How to Live Large Even on a Budget

All of us wish to have the good life: dream houses, fancy cars, designer clothes and non-stop fine dining at posh restaurants. Alas, not all of us can afford to live like an heiress, and majority of us have to work our derrieres off to make ends meet. But the thing is, there are still ways to enjoy life without draining your bank account. You can still look great, live nice and eat great food even on an average employee paycheck.

Here are some great tips on living large while spending less.

• Get your couture on discount

We're not going to preach about the evils of coveting the latest designer bags and shoes and we're not going to discourage you from trying to buy a Michael Kors dress or a pair of Jimmy Choo stilettos. What you should do however is get these designer items on discount, unless you can REALLY afford to buy them brand new. Just imagine: a pair of designer shoes can cost more than a month's rent. Can you really stomach the idea of spending your money like that? To get designer items without the guilt, watch out for the really big sales that slash the price tags as much as 50% off. Also, you can scour online shopping sites like eBay for slightly-used designer items that are well within your budget.

• Transform your house into a chic pad

Of course you can't afford to hire an interior designer, or else you wouldn't be reading this article. But this doesn't mean you have to live under shabby conditions just because you have to decorate the house yourself. Local interior decorating magazines are great sources of invaluable tips on how to dress up your crib without buying furniture from showrooms. Buying second-hand furniture is usually the trick; flea markets such as the one in Bangkal Street, Makati are filled with home stuff that you can actually afford.