Tips for a recessionista
Aoife Nagle offers advice to funds-scarce females about maintaining a fun social life

Ladies fret not, Thirsty Thursdays do not have to be history. Quit the quandary, face being less frivolous, act more magnanimous and the good times can keep on rolling. Here are some tips to help recessionistas be cheaply chic and maintain the life we have become accustomed to in the early noughties by just being a little bit wiser in planning. By implementing these changes alone, you can save yourself over €2,100.

FIVERS MENU IN ODESSA
Every Tuesday to Friday and Sundays after 5pm at Odessa, you can avail of the recession buster ‘Fivers Menu'. Delicious plates of lots of their signature dishes for €5, including salt and pepper squid and chicken leg confit. Medium size portions great for sharing.

Go check it out with a friend. Share three plates between the two of you and a glass of house white each; Cost to fashionista – €22.75; cost to recessionista – €13.25.

That's a saving of €9.50.

HOLIDAY LOCALLY
Check out http://www.discoverireland.ie/ and look at their special offers section. Find a cottage in Goleen in West Cork, or Dingle-Deangain in Co. Kerry for next to nothing. Borrow a friends surfboard and wetsuit and hit Doolin in Co. Clare.

Ireland really is beautiful and there are lots of adventures to be had. Based on two sharing, the cost to fashionista is €1,800, which is about the same as one week flights and accommodation to Italy's Amalfi coast. Cost to recessionista is €300, or one week in a cottage in West Cork, including the fuel to get there. That's a saving of €1,500.

SHOP ONLINE
Be sure to scour the UK/ US online high street websites. A killing can be made with the exchange rate which has been working in the euro's favour. Make savings in stores such as Oasis, Warehouse and Topshop. Try it for size on Grafton St but make the purchase online. For example, on a bell skirt dress I bought recently in Topshop…

Cost to fashionista – €76 (Pre recession I would have bought it on Grafton St). Cost to recessionista – €41.14 (