Reformed shopaholic? please can you give me the benefit of your advice

NGlady

Polly, I don't have children myself. But my sister has always got to buy something for school, beit yet another dress up day there having, or a buy a cake for charity day. My sister and brother in law are financially OK but even she moans about the drain on it sometimes, I think anybody would strugge with the "dress up on friday" demands and "bring money in tomorrow" demands!

My hair is despirate for a wash, so I thought last night to make myself stop in today ill wash it this afternoon instead so by the time im ready itll be too late to go spend more

nuttyshopaholic25

NGlady wrote: »

Strange isn't it how our mind sets allow us to justify things. E.g I think nothing really of say a fiver on fastfood when out, but I wouldn't spend that fiver on something like going for a day out to somewhere that costs a bit more to get there.

NGlady, this is so very true i often do this with food, im worse with lunches, the food i buy in the morning on the way to work to have at lunch for example i spent £4.60 this morning, i dont do it every day but it adds up quickly.Dont worry about your messages i always enjoy reading them

ThinkingOfLinking

NGlady wrote: »

something I am going to do when I get a new job, is write down on a peice of card in my purse - like a business card my rate of pay.. next to it ill have like £5 oh thats 50 minutes work £30 oh thats x amount of work. will really make me think what I had to do to earn they money I frivver away.

I do that too.

Sorry I don't really get online much, but I am still trying to be frugal and despite being debt free, I have no job and spend too much money so this is a great thread to be part of. I have sold 3 books on Greenmetropolis so far this month, although I have been a member of the site and selling actively on there for over a year now and it's really great. I plan to read those 2 books others on this thread have recommended; eg In The Red and Save (whatever the name of that girl is!) and will be paying for them using funds from selling on Greenmetropolis and then selling them on myself once I have read them. I should be on here a bit more next week and have some time to do more decluttering at home in the hope I can find more things to sell and make more space as it is mad the things I have which are never used.

Polly

Have just paid a whopper of a Debenhams bill via online banking - £483.51! This is for all the shopping I did leading up to Christmas and in the sales. However, since Debenhams have a sale nearly every month, maybe you can understand how easy it is to get hooked. That bill was a sobering experience and I had to go through my receipts to check what it was that I bought as I really couldn't remember. Never again!! What a waste of money and it's cured me of my plans to buy Boden anytime soon. Spent this morning budgeting for a full year ahead - I always come a cropper with 'unexpected' bills, most of whom I should know about but forget to plan.

Anglea

Hello girls,

Had a NSD today, stayed in and did lots of enjoyable crafty and cookery things instead and avoided timewasting online.

Polly, you're good, budgeting for a year ahead. You must be super organised to be able to do that. Because of your previous post about children and schools -have you included school fairs as well? I can't remember the ages of yours but I remember mine had special activity weeks where you had to pay well over £10. Used to wonder how parents managed that didn't have the money.

velocity.girl_2

well today wasn't a nsd we go on holiday on good friday for a week in Hastings-can't wait.
i brought the kids some shorts/dresses/tops online from pumpkin patch and matalan as they were having a sale and spent £62...half from my funds and half from their dad.

Now looking online at various shopping sites trying to find tops and dresses for my hols...i really don't have anything that doesn't look like it's a size too small, i've always been a big girl, i'm a size 20 so i struggle to find anything, i mean i was looking in Evans and i'm not paying £35 for a checked tunic!

tomorrow will be a nsd, i've decided today i'm going to buy my tops tonight (bloke is paying-budget £60) and then no more...still no ebay
next thing will be sandals and flats-i live in converse and slouchy boots.

having no joy on bigwardrobe, aaaaarrrggghhh! lol! lol

Polly, i totally know what you mean about kids screwing up budgets, or more to the point schools, it's constant isn't it!

Anglea

velocity girl, you're a bit ambitious looking for tops and sandals for your holiday next week - you know the English weather

supersmith

Morning girls,
I'm having an expensive week, one of my workmates is leaving so lots of social occasions. Went out with another friend to cinema last night though and spent £5 on film and sweets - orange wednesday and student discount! I did go back to my old habit though of popping into shops on the way home though as I was feeling really tired... managed to only buy some quick cook pasta though 80p for my tea... although did have perfectly use-able pasta in the house ah well not as bad as it could be I guess.

Anglea - love the idea of having a crafty day, I really like crafting and baking as well but never seem to get round to it!
enjoy your holiday velocity!

velocity.girl_2

i know...sandals are for the holiday in summer...BUT the styles i want always sell out as i'm a size 9/10 so have to buy as and when i see them otherwise i end up with nothing like the last few years...ended up living in flip flops and ripping my feet to shreds-much to the dismay on OH as he's a Chiropodist and got told of many times about 'leaving the purchase of good shoes' until the the last min lol

NGlady

Morning all

Well last night, I was reading a magazine lieing on my bed about 700pm and before I knew it was in bed asleep :O My dad woke me up about 8pm cos he hadnt heard me knocking around and told me theres chocoate downstairs, I just turned over and said "sleep now" which is very unlike me, its been 3am before i've been sleeping recently, and chocolate would normally get me out of bed lol.

Feeling a extremely strong urge to go shopping today! Considering letting myself put £20 in my purse and going. I could do with some "staple items" a few new black vests etc, so I might hit primark to get a fix

Am very proud of myself, I looked in my bank account earlier, and looked at this months trans to last months, and there isnt a quarter as many

Supersmith - you felt such a strong urge to shop, least you only brought some Pasta. You'll use the Pasta eventually so not like money wasted huh And you may have had an expensive time this week, but is it possible to think of the expense over maybe a 3 week period? So "debt" yourself to your bank account, so if you spent £100 this week, you have to cut £33 out for the next two weeks to cover it? Thats the thing im trying to do at the moment