Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

redofromstart wrote: »

Happy Retirement day enthusiastic saver

I have a similar approach with not buying stuff or hiding the out and out bargains in the cleaning cupboard.

The cleaning cupboard, very ingenious redo :rotfl:.

Sun_Addict wrote: »

I didn't hide the sausage rolls that well from Mr SA, he's found them, but he's on strict orders not to touch them, they're for Christmas Eve.

He used to really annoy my mum every Christmas by feeling the presents under the tree and guessing (often very accurately) what they were. My mum preferred surprises so was never impressed.

I don't think DH would be able to resist eating them if he could actually see them :eek:.

DH used to guess what my presents were and tell me until I banned him :mad:. I like my presents to be a surprise. He also used to open his own presents before his birthday etc until he knew me, but now I make him wait until the day .

HairyHandofDartmoor

Well as I predicted my food shop was over budget :mad:. I spent £80 on our normal week's food.

Then I spent £23.10 on food for DS2 and DS3 to eat on Christmas day and Boxing day as they want to stay home alone . The rest of us are going to my parents for lunch and tea on both days. We will see DS2 and DS3 in the morning to open presents etc, but they want to do their own thing the rest of the time. This amount also included more mince pies :mad:, some Pringles for DH and DS1 to eat on Christmas eve and some cheese for our day after Boxing day party.

Then, I bought DS3 some jeans and a tee-shirt, and some socks for DS1 and DS2 which I will wrap up and give them with their other Christmas presents. This came to £31:eek:.

It's impossible not to overspend at this time of year :mad:. Or am I useless at budgeting and without any will power? .

mummytogirls

Boo to being over budget on the food shop HHOD, lets hope some of the stuff lasts and can come out of next weeks budget. If same as in my house probably not though :rotfl: xx

redofromstart

I think its too easy to do 'ooh look that's on offer', just tip one of those into the trolley and before you know it you are a long way over. 'Things get eaten so it doesn't matter' is how I justify it to myself, but then I realised that it had become an every time I shopped thing, and that actually if I don't buy the treats nobody complains, and they just have toast/cereal/value biscuits which is far cheaper.

The best bit about hiding things in the cleaning cupboard is that I forget they are there too, and every so often get a bonus treat for tidying out the shelves. Scooby snacks for the cleaning adverse!

EssexHebridean

I reckon the key when you go over is to go through and work out why, and what the causes were. So it might be a good offer that would have been foolish to miss, on an item that you needed one of but now have a stock of. O the other hand it might be a less good offer which comes around regularly on an item you DIDN'T need - in which case analysing it at least means you know that pitfall for the future? Does that make sense?

jwil

I think it's easy to get some extra treats this time of year so harder to stick to budget. If you review it, you can increase it next year or see whether you really wanted the purchases.

In case I don't get on again, hope you all have a lovely Christmas xx

HairyHandofDartmoor

redofromstart wrote: »

I think its too easy to do 'ooh look that's on offer', just tip one of those into the trolley and before you know it you are a long way over. 'Things get eaten so it doesn't matter' is how I justify it to myself, but then I realised that it had become an every time I shopped thing, and that actually if I don't buy the treats nobody complains, and they just have toast/cereal/value biscuits which is far cheaper.

The best bit about hiding things in the cleaning cupboard is that I forget they are there too, and every so often get a bonus treat for tidying out the shelves. Scooby snacks for the cleaning adverse!

:rotfl::rotfl:

EssexHebridean wrote: »

I reckon the key when you go over is to go through and work out why, and what the causes were. So it might be a good offer that would have been foolish to miss, on an item that you needed one of but now have a stock of. O the other hand it might be a less good offer which comes around regularly on an item you DIDN'T need - in which case analysing it at least means you know that pitfall for the future? Does that make sense?

jwil wrote: »

I think it's easy to get some extra treats this time of year so harder to stick to budget. If you review it, you can increase it next year or see whether you really wanted the purchases.

In case I don't get on again, hope you all have a lovely Christmas xx

I think you're right that it's easy to get things that are on offer, or as a treat for people and those things can take us over budget.

I need to stick to my list more strictly. Also I need to put things back if they take me over budget, even if they are on offer. Buying things that are on offer should mean I spend less the following week, but that is never the case somehow :mad:.

It is hard not to haemorrhage money at Christmas because you do want to buy foody treats .

HairyHandofDartmoor

Well we did more shopping today so another spendy day :eek:. We needed to get DS2 one more present (£24).

We also got DS3 some cheap black trousers (£10) and some cheap black trainer shoes (£10) in Primani, so that he doesn't ruin his suit trousers and his wedding shoes doing his waiter job.

Then we saw a smart/casual jacket that was perfect for DH as his current jacket is scruffy and faded. DH hasn't bought a jacket literally for years and rarely sees one he likes or that is a good fit for him. This one ticked all the boxes so we bought it (£99) :eek:. However DH is going to reimburse our living expenses account out of his Christmas and survey money. When we got home we chucked his old jacket in the bin, it's not even fit for the charity shop .

On the way home we hand delivered four local Christmas cards to save postage :money:.

Last night I developed a classic head cold, so much for the echinaccea :mad:, so I'm suffering a bit today. I didn't sleep very well due to a sore throat and blocked nose . Still, hopefully I'll be over the worst of it before Christmas.

Then we managed to get some work done in the afternoon. DH offered to cook dinner tonight as I feel rough :T.

That should be the last of the unusual spends until our family Christmas party and I will have a tight budget for that as I know everyone will bring left over Christmas food and drinks. We won't buy the food for that until the actual day.

I am so sick of shopping :mad::mad::mad:.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Ooh I forgot to say earlier that DS3 got an offer today from his first choice of university. It's conditional upon a certain number of points, but he says so far he is on track to achieve that :j. :j:j DH and I are very pleased for him :T:T:T.

redofromstart

That's good news, it should help keep him focused as well.