OS treats

Pink.

Hi jenpup,

There was a very recent thread on Old Style treats so I've added your thread to it to keep the ideas together.

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LameWolf

I'm with Jenpup on the chocolate front. Mr LW buys me bars of Lindt 85% dark chocolate, but I only ever eat one square a day, if that. If I was having "ordinary" chocolate it'd take the whole bar to satisfy me, so it'd actually work out more expensive.

newlywed

I go to Aldi and buy cinnamon raisin loaf - just like a toasted teacake - yum. Or I get their ciabatta bread (59p) and have it with jam. Or Titan bars, their twix (Jive) bars are good too, and the fig rolls, chocolate cappuccino bars, erm...

I also buy morello cherry cordial in Sainsbugs, frozen black cherries (like these straight out of the freezer!) and olive ciabatta rolls (every month - just for me )

I make sure I buy everything else to suit OH and the kids tastes so why shouldn't I buy a few bits just for me, since it's me that cooks it all??

Also, I buy all my clothes and handbags in charity shops or on ebay now. Gone are the days of spending £200 on two outfits for a party :rolleyes: but have got a wallis skirt £4, monsoon skirt £6, and a brand new per una skirt with the tags still on for £10 (I don't mind paying that as it's for charity, new, and would cost more on ebay ).

And my other treat (do I have too many???) is a subscription to Good Food mag - as now I never browse the magazine racks (used to spend £40 a month on magazines :eek:) so long term it saves me money


And very occasionally if I'm down, I buy myself a bunch of £1.99 flowers from Aldi as flowers make me smile

Cornishpixie_2

I tend to bake my own treats, as I have the rest of the family to help me eat them. Also my birthday is 3 weeks before Xmas, so if I get a few boxes of chocs and wine or smellies, I make them last till Xmas, where upon I get my next ration, until the kids Easter Eggs:D

Quasar

I've stopped buying chocolate bars (well as often as I did, anyway) because they are too sugary and very unhealthy. The best chocolate, Hotel Chocolat, at 90% cocoa solids for those like me who like darkest dark, can set me back £3 so I'll give it a miss. However I buy organic pure cocoa and make a strong cocoa drink with it and milk when I get the craving. Cheap and healthy, as pure cocoa has lots of minerals and antioxidants.

I used to be very unrestrained and have a doughnut here, a bar of chocolate there, whenever it took my fancy. But not now, and I have trained my tastebud to crave for fruit. I particularly like satsumas, clementines and gala apples, so there's always some in my kitchen and I treat myself to one at any time I wish.

That said, my line of work often requires me to eat out (on paid expenses), so for the really naughty stuff I wait for those occasions.

However I slipped up yesterday and bought some luscious shortbread fingers...

Caterina

Just had my OS treat, organic oatcakes with organic honey - brill and loads healthier than choc chip cookies.

Another treat of mine is magazines but I only get the 3 for £1 (or at most 3 for £3) subs and then cancel - and then subscribe again, in rotation

Caterina

Swarovski77

Like many in 2009, I am looking to really reign in spending and bust some debts, accrue some savings and get the house as organised as possible. Phew!

My usual way of treating myself used to be to buy little things like mags, as well as bigger spend things such as I'd go out for meals/drinks, buy bits of costume jewellery/clothes, etc etc etc. However, this will now no longer be possible.

I'm wondering... what kind of 'old style' treats do you use to treat yourself when the going gets tough for little 'pick me ups'. What things are free but fab... cheap but cheerful??

xx

CurlyTop

Hi Swarovski77

Instead of buying things, I find to have an hour to myself to read; cross stitch; go and play with my nieces and play a game/ colour in; go for a ride on my pushbike - as much as it tires me I find I always feel brighter for it, must be something to do with endorphinsmabob or something; do some gardening; go for a walk down the prom; play free bingo at the local bingo hall; spend too much time on here lately (lol) are all things that bring me joy without costing a penny. You get the idea. I'm such the other lovely mse'rs will give you loadsatips too.
:j

Olliebeak

I like to 'trawl the charity shops' and keep a lookout for anything suitable towards the 'christmas stash' or useful for my dgk to play with when they visit me, ie jigsaw puzzles, books, fisher-price toys. Even the charity shops have got sales on around here - they practically giving away their books at the moment! Often find oddments of wool in there too - those can go towards making lap blankets for snuggling under and have the added bonus of keeping your knees warm while you're making them .

Gigervamp

I don't paint my nails very often, so when I do, that feels like a treat!
Most magazines have websites, so if you're not buying your fave mag, check out their site instead.