our clothes purchases aren’t based on need at all, they’re based on want, and I don’t want overflowing drawers in my house. We’re a society with too many possessions in the first place. Think about the cost of having ‘up to date’ wardrobes and the time taken returning unwanted goods (if we return them at all!). If we know what we like, what works for us and what combinations pair together, we can buy in bulk. I have started buying trainers in bulk. They were cheaper online, but I refused to pay money for delivery so, to get free delivery, I bought four pairs. They were the same make of shoes – ones I liked and knew would fit me. Sure, you may need to pay out more in the first place, but you can then keep an eye out for what you want in the sale. Buy once a year, or when you need to replace items, and then enjoy living.

I haven’t gone the whole way of having a wardrobe full of the same pairs of trousers or a drawer with 10 identical t-shirts – that’s probably a bit too ‘clean’ for me. I like a little bit of variation in my style, but do enjoy not having to really decide what to wear every day. I grab the jeans, the t-shirt at the top of the pile and pop a hoodie on to keep warm. It gives me time to dedicate to other areas of my life. Some folk take hours to get ready every morning. Whilst there are people, some extremely successful people, who wear the same outfit everyday. Good on them. It’s a way to stop stress, save money and increase productivity. I think we could all probably learn something from that.

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Charity shops are a great way to shop on a budget. Prices are low and choices are high and, unlike high street brands, you can’t rule out a store for ‘not fitting your shape’ or ‘being too expensive’ – although some charity shops are cheaper than others. From experience, I find British Heart Foundation, PDSA, and local charities such as hospice’s to be the cheapest. I also find Cancer Research, Oxfam, and Octavia Foundation to be more expensive – but, on the flip side, I would be more likely to donate to these ones as I know my items will be sold for a good amount. Prices totally vary in different areas. For example, in the charity shops in Marylebone (though stocked with designer and top end high street goods) it is not uncommon to find items for £20. Whereas, in London suburb Finchley where I used to live (more high street brands), most items will be under a fiver. Some volunteers clearly know their brands but others don’t have a clue and will price Primark and Karen Millen the same.

Because the items are cheap, it means that you can justify choosing items you might normally put back.

It is completely pot luck, and I think that is partly why I like it – you never really know what you’re going to find. I normally go with an idea or two of what I am after, like ‘black jeans’ or ‘white top’, though you can’t be too specific and must go in with an open mind. I’ve found gems like Levi jeans for £2.75 (British Heart Foundation) and a Cos dress for £6.50 (Cancer Research). Once I found some brand new (!) UGG Boots for £40 and a DVF skirt for £8! There’s a certain thrill you get when you find a real bargain, but also outrage when you find a Primark top for £4.50 – you could buy that cheaper in store!

Because the items are cheap, it means that you can justify choosing items you might normally put back. Try out new colours, different styles, and don’t feel restricted by size; I often buy oversized shirts or baggy jumpers to wear with leggings. Remember to check the men’s (assuming you are female) and children’s sections too for hidden treasures – my sister is really good at this. Sometimes I try to find items so ugly they’re good, which is quite fun!

Always buy your books from a charity shop! It actually blows my mind that people pay £7.99 for a paper back in Waterstones when charity shops sell them from 99p. Popular fiction is often well stocked; books like the Richard and Judy book club picks start emerging a month or so after they’ve been announced. There are always copies of ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ and the ‘Fifty Shades’ trilogy. Cookbooks, travel books, and old text books are usually quite well stocked too, and are always worth a look. The other week, I picked up a copy of ‘Jamie’s 15-Minute Meals’ for £2.99. If you want a really good selection of books go to an Oxfam bookshop, though prices are usually higher here (eg. £2.99 for a paperback).

Charity shops are a great way to shop on a budget. Prices are low and choices are high.

Other items worth looking through are bric-a-brac. Living in a shared house, we always seem to be missing all of one item of cutlery (normally teaspoons). They may not be matching but who can say no to a collection of 10 for £1? Odd items of crockery, pots and pans, vases, and fun mugs can also be picked up cheaply. I always buy my sister a teapot for her birthday (long story) and normally find the annual purchase in a charity shop.

Keep an eye out for anything, and everything, else. I’ve picked up a pair of wellies two days before Glastonbury before. I’ve bought suitcases, too, and, when studying fashion, used to buy old curtains and sheets for mock ups as they are much cheaper than calico! DVDs, CDs, and even vinyls can also be found – though you might need to route around for a while, these are usually cheaper than downloading from iTunes.

Remember, it’s worth shopping around. Don’t rule out a shop if it wasn’t good that one time, because stock always changes. Don’t be too stingy – remember, the money all goes to charity. I always round to the nearest pound when paying. Finally, don’t forget to donate back – shops rely on donations, so let’s keep the circle turning!

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