Handbags & Gladrags – Confessions of a Recovering Spendaholic

rupe34

Glad you went Swinstie:T:T in fact am a little jealous;)

Sun_Addict

Hi Swinstie - the meet sounded brilliant, well done for going by yourself! Great news about the overtime - every little helps as they say!

Swinstie73

Hi all,

Not been on for a couple of days, as been busy at work, had a training course today which I literally rolled out of bed for (only ten minutes drive away), funnily enough that extra hour in bed didn't do me much good, still shattered.

Need to bite the bullet and update my signature, very scared because of my spending habits recently, BUT as I said to OH tonight, I am technically saving money as I am buying stuff before the VAT is raised in the New Year, right

Went to get my hair cut last night, I am now sporting a red choppy crop, I have had it like this in the past but have had a blonde bob for the last 4 years, so feels like a big change. Hairdresser comes to my Mum's (and is very cheap and good), and whilst I was there, my sister noticed my new boots had one longer than the other :eek:. I took them back to Clarks and it turned out that they both said size 5 on the bottom but one was a 5E and the other a 4E, !!!!!!! The reason the size four felt better (cos I had noticed this) was that the E was a wide fitting. Of course they didn't have any left, but I came away with another pair, slightly different but for the same price. So was happy with that, but I loved the first pair :rolleyes:

Will be back tomorrow to update my siggy, can't bear to do it tonight. Gonna be a busy couple of weeks trying to get the house in order too, so much to do, so little time.....

Have a nice nite peeps xx

Swinstie73

Hi all,

Not too much to report, spent £1.65 on a coffee and a pastry this morning for breakfast, went to the canteen but they only had 3 bits of black pudding and a tiny rasher of bacon left. I got a pastry which had a weird taste and a latte which was cold by the time I got back to my desk. That's me finished with the canteen, will only be going if extremely desperate (which I was).

Trying to pull together my plan for my new diary, started typing the first post in Word and it was a monster, I ramble too much for my own good. I seriously need to get myself sorted, both financially and housey related stuff. I started reading a thread last night about sorting your wardrobe, was mentally going through my clothes etc., and realised with much disgust that I have the following: (approximate as not counted properly)

9 pairs of long Winter boots
9 pairs of ankle type boots
9 pairs of trainers
10 pairs of work shoes
12 pairs of going out sandals
15 pairs of Summer sandals
15 handbags
5 Winter coats
6 casual jackets
3 leather jackets
30 vest tops

Did I mention, this was only me mentally tallying it up. Now, considering I have already taken 5 boxes of clothes to charity, how much clothes have I bought over the years :eek:

I really need to get a grip and have a huge clear-out. Wish I had the time and inclination to ebay but I am even panicking about trying to sell a Pink ticket, so doubt I'd manage with a tonne of clothes. Well off to have dinner now then make a start on the bedroom/wardrobe. If I'm not back on, I am lost somewhere, Narnia springs to mind....

rupe34

Wow Swinstie - that is a LOT of footwear dude;)

Give us all first refusal on what you can face selling! I have a feeling (if your list of perfume was anything to go by) that you have some VERY NICE boots!!;)

**confuzzled**

Good god woman...you could open your own shop with that lot:eek::rotfl:

Like rupe said, if you can face selling let me know what size they all are and I may just put an offer in on a couple of things;) Worth asking RM on t'other thread too...she was saying the other day she hated shopping but needs shoes:D:D:D

xxxxxxxxx

savingholmes

hi swinstie

Cutting up the credit card time perhaps?? That way your debt will stop going up... even if you don't immediately start selling any of your stuff

I really hope I sound supportive rather than judgmental but always hard to guage it right in writing - I think you do need some specialist help in confronting why you spend the way you do..... Hugs

Swinstie73

Afternoon all,

Had my Christmas lunch yesterday, 28 guys and I was the token female! The lunch was lovely and I ended up only spending £10, woohoo! I was utterly rat-ar8sed though and almost ended things with OH. It's all ok now, but basically he came to meet me then had to endure one of the guys going on and on about when was he marrying me. When he got pi88ed off I took offence saying he wasn't committed etc., and was trying to send him home (he was staying at mines). The guy apparantly went on about it ALL night so no wonder he was pi88ed off, and I don't know why I got so worked up about it. He's off to watch the footie just now then we are off to the piccies then home to his, as he is working tomorrow. I am not drinking again, the demon drink is banned from my life

You're not being judgemental SH, you are right! Although I do know the reasons behind my spending habits over the years, (in first post) and have spoken to a counseller, not about the spending but about the reasons behind it. Believe it or not, I don't buy much clothes during the year but I always find coming into Winter makes me spend more, think because although I love Summer, I hate buying Summer clothes, much prefer Winter woolies (hence all the boots and coats).

I have 3 credit cards, but only use 1 as the other two are 0% ones which I am paying off. I have already lowered my limit to a more manageable level, but unfortunatley I can't cut it up. I use it to book holidays/hotels etc., and I usually have the money saved up to pay it off.

Just got my bill in and :eek:, but I am owed £400 for the Pink tickets so it's not as bad as I expected. I've been reading a thread on not buying clothes for a year, so I am going to try it too as I basically have enough clothes to wear a different combination everyday. Gonna jump in the shower now, as sitting here freezing, and better get ready for the piccies! Have a good weekend everyone. x

savingholmes

Hi swinstie - last year someone ran a thread on only spending £100 on clothes in a year....

Swinstie73

savingholmes wrote: »

Hi swinstie - last year someone ran a thread on only spending £100 on clothes in a year....

I've seen that thread SH, seems like a good idea! I currently have £10 per month in my clothing budget but it's when the dreaded credit card comes out, my problems start.

I'm thinking that my solution, and I know others do this, is to leave my credit card at home, I know this sounds simple but usually I always carry it for emergencies such as needing petrol. I have a 'spend over £30, get £8 off voucher for Tesco which ends tomorrow, so I am going to go food shopping, fill up with petrol and make sure mobile is topped up (I'm sure I did this last week and on 3p a text it lasts for ages), then on Monday morning, leave my card at home so I have no excuses for carrying it (and spending on it). I have loads to do this week in the house so I know I won't be tempted to divert to the shops on the way home.

So killing two birds with one stone, not spending money and getting the house organised. Got my tree up last weekend, I have went from a six foot tree (too big for house), to a five foot one and now have a three foot one, the usual place for the tree now housed my laptop desk and chair. Will need to get a tree out of loft to take into work, our end of the office is bare, but that's because the other end is like Santa's Grotto with about 3 or 4 trees up, bit OTT but hey I guess it must be Christmas