Every day dilemma...!

HeadAboveWater

(Sorry if something similar has been posted before)

I finally have no debts and have cut my outgoings as much as possible. I spend basically all my wages but not more than I get. Would say I've a fairly good handle on my finances...

BUT...

I find that when I'm at work and bored, I shop online! :mad: Obviously the busier I am at work the less time I have to trawl ebay and the likes...

The other problem I have is lunchtime. Need to get out of the office to get my head cleared, but generally end up in shops or cafes.

I've stopped carrying my debit card about and only carry cash. But find I'm spending on petty wee things at lunch time, a lot just for the sake of it. Can't not carry cash in case partner rings me by end of work for me to stop for something on way home.

In saying that, yesterday lunchtime I went into Boots for one thing, had half a dozen things in my arms within 10 mins, but managed to leave everything back except the one thing I went in for (the £1 17 Wild mascara!) *phew* :T

I do try to visit my sister at least once a week during lunch so I'll not be near any shops

Is it just me or does anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions please?!

mrsb83_2

Yes! I didn't realise how much I shopped "for fun". Just a quick nip into town in my lunch hour. I was only shopping the Wilko, £ shops etc, but it all adds up.

For a long time I didn't leave my desk. That is boring, and if you're prone to online shopping then maybe not such a great idea.

Also, I now have a "cash" budget for the month. That's money I can spend on chocolate, smokes, small toiletries, !!!! from the £ shop without having to worry about it. Once it's gone, it's gone.

Can you stretch to £20 a month for you to spend as you like? It definitely helped me.

HeadAboveWater

Thanks for the reply. Felt a bit silly after posting actually

I budget every month and allow myself £x cash per week. That's to do for food, shopping, petrol, treats, everything. I refuse to carry my debit card around unless absolutely necessary!

Can't not leave my desk Work at a pc all day every day so need the fresh air. And the exercise!! lol

Can you stretch to £20 a month for you to spend as you like? It definitely helped me.

If I really, really have to shop online, maybe what I could do is transfer a small 'allowance' into my paypal account when I get paid. And stick to that amount too!! All these £2 or £3 coming out of my bank every few days isn't good and it's hard to see exactly what I'm frittering away

fantastiyk

Could you go to the library one day during your lunch break?

And spend some time during the lull at work thinking up one or two creative lunches that you could make to bring to work - something more creative than a basic ham sandwich.

Another good thing to do when on the internet is to catch up on emails to friends or relatives that you don't see often - or could you manage to sneak in some of those surveys others post on the forum about where you earn vouchers or cash for taking the survey?

I think sometimes its about changing what we do at those times when we're most likely to spend.

HeadAboveWater

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Library! Never thought on that one. Good thinking

I'm with MySurvey so would do those *cough* during work *cough* when I'm emailed *cough*

Prefer to get away from the pc too if and when I can. Headache alert

And something more interesting than ham sandwiches is good too Basically bring the stuff with me and make it here. Nice one

I know it's only Tuesday but I'm doing well this week - no spending so far! (Just waiting on all my deliveries from last week! )

Picked up a coat on Sat for my SiL from my brother. Paid on my debit card so just waiting on him to give me the cash for it to put it back into the bank. That's along with the £50 I've got from throwing all my shrapnel into a tin every day (Only carry cash now, no cards, and usually lodging about £50 a month doing this - nice wee bonus!!! )

Oh! And just signed up to NetFlix through TopCashBack to get £12.12 Will cancel before paying out though

Sambucus_Nigra

Walking round Boots is not exercise!

Is there a park nearby that you can go to to eat your sandwiches that you have taken in for your lunch?

HeadAboveWater

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

Walking round Boots is not exercise!

Really?! :rotfl:

Nope. There's no park. Plus it's Northern Ireland so I'm almost guaranteed rain! I should just make a point of walking PAST all the shops and make a big loop back to work again.

I would try to go to my SiL once a week and she'll make me a cuppa

Sambucus_Nigra

HeadAboveWater wrote: »

Really?! :rotfl:

Nope. There's no park. Plus it's Northern Ireland so I'm almost guaranteed rain! I should just make a point of walking PAST all the shops and make a big loop back to work again.

I would try to go to my SiL once a week and she'll make me a cuppa

Yes, do that. Maybe create a game for yourself, how far you can get down the road and try to go one shop further each time. When you get as far as you can, try a different route.

Perhaps each day that you avoid going into any shops - put £1 [or equivalent] into a pot when you get home. If you put in there what you would have spent [possibly £5 each day or equivalent] then watch it rack up over the weeks.

HeadAboveWater

Ooooooh I like it!!!!!!!

I would say I'd walk home for lunch but I'd have to turn to go back as soon as I got in the door!!! lol

HeadAboveWater

Well so far this week I haven't spent any money at lunchtime. Plus I 'made' money yesterday as I returned a bag back to TK Maxx which I'd bought on Friday

Time_to_face_the_music

HeadAboveWater wrote: »

Well so far this week I haven't spent any money at lunchtime. Plus I 'made' money yesterday as I returned a bag back to TK Maxx which I'd bought on Friday

Well done on the no spending lunchtimes :T

With regard to the shopping, maybe you have found the solution. Buy something to fulfil your shopping desire, then take it back a couple of days later to keep your bank balance happy too :rotfl: