what COULDN'T you give up on your DF Journey

toothfairybuttkicker

I couldn't give up sky. It keeps me and the kids sane!!! everything else we have slowly cut down and we are making headway with our debt. I can see the light, be it very far away, but I can see it lol. I also couldn't give up fat club! for the price of a weigh in I get valuable advice, recipies and normal adult conversation. I'm also pretty good at winning the fruit basket or raffle so I kind of get my money back in the long run.

My secret little flaw is my cigarettes. I only smoke in the car when i'm alone. I can go days or weeks with out them but as soon as i'm alone in the car I smoke! people whine at me to quit but its not that easy. Alone in my car is my time, my space, my relaxation and smoking is a part of that. When i'm ready it will happen. I don't spend that much on them either as my dad brings them back for me from his holidays and I try to get them to last me till he's next away. I know that if I was buying them all the time i'd soon knock them on the head.

bilko89

My Xbox + games - Being in a house with my girlfriend and my 3 year old daughter (with another daughter on the way) i need time to recharge my manliness! Even a couple of hours a week in my man cave keeps me sane!

LMJ10

hettiecarro wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies guys!
Now at least I won't feel guilty tucking into my take away while watching Sky football :rotfl:
I hope newbies will find this helpful. When I first came on the forum I was overwhelmed by the number of SAINTS on here - but now some of you stalwarts have admitted to the odd indulgence it puts a different slant on it.
I think what I have got out of this so far, is that the DF journey is a marathon, not a sprint - and like a few of you have said we are still all individual and human and still deserve some of our own pleasures.
I agree that it's often the small sustainable changes that make the BIG difference to debts - and I personally think that it's better to retain small indulgences if it stops you falling off the debt free wagon:)
I also hope reading this will help me to be less judgemental when people are reluctant to give up things that I don't consider important.
On this note I'd like to make a 'blanket' apology to all those who have posted - and maybe received a rather self righteous response from me - I am duly chastened !
Thanks again. :A


p.s. Thank goodness Bedsit Bobs indulgence was t'internet!!!


Hettie

This is so true - when I started my debt journey I didn't dare write in here that I was going to go for a pub lunch or out with my friends incase someone tut tut at me!! Lol
It is about still having a life and if that means adding a year or 2 onto my date then so be it!

I can't give up sky or watching my favourite football team play.

in_need_of_direction

For me it's perfume and the odd takeaway. Though I also don't give up what others here see as indulgences but I see as essentials. You wouldn't ask a man not to shave to save money on razors but people see waxing as a luxury. For me things like haircuts, roots etc are necessities not optional extras but I think it depends on your workplace, your lifestyle and unfortunately your age. As I get older some things move from nice to do or to have to must dos!

solvencyseeker

I probably shouldn't have read this. Am right at the start of my journey and now I won't feel at all guilty about going to the pub, getting slightly sloshed (doesn't take much - complete lightweight) and buying a "few bits" from Waitrose on the stagger home.


Good to know you are all human after all :j

hettiecarro

Now that's enough of it solvency seeker

Stewart_78

I think you shouldn't try to live like a peasant. It's too demoralising and you will just give up. I am a massive F1 fan and when it went to Sky I pretty much had to sign up. Maybe bad but what am I going to do? Give up a life long passion? I like wine. I like it a lot. But I have got together all the gear to make it myself and bought a kit which comes out at £1.30 or so a bottle so I'm going to give that a go.

I compromise in areas others maybe would not so we are all different. Haircuts? Got me some clippers and do it myself (with a final inspection from the missus of course). Clothes? I wear them until they fall to bits. Buy decent stuff but get every penny out of it.

solvencyseeker

This really cheered me up by the way. Especially Stewart_78's down to just 3 bottles a day - that's only 3.90 if you make it yourself - bargain :-)

I am determined to sort my finances out. Not entirely sure what my one thing will be yet....

hettiecarro

Good luck with it all anyway solvencyseeker. And stay around on here to get advice on how to get through your journey.
This thread was a frivolous one - but I think with an underlying message that none of us is perfect and shouldn't beat ourselves up for not being.
We also need a bit of humour sometimes to keep us going!!

solvencyseeker

Think I've got my one (plus one) thing -
Vogel bread (for breakfast toast - just don't like any other bread) and the Marmite to spread on it. Can't be beaten for a good start to the day.
Thanks for this post hetticarro. Definitely need a bit of humour to keep me going.