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

Anglea

Hi all

CL I'm so glad you're pleased with your clothes, you'll have to go abroad more often to get the perfect fit!

I was wondering how all the returns work if you're doing them online - do you pay upfront?

Wins -I've had the best results through writing to companies and saying I heard about their products - one company sent me some free musical potties when the kids were young!

I did have a win in a radio contest, got a shock to realise I was live on air!

TV contests. Some are very easy to get on, others are complicated. DS was in the final group of auditionees (is that a word?) for one of them with 3 stages of auditions and quizzes you had to pass in order to finally get on the show and just missed out.

He's won some cash from shows with audience participation. He's trying for a reality show at the moment although he's been asked to be the lead in a play as well, not sure how that will work out - especially as he has many other irons in the fire as well.

I often think that having too many things going on at once just leads to confusion because you can't make a choice. And even if you do make a decision something new and exciting will come along and you're in problems again.

Any of you tried a tv quiz? The Million Pound Live looks interesting.

NGlady2

Hi all

Well finally, the rain has disappeared - its rained relentlessly today and it was horrible in town - in my local city, it isnt just one shopping centre, theres lots of outsideness to it. Ended up buying a cheap umbrella cos forgot mine at home

I brought a watch!!

I brought a guess one and went half price with my mum and dad on it feels really lovely on

http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_061010653497_-1?breadcrumb=Home%7Etxtguess+watches+womens%23

I didn't buy anything else tho impressive yes me thinks. I went onto the number 7 counter in boots to use my number 7 vouchers, but decided to save my pennies there was one particular lipgloss i wanted but they didnt have it

So half way through month review..

If I remember rightly I said

A: No more returns and refunds as getting complicated - I have reduced this, but did have one bad night a week ago and did several internet orders I didnt need so theyve had to go back. Other than that, all going well

B: Putting a contribution to my money tin daily - I am not quite managing daily at the moment, as I dont always have change available, however I am making a concious effort to do it, and when I do put money in I am often putting a couple of pounds in, so ill say im pretty much achieving my goal.

Additionally, I am keeping hold of my boots points, I have £11 worth of points so hopefully £20 by christmas, because I don't go overboard on adult relatives, this will buy 3 xmas pressies woohoooooo.

Also as an additional. I have a feature on my bank account called ' save the change' with Lloyds tsb. Basically, if you spend £1.86 in a shop, they will put £0.14 into another 'savings' account for you , when this happens, I am transfering to my everyday Barclays saver account, its not normally a noitcable amount, but hopefully itll add up, does make a difference sometimes when I have to transfer £6/£7 tho lol.

C: Ensure I have a small amount of wages left end of the month - I think this might be managable Need to figure my left-over May figure out and create a talley in my diary for it.

Hows everybody elses challange going?

Has anybody put any effort into xmas yet? buying gifts whilst cheap etc?

Anglea

Hi all

NGlady I was going to look at your watch but forgot, now I daren't open the link as my comp tends to then lose what I was doing before so I'll get to it another time. Well done on your challenges. That's a good idea with the bank accounts.

As to my progress - I caught up with all the financial filing and updates and started the dreaded financial form so that is a big achievement.

I've realised the reason I sabotage most of my goals is because I see everything as a test so it puts me under pressure especially if there is a future date involved.

If you're interested in thinking ahead with Christmas and Birthdays take a look at the Special Occasions forum, I'm a member of the Santa Challenges thread. It's about everything related to all aspects of birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, presents, cards, families, holidays, house. Some people on there have bought and wrapped up everything for Christmas years ahead!

There is also a sister thread about making money from the internet (ebay, surveys etc) to pay for it all (I don't use that one).

ThinkingOfLinking

NG, I have just over £10 of Boots points, which I'll use towards whatever limited edition makeup Chanel have at the time or a bottle of perfume, when I have enough saved up.

Going to list loads on eBay on Wednesday...Ugg boots, J Brand jeans, Hollister jeans, Pucci bag, amongst other stuff. The money will be saved towards my NYC trip.

NGlady2

Hi FE -

Good luck with your clear out Im going to Liverpool next month (not as glamerous i no) with my bf and im doing a personal shopping experience in debenhams for my birthday (using his money YAY lol) so I could do with a big clear out of 'never to wear' clobber it just takes so much time doesnt it?

I heard on tv that theres a super big Primark been open in town?

Yes I no - i will probably end up a couple of days before pay-day sometime needing a pick-me-up treat and end up blowing my points lol.

Im in debate with my tin at the moment - if i continue at the rate I am in there, there will probs be a lot more than I spend at xmas, we go for token/cheapish gifts rather than OTT gifts - so the tin may become holiday deposit money

ThinkingOfLinking

NG, which town is the Primark in? There's been a massive one in Liverpool for a few years but if you mean Nottingham, I don't know.

Shame I no longer live in Liverpool or I'd have popped up to say hello.

NGlady2

Hi fe, yep i meant liverpool :-) aye i know, and u could have met the much spoke about on here deman :-) ill look forward to having a jolly good look round there then hehe. R u still a fellow northener or u gone to the darkside... The south...

Frogletina

Hi girls

I was out late last night and got a phone call from Beau at 1am! He was with his friend who was doing some translating, but Beau was wanting to speak to me directly as well.

Chatting on facebook with the help of google translate is one thing, but trying to understand what is being said on the phone is so much more difficult!

I think much beer had been consumed, Beau says he hasn't slept for days - aah. He wants to collect me from the airport in July - but I have been saying better that I am collected by taxi by hotel. Goodness knows what would happen if the plane gets delayed and I have to convey details to him.

Due to being ill last week I have lost all the holiday weight and I am attempting to lose more before I go back. I have shopping to do for new clothes too, looking at holiday photos I can see which ones I took were not so flattering

Frogeltina

Anglea

Hi all

NGlady, has Dman said how much you're allowed to spend?

Frogletina, I'm already looking forward to the next installment on your holiday, sorry to hear you've been unwell.

I'm having a reality check as I've got all the totals for the last 18 months of outgoings.

FE do you have a date for your holiday?

ThinkingOfLinking

NG: I moved even further North. If you're ever in Scotland, feel free to give me a shout.

Anglea: I'm waiting for confirmation but I've asked to go at the beginning of November.

Been told by work to get new shoes as they said that mine look too much like trainers, even though I've been wearing them for security and hospitality functions for ages but oh well. There's an OK pair in Clarks I'll probably get but I hate HAVING to buy stuff...I want to buy things out of choice.