Sort of debt-free but hope to be a super-scrimper in 2019

System

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I planned to write something of my musings on spending on potential 'treats' now I have a little money to indulge. Not much time now so will return to it another day. Thanks to the lovely people who have mentioned the subject of 'treats' recently:T. I've been frugal for so long that it still feels odd to even think about treating myself:eek:. I have a few ideas for keeping this in check though as my main focus for 2019 will be will be save, save, save.


I just received an email from WH Smith with a £5 off a £30 spend code. They mention savings on items to kick start the new year..... 'pick up that book that Santa forgot to give you, or get stuck into a spring clean with some new storage boxes'. The temptation begins!!!!!:eek: These items are probably my 2 favourite spending catagories although charity shops have been my friends for many years now when I've been on the look-out for either:j

I like The Works for books. Have one of their reward cards as well. Did quite a bit of Christmas shopping there and they have emailed me to say I have a voucher worth £4.29, so will treat myself with that I think.

[Deleted User]

ploppy57 wrote: »

I like The Works for books. Have one of their reward cards as well. Did quite a bit of Christmas shopping there and they have emailed me to say I have a voucher worth £4.29, so will treat myself with that I think.

Yes, The Works are good. I always buy my diaries there:T

I never shop at WHSmith, I think they have me on their mailing list from some competitions I entered on their website.

Karmacat

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I've been frugal for so long that it still feels odd to even think about treating myself:eek:. I have a few ideas for keeping this in check though as my main focus for 2019 will be will be save, save, save.

And thats exactly why thinking about it *now* is a really good idea - when you're not used to treats, its really easy to go crazy. I think thats what was behind my binges of the 1990s, when i realised my actual spending power. But they were empty spends, nothing I needed or even wanted much.



The Works is such a valuable little shop!

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I'm not blaming the credit card companies for my financial problems (well, not completely:rotfl:) but I remember I was sent my first credit card completely 'out of the blue' without even applying for it:eek:. This happened in the early 1970s and I banked at NatWest then. They sent out totally unsolicited Access credit cards to their customers. Credit card ownership among my circle of family, friends and colleagues was a bit rare back then, the offer of one made me feel a bit 'special':o and I grabbed it with alacrity. That was the start of the slippery slope and once I started receiving offers from other companies too I was hooked and just too weak to refuse. At one time I proudly held 8 cards (including an American Express Platinum) with a total overall credit limit facility of about £100,000. My salary was a mere fraction of that:eek:

That is a terrifying credit limit to have :eek:. Imagine if you'd actually spent that much :eek:. I do feel that credit card companies have a lot to answer for in dangling temptation in under our noses, usually with very little knowledge of our income or financial commitments :mad:. I think the problem is that having lots of credit cards can make you feel special, until you start to think of them as debt cards. I like to feel special now because I don't have a credit card :rotfl:.

I am also a fan of The Works and always get their amazing cheap calendars that come with a diary every year. They do some great books too that I sometimes snap up if it's a series I'm collecting .

Sun_Addict

Great idea to have a treat fund, even just a small one. One of my favourite cheap treats is to go for a coffee, buy a nice magazine to read there and just relax. Sometimes just a cheap lipstick can lift your spirits.

[Deleted User]

Sun_Addict wrote: »

Great idea to have a treat fund, even just a small one. One of my favourite cheap treats is to go for a coffee, buy a nice magazine to read there and just relax. Sometimes just a cheap lipstick can lift your spirits.

Thank you:T. What you suggest sounds exactly the right way to go. I'm glad you've found some lovely expensive little ways to treat yourself:j. I so agree that sometimes just a cheap something can lift the spirits:T. In my case it wouldn't be a lipstick but a book definitely would and does, even a used one from a charity shop:j


The problem with me seems to be my mindset. From being a total spendaholic:o with a fistful of credit cards I ended up on a DMP with no access to credit and a determination to be debt-free as soon as possible however painful it might be. And it really was painful, like going 'cold' turkey' to beat the most extreme addiction:eek:. I spent nothing on myself for about the first 3 years, I just went without. I'm glad I did it now, I learned a lot about myself in that time, not all good:o


When the debts were shrinking and I renegotiated my budget to pay a bit less each month (although still meaning I had barely any surplus for spending on 'treats') I started picking up the occasional used book from charity shops. It definitely gave me a lot of pleasure. It's such a grind repaying massive debts in the fastest way possible. Life can seem really bleak:(. Although I know I can buy nice things for myself again now I really don't want to. The urge to splurge has totally died:j:j:j


When my debts were at their most stifling I just had to make extra money somehow to supplement my pension income. Living very rurally and already retired it was impossible to find paid employment although I tried constantly. I did all the usual online things like surveys and continued selling whatever I could on eBay and Amazon. Then, there were the car boot sales whenever I could find one or gather together enough saleable stuff to make the pitch fee and travel costs worth my while. I used to deliver the BT Phone Book every year and Yellow Pages too but it was poor pay and only for a week each every year anyway. Every little helps as they say:j.


I enjoy doing these things, although a lot of the surveys can be mind-numbingly boring and often frustrating, and will continue. The difference now is that I don't have to do them just to eke out enough money to get through the month:j. I've decided that whatever money I make surplus to my pension income will be earmarked for myself. A sort of 'treat fund'. It will give me the incentive to keep on making extra money (and decluttering which is an even better bonus;)) but without the panic that I often used to feel if I failed to make any.


I had an offer from eBay the other day of no listing or final valuation fees on up to 10 items listed by Sunday night. This is a timely kick up the rear as I have a few items I've been keeping back for such an offer and I have no excuse now:rotfl:. I took the photos a few weeks ago so I'd be ready to pounce and drafted out the listing information which I still need to tidy up a bit. Getting those listings done and 'live' is my job for the weekend. I also have lots of books which I want to send to one of the 'we buy books' kind of companies, plus CDs too. It only brings a fraction of what selling them individually might do (the emphasis on 'might') but it's an instant and convenient way of getting rid of items in bulk:j. The car boot season is still a long way off:(. Whatever I make from all of this will go into my 'treat fund'. I have a couple of online saver accounts with Nationwide and although the interest is rubbish they are designed for dipping in and out of and will help me keep tabs on what I spend on myself. This way I won't worry about actually going out and treating myself;)

Karmacat

CBC, thats a great idea to use the internet tiddles as your treat money - linking things up like that makes a lot of sense, and grows the mindset.

elizabethhull

carbootcrazy wrote: »

When the debts were shrinking and I renegotiated my budget to pay a bit less each month (although still meaning I had barely any surplus for spending on 'treats') I started picking up the occasional used book from charity shops. It definitely gave me a lot of pleasure. It's such a grind repaying massive debts in the fastest way possible. Life can seem really bleak:(. Although I know I can buy nice things for myself again now I really don't want to. The urge to splurge has totally died:j:j:j


When my debts were at their most stifling I just had to make extra money somehow to supplement my pension income. Living very rurally and already retired it was impossible to find paid employment although I tried constantly. I did all the usual online things like surveys and continued selling whatever I could on eBay and Amazon. Then, there were the car boot sales whenever I could find one or gather together enough saleable stuff to make the pitch fee and travel costs worth my while. I used to deliver the BT Phone Book every year and Yellow Pages too but it was poor pay and only for a week each every year anyway. Every little helps as they say:j.


I enjoy doing these things, although a lot of the surveys can be mind-numbingly boring and often frustrating, and will continue. The difference now is that I don't have to do them just to eke out enough money to get through the month:j. I've decided that whatever money I make surplus to my pension income will be earmarked for myself. A sort of 'treat fund'. It will give me the incentive to keep on making extra money (and decluttering which is an even better bonus;)) but without the panic that I often used to feel if I failed to make any.
)

You have come such a long way. Unlike OH, who tends to be a bit judgemental, I have more of the 'Prodigal Son' feeling. ie never mind what horrendous temptation/addiction etc caused the problem in the first place, I really applaud anyone turning their life around.
It's why I admired my ex SonIL's determination to finally look after his teeth, in the same way as I admire the people on 'My 600 lb life', who often have appalling backgrounds so it's not surprising they've needed to find some way to barricade themselves against the world.

Doing surveys religiously, day after day, has netted me anything between £650 (2017's lowest ever), and 2016's highest ever £3,145. This latter, as you can see, is a massive sum, particularly when concentrated between as few reward types as possible. I choose Amazon, cash or LovetoShop wherever possible.
This way Amazon can pay for presents for other people throughout the year.

[Deleted User]

elizabethhull wrote: »

Doing surveys religiously, day after day, has netted me anything between £650 (2017's lowest ever), and 2016's highest ever £3,145. This latter, as you can see, is a massive sum, particularly when concentrated between as few reward types as possible. I choose Amazon, cash or LovetoShop wherever possible.
This way Amazon can pay for presents for other people throughout the year.

Thank you, Elizabeth:T

Wow, that's a very impressive haul from surveys. I'm in awe.:A. I don't think I'm in a very in-demand demographic as I tend to be screened out so often:(. I try to respond to survey invitations as soon as I receive them (where the only way to access a survey is via an emailed invitation link) so that my particular demographic 'slot' isn't already full. Just a theory I have that it may help.


Last month I received a £50 payout from both YouGov and Poplulus Live (£50 being their only redemption level) but both took so long to reach that I won't be holding my breath for any more money from them for at least another 18 months:eek:. Meanwhile I'll plod on with Prolific which, as well as offering really interesting studies most of the time, is by far my best payer:j

HairyHandofDartmoor

That's a huge amount to make on surveys Elizabeth, you have done well :T.

I agree with PA being a good payer and I find their surveys interesting to do too. I hope you manage to do enought surveys and find enough things to sell to treat yourself now and again Carboot.

Have you ever thought about buying things to sell on ebay? If you find an absolute bargain and know it would sell for more? I don't think I would have the knowlede of what sells, but you're an experienced ebayer.

Have you done mystery shopping or that type of thing in the past? I know your nearest town is not that near, but they may pay travel expenses. There do seem to be more money making opportunities if you can drive and have a car I always think.