The Secret Dreamworld of a (Scottish) Shopaholic

Skinnylatte

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

kissjenn

More dodgy hugs.

Be kind to yourself and nothing wrong with wanting me time.

scottishspendaholic

Hello everyone,

Thanks so much for the love, kind words & support.

I've not much to report tonight, only that I'm very glad it's Friday & i dont have to go to work again until Wednesday!

I'm really not enjoying my (newish) job. Basically because I don't have enough to do, & at the moment, have to kind of create my job again from scratch & make myself seem indispensable when I feel like such a spare part! This has had a cr&p knock-on effect on my spending because I'm bored! Part of my job involves visiting people in their own homes & at the moment I'm left with up to 2 hours between appointments (going back to the office isn't possible & I have no local base) so I've popped to 3 (yes 3!) big supermarkets in the last few days & spent unnecessarily there! I have got a couple of upcoming birthday bargains, but have also bought things I didn't really need - mostly food and unnecessary rubbish. I've not massively overspent & have adjusted my budgets to fit these small spends in, but I'm still cross with myself & need to think of other ways to keep busy during this dead time.

In other news, my (loaded) brother has booked us an exotic surprise holiday over New Year, which is amazing. However, I am really apprehensive about this as, although the holiday is covered, DH & I have to come up with spending money for 4 of us for 9 days for all meals,drinks, travel, activities etc. Panic! This shouldn't affect my plans in this diary as anything we save or money making we do will be done jointly - but although it'll be fab & I'm very lucky, it's ANother level of financial stress & worry. Over the next 16 weeks, DH and I need to raise £££ to pay for Christmas, a large car bill, car tax, a wedding in October & spending money for our unexpected holiday! Cripes. I will get back to you on this one...

Looks like I did have loads to say after all!

scottishspendaholic

Gah! Think I'm going to have a hernia I'm so mad! The kids and I were in town today & had 45 mins or so to kill before going to my Mum's where some family were visiting. I had £5 in my purse & took them into a cafe for a coffee. I had a latte and the kids had a couple of cups (plastic Ikea cups) of milk and a wee biscuit to share. I went to the till to pay & she charged me £11.70! Each small 200ml cup of kids milk was charged at £1.80 each!!!! Everywhere else locally charges 30-50p per cup! Of course, I challenged it, but it was just young girls working & as they said - they don't set the prices. I had no choice but to pay.

So over the last day, I've spent an unplanned £30 :mad::mad:. Mostly unnecessary - ingredients for a Victoria sponge, the above coffee shop spend, then a silly £12 on Saturday night treats. I'm going to have to do some hard work to repent & make back these funds.

Oh and I got my passport photo taken today - it's truly horrendous. I look a haggard 49 at best (I'm 33). I'd love to get it taken again, but I can't justify another £5.50.

Aaarrrrggghhh!

Plans to make the remaining £150 I need to make over the next fortnight...:-

eBay £50 (£25 a week)
Sell sling £20
Sell buggy £25
Sell children's clothes £25
Mystery shops (x 2) £28

So lots to do!

Outlaws visiting tomorrow so lots of cleaning to do & I'm making Nigella's ham in coke & potatoes dauphinoise for Sunday lunch.

Hope you're all good.

Xxx

beanielou

That is just daylight robbery :mad:

kissjenn

Unbelievable. Makes you start panicking and double counting.

We only drink soft drinks and I hate it when they obviously pour a can of coke into a glass and then charge you two quid for it:mad:

scottishspendaholic

Can't get over the fact I was charged £7.20 for approx. 800ml of milk - that's less than 50p worth if you buy 2l for £1! I know that in a cafe, you're also paying for the seat & table, staff, service, dishwashing, toilet facilities, heating & lighting etc; but that is ridiculous! I would have been eyebrows raised but accepted 80p per cup, but £1.80 is just nonsense. I think I might write a letter to the management or the local paper, that price is just scandalous.

Oh I wish I could update my signature! I'm assuming this problem is a forum wide issue?

I've been doing some Christmas gift planning this morning - I think we're in a pretty good position for gifts for the children (paid for from joint income) , I have quite a lot stashed away already. I just hope their Santa lists don't say anything wildly different than I'm expecting in a couple of months!

Oh and would any of you recommend a particular (free if possible) snowball app?

MrsSmith2013

The milk thing is ridiculous! My hubby grudges eating out for the same reason, well not so much eating out, but buying sandwiches in particular, his line is always, "I could buy a loaf an a packet of ham and make a load of sandwiches for that price!" Annoying but true!

Your sunday lunch sounds yummy! I love potatoes in any form, particularly dauphinoise! We are having my parents round for sunday dinner, so that was a last minute dash to Asda for a chicken... £23 later Never mind, its not often I suppose!

Good luck with the ebaying etc. I'm sure you'll make your target no problem!

Mrs S x

millionaire_in_training

Hello SS . Have you got a kindle? you could read between appointments then. You were saying you wanted some downtime and reading was on your list so download loads of free books and just chill out. If not then get cheap books from the charity shops and just enjoy xx

PS you're doing great

FalseEconomist

Hi SS, I've got an app on my iPhone called debt payoff pro which lets you enter your debts and mess about with snowballing and graphs and things, if that's the sort of thing you're after? It was free and is good fun to play around with.