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

salesaddict

karom wrote: »

Hello

Been reading the thread since I found it last night. I always thought of myself as pretty in control and the purchases were a treat for all the hard work during the week.

I have to admit I can be pretty bad. I have the M&S collection of skits that came out a few ago. Last Dec when we were supposed to be control due to house purchase, splashed on 2 jackets, 1 coat, 1 skirt (love the coat) because they were on sale. The 2 jackets and the skirt don't really fit, can't take back. I am going to try to do the "sell on ebay" (I never before)

I joined the weekly budget (Sunday -> Friday) last year and decided to stop to have a monthly budget for Dec because I was seeing that I trully only spent on Saturdays. My week spending increased (hair, shirt, take aways, coffees, ..). I am back on the weekly budget now and it really helps.

I now record everything. I built an excel file with a sheet per month and the type of spend so I see for each month the type of spend and the total spend per day / per month / per year & split up by type of spend.

I used to spend a huge amount on cosmetics (ysl, chanel, dior, ..) and perfume (direct cosmetics mostly). I have a huge number of lipsticks mostly red, and I only trully use one. I have joined the 100 days challenge to stop buying any until they are completed. I think I can spend the complete year without buying any. By stopping buying any, I received one at Christmas and my OH is so happy when he sees me wearing the one he offered me. Same for the perfume. The one he bought me is kept in the box and used on "special days" (meaning I am not just dozzing myself with it prior going to work). I am learning to more appreciate what I have and what I receive.

One thing that I realised has really help is the turning-around clothes (summer/winter - long term storage plastic bags). This is fantastic. I rediscover some clothes I have forgotten I had. It is like shopping without spending a penny.

Hello Karom,

thanks so much for sharing your experiences, it is really helpful.
You are doing fantastically well with your various copin strategies.
Do you use the storage bags where you then suck all the air out with the vacum cleaner?
Are the clothes really alright once you take them out again months later? Did nothing get ruined?

salesaddict

Treacly wrote: »

salesaddict - just wanted to say you sound like a really nice person to me - funny and caring and actually really self-aware, and I bet your family and friends all think so too.

Anglea, CompletelyLost - perhaps we should start a new support group for people addicted to crisps? Actually knowing MSE there probably already is one.

Treacly,

thankyou so much for you kind words, they have really given me a much needed lift.

And what do you know an addiction I don't share. I can take or leave crisps. Shame I can't say the same about family size bars of chocolate:)

salesaddict

velocity.girl wrote: »

well girls seems like you have all done really well over the weekend my bloke gave me £60 to go out with last night and shock horror i came back with.........£30!!!! i was so proud of myself....£6 on food, £4 on taxi, £5 into club...so only £15 on drinks....and i'm up and at them...no hangover...pretty pants night tho...wasn't my turn to pick where to go,so ended up at a 'dancing round your handbag' place lol!!!

Anyway....going to be a Non spend day for me, nice roast lamb dinner and footie on the tele and just me,bloke and the kids...

Got heaps of stuff finishing on Ebay today,all with bids and some stuff going for silly amounts so all good!!

good luck today ladies and i'll chat to you tomorrow...

ohhhhh salesaddict what thread is the toiletries one? the FEB one? i need to join that i think...i seem to collect hair dye?!?!?! i've got about 17 boxes of random colours

Sounds like you have got yourself a lovely fella there by the way.:)
I read your post wrong first time.
I thought you had to wear the prettiest pants.
You know one of those theme nights.:D
Well, if it was pants, you certainly made the best of it.
Good for you on all counts.
Enjoy you Sunday lunch.

karom

salesaddict wrote: »

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Do you use the storage bags where you then suck all the air out with the vacum cleaner?
Are the clothes really alright once you take them out again months later? Did nothing get ruined?

hi salesaddict. They are indeed the bags where you vaccum the air out. There are several size. I think the smaller / medium size ones are the best for storage.
I ensure that the clothes are washed and well dry prior putting them in. I fold them as to put them in the cupboard. When taken out , they are somewhat crissed but I let them undo for a day on the hangers and iron. So far I have not ruined anything.

salesaddict

karom wrote: »

hi salesaddict. They are indeed the bags where you vaccum the air out. There are several size. I think the smaller / medium size ones are the best for storage.
I ensure that the clothes are washed and well dry prior putting them in. I fold them as to put them in the cupboard. When taken out , they are somewhat crissed but I let them undo for a day on the hangers and iron. So far I have not ruined anything.

Thankyou Karom,

I am going to do this. I think its a great idea. I rarely by 'fashion'. I always tend to go for things that won't date. So I can keep my things for years and still enjoy wearing them, as long as I can keep my weight under control, but thats a whole different thread.
Thanks again.

morocha

Hi girls, how are you doing ?
i ended up in the shops yesterday.. 2 hs of walking and nothing... till the end... i have kind of a fascination with sunglasses and finding the perfect ones ( aswell with make up,shoes and handbags).. i found some in debenhams and i bought them £6. i think i might take them back next week.. i do nto think they suit me.
Anyway.. i was there and they have Nine West leather shoes down to £16.50 ? i never ever owned one of this before and i hardly wear high heels because my feet are very sensitive.. they have these hardly reduced and buy one and get one half price...
OMG... i left with none... and today i keep thinking if i should go back and get them as i usually only wear leather Clarks/ hush puppies , only buy them on sale tho.
I have 3 vry importand days in July, and i already bought the dresses from Jane Norman...

CompletelyLost

Treacly wrote: »

salesaddict - just wanted to say you sound like a really nice person to me - funny and caring and actually really self-aware, and I bet your family and friends all think so too.

Anglea, CompletelyLost - perhaps we should start a new support group for people addicted to crisps? Actually knowing MSE there probably already is one.

lynzpower wrote: »

I am so a crispaholic

I see a pattern emerging :rotfl:Blame the crisps!

salesaddict wrote: »

No you are not being nosey at all:)
It is beauty, clothing, shoes, bags, accessories. You know one in every colour. I am feeling very low and really bad about myself and the type of person I must be. Over the past couple of hours I brought all my toiletry stash together and photographed it and put it on the toiletries thread. I am so ashamed. I don't know when I turned into this person. I don't know how I let my shopping addictions get so far. My dh just smiled indulgently at me when I tried to apologise for it all. My ds just laughed and said, all this anti-ageing stuff and you still don't look young. When I am feeling better I will clip his ear for that

Phew, didn't want you to think I was I have seen your photos, you do have a lot (though I'm sure you know that, not meaning to rub it in or anything) and you say they've all been tried but never used up completely, so I wonder if you're like me and are constantly looking for something better/different to what you've got?

I can sort of understand that once the novelty of a product has wore off, it's a struggle to use it up... especially if you don't feel the product is doing anything for you Is there no way you could donate some of it. I know you won't be getting any money for it, but at least you won't feel so suffocated and guilty from having to look at it all everyday - I'm sure a homeless shelter/domestic abuse centre/care home would appreciate it, even products that have been tested. And you would probably feel better knowing that someone is benefitting from it.

edit - I also agree with Treacly. Don't feel ashamed, at least you're here trying to do something about it xx

CompletelyLost

morocha wrote: »

Hi girls, how are you doing ?
i ended up in the shops yesterday.. 2 hs of walking and nothing... till the end... i have kind of a fascination with sunglasses and finding the perfect ones ( aswell with make up,shoes and handbags).. i found some in debenhams and i bought them £6. i think i might take them back next week.. i do nto think they suit me.
Anyway.. i was there and they have Nine West leather shoes down to £16.50 ? i never ever owned one of this before and i hardly wear high heels because my feet are very sensitive.. they have these hardly reduced and buy one and get one half price...
OMG... i left with none... and today i keep thinking if i should go back and get them as i usually only wear leather Clarks/ hush puppies , only buy them on sale tho.
I have 3 vry importand days in July, and i already bought the dresses from Jane Norman...

Definitely return the sunnies if you're unsure about them. I am the same with sunglasses, although for me they're a new found obsession. I think I have four pairs now, and none of them are perfect (though they were all very cheap, a couple of quid a pair).

Oh and well done for resisting the Nine West shoes. They were a bargain, but you said yourself that you only every wear flat sensible shoes so think carefully before you buy them (and possibly never wear them).

===============

I'm currently packing up some ebay junk that I sold last night. Most of it only went for 99p-£3, but it's nice to see the back of some of the clutter!

Anglea

Hi everyonel

On the subject of addictive personality, there's been quite a few different ones over the years and I've had psychotherapy (didn't work) and still belong to a support group for a different addiction which luckily seem to have stopped for the last few months.

My main problems now are the computer/ procrastination and buying..

Crisps - that started in my teens when I used to buy plain crisps with those blue bags of salt then added vinegar from the bottle.

Today going out to visit family so no temptations.

Velocitygirl - 17 hair dyes - I haven't come across that before.

Storage bags impregnated with lavender for use with vacuum - £1 from the cheap shop for the person asking about them..

NGlady

I went into Debenhams yesterday and saw the nine west bargain - was so tempted. Thankfully not in my size. I have lots of nine west to return from my debenhams click happy days lol.


Ok well my budget for today was £10.
expenditure: took my neice to playland and treated her to a drink and cake £2
therefore supposed i dont spend anything else thats £8 in my tin, £2 for Xmas, £3 for Birthday £3 for wedding present for my friend Karen