Clockwise from Top Left: 1. Sequinned Wing Necklace £19.99 at Zara 2. Mavala Colorfix £9.70 at Feel Unique 3. Teddy iPhone 4 Case £34.99 at Moschino 4. Leather and Fur Jacket £169 at Zara 5. Warm Spice £19.99 & Vanilla Cupcake £16.99 Scented Candles at Yankee Candle 6. Lola Rose Hydrangea Scarf £51.50 at QVC

What with wedding planning, Christmas and and an over indulgent summer, these last few months have seen me a little short on cash. Thus, like the old days, I’m back to window shopping to sate my fashion, beauty and homeware appetite. Lately I’ve been working so hard that my main want and need right now is to snuggle up. I’m beyond looking good at this point in time. I couldn’t care less. After a 12 hour day, the gym and then a walk home from the office in the driving rain, all I want is to be warm and comfortable.

All that aside, the winter months always have me pining for soft materials and spicy scents. These Lola Rose scarves come in a couple of different prints but for me this hydrangea print in powder blue creation is Autumn-perfect. As for scented candles, I like to pick mine up at discount prices from TK Maxx, but in my dreams I’d be buying nothing but Yankee Yankee Yankee. Warm Spice, Vanilla Cupcake and Christmas Eve are my favourites for this time of year and I might just invest in one or two in the run up to the holidays.

Clothes-wise, texture has always been a huge part of fashion for me. Dressing in contrasting fabrics and finishes is where I find the joy in getting dressed every day and winter is where I can get the most fun out of that. This mixed Fur and Leather Jacket from Zara is pricey but on a high street currently saturated with the leather sleeved military jacket, I like it for a classy, grown up alternative. I’ve been accessorising with loads of chunky, statement necklaces and my favourites usually come from Zara. I’m finding myself more and more often using them to jazz up plainer tops and, let’s face it, those slightly sack-like chunky knit jumpers that need a bit of sparkle.

Top of my wish list, really, truly, is the iPhone 5. Sadly, because I’m only 8 months into my contract with Orange, I am facing at least 16 more gruelling months before I get my hands on the sleek, light-weight beauty of my dreams and it’s speedy 4G connection. In the meantime, thank goodness, Moschino (one of my favourite fashion houses – I love the colourful, quirky designs of Cheap & Chic) have created this cute little guy to make my iPhone 4 look a little less tired. Lastly, I’m in the market for a new nail top coat. Seche Vite and the like freak me out a little because they’re packed full of nasties, so I’ve been eyeing up Mavala Colourfix for it’s all-natural approach.

With Christmas to think about and a few other life-based stressors these last few months, I’ve got far less money to spend than I have over the past year. Reeling in your £100+ a month cosmetics habit can get really tough, let me tell you. Right now I’m just dreaming of Christmas morning and trying to pinch pennies wherever I can including making my own lunches to take to work. That’s partly for health and wellness reasons too so there will be more on that coming soon!

Have you got an frugal or budgeting blogs on your reading list? I love A Thrifty Mrs, she has loads of top tips for ways to save on yourself and at home. I’m also currently loving Tabitha’s Diary of a Spendaholic posts. She, rather bravely, types up what she spends on herself each week and shares it with her readers. Kinda like the MyFitnessPal for your wallet, it really drawa attention to what you spend your dough on and where you can cut down. I’m a bit scared to try it if I’m honest! Do you keep a weekly or monthly budget? How do you keep your purse strings tight?