Flamin' June!

Unfortunately I'm not referring to Lord Leighton's pre-Raphaelite beauty - if only!

June has been a hellish month in terms of spendaholism, I just never seemed to be able to keep money on my person for longer than a nano-second. Do you ever get the feeling that if you walked to the nearest drain, opened up your purse and chucked the whole contents down it, you'd have got better value for money? Well, I might as well have done exactly that last month as I have absolutely nothing to show for my spends!

It all started like this...

I really like the band Green Day and had been umming and aahing over whether to buy tickets to their Wembley Stadium show for, like, ever. Anyway, we decided that as I hadn't seen them live before (DH has - hmph) it would be a nice treat. So, like a little girl in a sweet shop being told I had 10p to spend on confectionery delights, I go trawling the internet for places to stay overnight. OK, so now I know that if you try to book hotel accommodation just a few weeks away from a popular band's only London show, it just ain't gonna happen, unless you want to stay at a Hilton... Oh yes, the Hilton Wembley Plaza still had rooms (yay), but priced at £199 for the one night with payment up front (not so yay). Anyway, me being desperate, decided this was a good buy, especially as it was a band I had wanted to see forever and we would not cancel for anything in the world etc. etc. A few clicks later, I had reserved our room of choice and my credit card was £199 heavier. Then of course I had to buy the tickets, so that was another £100, but by this time I was too euphoric to care about the hammering my card had just taken and all the promises I had made to save and not spend!

So the days went by and I was counting them down like an excited 15 year old going to her first live gig. Then it happened. A couple of days before the big event, I had a scheduled hospital appointment - I have problems with my ears and they need to be checked over every six months. Anyway, I'm sitting in the consultant's chair like a big brave girl and he starts checking my ears over and needs to do a bit of 'hoovering'. This always results in me going dizzy on account of inner ear balance (or lack of it!). Unfortunately, it was a different nurse than usual, so instead of letting me get my bearings back, she swung me right round in the chair so as to let my consultant have a look at the other ear. Now my balance wasn't having any of this and I found myself half falling out the chair almost into a heap on the consulting room floor (I was in my best suit too!), then flailing around like a mad woman trying to get back into the chair without looking like a prize idiot - needless to say it didn't work! I recovered my composure after a while but didn't feel so good after all that!

To cut a long story short, I had violent dizzy spells for the next four days. I couldn't move three feet without feeling like I was either going to fall over or be sick, or even both!! Unfortunately, this episode coincided with my Grand Day Out, which turned into The Biggest Flop of the Year when I had to cancel! The tickets we purchased were 'not suitable for those who suffer from a fear of heights or vertigo' and I had visions of me seated in the gods with a very real desire to vomit profusely over those in front of me, no easy way out and it all being captured on giant screens! Over-imaginative, me? Never! Either way, we lost over £300 (with train tickets and Oyster cards included - yes I'm that organised) last month on a dippy dream! Next time, I'll buy the CD and close my eyes and pretend Green Day are in the room with me, it'll be cheaper and much less stressful!

Until we meet again xx

Half Time Analysis

No, I don't mean the football, although my finances show remarkable similarities to the England team at the moment - disjointed, lacking control and completely clueless!

I promised to update you on my progress so far and, given that I'm now halfway through my self-imposed torture, sorry I mean challenge, it seems only right to let you see the proof of the pudding. In fact, things are looking incredibly good as far as my finances go - if you recall, January 2010 saw me with a whopping £21049.95 worth of debt. Well, drum roll please... that figure now stands at £13633.65!!!

OK, I do need to make a small confession here, in as much as two of my credit cards were swallowed up by my DH increasing his loan in order to accommodate them. That 'saving' equated to around £4850, making my personal in-roads to a debt free life around £2566. I can't believe I've managed to shave off that amount of money in just six months and I'm very proud of myself! However, I'm also horrified that, had life been different and I wasn't a complete numpty as far as money is concerned, I could have had all that lovely lolly for myself and my family, just goes to show how much money credit card companies make out of us!

Until we meet again xx

Tut tut - Must try harder!

Many many apologies, I really can't believe it's been over 3 months since I posted!! I'd like to say time flies when you're having fun, but in reality, it's been 3 months of sheer hard bloody work! My job, you might say, has been quite topical over the last few months and it has been a tad stressful to say the least. However, every cloud, as they say...

The result of these hardworking months has been that I haven't even had time to think about shopping, let alone indulge! My lunchtimes have consisted of nipping out to get a sandwich in less than 10 minutes flat and that was a long lunch break! I never noticed the transition from spring to summer season in the stores, never heard of before. Internet? What's that again?!

Anyway, the stress is finally behind me and I can learn to live again, without excessive shopping though, naturally! I must say, these last few months have made me realise that I don't need to shop constantly or even think about what I'm going to shop for next! I now find myself wandering round the town centre at lunchtime and not feeling a compulsion to go back to the office laden down with bags. OK, so I had a splurge on Amazon the other day, just for a fresh supply of DVDs to keep us going (TV reception is worse than poor and we don't have Sky), but everything was heavily marked down so I could justify the spree. I now seem to shop with a more discerning nature than ever before and certainly scrutinise each and every purchase before trotting off to the till to be parted from my cash!

Debt-wise, there's still a big chunk to pay off, but I can certainly see a chink of light at the end of a very long tunnel! Next post, I'll have figures and we can see just how well I hope I've done!

Until we meet again xx

It pays to compliment...

Well, I made it back from Blackpool, thank God and National Rail! I have a nasty cold to treasure as a souvenir, not quite the traditional stick of rock, but hey ho.

My quest to live a little more thriftily this year has led me to the world of free samples and trials. Another MSE find (thank you, thank you, thank you!); a thread that MSE-ers posted their stories on various freebies they've received. Well, I already got the 10 x organic tea bags and Yorkshire Tea samples (recognise a pattern here anyone?), started the Purina ONE challenge (no, I haven't started eating cat food in a bid to save money, yet...) and gathered various other money-off coupons just by tapping a few details on screen, so where else was left to go? Well, I'll tell you.

You know how most of us complain when we've been given bad service, bought shoddy goods etc? Well, think on the reverse of that. How many of us actually compliment a company's goods or services?? No, me either, until now! Anyway, I thought I'd give it a go. It's really easy, all you do is go to the company's website, hit the 'Contact Us' link and you're away (alternatively, of course, you could use the tried and tested paper and pen method)! I've emailed several companies over the last week or so, telling them how much I enjoy using/eating xx product and thank you Mr Corporation for bringing this enjoyment into my life etc. etc. Most of the time I've had a response within a few days thanking me for my email and positive comments and, wait for it, saying that they would send me some vouchers as a thank you if I would just be kind enough to let them have my address!! I was stunned the first time I got a response like this, really, I was! OK, so some just email back saying thanks, but hey, that's kinda nice too huh? Now, I wouldn't advocate just emailing out to anyone, I mean what would be the point in billing and cooing to the makers of , say, Marmite when you really couldn't stand the stuff? - absolutely none, geddit?

Oh yeah, and make a note of who you send your emails or letters to, could be a tad embarrassing otherwise! Anyway, mwah to all those nice people who have emailed back and double mwah to those who have sent me some lovely coupons or sample freebies!

Until we meet again xx

Illuminating Blackpool!

Well, Happy February everyone! Can't believe we're into the second month of the year already, it seems to be flying by! So, what am I doing in order to celebrate the new month? Um, sitting in a crappy hotel room in Blackpool actually, counting down the hours until I can go home! Yep, I'm at yet another conference for work, but simply cannot get enthused at all. This one is even worse than the last, with all the sad muppets glamming themselves up for an evening in the bar getting well and truly rat-arsed! I tell you, I was almost knocked out by the mingled fumes of at least five different (mostly cheap!) perfumes last night in the lift down to reception! Sorry, maybe I'm the weird one and not everyone else! I just cannot see the attraction of these events, I mean, I wouldn't choose these people as my friends under normal circumstances, so why should I have to socialise with them??

Anyway, back to the purpose of the blog, spending!!! Or, should I say, lack of it! The January Grocery Challenge has come to an end and I only went a teensy bit over budget - £1.16 to be precise. Was really quite chuffed with that and, in all seriousness, the challenge has kept me really focused and aware of my grocery spends. February Grocery Challenge kicks off with a £200 budget once more, although I'm going to try and come in under that if I possibly can!

Crazy Clothes Challenge 2010 is still looking good at £20.99 out of £100 spent. I know this should really still show £0 out of £100, but we all know I had a 'moment' with the bargain boots!! Have to say though, so far I really don't seem to be bothered about clothes and the buying of new ones. Could I be turning over a new leaf? Or simply have too many clothes unworn and forgotten in my wardrobe that I'm suddenly re-discovering? Hmmmm, might need to ponder that one.

Now for a new challenge... My love of MSE has prompted me to join yet another challenge, this time for No Spend Days (NSDs). I have pledged to attempt at least 10 NSDs this month. This will be a real challenge for me as I tend to buy 'something' most days, even though the spend could be quite legitimate (eg. food etc.). I would really like to wean myself off doing this as I'm too used to spending each and every day so, when I don't, it kind of feels a little deflating. You know what I mean? Anyway, I'll give it a go and see what happens!

So, it's month 2 of the year and I have (so far) 3 challenges on the go. Not bad going huh?!

Until we meet again (hopefully not in Blackpool!) xx

Falling off the Wagon and finding Freecycle!

It's happened. I succumbed to a fashion fix, so there, my halo has finally slipped! Admittedly, I was hoping to keep it polished until at least the end of the first month, but hey ho.

I'll begin at the beginning... The first couple of days this week at work had been hellish. You know the kind of day where you don't stop, but still don't seem to have achieved anything by the end of the day? I didn't make it out to lunch on Monday things were so hectic, and Tuesday wasn't much better as I had one of those really popular lunchtime meetings, because 'that's the only time everyone can make it'. Uh yeah, that's because it's lunchtime!!!

Anyway, I had been really good and only bought grocery items, so no worries there. Then, during the early hours of Wednesday morning, I woke up and couldn't move, literally. Why do these things always happen in the middle of the night, when it's dark, your DH is asleep and you can't seek medical advice? Anyhoo, turns out I suffered a trapped nerve in my shoulder and had to have a couple of days off. This was mainly due to the inability to move and also to save my colleagues the irritation of listening to me 'oohing and aahing' every time I had a muscle spasm! The sympathy would have soon run out, let me tell you!

So, after a couple of days resting, I was back to work. (Shoulder's still sore by the way,but I'm coping like a brave girl!) Now, there's nothing like a little bit of upper body paralysis to focus the mind and I got through loads in the morning. However, during my 'confinement', I obviously suffered subconscious shopping withdrawal and found myself in every shop that had a sale on. It didn't help that I had seen on the interweb that Boots had reduced their sale items even more (although it looked more like a plague of locusts had descended on my local store by the time I arrived), as had Body Shop. I was very good and didn't buy anything in either store, but then I happened upon the Clarks sale. Their sale had been on for a while and the last time I went in there, I wasn't impressed, but I thought I'd take a look. Well, that was a bad move! They had a pair of black leather ankle boots in there, reduced from £69.99 to £20.99, in my size (believe me, to find any shoe sale with items in my size is a miracle as I have ridiculously small feet), so how could I not try them on? A part of me was really hoping they would be too big, so I could walk away without a problem, although I knew this was unlikely as Clarks shoes fit me really well. So there we have it, I fell off the wagon for the sake of £20.99, but they are a bloomin' nice pair of boots and I did need them (yes really, I did). It made me feel even better when I found a thread on the MSE forum relating to this bargain and concluded that I must have purchased them in the interest of money-saving. That's my story and I'm sticking to it ;-)

Now for Freecycle. Again, I'd read on various forums that Freecycle was the way to go, helping people find new homes for their excess stuff and helping the planet along the way. For those who don't know, Freecycle groups exist in most, if not all areas. The only caveat to signing up to your local Freecycle group is that any items you offer must be completely and utterly free, that's it. I desperately want a sewing machine, but knowing how I go through many fads over the course of a year, I didn't really want to pay for one. So, I signed up and within a couple of hours, there were emails pinging into my inbox from loads of freecyclers either wanting or offering things. By 'things', I mean absolutely anything. one man's trash is another man's treasure, as the saying goes and they're not wrong!! I've emailed my group asking for a sewing machine, had no offers as yet, but I'm ever hopeful!

Until we meet again xx

Hotel Haul and Crazy Clothes Challenge!

Well, it's been a busy few days for me! I have been on a training course away from home for a couple of days. Now, I'm not really the type who enjoys going away of these types of training courses, I'd much rather be tucked up at home with DH! Everyone on the course seemed to view it as a real social event, a way to let their hair down for a couple of nights away from the hubby and kids etc. It always strikes me as terribly funny to see these seemingly normal, rational people go mad, get drunk and belt out karaoke tunes into the wee small hours!

Anyway, I've had to stay over at a hotel for a couple of nights, obviously. I've never been the type to take the toiletries from the hotel room, in fact, that kind of behaviour has always slightly embarrassed me. Not in a snobbish way really, more of a 'why would you want cheapy hotel toiletries when you already use Miller Harris' way. However, this year is obviously different, with me living to a more thrifty set of rules. To this end, I duly pocketed the mini toiletries (body refresher/2 in 1 shampoo & conditioner/body butter); they were nothing ultra-special, only Gilchrist & Soames, but even so not to be sniffed at (excuse the pun!).

I then, for some unfathomable reason, decided to try my luck at breakfast. I can only assume that the dinky, mini marmalade pots were calling to me, so I slipped a couple in my bag for DH. He's currently wading his way through sub-rate marmalade, so I thought this would be a treat for him! I then made my way up to the fruit basket, choosing a couple of choice pieces to keep me going through the day. It was then I spotted it, the stuff of childhood dreams, individual Nutella portions, aahhhh! Needless to say, I now have enough to keep me going for a few days at least! Am I embarrassed? Yes. Am I proud of my haul? Oh yes. Would I do it again? You bet!

I'm also very pleased to add that I have completed one No Spend Day this month! This may not be an achievement for the majority of the population, but it sure is for me. I'm used to spending something at least once a day, every day! OK, so I know I was holed up in a training session all day, but it still counts!! The MSE website is proving invaluable in my challenge, albeit a little addictive.

Speaking of challenges, I have now joined the MSE 'Crazy Clothes Challenge for 2010'. Simple rules, you are permitted to spend up to £100 (or another figure of your choice) during the year on 'at home' clothes. The challenge doesn't include bags, shoes, underwear etc. but, in a nutshell, non-essential outerwear. I've signed up to £100, but I know and you know that my real challenge, according to the rules, is a bit fat £0. It can be done and will be done, trust me!

Until we meet again xx