How to stop the green eyed monster??

macpumpkin

Hi, I have always been quite frugal and when I was at uni my flatmate's friend Dre was always a bit dismissive of me as my clothes were not designer. He always had the latest gear and I often wondered how he had the money.

Well, imagine my suprise a few years later when I turned on the TV and saw his face staring back at me on SPENDHOLICS........you could have knocked me down with a feather. He was about 30K in debt but trying to turn his life around so good luck to him but it taught me that appearances can defo be deceptive!!!

downsizer3

Yup - those are the stories that keep me going! Spot on!

tallyhoh

Learning2Budget wrote: »

Just wanted to say I know how you feel. I watch all my friends going on expensive holidays......one has just taken out a 9grand loan to go on holiday!!! They all have nice cars and nice clothes and take the kids nice places. Sometimes it really bites. But then i think....in 5 years time we can save up and go on holiday or save for a new car. We made our mistakes and have learnt. Like someone else said....they have things on storecards things onna cc, a loan here car on finance. We won't have that but we will have financial security knowing we can save for the kids getting married or going to uni etc.



Good luck L2B.x

£9000 grand loan for a holiday:eek::eek:I dread to think how much interest is on that:eek:

vasseur

tallyhoh wrote: »

£9000 grand loan for a holiday:eek::eek:I dread to think how much interest is on that:eek:

That's just absolutely crazy :eek:

rdchick

I don't have kids but I know how you feel. I have a friend who's husband is on less than me (I'm on £15K) and they have 2 kids, she doesn't work, claims disability and such likes but can seem to afford everything and anything they wants. It makes my blood boil when she tells me 'just get your boyfriend to pay for it' because I don't work like that. Yep I am in debt, I got myself in it - I will sure as hell get myself out of it! I do dread to think how much debt THEY are in... xxx

gemma_louise_2

Im no help as i'm exactly the same, but i now stand there and thing well wonder how much debt there in for that etc and try look on the bad points, i;'m currently saving for a new sofa and my friend went out and brought an amazing gorgeous sofa just like the one i told her i was saving about, let me out it this way i think she may had seen the steam coming from ears - until she told me she got it from bright house and for 2 sofas was £4000!!! so i felt a little pheww okay i can deal with it better now.

also i been looking and buying off ebay - and my kids still have gorgeous next clothes but for around same price as george clothes! and there kids they don't know difference between brand new and worn a little

also i have facebook and i sound really bad saying this but my photos of our family holiday in a caravan and self catering holiday to cornwal looked sooo much more fun than there £3000 all inclusive holiday abroad.!

sometimes best things in life are free took me a while to realise this but im addicted to love, saving and bargains and as said by another member about ebay i got my daughter her entire wardrobe from ebay all next and probably for aroud £50 for everything and will last her until she grows!

elly-spendaholic

Thanks so much for all of your replies, and I hope that all of you stuck in a similar situation to me hang in there. It's a total change of attitude that's needed, and I really think I will get there- especially with this site to help me. My kids are only 6 and 9, and my aim is to be totally debt free before my eldest goes to high school, so I think it's definitely do-able. I will have a little treat pot as someone suggested, and maybe put enough in to do something once a month, even if its just going swimming and a chippy tea!

I will be checking on this site now everyday for support so I don't get back into silly habits, and I will try to offer everyone else my support as I know just how tricky clearing huge debt is. Hopefully I can learn better habits and in the future save up for what I want rather than just think I deserve it right now.

xx

elly-spendaholic

I will definitely be using ebay a lot more for kids clothes, there seems to be some huge bargains to be had

xx

pennypusher

Hi, well done for sorting your debts out. There will always be people who earn more than you and can afford to spend more, just as there will always be people who look like they can afford things and get into loads of debt. You just need to find a happy medium, and spend according to how much money you have. The grass always looks greener on the other side, but looks can be deceiving!!

elfen

eBay! If your little ones' lothes are still in good nick, put them on when they have outgrown them and use the money to buy them new(er) ones from there