Single and in debt.

skint_spice

I love Italian football too but only been to DS's matches or Scotland matches this year. I also love high heels and makeup so god know's what they'd make of me! Probably makes me a bloke in drag...

I didn't particularly enjoy christmas until I had DS. x

sarahb123_3

Hi all, hope everyone currently has lovely xmassy nibbles and drinks to hand!:xmassmile

Bathgate, just ignore it, I know it's upsetting when people don't "get" you but it just shows them up as shallow and smallminded, it never seems to occur to some people that their lives might not be what everyone else aspires to. A lot of them are probably pretending anyway. We know you're fabby! I will be here most of the evening and some of tomorrow so like SuSu says, pop on for a chat or a rant if you need us.

You should really try writing a 100 list, it's actually very difficult to get 100 things so it forces you to really think about what you want to do, mine is the usual things of course, but also things like visiting the museums and art galleries nearby, days out, pampering things, books to read etc, i want to see how many I can get done and if they can be done free or by using vouchers etc, I don't want to pay full price for anything! One of mine is to learn 100 words in Italian (just in case;) .)

Lula and Pink twirl, don't worry about the spending, this is a thread for people who know we need our treats, and we can all start 2009 with a clean slate and the more we spend now, the more we can pay off next year, thus making us all look like brilliant financially savvy debt busters:D I for one am planning to hit the sales, it's a bit annoying that the best sales in years are happening just when i'm trying to pay things off so I'm not going to go mad but some bargains are just too hard to resist;) I am going to Boots on Boxing day to spend my points so everything will be technically free, as I can't spend on toiletries or perfume I might stock up on hairspray, deodorant etc in preparation for living off 4k next year.

SuSu, I shall join you in watching Strictly even though I am seething about the result! I nearly cried!

Lula-Hula

Hi sarah,

I want to go where you're going on boxing day, but instead I have to go to Dads for 'drinks' with the neighbours :eek: & then my sis & her OH are coming here for a meal. Oh yes, yet another happy occasion when DD plays the role of my significant other :rotfl: have no idea what I shall do when she's too cool to hang out with me . More shopping, drinking & eating chocolate probably .

I'm not really concerned about what I've spent, just miffed that most of it was on boring food *completely forgets about the boots, bag & perfume bought a week or so ago *.

I'm disturbed to find that I'm tempted to join you in the no chocolate challenge. Please can you explain the rules again ie please tell me that there is an end to this challenge _pale_ & it's not some life changing thing ?

I've been a bit sneaky this year & asked for gift vouchers rather than presents so I can add to my scary & completely insane clothes challenge. I'm secretly looking forward to it & wonder whether there will be any 'side effects' .

sarahb123_3

Hi Lula, I think the no chocolate challenge is about no chocolate until debts are cleared:eek: I can't join as I wish to eat chocolate again before the end of the decade.

I am seriously considering the £100 clothes thing, I don't need any new clothes so if i stock up on underwear etc in the sales I might be able to manage it. The problem is that I rarely think, "I need a new skirt," and go out just to get that, I see a new skirt and think "I want that." It is going to be very difficult to get out of that mindset. But I will try, I will have £100 anyway and I can use Quidco money if I see anything fabby that I must have. I shall just have to go cold turkey and avoid clothes shops altogether and keep thinking about saving for a house.

SuSu1871

Hi guys

Just popped away for a bit to cook and eat my lovely dinner. I went crazy and treated myself to a big steak today. Was umming and aahing about it as it was £3.50, but it was so big that I've only had half of it and will have the other half tomorrow. I also treated myself to a six pack of diet cherry coke - 'tis a rare treat. Boy, I know how to live, eh! :rotfl:

Lula, I'm doing a chocolate challenge next year. No chocolate till I'm debt free, which should be May/June, but could be sooner if Thames Water ever get round to paying me the £946 they owe me :mad: (I'll be writing to their CEO in January). I'm just having another bar of chocolate - got loads to get through, but I'll take most of it to Manchester with me on Boxing day. Will stuff myself silly till 1 Jan :rotfl:

I forgot to tell you I had a lovely thing happen this week! Well, two things actually!! I got a £75 bonus from our VP - it was a thank you for my help arranging a meeting in Portugal. Then today I got £75 of John Lewis vouchers from my boss as a thank you for my "dedication since joining the team in June". I was struggling to think what to get with the first £75 because I don't actually need anything, and I didn't want to just buy clothes/shoes/books or something. So, I've decided to get another £75 of John Lewis vouchers, then if I get another bonus I'll get more John Lewis vouchers, and I'll save them all up till I get a house (in 3-4 years) and buy something beautiful that I can keep. It also gives me an incentive to me even more fabulous/dedicated at work for the next few years!

On the down side (for every yin there is a yang), I haven't heard from my Sunday date since he blew me out on Saturday morning. I'm hoping he's too poorly to reply to the "hope you're feeling better" text I sent yesterday, and not just playing silly b*ggers and avoiding me. I'm not going to text him again, but will see if he gets in touch when we're back at work in January. Men, eh?

I might pop into Boots in Jan & see if I can get my neices birthday & christmas 09 presents in the sale. I did this last year and it was so useful having a box of gifts handy and saved me having to find extra money each birthday (I've got 3 neices I still buy for - nephews & neices over 18 get knocked off my list!)

skint_spice

I've sold John Lewis vouchers on ebay before Susu for almost face value - worth a thought maybe...

SuSu1871

Thanks for the suggestion, but I want to keep them and buy something nice. I don't want them just to go on clearing my debt because I'm on target to clear that soon enough anyway. I'd much rather have a gorgeous something for my house (and I now have a new target to "earn" £500 in JL vouchers in the next 3 years!) I might even be able to buy a rather lovely coffee table I've seen

Lula-Hula

No chocolate til debts cleared :eek: utterly ridiculous that's 2 years at least
Not a hope of me joining that one I'm afraid. Sarah, was this your idea & were you very very delirious when you concoted it ?

Makes my £100 clothes challenge seem positively fun :rotfl: .

Dark rum in one hand & I'm sure there were some nuts in the other, but strangely the bowl is now empty ...aaah there they are, on my hips :rolleyes: .

I've just joined the selaed pot challenge in order to save £250 for next christmas. I aim to be really really stingy & use the excess to buy fabby stuff as a treat for a whole 11 months of denial .

sarahb123_3

Susu, maybe instead of vouchers you could open a savings account and put the money in there, that way you will earn interest and there is no danger of losing the vouchers. You could open an account using Quidco, then you would have a bit extra to add as well.

SuSu1871

Lula-Hula wrote: »

No chocolate til debts cleared :eek: utterly ridiculous that's 2 years at least
Not a hope of me joining that one I'm afraid. Sarah, was this your idea & were you very very delirious when you concoted it ?

I take full responsibility for the no chocolate challenge. It's a personal thing borne of the hideousness felt when trying on clothes the other day. I used to have a lovely figure and now... well, remember that image of Robin Williams in the "naked" Mrs Doubtfire body suit...? :rotfl:

So, no chocolate till Spring for me. Well, no solid chocolate anyway I do enjoy an occasional cheeky little hot chocolate - my pal gets it from Scandiwegi-land and it's blummin lovely!