Flat Eric's 130 day challenge

Herbyme

Hippeechiq wrote: »

What an inspiring post Flat Eric love the name by the way


If I could join in though, out of your list, the hardest one for me without a doubt, would be No Book Purchases Including Charity Shops. I adore books, and mooching around a charity shop for second hand books has always been a passion of mine. I have no will power when it comes to books, and so, in many ways when you have no money, there is no temptation because you know you can't have it

Hippeechiq, I am right with you on books. How can spending money on learning be a bad thing? Also i am studying at the mo so there are some books I just do have to buy as university library is rubbish. But my local libraries are brilliant! I have transferred my mooching to them. Either real time face to face, or online, where if i order things on my kids' tickets, there is no order charge. Ahem. Great for craft books, cookery books and travel books, as well as fiction. Also language learning tapes (for ripping) and even books about how to be thrifty

miss_empty_piggy

determined_new_ms wrote: »

Hi I saw your post & the first point got me thinking. When I was a kid things were really tough. My mum often didn't prioritise getting food & our cupboards were often bare (a mixture of not having enough money and just being plain irrresponsible) so when my kids were growing up I always had to have full cupboards & fridge/freezer. It made me feel good to know I was doing it differently! So I can totally relate to this.

with regard to the 2nd point, I now often make double portions & freeze so on nights when I cba to cook I have a "takeawy" - home made, healthier & cheaper too (and doesn't come with the gutted feeling the next day realising I've wasted £15 ) hth x

I have to say that your post made me feel really bad_pale_. I didn't mean that the cupboards are bare (god I would never do that to them,there is always food and they always have food in their tummies), I just meant that they think that the cupboards are "bare" when there are only 5 bags of crisps instead of a full pack of 46. Or just one type of squash instead of a choice of 5. I feel bad that they might feel like you now when they are older and that I don't care and am irresponsible. I do prioritise food over everything else. I just meant that I don't provide a glutton of food to be eaten "just because it is there".

nattyt

Hi all well have managed to spend a tenner since before the weekend. Not bad! Got treated to Chinese and big bottle of Bacardi so it can't be bad! Not using my car hopefully til weekend so shouldn't need any petrol until late next week if it stays that way! Car insurance came out today so i guess that is a spend but essential one! Have put all change in different pots and so did the ex when he came to stay this weekend! Got a couple of bits on ebay with bids and going to save it in paypal account for Christmas.

Hope you are all well. xx

searching_me

:hello: ... start of a new month here so been sorting out ... feeling alittle low need clothes but no money for them so going to hit the charity shops and see what i can find (refuse to pay high street prices £100 for a bag my butt) .. but at least my xmas present is out the way just saving for the kids and OHs .. got OHs birthday in just over 2 weeks so trying to set alittle aside to get him at least his favourite choccies x

Flat_Eric

Forgive me people... for i have sinned. It wouldn't be fair on you guys if I wasn't honest so here is my confession.....

I thought this challenge would be easy. Just like switching a switch. shopping... off... except it doesn't work like that. so here are my misdeamenors.

On Saturday, I had my hair cut - that was allowed except I went in TK Max% (spent nothing ) but then went in Accessorie and bought a bag (£15). This wasn't on my banned list and I reasoned it could come from my £2 pot which had £22 in it :j.

Fast forward a few days and I am getting itchy feet. My favourite perfume has run out and debenham$ are doing their usual money off weekend. So I restocked on my perfume and saved 10%. 10% that will no doubt be recouped by my credit card company in interest. I don't know if this classes as a banned item or not because I had run out.... and I did get a free towel and bag set . I know that having the perfume will make me so feel that the feel good factor it gives me is worth the credit card headache

so finally, my last confession. after going to the theatre tonight (ticket bought with birthday money months ago:j) I get home to find my world of cross stitching mag has been delivered and thus the country companions design that I saw last month and have fallen in love with is there in all its fine and glory :j so I have just been on to $ew and $o and ordered all the threads, oh and the material too. and i ordered the threads to do the wedding card for my friend and a driving test card for another friend so a big slapped wrist for me. I thought this challenge would be easy, that I would just decide to stop spending and that that would be it but clearly this is not the case. I must try harder. I feel I must share as it would be unfair for me not to tell you about my indiscretions ! I thought long and hard about the perfume and justified the handbag by the fact I had the money to cover it in my £2 pot so I suppose my thinking about my money is changing, I just need to try harder....

nb will catch up properly with all your posts over the weekend.

nattyt

flateric tut tut!!! Although to be fair the perfume thing i would definitely have done! I do actually need a black handbag as mine that i'd had for years finally gave up but i'm waiting until i see the perfect one!! Bags are my one weakness but since having DS i have reined it in!! Before him and when i had the girls i had a job so could justify it!! Well i think i've been ok. Maybe just one too many treats for the kids and had put bids on 3 lots of buttons and ended up winning them all !! OOPS! Typical! I've worked out that i have enough food ffor 2 weeks to make meals with. All i'll have to buy is bread, milk, fruit, ham and eggs so i reckon £20 tops over the next 2 weeks. Have planned my menus and going to stick to it. My Nan has paid for my new shower in one bathroom and for the leak damage to be sorted out in other, floor to be replaced and door so thats a weight off my mind. Car has to be MOT'd, taxed and serviced next month. My friends hubby whos a mechanic is going to do mates rates although will still be about £250 if nothing else needs doing but thats an essential.My dad has said he'll pay if need be for service and MOT but really want to try and do it myself as feel that hes done so much! At least the offer there if i come unstuck. Trying to buy x-mas little bits if and when i see them although not actually been into town- one way of not spending!! Must must must buy new bra's as lost over a stone in 7 weeks and need to see what winter stuff i need.Got 2 pairs of high heel boots but have seen some flatter ones for £25 so will buying them at some point soon. This weekend going to buy some bulbs for a friends birthday(fiver max) and put them in lovely pot I have.Also need to put petrol in as have to visit my Nan in hospital and off to friends party. Hopefully won't be spending too much. xxx

determined_new_ms

miss_empty_piggy wrote: »

I have to say that your post made me feel really bad_pale_. I didn't mean that the cupboards are bare (god I would never do that to them,there is always food and they always have food in their tummies), I just meant that they think that the cupboards are "bare" when there are only 5 bags of crisps instead of a full pack of 46. Or just one type of squash instead of a choice of 5. I feel bad that they might feel like you now when they are older and that I don't care and am irresponsible. I do prioritise food over everything else. I just meant that I don't provide a glutton of food to be eaten "just because it is there".

he he he!!! Sorry to make you feel bad, twas not my intention at all. My story is just that my story, I don't think it was any better my way (well a bit ) It meant I wasted money on throwing things out when it hadn't been eaten, before MSE days

To be fair my mum was totally crap so I'm sure that's not the case with you.

:rotfl:my story was meant with love & kindness & MSE solidarity in my heart x

searching_me

well pay day today for me .. all bills paid .. got one of my DS xmas presents .. ive got £80 for 3 weeks doable as long as im careful i do need some jeans as all the working out and running ive been doing at the gym means mine are falling off but im going to hit the charity shops on tuesday after a free makeover and samples due to boots .. and the samples are going in my xmas hampers for people .. im serious now i only have to buy nappies BOGOF at tescos and jeans and im setting myself a budget of £10 so that should get me 2-3 pairs of jeans in a charity shop ..

flateric you cant expect to go cold turkey without alittle slip up .. now you know you can go for it again x

stephan1e_2

for books try freecycle i cannot remember the last book i brought-they might not be the latest but something different to read but also people advertise anything and everything so good for other things too i.e. childrens stuff comes up regulary on mine depends where you live though hth

searching_me

guess who cut up her CC's x