Countdown to Freedom

ajmoney

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS wrote: »

I am making a hamper for mom for Xmas, most of which will have come from bargain shopping. I do a hamper every year along with her main present and it's great to know she dips into for goodies, which she would never buy herself.

I told DH I wanted to do that for all my family members, personal hampers with things they would never buy for themselves and he told me that you only do that for old people! I will definately be doing it for my mum and probably my sister too.

unhappy_shopper

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS wrote: »

Hi all, for 2012 I failed miserably at OPing my coupon amounts, but I have changed my financial tracker at home to include value of coupons used.

For me, the coupon savings bring my monthly grocery spend lower, that is all. I usually collect all the coupons and use them in a single shop. So, quite often I'll be giving the checkout person tens of coupons. No wonder they get irritated by that. But then, I do my packing only after all the coupons have been accounted for, as I have seen some till assistants just flash the voucher across the till and even when they are not accepted, put them away as if the discount has gone through. So, I patiently stand there and scrutinise them scanning each and every voucher. After that only I'll pay and pack. Also saves time not having to fish out the items from the bottom of my shopping bags.

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi AJ, if it helps I do a hamper for a girlfriend of mine - always full of loads of different bits and bobs, which were either free samples, gifts when purchasing something else etc, plus a few spends - it always looks fab and she knows it's done on a budget. She often wonders how I manage to collect so many bits - and she's definitely not old if that helps persuade your DH.

Good luck, Tilly x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi US, that's a very good idea and I will adopt that approach permanently when doing a big coupon shop. Thank you x x

Peonie

Are they the vouchers the supermarket sends you?

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi Peonie, sometimes, but others from super s@vvy me, SSM mission control, Bzzz @gent, before I shop etc

Tilly x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Morning, NSD ahead, a few chores to do this evening. I am going to prepare some stuff for the next free eb@y weekend. My brain needs to see some decluttering I think. We have sorted more stuff for a car boot sale so actually have enough to make it viable I think. Just need to find a Sunday with ok ish weather.

This journey has certainly made all of us think about what we buy in relation to want vs need. Now as I look round the house I see 'want' purchases, which really were a waste of money. My plan is to quietly remove and sell where possible. I never want to end up in a minimalist household as that wouldn't suit any of us, nor am I implying we lived cluttered to the gunnels, but we could streamline our stuff. Finding where to sell everything maybe an issue but we are giving is a go. Mr T feels the same way.

Working from home so no lunch required and kids have pack ups made already.

Have a good day and hope you are not troubled with floods

Tilly x

HelenDaveKids

Yes, I too intend to start looking around the house (read kids bedrooms) once stuff on has gone. Still more scope in the garage and attic too.

ammonite

I was a long-time hoarder (not like those folks you see on TV) but we simply don't have the space in this house, especially as one of my storage rooms is now a nursery :eek:

When I moved out of home, the parents sorted their attic out too (lots of my stuff!) and we eBayed it, car boot saled it or gave it away as we simply did not have space.

I am now much better at buying what we need rather than what we want. My husband is totally ruthless, if he can't find space for it he throws it out :eek::eek::eek: I try to make space for it or sell it. Makes me feel a bit better that something is coming back for it.

Good luck sorting your stuff out Tilly x

unhappy_shopper

Peonie wrote: »

Are they the vouchers the supermarket sends you?

Hi Peonie, there are lots of printable ones here in this thread.