In the words of Yazz...

MuffinTops

Hello FF,

I'm the same in that I joke that I've bought a price without really considering the item. I still haven't worked out how to avoid this so instead have to avoid shopping unless I have a specific list that I can tunnel vision shop for.

Fudgefund

Yazz was a female pop singer in the 80's who had one fairly ubiquitous hit with 'The Only Way Is Up'. It went something like... 'the only way is up baby, for you and me now... the only way is up...' ad nauseum. She was a faintly terrifying woman with acid blonde cropped hair, with some serious dance moves. I'm sure you'd recognise the song if you heard it.

I managed to stay out of Tesco today, so that is one day in November down. The trouble with me is that they stick all the things that are terrible for you at the end of the aisles for seriously cheap prices. Last month I walked out of there with 4 Twixs for a pound and rued the decision as soon as I had left. I don't buy any of the sensible offers, just the sweets. I think the answer does lie in list making, but for the time being avoiding the place all together is a good idea.

Today I spent £2.75 on a latte whilst having coffee with a friend and lived to regret it because I was high as a kite all afternoon. I very rarely drink coffee so forgot how jittery it makes me. I got a lot of work done this afternoon though. The £2.75 was budgeted for, and it was great to have a chat, I love lunchtime chats. This left me with £1.79 in my purse which i'm pretty pleased with as it's officially the end of my financial week. Many challenges lie ahead tomorrow though as I'm going out on Friday and Saturday and my doctor has told me in no uncertain terms not to drink any alcohol. It will save me money if I can stick to it, and I've been dry for two weeks on Sunday, so I just need to keep the momentum going.

I got an email from Monsoon today with the headline 'We miss you...' It cracked me up. Their profit margin must be through the floor since I rejoined this site. :rotfl:

Fudgefund

Quick update before commencing this weekend, mostly because I ran to Barclays on my lunch break today to pay my £1.79 left over from my week into the coin deposit thing (I felt like a right saddo, there was a kid behind me with armfuls of 2ps) and I'm pretty pleased with myself. This brought my balance down by an even £5, so I paid it off my Barclaycard . Little things eh?

I also have not spent anything today, but am going out tonight so that will be going right out the window. Will be trying not to do anything stupid this weekend, because I can already see the opportunities for that to happen are fairly endless.

Happy Friday everyone!

please-let-me-be-lucky

Have a good night tonight Xx

*Robin*

Hello Fudgie, :hello:

Fudgefund wrote: »

Yazz was a female pop singer in the 80's who had one fairly ubiquitous hit with 'The Only Way Is Up'. It went something like... 'the only way is up baby, for you and me now... the only way is up...' ad nauseum. She was a faintly terrifying woman with acid blonde cropped hair, with some serious dance moves. I'm sure you'd recognise the song if you heard it.

Thanks for the explanation. Hmm, don't remember her or the song which is odd as I was involved in the UK music scene in the 80's (before the dreaded weed and arrival of children killed any talent I might have had).

Fudgefund wrote: »

Many challenges lie ahead tomorrow though as I'm going out on Friday and Saturday and my doctor has told me in no uncertain terms not to drink any alcohol. It will save me money if I can stick to it, and I've been dry for two weeks on Sunday, so I just need to keep the momentum going.

Am keeping fingers and toes firmly crossed that you will not succumb to temptation. ..Think of me hobbling about in support of you and don't let those first two weeks - the hardest days - go to waste!

Fudgefund

Thanks Robin and PLMB. :A

In the end I went out and drank 5 pints of cider and spent £25 (it was a fiver to get in). It could've been worse, but to be honest that was enough to get me three sheets to the wind. I managed to get a bus home and not get into the tempting looking taxis, and I didn't buy anything to eat on the way home, so MSE wise not a total disaster. However, mood wise it was terrible again, so I need to get back on the wagon straightaway and keep learning my lesson. I haven't had anything to drink today and I'm hoping to have another two weeks of sobriety.

I really excelled myself when I came in and threw up in the kitchen sink. In my hungover state this morning I sprang out of bed to bleach the entire area, don't worry. I'm hoping no one will ever know, apart from you folks. Oh god.

In other news I spent £2 today on a pizza which was sorely needed and found 5p on a self serve checkout. :T

£29 left until I get paid. Eek.

*Robin*

Hi Babe :hello: it's me again; sorry I missed your last post - think we were both wobbling at the same time..

Fudgefund wrote: »

In the end I went out and drank 5 pints of cider and spent £25 (it was a fiver to get in). It could've been worse, but to be honest that was enough to get me three sheets to the wind. I managed to get a bus home and not get into the tempting looking taxis, and I didn't buy anything to eat on the way home, so MSE wise not a total disaster. However, mood wise it was terrible again, so I need to get back on the wagon straightaway and keep learning my lesson. I haven't had anything to drink today and I'm hoping to have another two weeks of sobriety.

I don't want to give you the kind of grief your Mum would over this, but must say I think you need some new RL mates. Or you should be straight with them - we both know how much damage booze does to you - do they? If so they really are not your friends. Can't you trust even one person with the truth? Someone who'll remind you to slow down when you've had just enough for the next drink to seem like a really good idea..

But congratulations on getting home safely; I can well imagine the state you were in and must say I think you were lucky not to meet some scroat on the way who'd take advantage, which could have led to a real tragedy for you.

Learn from it, please - you're obviously not stupid - and you're in for a rough time until your chemical balance sorts itself out.

((Hugs)) and good luck at work this week.

MuffinTops

Hello FF,

Just thinking about you and hoping all is ok.

How's your week been?

MT x

*Robin*

Hope you survived the working week ok, Fudgie (sorry can't think of you as FF - reminds me too much of Tosco's clothing line!).
Thinking good thoughts for you..

Fudgefund

Evening all,

I've been missing for a week (first half of the week moping/second half having a nice time with the folks) thanks for leaving me messages Muffintops and Robin, that's so nice.

You are definitely right about the alcohol Robin, it has a terrible effect on me. My friends on the other hand are generally a bunch of good eggs but I don't think they feel they can tell me what to do. I have told them I really shouldn't be drinking and they are trying to be encouraging, I think they're a bit confused to honest! I made it through the week and since Monday have only had one glass of wine, so that's a massive improvement. Especially considering the amount my 'saga lout' parents drink.

After the whole episode last weekend I was pretty down going into the week, and I just didn't feel like posting about it. I had a disastrous day on Sunday meeting up with someone I didn't really want to see, and ended up drinking just to make things less awkward, but spent my remaining money in the process. I ate the few bits and bobs I had in, had dinner at a friend's and then had to walk to work as there was no alternative. It was all a bit miserable. I got my Council Tax rebate, but it was a cheque which I paid in on Wednesday and still hasn't cleared. It was so nice to go home and be fed and see everyone, my Mum lent me £40 which I'll repay when I get paid Thursday.

So, in a nutshell, I'm feeling much more positive now I'm buoyed by a nice trip home, and looking towards the rest of the week. I get paid on Thursday which is extremely exciting, and I'm trying to make a realistic budget that I can stick to, especially now I owe my Mum £140. I have discovered that if I walk to work (3 and a half miles) and my keep my bottom there until 6.30pm, I can get a cheap train ticket for 90p. This is good, as I need to make some time up, and I can just about stretch to 90p.

The interest on my credit card turned out to be £72.99, which whilst still horrific, it better than the £85 it was estimated it was going to be. The estimated figure this month is £65, so my aim is to get that down. I think I'll pay £362.99 in the first instance and see how I get on with overpaying. Thank heavens this is a four week month!

If I can just get through November then December will be a lot easier. I'm going to resume trying to post everyday to stay on track.

Thanks again for the concern, I'm quite touched! x