Decorating on a budget

I've just had a loft extension put in. It's a lovely space, full of light, but now it's there, I have to decorate. Which means spending money.

None the less, I found out I could spend less by being clever.

• Start off, whatever colour you want, with white paint. It's cheap. And laying two coats of white under another colour will make it nice and bright when you add it on top.
• Dilute your first coat nearly 50-50 paint and water. It makes the paint go further, and makes it go on easier.
  
• It doesn't all have to be the same colour. I'm probably going to leave most of the walls white and just paint one, and the ceiling, in warm golden yellow. That cuts down on the cost.
  
• Use a roller. Much easier to apply the paint smoothly.
  
• Wear your t shirt and shorts INSIDE OUT. Then, paint only goes on the inside, and you have saved the shirt for wearing right-way-out when you want to.
• If you're using brushes, this is the one place it is worth spending money for good ones - cheap brushes have bristles which fall out and spoil the finish.