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

Frogletina

Hi Anglea

I will put down my end of the month totals asap. Next month I won't do my £5 a day H/K and £3 a day personal challenges - I'll start with a total which will equal this and have a reducing balance.

I'll probably have an Ocado delivery early in February but will try to be careful what I buy.

Frogletina

Frogletina

January totals

Housekeeping 32.76
Personal Spending 60.14
Presents 18.01
Medical 8.20 ( tablets, one not on prescription)
ad hoc travel 4.60 (taxi last night)

Total 123.71

Really pleased with this especially as it includes a new charger I didn't really think I'd have to buy. Spending too much on diet coke (in personal spending as it is what I drink when I go out - would prefer something better than this, but as I'm dieting I'd probably be left with water, may try the herbal teas which are served in 2 of the bars I go to)

Obviously this is all extra to my direct debits for bills, but I can't believe how well I have done.

I still have food in the cupboards and freezer - I am tempted to get an Ocado delivery, and I can get 15% off but I'd need to spend a minimum of £75. Then I'd need to top up with fresh veg, milk, eggs etc during the month - decisions, decisions.

Forgot to mention the holiday booked for May. Will be paying for this out of my savings/my income doesn't stretch to holidays

Frogletina

Anglea

Hi all

CL what do you mean about clothes fitting normal people. Do you mean you're too slim now after being ill? I do know just what you mean about nothing to buy I'm getting desperate as there is nothing for me.

Years ago I was really spoiled with clothes as I'd get all really expensive ones for free, about 6 bin bags of coats, shoes, clothing, twice or more a year, they were a variety of sizes and styles so what didn't fit me I'd pass on to friends and relatives. Really missed them once they stopped arriving.

Froglatina - I've never heard of Ocado, is that a supermarket? You have done really well with all your Christmas food, I still have some veg and stuffing but that's probably it.

I'll do my totals in the next few days so we can compare personal expenses.

Where are you going on your hols? Not Africa I hope with all these troubles.

Today I spent 7.20 (medicine) charity shop (£4.50) Groceries about £7.

I was thinking about that to-do list of items that are necessary to purchase.

I really need a new sofa. I've been stuffing up the cushions with old towels but it looks very dodgy and the sun has caused the colour to completely fade. The carpet also needs replacing but an unexpected moth epidemic a few years back makes me scared to get anything new because they are still around, although invisible. They have ruined most of my socks

Years ago I had planned to completely redecorate the house as well as change all the furniture, carpets etc it was all supposed to happen about this time. However, I hadn't reckoned on a marriage breakup. So even though I have the money to do it I'm concerned about spending it in case it will be necessary for more important things so it's a Catch 22 situation.

The other week for my son's party I ended up wearing a skirt I thought I'd thrown out. And it's a midi NG! What I had originally planned to wear looked wrong with my footwear it was so cold I had to wear boots. I was getting very panicky until I unearthed that skirt.

NGlady2

Evening all
Decided I need to loose some serious weight and sort my hair out - i went out last weekend and there ws pictures of me, i looked awful even tho i paid £15 to have my hair curled, very disappointed! poor deman the dress he brought me from santa was awful i thought it looked lush tho

CompletelyLost

Hi ladies,

Frogletina - you did well with your spends, especially as yours include housekeeping. I love seeing what others spend, I don't know why

Anglea - my height is the problem. I'm over 6ft so find it v difficult to find things long enough. I was in a terrible bad mood on Saturday... it's alright normally, I've had some good bargains from Tall sections in the past I look forward to seeing your monthly totals.

Can I ask how you used to get all of those clothes? I would love that a lot.
Also re: your sofa, I always see beautiful sofas in the charity shops. there was a beautiful Laura Ashley one in ours for £200. Such a bargain and it was in great condition - when I have my own home, I'll buy furnish it using charity shops. I can't believe some people (e.g. my parents) spend £1000s on one sofa. I don't think I could ever part with so much for something like that.

Oh and Ocado is Waitrose online, I think. I've never been to Waitrose in my life. When I told someone this, they said I'd never lived! And now I really want to go.

NG - I HATE seeing photos of myself... I won't let anyone take them as I always look hideous. I try not to look in mirrors too much either, as it only serves to make me more paranoid about how I look!!!

Hmmm, I have an interview tomorrow for voluntary work. Well, they pay travel & lunch so not too bad... and it's not long term, so I'm not tied there if I don't enjoy it. Not sure why I feel so worried, as really they're getting a good deal - free labour!!! I just hope I don't end up hitting the shops afterwards, as I have to go into the city. I think that would be the bad thing about working there.

I totally mucked up my spreadsheet this month so it's not all adding up right so have had to do it by hand :mad: anyway here are my spends...

(junk) food - £16.48
beauty - £4.67
clothes & accessories - £29.79
ebay postage - a whopping £48.89
medication - £6.17
other incl. mobile - £71.21 - part of this was a one-off £47 payment so it's not as bad as it looks!

TOTAL: £177.21

And today I spent £3 on a badg I didn't need but it was too pretty to leave, and a top for £3. My target for February - £125! Maybe a tad ambitious but I'll try

Anglea

Hi girls

Join the club NG about photos. I think most women feel like that but I've never heard a man saying anything about their photos or not being able to leave the house because of their hair :rotfl:

CL, pity about the clothes for you, I can see why height could be difficult.

Free clothing. I got them via a friend - she got them from relatives and friends who liked to shop, but hardly wore any of the clothes, so most were brand new, unworn still with the labels.

Firstly the friend used to go through the bags for herself, then give them to me.

So I got shoes, underwear, coats, scarves, skirts, jeans, jumpers, tshirts, blouses, trousers, dresses, bags. Very spoiled I was. And if I had been a different size I would have also got the boots, leather jackets and full suits (skirts or trousers and jackets). As it was I kept the jackets of the suits.

I can't help wondering if those people providing the clothes have ever looked at this thread

Thanks for telling me about Waitrose. There is one in the village it's taken over Somerfield and I rarely go in because it feels like I'm on holiday somewhere completely different. You can stand for 10 minutes in the same place just looking at one spot on the shelf as there is so much stuff. Overwhelming. I always come out with about one item as there is too much choice.

What kind of voluntary job is it CL? Good luck for the interview.

Frogletina

Anglea wrote: »

Froglatina - I've never heard of Ocado, is that a supermarket? You have done really well with all your Christmas food, I still have some veg and stuffing but that's probably it.

Where are you going on your hols? Not Africa I hope with all these troubles.

Hi Anglea

Ocado is an online supermarket that delivers Waitrose foods but has just started it's own range and also price matches on identical branded goods. Does not deliver in all areas. There is a Waitrose in the next town to me, it has not been there long. Before that I had never been to one.

My holiday is to Turkey, so no problem with that - thank goodness!

Frogletina

CompletelyLost wrote: »

,

Frogletina - you did well with your spends, especially as yours include housekeeping. I love seeing what others spend, I don't know why

Anglea - my height is the problem. I'm over 6ft so find it v difficult to find things long enough. I was in a terrible bad mood on Saturday... it's alright normally, I've had some good bargains from Tall sections in the past I look forward to seeing your monthly totals.

Oh and Ocado is Waitrose online, I think. I've never been to Waitrose in my life. When I told someone this, they said I'd never lived! And now I really want to go.

Hmmm, I have an interview tomorrow for voluntary work. Well, they pay travel & lunch so not too bad... and it's not long term, so I'm not tied there if I don't enjoy it. Not sure why I feel so worried, as really they're getting a good deal - free labour!!! I just hope I don't end up hitting the shops afterwards, as I have to go into the city. I think that would be the bad thing about working there.

Hi Cl

You seem to have done well with your spends too, mine will be higher in February.

I have made an order with Ocado which will come Thursday. Waitrose online is separate from Ocado, in that it only delivers Waitrose foods, which is how Ocado started, I believe, until it branched out. I love shopping in Waitrose, but as it's in the next town and I don't drive, I tend to only buy a few things when I go there and get bulk items delivered

Re clothes: I have the opposite problem to you in that I am only 5ft, often small means from 5ft 4in. Short leggings are full length on me (don't mind that though) I wear them or tights with mini skirts a lot in the winter

Hope it goes well tomorrow, if you enjoy it and get free travel and lunch it should be good.

Frogletina

CompletelyLost

Thanks ladies. It's just general office work, including my worst nightmare... answering telephones! It's quite an upmarket place though, so hopefully I won't be dealing with chavs and the like

I'm hoping it's not a proper interview, as I'm unpreparedl. I know a little about the company but that's it. I mean it's obvious why I want to do it (for experience, something to put on my cv, a reference), so I hope they don't ask. I hate having to tell people about myself, I'm not very good at selling myself. It all feels so awkward and false, but I know that it has to be done.

Frogletina - I can imagine it's just as difficult being at the opposite end of the height scale too. I was talking to a lady in Primark a few weeks ago who was just as frustrated as me - she was 4ft 9, size 1 feet and was complaining that everything was too big for her.

Anglea

Hi all

CL hope you tell us how you got on.

I went into a charity shop right before it closed and had to buy something - book this time. I had previously looked into a few normal shops to see if there was anything on my 'necessary purchases' but it was slim pickings, just bought a nightdress hope it fits. It was raining hard so couldn't be bothered going elsewhere.

I'm sure I buy the books because I can't get what I really need.

Colours that really suit me are an orangey red but it's really hard to find, everything lately has been grey blue brown etc in the shops. Any ideas where I can get some?