How to fall in love with saving money

supersaver1000

cathybird wrote: »

this quite interesting column by Oliver Burkeman in the Guardian this weekend. It is all about "course correction", ie how much success at long-term goals - saving, losing weight, whatever - depends on what you do when you "slip up" in small ways. I found it really useful to think about and hoped others might find the same.

Great article, thanks . Definitely going forward with "course correction".

WantToBeSE

That article is really interesting, Cathy. It makes me think that maybe I should reassess my goals for saving...hmm. Anyway, it something to think about!

cathybird

Morning all! What an absolutely beautiful day, at least where I am. Sorry I've not been around but on top of other things have been having problems with my laptop, which I have been trying to resolve without actually taking it to a computer firm to fix. It was freezing all the time for no apparent reason. I think I've got it cracked though - it was a corrupt file (I think). Fingers crossed.

cathybird

Morning all! Another day, another dollar. I am doing a slightly different role today at work to normal. Not sure what it will entail but looking forward to it ... nice to have a change.

I need to sit down and work out what I saved in May - think it was in the region of about £600 again. Not really good enough and June may be a struggle too.

Time to reassess all my sums again? ... I may have just been unrealistic about what I could save - it wouldn't be the first time

cathybird

By the way, Eco Miser, I love fish and chips and think it makes a superb treat. Haven't had good fish and chips for a while. I hope yours were good. I think f&c really needs to be eaten next to water (eg at the beach) to really taste good. Feel free to disagree.

WantToBeSE, glad you enjoyed the article - sorry I didn't say so earlier. I felt it was a really helpful way of looking at it, since it's true, if I slip up in a small way I do tend to let slip more, and then you can be all the way back to bad habits in no time if you let it. So quite useful to think of it in terms of "course correction". It's actually impossible to stay "in the savings mood" all the time, or even keep it as the main focus of life - life meanders along and all sorts of things get in the way. Other more exciting or stressful things crop up and demand attention. So, perhaps there is no way to stay "in love" with saving money. The main thing is is perhaps just to keep it in mind as much as we can? Don't know.

cathybird

White_Rose_Tight_ThaKnows wrote: »

Something suddenly just dawned on me (so much so I immediately signed in here to post!), I think at some point I'm going to need a thread to advise me "how to fall in love with spending money"!!

I've always thought of myself as frugal - even when I have been a bit slapdash with spending; books, meals out, binge food, etc. - but since January I've really looked at my money and embraced the MSE in me and the attitude is (literally) paying off.

However, everything is now just a number. I've shied away from joining my local tag-rugby initiative - which would help with my weight and non-existent social life - because it's £3 per week and could be for 20 weeks. :mad:

Being a Billy-no-mates has saved me hundreds already this year, but it seems at the moment I prefer for it to sit in a bank collecting interest than use it to have a life.

hi White Rose Tight ThaKnows! I'm actually not fantastically sociable myself and am quite sure it does save money and also feel I have a pretty good life really, but get the impression you are perhaps a little down about it? ... £3 per week is not too bad though. I am from Oz originally, from one of the states that doesn't play rugby, so to be honest I have never considered it a real sport but it probably would be quite good exercise, I guess? ...

cathybird

Eco_Miser wrote: »

I had need of such a thread five years ago, when I retired. After a lifetime (so far) of frugality, and no more going out to work, I could have turned into a real miser. Instead I made a vow to go out and spend on a little luxury at least once a week. (Ice-cream in Helmsley after a walk over the North Yorks Moors was a favourite, meeting ex-neighbours at a coffee morning is another). These are just small regular amounts, and well within my budget, but they mean I do have a social life.

I'm still actually saving money BTW.

Now I want to eat ice cream after a walk on the moors! Sounds lovely I will probably be able to do that shortly in fact since my dad and I will be visiting Yorkshire on our way further north.

I wish I could be as frugal as you, Eco Miser.

bayzat

Spend your time analyzing your expenses; a common mistake is that people spend too much time looking for the best savings. Your time can be better making records, putting together a budget and reviewing your spending habits. When you are making a purchase, 2 or 3 reference points are usually enough, the marginal benefit you will receive comparing 30 options is not relevant.

Eco_Miser

cathybird wrote: »

By the way, Eco Miser, I love fish and chips and think it makes a superb treat. Haven't had good fish and chips for a while. I hope yours were good. I think f&c really needs to be eaten next to water (eg at the beach) to really taste good. Feel free to disagree.

I don't disagree. F&C on the pier at Saltburn were much better than those from the Shambles in Settle, which is so far inland (on the Yorkshire side) that it's almost in Lancashire!

cathybird wrote: »

Now I want to eat ice cream after a walk on the moors! Sounds lovely I will probably be able to do that shortly in fact since my dad and I will be visiting Yorkshire on our way further north.

If you should happen to visit Helmsley I think you would love my favourite icecream source - as it also sells deli meats, and pies and preserves and ... .
I can't remember the name, but it sticks out into the Market Place on the corner of Borogate.
I googled: Hunters of Helmsley. Also in the Market Place is Thomas Of Helmsley, not to be confused with Thomas The Baker over the road, although they're the same company.
WARNING: VISITING THESE PLACES COULD BE HARMFUL TO YOUR WEALTH.

cathybird wrote: »

I wish I could be as frugal as you, Eco Miser.

A lifetime of matching aspirations to income, I guess.

cathybird

Now definitely tempted to visit Helmsley! My dad is more interested in military history, battles etc but I am sure I could take a little time out to pursue one of my own great interests, ie food.

It's interesting that about matching aspirations to wealth - therein may lie the key to the whole thing, though possibly not the only key. People tend to do it the other way round, don't they - they have the aspirations and then hope for greater wealth to fulfil them, in the meantime overspending what they have in an effort to better their possessions etc. Which doesn't work very well as a process.

I'm quite excited about visiting Yorkshire, which I haven't been to for at least a decade. I've been up north, just not to Yorkshire. It was really beautiful - I want to go walking on the moors again. I'm really looking forward to it