The Diary of a Frugal Family | Living a Fabulously Frugal Family Life

A Pre-loved home office {on a budget}….

45560Leave a Comment2026-05-20+10%3A58%3A58Cassandra May 20, 2026 By Cassandra
This post may contain affiliate links.

For the first time ever, I have an actual office at home.In our old house, my “office” was basically just a corner of the dining room and honestly, I didn’t mind it at all. I loved being downstairs in the middle of everything. I worked long hours back then and quite often ended up logging back in on an evening or over a weekend to help someone or deal with something urgent, so having my desk downstairs meant I still felt part of whatever was going on in the house while I worked. I could answer emails while tea was cooking, quickly check something while everyone else was watching TV … [Read more...]

The worst things about living in a Victorian reno project….

45536Leave a Comment2026-05-18+08%3A40%3A28Cassandra May 18, 2026 By Cassandra
This post may contain affiliate links.

I absolutely love living in an old house. I love the character, the high ceilings, the big rooms, the wonky little details and the fact that every single corner seems to have a story attached to it. What I do not love quite as much is the fact that every single corner also seems to have a job attached to it.Living in a Victorian reno project sounds very romantic when you say it quickly. It sounds like you spend your weekends wandering around salvage yards, drinking coffee in a sunny bay window and casually choosing between Farrow and Ball colours with names that sound like … [Read more...]

This month’s pre-loved bargains {May 2026}….

45434Leave a Comment2026-05-17+10%3A50%3A28Cassandra May 17, 2026 By Cassandra
This post may contain affiliate links.

Welcome to my monthly pre-loved bargain post - one of my favourite things to write because it gives me an excuse to share the second-hand treasures I’ve brought home lately. 😀May has been the first month since last September that I've felt like me again and have been able to enjoy life fully again after not being very well for a while and I've really tried to make up for lost time this last few weeks and that's meant getting out and about much more than I have done in way too long. We started the month by going to our local boot sale which I hated. It was ridiculously busy … [Read more...]

Homemade Coconut Soap using melt and pour soap…

27589Leave a Comment2026-05-17+10%3A05%3A35Cassandra May 17, 2026 By Cassandra
This post may contain affiliate links.

A while ago now, I shared my first attempt at making soap with you. My lovely Honey and Oatmeal Soap was so lovely that I decided to have a go at making a coconut soap because as the weather gets warmer, coconut is definitely one of my favourite scents.I always used to think that making your own soap would be a huge complicated process involving goggles, gloves and possibly some sort of minor science qualification. 😂 I’m pretty sure the traditional way of making soap involves lye, which is the bit that always put me off looking into it properly because I am absolutely not … [Read more...]

Travel the world and make memories with your kids using Food….

45630Leave a Comment2026-05-16+09%3A23%3A17Cassandra May 16, 2026 By Cassandra
This post may contain affiliate links.

One of the easiest ways to help children learn about different countries and cultures is through food. Kids naturally connect memories to smells, flavours, routines and shared family moments, which makes cooking together such a lovely way to introduce the world from your own kitchen table.We used to do this when my two were little and it was honestly such a lovely way to make an ordinary tea feel a bit more exciting. We’d pick a country, make something inspired by it and talk a little bit about where the food came from. Nothing fancy or Pinterest-perfect, just a simple way to “travel” … [Read more...]

The little things I’ve done to feel ready to go back to work….

45574Leave a Comment2026-05-16+09%3A18%3A00Cassandra May 16, 2026 By Cassandra
This post may contain affiliate links.

Going back to work after being off for over six months feels much bigger than I expected it to.When I first went off, I think I assumed life would somehow pause for a little while and then I’d just slot neatly back into my old routine as soon as I was feeling better. But life doesn’t really work like that, does it? Things happen while you’re away from your normal life and sometimes those things change you a little bit.The last six months have definitely shifted my priorities and made me realise how important happiness, balance and peace of mind are to me. It's not like … [Read more...]