Put away your purse & become debt-averse

foxgloves · 5 November 2018 at 6:44PM

Well m'ducks, still on the festive theme, I'm pleased with my efforts today. I updated all our budgets & sorted out all the Christmas gifts we bought on Saturday. Having crossed them all off my 2018 present planner, I could see that there were not many things left to buy. So I ordered most of the rest of the list (inc mr f's presents while he was at work & not skulking around!). Now I just have a couple of items to buy from specific local shops & a nice big sticky fudge-making session. Evetything's felt so stressful in recent weeks, it's been good to catch up a bit & start feeling in control again. The best thing about all of the above, because I make no secret of the fact that I've been a very silly spender in the past, is that the money spent on presents had been saved..i have transferred it into our bank account. I couldn't go back to those grim February bank balances of yesteryear where the only cause of new year financial woe was my own stupidity!
Looking forward to tonight's bonfire. Haven't bought firworks but for the cost of a match (lol), I shall enjoy a good bonnie & get rid of some shed clutter too.
Love to all,
F x

foxgloves · 6 November 2018 at 8:48PM

So, mr f asked me recently to put together a little bit of a Christmas wish list to give him a few present ideas. I've been feeling a bit up & down today, so compiling a list seemed like a nice thing to do over a coffee in my snowy winter robin mug & the last of the mini-muffins. Oh.....& do you know? It turned out to be a really difficult task!! I was pretty amazed, actually, as I often see things I like & of course the Thoroughly Reformed Me mostly leaves them in the shop. But tasked with producing a small list of ideas? I came up with a few smaller things he'd probably buy me anyway, but was struck by how little I actually need or want. In the end, I've made a few skin care & fragrance suggestions & am going to ask for a subscription to 'Woman & Home' magazine. Mum always used to pass her copy on to me each month & I'm missing reading it, so that will make a nice gift which I can enjoy all year. I don't think My Beloved is going to be too impressed with the shortness of this list. I just don't think I'm as materialistic as I used to be. Ooooh, actually, I've just thought of a book I want. I'll add that & it will have to do. And a box of walnut whips (but not the shrinkflation rip-off ones without the walnut!)
After the stress of the last 3 months, I really just want everyone in my life to be well & happy.
F xx

crazy_cat_lady · 7 November 2018 at 9:21PM

I love the little things that just help me to realise how far I've come and how unimportant the extravagance is. I'm the same as you - as long as I have enough money to make ends meet - the most important thing to me is my family, friends and being at home. I never thought I would end up being like this but here I am.

Onebrokelady · 8 November 2018 at 12:07AM

foxgloves wrote: »

So, mr f asked me recently to put together a little bit of a Christmas wish list to give him a few present ideas. I've been feeling a bit up & down today, so compiling a list seemed like a nice thing to do over a coffee in my snowy winter robin mug & the last of the mini-muffins. Oh.....& do you know? It turned out to be a really difficult task!! I was pretty amazed, actually, as I often see things I like & of course the Thoroughly Reformed Me mostly leaves them in the shop. But tasked with producing a small list of ideas? I came up with a few smaller things he'd probably buy me anyway, but was struck by how little I actually need or want. In the end, I've made a few skin care & fragrance suggestions & am going to ask for a subscription to 'Woman & Home' magazine. Mum always used to pass her copy on to me each month & I'm missing reading it, so that will make a nice gift which I can enjoy all year. I don't think My Beloved is going to be too impressed with the shortness of this list. I just don't think I'm as materialistic as I used to be. Ooooh, actually, I've just thought of a book I want. I'll add that & it will have to do. And a box of walnut whips (but not the shrinkflation rip-off ones without the walnut!)
After the stress of the last 3 months, I really just want everyone in my life to be well & happy.
F xx

I'm having the same issue,DD has asked me for some ideas on what she can get me for Xmas and I can't think of anything ,there is a book coming out that I would like but I don't want her to buy the hardback and would rather wait until it comes out in paperback,so that will go on my birthday wish list, I would also ask for a magazine subscription but I can't decide which one and I'm really noticing how much of a waste they are now,I did suggest she just gave me money so I could buy things I see later in the year but she doesn't trust me not to spend it on bills so I know she won't do that
I am liking the walnut whip idea,I haven't had a walnut whip for ages,I might have to buy one tomorrow now:rotfl:

joedenise · 8 November 2018 at 9:22AM

I think we're all in the same boat over what we want for Christmas. I too can't think of a single thing and I just think magazines are a complete waste of money these days.

About the only thing I can think of is I could do with some more black socks as the tops are getting a bit stretched but I can't ask everyone to buy me socks or I'll be overrun, LOL!

Denise

Toni'sfriend · 8 November 2018 at 10:45AM

A few years ago Himself and I decided to stop buying expensive presents for one another and put the money towards a holiday instead so on Christmas Day we have lots of little presents to open. Books, chocolate, etc and I like nice tea. We do the same for birthdays now and this year (because I was running out of original ideas) I bought him some restaurant vouchers. You know the sort of thing - two pastas or pizzas for £10.00 or afternoon tea somewhere. Bit of a cheat. I know, but we had great fun using them up. Obviously it depends where you live to be able to do that but I'm buying some for family Christmas presents this year as I know they'll be more welcome than the usual things that people don't really need.

joedenise · 8 November 2018 at 2:58PM

That's a great idea Toni's friend. Might pinch that one!

Denise

foxgloves · 8 November 2018 at 8:44PM

Yes, that's a good idea, particularly for couples. We've treated ourselves today to tickets to see Marillion when they tour next year, & had I not already bought all of mr f's Christmas presents, these tickets would have made a good gift. I'd be happy with just opening some little things on the day.....chocolate, posh coffee, bath oil, etc, & to use what we'd normally spend on each other for a modest weekend away. All good ideas to think about for the future, anyway.

foxgloves · 8 November 2018 at 9:05PM

Evening debt-busters,
I've hurt my hand - feels like an RSI-type thing & have compounded the issue by deciding to chop back a huge buddleja this morning. I was so raring to go today, I'd got a sourdough loaf in the oven before I'd even brushed my hair, & was in the shed before it was properly light searching for my secateurs!
Naturally as my hand is quite painful, esp if I twist it, tonight's meal plan offering was an admittedly delicious, but quite labour intensive Hairy Biker curry. It's easy peasy to make, but involves lots of chopping - onions & garlic, fresh ginger, butternut squash, french beans, carrots & tomatoes and my poor hand objected vehemently to this. On the positive side, I've got 2 generous portions to freeze for another day & while it was all bubbling away on the hob, I rinsed the squash seeds & have spread them to dry ready for sowing next year. I used one of our homegrown squash instead of butternut. A fellow contributor to the DFW Small Things thread kindly sent me some saved seeds from her squash crop a couple of years ago -'Guatemalan Blue' - & they are really nice squash - big, sweet & can be used in any recipe requiring butternut. I saved seed from my last year's crop & shared it with a friend who has an allotment. I shall enjoy drying this year's ready to sow next May. Seeds & bulbs hold so much promise, don't they?
Well I must rest my hand now & stop typing, so will read my book.
Cat disgusted there is no downstairs heating on. It just hasn't felt cold enough yet, but it will go.on when I'm chilly.
F x

joeyjimbles · 8 November 2018 at 9:20PM

I decided last year that my greatest luxury is having an ample supply of the things that I really love for daily use - so knowing that I have a couple of the french lavender olive oil shower gel from TKMaxx at £7/litre, the herbal non-parabens Shampoo/Conditioner that means I don't get psoriasis, a spare of my favourite perfume, a box of my beloved stripy fineliners in my particular shade of blue, and another in the chocolate brown that goes so well with a wad of yellow legal pads that I use for everything...that sort of thing.

Well, DH took a little while to get this as he recognised that perfume excepted I bought these things for myself and continued to torture himself with trying to find surprises and special gifts which was a lovely thought but often not what I really wanted or needed. Anyway, last birthday he realised that at my grand age I KNOW what I like and now buys me quantities from the above list and other things that similarly make up my preferred roster of 'stuff'. He's even stopped his mother buying me a gift voucher for shops that I never ever shop in.

Put away your purse & become debt-averse

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