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
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Sunday, 17 January 2010
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
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
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Freebie Fun!
I almost fell off the spending wagon on Tuesday! I had been so busy at work the previously day, that I decided not to go out at lunchtime. Nothing odd there I hear you say, but panic must have set in when I found myself restricted from lunchtime shopping! So... Tuesday I decided to have a longer lunch in order to compensate. I was doing really well, there were a couple of basic bits I needed to buy and, rather than rush into the first shop I knew sold these things, I put my sensible head on and did a store comparison on price. This was working really well, until I strayed into the devil's lair, aka Boots' sale aisles!
I'll explain in a little more detail here. After Christmas is out the way, I tend to hit the sales with a vengeance (as all good spendaholics would do!) and Boots is one of my favourite stores in which to do this. I know they do sell some tat in the 3 for 2 Xmas pressies, but the majority of it is actually pretty good. Anyway, as we all know these items are slashed to half price as soon as the festive season is over. I would usually pick up a few bits, some for presents throughout the year (see, I do have some financial forethought!) and some for presents for me. I usually 'do' Boots literally just after Christmas, then I'm stocked up. Naturally I did the same this year, job done.
Now back to Tuesday... I suddenly found myself in Boots, down the sale aisle, pondering the merits of half price beauty products. I knew I couldn't really justify buying anything, but really, really wanted something!!! Then, lightbulb moment. I had accumulated points on my loyalty card throughout the year, normally I spend them as soon as I get them, but for some reason, had left them on the card for most of the year. Because of this, I had 965 points to spend, or in real terms, £9.65. Oh the joy of having some unexpected shopping funds, it was almost as good a feeling as having found a £10 note in your coat pocket or hidden amongst a whole heap of receipts in your purse! Needless to say, I scooped up my bargains and tottered to the till as fast as my little legs would carry me! 936 points later, I was a very happy bunny who'd just bagged £18 worth of sale goodies at half price for free! I am so easily pleased!
Until we meet again xx
I'll explain in a little more detail here. After Christmas is out the way, I tend to hit the sales with a vengeance (as all good spendaholics would do!) and Boots is one of my favourite stores in which to do this. I know they do sell some tat in the 3 for 2 Xmas pressies, but the majority of it is actually pretty good. Anyway, as we all know these items are slashed to half price as soon as the festive season is over. I would usually pick up a few bits, some for presents throughout the year (see, I do have some financial forethought!) and some for presents for me. I usually 'do' Boots literally just after Christmas, then I'm stocked up. Naturally I did the same this year, job done.
Now back to Tuesday... I suddenly found myself in Boots, down the sale aisle, pondering the merits of half price beauty products. I knew I couldn't really justify buying anything, but really, really wanted something!!! Then, lightbulb moment. I had accumulated points on my loyalty card throughout the year, normally I spend them as soon as I get them, but for some reason, had left them on the card for most of the year. Because of this, I had 965 points to spend, or in real terms, £9.65. Oh the joy of having some unexpected shopping funds, it was almost as good a feeling as having found a £10 note in your coat pocket or hidden amongst a whole heap of receipts in your purse! Needless to say, I scooped up my bargains and tottered to the till as fast as my little legs would carry me! 936 points later, I was a very happy bunny who'd just bagged £18 worth of sale goodies at half price for free! I am so easily pleased!
Until we meet again xx
Monday, 11 January 2010
Weekend over...
Another weekend over, but this time, a weekend with a difference! I would normally spend my weekend with my darling husband, yep you guessed it, shopping!! We would have a mooch round town or browse among the antique shops near where we live. However, he would be content to window-shop, while I would be frantically calculating how I could afford some little treasure that I just couldn't live without! But not this weekend!! Admittedly the snow dampened my shopping ardour, so to speak, especially when we had to make several trips in the snow to get shopping for elderly rellies etc.
I did get a shopping fix in the supermarket (yes, I am that sad!) as the panic-buying goblin managed to hijack my body and send me into overdrive! Having said that, I concentrated on offers only and was selective in my purchases. I even lowered my own high standards as far as toiletries go and bought a cheapy cleanser. I know the rules don't dictate I must buy skincare cheap, but it was only £1.99 and recommended for sensitive skin. In for a penny I thought and chucked it in the trolley (small trolley mind, didn't want to get too carried away!). Have been using it for three days now and not an eruption even on the horizon, let alone in sight! So, forget my rantings in my first post - cheap and cheerful can work! For anyone interested, said item was Morrison's own creamy cleanser for sensitive skin.
Checked payslip on system and the overtime I did in November has been paid, yay! Now I can begin to pay my overdraft back (yes, I have one of those too...) and aim to clear this by the end of the year. Just to clarify, my overdraft isn't that huge that it will take a whole year to clear, it's just that I don't get the chance to earn much overtime at work!
Grocery challenge is not looking brilliant as the spend is now around £134, but the panic buying episode at the weekend has, ahem, stocked the larder shelves for a little while. Am determined to stick to this challenge, it will make me see that, even if I can't save any money, I can stick to the budget for at least a month!!
Until we meet again xx
I did get a shopping fix in the supermarket (yes, I am that sad!) as the panic-buying goblin managed to hijack my body and send me into overdrive! Having said that, I concentrated on offers only and was selective in my purchases. I even lowered my own high standards as far as toiletries go and bought a cheapy cleanser. I know the rules don't dictate I must buy skincare cheap, but it was only £1.99 and recommended for sensitive skin. In for a penny I thought and chucked it in the trolley (small trolley mind, didn't want to get too carried away!). Have been using it for three days now and not an eruption even on the horizon, let alone in sight! So, forget my rantings in my first post - cheap and cheerful can work! For anyone interested, said item was Morrison's own creamy cleanser for sensitive skin.
Checked payslip on system and the overtime I did in November has been paid, yay! Now I can begin to pay my overdraft back (yes, I have one of those too...) and aim to clear this by the end of the year. Just to clarify, my overdraft isn't that huge that it will take a whole year to clear, it's just that I don't get the chance to earn much overtime at work!
Grocery challenge is not looking brilliant as the spend is now around £134, but the panic buying episode at the weekend has, ahem, stocked the larder shelves for a little while. Am determined to stick to this challenge, it will make me see that, even if I can't save any money, I can stick to the budget for at least a month!!
Until we meet again xx
Friday, 8 January 2010
How much????
OK, so we all know how the whole country's in the grip of a winter chill? Well that's nothing compared to the chill that ran down my spine when I finally added up all my outstanding debts... a grand total of (drum roll please) £21049.95!!! So, not as bad as it could be, I hear some of you cry, but believe me, when you know this particular round of debt was only accumulated in the space of around three years, then that's pretty scary! Hmmm, that's an average spend of £7000 each year, or £584 a month, or £135 a week - ON NOTHING!!!
This shameful amount of money is spread across 4 credit cards and 3 loans. The last two loans were supposed to pay off the credit cards, but that zero balance just looked too inviting on my statements, I swear the cards were luring me to spend again. Which, duly, I did, right up to the goddamn hilt again. You know how it is though, you think this time you'll be able to control the spending. You think you won't close the card accounts, but keep them for an emergency. Then some truly fabulous item comes across your radar (usually in the sale, just to be even more of a bargain), so you think that's OK, I have a zero balance on my card(s), I can just buy this one thing, but I WILL pay it off next month. Next month arrives, as does another truly sparkling bargain, you may the minimum amount because you got caught up in other bills during the month and we're on the credit merry-go-round once more, la la la la la!!
Then, the shock comes. We hit a credit crunch and suddenly all the financial institutions are no longer your best friend, in fact they totally abhor you. So, when you decide to take another loan out to cover the newly maxed-out cards and consolidate the other loans, where are they? Now you know what it means to be left out in the wilderness. Now I'm not blaming anyone but myself for getting into this situation. The card and loan companies did not stand over me with a gun pointing at my temple insisting I sign the agreements. No, it was my choice, just as it is now my choice to do something about it.
So, in addition to the 'rules', I have been trawling around looking for more ways to cut my spending and, hopefully save even more to go towards paying my creditors. To this end, I've spent quite a bit of time on the Martin Lewis website, MoneySavingExpert.com. I would recommend the forums if you're a newbie (like me) at this money saving lark, as they're packed with useful tips, info and challenges. I've just joined the 'January Grocery Challenge' where people decide how much they're going to pay for groceries in the month and, hopefully, stick to that budget. I've got mine set to £200 for the month, so I'll let you know how I get on (evidently not very well at the moment, as I've spent around £65 already!). This might sound like a load of old cobblers, but it sets you thinking. I can only liken it to the same feelings I had when I joined Weight Watchers a few years ago. You're being weighed publicly each week, hence you develop a mindset that doesn't allow you to fail, i.e. put on weight, because you don't want to be publicly perceived as failing. To post how much you've spent on groceries for everyone to read is a similar thing. OK, I may be talking complete rubbish, but it works for me!
Until we meet again xx
This shameful amount of money is spread across 4 credit cards and 3 loans. The last two loans were supposed to pay off the credit cards, but that zero balance just looked too inviting on my statements, I swear the cards were luring me to spend again. Which, duly, I did, right up to the goddamn hilt again. You know how it is though, you think this time you'll be able to control the spending. You think you won't close the card accounts, but keep them for an emergency. Then some truly fabulous item comes across your radar (usually in the sale, just to be even more of a bargain), so you think that's OK, I have a zero balance on my card(s), I can just buy this one thing, but I WILL pay it off next month. Next month arrives, as does another truly sparkling bargain, you may the minimum amount because you got caught up in other bills during the month and we're on the credit merry-go-round once more, la la la la la!!
Then, the shock comes. We hit a credit crunch and suddenly all the financial institutions are no longer your best friend, in fact they totally abhor you. So, when you decide to take another loan out to cover the newly maxed-out cards and consolidate the other loans, where are they? Now you know what it means to be left out in the wilderness. Now I'm not blaming anyone but myself for getting into this situation. The card and loan companies did not stand over me with a gun pointing at my temple insisting I sign the agreements. No, it was my choice, just as it is now my choice to do something about it.
So, in addition to the 'rules', I have been trawling around looking for more ways to cut my spending and, hopefully save even more to go towards paying my creditors. To this end, I've spent quite a bit of time on the Martin Lewis website, MoneySavingExpert.com. I would recommend the forums if you're a newbie (like me) at this money saving lark, as they're packed with useful tips, info and challenges. I've just joined the 'January Grocery Challenge' where people decide how much they're going to pay for groceries in the month and, hopefully, stick to that budget. I've got mine set to £200 for the month, so I'll let you know how I get on (evidently not very well at the moment, as I've spent around £65 already!). This might sound like a load of old cobblers, but it sets you thinking. I can only liken it to the same feelings I had when I joined Weight Watchers a few years ago. You're being weighed publicly each week, hence you develop a mindset that doesn't allow you to fail, i.e. put on weight, because you don't want to be publicly perceived as failing. To post how much you've spent on groceries for everyone to read is a similar thing. OK, I may be talking complete rubbish, but it works for me!
Until we meet again xx
Thursday, 7 January 2010
First Foray into Bearing My Financial Soul!
I've finally decided to bear my financial soul, and what better place than on a blog, for everyone on the interweb to read/snigger at/ponder/turn off (delete as appropriate).
I know this kind of this has been done a gazillion times, believe me, I think I've read most of them, but I just decided that this might be a good way of trying to work out my spending problems. Well, when I say problems, I don't mean that I have a problem with spending money, far from it! I seem to have a genetic inability to hang on to any currency for longer than about three seconds before it wants to spontaneously combust in my purse and I have to spend it like, RIGHT NOW OR WE'RE ALL GONNA BLOW!!
Who knows where my 'problem' started? Could it stem from being an only child, ergo, spoilt? Maybe. Could my parents' ever-so-slightly-lax attitude to money have been a contributing factor? Possibly. Could the credit card company 'encouraging' me to apply for a card at 18 years old be to blame? Probably. Wanting to have something right now, even though I know I don't have the money to pay for it? Definitely. There are a million excuses I could give for not having better control of my money, 99% of them being someone else's fault! All I know is, that for the past twenty years, money and I have had a volatile relationship and now is the time to say enough is enough.
So, this year I've set myself a challenge (OMG, what have I done?!), so simple a three-year old could manage it. In fact I'd probably have done a whole heap better if I had let a three-year old manage my finances! Anyway, back to 'the rules' for the next 12 months:
I know this kind of this has been done a gazillion times, believe me, I think I've read most of them, but I just decided that this might be a good way of trying to work out my spending problems. Well, when I say problems, I don't mean that I have a problem with spending money, far from it! I seem to have a genetic inability to hang on to any currency for longer than about three seconds before it wants to spontaneously combust in my purse and I have to spend it like, RIGHT NOW OR WE'RE ALL GONNA BLOW!!
Who knows where my 'problem' started? Could it stem from being an only child, ergo, spoilt? Maybe. Could my parents' ever-so-slightly-lax attitude to money have been a contributing factor? Possibly. Could the credit card company 'encouraging' me to apply for a card at 18 years old be to blame? Probably. Wanting to have something right now, even though I know I don't have the money to pay for it? Definitely. There are a million excuses I could give for not having better control of my money, 99% of them being someone else's fault! All I know is, that for the past twenty years, money and I have had a volatile relationship and now is the time to say enough is enough.
So, this year I've set myself a challenge (OMG, what have I done?!), so simple a three-year old could manage it. In fact I'd probably have done a whole heap better if I had let a three-year old manage my finances! Anyway, back to 'the rules' for the next 12 months:
- Definitely no spending on clothes, shoes or accessories unless it's a complete and utter emergency (or the elastic in my pants perish);
- Essential purchases only e.g. food (duh!), toiletries, pet stuff etc. I do have to put in a caveat here though in as much as I do have really sensitive skin (really, water has been know to bring me out in blotches) and try as I might, cheapy products just don't do the business for me. Sorry.
- All spare (!) or saved (!!) cash will go on repaying my debt (which stands at a figure slightly lower than the national debt and will be covered separately when I have gotten over the shock of seeing it in black and white)
- £50 per month to be saved for Christmas, birthdays etc.
(Before I go on, I must give more than a nod here to Alexis Hall, the writer of 'In the Red' where the idea for baring my financial soul stemmed and her 'rules' play a big part in mine. Alexis, you rock!)
Right, I know this won't be easy (ha ha!) and my work colleagues have already corpsed at the mere mention of my self-imposed challenge. This may have something to do with the amount of bags they usually see me come back from lunch with and the amount of Amazon parcels that tend to grace my desk of a morning (hmmm.) I'm fully committed to at least one tantrum a day for the first few months, but then I'm hoping it will be something akin to sciatica, you know it's always there, but more often than not it's just a little niggle.
Until we meet again xx
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