Handbags & Gladrags – Confessions of a Recovering Spendaholic

Sun_Addict

Hi Swinstie

Glad you are settling back in!

As soon as we get back from one holiday we are planning the next. We usually go for the first two weeks in January but this winter we are going for just one week in March. It seems such a big gap from our last holiday in July to next March!! Next year's summer holiday won't be until August when it's my big 5-0 :eek: - that's why we're only going for a week in winter instead of 2 - we are planning a super duper holiday for my birthday. We would love to go away somewhere cheap and cheerful between now and March but paying off the debt must come first! It will be worth it in the end.

Swinstie73

Ah holidays! Think Portugal is on our list, we took my Mum there for her 70th but had only started going out with OH, so he hasn't been. Just the family! Hoping to book something before Christmas, either a week or 9/10 days will do.

Well had a very MSE meal tonight with stuff already bought, Gammon Steak, Pineapple and Sweet Potato Mash. It was lovely, although I overdone the Nutmeg in the mash, will be tastier next time.

Got lunch and dinner sorted for tomorrow, rolls on ham/yoghurt/kiwi fruit and a couple of snacky things, then homemade beef curry (from the freezer) for dinner. Haven't been near the supermarket since last Sunday, very chuffed. Taking OH for dinner on Saturday for his birthday (can't remember if mentioned this), so that's Saturday's dinner sorted. He will make dinner on Sunday at his and I will probably nip to the supermarket for stuff for work next week. Only 4 days as off September Weekend, yeah!

Need to get budget sorted big style as scared I might get turned down for another 0% credit card. Phoned Halifax today to ask when you find out about credit limits, as was stung before trying to transfer money only to not have enough credit limit, the card was basically useless to me and couldn't apply for another one. They only decide credit limit once accepted. Going to go into the bank on Saturday to open another savings account for hols, so will act daft and ask in there (shouldn't be too hard - to act daft I mean), ha!

Well off to make some soup now, this is my second attempt after my carrots went mouldy, yuk!

urg123

Hi Swinstie

Your drive is great! Well done on all those NSDs. I've been really bad with that sort of thing recently!

urg x x

Swinstie73

Hi Urg,

Well turned out today wasn't a NSD after having to make a trip to the supermarket at 9pm tonight! Was making Carrot & Coriander soup, only to be missing a vital ingredient, the coriander! So £6ish later (bought loo roll, bread, milk, coriander and cumin), the soup is finally done, just need to wait on it cooling to put in freezer. Substituting the rolls for bread tomorrow for lunch sarnies, flipping cost me 50p today in the canteen for two rolls, what a rip-off.

Roll on the weekend, although gonna be costly, that's the price of love I suppose. Off to bed for a heat, it's freezing in here (too miserly to put the heating on), nite all x

Swinstie73

Morning all,

Got a horrible sleep last night, even though was in bed for 10.30pm! Won't get a long lie tomorrow as have the gym at 10am, nor Sunday as OH staying Sat night and he is an early riser . So I'm really looking forward to September Weekend, OH is only off the Monday so I can sleep to my hearts content on Friday morning, yeah!

Hardly anyone in work today, sitting here desperate for a Latte but eating carrot sticks instead! It's only 96p but trying to cut down on junk, maybe I'll go get one since it's Friday. Or make a cuppa, decisions, decisions.

Need to go to mum's tonight to try on a top my sister ordered from Next, probably be hideous, she didn't like it on. Then it's home to clean up the bombsite I left making the soup last night. Forgot to take my beef curry out the freezer this morning, so I might just have some soup and bread for dinner instead and save the curry for another night. Ho-hum, think I'm off for a latte, why the heck not!

savingholmes

Hi Swinstie - you are making me hungry with all that talk of food. Hope you have a good day and fit in a lie in sometime this weekend

Swinstie73

Thanks SH, I will have a lie in next weekend if not this one!

Well I got my Latte and it was free! Well not free but one of the guys was going down for a coffee and bought mines, they are too kind these guys (also on double or triple my salary)! I do always offer to buy at another time though, honest!

I am starving, carrot sticks here I come......

Swinstie73

Spent all morning eating biccies so not really hungry for lunch now, not like me at all!

Been looking at mini-cruises to Norway or Bruges, someone in work went on one and thought it was brill. Mmm, something to think about and look into more.

Well plan of action when finish work in 4 hours is to go to my mum’s for that top (had planned a shopping trip – window shopping that is), but putting that back until pay-day next week. Home, try top on (will probably hate it as usual) then will get started on the kitchen. I left it in a state last night. So kitchen done, livingroom quick tidy as not too bad, bathroom quick tidy and bedroom a major tidy.

I still have my holiday clothes (all washed) lying around so really need to pack those away and get the suitcase back in the loft. Also have a box for Charity clothes, have quite a few items I can get rid of. Need to go through clothes again as I’m sure I can get rid of more, things like dressy tops I’ve only worn once to maybe a Christmas night out then decide a) I don’t like it anymore or b) feels out of style/fashion. I know I will never wear them again as just never feel comfortable in clothes I’ve not worn for ages.

Going to update my toiletry list, not bought anything for ages, although I must confess to buying perfume at Duty Free even though I said I wouldn’t. Also need to write myself a Need or Want List.

The idea is that I will list everything under the categories of I Need or I Want, simple! Except I think my I Need list will be very short. I have decided that in order for items from the I Want list to graduate onto the I Need list, they must follow the golden rules, which are:

For Clothes:
1) Do I already own something similar?
2) If so, will I wear it again or maybe have it altered?
3) Do I have something to wear with it?

For House/Personal Items:
1) Do I already own something similar?
2) If so, is it able to be repaired/altered etc?
3) Will it improve my life in any way?

With clothes, I tend to buy things which I KNOW I already have, but maybe they are too tight/too short/colour doesn’t suit etc. I have had things altered in the past only to still not wear them. I have other clothes I wear to death then panic when it gets too worn and buy something to replace it, which I always hate!

For house/personal items, I really need to think about whether I Need something, for instance, I Need to get my window sill replaced (melted it with a candle) and keep putting that off, but I Want an Ipod! I listen to radio/cd’s in the car and cd’s at home, why do I Want an Ipod! !!!!!!! Probably because I feel I should have one cos everyone else does!

Watch this space people, cos things are changing big time. I still have Sept 2010 (preferably) but Dec 2010 (realistically) to pay off my debt, but if I can stop buying things I Don’t Need, I can maybe do it quicker.

Okay, rant over! Have a great day everyone xx

Swinstie73

Well got the top, it was a silver fringe one from Next and whilst lovely (and actually nice on with black leggings and sandals), decided not to keep it. Was £25 so not too badly priced, but started wondering what jacket/coat to wear (it's not getting any warmer out) and also that it might not wash well with all that fringing. Knowing me (being a klutz), I would get every fringe pulled to bits then it would look awful.

Tried out a black/grey top I got in Canada (no-one else will have it, except maybe Kerfuffle, ha), with my black skinny jeans and sandals, looks fab! And, drum roll, the jeans fitted me, well they were a teensy bit tight but wearable. The reason I am so happy, they are a size 10, yeah! The top will cover the flab sitting above the waistband great too, well I did say they were a bit tight!

Having my home-made soup, then some pineapples from yesterday with yoghurt for dessert. Eating very lightly so jeans are defo ok. Will probably need to open the button after tomorrow night's belly-buster! Have a good nite peeps, might pop on later or not cos got loads to do!

P.S. Got away at 3pm today and have proceeded to do NOTHING!

Swinstie73

Just another wee update (anything to stop me doing housework), about six months or so ago I had a wee accident where I sat a glass candle holder on my kitchen window sill which proceeded to heat up and melt the sill. I have it covered by a little plant but started thinking should get it fixed in case I want to sell my house, kept putting off phoning the guy in case he charged me loads. Called him tonight, not only is he coming tomorrow at 12noon to put a new one on, it's costing me £20! How brill is that! Wish I had got it done ages ago now, yeah!

So it's off to the gym at 10am tomorrow, til 10.45am, was hoping to get to the bank to open my savings account/ask about credit card but this isn't looking likely now, think will have to leave this til next Saturday (off on Friday but the bank may be closed). Anyway off to clean the kitchen now, or the guy will have a hairy when he sees the state of it x