Hello Dear Reader,
What a night! The best bit was meeting some lovely people who also write blogs. I also discovered many blogs which are really interesting and inspirational. I didn’t feel out of place and felt glamorous and ladylike.
It was a difficult night as my hearing can not cope with a fog of voices and in the end, I just had to sit and smile in my own little world of semi-deafness. It’s always good to see people enjoying themselves!
I came away with this lovely trophy and we were all given a goodie bag. I’ve kept the rubber gloves, candle and shower gel but the rest, including the Parentdish bag is up for grabs in a give away. Here’s what I’m giving away in an attempt to share a bit of the Blog awards with everyone: Make up primer, a child’s animal headband, toddler toiletries, multi-vitamins, a child’s stationery set, a cool bag and an animal print scarf. Please sign up and become a follower and/or leave a comment and I will draw a name out of something hattish on Sunday night and get it all in the post as soon as I can.
I was determined to get to the Blog awards and I’m really glad I did. If you shop around travel can be affordable and here’s how I saved money on my travel and accommodation. I started with the usual internet search for advance train fares and found nothing cheaper than £47 for one way from Plymouth to London. It didn’t matter who we bought it from, that’s what it cost. With that in mind, I just bought it at the station a few weeks in advance. I was offered first class for £18 extra if I travelled at 3pm, which was the cheapest time to travel that day. I decided to use that option as first class comes with lots of extras. To start, there are 25% fewer seats per carriage so the seats are bigger, they recline and it’s quiet. You also get certain food and drink for free. I milked that one! All soft drinks, fruit, sandwiches, crisps ect were complimentary as were newspapers. I had lunch! Sandwich, yoghurt, tea and a cake. She came back every half hour and I had the same again………..that’s all in our fridge for lunch today! (Just imagine Peter Kay at the wedding buffet……..you’ve got to get your money’s worth). If you were going to London for the day and used this service, you could get all your food for the day! I know it doesn’t amount to the extra £18 but it was a very comfortable journey. If I had bought the First Class train ticket on the day, it would have cost £185….I think £65 advance fare was a good deal.
The return journey was a total bargain. I could have stayed at the hotel and the cheapest price was £99, which is quite a good deal but the Saturday train fares were very expensive. I came back on the Night Riviera Sleeper train. The compartment is a tiny tiny room! It was perfectly adequate for what I paid. I paid the full price of £51 for London to Liskeard. I got the train ride home in my own little room with a TV and a comfy bed with crisp cotton sheets and wool blankets. This also gave me drinks and papers on board, a morning wakeup and breakfast in bed in the morning. Single travellers might have to share with someone of the same sex but I banked on there not being many single women travellers using the Night Riviera and I got the room to myself! I had a room next to the loo which was handy for the morning. The atmosphere on the train was lovely and there was a special car just for the sleeper passenger where the staff brought hot drinks. When you are in your cabin, you can press a buzzer and they will bring you a hot drink (soft drinks were in with the price) to your room. My breakfast of a bacon roll and a pot of tea was brought to me in the morning. I thought the service was brilliant considering how little I paid. My journey up in First Class and back in the Sleeper Service, which is also First Class, including my accommodation came to £116. That’s a lot of money but I felt the train company did a very good job to look after us.
I had a great night out and didn’t let myself down in my charity shop dress and didn’t break the bank with travel costs. I’m totally indebted to a dear old friend from Cornwall, who lives and works in London as a cabbie who transported me to and from Paddington station at no cost. Most of all, I’m indebted to all the people who voted for me - many, many thanks xx
Love Froogs xxxx
thanks lovvie xx
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thanks Laura - I was so thrilled to meet Elaine
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I always reply to email as I'm always so chuffed that people write to me xxx lovely to hear from you again xxx
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Do what you can, when you can, with what you've got. If you can't be frugal, then aim for thrifty and careful xx
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hello Frual Queen - I was so pleased to read of your win - thoroughly deserved. I, like so many others, look forward to reading your Blog every single day. It gives so much inspiration and pleasure. I also loved your turn of phrase when Tweeting last night! Take Care Lorna
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Congratulations, you really deserve it , you are such an inspiration to us all, and you make the frugal journey so much more interesting ! x
lizzy
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Congratulations, you really deserve it , you are such an inspiration to us all, and you make the frugal journey so much more interesting ! x
lizzy
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Wow, congrats! I guess the world is ready for more frugal-ness 🙂
X Rebecka
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I am a newer follower so have spent time going back to the beginning of your blog and all I can say is what an inspiration you are. Just amazing the ideas you come up with. I'm still amazed with the scarves you have made for yourself and DB. I wish I were close so I could attend the quiltmaking class. I know I can look in on your blog on a daily basis and learn something new….and at my age (almost 64) that's “a good thing”!
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well done indeed. Congratulations on not only the award but inspiring so many to do so much with so little.
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Wow Froogs you look so glamourous and sparkly happy in your photo. Really pleased that you had a fabulous evening and well done, you so deserve it. You keep an awful lot of people on the straight and narrow with your inspiring posts 🙂
x
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congratulation's!well deserved!i read your Blog every day from Australia!xx
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So glad you won. I voted for you. I only follow a few blogs and yours is my favourite. I check in everyday, even when you stopped for a little while, hoping like others did that you would return.
The sleeping cabin looks so cosy! What a blast!
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Love that: if you can't be frugal then be thrifty and careful. Might be my new motto.
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Well done on your blog award.I always read your blog and adapt any recipes to suit us.the train sounds amazing must remember that about 1st class, we got a free upgrade to 1st class when flying to New Zealand and it was out of this world we were treated like royalty.
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Well done Froogs and well deserved.
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You look lovely with your hair down, same as in that other photo you published a month or two back of you “scrubbed up” for lunch.
No surprise you won - but so pleased.
Did you get a chance to chat with Elaine Colliar? She's another blog I follow regularly and I thought as a teacher you might be interested in the way she uses mind mapping and memory techniques to help people learn
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Hi Mary b - I 've been teaching mind mapping and have also been using NLP for many years, it was an utter delight to meet Elaine xx
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congratulations,you deserve it,your blog is inspirational x
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You make me want to travel by train!
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I was delighted to read on Twitter in “live time” that you had won the award. I have been an avid reader of your blog fora long time - keep up the fantastic work!
Best Wishes
Debbie
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Well done you!! I am so proud of you. I read your blog every day and I learn so so much. Am off to read FM blog to see your pics x
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I also meant to say - I have always tried to live as frugally as possible, out of principle and for most of the time out of financial necessity. But you always give me more ideas. The two best tips you have given me are simple ones 1) only fill up the kettle for one cup if you are only making one cup and 2) stocktake your cupboard contents. I am amazed how I can plan meals out of stockcupboard basics. Saved loads of money that way. I live on a remote island and food is expensive and has to be planned. Thank you!
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Fantastic! Well done you. Xxx
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A much deserved win - congratulations! Started reading your blog in August, and went back to the start, now look in every day. Lots of useful tips….thanks.
Lesley H.
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Froogs! So lovely to meet you on Friday night and you looked absolutely fabulous. That train journey looked like it worked out great for you too! I'll be following your blog from now on and hopefully your frugal tips will rub off and my shoe habit will diminish 😉 (Adventures of an Unfit Mother)
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Well done you!
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Wow, what a wonderful long line of congratulations! If there is a next year we will have to go up together!
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Hey froogs… gutted I didn't get to meet you. I didn't meet you did I? (the red wine…it was alla bit of a blur) any way, congratulations and by the way, I love your blog!!
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Goodness, what a lot of comments. Many congratulations on your win. So sorry I didn't get to meet you in person. It was a great night wasn't it?!
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Congratulations on the award! Would have loved to have met you on the night but there were SO many people! Hope you had a great time
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