How to Have a Cheap Holiday
Making plans for a summer break is perfect cold weather escapism. But if money is tight, brochure prices can be a cruel dampener. With research and a flexible approach, however, you can wipe out much of the cost of conventional travel, sourcing free accommodation and free, or cheap, flights.
Mark Bridge & Lauren Thompson, Times 1 July 2009:
How to have a cheap holiday
Home and Dry
If you're too hot to move, you could just try one of these perfect thirst-quenchers
Victoria Moore, Guardian 30 June 2009:
Home and dry
Auto-ban: German Town Goes Car-free
Vauban hopes to forge a model community without that great staple of modern life – the car. Now the sound of birdsong has replaced the roar of traffic and children can play in the street
Tony Paterson, Independent 26 June 2009:
Auto-ban: German town goes car-free
Wine, Veg and Little Meat 'a Recipe for Long Life'
It has long been heralded as the perfect recipe for a long life but a new study suggests that not all foods that make up the Mediterranean diet carry the same benefits.
Kate Devlin, Telegraph 24 June 2009:
Wine, veg and little meat 'a recipe for long life'
Money Worries Making Shoppers Turn Away from Famous Brands like Heinz
Money worries are undermining shoppers' loyalty to their favourite brands, researchers have said.
Telegraph, 24 June 2009:
Money worries making shoppers turn away from famous brands like Heinz
Lenders Try to Repossess Homes for Credit Card Debt
Borrowers' homes at risk after huge increase in lenders demanding to secure debt against properties
Lauren Thompson, Times 24 June 2009:
Lenders try to repossess homes for credit card debt
Cinema Paradise
Take a seat outdoors, in your car, in art deco splendour or even on a rooftop, with the Guardian's pick of the best film venues in Britain
Dixie Willis, Guardian 17 June 2009:
Cinema paradise
Lettuce Reign Over You: Queen Starts Allotment
The latest boost for the ‘grow your own’ campaign is coming from Buckingham Palace.
Maurice Chittenden, Sunday Times 14 June 2009:
Lettuce reign over you: Queen starts allotment
Adventures of a Couch Surfer
There are many ways to see the world — including crashing on the sofas of strangers.
Fleur Britten, Sunday Times 14 June 2009:
Adventures of a couch surfer
Credit Crunch Revives Bread Sales
Sales of bread are on the rise for the first time in 35 years people take sandwiches to work to save money.
Valerie Elliott, Times 13 June 2009:
Credit crunch revives bread sales as workers make sarnies to save cash
How to Drive Down the Cost of Car Insurance
It is possible to reduce your premiums by hundreds of pounds and stay protected.
Mark Bridge, Times 13 June 2009:
How to drive down the cost of car insurance
Aldi is Crowned Britain's Best Supermarket
Budget food store Aldi has been crowned the best supermarket in Britain by the consumer organisation Which?
Martin Hickman, Independent 9 June 2009:
Aldi is crowned Britain's best supermarket
The Best UK Campsites by the Sea
The British coast is fringed with campsites, and Leo Wallace, editor of Beach Campsites UK, has chosen some of the best.
Guardian 9 June 2009:
The best UK campsites by the sea
Rediscovering Banking Like it Used to Be
The Stafford Railway Building Society lends less than its savers deposit.
Andrew Bounds, Financial Times June 6 2009:
Rediscovering banking like it used to be
The Finishing Touch
Craving a few changes at home, but feeling the pinch? Then tackle our simple craft projects, says Charlotte Abrahams - they're cheap, satisfying and a lot easier than you might think
Guardian 6 June 2009:
The finishing touch
Battle Looms Over Right to Return Goods
Don't assume the worst if you've got faulty items just out of warranty, says Miles Brignall.
Guardian 5 June 2009:
Battle looms over right to return goods
How Last.fm is Thinking Outside the Jewel Case
Last.fm is a great British success story, now boasting 30 million users - so what has the internet radio company got up its sleeve?
Jemima Kiss, Guardian 4 June 2009:
How Last.fm is thinking outside the jewel case
Thrifty London
A guide to London on the cheap.
Time Out, 4 June 2009:
Thrifty London
The Great Escape
Want to make the most of the good weather but tired of the same old day trips? The Guardian's experts guide you to some of their favourite haunts.
Guardian 2 June 2009:
The great escape
Is the AA Taking You For a Ride?
The AA is charging customers as much as £186.50 for its breakdown and recovery service – yet similar cover can be found elsewhere for just £35. Patrick Collinson asks if the traditional providers are just laughing all the way to the garage
Guardian 30 May 2009:
Is the AA taking you for a ride?
Mobile Operators Must Answer the Call
If you want to save money during the recession, then look no further than your mobile phone.
Victor Keegan, Guardian 28 May 2009:
Mobile operators must answer the call
Europe: It's Cheaper Than You Think
All the focus has been on the value offered by Turkey this summer – but there are plenty of bargains in mainstream destinations on the Continent if you know where to look, says Nick Trend.
Telegraph 26 May 2009:
Europe: it's cheaper than you think
Map Reading Tips for a World Without Satnav
Map reading for those who've forgotten how.
Tim Dowling, Guardian 21 May 2009:
Map reading tips for a world without satnav
Feasts for a Fiver
Last week the Guardian asked top chefs to create a delicious two-course dinner for under £5. But its readers thought they could do better. Here's the pick of the recipes.
Guardian 20 May 2009:
Feasts for a fiver
What's for Dinner?
In the final part of his guide to kitchen gardening, Dan Pearson reveals why organic is best, what tools you'll need and how mixed planting helps veggies grow.
Observer 17 May 2009:
What's for dinner?
Double the Number to Go Camping this Year
Nearly double the number of holidaymakers are considering a camping holiday this summer as the recession forces people to cut back on expensive holidays.
Harry Wallop, Telegraph 15 May 2009:
Double the number to go camping this year
Here We Go Again, Back to Bank Profits and Big Bonuses
Just as before, the returns are being made in the investment arms
Adrian Hamilton, Independent 14 May 2009:
Here we go again, back to bank profits and big bonuses
How to Be a Budget Gourmet
The Guardian has a week-long series of affordable recipes from Britain's top chefs, Delia Smith shares her ideas for eating deliciously on the cheap - and whips up two new, exclusive recipes.
Guardian 11 May 2009:
How to be a budget gourmet
Waste Not
Households are consuming less and recycling more, according to the latest official figures
Rachel Shields, Independent on Sunday 10 May 2009:
Waste not: recession leads to big drop in amount of rubbish we are throwing away
Green Your Home: The Great Green Giveaway
Where to look to make some serious savings.
Guardian 9 May 2009:
Green your home: the great green giveaway
Thrifty Living: Can You Afford Not to Go Green Anymore?
Over three quarters of households (78 per cent) have become more energy efficient in the past 12 months and over a third of these (36 per cent) have done so because of the rising cost of gas and electricity. It now seems that the recession is achieving what years of educated debate hasn't – it is making Britain's householders go green.
Ann Robinson, Independent 9 May 2009:
Thrifty Living: Can you afford not to go green anymore?
A Mere Trifle
Fresh, organic fruit from the garden? It may sound too much like hard work, but it's actually a breeze, says Gardeners' World presenter Toby Buckland.
Guardian 9 May 2009:
A mere trifle
Poundland's Sales Soar During Recession
Poundland delivered record sales for the year to the end of March, as the single-price retailer attracted hordes of new customers seeking value for money during the recession.
James Thompson, Independent 6 May 2009:
Poundland's sales soar during recession
Here's Something We Sowed Earlier
Growing your own food is the best way to interest children in eating healthily - if you let them help, say Karen Liebreich, Jutta Wagner and Annette Wendland.
Guardian 2 May 2009:
Here's something we sowed earlier
Sheep's Head Broth? Lovely
The credit crunch has sparked a boom in thrift-lit, discovers Carole Cadwalladr, nowhere more so than in cunning ways to serve up leftovers.
Observer 26 April 2009:
Sheep's head broth? lovely
The Hut Parade
Garden offices are cheap, chic, eco-friendly and above all – there is no commute. Could shedworking be the way forward for workers looking for an office alternative?
Alex Johnson, Guardian 25 April 2009:
Garden offices: the hut parade
Car Scrappage Scheme: a Case of Bangers and Trash
This week the chancellor offered owners of old cars £2,000 to scrap them for a new model. But Tony Levene says the sums just don't add up.
Guardian 25 April 2009:
Car scrappage scheme: a case of bangers and trash
Sow Good for You
Tastier and more nutritious than supermarket offerings, while saving students a packet too, growing your own fruit and veg can prove satisfying in spades. Louise Tickle digs deeper.
Guardian 25 April 2009:
Sow good for you
Holidaymakers Must Play Their Cards Right
The alternatives to using increasingly pricey plastic while abroad.
Laura Whateley, Times 24 April 2009:
Holidaymakers must play their cards right
Swap Shop
It's the ultimate in Tom-and-Barbara thriftiness, but Freecycle is also a great way to get involved in your community. Ros Anderson talks to three aficionados.
Guardian 18 April 2009:
Swap shop
Who Needs a Gym Membership?
Now you can work out in the park.
Zoe Williams, Guardian 16 April 2009:
Who needs a gym membership?
Number of House Swaps Rise by More Than 400 Per Cent in a Year
The number of home owners who are resorting to swapping their properties as a means of selling them has jumped by more than 400 per cent in the past year, figures indicate.
Myra Butterworth, Telegraph 15 April 2009:
Number of house swaps rise by more than 400 per cent in a year
Is ‘Free’ the Future of Music?
Could the success of music-streaming services such as Spotify point to a viable long-term business model for the music industry?
Claudine Beaumont, Telegraph 9 April 2009:
Is ‘free’ the future of music?
Waitrose to Put Delivery Bikes Back on the Roads
Supermarket giant Waitrose has put a fleet of bicycles back on the road so staff can deliver shopping to customers in a more traditional and greener way.
Telegraph 7 April 2009:
Waitrose to put delivery bikes back on the roads
Small Cars Outperform Large Ones
Fuel-efficient small cars are holding their values better than prestige saloons and 4x4s.
Paul Hudson, Daily Telegraph 6 April 2009:
Small cars outperform large ones
Queen of Swaps
Bored with your clothes? Short of cash? Online swapshops may be the answer. Julia Rebaudo revamped her wardrobe in a week for almost nothing - here's how.
Guardian, 3 April 2009:
Queen of swaps
Cobbler Who is Showing His Rivals a Clean Pair of Heels
Happy to be a paternalistic employer and resolutely low-tech, John Timpson is doing well out of the slump.
David Teather, Guardian 3 April 2009:
Cobbler who is showing his rivals a clean pair of heels
The Crisis of Credit Visualized
An excellent little video explaining the origins of the credit crunch really simply on vimeo.com:
The crisis of credit visualized
The Not so Humble Potato
You may not be familiar with scarlet, purple or knobbly potatoes, but thanks to the current revival in tasty heritage varieties, you soon will be. You could even try growing your own, says Norman Miller.
Guardian, 1 April 2009:
The not so humble potato
The Incredible Shrinking Economy
Bailouts, rescue plans, stimulus packages ... Like most of us, Aida Edemariam didn't understand where the money was really going. So she asked the experts to explain. Very slowly.
Guardian, 1 April 2009:
The incredible shrinking economy
The Credit Card Refund That's All Grief and No Fun
If a firm goes bust and you paid by plastic, will your card issuer reimburse you? Not if they can help it, as Liz Phillips and Lisa Bachelor reveal.
Observer, 29 March 2009:
The credit card refund that's all grief and no fun
Recipes from Hard Times
Tim Hayward reveals some frugal cooking tips from cookbooks written during previous periods of austerity.
Guardian 25 March 2009:
Recipes from hard times
Last Orders? Locals Fight Back
Every week 39 pubs shut down. Petrol stations lie abandoned. Post Offices are closing. But as Miles Brignall reports, community companies may be the answer.
Guardian, 21 March 2009:
Last orders? Locals fight back
National Trust Visitors Increase by 50 Per Cent
Engaging in simple pleasures near to home is helping lift the gloom of the recession, according to a National Trust survey.
By Paul Stokes, Telegraph 20 March 2009:
National Trust visitors increase by 50 per cent
Spotted Online: Local Guides to Europe's Cities
Spotted by Locals is a network of city bloggers providing up-to-the-minute local information - from a cosy London hideaway to Madrid's best kept museum secret
Benji Lanyado, Guardian 18 March 2009:
Spotted online: local guides to Europe's cities
The Revolution in Micromanufacturing
An article describing the rise of specialist arts and crafts sites such as Etsy.
Clive Thompson, Wired Magazine 17 March 2009:
The revolution in micromanufacturing
Social Lending Website Zopa Profits from Banks' Decline
Zopa, the social lending website that cuts out banks, lent a record £2.5m in February and is piling on new members as the credit drought makes its service more attractive.
Sean Farrell, Independent 16 March 2009:
Social lending website Zopa profits from banks' decline
An Eggcellent Investment?
Can you save money by producing your own eggs, growing your own fruit and veg, and making your own honey? Hilary Osborne is cock-a-hoop at the prospect.
Guardian, 14 March 2009:
An eggcellent investment?
Open Source Apps are no Small Free Beer
As the recession bites, users are eschewing expensive proprietary software for increasingly sophisticated alternatives at zero cost
Sean Dodson, Guardian 12 March 2009:
Open source apps are no small free beer
Half of Asda Price Cuts 'Worth Just 1p'
Half of the price cuts introduced for shoppers by supermarket chain Asda in its latest high-profile "Rollback" campaign are just one penny, a new report for grocery industry trade magazine The Grocer found.
Telegraph 8 March 2009:
Half of Asda price cuts 'worth just 1p'
Paris on the Cheap - Go Camping
The best bits of Paris need not cost a fortune if you keep off the beaten track. The Times' insider guide reveals an unusual pied-à-terre.
Nicholas Roe, Times 7 March 2009:
Paris on the cheap - go camping
Waitrose Plans to Mix with the Discounters
Waitrose is rebranding 1,450 own-label products and cutting prices on 450 lines in a bid to stop increasingly cost-conscious shoppers from defecting to rival supermarkets to find cheaper alternatives.
Julia Finch, Guardian 6 March 2009:
Waitrose plans to mix with the discounters
Britain Returns to Thrifty Domesticity
A revival of 1950s style domesticity has swept Britain due to the economic downturn. Consumers are applying a do-it-yourself attitude to all areas of daily life by making clothes, growing vegetables and dying their own hair.
Natalie Curant, Independent Friday, 6 March 2009:
Britain returns to thrifty domesticity
Get Your Hands Dirty!
Spring is here and the time is right to start growing veg and flowers - even if you've never done it before
Jekka McVicar, Guardian 5 March 2009:
Get your hands dirty!
Can We Build a World with Open Source
Victor Keegan, Guardian 5 March 2009:
Can we build a world with open source
Sales Shopping with a Difference
For an affordable fashion fix, forget eBay or identikit high street chains. Sophie Eggleton sings the praises of the car boot sale: ethical, stylish and, above all, fun.
Guardian 3 March 2009:
Sales shopping with a difference
Comparison Websites Face Stiff Competition
They claim to make your life easier and to help you find anything through a few simple clicks of the mouse.
Amanda Andrews, Telegraph 2 March 2009:
Comparison websites face stiff competition
Do the Maths (or How to Have Supper with Nigel Slater for 31p)
Having your cut-price cake and eating it doesn't mean skimping on quality. Here are 10 satisfying dishes that don't require forking out a fortune…
Observer 1 March 2009:
Do the maths (or how to have supper with Nigel Slater for 31p)
Big Culture on a Small Budget
John Hind with the inside information on going out - and staying in - for arts lovers on a shoestring.
Observer 1 March 2009:
Big culture on a small budget
How I Learnt to Live with my Frugal Husband
Harriet Green on the pros and cons of a man who likes to make do and mend.
Observer 1 March 2009:
How I learnt to live with my frugal husband
Todmorden: Britain's First Self-Sufficient Town
A West Yorkshire town has invoked the Second World War spirit of digging for victory by attempting to become the first in Britain to become self-sufficient in vegetables.
Paul Wilkinson, Telegraph 27 February 2009:
Todmorden: Britain's first self-sufficient town
The UK's Favourite Campsites
Fastest-selling UK campsites according to the Camping and Caravanning Club
Paddy Allen, Guardian 26 February 2009:
Britain's favourite campsites
The Best Cash ISA Transfer Deals
As the tax year draws to a close, banks are desperately trying to attract new customers by launching new cash Isas – and crucially, they are allowing existing Isas to be transferred. With interest rates on cash ISAs at an all-time low you could get a better deal by shopping around.
Lisa Kjellsson, Telegraph 25 February 2009:
The best cash Isa deals
Lehman Brothers: From Investment Banker to Italian Food Supplier
Natasha Rogoff, 31, lost her job at Lehman Brothers in September now sells Italian food and produce at Farmers Markets throughout London.
Melanie Wright, Telegraph 24 February 2009:
Lehman Brothers: from investment banker to Italian food supplier
The Netbook Effect: How Cheap Little Laptops Hit the Big Time
Netbooks prove that we finally know what PCs are actually for. Which is to say, not all that much...
Clive Thompson, Wired 23 February 2009:
The netbook effect: how cheap little laptops hit the big time
50 Best Recipes Ever
Devilled kidneys? Fishcakes from the Ivy? You don't have to be an expert to make a supper sing - you just need a little secret know-how
Observer: 22 February 2009:
50 best simple recipes
Engineering Revival
A better Olympic legacy for east London would be a return to its great manufacturing tradition.
Jonathan Glancey, Guardian 20 February 2009:
Engineering revival
People Growing Own Fruit and Vegetables to Beat Recession as Good Life Returns
The Good Life is back, with more than a quarter of people in Britain growing their own fruit and vegetables in an effort to beat the recession.
Louise Gray, Telegraph 17 February 2009:
People growing own fruit and vegetables to beat recession as Good Life returns
How to Have a Cheap Holiday
Making plans for a summer break is perfect cold weather escapism. But if money is tight, brochure prices can be a cruel dampener. With research and a flexible approach, however, you can wipe out much of the cost of conventional travel, sourcing free accommodation and free, or cheap, flights.
Mark Bridge & Lauren Thompson, Times 16 February 2009:
How to have a cheap holiday
The 50 Best Cheap Eats
Rhiannon Batten serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner on a budget.
Independent 14 February 2009:
The 50 best cheap eats
50 Ways to Save Cash
In hard times, it's more important than ever to ensure that you pay no more than necessary for the essentials of life. Here are 50 ways to get the most from your money.
Telegraph 13 February 2009:
50 ways to save cash
10 Ways to Save Money in the Home
Save over £1000 a year by making some simple changes around your home.
Times 12 February 2009:
10 ways to save money in the home
Just Don't Put it Under the Mattress...
What should savers do with their money as the recession bites? Patrick Collinson and Rupert Jones offer some advice
Guardian 12 February 2009:
Just don't put it under the mattress...
Honesty Pays in Berlin's Bars
A pay-what-you-want bar? In a recession? It may sound crazy, but it's been a hit in Berlin for 10 years, says Benji Lanyado.
Guardian 12 February 2009:
Honesty pays in Berlin's bars
Family Holidays for Less
Joanna Moorhead recommends holidays that won't break the family budget.
Guardian 11 February 2009:
Family holidays for less
The Best Family Holidays
Whether you want to stride across Dartmoor, explore Berlin or relax on Italy's Amalfi coast, you don't have to spend a fortune. Nicola Iseard and Liz Bird have the pick of affordable and child-friendly holidays in Britain and Europe.
Observer, 8 February 2009:
The best family holidays
Return of the Dinner Party
But now it's more likely to be a casserole in the kitchen than a formal affair.
Rose Prince, Telegraph 7 February 2009:
Return of the dinner party
Around the World on a Shoestring
Rolf Potts has travelled the world on a shoestring. Kicking off a special issue in the Guardian, he explains how spending less pays off in amazing and memorable experiences.
Guardian 7 February 2009:
Around the world on a shoestring
Recession Spurs Friends onto Allotment
As thousands of people apply for allotment plots around Britain, two friends describe why they have been spurred into growing their own.
Laura Donnelly, Telegraph 31 January 2009:
Recession spurs friends onto allotment
Why Dealing with the Huge Debt Overhang is so Hard
How much debt is too much? Nobody knows. But the governments of highly indebted high-income economies – such as the US and UK – think they know the answer: more than today.
Martin Wolf, Financial Times 27 January 2009
Why dealing with the huge debt overhang is hard
Britain's First Straw Council Houses to be Built
Britain's first straw council houses are to be built in a bid to cut costs and energy consumption.
Aislinn Simpson, Telegraph 27 January 2009:
Straw council houses
Banks Need to Go Back to Being Boring
It is time to rediscover the virtues of saving after years of living as spendthrifts.
Larry Elliott, Guardian 26 January 2009
Banks need to go back to being boring
Phonebills: How to Save When You're Calling Overseas
It's easy to run up monstrous bills if family or friends live abroad. The Telegraph's Pennypincher explains how to spend less.
Melanie Wright, Telegraph 26 January 2009:
Phonebills: how to save when you're calling overseas
Consumers Focus on Reducing their Debts in December
Consumers reined back their borrowing in December, repaying £0.4bn of unsecured borrowing through credit cards, overdrafts and loans, figures from the British Bankers' Association (BBA) showed today.
Hilary Osborne, Guardian 26 January 2009:
Consumers focus on reducing their debts in December
Jobless in Henley, Part XI
The Telegraph's diarist of middle-class redundancy takes a walk around Henley-on-Thames and discovers how our world is changing thanks to the recession.
Julie Salt, Telegraph 26 January 2009:
Jobless in Henley, part XI
Thrifty Commuters Ride Economic Cycle
More commuters in Britain's cities are getting on their bikes to cut travel costs during the economic downturn, according to cycling lobbyists and trade groups.
Robert Wright, Financial Times 24 January 2009:
Thrifty commuters ride economic cycle
National Trust to Give Land for Allotments
The National Trust is to give over land for allotments as part of a drive to get more people growing their own produce.
Louise Gray, Telegraph 24 January 2009:
National Trust to give land for allotments
Chez Jim
Want to meet people in Paris? Then drop in on the 'godfather of social networking'. Everyone's welcome at his weekly open-house supperclub.
Vicky Baker, Guardian 24 January 2009:
Chez Jim
We Have Every Right to be Angry with the Bankers
Bosses who wrecked rock-solid institutions walked away with millions - leaving us to pay for their folly.
Philip Johnston, Telegraph 21 January 2009:
We have every right to be angry with the bankers
Grow Your Own: The Seeds of Change
As shoppers feel the pinch, more Britons are tearing out the decking and turning their lawns into vegetable plots.
Rachel Shields, The Independent 18 January 2009
Grow your own: The seeds of change
Fight the Power
Alarmed by claims that two Google searches produce as much C02 as boiling a kettle, Leo Hickman finds out how to save energy when using home computers.
Guardian 15 January 2009:
Fight the power
Secret Museums
Alongside the V&A, Science, Natural History and British Museums, the capital has a host of smaller, lesser-known collections. Here's Time Out's guide to London's best secret museums.
Time Out 14 January 2009:
70 best unsung museums
Can Barter Save the Planet?
In the current economic climate, with money running short, people are increasingly turning to barter. At the local, individual level, barter networks such as Lets are growing fast. But this development is not merely homespun. Major corporations and nations are striking deals without cash - last year China and the Congo agreed to exchange infrastructure projects for raw materials worth around $9bn - the largest barter deal ever.
John-Paul Flintoff, Times 12 January 2009:
Can barter save the planet - and your business?
Ubuntu Pushes to Bring Linux to the Masses
Ashley Vance, International Herald Tribune 11 January 2009:
Ubuntu pushes to bring Linux to the masses
Top 10 Links for Affordable UK Holidays
The Telegraph picks out the best links for UK holidaymakers on a budget.
Damien Noonan, The Telegraph 9 January 2009:
The top 10 links for affordable UK holidays
How to Cut Your Food Bill in Half
Do you feel like your grocery bill is getting bigger each week? That's because it probably is. The price of all food and drink products increased by an average of 5.9% last year - well above the official rate of inflation. How to cut your food bill in half.
Anne Shooter, Daily Mail 9 January 2009:
How to cut your food bill in half
London's Best Cheap Eats
Where to find the best cheap meals in London and where to eat out on a budget. Time Out has recommendations for great food and good-value restaurants and cafés in the capital, from Indian to Italian, Chinese to Caribbean.
Emily Kerrigan, Charmaine Mok, Jenni Muir, Jeff Ng and Cyrus Shahrad, Time Out 7 January 2009:
London's best cheap eats
The Public Library Renaissance
If nobody seems to be out buying books, movies, and music, what are they doing with their leisure time instead? Apparently: going to the library.
New York Times 7 January 2009:
The public library renaissance
To Live in Remarkable Times
James Meek on the strange new world we find ourselves in this year.
Guardian 5 January 2009:
To live in remarkable times
Money-Saving Tips
Expert financial advice for the consumer, general banking and savings tips, and your personal questions answered.
Telegraph, regular money-saving feature:
Money-Saving Tips
Ways to Cut Bills During a Recession
Families are being urged to overhaul their finances to prepare for a tough 2009, but with savings rates dropping, mortgage rates frozen and credit cards and overdrafts on the rise, just how easy is it to save money?
Ali Hussain, Sunday Times 4 January 2009:
Ways to cut bills during a recession
Pubs Offer Meals for £1
Locals inns around the country are fighting off closure with a seemingly impossible bargain - lunch for just a quid. Our writer goes on a gastronomic tour from Cannock to Clachnaharry.
Stephen Moss, Guardian 3 January 2009:
Pubs offer meals for £1
Love me Tender
Sales of slow cookers are booming – but do the results always have to be bland? Jamie Merrill puts the crunch-busting appliance to the test.
Independent 1 January 2009:
Love me tender: Are slow cookers worth the effort?
2009 The Year of the Bicycle
Want to shape up, save cash - and feel fantastic? There’s one very simple solution: start pedalling. Simon Usborne explains why now is the time to get cycling, while Olympian Victoria Pendleton reveals her training tips.
Independent 1 January 2009:
2009 The year of the bicycle
How to Thrive Without Money
Getting ahead when you've got no access to money is hard, but as this film shows, it can be done.
John-Paul Flintoff, Sunday Times 22 December 2008:
How to thrive without money
Archbishop Troubled by "Usurious" Economics
It's been a while since I last posted about usury, and how lending money at interest places a terrible burden on the environment because it requires constant growth. With Christmas getting closer, and the debt-based economy falling to pieces, I thought I'd look into the position of various churches on this matter. One of the most outspoken clerics, it appears, is the leader of the Anglicans.
John-Paul Flintoff, Sunday Times 16 December 2008:
Archbishop troubled by "usurious" economics
Study Says Cars Make Us Fat
As if there weren't already enough evidence proving regular exercise is good for you, a new study suggests ditching the car and walking, riding a bike or using mass transit can help prevent obesity. In what might seem like a "Duh!" moment, David Bassett of the University of Tennessee and John Pucher of Rutgers University found a strong link between "active transportation" and obesity rates in 17 industrialized nations.
Dave Demerjian, Wired 15 December 2008:
Study says cars make us fat
Dawning of the Age of Austerity
The recession will bring a sea change in consumer spending, Asda predicted yesterday. Andy Bond, chief executive of the Wal-Mart-owned grocer, said: "We are moving into an era of the frivolous being unacceptable, and the frugal being cool.
Julia Finch, Guardian 12 December 2008:
Dawning of the age of austerity
Local food-buying cooperatives, which cut out the middlemen between producers and consumers, are taking the country by storm. But how do they work, and how do you set one up?
Tom Moggach, Guardian 10 December 2008:
Supermarkets? No, thanks
I'd Rather be Happy than Rich
Toiling in a boring job? Then why not join the growing hordes of women who are making a living from their much-loved hobbies. Eithne Farry meets the craft revolutionaries.
Guardian 3 December 2008:
I'd rather be happy than rich
Yuk - the Sausage Rolls with Just 6% Pork
SOME of Britain’s biggest supermarket chains are compromising on quality by selling budget items such as sausage rolls with as little as 6% pork.
Steven Swinford, Sunday Times 30 November 2008:
Yuk - the sausage rolls with just 6% pork
It's Time to Fight Back
Horrified by your latest utility bills? Then it's time to take action. There's plenty we can all do, says energy expert Dave Hood, to save money and the planet. The key is knowing which changes really make the difference.
Guardian 29 November 2008:
It's time to fight back
Am I the Gasman's Banker
Power firms are demanding huge increases in monthly direct debits. Should you pay up? Miles Brignall reports on a growing consumer rebellion.
Guardian, 29 November 2008:
Am I the gasman's banker?
Recycling for Fashion Junkies
This week I jumped on the swishing trend by taking part in a clothes swap party at Threadneedles Hotel. Swishing is apparently the posh name Shoes for what is basically a group of girls gathering together to swap their unwanted clothing and accessories for items that they do want.
Hannah Strange, Times 28 November 2008:
Recycling for fashion junkies
Affluence, It's So Last Season
The recession has got fashion glossies in a tizz. They should take a tip from Marie Antoinette.
Hadley Freeman, Guardian 27 November 2008:
Affluence, it's so last season
The Art of Haggling
Still paying full price for high-street goods? Then you're a mug! With the recession biting hard, shoppers can name their price - if they don't die of embarrassment first.
Tanya Gold, Guardian 24 November 2008:
The art of haggling
Energy: How Low Can You Go?
To take the heat out of global warming we must take radical action, learning to live on half the energy we currently consume. John-Paul Flintoff tries the low-watt diet.
Sunday Times November 23 2008:
Energy: How low can you go?
Oxfam Bucks Retail Downturn
Picture this: Victoria Beckham – she of Hermès bags and Roland Mouret dresses – elbow deep in boxes at Oxfam, the charity shop. Unlikely, but Beckham claims she “loves a good rummage” there. These days one can find a Thierry Mugler suit, Schiaparelli seashell necklaces and vintage Pucci jumpsuits in store.
Afsun Qureshi , Financial Times 22 November 2008:
Oxfam bucks retail downturn
Epicentres of New Austerity
The party is over and the hangover has kicked in. In economies all over the western world, corporate executives and the rising stars of finance are beginning to think that this downturn could be different.
Brooke Masters, Financial Times 17 November 2008:
Epicentres of New Austerity
The Woman With a Tiny Carbon Footprint
Forget planes, trains or automobiles - if Joan Pick wants to go anywhere, she runs. And she eats nothing but raw food. Is her lifestyle extreme or the future we must all face up to? Emine Saner meets her.
Guardian 13 November 2008:
The Woman with a tiny carbon footprint
Is This the Inventor of Green Economics?
It's 150 years since the death of Robert Owen, a massive celebrity in 19th century Britain and a key contributor to fields as varied as trade unionism, management, currency reform and education. But today Owen is known, if at all, only as ‘the father of co-operation’.
John-Paul Flintoff, Sunday Times 6 November 2008:
Is this the inventor of green economics?
The Folly of Growth
The graphs climbing across these pages are a stark reminder of the crisis facing our planet. Consumption of resources is rising rapidly, biodiversity is plummeting and just about every measure shows humans affecting Earth on a vast scale. Most of us accept the need for a more sustainable way to live, by reducing carbon emissions, developing renewable technology and increasing energy efficiency.
New Scientist, Special Report 16 October 2008:
The folly of growth
50 Ways to Save Money Online
It was a simple formula that led to my reputation as a money-saving connoisseur. I was at university, and the equation went like this: lots of time, plus little cash, multiplied by a desire to have a good time equalled the discovery of hundreds of ways to save money online.
Lucy Tobin, Guardian 9 October 2008:
50 ways to save money online
Forget the Horse and Carriage
It won't be the flashiest wedding of the year. But when Odette Fenwick and Christopher May tie the knot next weekend, they will do so at a cost of less than £500. They have sourced nearly everything they need from second-hand shops, budget stores and internet auction site eBay.
Luke Salkeld, Daily Mail 7 August 2008:
Forget the horse and carriage: credit-crunch couple stage cut-price £500 wedding
Style During the Recession: 'The Days of Popping to New Look Are Over'
According to fashion lore, hemlines rise with prosperity and fall with austerity. But while we await the vision of Agyness Deyn in a hessian maxi, there is another way of staying in the style stakes without breaking the bank. The slightly shocking answer is to get out the sewing machine and the crochet needle and start appliquéing your jeans, screen printing your T-shirts and mending torn garments. The days of popping back to New Look for another are over, sister.
Judith Woods, Telegraph 10 July 2008:
Style during the recession: 'The days of popping to New Look are over'
Ten Thrifty Tips in the Kitchen
Times' Eco Worrier Anna Shepard shares essential kitchen secrets for frugal but delicious seasonal fare.
Times July 8 2008:
10 thrifty tips in the kitchen
I Don't Care About the Joneses
We're encouraged to save money by switching our shopping habits around and bargain-hunting on the net. But do we really need all these things anyway? Meet the 'don't buy, won't buy' generation who reject this consumer culture - and survive rather well, thank you
Lucy Mangan, Guardian 17 June 2008:
I don't care about the Joneses
Guardian special supplement with hundreds of really good money saving ideas.
The Thrifty Foody
Food bills are up. Bank balances are down. But there's no need for battery chicken and baked beans, says Christopher Hirst. The finest ways to eat and drink are often the cheapest, too.
Independent Friday 30 May 2008:
The thrifty foodie: How to eat better but pay less
We don't manufacture anything any more. Most of the world won't buy our records or watch our films. Only our gift of the gab is keeping Britain's economy ticking over. But how long can the hot air last, ask Larry Elliott and Dan Atkinson.
