The Three C's - Coffee, Clothes & Credit Cards

Sarahwithlove

EatingBeans said:

Hi @Sarahwithlove, newbie here.

I can totally relate to the whole emotional eater/spender thing, takeaways have been one of my biggest downfalls. I find meal planning has really helped me with this, mostly because it  avoids me having to decide what to have for dinner when I am already hungry! 🤣

I noticed a few of your posts refer to PAD and it got me curious as it’s not something I have come across before. Can I ask what PAD stands for? Whatever it is, congrats on making money with it! 👍

Problem is I can either not be bothered to cook or don't fancy what I've chosen. But I do need to get better at this. 

Payment a day, idea being that every small payment adds up and reduces the debt. It can be from money you earn, rounding down accounts to nearest pound etc. 

Sarahwithlove

lucielle said:

Would it help taking your allowance out in cash and then when it’s gone that’s it?
Bulk cooking meals so there’s always something available. 

L

I hate cash but I think you may be right. It's too easy to just tap your phone or card and off you go. 

I'm usually pretty good at bulk cooking but I just haven't felt like cooking last few days and I'm down to bare minimum in freezer in terms of prepared meals. I'll have to batch cook over the weekend so I have more options. This was my last week of gusto which will help as that requires me cooking and I'm not in mood for it at the moment. 

Sarahwithlove

OK after going to shop and spending £7 on lunch and junk food i have given myself a good talking too. 

New rules for 2025

No takeaways or fast food, only meals out with friends and family. 
One coffee purchase a week (this will be hard) 
No buying junk food in my food shop. 
Only buy sweets from local shop using cash - this will make me think twice 
Menu plan on Fridays for the week ahead. 
Limit activities to once a week that cost money. Free or under £5 activities are OK. 

Though I already have a lot planned the rest of the month so some of these may kick in from Feb. 

This week (my spending week goes from fri to thursday) 

Sat - football and costa
Sun - football and harvester 
Mon - carvery with friends 
Tuesday - nandos for birthday 
Weds -  (office day) possibly football if I'm not too tired. May just watch it on TV. 
Thurs - day off so booked a massage. 

Willowtree222

I'm another emotional spender too. It's so hard to reign it in when you're going to is to spend. 
X

Sarahwithlove

Willowtree222 said:

I'm another emotional spender too. It's so hard to reign it in when you're going to is to spend. 
X

I know right. I'm trying hard not to but it's not easy. 

Sarahwithlove

Took my phone to cex to trade in and they offered £209, should hear back today as to whether it passed all it's tests. The money will then be in my bank account tomorrow. 

I think I will let myself have some of it to buy some games on Ebay for my switch and the majority will go towards emergency fund. 

Blackcats

If the thing you will find hardest is sticking to 1 coffee a week then perhaps allow yourself more so that you are more likely to succeed at the other goals you've set yourself.
are you with 🐙.  You can get a free Nero a week.
my OH is a coffee snob so he buys good coffee to have at home and take out in a flask.  The Taylors coffee bags are really nice apparently and quick and easy to make.

Sarahwithlove

Blackcats said:

If the thing you will find hardest is sticking to 1 coffee a week then perhaps allow yourself more so that you are more likely to succeed at the other goals you've set yourself.
are you with 🐙.  You can get a free Nero a week.
my OH is a coffee snob so he buys good coffee to have at home and take out in a flask.  The Taylors coffee bags are really nice apparently and quick and easy to make.

Thanks. I am with them but there isn't really a Nero near me that's convenient to get to. I can't have a G one either because I need alternative milk which is annoying. I did have a coffee machine with pods at home but had to stop buying them as I was drinking too many in a day. But haven't tried making it from a bag yet. Might be an option. My friend buys me a coffee on a Wednesday so I'd be having two a week anyway. Which let's be honest is more than enough. If I'm meeting g a friend for a coffee etc I won't count that as my coffee that week. 

Sarahwithlove

Today's PAD is only a £1 as still not heard back from cex about my phone. Hopefully it all goes through OK. 

I had football today so paid for train ticket, new ferry multi trip ticket, lunch out and a coffee. Oh and chips on the way home but paid for them with loose change. There was a medical emergency at kick off so the game was delayed by 35 minutes so by time I got off the ferry I was cold, tired and hungry. Oh and a bit miserable. Was heartbreaking to see the paramedics performing cpr, brought back a lot of memories for me from my mums passing. Sadly the fan didn't make it. Puts things into a bit of perspective, nobody should go to watch football and then never come home. 

lucielle

Gosh that sounds horrific. Poor fan and their family. 

L