How to be rich!

As someone who has spent the majority of their life in education I've amassed a wealth of knowledge. Sadly, I've earnt little and saved less (neither have I developed any practical, transferable skills, but that's another post!) All these misspent years mean that I know a thing or two about feeling rich when you're poor.

Hey you guys, did you know that the best things on life are free?!! What's that? This thought doesn't fill you with joy and anticipation? Funny enough, after a week filled with nothing but pasta shells and twice used tea bags (true story) I had very little good will left to consider how doth the flower grow. Rather I preferred to brood about how my purse full of lint was ruin my life or dwell on all the everything I would buy/do/eat/see/wear when I could afford it! Unsurprisingly, this created its own particular brand of misery. I shall now share some of the ways I found to balance extravagance and frugality.

Smart Sampling

I'm not sure I'll ever be able to splurge on fancy make up or cosmetics, not when there are so many glorious books and luscious fabrics begging to be bought! Yet that does mean I shall content myself with bargain beauty. Oh no! Cosmetic companies are always willing to tempt new customers by letting them try their products. Ask your local beauty counter for a sample of one or two potions and you'll be able to enjoy a few days of cosmetic wealth!

Take a trip to the spa

Clear your calendar, turn off your phone, light some candles, stick some pan pipes on YouTube, put a fresh towel on the radiator and fill the bath. Behold! You've made your own spa! Complete the experience with a cheap face mask, even better if it's an organic, locally sourced and ethically produced one (read: homemade).

Go on a date

When I'm strapped for cash I usually find myself becoming a hermit. The glamourous social events pixilated for my envy on Facebook all seem very expensive, and I'm not sure I have the emotional strenght to shirk this creeping despondency. So I stay in and make sure I spend nothing, hitting refresh on FB/Twitter/Instagram, stalking through ASOS on the trail of someone's outfit and generally feeling like a peasant. Bah humbug! Coiff your hair, paint your nails, do your make up, hold your head high, slip on a smile and sashay out to greet the world! If you're alone I advocate a coffee house and a book. If you are accompanied I HIGHLY recommend heading to a bodega or a bistro and sitting at the bar. A friend and I did this not too long ago. We ordered a cheese board to share and a glass of wine. A few moments banter with the bar tender resulted in a steady supply of mini cocktails for the next several hours! Highest ever return on a £10 spend!

Top tip: Arrive after lunch and leave before dinner, it's not fair to hog a table and cost your venue money.

Be a hostess

Casual nights in always result in the best fun. Stick on a big pot of something hearty, tasty and cheap, ask the guests to supply the sides and get some retro tunes playing. For an added zing to your Generation Y ego, snap some photos of artfully staged food.

Get out!

Feeling rich is really about feeling free. Finding freedom from the nagging voices that tell you you're not worth as much as other people will keep you sane and help you feel grateful for the fortune at your fingertips. I know you don't want to hear it - being rich is not about the things you own! It's not about things you can touch or anything that you can compare. It's about the laughter that echoes from your past and the light that shines from your future. When I need to remember this I carve out some quiet. Anywhere I can make it will do, but I especially like here...

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