By Helen Macrae

Since the last time we spoke I’ve not (a) had a wealthy long-lost relative die and leave me a substantial inheritance, (b) landed a lucrative contract to replace Penelope Cruz as the face of Mango, or (c) married a Texan oil billionaire. In other words, I’m still broke. At this time of year I imagine that many of you are in the same boat, with students running out of loan/grant/money from the Bank of Mum & Dad, and the rest of us trying to save those pennies in order to afford to go on holiday somewhere a bit better than Bognor this summer. Fear not though, help is at hand! Like a kindly (albeit cash-strapped) fairy godmother, I’ll be here during the coming weeks to guide you through your darkest dinero-free moments. Here’s this week’s tip to get you started, and let the penny-pinching begin! 

Picnic o’clock

Since Madrid is blessed with particularly pleasant weather during the summer months, what better way to spend a lazy afternoon than enjoying a picnic in one of the city’s many parks. Head out to Casa de Campo to get away from it all, try the Retiro if you prefer somewhere a bit more central, or if ancient Egyptian artefacts are more you thing then make a beeline for Parque Templo Debod. Of course, the essential ingredient of a picnic is, well…a picnic, and since you’re broke you probably don’t have the money to skip down to El Corte Ingles for strawberries and champagne. But before you go entertaining any ideas of shoplifting, just remember many an inventive meal can be scrounged from an almost-empty kitchen cupboard…just think back your uni days when you had to do it at the end of term in order to not to starve! Tried and tested dishes include noodles and peas, tuna and ketchup, and my personal favourite, fishfinger spaghetti. Buen provecho!