What's your non OS guilty secret?

prettypaula

bobble hat - liz earle has an ebay online store selling off stock thats been on display at qvc etc cheaply if that helps!

Ruby_Scarlett

The Internet for sure, and probably makeup and skincare, though I keep it manageable. Sweetener tablets for hot beverages. My Travelcard. My iPhone.
God that's a lot

tea_lover

Just remembered another one (well 3 - eek!), Clinique anti-blemish 3 step stuff.... can't live without it!

snowleopard61

My three cats ... Insurance for them (I'm afraid to change providers as Petplan has served me so well in the past) costs about £40 a month in total, their food obviously costs quite a lot and I'm less willing to experiment with theirs than mine! Also, as I don't drive and don't like to cadge lifts I tend to pay for taxis when one of them needs the vet, since the buses don't go near enough and carrying the cat basket really does do my back in. For some reason it's much worse than carrying heavy shopping - probably because you can't carry it in a rucksack, obviously, and you can't just sling it around any old how but have to hold it steady and not bump it. (Normally I walk as much as humanly possible, although I do live near a railway station and the buses are generally good, apart from the one to the vet's!)

Also monthly donations to animal charities ...

The Radio Times - I know there are plenty of alternatives but they just don't do it for me.

And indulging my younger daughter, who regards as necessities things that seem like mad luxuries to me. Although now she's gone off to university she's having to manage her own budget so is learning a thing or two!

Flibsey

the internet, my mobile phone, fizzy pop, good quality makeup and the car.
I love the internet.
I need the mobile for when soph's at school, it's expected that parents have one now.
I tried to give up fizzy drinks, but Ican't. I don't drink as much a I did before, and they're mostly sugar free now.
I don't wear makeup very often, but when I do I like it to be good quality... although my clinique mascara was from their freebie thing last year, the "mascara amnesty" where you give them an empty one and they give you a trial size, and my mineral foundation powder was from a discount factory shop.
we can't give up the car, jim needs it for work. he can't get as high a paid job nearer to our home, and we can't cut our household costs so he's stuck for now.

oh, and the very very occasional milkshake if i am in town near mum's house, or latte in my local town. milkshake from shakey jakey's and is amazing. they have a whole separate bit of their kitchen and different blender so I can have a totally dairy free designer milkshake. my favorite is peanut butter and maple syrup.
and latte tends to be from costa's, again they do soya and I can guarantee not getting ill from it!!! I have one a month, either shakey jakeys or costa's. it's about a fiver.

oh, and I like the occasional takeaway.

bobble_hat

prettypaula wrote: »

bobble hat - liz earle has an ebay online store selling off stock thats been on display at qvc etc cheaply if that helps!

Wow! Thanks Prettypaula!! :T :A :T

tryingtocutback

bobble-hat - I was the same, I couldnt live without my liz earle cleanse and polish UNTIL some kind people on here recommended the superdrug vitamin E hot cloth cleanser. Its £5.99 for a massive 200ml and comes with a muslin cloth.

I was very dubious about it but, if Im honest, I actually prefer it to the Liz Earle one and it has cleared up the stubborn congestion around my nose area (sorry if thats TMI!).

Its definitely worth a go as a stop gap until you can afford the liz earle - like me, you may prefer it!

Out,_Vile_Jelly

prettypaula wrote: »

i
one thing i cant give up is having my nails done.. i work in a coporate environment and as such personal presentation is highly important... i have coloured gel overlays which essentially are like permanent nail varnish... every 5 weeks or so this costs £28.

I found this intriguing, perhaps because I work in an academic rather than a corporate environment. Surely it's enough for your nails to be clean and nicely trimmed? I've never heard of employers insisting they have to be coloured!

My biggest luxury is probably rent, as I pay a fair whack to live in a nice flat in a nice area, but I don't think you can put a price on security and looking forward to going home at the end of each day.

Any

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

I found this intriguing, perhaps because I work in an academic rather than a corporate environment. Surely it's enough for your nails to be clean and nicely trimmed? I've never heard of employers insisting they have to be coloured!

.

I don't think the employer "insist" they are coloured, but as everyone else is nicely turned out and polished with nails done I suppose there is pressure you should be too. And in corporate world it is very usual, first impression is most important and you are selling yourself as much as your skills at the end of the day.
And coloured nails are the easiest and fairly hassle free (apart from that 1 visit every month or so).

I gave mine up when I changed job and it would be very uneconomical to go to the girl who has done mine and I have seen some very badly done ones from people near my home and I tell you it is pain to constantly polish my nails and paint them and unpaint them... :-(

Any

Oh and I forgotten one more luxury I wouldn't give up - my Iphone, ouch!!
(I might give up Iphone in future when I don't consider it value for money any more, but I am not moving from "smartphones" IYKWIM!!)