Handbags & Gladrags – Confessions of a Recovering Spendaholic

savingholmes

I like your anti housework measures LOL

Sounds like you are still doing a wee bit of shopping - said the kettle.... I spent £5 today on utter tat. I don't know why other than I may use it as part of xmas presents. Nevertheless I didn't need it today... I think the only solution for me is to

a) leave my purse at home and only take a few coins max out with me
b) give my purse to friend for safekeeping while I am out
c) stay in

Having said that I really want some hazelnuts and am possibly going to nip to the shop at half eleven at night to get some... knowing that if I do I will fall into other temptation while there... hmmmmmmmmm

but I want them... they are calling me... Forget the fact they are 30p dearer at Tesco than Asda - Tesco is open now and Asda isn't.... See what it's like in my head - scary huh?!

The_Golden_Goose

Hey Swinsters!

I think you and I have the same TO DO LIST.

I have tons of clothes. Well, according to Mr GG. In some ways he is right.

I have:

Work clothes - suits, tops, skirts etc that I only ever wear for work
Holiday clothes - shorts, strappy tops, floaty skirts that I only ever wear for hols
Going out clothes - best jeans and sparkly tops / dressy tops
Casual clothes - clothes to slob out in or go shopping in
Super Formal wear - two or three really nice dressy dresses - for formal things

For the most part, I rarely ever wear a holiday skirt at home, unless its really hot. Its like that with most of my clothes, though sometimes, I may downgrade a going out top to wearing it casually.

My main problem is that I am too scared to throw stuff out, even though I know I won't wear it, it doesn't fit, no longer like, no longer trendy, have never worn (classic example, Mr GG buys me clothes and I don't like them or they don't fit), or its an item I have worn to death, eg: everytime we go out, I put on the same top. Its a wonder people don't think I am on some long crazy bender as they always see me in the same stuff.

I have started a bit of a sort out..... what that means is, I have pulled one load of clothes out of the wardrobe and they are now dumped on the bed! So I have to be strong and sort them and make a definite decision! When did I wear it, over 6mths ago - then out it must go.

Well that's the plan!

Have great weekend, I am putting off my clothes sorting til next week!

Swinstie73

Hi all,

Did you get the nuts SH?! When you have a craving you need to give in!

The clothes are driving me made Mrs GG! Have made a start on the room and put away ALL the new vests tops I bought for hols this year as I always end up wearing them then having to buy more next time. So they are all gone, well in the suitcase ready to be put in the loft. Off next weekend Friday/Monday so definitely going to be ruthless and try and/get rid of more clothes. I have no space anymore.

Well the man came to do my window sill, remember how I said he asked for £20, well I had £25 in my hand and said how much, you know just to be sure I heard him right, and he said...... 'just give me a tenner'! I'm doing a dance (in my head of course) as it's saving me money right?! I ended up giving him £15, he did refuse the extra but come on, it would've cost me at least £50 going elsewhere!

Well better go as got some soup heating to have before I go out, dinner not til 7.30pm, will be ravenous by then.

Have a great weekend everyone xx

Swinstie73

Hi all,

Can't believe it is Monday tomorrow already! Had a great weekend, was out last nite for a nice meal and it wasn't too expensive, thankfully, as I was paying, ha!

The skinny jeans held up nicely and didn't feel too tight, but my flipping feet were killing me! Why is it that you wear a pair of sandals, feel ok, not the comfiest but not bad, then one time you wear them and your feet feels like you are walking on broken glass?! Why?! Can someone please invent high heel sandals which are both gorgeous and comfy? I mean, flatties or trainers are not attractive for a nite out, especially with skinny jeans, I'd have looked like Max Wall!

Well have had a nice bath tonight and now gonna settle in front of the tv with Harper's Island and a cuppa. Didn't even need to go to the supermarket as have enough lunch stuff to last me four days, well three as going out for lunch (paid for) on Wednesday. So not too bad a weekend, £15 on window sill and £65 on dinner and drinks. Would be slightly less expect OH and I are putting any money left from our kitty away so we can have a nite out at Christmas. Well nite all, signing off for the nite, will catch up with other diaries and mines later xx

Sun_Addict

On the subject of having too many clothes - OH got my autumn/winter clothes bag down from the top of the wardrobe for me on Saturday. I was shocked I had so much stuff. I've been buying odds bits and bobs towards the new season but quite honestly there is enough stuff in there to see me through. It's really weird how I'd forgotten about some of the things in there. I really shouldn't buy any new stuff at all (but I know I will!). I need to have a serious sort out at the beginning of spring when it comes to packing it all away again.

The_Golden_Goose

What do you think of Harper's Island?

I am liking it.

Who do you think it is?

My suspects are:

The Groom
The Policeman
The Fisherman

All of the above are subject to change, and are guaranteed to change at the flick of a switch.

PS - how on earth can they not notice when people are going missing!!!

Swinstie73

Hi all,

SA, I know I just can't stop with the clothes either but I'm hoping my I Need or I Want list helps me, for instance I went shopping yesterday with OH and decided I Needed to buy a new black V-neck thin-knit jumper, as my old one (already chucked out) had an un-repairable hole under the arm. For £25, I got a black V and a purple V from DP's (2 for £25), I consider this an ok purchase as I WILL wear them to work. Pre-holidays, I went to work (in an office) most days with jeans and a top on, now I am making an effort and only wearing jeans/top on a Friday and smartish workwear the rest of the week. So far I am managing, hence the new (work) tops.

Mrs GG, I love Harper's Island, there are 13 episodes, can't remember if last nights was the sixth or eighth episode. I think the groom and/or his brother are Wakefield's sons/grandsons (not sure how old he was), but I'm subject to change on this too. Roll on next Sunday!

Well it is OH's birthday today, I got him a dvd (The Acid House), an old, weird Scottish film by Irvine Welsh and Billy Connolly tickets, he opened his card and didn't say much, eek! Turns out he was speechless about the tickets, as he loves BC, so mega phew that he liked his present. Well off to bed now to await his text to tell me he's home safe, nite all xx

Kerfuffle

Hi Swinstie,

Swinstie73 wrote: »

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!

Lol, I can assure you that I haven't got the black/grey top that you've bought as I'm doing the Crazy 100.00 pound Clothes Challenge and haven't bought any clothes (with the exception of a $1.00 skirt from a charity shop) in over a year, and prior to that I was in the UK. So I'm sure you'll look uniquely fab in your top, skinny jeans and sandals .

Well done on the "Do I Want It, versus, Do I Need It" list, it's a great plan. And well done on the 15.00 pound windowsill, it's funny how some things that you'd expect to cost loads doesn't and things which you thought would be fairly inexpensive end up costing a fortune.

It's a shame you didn't get your Ipod in Canada, it would have been cheaper and you could have claimed the tax back too, maybe bear it in mind for next time , an Ipod is something I 'want' too, and like you I think it's only because everybody else has one, and really I'm sure neither of actually 'need' one, maybe we should be unique together and not get one, at least we'll be different to everybody else that way, and have money in our pockets ( or at least, not on the credit card).

Have a good one.

Swinstie73

It's a deal Kerfuff! Don't think I will be getting an Ipod unless someone else buys it for me!

Well I need to update my tickers (sorry I mean ticker, my holiday one is now defunct, boo)! Have updated my signature though in preparation for payday on Friday (got extra money this month for disturbance payment), so have made extra payments, and now at exactly £8,500!

Well I will be once my payments go through. Need to do bigger payments, as car insurance due next month and will need to go on my Visa, hopefully to be paid in full next month though. Then it's AA (the breakdown service, not the other), in November, then MOT in December, luckily have been saving up for the MOT, and sis's OH is a mechanic so he will do any work that comes up from the official MOT.

It's a bit scary to think that I have actually paid £9,917 to my debt BUT have added on £3,846! My debt could be at £4,654 right now, if I didn't have to buy 'stuff'. That 'stuff' did include a new fridge freezer and considering that was only £264, I haven't a clue what I spent the rest (£4,390) on, scary stuff. Think will look into it now and see how much I spent on I Needed or I Wanted things.

OH coming down tonight so better get home and see what I can make for dinner, something out the freezer methinks!

ETA: It looks like I only paid £501 off this month, but it was £840 (I spent more on hols than I thought - oops)!

Kerfuffle

Hi Swinstie,

I don't think I'll be getting an Ipod either, not unless it's a pressie or second hand anyway.

Do you really want to check through your old credit card statements to see where you spent your money? I think I'd rather just draw a line under it otherwise I'd be bound to really, really upset myself and end up feeling sick in the pit of my stomach.

I'm sure it would be interesting, but not very cathartic, but on the plus side would identify your weak spots, it may show how often you pay for a Grande Super Duper Latte for example.

Maybe brush that task to one side for a while and see how you feel in a week or two.

Enjoy your time with OH.