MISS MONEYSAVER: A stylish summer makeover… at a snip
Summer officially arrived this week. Not just because of the glorious sunshine, but because I have packed up my winter clothes and dragged my summer ones out of the store cupboard.
Once I’d sorted through everything, I made a pile of things to sell. My aim, this year, is to pep up my trusty favourites with some new buys funded by ‘neutral shopping’. This is where you only spend what you’ve raised through selling unwanted clothes (or other items).
The website depop.com is particularly good for selling and buying clothes. So, too, is Vinted (vinted.co.uk), where your money is transferred to your account and you can either use it to buy goods from the retailer or have the balance transferred to your bank account.
A few weeks ago, I mentioned the family business prenext.co.uk where you can buy and trade unwanted or second-hand clothes. Many items are under a tenner and you can get an extra 20 per cent off when you use my code JASMINE20 (up to July 31).
For other cheap, but good, second-hand clothing, try preworn.ltd which is one of the largest second-hand clothing retailers in the UK, with much of its stock coming from charity shops. It has clothes for men, women, children and babies, mostly between £2-£10. There is a 50 per cent off sale and you can get an extra 10 per cent off by using my code of JASMINE10.
Summer officially arrived this week. Not just because of the glorious sunshine, but because I have packed up my winter clothes and dragged my summer ones out of the store cupboard (file image of a woman at St. Mark’s Square in Venice, Italy)
There’s eBay, too, where High Street labels such as Karen Millen and Reiss do well. If you have vintage items, you could set up shop on Etsy. You’ll make more by making sure your ‘stock’ is beautifully photographed and accurately described.
Or if you would rather let a pro do all the hard work, check out Marrkt (marrkt.com). You tell the team what designer clothes and shoes you have to sell, they tell you how much they’re worth, then you post them off and let them take care of selling them. You’ll get between 63 per cent and 73 per cent of any money made.
Another way to get a new set of clothes for little is to dye what you have. Back in the 1990s, when I was struggling financially, I did this one summer, transforming tired whites into brightly coloured items.
All you need is some Dylon, which comes in 22 colours and costs between £3.50 and £7.50, and 500g of salt for each box of dye. You can also use Dylon’s ‘Jeans Blue’ dye to refresh faded denim or its ‘Intense Black’ to pep up black T-shirts and jeans. It gives clothes at least another year of wear.
Fashion expert Sátria Schneider says that tie-dye is back in fashion. But then, of course, we do have flared jeans, rampant inflation and constant strikes, so I guess we might as well have that other 1970s favourite, too.
Sátria says: ‘Tie-dye is highly sought-after this season. Celebrities such as Hailey Bieber and Gigi Hadid chose to wear bold-coloured hues, while Taylor Swift opted for more muted tones.’
So if you feel like getting creative, wrap an old T-shirt around a stone and tie with rubber bands and string before dunking it in a dye solution, to create a concentric circles effect.
Making clothes is another great way to get a new wardrobe on the cheap.
If you are new to sewing, there are some brilliant tutorials on YouTube covering everything from how to cut a pattern to how to sew a seam.
Making clothes is another great way to get a new wardrobe on the cheap (file image of a woman sewing)
If you don’t have a sewing machine, there are sites where you can hire them, such as fatllama.com, which allows you to select your location and see who may have one that’s available. Rentals range from £5 to £40 a day.
John Lewis is still a go-to for materials, sewing accessories and patterns. Charity shops can also be a useful resource for vintage patterns and even rolls of unused materials.
I’ve been making my own clothes since I was a teenager and even used curtain material to make a ball gown.
If you’re not interested in making your own, look out for free giveaways on websites such as Gumtree Free Stuff, nextdoor.co.uk, Facebook groups, the Olio app, Freegle and freecycle.org, as people often give away bags of clothes. On some sites you can even post requests for items.
Uniqlo is currently giving away 500 free clothing items each month to those who sign up for its exclusive sampling programme. You need to download the app for access. In exchange for the item, leave an online review. Find out more at uniqlo.com/uk/en/content/ app-sampling-programme.html.
Nike also does product testing where you get free shoes and athletic clothing in return for testing its new products. Find out more at voiceoftheathlete.nike.com.
Earning extra can be a walk in the park
There are now 20 million of us who are ‘MII’s’ — that is ‘Multi-income individuals’ — and that is expected to rise to 25 million in two years’ time, according to research by Utility Warehouse.
If you’re one of this growing number who are looking to make some extra cash this summer, it’s worth knowing which jobs will earn you the most money. The top-earning side hustle, says Money.co.uk, is clocking on as an Uber driver at £18.34 an hour, followed by babysitting, which is paid an average of £13.63 an hour.
Then it’s teaching English online, at £12.35 per hour on average, although I know tutors who make a lot more. Gostudent.org says tutors generally get paid between £30 and £50 an hour. However, it very much depends on what you teach and your qualifications. Find online tutoring through agencies such as Tutorhouse.co.uk or Keystonetutors.com.
Dog walking tends to be paid an average of £15 an hour in cities, £10 out of town, but you could take more than one well-behaved and socialised dog to boost your hourly rate (file image)
I am also a fan of dog walking. That tends to be paid an average of £15 an hour in cities, £10 out of town, but you could take more than one well-behaved and socialised dog to boost your hourly rate. The RSPCA recommends no more than four at any one time. See their comprehensive online guide to dog walking. You can pick up this work through agencies such as Rover.com or Dogbuddy.com or get friendly with local pet owners and offer your services.
Another good summer side-earner that I’ve done is being a film extra or ‘walk-on artist’. You get around £100 a day and really good food while you just sit around and spot celebrities! Try Castingcollective.co.uk or Maddog2020Casting.com.
Free flicks in the fresh air
Free outdoor cinema events are springing up around UK this summer. Everyman Cinema is offering free film screenings from June 22 to August 6 on the Ghat Steps behind King’s Cross Station, London. Shows include The Devil Wears Prada and The Hunger Games. Edinburgh also hosts free films in St Andrew’s Square from June 23-25. The programme includes Back To The Future and Dirty Dancing, below. In Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, there’s an outdoor film festival from August 17-19, with movies including Matilda and Elvis. Sutton Coldfield has open-air films in the Parade from July 14-16.
Planet Warrior sells luxury active and swimwear made of recycled ocean plastic. Run by two sisters, its nature-inspired vibrant prints are a must for active people who want to look great while they swim and work out. Get 20 per cent off everything on its website (planet-warrior.com) until June 30 using the code 20OFFER at the checkout.
Gourmet vegetarian dog food maker The Pack produces plant-based, wet dog food that is nutritionally complete, vet approved and created with industry expert pet food technologists and animal nutritionists. Packed with all the essential proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals that your dog needs to thrive, it will help you feed your pet without including meat. Discover more at thepackpet.com and get 30 per cent off with our exclusive code MAGPIE30.
GET 20 per cent off all digital railcards at thetrainline.com when you buy online and use the code 20ISPLENTY at the checkout. That means that a one-year railcard is £24 instead of £30 and a three-year railcard is £56 instead of £70. The offer lasts until July 9. For more details, see thetrainline.com/trains/great-britain/railcards
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