Christmas begins, and my chic and slim tricks

My book 'A Chic and Simple Christmas', pictured on our dining table :)

 

Greetings chic friends!

 

Last weekend I put up my simple Christmas decorations. I went for a classic combo of red and gold, with a wool-effect tartan ribbon on the tree.

Our living room is a dark, moody space, ideal for daytime lights on the tree. I’ve decided it is the perfect Christmas grotto!

 

Fun movie on Netflix

 

And this week I listened to a cute Christmas audiobook called 'Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel' on Spotify (here on Amazon and it looks to be US$1.10 on Kindle at the moment), and have been watching Christmas movies too like the one above.

I loved it! It made me want to read more classic literature :)

Why not take the time to get into the festive spirit with your favourite things, I’ve decided 😊

Other years I’ve started early, but it feels nice to start on the first of December this year. I like to switch things up for myself.

How about you? Are you doing Christmassy things? Please tell me your favourite books and movies too 🎄

 

‘A Chic and Simple Christmas’ is available on Kindle, in paperback, and on Audible here Amazon  (the audiobook is 99c with a free trial of Audible).

Plus you can listen to it free on Spotify if you have Spotify Premium.

 

 

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Coffee and cake out with my aunty and mum on a sunny summery day 😊

 

 

A long time ago, in my bid for healthy lifestyle habits, I decided to 'always choose small' when it came to buying drinks out.

The slightly bigger size is always better value, and 'good value' is one of my values (😂) But then I made it just what I do, so I always buy size small (as with my coffee here).

I also have a chic rule for myself, and that is to eat half of whatever treat I'm having. I am not denying myself completely - and I don't eat cake every day - but whenever I do have cake or a sweet treat out with coffee, I cut it in half first.

It's actually really easy to do because I've decided to already, plus when I cut it in half before starting to eat, there is no edging over until it's all gone 🤣

I ask for a small bag or takeaway box, and one very happy husband has the other half with his after-dinner coffee that night.

In the photo above is a delicious gluten-free carrot cake at Cafe on Tennyson in Napier. It's so nice I can't try anything else when I go there. I have to have the carrot cake! The cream cheese icing is yum too.

 

 

Day 27. 'Use the 'le half' technique' in my book 'Thirty Slim Days' details both of these chic habits in more detail.

 

And, 'Thirty Slim Days' is on special for US$3.99 instead of US$9.99 on Kindle at the moment (only for one week more though!) The paperback is reduced too, as part of my big once-a-year book sale. It's US$13.99 down from US$20.99.

For an Amazon alternative the eBook is 50% off in my eStore here.
Just use the code HALFPRICEHAPPINESS

 

 Please let me know your favourite tips when it comes to leading a healthy balanced lifestyle without feeling deprived. I always love little tricks, or in French ‘trucs’ as Anne Barone in her wonderful ‘Chic and Slim’ books calls them.

 

xx Fiona

 

PS.My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission if you use them to shop with Amazon, but the price doesn't change for you. Thank you if you choose to use any of my Amazon links :)

Once-a-year book sale now on!

 

Good morning from my home office 😊

 

I always wear my glasses while I'm on my computer or reading, but I've not taken a photo of them on. So here I am!

They are Ray Ban frames and I love the colour of them. The arms are a slightly darker, opaque brown. I like how they aren't heavy looking on my face.

Of course, most people don't see them, but I do!

And knowing my prescription now, I have bought a couple of inexpensive pairs so I can have one pair in my lady basket, and another in my handbag. Luckily both my eyes require the same number (1.75). Although, if they were different I would probably still be fine, because I have a pair of 2.5s and they still work well.

Do you wear reading glasses? It's quite fun to try a new look and be a little outrageous with them, especially with the cheapie ones. I ordered some 'Oprah style' reading glasses off Amazon and they are fun to wear. A bit glam 😍

(They are these ones here - one pair in the three -pack had a wobbly lens but Amazon was quick to refund).

 

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And I'm excited to announce that my once-a-year book sale is now on. It will run for the next two weeks, and all my books are now US$3.99 on Amazon. Paperbacks are on sale too, but the prices vary due to printing costs being different for each one.

 

 

I hope you take this chance to stock up on any titles you don't have yet. It's always nice to have some new reading material going into the holiday season 😊

 

 

 

You can find all my books on Amazon here or click on any of the photos to go directly to the books shown.

 

 

 

And I have a 50% off coupon code for my eStore, valid on anything in the store including audiobooks and even my author course.

Use the code HALFPRICEHAPPINESS in my eStore here ❤️

 

Happy reading, and thank you for being a happy reader of my books. I've shared a few of my favourite reviews here. I'm so grateful for anyone who takes the time to write a review online ❤️ Thank you if you already have!

 

xx Fiona

PS. My Amazon links are affiliate which means I may receive a small commission, but at no extra cost to you. I appreciate it if you choose to use my links!

Creating free fun, growing your own food, and spring sunshine

 

Hello chic friends!

 

Paul and I took advantage of his new job's roster earlier this week (he works weekdays and weekends, in various mixes) to have a picnic on the beach on a sunny Tuesday.

We planned to eat lunch at home and go for a walk along the beach, but then thought 'Why not take our lunch with us?' We had a chicken and avocado salad each, and fruit and yoghurt for afters, and a can of Coke each for a fun touch. All brought from home! It was yummier, healthier, and far less expensive than buying lunch out.

And we still had a nice time. Even though most people are at work on a Tuesday, there were people around - holidaymakers, retirees walking, and teens sunning themselves on the beach, probably exam time with days off.

 

I love making the most of where we live and creating free outings like this. I sort of count our lunch as free even though we bought the groceries :) Plus, some of the salad ingredients were free since they were grown on our property - the cos lettuce, parsley, and avocado components!

I just love living a simple, low-cost lifestyle. To me it’s as enjoyable as spending lots, and you don't need to kill yourself in a job you hate to pay for it all.

This is especially pertinent to us since Paul was made redundant from his job earlier in the year. He has now found a new job and he absolutely loves it, working at the cellar door for one of our local wineries.

He is in his element, and meets the nicest people too - a lot of overseas tourists who are interesting to chat with and hear about where they are from. Even though he is the one pouring the wine, not drinking it, he still has a blast.

Do you live near an area of natural beauty that you can take a picnic too? I didn't take photos of our picnic because it wasn't one of those staged Instagram-worthy affairs, but we did dine with cloth napkins from our plastic lunch boxes! 

 

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Just look at these beautiful roses at my mum's when I visited during the week. Her friend Ann brought them from her garden. I always love pinks/blush/pale yellow/peach shades together.
 

 

 

I took the three doggies with me which I haven't done for a while since mum adopted a new rescue cat Minnie who is about a year old.

Turns out Minnie can hold her own. She stalked the dogs and at one stage was chasing one of them around the garden. So funny 😂 I had to rescue Chloe dog from the cat!

Minnie cat was VERY happy to see me drive off with my three idiots. She much prefers a quiet, dog-free home. She even followed us out to the car to make sure we all left: 'Don't let the door hit you on the way out!' 🤣

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On a bright, sunny day I picked spinach (for smoothies) and cos lettuce for salads. I also spent some time tidying up and watering our vegetable garden.

 

 

It’s a petite space but provides us with yummy goodness 🥬🥒🫑

In addition to spinach and lettuce, there are cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and little orange bell peppers already growing but not ready yet, and yesterday I added in dwarf beans for the first time. They are long round green beans which I love. The plant grows in a small bush instead of climbing so I’m told. I can’t imagine how a tiny plant grows long beans but I will find out soon enough with any luck!

 

I am not a huge gardener, even though it is very satisfying. My ideal garden looks good but is easy-care 😁

But I do love picking fresh vegetables for our lunchtime salads. Cos lettuce is my favourite because the bugs don’t seem to eat it the same as mesclun, which I only seemed to grow for the birds and white butterflies - there was never any left for me!

I hope you’ve had a lovely week. Today it has dawned a cool, calm Sunday here and we had rain overnight. I have a relaxing day of writing, coffee, and pottering planned. Just bliss!

 

xx Fiona

 

 

PS. Check out my newest book if you haven't already!

 

 

 

Financially Chic Vol. 2 is all about living a fabulous life on little cash. Find out how to create a 'rich lady lifestyle' for yourself. Switch up your mindset to live 'beyond your means'!

 

🌺 Read it on Kindle and in paperback here on Amazon, and find the audiobook wherever you listen to your audiobooks. You can ask your local public library to order in the paperback or eAudiobook too!

🌺 eBooks and eAudiobooks are in available in my eStore here.

🌺 Listen to the audiobook free on Spotify if you have Spotify Premium.

(My Amazon links are affiliate, but it doesn't change the price for you. Thank you if you choose to use my Amazon link!)

Chic style on a budget, and a new interview

 

Hello chic friends!

Paul and I went to a special event last weekend: a gorgeous local winery called Craggy Range's 'Deep Purple' annual wine club day.

Thankfully it was a beautiful day for all the people who travelled from out of town to attend.

Strolling among the vines, glass of wine in hand was a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon!

Of course, I wouldn't be found holding a glass of wine at 11am every Saturday, but once a year is okay, surely?

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I am thrilled to share with you a podcast interview I recorded, with the delightful Jessica DeBry on her inspiring ‘The Author Entrepreneur Podcast’. You can listen to it here or wherever you listen to your podcasts by searching for my name 'fiona ferris'.

 

 

I had such a great conversation with Jessica. She has a beautiful way of interviewing, and I didn’t even feel ‘that’ nervous 😊 Because it is nerve-wracking talking on a podcast, or maybe it’s just me!

I hope you enjoy our chat, and it’s especially for you if you’ve ever dreamed of writing a book. Please let me know what you think of it once you’ve had a listen!

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I am currently re-recording the audiobook of ‘100 Ways to be That Girl’ myself due to overwhelming feedback that very few listeners actually enjoyed the narrator I chose. This was when I was just starting out in audiobooks and thought a professional narrator would be the best choice.

 

 

I chose her from a small group I’d selected, and she wasn’t cheap either (fair enough too, I was happy to pay, but it turns out you’d rather hear me narrate my books). Oh well, lesson learned! But I wanted to let you know a new version is on its way 😊

 

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This week I’m up to my final reader question for the Q&A series to celebrate the release of my newest book ‘Financially Chic Vol. 2’.

“My question is about looking chic without spending a fortune. I do love the idea of a circular economy but I don’t actually enjoy looking at the thrift stores. In the area where I live there are several stores, but the clothes are not my taste. I would like some suggestions on how to dress in a stylish manner without having to resort to a whole new wardrobe.”

I am also not someone who enjoys thrifting clothes. When I was younger I did, and I also bought thrifted fabric (even curtains!) to sew my own clothes with.

I also like to dress well without spending a lot of money. My favourite way to do this is by the classic high-low mix where you combine less expensive pieces with costlier pieces. Even my ‘costly’ clothing pieces aren’t expensive though. Where I do like to spend a little more money is on a bag or pair of sunglasses, but even then, one of my favourite pairs of sunglasses cost $15.

I think it’s about how you put outfits together more than the price of them, and also how you groom yourself, your posture, and confidence too (real or acting-as-if). When I take the time to blow-dry my hair and paint my nails (both these things cost nothing, only a little time), I feel amazing, and I do think it makes what I’m wearing look better.

I would always shop my own closet first, browsing Pinterest for ideas, or even just thinking ‘What would my capsule collection look like if I made one from my closet?’ In addition, when I clear out even a few pieces that bring me down (bad colour on me, uncomfortable fabric etc), the other pieces left in there look better.

Sometimes I’ll take everything out of my wardrobe and have just my chic and simple capsule collection hanging. It looks like a boutique! And makes the clothes I’ve used look more appealing.

I hope this has been helpful, and I also hope you have enjoyed this little Q&A series! And please feel free to add your tips if you have something to say 😊

xx Fiona

You can read Financially Chic Vol. 2 at my affiliate Amazon link here.

 

Getting ahead when you start out late

 

 Dear chic friends,

We've been having such nice weather, and I'm making the most of it. Every day or two I spend a little time in the sun, getting my vitamin D.

And all three dogs join me! They love rolling around on the grass, snoozing while I'm out there, and generally living their best life, like Chloe in this cute picture, caught mid-lick :)

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And welcome to another ‘Financially Chic’ reader Q&A. It’s a good one this week!

“What advice do you have for someone in midlife (50) who is just starting to get their financial life in order? Most advice seems to be for younger people who have decades to invest and save for their old age. Is it too late, is it possible? How can one still live well , when there's limited time to take advantage of things like compound interest?”

This is such a great question. I think it’s a common thing to ‘feel behind’. Of course time is helpful, as with compounding interest, but it’s not the only thing. You can start out behind people you know, and end up way ahead. I know because I’ve done it.

If I was starting out again at 50, I’d do the same as I am doing now: live as well as I can on a budget, be savvy with every dollar, and make the most of all the free things around me so that I can put my money into housing and investments. I’d start a side hustle alongside my job to bring in more money, something in line with what I enjoy doing (which is how I started writing my books).

Look at your lifestyle and what you enjoy doing, and work out ways in which to decrease costs at the same time as maintaining your level of happiness or even increase it. I truly feel more content doing simple things at home, or going for a waterfront stroll than shopping up a storm.

Also, be your own consultant. Look at your current situation as if you were advising someone else. It is VERY easy to see what needs to be done by others! That’s why there is such a proliferation of unsolicited advice around 😊

Switch up your social media, books, and YouTubers you follow, whichever apply. Find people online or in real life who are in your situation and are now thriving. If you search for them you will find them! Personally I like to follow people online because I’d feel too nosy asking people I know about money and success. And, some people who you think might be rich might just spend a lot of money on stuff, and not be rich at all. Oops!

I hope this helps, and I wish everyone a lovely weekend to come! It’s Friday night here and it’s been a productive writing week. Yay! 😊

xx Fiona

 

You can read ‘Financially Chic Vol.2 on Amazon at my affiliate link here. 

 

 

Sunny days and being 'financially chic' :)

Chloe in the foreground, Daphne in the background.

 

 

Hello chic friends!

 

We've had some lovely sunny spring weather here in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. A little breezy but still nice to get outside.

 

We took the doggies for a walk along Ahuriri beach the other day.

Daphne and Chloe hiding underneath the giant chair

Daphne and Chloe are always a little nervous, they are real homebodies like their mum.

But it's good for them to socialise every once in a while. I tell myself that too! 🤣

Look at that sky! Napier Hill is in the background

Facing towards our tiny marina

Paul and Micky: 'the boys' :)

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I received the coolest comment on my blog. I love it, and I love the turnaround for my reader too.

 

I often receive messages and emails like this, and of course I wrote the books, but the inspired actions are all yours to take the credit for.

Living a 'rich' life in a savvy way is what I'm all about, and this lovely reader has illustrated perfectly how a day can be elevated in simple but luxurious ways.

I am also a fan of taking 'portraits' on special occasions! Whether it's just Paul and I, or a group gathering, it's such a nice picture to look back on, especially since we are in our nicer outfits at the time too.

 

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This week was a short week because Monday was a public holiday here in New Zealand, Labour Day. Many locals went away for the weekend, and I'm sure there were plenty of out-of-town guests here for the long weekend too.

All I know is that the roads were lovely and quiet since people weren't going to or from work. The birds were the loudest thing I could hear! 😊

 

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To finish with this week, I am back with a reader question to celebrate the release of ‘Financially Chic Vol. 2’ where I invite you to send in a question – anything you are curious about on the topic of money! I love this week’s question:

“When you say ‘shut the door on debt’, does this mean you are anti-credit card?”

 

Thank you for this, lovely reader, and I am happy to clarify.

I do use a credit card for everyday expenses, however this is paid off in full every month. I have not carried a balance for years, probably decades. Credit card interest rates are horrible, well over 20% often!

If, however, I could not trust myself to be this way, I would not use a credit card at all. Just like I know I can’t have ice cream in the house and eat a little bit every now and then. I eat it until it’s gone! So I make things easy on myself and only buy ice cream when I plan to eat it, such as for a family dinner.

I do believe that paying off debt is one of the best things you can do for a healthy and happy financial future. Starting with consumer debt (such as credit cards and car loans) and then moving on to paying off your home loan as quickly as you can.

To me it’s a form of forced savings when you are focused on making extra payments or increasing your payments.

A friend told us once (and he was high up in banking so we listened to him), ‘when you don’t have debt, you have options’. And it’s true. You feel far freer when you aren’t shackled by debt payments.

I know in times of high inflation it can be hard to find extra money for higher grocery prices let alone make extra payments on debt, and at those times the focus could be on not taking on more debt while making existing payments. And find ways to make ‘cutting back’ fun and enjoyable. That’s the whole premise of this book 😊

If you have Spotify Premium, you can listen to ‘Financially Chic Vol. 2’ for free. Check to see if this is available in your country by going here to Spotify.

And you can order the eBook or paperback at my affiliate Amazon link here.

Happy weekend to you!

xx Fiona

 

 

 

 

It's my birthday week!

 

Hello chic friends, it's been a week of celebration here.

 

Happy birthday to us! Paul and I celebrate our birthday on the same day 😊 Just tooting our own horn 🎉

My mum took a photo of us at her place when we popped in on our way out for lunch earlier in the week. It was a beautiful day too!

We both really enjoyed our lunch and then headed home to relax outside in the sun.

Since we'd dined well earlier in the day we had a light seafood dinner - fresh oysters, and salmon and tuna sashimi. A special treat that is healthy, elegant and delicious 😊

A very happy birthday to all the October babies and Libra ladies reading! 

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Carrying on the birthday celebrations - and relaxation - with a new (library ☺️) book by one of my favourite authors, and a glass of Prosecco 🥂 (See it on Amazon here).

Life is good, and I’m excited to see what my 54th year brings me!

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 And now it's time for this week’s reader question from my newest book ‘Financially Chic Vol. 2’ 😊

 

 

"There are so many good causes that I would like to help financially, but like everyone else I have to choose where to send my limited funds. Do you have any thoughts you can share on how you make those choices? I would love to hear your ideas.”

None of us have unlimited funds in which to help the causes we’d like to, but we can help in our own small way.

There are two ways to go about this: you can either choose your main charity, and make a payment, each month or whatever suits your schedule. Or you can make smaller payments to a number of charities. Even $5 a month can be helpful.

And, re-evaluate once a year and make sure these are still the charities you wish to support. Or maybe you might change once a year regardless just because that’s the decision you made at the beginning.

Another way to help is with time. When we still lived in Auckland, I volunteered at the main SPCA once a month on a Sunday, for about four years.

And I’m sure there would be jobs you could do at home, if you were good with computers etc. There are always jobs to be done at charities, and never enough people to do them.

I also used to deliver my donations to a cat shelter instead of a thrift store, because they’d have regular yard sales to raise money. This was the shelter where my two cats Jessica and Nina came from.

Chloe :)

 

Chloe, in the photo above, who jumps in between the pillows on our bed and then flips them all over… came from the local SPCA here in Napier, along with her ‘sister’ Daphne. Adopting them is also a form of charity because you are freeing up a cage to help the next pet, and paying the adoption fee too.

And of course you can choose to donate or buy from the thrift stores which are aligned with your preferred charities. I always take my donations to an SPCA or bird sanctuary thrift store. It’s just another little way to help, and as you can see, it doesn’t always have to be about how much money you can donate.

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Little Ninacat with her twisty mouth and almost crossed eyes 😂🥰

Yes Nina is still in her collar! She ended up having to have surgery on her climbing injury and is now almost, almost fully healed.

I've taken the collar off her a few times and she starts licking the surgery area (under her arm) straight away, getting at it with her raspy tongue, so back on the collar goes.

I keep saying 'maybe by the end of September, maybe by the end of October, she can get it off'. Maybe by Christmas?

The great thing is, the collar doesn't bother her in the least, not like the sweatshirt I bought her. That was 100% a fail!

So Nina will keep on rocking her collar, and also help 'press' my mum's new navy trousers that I'm hemming for her... Yeah that's not a great combo, dark fabric and cat fur. What did we do before sticky rollers!!

 

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The other night we had the most magical moon, illuminating the sky and a few clouds. It truly was spectacular.

 

Then, when I turned in the other direction, I saw a bright star and found out it was Venus with my SkyView Lite app. Venus in Libra too. So nice to have for a Libra girl's birthday sky!

We have a four-day long weekend here in Hawke's Bay, how lucky is that? Our local show is on too.

My late dad used to tell me that the day after I was born he went to the show while mum was in hospital and said he walked around with a big smile on his face thinking about his new baby daughter :)

I hope you have a lovely weekend too whether it's long, normal, or something in between!

xx Fiona

PS. If you have Spotify Premium, you can listen to my newest book 'Financially Chic Vol. 2' for free now! Check to see if this is available in your country by going here to Spotify.

You can also purchase an MP3 copy from my eStore here.

Audible is coming soon, it always takes a little longer!

I hope you enjoy listening to this book, I especially enjoyed recording it 😊