The Spendaholics Anonymous Thread!

poorandindenial

Hi magni

Predictably I was AWFUL last week (moving is not a good financial move), was a bit rubbish today too (spent £50 of a £60 budget). I feel a bit crappy but I sort of feel like I should write off this month for the challenge and restart next month (my first head to head and I have failed - sorry magni) I think I was overambitious about what I could achieve along side moving (at least I learned something then)

I KNOW that I can do £70 a week as I was doing it a while ago (and there is only me, I don't have any kids or anything), so I will return to it, but i think I need to be a bit more realistic about the impact other things have on my ability to stick to it. July is holiday month so if I can stick to £70 a week (excluding when I am on holiday) then I can have all the more fun on my holiday.

PS am loving the new flat though, even if I haven't bothered finishing unpacking - I might be poorer but I am also happier!

bloomfield_24

Hi
can i join this post please?

I am a bit of a spendaholic but have managed to cut down a fair bit and sometimes need the inspiration to stop me from spending!!!

Thanks:p

magni

poorandindenial wrote: »

Hi magni

Predictably I was AWFUL last week (moving is not a good financial move), was a bit rubbish today too (spent £50 of a £60 budget). I feel a bit crappy but I sort of feel like I should write off this month for the challenge and restart next month (my first head to head and I have failed - sorry magni) I think I was overambitious about what I could achieve along side moving (at least I learned something then)

I KNOW that I can do £70 a week as I was doing it a while ago (and there is only me, I don't have any kids or anything), so I will return to it, but i think I need to be a bit more realistic about the impact other things have on my ability to stick to it. July is holiday month so if I can stick to £70 a week (excluding when I am on holiday) then I can have all the more fun on my holiday.

PS am loving the new flat though, even if I haven't bothered finishing unpacking - I might be poorer but I am also happier!

Don't be so hard on yourself. We have both been a bit crap but it's been harder for both of us than we expected. It sounds so easy but in reality it's really hard. The main thing is we have both learned from this challenge. I'm up for it again next month. I'll aim for £75 again excluding fuel. My employer has relocated me and I will be travelling 26 miles to work instead of 6:mad: The cost of the petrol for that is scaring me already:eek: I start on Monday.

I'm so glad you are happier in your new flat. It's hard to resist spending money on nice new things for a new place but I think if it had have been me I'd have spent much more over budget than you:rolleyes:

Good luck for July. I'm on hol 22-29 so I'll leave that week out and aim for £75 the other 3 weeks.

magni

bloomfield_24 wrote: »

Hi
can i join this post please?

I am a bit of a spendaholic but have managed to cut down a fair bit and sometimes need the inspiration to stop me from spending!!!

Thanks:p

Welcome:D You'll get lots of inspiration here. The best way to cut down on spending is to start a spending diary. It really opens your eyes as to how much money can be wasted and just the thought of having to write down all your spends can stop you spending unneccessarily.

Good luck:cool:

lilac_lady

One of the best ways to cut spending is to draw a set amount of money each week and pay cash for everything. It makes you conscious of every penny that leaves your purse.

bloomfield_24

Thanks for letting me join.
Today is payday so i need to start behaving myself from now!!!
Starting my spending diary today (thanks for the advice!)
do you guys still do the monthly challenge, where you decide what to limit yourselves on or cut out?

Thanks

Yorkshirechick

Hi,

I'm another newbie that would like to join.
I'm brilliant at setting budgets, each month I painstakingly work out how much the bills come to, how much we need for food, petrol, and how much we can save. Then without fail 2 weeks in I've gone over budget and have to transfer the savings back to the current account :eek:
What makes it worse is that I'm on SMP as I'm still on maternity leave til October. Also when I go back I'll only be working 26hrs a week, so will be v skint!
My real weakness is buying things for my little boy (who's nearly 6 months). I know he doesn't really need anything other than the necessities, but I just can't help it!!

I'm going to start a spending diary so I can see where the money is going. Is it really terrible that I want to buy a new notebook to use? :rotfl:

missymouse

i would like to join too. i was really strong yesterday and resisted buying stuff on-line from Lakeland plastics in their sale. There was a stool with a lid that looked really nice for my hall but then i thought. do i really need it. If i tidied up a bit and put some shoes away etc.

It is a constant battle not buying things. I do get a buzz out of shopping and find it relaxing to go when i am not working.

I also like e-bay.

I am not in debt but do fritter money

carmen_sm8

Hi everyone

Well the spending diary's going really well! In fact I was browsing on Mothercare yesterday for a new mattress for my 6mth old daughter (£99 quid!) and resisted buying it!!! Besides, the car has it's 3yr service due tomorrow at Ford (seriously - it's going to be expensive isn't it?!?!) Hey ho - I only wish I could get around on a bicycle!

Yorkshirechick! You seem to be identical to me!! My SMP just finished too and I am due to return to work in October also! My little girl is now 28 weeks old! And I seriously had the same problem! During the first three months I seemed to be in the baby shops every week buying deliciously cute baby girl clothes that I suspect I didn't really need, but managed to convince myself and husband otherwise!!! I'm much better now as I totted up how much I had spent over those three months and it is SERIOUSLY scary - and a waste of money actually as she didn't get to wear some of the cute dresses because of our wonderful weather! And as you know - they grow up fast so no chance of getting my money's worth now! My best hope is Ebay now

And you would think I would know better having already had a baby beforehand and being sensible enough to hold onto the baby clothes (which by the way worked out great even though my first was a boy!! Girls can get away with boy's jeans and t-shirts :j )


So anyway....spent so far this week..... a shocking £173! Of which £60 is blummin petrol!!!!! Not a good week but at least I only spent £4.70 yesterday..... look at this for progress:
Mon £25.65
Tues £18.21
Weds £13.32
Thurs £4.70
Fri (nothing so far - yippee!!!) And provided that I barricade myself indoors and prevent nimble fiingers from paying online I will have my first spend-free day!!!!!

Here's another sobering thought - over the last 60 days I have spent nearly £300 on Ebay!!!!!!!! On what I hear you say....a jolly good question!

Another good thing I have found which is really helping me think about my spending habits is that we are having a major declutter in our house and some of the things you find which you forgot you had or indeed wonder why you HAVE it anyway!!!! It's refreshingly good!!! And knowing my house is going to be seriously less cluttered is a great stress-reliever!

Oh - BTW Yorkshirechick - not sure is this is baby No.1 for you but if so - heed my advice - don't buy lots of toys for xmas and 1st b'day - trust when I tell you that baby is more interested in empty plastic bottles and cardboard to chew on !!!!!!! I made that mistake the first time round - won't be doing it this time. And besides, family and friends tend to love to buy pressies anyway!!!!!!


Have a great spend-free weekend guys!!!!!

xxx

carmen_sm8

Oh, by the way.....

I meant to say in my last post that I have adapted the spending diary to a spend 'n' save diary. Two columns which highlighted what I have spent and what I have saved by NOT spending.

So, for example, whilst I have spent £173.00, I have saved myself £99.00 as I didn't buy the mattress. It isn't really a saving (officially) but for those of us who wouldn't have fluttered an eyelid before at buying things, then it can certainly be seen as a 'save' and as such is a great motivator to increase the 'save' column.!!!!!! :T

Keep up the good work guys xxxxx