SO HOW NOUVEAU PAUVRE ARE YOU? TAKE THE QUIZ

Where does your drinking water come from?

A) A tap! It’s marvellous. You turn it on and fill a glass. You thought it would taste like poison, but it’s rather nice. B) Your Brita filter jug. Cheaper than mineral water but you’re the only one who ever fills it. C) The Swiss Alps, by way of a fully recyclable plastic bottle. You can’t possibly drink from a tap, you’re not a savage.

Do you still buy takeaway coffees?

A) No! You calculated it was costing you £50 a month and now you cart your own around in your Orla Kiely reusable cup. B) Just once a week. But you’ve switched from a grande latte to a flat white — it’s tiny and barely counts. C) Three a day. Yes, it’s £120 a month, but you’re not going on holiday so it all evens out. hoW much do you spend on your exercise regimen?

A) Nothing! You now exercise in the park or on wet days you follow Yoga With Adriene videos on YouTube. B) £90 a month. You’ve sacked your personal trainer (sorry Carlos) and have taken out an off-peak gym membership. C) £400 a month for your private members’ club gym. You hated Zoom classes and you’ve got that lockdown 7lb to shift.

Which supermarket do you use?

A) Supermarket? You’ve joined Costco and buy all your food wholesale. You’ve got a bag of rice that weighs more than you. B) Waitrose. But you’ve switched to the Essentials line and you only shop in the evening when fresh produce is reduced. Those yellow stickers are your friend. C) No idea. You’ll have to ask your housekeeper.

Who is Martin Lewis?

A) Your superhero. You’ve subscribed to his website and he’s saved you thousands. B) The money saving guy? He explained the furlough PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED BY PRESSREADER PressReader.com +1 604 278 4604 . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY . ORIGINAL COPY ORIGINAL COPY

business well, but switching energy suppliers is such a faff. C) Oh, the chap in West Wing. You binge-watched that in lockdown. He’s brilliant.

DO you grow any of your own fruit and veg?

A) I’ll say! The freezer is full of vegetable stew. It’s just so rewarding to eat a cabbage you’ve grown from scratch. B) Yes, but so far you’ve only yielded a few wonky carrots. C) Absolutely! But it all died because the gardener couldn’t come to water it, so you get a weekly box from Abel & Cole.

HAVE you re-thought your grooming regimen?

A) You’re £300 a month better off now you colour your own hair (if it’s good enough for Holly Willoughby . . .). You’ve ditched manicures (nails ruined by growing veg anyway) and apply your own fake tan. B) Your home haircut was a disaster, but you’ve stretched your salon visits out to every ten weeks instead of six. C) What? Why? You’re not a cavewoman, and someone has to support the beauty industry.

DO you have a cleaner?

A) You let her go. You now have ‘chore Tuesday’ where everyone mucks in. Such fun!

B) Yes, but she comes only once a fortnight now. She’s like one of the family, so you’ve just halved her earnings instead. C) Mrs O’Sullivan. She’s a darling! You’re so relieved that she’s back working two days a week. ANSWERS:

MOSTLY As: You are true nouveau pauvre! Not only are you saving a fortune, you’re having fun, too. You might even start a blog.

MOSTLY Bs: You’re trying your best, but you’ve got to have some treats in life or what’s the point?

MOSTLY Cs: Hardly. Life’s too short to scrimp and save.