weekly budgets...

saintly_2

i really need to say this because, well im sat here nearly crying....

just had the mickey taken out of me by a colleague because i dont want to join the secret santa, or add another £4 to a collection for xmas decorations. I had a budget of £12.50 this week and it went down quite quickly because of collections for birthdays. She has just called me a scrooge and tight all over the office so feel about an inch tall, tellin me that i should manage my money better ( duh i do know that) and bring more money into work!!!

I cant afford the secret santa, i can barely afford anything for my family never mind anyone else for xmas. £4 for xmas decorations, there is nothin wrong with the ones from the past few years!!

why is christmas so expensive!!!

sorry for the rambling, ignore me, i do feel a bit better after just writing it down

LookingAhead

Oh bless you're heart!

PLEASE ignore this foolish person. They are not worthy of your tears. Possibly worthy of head in toilet/flush though.

It is this kind of pressure that gets people into debt - big or small. Ignore it - you are better & stronger than this.

MASSIVE hug - huge.

LookingAhead

Grrrr I am really peed off on your behalf.
If she says anything else.....tell her what for! Tell her she's not telling you anything you don't know and to button it. Your budget is none of her business. If she wants to contribute on your behalf she's welcome to clearly, if it's that important.

And if she says anything after that, tell her you're bored of the conversation and she should change the record she's making herself look like a !!!!!!.

evab_2

I agree,

This person is not important in your life, I opted out of the secret santa and I didn't go to the xmas meal yesterday because I can't afford it. I don't care what other people think, it's my family that's important.

I have taken a long time to realise that 1 day shouldn't cripple you for the rest of the year.

Chin up, ignore this colleague you don't need her and just think about the better things that money can be spent/saved on.

Maz6

Ignore her (easier said than done I know). There is so much pressure to overspend this time of year but it's important to have your own limits so :T you for sticking to your budget.

vyvyan_2

If it's any consolation much the same has happened to me. Work has organised an evening which is £18 per staff member (and an additional £36 if you want to bring someone (not that i've got anyone to bring lol)). I can't afford the £18 and said so at the time. I've had to put up with all sort of comments, some more barbed than others. I must have toughened up as I'm feeling a bit more smug now that all the goss is about who is going to sit next to who, and elaborate discussions as to what they are deciding to wear. One bottle of wine per table then you pay for your own drinks... blah blah...taxis home...blah blah .... I think I'm well out of it.

Stay true to yourself - but hugs anyway.

Vyvyan

lynzpower

If I was in your shoes Id just kick off. I can be pretty hard when I want to be.

Id be like " look love if you want to waste you money on this crap then thats your prerogative, but if you expect me to copy your stupidity you are sadly mistaken"

poppycracker

(((huge hugs))) to you from me too.

Don't ever let someone make you feel bad for not following the crowd. Yes, if you could, you would, but you can't.

I would have said that I would make something if I'd been asked to contribute for decorations, or secret santas, but not if I'd been spoken to like that, it's downright nasty!

Hold your head up chook, you're doing what you can

yung

My sentiment is B*LL*&@K to them, as LA said they don't deserve your tears, so just ignore them. i used to get a load of this when I was working but I got the last laugh on them by being able to retire early while they still have to work. :grouphug:

lady_fuschia

I'm sorry but what a *****! (have fun filling in the blanks).
That's just not on. I honestly would feel fully entitled to talk about HER all over the office about what a materialistic jusgemental so&so she is.
I think all this secret santa/ leaving presents/ birthday cakes at work business has got really out of hand in the past few years. Why do we get told we HAVE to spend money buying someone we don't know that well something they probably won't even appreciate?
I always think however much money you have that a gift should be something you choose to buy / make for someone because you really feel they'll appreciate it- not some kind of dreary obligation. Otherwise what's the point? I remember when I was a kid people bought presents for their nearest and dearests- now its the kids teacher, your cleaner, your colleagues, the bloke in the pub, his dog.... Refusing to get involved in this kind of commercial silliness isn't being a tight wad at all. If anyone says anything I would just proudly make some comment about how you think Christmas is too commercial (its a buzz phrase lately, I read the women's mags in the Doctors surgery!, so they'll probably think you're really trendy!).
You'll be the one laughing in a months time when everyone else's credit card bills arrive.

Uniscots97

Hugs to you. Why are some people so cruel? Tell her your budget is none of her business, and if she pushes it ask exactly why the decorations from last aren't being reused. I don't know how many people are in your office but £4 seems a lot just for decorations............think I would have been cheeky and ask if she was pocketing some of the money........:p


But seriously if she has a go again tell her your money is spoken for for family things and if she pushes ask her calmly if she knows the meaning of harassment.