Does MSE save you money or cost you more?

aliasojo

rockporkchop wrote: »

the grabbit board is like a seedy addiction, a habit i can't seem to break. If boots started to sell patches to wean me off it i dare say i would grab them too.

:d


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minerva_windsong

Yes and no. I eat out slightly more than I used, because I can now afford to do so with vouchers and suchlike, but in terms of shopping I probably don't shop any more than I used to. I think that is more because I have been on a 'using stuff up' kick with wash stuff and don't really tend to buy a lot of clothes, and vouchers are a nice aside, so I will use them if there is something I need to buy and there is a points voucher to go with that as I'm not fussy about brands. But I tend to be one of those people who only bulk buys toiletries when they are some kind of limited edition, rather than because they're on offer.

flippin36

Odette wrote: »

You can't really blame MSE for you spending money.

Didn't see anyone blaming MSE per se. In fact I think we are fully aware of our own shortcomings, which is a good thing because when you are aware of your own spending habits, you can work on cutting it down.

MSE has saved me a lot of money in the past, particularly on the health and beauty board and OS board. :T Apologies if I have sounded ungrateful, not how it was meant.

Jenny_Wren_3

Yes, I'd never even heard of the go go hamsters before and my daughter hadn't either until I showed her them! I have now managed to get her all 4 and Im still not sure if it was her wanting them or me getting swept along in the thrill of the chase!
I have cut down on other things though such as the boots gliches when I too realised that I had too much stuff that wasn't being used.

vikki_louise

Hello, if anyone has something they don't know what to do with then please think about sending it to a seriously ill child or teen or their siblings? Just log onto www.postpals.co.uk it has lots of kids listed and you can read what each child is into and send it to them


ps)MSE has cost me more than saved me, lol!

tara747

aliasojo wrote: »

I need to be more in that mindset.

I think part of my bargain buying problem stems from the 'hoarding' aspect of my personality. I grew up in a house where we almost couldn't move because of my Father's tendency to keep things 'just in case'. (I daresay this originated during the war when you really did have to make do and mend and lots of things were saved and utilised in other ways.) It was normal in our house to hang on to stuff or collect even more, and I'm aware I still do this now.

I am so like this!!! It's partly to do with my gran being a hoarder, but also because we didn't have much money when I was little, and I am always subconsciously afraid that one day that will happen again. So I buy too many toiletries, clothes etc as a kind of security blanket.

Every single post on this thread has had me nodding like of those dogs in the back window of a car!!! I am just like all of you: the thrill of the Grabbit (especially when you get it before it sells out), the discount codes, the Bootsing, getting anxious if I find an unused skinnie a week after the closing date (:rotfl:), the urgent buying of BOGOFs as if there'll never be another one, the mushrooming present cupboard etc.

I do frequent the Grabbit board a LOT, and I would say that overall it's done two things for me:

1. It's made me buy more stuff I probably don't need, but it's all stuff I would have bought anyway (honest) e.g. toiletries that I like.
2. It's enabled me to be even more generous with pressies (e.g. for Christmas, my mum's getting a £10 Tesco tweed coat, a £5 Coast top, a £2 pashmina, a 'freebie' Molton Brown hand lotion, a 60% off Oasis scarf, lots of Boots bargains etc etc - but I will buy her more things as I want to spend a decent amount on her IYKWIM - so she does better out of it!). I also give a fair few freebies to mum and friends, which they are delighted with. Today alone I've saved £20 on a PS3 game (Christmas present) just by browsing Grabbit, I had actually bought it elsewhere and then saw it on Zavvi reduced to less than half price so wayhey!!

Overall, MSE has saved me a FORTUNE in almost every aspect of life. Things that I normally buy, I get cheaper. I hunt out the best savings rates. I am more careful with money and always on the lookout for a bargain, no matter how small. I don't do ANYTHING online without consulting Quidco and TCB first. :rotfl: I really realise the value of money since I've been here. This year, I will have saved £10,000 and that is more than I have ever managed to save in a single year. So a little Grabbit now and again (ahem) is more than offset by the HUGE savings I've made elsewhere. I just wish I'd discovered it years ago!!! Go MSE!!!

Excellent thread by the way aliasojo!!! I was just wondering this myself the other day.

tara747

Gosh, sorry for the mega post!

tara747

Rockporkchop wrote: »

The grabbit board is like a seedy addiction, a habit I can't seem to break. If Boots started to sell patches to wean me off it I dare say I would grab them too.

:rotfl::rotfl:

tara747

nearlyrich wrote: »

I have been there and done that and I still get ribbed about my siege tin cupboard, but I only bulk buy things we use these days. My wake up call was sorting out my mum's house, no-one needs clothes 10 sizes too big just in case!:rolleyes: you can recover from your addiction;)

:rotfl: @ your mum! Now that is hoarding on a grand scale!!! Bless.

stormbreaker

Boots Glitches have to be my main down fall. I remember coming home with heaps of cosmetic stuff because there was a glitch too good to miss:j

I saw the light and returned everything:A the next day as I am not really into cosmetics, I have two sons and don't buy presents for many females so they were destined for the loft beside my other bargains

I was again tempted by the recent M&S smellies glitch but my loft is not going to hold much more:eek:

It does not help that my sons are 17 & 15 and most of their toys are up the loft too!

All the lego,play mobil, wrestlers, action man stuff not to mention their collection of beanie babies!

I also have lots of sachets of free face creams, shampoos and comfort and the likes. Heaven help the person who has to clear out my I am gone....not that I intend going anywhere for a long time!:D

Forgot to mention the garage full of grocery bargains and toilet rolls!

Oh and I have started 3 bottom drawers!!! One each for my sons and one for my neice, mostly kitchen items from the recent Sainsbury sale!

I might just have to make a New Years resolution too!

I have saved on things like insurance and never buy without looking for discount codes and going through Quidco or Top cash back!