Credit crunch style

You need the right clothes for your life: if you's an office girl you need gorgeous office clothes. If you's a home worker, you need fantabulousa jeans. If you never go to weddings, then why the flaming heck have you got ten wedding outfits and ten blooming feathery hats in there? To eBay, the money goes to your wardrobe budget. To a charity shop and the money goes to people who need it much, much more than you do.

Mix it up in that old wardrobe. Try some new combinations out. I love purple with yellow, brown with pink, posh jackets and jeans, old dresses with bright new leggings. Get all your clothes out and mess them about like a real stylist.

Only when you are absolutely sure you need something new... and it's going to go with at least FOUR things you already have, are you allowed to go out and spend with your budget money. Take it in cash babes, that way you'll be clever. You'll say: 'ooooh, if I buy the one that's £35 pounds instead of £40, I'll be able to get that darlin' little necklace as well'. Instead of just lobbing everything into your basket and handing over your card.

Try Oxfam. Seriously. Last time I was in there I saw a perfect suede mini and an Ugg handbag, a fiver each! You work hard for your money, girl, don't let it slip through your fingers.

Think quality, quality, quality! Yes you can shop on the high street, but only for things that are well made. If it falls apart after the first wash, rips when you sit down or bobbles on the first wear. Take it back!

No more wandering round the shops just 'to look'. If you look, you will blooming well find! I know this because I hang the stuff up to make it look so blooming gorgeous you are practically committing hari blooming kiri in the changing room at the thought of not owning it.

Get some new hobbies. Go to some interesting places where you can wear your fabulous new re-susced and re-habed outfits: art galleries, cafes, bookshops, restaurants - with all that money you saved on shopping you can treat yourself.

Because you're not shopping every weekend, you can visit some of those people you never have 'time' to see. Enjoy their compliments at the lovely new you.

Shopping is not the thing. Looking gorgeous is the thing.

Spending all your time shopping is a bit sad, spending all your time looking irresistibly fabulous is fantastic!

Carmen Reid's How Not To Shop, starring Annie Valentine, is out in August (Corgi £6.99). Find out more at www.carmenreid.com.

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