What's your non OS guilty secret?

goobergirl

My top 5

1. The car. Life would be very difficult without it where I live. However I would give it up in an instant if I lived in a city.

2. Internet. We have no Sky or Virgin media in our house. Gave up Sky about 10 years ago and have never missed it.

3. Nice cosmetics. I am happy to use cheaper toiletries in many instances but I like good skin care and make up products.

4. Getting my hair done, cut & colour every 7-8 weeks. A small luxury but totally worth it to me.

5. Decent shoes.

I am quite frugal in many other ways so I don't feel too guilty about these luxuries. I don't drink, rarely go on nights out / to restaurants etc (once or twice a year perhaps). I know I am very lucky to be able to afford these things so I appreciate them more.

bobble_hat

tryingtocutback wrote: »

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!

Brilliant! Thanks tryingtocutback, I'll give that a go, will pop out today to purchase :j

rising_from_the_ashes

goobergirl wrote: »

1. The car. Life would be very difficult without it where I live. However I would give it up in an instant if I lived in a city.

Ohhhhhh me too!

It's just not practical where I or DP live - it takes about 45 mins & costs £12 fuel to get to them in the car ... compared to long walk to the bus stop, a bus to the train station, then a train and then a taxi at the other end at a cost of around £60 and taking at least 4 1/2 hours:eek:

blackandwhitebunny

High welfare meat and chicken We'll eat non meat meals more often if its tight rather than compromise on welfare standards. Before I started being more aware of these things we ate roast chicken every week now its once a month (twice if there're some whoopsies)

OrkneyStar

Eggs from free range hens, ideally local ones.
Cravendale (not for me, but DH and DS, and it saves nipping out for milk all the time!).
Bold or Ariel.
Decent knitting yarns (I love to knit!).
Nice chocolate.

I don't wear make up (feels like a mask), get basic haircut, use decent but not premium toiletries (eg Dove, Olay etc, many are gifts)- but then I never really have, so I don't miss any of them!

snowleopard61

Agree with the people who won't compromise on the high welfare meat/eggs. I don't actually eat meat but one daughter does and when I actually have to feed her meat rather than veggie food I'm appalled at the cost (only Co-op/Waitrose Essentials, not the really high end versions); however, can't bring myself to buy the cheapest when I think how it's been produced.

lostinrates

snowleopard61 wrote: »

Agree with the people who won't compromise on the high welfare meat/eggs. I don't actually eat meat but one daughter does and when I actually have to feed her meat rather than veggie food I'm appalled at the cost (only Co-op/Waitrose Essentials, not the really high end versions); however, can't bring myself to buy the cheapest when I think how it's been produced.

Please don't be apalled at the cost...it costs people that much to produce them. Feed costs have almost doubled for me after a move and with gain price increases, and thats non organic. FWIW we are going organic and have been almost advised by the soil association not to include our poultry in that because the cost of keeping them for a low profit turnover is prohibitive. I maintain my birds are about the highest welfare standard possible dispite not being organic, but I wish we could afford to rear 100% organically too. We just can't: unlike the rest of our land it doesn't make sense with these guys at this stage. (we don't primarily rear for meat or egg sales, but do sell eggs)

juliettet

Real coffee,decent bread and most important my cats. I love make up too. I have/like to be smart for work and always maintain that the better quality is more money saving in the long run.

Ziggy8083

Wow great thread!

1- Cars, we have 2 but essential
2-Cats plus they get Sheba as treat...
3- Iphone
4- Sky
5 -Angus Beef and welfare meats only although I never pay full price
6- Designer makeup & face wash. Found that I bought less and it lasted longer. I know that's not the same for everyone.
7 - Beer/Wine/Takeaway every so often

I'm sure there are many more but we justify these luxuries to ourselves as we cut our cloth in so many areas like others on here. We are frugal and OS but we live a very happy life and if that means the occaisonal treat then so be it!

MSE has helped us to save money and cut back but still enjoy life:A

uolypool

I really wouldn't want to give up SKY as don't have much of a social life, and I dont drink or smoke
Pet Insurance for woofer, especially as my sis who has same breed dog just had bills for nearly £7,000 for tplo surgery. (was covered by insurance)
Dark chocolate, my one and only vice.;)
Obviously I would give up 1 and 3 if I had to but definately not the pet insurance.