Tips/Ideas for living a champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget?

[MainFlamingo]

Just wondered if anyone has any tips for this really. DD's friend's mum seems to live this lifestyle but I don't really know her well enough yet to ask how she does it!

I will add any tips that I think of but mind is blank at the moment

Can you be more specific about what you mean by 'champagne lifestyle' (assuming it's more than just serving fizz at every opportunity)

Maybe other people pay for her? What do you mean exactly, some examples might help?

I have friends who go to soft launches for restaurants (first few weeks after opening) so the food is heavily discounted. Preview nights for shows tend to be cheaper. Sign up to loads of mailing lists for offers/flash sales. I managed to get tickets to opera for 10 quid. It all sounds good if I tell people about it but was cheaper than they would think.

Examples include kitting her two kids out every season with a whole new wardrobe and 3 pairs of Clarks or Startrite shoes. A minimum of three foreign holidays per year. Constant new clothes and really nice house accessories for her.

She is a single mum and works 16 hours per week as a nurse, so isn't on a huge income even with tax credits and maintenance taken into consideration.

I can only think credit card. Possessions aren't the be all and end all. Experiences are more important. There's no need to emulate her.

Well I'd say 3+ holidays per year are definitely experiences

Either she gets financial help from family/ex, has an independent alternative income, inheritance or she's a drug dealer

Debt.

Obviously she is getting extra income or support from somewhere.

But... we go to a Clarks outlet so never pay full price for school shoes. Best deal was a pair of shoes for 3 year old £29 down to £5.

Never go out to eat without a voucher like 50% off mains/ kids eat free. Don't drink alcohol so that keeps the cost of eating out lower. On lots of restaurants' email lists so if we fancy a meal out, just check the inbox for what offers are available.

Have taken the family to Disneyland Paris for 4 days half board for less than the cost of a CP holiday as we are on their mailing list and got a great deal. FIL used to take us on holidays we could never afford because he had enough money to do it but didn't want to go alone and we couldn't afford it so he offered to take us. Could this be how your friend affords holidays? Or Groupon/ Wowcher? Have seen some great holiday deals on there too.

I have a friend on a low income whose house always looks amazing - she often redecorates and gets great stuff for bargain prices because she has a good eye for what will work but if I went and tried to decorate my living room on a budget it'd look hideous as I'm just not good at interior design at all!

Lemonade is underrated.

Try tap water with champagne on a Friday night?

Is it possible that her ex has a highly paid job and maintenance is more than you think?

No he works in healthcare too in a not very well paid job.

I was described as 'very John Lewis' by a previous boss (board level director of a large company).

In reality, I am 'very charity shop/eBay/Freecycle/supermarket yellow sticker'. The only people who know this are DH and DM.

I'd say it's all smoke and mirrors.

If I get a good deal, I tend to tell people so they don't feel envious. Should learn to keep stcum so they think I'm a lot classier than I am! It like when you see somebody wearing something nice and then find out it's from primark or miss selfridge. Hide your labels!

"Preloved" Boden selling pages, shopping for shoes several sizes on advance while they are on sale, kind friends or family members with holiday cottages to lend for free...

Sugar daddy and maxed-out credit cards. Well, that's how one woman of my acquaintance does it. She'll be screwed if his wife ever finds out.

Use eBay to buy nice, good condition clothes like Jaeger or shop at outlets (Gunwharf Quays is excellent)

Sell anything you don't use on eBay to put the cash towards new purchases

Book holidays last minute or stay in AirBnB

Cut out any small but frequent spending on nails, coffee, magazines, etc and put whatever you save in a kitty for bigger purchases

Sign up to Travelzoo, GroupOn, etc for good deals on days out, meals, holidays

Tesco vouchers for meals/days out.

I'm thinking either outlet shopping, secret second income like matched betting or family help.

Family help perhaps? When I was single and budgeting my parents bought quite a few things like decent kids shoes etc. And we have a family holiday house I can use.

What about their credit card debt? I've learned from TV programs that some people run up huge debts to afford a comfortable lifestyle (at least for a while).

Sign up for product testing. I have had quite a few from here & some from other sites. Had £50 for Pizza Express from here which was very nice On a similar note, maybe also mystery shopping (haven't tried this myself, though).

Don't hesitate to complain or praise where applicable. Companies will often offer vouchers or little gifts for feedback. E.g. I complained about lack of picture at a cinema screening & received free tickets for the whole family of 5, which could be used in standard or premier seats.

Buy secondhand stuff. If you go to posher areas you may get designer clothes or other things for a fraction of the new price.

there are some good wages in senior roles in health care if she's a nurse she may be a matron etc

ex maintaince

part time = limited childcare costs but she may cram her hours in so 2 days a week could be 20 hours 3 days 30 etc
people think i work part time but i justbwork 10 hour shifts

holidays can be cheap i did this last year and did either air bnb and my boyfriend paid for one of them

Maybe she has no mortgage ? No childcare costs ? If she's a band 7 on a 18.75 hr week she'll be on £25 k that £1500 pcm ish won't pay much tax and maintainence might be £500-600 ? Just guessing

maybe someone pays all her bills and food and money she earns are for clothes and holidays?

who knows?