SLLM (Single Lady Large Mortgage)

savingholmes

If you are getting a better return elsewhere that makes sense. Enjoy it when it eventually arrives!

Friday1989

It makes me smile to hear others are treating themselves to things that make them smile. I'm remembering Martin's questions when deciding whether to buy something and I think we are all still being MSE 
If skint: Do I need it? Can I afford it? Have you checked prices elsewhere?
If not skint: Will I use it? Is it worth it? Have you checked prices elsewhere?

I've just used the demotivator tool for smoking and alcohol The money itself isn't really demotivating me but the thought I'm working for roughly three weeks a year to pay for smoking has hit me hard! Alcohol is similar. Going back to Martin's questions, I think the drinking at home alone can be cut out (I usually have a couple of drinks a couple of times a week) but the drinks with friends will stay (despite London pub prices!) because the enjoyment outweighs the cost. Not drinking at home will probably save me £6 a week. Not much, but better for my health too. Smoking is going to be harder to stop but this year has to be the year I quit. I don't want it to kill me or ruin my quality of life and every year I smoke that becomes more likely....

Sistergold

@Friday1989, thanks for your post. Am working on losing weight and ofcause alcohol is one thing one can stop, empty calories and all! BUT to be honest I love socialising with alcohol being a small part of it( don’t drink to get drunk, just a glass or two or three😏 on a night out ). I don’t drink much at home but I think thanks to you I will now restrict alcohol to when I am with friends! Thanks also for the “Martin questions to spending.” It’s good you are working towards not smoking! Working three weeks a year just for smoking is a good way to make yourself stop smoking! Good luck! Xx

Sistergold

Just an update
have managed to add a little to extension pot. Previous  balance £73400, current balance £75110.  Now just another £25k needed to hit the £100k target. Will then set up new £100k challenge. Xx

Friday1989

That's incredibly @Sistergold! Congratulations on hitting that target. 

savingholmes

Well done on your progress. If you add up money saved on cutting back etc - and multiply it by a year and then 10 years - it helps a lot more with motivation to change.

Queen_of_the_Hive

Amazing @Sistergold, you'll be at 100k before you know it.

Friday1989

Oops. I just spent £50 without meaning to. Arguably it wasn't really silly but it just shows how quickly getting a few bits from different shops adds up. £50 includes £10 concealer which will last me months and a £3 big bottle of tresemme conditioner (shampoo and conditioner are things I definitely don't scrimp on) but a lot of it was on stuff for dinner tomorrow evening.

My friend is coming round so I got two bottles of Lidl wine, stuff to make vegan sushi and tempura and some frozen gyoza. A lot of the expense is restocking things like teriyaki sauce, wasabi and nori which aren't cheap (I still have rice vinegar, sushi rice and soy sauce in the cupboards) but it will make many more meals. The rest was just normal food shopping but Lidl has some nice vegan things at the moment so I picked up a few things I didn't really need. 

If we went to the pub tomorrow I'd have spent at least £15, probably £30 because I'd be coming from work so wouldn't have eaten so it's definitely still a big saving. I've got enough stuff to eat sushi for weeks now! 

I tried to go to the vape shop but it's tiny so only one customer can be inside at a time. I waited for about ten minutes but the guy in front didn't seem like he was in any rush, wittering on about flavours. I'm back at work tomorrow but working from home so I'll try go in my lunch break. In the meantime, that's another packet of cigarettes bought (which, interestingly I didn't count in my £50 spend  )

Sistergold

@Queen_of_the_Hive

@Friday1989, sounds like money well spent as you have stocked up in the process. It’s nice to entertain at homes sometimes. 

Friday1989

I tested positive for covid on an LFT so no socialising for me Luckily all except the veg will be fine to be kept until I can have people round again. I'll probably just use the veg on more boring cheap meals for me alone this week