Debt free social life?????

115K

Some of the comments on this thread have made me chuckle.:p

There are great ideas for cheap nights out and I think I will have to nick some of them!:j

afterglow_2

i definitely think the best option is the evening work, whether it be bar/restaurant work for the money, socila life etc, or volunteering for feeling like youve done something good, and will help you forget and reassess your own problems!!
i work 4 nights a week in a pub, have recently trained as licensee, and so can up my income very well, whilst getting loads of benefits from it,
i also used to volunteer as a chef for a local charity which got me my new day job!!

And the other 3 nights a week, are spent all out, cinema, gigs, dinner, running, photography, and i only budget £20 a week for this!!!

Burlesque_Babe

Glen0000 wrote: »

She said today she misses the old her. The nails done her. The new clothes her. The glam her. I think women need a lot more money just to be themselves (make up , hair, nails) and she is struggling with that aspect too.

this struck a chord with me - not the nails/tan aspect as its something I've never been interested in - but the pre- light bulb moment, spend, spend, spend 'old me'. I look back and sometimes miss her, but often think - who was she?!

The me who went to the pub god knows how many times a week - quiz night, friday night, saturday night, then probably into town to a club until 2 or 3 am. The 'old me' in Tesco or Sainsbury's 2 or 3 times a week with a trolley full of Tesco Finest, huge cuts of prime rib beef and lots of stuff to 'snack on' - £70 a time and still going back again that week - for 2 of us.:o The 'old me' who would go into town through boredom and come back having spent £100+ on an outfit, or some shoes, some nice smelling stuff or a couple of CD's.:o

The 'old me'........with 25k of debt by the end of it,:eek: the tears at being in debt - again :rolleyes: - and the slog it took to pay it all off.......but it was worth it.:j

The 'new me' hardly goes out - god, what is a social life?, the new me buys second hand from ebay and budgets at the supermarket comparing offers constantly and is on a very, very low income. Some days I feel it's 'just not fair' when I see others with a posh new internet phone, out every weekend drinking, a Wii and all the gubbins, boots or shoes at £80 a pair and a shiny new 32 inch plasma TV. After a bit though, I remember - they are just 'things'....

I know now which I'd rather be of the 2 people, with all my lovely DFW friends around me, the spectre of debt gone and being able to sleep at night, not dreading the thud of the mail each day.

It's not about women needing 'more' - it's about them realising what they already have and being satisfied with that and remembering all the other stuff is just superficial.

Your wife has you and it seems she is very lucky as you are working hard to get her to change the way she thinks to get rid of the debt.

Jacks_xxx

Burlesque_Babe wrote: »

this struck a chord with me - not the nails/tan aspect as its something I've never been interested in - but the pre- light bulb moment, spend, spend, spend 'old me'.

.

I don't miss the "old me" either, but sometimes I think my friends do.

I do get that sudden unexpected wave of envy once in a while too though. (I'm deeply jealous of anybody who owns a Wii fit! )

Love Jacks xxx

ltm07

Hi again Glen, glad to see you back & sorry to hear you have had a bad time with helping friend. I think most of us struggle from time to time & it gets us down. For you to get your entertainment budget down from £600-£200 is an achievement in itself. As others have suggested, there are cheaper ways for your wife to get her nails done etc. We are finding things difficult at the moment with things going wrong with the house & car, nothing too major, but it's expense all the same. I too have found my old self in some ways, but I know exactly how much I can have to treat myself, when it's gone, it's gone. Chin up mate & all the best.

Burlesque_Babe

I'm also in the 'I wanna wii fit' club Jacks!!

Stomps off to drool..........

(although I know if I had one, I'd never do any of my work I have to do from home to paythe bills!! :rotfl:

kittyscarlett

Glen0000 wrote: »

She said today she misses the old her. The nails done her. The new clothes her. The glam her. I think women need a lot more money just to be themselves (make up , hair, nails) and she is struggling with that aspect too.

Well as has been said, she does not have to miss out on these things, there are money savvy ways of getting them. But I think what she needs most of all is the feeling of self confidence, and maybe some reassurance from her nearest and dearest that she is Absolutely Fabulous no matter what she is wearing A lot of the time people buy themselves things they do not need in order to give themselves a temporary boost. You are working hard at managing your debt and changing your lifestyle, Glen, well done, just remember, keep telling your missus she's great costs nowt but a bit of breath and hopefully build up her self image again Good luck.