Miss Thrifty Manifesto, Revised: New Year, New Me?

Don’t worry: this isn’t some New Year’s Resolution-themed baloney about losing weight and finding new hobbies. But with the calendar year flipping and Miss Thrifty having a drastic design makeover at around about the same time, this seems like the right place at which to stop for a moment and take stock.

As you may have seen – and if you are reading this via your inbox or RSS reader, come take a peek – things are looking all shiny and new around here.

For example, there’s a new Deal of the Day section:

There are lots of little details that make me feel jolly every time I look at them. Like the tiny price tags at the bottom of the post extracts on the homepage:

And look, even the categories get little thumbnail images:

Is it vanity to admire the design details on your own blog? I guess this is what happens when you get someone who knows what they are doing to give the thing an overhaul. Also, in keeping with the self-sufficiency theme, the redesign has been funded 100 per cent by the advertising that appears in the blog sidebar. I am proud of this achievement.

So, onwards and upwards. I’ve been thinking about the direction this blog will take in 2011. Last year the most popular posts were as follows:

• The competitions. Prize draws to win Ugg boots, handbags and lingerie were all very popular.
• Anything to do with Cath Kidston, from a temporary Cath Kidston discount code to a Cath Kidston sale review.
• The Romanesco cauliflower recipe.
• Six top tips from Yorkshire’s thriftiest grannies.
• Shopping for Manolo Blahniks in Oxfam.
• Slow cooker: save money on food – and save money on washing up.

Meanwhile, posts about politics and the crunchier end of personal finance (mortgage repayments, tax credits and the like) met with a wall of indifference.

So I am thinking that the Miss Thrifty Blog Manifesto for 2011 should be short and sweet:

• More competitions.
• More Cath Kidston.
• More food.
• More fashion.
• More old school tips and tricks.

Darn it: you’re the reader, so what are your thoughts? Does this sound like the right mix? What do you like best? Anything you want to see more of? Less of? Please let me know.

Image credit: jetheriot.