For one reason or another I hadn't seen one of my old mates who lives in Kensington in ages.

(He told me that if I was going to mention him in my blog I ought to give him a cunning nickname like 'Mr Big' off Sex and the City..

His friends suggested 'The Grumpy Scot'.. I'm going to go with 'Dave'.)

Before my enforced poorness we had a tradition of going to this nice little cafe for Sunday brunch near where he lives.

I saved up my pennies over the course of the week and calculated how much I would need to buy my favourite dish there which cost about £8.

It made me so happy to go again- just like old times- even though now I was the cheap-skate drinking just water.

After that, I followed Dave round Kensington High Street, trying to give him advice as he looked for some new clothes.

A very different affair from when I shop with girls- there was little browsing and gushing over items.

He picked stuff up, he tried it on, we left.

Then we went to the pub with some of his friends where I began to get a bit edgy- I hadn't budgeted for a drink.

I'd spent my pennies for the weekend.

But the very generous Scot bought me a drink- woohoo!