Luxury living on a budget + watch my latest interview!

In the club lounge at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland

 

One of my favourite budget-friendly things to do is stay the night in a fancy hotel. But hear me out!

I know it's not 'free' or even super-cheap, but it feels soooo good and so high-vibe to do this, and for me it replaces a proper vacation so it really is a saving :)

I get to dress up, mingle in lovely public areas, and generally live a fabulous city life for 24 hours.

We used to do this several times a year when we had our retail store in Auckland and didn't have time to go on holiday.

These days now that we don't live in Auckland we don't go nearly as often, but it's still nice to do every once in a while.

Are you a staycation kind of person? Are you happy to stay in a hotel in your own town?

The great thing about doing this is that you can stalk their website for special offers since you can stay any time.

Or if you don't do this, let me know your favourite way to feel 'rich' and luxurious without spending a ton.

 

 

My brother gifted me this birds art print and I was excited to rejig one of my gallery walls with it. It adds a touch of modern/sexy/wow-factor to my 'Ralph Lauren on a Budget' home style. So happy with how it turned out!

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And I am thrilled to share with you an interview I did last week with the delightful Cathy Anderson.

Cathy has started a new podcast called 'Mortgage-Free Diaries' and I was her first guest. I felt honoured!

We talk about all things money including the ways in which my husband and I paid off our mortgage quickly - in just 4.5 years.

This video is not financial advice, it's just how I look at money and how I made it fun for myself to put money onto our home loan rather than spend it.

 

 

 

I do hope you are inspired by this video, because I believe being debt-free is one of the biggest gifts we can give ourselves. As one of my financial mentors said, whom I mention in the video, 'When don't have debt you have more options.'

You can watch it above, or on YouTube here.

And to listen to the audio only (plus download the audio file if you want) on SoundCloud here.

I hope you enjoy the show, and thanks so much Cathy for having me on!

xx Fiona

PS. If you haven't seen my latest book yet it is here at my affiliate link on Amazon, available in paperback and on Kindle!

 

PS. Cathy has a great Instagram account here. I love her tips and ideas towards being financially savvy. And she has a website too.

PPS. The two books mentioned by Cathy from our interview are these (click on the images to see them on Amazon, also available on Kindle and in paperback):

 

 

 

(My Amazon links are affiliate, which means that I may receive a small commission on anything you purchase through my link. The price you pay isn't any different, so thank you if you choose to use my links :)

New Book out! 100 Ways to be That Girl :)

 

Hello chic friends,

I am excited to let you know about my newest book that has just been published!

100 Ways to be That Girl is all about standing out from the crowd and harnessing the power of how ‘she’ would be, to instantly:

- Become unforgettable
- Feel happier and more confident
- Stop worrying about what others think of you
- Power ahead in your own life
- Feel unshakeable

That girl is who everyone wants to be. She has it all going on! Others wonder how she does it so well. In this book I’ll share all her secrets.

That girl is our alter ego, the one who has more fun, makes more money, and is better looking. Just for fun, let’s cultivate our that girl persona and see how fabulous life can get.

Age or body size are no barrier to creating our dream life, with the help of our inner that girl. We are going to be that girl in our own life, the leading lady in our own movie!

It was so fun to write this book. I got to be a little over the top, but as usual with my writing, it is also grounded in reality. It always pays to have the best of both worlds I believe!

You can find it on Kindle and in paperback here at my affiliate Amazon link.

And for an Amazon alternative, the eBook is available in my eStore here.

I do hope you enjoy this book, and that it gives you a fun little boost for the weekend!

Happy reading!

xx Fiona

My Amazon links are affiliate, which means that I may receive a small commission on anything you purchase through my link. The price you pay isn't any different, so thank you if you choose to use my links :)

The healthy, happy homebody

Don't you think they look like proper bought ones? So fancy.

 

Hello chic friends,

 

I made my own bistro boxes this week! I’ve been wanting to do it for ages and finally gave in and bought myself a set of containers. It was only $10 for 8 from Kmart but I didn’t want to add more plastic to my life on a whim.

But I’m glad I bought them and know I will keep and use them for a long time.

I made four for the week and it’s so nice to get one out for lunch. I added hummus and rice crackers separately before dining. It felt like lots of food because of all the variety and took me ages to eat too.

 

Would recommend if you take your lunch to work, or work from home and can’t get excited about making a healthy lunch when you are already hungry :)

 

 

 

You can see that I have always been a homebody in this #throwback photo. My dad will have built the playhouse for us. I'm wondering if that is my foot out the bottom? Or if it had a floor? Mum will know :)

 

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Daphne dog is much better too. Our vet lives up the road and is such a star. My husband Paul and I were walking the doggies on the weekend, and it was the first day I'd let Daphne join us. I felt she was up to it and wouldn't damage her stitches.

So at the same time along drives our vet and he pulled over to see how Daphne was. He decided her dressing could come off but then thought that it would be better recovered, so opened up his truck right there and then on the side of the road and redressed her leg for her.

He is officially an equine vet so only had horse-sized bandages on board. He made it work though!

Isn't that the kindest and most amazing service? So Daphne left home with an old bandage and came home with a bright shiny new one and a vet-check too.

She could have had an Elizabethan collar instead of a bandage but he thought she probably couldn't keep it on, as she is a distinctive shape... Her head is quite small, she has a thick neck and an even thicker body...

So another bandage it was! But I'm taking her to get her stitches out today. She will be soooo happy to have them gone. And thrilled to get an exclusive car ride too. I will leave the other two doggies at home. They'll be grumpy about that.

 

 

With all our rainy weather lately, I feel like we earned this double rainbow, and it even came out on camera. Hopefully it signifies better times ahead for everyone!

It’s Thursday here, almost the weekend. Time to kick your heels up! Although my preferred way to do this is at home in the peace and quiet. And I might even sneak in some coronation viewing too.

However you celebrate the weekend I hope it’s a good one!

 

xx Fiona

 

 

PS. Maybe indulge in a little pampering and self-care? Take some time for yourself? On Kindle and in paperback here on Amazon :)

 

 

 

My Amazon links are affiliate, which means that I may receive a small commission on anything you purchase through my link. The price you pay is the same.

Little Daphne's scary day

 

 

We had a bit of a disastrous drama last week. My sweet princess Daphne had a horrible accident tearing her leg badly on a piece of mesh that had just been delivered that day as we are having our patio concreting and tiling done. Talk about a bad luck accident.

So we rushed her to the vet in rush-hour traffic and ... inched ... along. But we got there, they sewed her back together, and now she's at home feeling sorry for herself with a clonking unbendable leg and it's probably pretty sore too.

I'm just so thankful it wasn't worse - she missed a major vein by some miracle. And she was so brave in the car going there. What a star my little Daphne is.

She had pain medication and antibiotics and the bonus for her is that she had to take her medicine with food so she received a small extra meal before bedtime. Thankfully she kept her appetite throughout the whole ordeal; as if I ever expected her to lose it!!

 

We didn’t leave the house all weekend and I've stayed home most of this week too. Daphne rested a lot. I don’t need any encouragement to stay home so it's been great :)

 

 

Daphne is continuing to do well, her leg is healing and her bandage has stayed on, amazingly. No cone of shame necessary thank goodness! She is definitely looking forward to getting her bandages off and the stitches out in a week's time though. Poor wee baby. She has been allowed to sleep on the bed with her poor sore paw since the accident.

She has to stay at home while we take the other two doggies down the road for a walk. I'm sure Chloe is looking for a way to injure herself too... she is NOT a fan of going for walks.

Micky on the other hand launches himself down the driveway and would walk for hours if I kept on going!
 

And I've finished my latest book too! I am now proofreading it. It feels SO good to write that last word, lol. I’m excited for you to read it very soon. I’d love to release it within the next week, we’ll see how I go!

 

 

 

I'm making the most of my summer clothes now that we're heading into autumn. There are still days when I can wear my wedge sandals.

As is my thing, I bought them in two colours - yellow and orange. And they were on a good special, so I got both pairs for less than the price of one pair. Just as well as I couldn't choose.

And the blouse I'm wearing I also have in Kelly green. Plus the jeans I'm wearing I also have in denim and black... What can I say, I love making things easy for myself by buying different colours of pieces that work for me.

And, of course, waiting until they go on special. The brands are New Zealand so you probably can't get them overseas (DecJuba clothing and Merchant sandals).

I love to wear my nice clothes at home since I don't often go out. It just makes me happy to dress in pretty colours and do my hair and makeup. And if I do go out or someone comes around, I'm not a scruff.

It was actually proven to me when I had to rush Daphne to the vet last week. I'd been at home all day, writing and also doing home things, and then Daphne had her accident.

The next day I thought how glad I was that I looked presentable and wasn't embarrassed by looking like I'd given up on life, lol.

I hope your week is going well, and please tell me, do you buy multiples of clothing items that you like? Do you like repeating outfit combinations in different shades?

xx Fiona

 

 

PS. My book 'The Chic Closet' is available on Amazon here. Of course I had to mention it since I was talking about clothes! 

 

 

 

My Amazon links are affiliate, which means that I may receive a small commission on anything you purchase through my link. The price you pay is the same ❤️

Chic home style, and loving reading

 

 

We went outdoor furniture shopping (more just researching really) and I had to test out each set! I really like the chunky woven cane in the second photo. It's got a Hamptons vibe and our outdoor area is quite spacious so a bigger ‘look’ will have presence.

It's so hard to choose! It's a sizeable investment too so I want to make a good decision.

Do you have any tips if you've furnished an outdoor area? A patio is like another whole room of the house!

I'd love to have a living area space and a dining area space. Outdoor sofas have always appealed but I've never bought one before. I’m quite an impatient person but I can see that I’ll have to do some looking and planning to make it lovely :)

 

Our new outdoor area has been in the making for a couple of years now but there have been delays owing to various factors, our most recent being the cyclone. But our tiles started to go down this week so it is coming together at last.

The good thing about our timing being longer is that it gave us more time to save up to pay for everything, which is a good thing! I almost feel like the Universe slowed everything down on purpose because the timing is pretty much spot on.

There was a cool quote I wrote down from listening to Rhonda Byrne, I can’t remember which audiobook it was of hers (I listen to them all at once):

‘The matrix of the Universe knows only perfect timing.’

It’s so soothing to take that on. It calms worried thoughts and early hours catastrophising :)

Please let me know any advice you have for furnishing an outdoor area, too!

 

 

Hallway detail with my faux orchid plant

 

I know some may scoff at faux plants but I love them. I love that they always look good, I don't have to water them and potentially get rings on wooden furniture... there are no dead bits dropping down onto the table. So many good things :)

I know plants purify the air, and I do have one... ailing... peace lily. But we live in the country and I open windows daily, even in the winter, so that must keep our air good, yes?

Anyway, I'm going to keep on enjoying my faux plants. What I love about life is that we each get to choose what we want to do, which way to go.

I really admire people who enjoy pottering with their plants, and fresh flowers too. But for me, I've now owned that faux is my way, for now at least. Maybe one day I will get into real plants. I'm always open to change.
 

 

 

I wonder if all writers are also keen readers? It certainly is that way for me. I have read books my whole life, and it was always a treat to open a new book, whether it was a Christmas present or new-to-me from the public library.

Weren't libraries just the most wondrous places as a child? Even in the tiny town where I grew up we had a nice library which provided me with all the books I could ever read, from novels to crafty books on candle-making and crochet, lol!

These days I'm just as much a reader, with a Kindle full of books, a curated bookshelf at home, and a local library at my disposal.

It's funny how precious books are to so many of us.

And now I get to write my own books too. I'm telling you, it is such a blessing to have my books in the world. Each one is a piece of my soul. I know they're light and fluffy, but they really are part of me, for you.

I want to share my happy thoughts and positivity to live a brilliant life without spending a lot of money. Of living well and having a helpful mindset. My 'spin' is combining fun and feminine inner work with financial savvy and a chic personal style - both at home and how we present ourselves.

Please tell me, if you are a writer, do you also love reading? And if you are a happy reader, do you ever dream of writing a book?

xx Fiona

 

PS. You can find all my books here on Amazon.

 

 

 

My Amazon links are affiliate, which means that I may receive a small commission on anything you purchase through my link. The price you pay isn't any different, so thank you if you choose to use my links :)

Rockin' Rod Stewart concert - we went!

 

 

Hello chic friends!

 

I hope you had a lovely Easter weekend.

We were lucky enough to see Rod Stewart in concert on Saturday night, right here in Hawke’s Bay.

He gave such a good show too. I loved the start with Scottish bagpipes which turned into a rocking ‘Addicted To Love’ complete with hot guitar playing girls!

 

 

I love how Rod has fun with his performance and really seemed to be enjoying himself even though he’s probably repeated the show hundreds of times.

What a legend! And an inspiration at 78!

I didn’t see her but a friend told me that his wife Penny Lancaster was there too, wandering around up the front taking selfies with people. How cool is that!

Mind you, if you were Rod’s wife you’d probably stick close too :)

All in all a good night and it didn’t even rain like it was meant to. Phew!

 

And, we got our internet back on the next day. After seven weeks!! Hallelujah. I’m so grateful!

 

 

How about this beautiful autumn sunset the other night? It was fleeting but spectacular.

 

 
Little Micky Dog gets tucked in at night, but then migrates onto the carpet complete with blanket :)

Is his bed too comfortable I wonder? Or too cozy?

Apparently he has always been a floor sleeper. Funny wee thing. He's such a honey.

That's all for this week, wishing you a good one :)

xx Fiona

 

 

Number one best seller! Thank you!

The Green Post 💚

Dog walking on a breezy day 💚💚💚 #autumndays

 

Hello chic friends!

Hope you're having a great week! We switched out of daylight savings time last weekend, so now it's properly into the autumn feels here 🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁

 

Who wants to see the before and after of my herb garden upgrade? I know, you've been waiting on the edge of your seat for it :)

Neatly tended After, with Daphne (and Chloe in the background)

 

The first photo (above) is my lovely weeded herb bed and the second photo further down, well, it's the weedy before photo (but a before-and-after is always fun to see, right?)

 

From left to right in the photo above:

🍃 Parsley (struggling a little I admit, I may have to buy a new plant if it doesn't take off).

🍃 Chives going gangbusters and so yummy in mashed potato since my parsley is currently 'out of stock'.

🍃 Thyme, delicious with scrambled eggs (I fry it in the butter before I put the whisked eggs in the pan). Also very good pressed under roast veges (a few leaves per piece of potato, pumpkin or carrot).

🍃 Oregano, it grows plentifully so I use it! It is nice with roast veges or in a sauce. Delicious added to a homemade pizza too.

🍃 Rosemary, transplanted from another area, and in this photo being photobombed by Daphne. It's nice on roast lamb, and in potato gratin (finely chopped).

🍃 Mint, corralled in its own little pot and seems to be thriving after I transplanted a chunk. I have a big patch growing wild which I originally planted away from everything because if you've ever had mint it takes over. I love putting a handful of leaves in my green smoothie, so good!

The first mint I planted here came from my dad's property which is very special since my dad is no longer with us and the property has now been sold. I remember when he went to get some mint to put in with the boiled potatoes and took me for a trek into the paddock where the most amazing mint patch grew, the leaves were huge. And now I have a satellite mint patch of my own. Thanks Pa!

 

Weedy Before, there are self-seeded TREES growing in there!

 
I hope you enjoyed my herb garden tour. I don't grow anything else at the moment. Herbs seem to be the easiest thing for me and they pay great rewards too since I love cooking with fresh herbs.

This little garden is just one of ways in which I love being 'financially chic' - living a good life without spending a lot of money.

 

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With people here having lost their entire homes in the cyclone floods, I got to thinking what would be the possessions I'd be most upset about if our house was engulfed, and one of my top things was my books. So I took photos of all the shelves and sections of books on our built-in shelf in the hall as an insurance safeguard, plus to remind me of all the titles I have.

 

 

I love my books so much! This is one section of my French Chic shelf, of course. As you can see, I often leave bookmarks in non-fiction books and dip into them as desired. Many books I have collected second-hand from places like Abe Books or Thrift Books over the years, simply because they are not in print any longer.

 

I have been re-reading Jennifer L. Scott's book 'Lessons From Madame Chic' recently. It is such a charming book and reinspires me every time I read it. The ten-item wardrobe chapter is a good reminder at the change of seasons too.

I am thinking about my autumn/winter wardrobe at the moment. My goal is not to buy anything new and to put together a collection from items I already own – to lovingly curate a look and make sure everything is clean, good-looking and mended if necessary. Such fun!

If you are a booklover like I am and have a carefully curated selection of books too, take photos of all your titles today. Just to keep in your phone as a safeguard. And, the bonus is that you get to look at those photos from time to time. They will make you happy! Or maybe that’s just me 😂

Wishing you a lovely long weekend, if it's Easter where you are like it is here.

xx Fiona

 

 

 

 

My Amazon links are affiliate, so I may receive a small commission on anything you purchase through my link at no extra cost to you.