Moving on

Cherryfudge

I have a quiet day till I need to go to work so I've put together a spreadsheet - a pretty basic one but I did use a couple of spreadsheet skills (okay, probably those are basic too, but useful to rehearse).

The idea was to go through my online shopping to see what I'm actually spending, as a physical inventory of presents already bought for next year showed me there are enough socks for all the women's Christmas stockings! Any more I buy are for me and go under the 'Clothes' heading, not 'gifts'.

So, I started to use V1nted at the beginning of October when searching for an outfit for a wedding. I've spent £165.43 on clothes (not counting things bought for others as gifts, but including socks and shirts for DH). About £50 of that was shoes for me, of which two pairs are back for sale, one is a 'going out' pair in case of having to dress up and one is a pair of trainers that I wear for everyday. That still leaves around £115 on things to wear - two bags got in there, of which one was for the wedding and one was a useful big strong tote bag that I've used a lot. I am holding onto the wedding one as it goes well with the outfit I wore and I might want to mix and match it again.

Other clothes bought include about £34 for shirts for DH (work wear, but one he has donated as it was too wide), and a jacket bought for the wedding but a poor fit (again, it's up for sale again). Three tops, IIRC, all averaging around £5 each if I include postage.

So, of a total spend of £330.06, half has gone on clothing. I've spent £90.05 on gifts, some of which were given last Christmas and some of which are for this year's birthdays and Christmas. I think the gifts are generally cheaper than in the shops and I've gone for nice quality and the bonus of trying to battle the textile mountain that our culture has generated. Mind you, half of that mountain appears to be in our spare room so I need to get on and list a few more items.

My other categories are books for me (£19.30) and Misc (£55.28), which is mostly household things like placemats, coasters and a lampshade.

That was quite a useful insight and I've gone through my V1nted favourites and deleted some! I do not need more gift socks! Neither do I need a hair serum till I've finished this one, or certain nick-nacks, given that I've more than enough already.

DD contacted me to say a payment from her to me accidentally went out twice, so I've that to refund. I've also contacted Duolingo to complain about their Latin lessons! Even when I get everything right, the 'lives' drain away in Latin much more than in other courses.

Other jobs to do: contact Inp0st to tell them there's no trace of a parcel being missing so it must have been an automatic email when I passed the time I was supposed to collect. Do the lettering for the grab bag. Make soup for lunch. Do the ironing. Buy onions!

Watty1

I rather like the favourited bit of Vint-ed I can mark lots of things I might like but in reality I do not need at all, although I am yet to explore the vintage pony books :)

Cherryfudge

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81866405#Comment_81866405

Me too - though I have a number of vintage pony books listed that escape the cull! At some point I intend to look along my bookshelf and make certain I'm not about to buy something I already have. 🐎😊

Cherryfudge

I did all the jobs except making soup, which was held up by not having onions. I am satisfied with how the fabric painting turned out but discovered there are no instructions to set the ink. I ironed it as some manufacturers tell you to do this, but it's a water-based ink so I have my doubts. There were also two identical reds in the pack instead of two shades, but that didn't make any difference to me.

The spare bed is now covered in birthday and Christmas gifts for my sister and brother in law and a book came today that I'd seen (on V1nted) for my sister. Then I realised I don't have any Christmas gifts for my niece. She has a summer birthday and I gave her birthday present then. She's 18, so I'm thinking to give her a book token or art shop token and a handful of little things to open like chocolate. She's not a 'girly girl' so makeup is probably not a good idea (fantastic skin, though), but some small art supplies would probably be welcome.

I forgot I said I'd come straight home, and went to collect the book and some onions… ended up spending £19.68 which includes some huge muffins and two large packs of smoked haddock fishcakes. These last were half price. DH can't have them, as they have milk in, but I've frozen half and cooked the rest: one for my meal after work and the others in the fridge for easy lunches over the next few days.

I had another look through the remains of the favourited things on V1nted and ordered Christmas socks for DS1, so there are just two of the guys to get socks for now!

WelshmansDaughter

When I read this I had a moment where I was confused as to what time of year it was 🤣

ladybird1106

Gosh your very prepared cherryfudge. I like the idea of using v to get what you want. Something for me to consider.
love 🐞

Cherryfudge

LOL, the whole thing is confusing! I'm organised about buying Christmas socks because for the last couple of years they've been a useful thing I could pop into people's Christmas stockings, but it cost me a lot of 'ration points' from Fashion on the Ration. Then I discovered V1nted, so after Christmas I did a planned onslaught and found plenty of nice ones that other people had but didn't want, all new with tags. Second hand costs no ration points and is handy as the selection is better than locally.

Then there's my sister and her family… when they lived abroad, we used to meet once a year so all gifts were exchanged then. Now they are back in the UK and part of their time is spent on a Scottish island where they've bought a house, and somehow we've not managed to see them since they returned. So this is last year's Christmas still to be celebrated!

Dakota_Rose

Buying online is great when you can see a bargain price for something you really want or need isn’t it. The downside of course, is not always being able to enjoy or use the item as it’s not quite right for whatever reason. It’s good to see you re-listing items once used @Cherryfudge. I too am a big advocate for not adding to the textile mountains being produced. Every now and again I will still be lured by a bargain for something I don’t really need but the majority of the time now we ‘buy once, buy right’ and use till it’s worn out.

Cherryfudge

I'm very good at being lured by things I don't actually need, @Dakota_Rose ! However, some of them have turned out to be assets - like the trainers I wear most days and the sturdy tote bag that not only zips up and is waterproof but is big enough for folders and fits over my shoulder but doesn't scruff the floor if held in my hand. (That's the perfect tote bag!)

I'm quite proud of myself that I've finally worn out a few items of everyday wear, so I've now to avoid replacing because I still have too much.

Cherryfudge

Tuesday was child care day again and DH took them to the library. He said it was really nice as the little one fell asleep so he and the older one, instead of running round pulling out books or reading stories, just sat and talked for 20 minutes.

By the time I got there, DD and DGD3 had joined them and, co-incidentally, so had a Mum and baby who are in my Sunday morning group and a friend of DH's with his grandchild. So it was quite a good catch-up time for us.

It was really cold going back and DGD1 was very grown up, putting on her first proper gloves. DGD2 wouldn't have any of it and refused gloves and hat! Neither of them fell asleep either, which will probably be good news for their parents tonight.

We went back to base (DGD1 &2's house) with DD and her little girl and the children had some play time before the baby needed a nap. All in all it was a nice afternoon.

DH had a meeting so we had an early dinner (tuna pasta). I would have had my Tuesday meeting but my friend was again asked to work so nothing came of that and the other friend who we meet with has a family birthday next week so she can't make it then - and I'm away towards the end of the month! It's often just not possible which is why I suggested meeting up over coffee - but between work and other commitments, that's not easy, either.

This evening I've paid the credit card off but annoyingly another payment is pending so I need to go back in once that's cleared. There were a few larger payments: euros, a hotel booking and a couple of gifts. I didn't think about it but of course the euros count as cash so I've paid £3.99 for buying them with the cc. :(

A quick check of the relevant account and it looks as though DD managed to recall the duplicate payment in time so no paying back needs to happen. I've also mended a couple of items of clothing - didn't take long for a small changes that make things right again.