Stopping shopping

dionysia

@gonebust I am closer to some than others so I'm going to try to scale it up and down! I should be able to skip one or two of the rest of the drinks. They're leaving the team but not the organisation though so I will see several of the leavers again and still work with them, so have to keep things friendly!

In the meantime though, I did go to one of the drinks last night and spend more than intended . I've spent quite a lot this month so far - a lot of my budget, and a lot of it has gone on this wave of leavers. I think I need to move some money from my purchases pot and increase the amount going to this in the next few months, instead of accounting for it from my monthly budget, since it's such an unusual number of people.

I have also got the bingey feeling of oh I've blown the budget, might as well go out and spend spend spend. otoh I'm thinking of going and spending a tenner on things I don't really need in sainsbos, which is an improvement on thinking longingly of going and blowing fifty quid on clothes and makeup! Did a £7 (!) survey on Pro!ific 4cademic this morning which once it's approved will put me over twenty to cash out, so I can add a bit more this month.

dionysia

NSD yesterday. Today did a food shop, I'm coming in about where I wanted to for food which is good since I don't feel like I'm depriving myself (strawberries and cream today for a treat!) Then walked to the posh cinema (3 1/2 miles and it was warmer than I expected :eek:) and had tickets for a free screening, so only a bottle of juice bought. That's a big improvement than the glass of wine I would've had a few weeks ago! I am starting to find the money-saving mindset developing on some things.I've plans only one night this week and they're cheap ones, so should get a few NSDs this week.

gonebust

Sounds like you are going the right direction still so well done

I'm no saint you know, I spent more then I could afford down the pub Saturday as well . Now I've not a penny to my name unless I rob my money boxes. Luckily I've fuel in the car and food in the house so I'm not too bad, and if my boss was more reliable at paying me, I wouldn't be in such a bad position. I was promised pay that I was owed plus last weeks money Saturday, still waiting ..............

EssexHebridean

Glad it's not just us that buys fruit as a treat - our splurge yesterday was £2.50 on British Cherries which we sat and ate last night - they were lovely!

dionysia

NSD as planned! Only wrinkle was having to get the bus home instead of walking, I put on some shoes that were fine last summer and they've rubbed me raw! But that's already accounted for when I top up on my Oyster, so not really a spend.

@gonebust that's awful about your boss :eek: is it a small business? You should be able to go to the pub without having to worry your money will come for work you've done!

@EssexHebridean I'm on a bit of a diet as well at the moment, off the cakes and chocolate so fruit is my bit of sweetness! Although really I think fruit that's just perfectly in season and delicious is always a treat. Your cherries sound lovely!

gonebust

Yep it's a tiny business building up, and I am the only person drawing a wage so I am pretty flexible as in if someone's not paid their bill I hold on a while. Only I've been holding on a month ATM

Trouble is if I jack, contracts get lost and I've no chance or being paid. Sooooo I carry on. It comes eventually. Being fugal and always checking prices means I can survive

So I owe my DH petrol money right now and I can't treat the grand kids from my own earnings this week, but as said before, I know where every penny I've come in goes out and so we won't starve. Indeed we had a steak dinner tonight.And wine. Lovely it was, even though I cooked it and it wasn't a meal out

dionysia

Bit of a frustrating day today. Really wanted a NSD but then remembered one of the people leaving also has a birthday, so detoured into a card shop and bought two cards on the way in. His is the last collection though and I'm not sure he's having drinks so hopefully nearly at the end of this uncommon expense.

Then got a set of vouchers in the post yesterday for pizza at my favourite takeaway place, bad for the diet and the purse but it rained on me all the way home and I desperately wanted it! Just about resisted and had tea in as planned, but not very happy about it! But this month really really does need to be frugal. So promised myself I could have pizza next month if I wanted it. Also Dave Ramsey podcast on the way home to get me through the hard bit of dithering , one of the callers said something that really hit me about how free he feels of the debt. Reminded myself that although not being able to just spend what I want feels restrictive, it's actually much more freeing than spending and regretting it, and definitely more than spending but going further into debt to do it.

@gonebust that still sounds a bit scary to me but the important thing is you're comfortable . And great that you have the discipline to know you've set things up so you can cover a bit of a delay!

gonebust

Thing is, what I'm saying is I too would like to get a pizza out of budget. I too would like to get something for me, out of budget

Only I can't because I've not been paid

It pees me off, same as it does you, that there is nothing in the budget to have a little treat

I've been living a frugal life for nearly as long as you have been alive and what I'm trying to say, is although is gets easier, in as far as debt is covered, bills and nessecities , you still need that excess tucked away somewhere so you aren't borrowing from Peter to pay Paul and still having something of a life

I've not been paid for nearly a month so now my little pots are depleted. I now no longer have money that's not allocated. As I said I will get the money owed eventually but it will leave me short for yet another month whilst I restock my emergency pots.

I'm not going to starve, I'm not going to lose my home, car or anything, just can't afford any extra expense for a while

dionysia

@gonebust I'm sorry to hear that. I'm paying for my own poor decisions though in that I need to repay my debt, and it seems a sad thing to me that you're in the same penny-pinching circumstances but it's because you haven't been paid. But I guess it becomes a question of when to cut your losses with the job if this happens often.