boom and bust beauty... anyone else?

Tygermoth

I have been frugal for what feels like forever - experimenting with cheaper versions, smell alikes or look alikes for ages.

Excitedly waited in today for a few things I had ordered when they arrived they were so disappointing. I then needed to go into in town I grumbled all the way there then suddenly threw my toys out of the pram went totaly mad and bought all the things I just have not found alternates for..


£50 – waxing – sorry home kits just don’t cut it
£30 – real perfume – my favourite and I just can’t get a smellalike
£20 – my Orly nail polish. Tried loads but they just don’t look as natural and crisp in a French manicure and my last set lasted me forever
£12 hair cut
£5.50 colour


I went to my OH to confess all and bless him he pointed out (I had not noticed) that I seem to do this about this time of year every year... but he also pointed out I must subconsciously know it because I usually take on extra work to cover it.


Cue me checking my balance and the shed loads of overtime I had forgotten about finally had been paid and almost covered my spurge, bar a few pounds.



Does anyone else do this? bang and bust spending... like you can only cope so long..... and then you go mad?

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I normally try to manage with cheap makeup and plain shower gel and shampoo all year, but as soon as it gets to Autumn, it's colour, posh shampoo, scented shower gel, expensive perfume, posh makeup and I will buy so much, I don't need to get anything else for months again. It's like the first crisp bright day and I want everything sparkly perfect.

chanie

I kind of do this too - I keep a close eye on my budget, but then I get fed up and undo my hard work by taking my eye off of things.

I must say, I do like nice things and in order to counterbalance this, I try and cutback in other ways e.g. taking my lunch into work, using cheaper cleaning products like Stardrops, bargain hunting for food. This gives me more money to spend on myself,

Maybe what you should do is accept this and try to find way of getting the stuff you like cheaper.

For example

I didn't cash in my Boots advantage points for years and I treated myself to some Clinique.

With the waxing, could you find a cheaper salon, or even go to a college and let a trainee loose (waxing to me is a necessary evil, but I begrudge paying all that money for the amount of pain.....).

Go on-line as you may find your products cheaper.

jenniewb

I dream about doing this but end up returning goods or just standing around dreaming....I just don't have the income to do this.

I do look for offers and freebies and these really make my day, on top of this vouchers from surveys and always looking on sites like wahanda or even ebay mean that I can sometimes get things I'd never otherwise have and it makes them all the more special.

I had my first ever pedicure last year and it was a real treat! It was thanks to a deal I bought on Wahanda for £2 (for a £20 voucher) I paid a total of £12 for the pedicure and my only regret was that I didn't have the money to tip.

Hair cuts come from gumtree, colour used to too but now everywhere seems to charge £20+ so now hair colour comes from Savers or wherever else offers a deal. Roots I allow to grow up to 1.5 inches before I really can't stand it! (red hair, mouse roots and short cut so it shows!)

Everything else I do myself. Waxing kits don't work your right, I have tried and failed with various brands within the past 10 years and now just feel irritated at the financial loss, shaving, creams (99p stores or similar are great for these) seem to be what I use now its not how I want things to be but the alternative is just not feasable.

I am just lucky I don't have a demanding family or tons of 'I-want-stuff!" friends to buy presents for! Love my friends for being so down to Earth, don't think they are as half as brand aware as I am! I have a great family (mother and sister) who are very brand aware but dispite our difficulties and issues, don't expect the same back as they know my circumstances, doesn't feel so great to not be able to give as much back or to be as reliant on them (know its not a life and death reliance but the sad but true fact is the stuff I get as gifts really makes a huge difference to my life!).