Are you more frugal than me?

anguk

You could always treat yourself to a Starbucks, keep the cup and just fill it with your own coffee for the journey to work. Nobody will know any different. When the cup starts to look a bit past it, treat yourself to a Starbucks again.

If you can get a copy of "The Takeaway Secret" from the library, (or from Amazon £3.72 with free supersaver delivery) there's some deli style sandwiches in there you could make for lunch.

irishwexford

When I first found this site I had been wasting money on clothes I never wore, food I never cooked and expensive face creams etc. Although I am retired I do have a good pension but was wasting it. I went overboard at first and bored my family about all the money saving things I was doing but now have reached a happy medium. I do have my trips to hairdresser as I can afford it but do not waste food and only shop for clothes that I need. I buy good quality clothes usually in the sales or in TKMax and do not follow fashion. I do appreciate that those with children and and high rents and utility bills have to be more careful but I feel I am doing my bit. I have a weekly two hour facial at college for £5 and colour every six weeks for £15 and that is my treat. My face creams now come from Aldi and I look none the worst for it. I do love my holidays so save for these all year.

Stoney_G

Take a look at the Debt Free Wannabe forum. I used to read that a lot and I remember one post about a woman who said that her family looked idyllic from the outside - days/nights out, well dressed kids, nice house/car, but in reality her and hubby were in about £60,000 debt (I think) on top of mortgage and were struggling to buy food. They had all these lovely possessions so it looked good from the outside but she was a mess. Just a thought when we all get the envy!!

Also, in regards to wearing a wig, Dora has not posted on here again possibly because everyone finds this so amusing. We have no idea why she wears a wig so perhaps a little more tact...I know I would be upset if I was brand new. We money savers all have our quirks

MrsBartolozzi

jackieglasgow wrote: »

Is it possible that this is a windup?

I sniff a whiff of a troll too, Jackie.

valk_scot

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

I sniff a whiff of a troll too, Jackie.

Not inflammatory enough to be a troll I would think. Except maybe the wig bit!

Allegra

Perhaps the OP has lost her hair through chemo or alopecia and that is why she is wearing a wig ? But she is also looking at the bright side and emphasising how much not having any hair has saved her ? Well, it's a possibility...

And the answer to the original question is yes, I am, a fair bit. But I do not do it to compete - I do it for the joy of it

lovetopaint

Regarding getting down living on a tight budget, I empathise. I recently realised that our life had become very unbalanced because of it.

So I have re- jigged our budget to include a set amount for clothes, then fun activities, then treats. It isn't much per month (really), but at least life does not seem such a drag, and we always have something to look forward to. Plus the treat isn't ruined by that guilty feeling, beecause the money spent on it has been is allocated within budget.

Life is about balance.

Primrose

Dora2010 wrote: »

Sometimes I get very down and feel resentful that unlike my colleagues I cannot afford to go to the high street for lunch or buy coffees at Starbucks. I also grow bored of eating leftover dinners for lunch but cannot justify spending £5-7 for lunch unless I have planned it in the monthly budget.
QUOTE]

Dora - Fast forward the situation to 12 months from now and I suspect that a lot of those people who are popping out to lunch or buying coffees at Starbucks will be looking at their credit card debts in despair and wondering where it all went wrong. I'm sure there are going to be huge financial shocks in store for a lot of people who are still in denial about their spending habits. Just keep on with your frugal habits and you will be in a better situation than many to survive the storms.

spugzbunny

I also whiff a troll. it's a similar trolling style to tod123.

Either way -

I cut my own hair. I have done for 3 years now. I have curly hair and I do a better job then any 45 quid cut I have ever paid for. A bottle of merlot and a pair of scisors and it come pretty well!

tedster123

ok need to save money over next months for vegas trip - looking at £500/month leaves me £784 sounds a lot but

daily costs - lunch £5, dinner £5, cigarettes £6.50 is > £500/month without anything else

what do people make for their lunch to make it cheap??

nice pack of ham - £3, cheese same then maybe baguette sauces lettuce etc doesnt seem like you are saving money.

also cheap dinner ideas welcome ( cook for 1 )

not keen on giving on smoking although would be obvious cost benefit