We live on a pension, which is just about adequate, as long as I am very sensible. Some weeks, it is more a case of ‘just surviving’ on a pension. I say this not to gain sympathy but to establish my position. So when I browsed the Sunday Supplement I admit to muttering “You must be kidding!”

It was an article on how to have a spa day at home. ‘Great,’ I thought ‘save money, and still feel pampered’. Then I read with horror the prices of the products: a candle for a mere $60; $33 for soap; various unctuous oils and creams, $200; and in the same magazine, a face cream for $420. Whatever planet they come from, they are not convincing me to buy it.

I have a few better suggestions. Burn a candle if you must (from Woolworth a vanilla one was $4); make a body scrub, olive or coconut oil, with some drops of perfume and handful of sugar; scrub all rough areas of skin with this then shower off thoroughly with a good shower gel. Aldi do some great products for under $5. It makes skin feel soft and silky. The sugar and oil work on the neglected areas well, areas like the heels and elbows. Then while still warm, slather on a nice perfumed body cream, I buy several when Avon have them on special so I can be really generous. I am sure the results I obtain are as good as the spa that might have cost me enough for a holiday in Queensland! Okay, so I miss out on the foot massage and the manicure, but we can’t have it all can we?

My total outlay was about $20, a bit difference to the magazine one of over $1000. I do have one ‘luxury’ item in my armoury: I buy a fake tan spray and it actually works, as I spray my ‘less than pretty’ bits and feel 100% better with glossy brown skin. I paid about $9 for the one I use.

Yes, who needs a day spa?

Do you have any beauty pampering tips like Jacqui? What beauty treatments do you prefer to do at home for less? Tell us below.