Make up

• If you have sensitive skin and wear a foundation or base, make it a good one. This can be your splurge, although 17, the Body Shop and other lower range cosmetic brands do half-decent bases that might not flare up your skin.
• Make bases last longer and look more natural by mixing with moisturiser.
• Don't wear make up every day, give your skin a rest sometimes. Seriously, you should be enhancing, not masking with the stuff anyway. Your skin will feel better for it, and you won't go through products so quickly.
• When buying fashionable colours buy cheap: try market stalls, mail order companies like Stargazer and discount brands like Tesco's own brand and Collection2000. If you are only going to use something a few times it isn't worth blowing your pay cheque on it.
• Make nail varnish last longer by adding a little remover to a half-used bottle to thin it down again.
• Don't waste cash on the millions of expensive lotions and potions claiming they'll transform your skin. Mostly they won't.
• Make glitter go further by buying it in loose or powder form rather than gel and mixing with a little Vaseline so that it sticks to your skin.
• Buy all-in-one products for eyes, lips and cheeks, or use lipsticks as glossy eyeshadows or blushers.
• Get your make up done at a beauty counter, many places allow you to take lots of free samples of products afterwards, and we like freebies.
• Take advantage of three for two offers, if you don't want three products, shop with mates and split the final cost between you all.

Clothes

• Buy good classics: Perfect fit jeans, black trousers etc that go with anything and everything. You can afford to spend a little more here as you'll wear them again and again.
• Accessories: These are every girl's best friend. If you can't afford to spend wads of cash on new clothes each month but like to follow trends, then buy belts, bags of bangles that allow you a twist of the key looks. Even if you hate fashion this is the simplest way to be individual without too much effort or expense. Shops like Topshop and Claire's Accessories sell discount up-to-the-minute styles, while markets and car boots turn up all manner of interesting stuff.
• Charity shops: No they're not just for old men's pyjamas that smell of wee, you can find anything and everything here if you look hard enough. Slip dresses to wear over your jeans, retro T-shirts, parkas, beanies, vintage dresses, cut-price designer wear, cheap V-necks and that's just for starters. As if the low prices and prize finds weren't enough, you're also giving money to good causes so you get double the feel good factor.
• Markets: Flea markets, car boot sales, village bazaars, festival stalls etc. all offer you a chance to find more interesting clothes often at much lower prices than you'd pay in a high-street store. It's a fun way to spend the day especially if you haggle your prices down, and you'll probably be in good company. Supermodels like Claudia and Kate can often be seen down Portobello Road looking for that red carpet camera grabber.
• Army surplus stores: Why are you paying £30 for an army-look shirt when you can get them for £1-5 at a surplus store? Not only that, they have vests, T-shirts, jumpers, combats, tool bags and much much more at low cost prices. All very now and a look that comes back time and time again.
• It's the high street: Topshop and Hennes among others are absolute stars in getting inspiration straight off the catwalk and into their stores. For designer looks at affordable prices you can't go wrong there.
• Share stuff: Love your mate's new flares but can't afford to buy your own, why not borrow them in exchange for something they love of yours. More clothes for free hurrah!
• Customise your existing wardrobe: Like the cropped trousers look but can't afford any? Simply turn up your jeans or cords. Often if you go through your wardrobe you'll find you can replicate new looks without having to buy anything new, it's just the way you wear it innit!
• Finally: Stop caring what others think, if you can wear your style with an air of casual confidence you'll have more uber coolness than any designer wardrobe, or superstar make up artist could give you.

You might have missed...

Post Pals party

Vicky applies to her local newspaper to help fund the Post Pals annual party.

Modern witchcraft

Anna has been a witch for the last six years and explains what witchcraft really is.

Pointless protests

Daisy is fed up with people taking part in protests with
no meaning.