I have just deleted this entire post as it became just some excuse-making waffling drivel. I actually bored myself.
The point is I spend too much on useless crap, clothes I never wear, make-up that gets used once and thrown in the bottom of a draw, books that never get read, various “fad” related paraphernalia that when it arrives in the Amazon box I become super excited…for all of about an hour.
I buy this stuff because it’s cheap, or because I think for one reason or another it will turn out to be really worthwhile. The wake-up call came when I recently had to clear out the loft, there was literally bin bags and boxes full of the aforementioned useless crap. I was embarrassed, and embarrassment soon turned into being really bloody annoyed at myself. Imagine if I had just made more considered choices (or just given any consideration at all) how much I could have saved.
Life is short – sometimes you really should buy the goddam shoes, if you love them, if you are going to actually wear them. I have lots of footwear I don’t wear however and now I have Mabel, and I think of all the things that saving, rather than spending, could have provided for her future.
Are you a frivolous spender? What is your biggest weakness? Do you get to the till at Boots and wonder how you spent fifty quid when you just went in for toothpaste?* How have you managed to curb the desire to purchase unnecessary things?
I don’t want to make myself miserable by never buying anything – that’s just silly, and impossible. I just need to make wiser investments that will stand the test of time rather than these constant cheap thrills.
*Yes, I am one of those people that spend extra money she got from www.cozino.com gambling on stuff I don’t really need because I get extra Boots points. And with those points guess what? I can buy even more useless crap.
Unfortunately being a Mum just brings a whole new world of things you can’t help buying! I went shopping last Friday to a retail park with the aim of visiting M&S for some Fathers Day gifts, and ended up buying sandals, sunglasses and a Wendy house. All pretty much unplanned purchases but it did come in at under £20 which is something. I reckon it must be even harder if you have a girl as the selection of girls clothes is always bigger!
Ha ha, Kathryn, I did laugh at this, a wendy house when you intended to buy Father’s day gifts is quite a side tracked purchase! But on the plus side, sounds like the purchases were an absolute bargain!
I think a wendy house is allowed! I don’t get the guilts over stuff for Mabel, I like to spoil her a bit, it’s more stuff for me that is just such a waste!
Ok i hold my hands up, i too spend money in Boots just to gain extra points!
My biggest problem though is shoes! I recently realised that over half my collection of shoes i never wear, so i put them on Ebay, and made a bit of money, which i then went and brought new shoes with. Its a continuous circle.
I really need to do ebay, I just get so bored of how long it takes to make a listing. I also have lots of shoes, I’ve been pretty good at getting rid of the ones I don’t wear and have been trying desperately not to buy any more (However, have just seen THE most amazing sandals in the All Saints sale with an extra 20% off……)
Try the ebay app – it makes listing that bit quicker! Still the dullest thing ever but a bit faster!! X
I tend to be pretty strict about not buying stuff for me which does get depressing so occasionally have to go out and have a splurge – granted its normally only in H&M but makes me feel better. However, I do tend to get a bit carried away with the girls as there is just too much cute stuff around. I too spend far too much in Boots but mainly only because I keep reading about amazing beauty products on RMS!!! The one good way of saving is that with children I never actually make it to the shops as it is too much of a mission but the downside is I really wish online shopping didn’t exist! I seem to spend far too much time browsing/buying clothes for the girls or stuff for the house. It’s deadly! x
I’m the same, much less actual “shopping” but more on-line, I just need to get better at actually sending stuff back (!)
ha ha ha RMS is my excuse to buy the beauty products in the first place 🙂
I’m used to be really, really bad at this (basically buying crap I don’t need) but my fiance is trying to wean me off it. I’m a marketer’s wet dream and just omg neeed to see whether New Shiny Thing will make my hair/face/body looks as awesome as it claims. But with a new house and wedding next year, I’m really trying to mend my wicked ways!
I’m rubbish with:
Boots (this one is the worst because, once you’re in there, it’s really hard to resist picking up one, two, three other things) so I try not to go there unless I’m (1) really in dire need of something or (2) in such a rush that I don’t have time to browse.
Sales, especially online at places like Asos etc (a top for £7.99 you say?! I must buy it, even if it’s rubbish, it’s so cheap it doesn’t matter!) and this is harder because when I’m bored at work, it’s SUCH a temptation. So I try to do more productive things like visit RMS instead. 😉
It’s the false economy of buying things because they’re cheap that always gets me. Like you say – if I totted up all the ‘cheap’ crap I’ve bought over the years, I’d have been able to get myself one of those Mulberry bags from your other post! Erm, or put it in a savings account…
Ha ha ha Kate, yes, with all the crap I had in the loft I could have bought a Mulberry AND a Loewe AND some really fabulous shoes. Or as you say put it in a savings account.
I avoid ASOS, I just can’t not buy something so I don’t look. Boots are incredibly good at marketing, they must be otherwise I wouldn’t buy so much stuff from there! I am glad to report though that their Protect and Perfect cult serum did absolutely nothing for me so I am not tempted AT ALL to buy their super duper new improved version.
Aham. I do have a £5 off voucher for No.7….
Haha this post has inspired me to throw away the £5 off voucher I received yesterday – am v proud of self!
My problem is that I’ve become very good at justifying all my purchases. A few years ago my best friend and I became really good at backing up each others spend stories to our husbands and we fueled each other into a credit card frenzy if we went to the shops together – it was lethal. Since then though I tried to get better and started blogging about money. I was in silly debt about 5 years ago – not massive amounts but silly because it was all clothes and make up to the extent I couldn’t even find anything because my wardrobe and make up bag were too full to get near (none of which have any investment value at all!) (I can’t even bring myself to think about the loft- I fear the ceiling may give way soon) I kind of wanted to blog about money to put it there in writing – I would have to admit I had spent it so I was wasn’t willing to own up to myself about this amazing shampoo then I could just go put it back on the shelf. But then, because my overdraft balance was out there and public I had friends reading who would then send me harsh advice – it was like boot camp! I would then post a picture on my facebook of my brand new juicer and someone would comment “nope come on, you’ve got £1,698 still to pay off on that overdraft – send it back!” I couldn’t get cross as I’d put it out there for anyone to see! I did get better for a while but now I’m just good at formulating a good argument for every single thing I covet. I could write an essay on how the new T shirt I want will be good for the family, for my health, work, friends and in time will save us money… (Yes, I’m just a big fat liar really) And oh my goodness – the world of kids things and especially clothing for little girls!! I’ve just not figured out how you get past that overwhelming urge when you HAVE TO HAVE IT. Why is it completely beyond me to pick something up and think “ahh, that’s cute” and put. it. back. ??? Nope, I have to own it for myself so that I can keep it in a shopping bag under a pile of clothes (hiding place until it’s not ‘new’ anymore) and all forgotten about it will lay there and never see the light of day again. Gosh… I am some sort of item abuser.
Amanda, you should have seen this post before I deleted it and re-wrote it (much shorter!) I was waffling through all the crap I buy, why I bought it yada yada. I was justifying my habit – just like I do when I actually buy something I don’t need but desperately want.
Writing about it and sharing it sounds like a really good idea, although I fear I would lie to myself and not admit half the things I did buy!
it got to the point where I would buy an item of make-up, forget I had then buy it again…only to not use either product.
Oh dear lord, I have a serious problem with Boots. It’s got to the point where I am buying the Shapers meal deal every day for lunch, purely so I can buy a new perfume with the points. The perfume is not even that expensive, I just need to buy it and get it done with so I can mix my lunches up a bit. It is a very good deal though! Whenever I do the ‘summer shop’ in boots I have to throw away my receipt prompto because it really scares me – how on earth does it all cost so much? I only go into to buy some sun lotion and some new shampoo…and hairbands…and then suddenly I’m buying mini versions of everything!
Anyways, aside from Boots, I am now getting much better at not buying ‘things’. I used to be awful – anything that was shiny and new made me happy. My boyfriend started calling me a magpie! 2014 was the year of ‘saving for a house’, and I’ve now become addicted to saving instead of buying – it gets a bid addictive! I created an excel spreadsheet, made it all pretty with some conditional formatting colours (…?!) and then tracked every single thing I paid for. If money was spent, it went down in the excel. To the penny! I set myself a budget and the handy formula I put in told me how much I had left for the day / week / month. Wow, now I’ve written this down I sound like a proper geek. It worked though, we got a deposit – stopping buying things here and there really does work! Desperate to go on a splurge though. x
Sian you are so good! My husband has a spreadsheet, always has. He is the saver and I’m the spender basically. This needs to change especially now we have Mabel and need a new house essentially, our next “step” up the housing ladder is so expensive stamp duty wise I should never step foot in Boots ever again!
Holidays always cost a fortune – not least all the extra things I buy because I might get 7 days of sun. I have maxi dresses coming out of my ears.
Wow – this is a bit like therapy! Amanda – I am SO glad that I am not the only one that does that buy something because ‘you have to have it’ and then just keep it in the carrier bag for months thing!!! I thought it was just me!
This is something I am trying to get better with – I have had a huge clear out recently resulting in 6 bin bags of clothes and shoes to charity and 3 that are full of items to eBay (most with tags still attached!). I also threw out a bin bag of cosmetics – some unused – which were out of date. I hate to think about how much money that is down the drain. The problem is my brain doesn’t think ‘all that money I could have saved’, instead ‘all those other things I could have bought’ or ‘all the holidays I could have gone on!’.
The fact that our house is now looking nice and I am not drowning in clothes and cosmetics makes me want to keep it this way and also I feel that I do need to grow up a bit. We want to save for a house deposit and all of those £5 here, £7 there items do add up. I don’t want to, as Carrie Bradshaw once said, be the old lady who literally lived in her shoes!
One trick I am trying is only have £20 in my purse and leaving my credit / debit card at home. I work just off Oxford St so lunch times are very dangerous for just popping in to the shops! This tactic means I can peruse but can’t really make any impulse purchases. If I see something I can’t stop thinking about I can bring my card in the next day or later that week, but invariably I will have forgotten about it / decided I don’t need it by then. £20 is usually enough to cover small emergencies / necessities and it feels good if I get to the end of the week without spending on my card.
Bryony if I worked on Oxford Street I just wouldn’t let myself leave the office building. When we have meetings in London it’s bad enough “Oh can we just nip into Top Shop….” (!)
I work just by Oxford Street too and it is torture!!! John lewis make up browsing should not be legitimately called a lunch break, but sometimes thats how I spend a lot of mine…
I think there is such a “disposable attitude” and that makes us spend more (me included). I am a sucker for good marketing – a marketeers dream. I sometimes wonder if I should have done marketing as a job! I can see myself Mad Men style selling coals to Newcastle… Anyhow, I am always temped and its always clothes. Even though I have enough stripey tops just one more in cream with blue rather than blue with cream stripes won’t harm…I think some clothes are just so cheap that you feel its a waste not to buy it and if you only wear it once it doesnt matter hence the “disposable attitude” so I try and only buy one or two decent pieces and not waste on tat. My spending is always for an event – so I neeeeeeed a dress for x y z and nothing in my (extensive) wardrobe will do…
Victoria I am the same with stripes, and well fitting vest tops, and at the moment anything with a pineapple print!
Also – LOVE Mad Men, can’t believe they’ve cut this season in half!
oooh don’t tell me what happens! I’m working my way through the box set and am on season 4…
PS & not related to the above… Charlotte, when you do your summer holiday beauty blog (here’s hoping!) pretty please can you do something on sun protection on the face versus make up. Despite spf foundation it does rub off and then I end up with a burnt nose – bad and unattractive. Yet can you splodge sun cream on oneself without looking like a greaseball?!
Ah ha! I have the perfect thing 🙂
It’s coming super soon promise!
Yay!
I used to spend money on useless stuff all the time. However, I have got a lot better in the past three years as we were saving for a house deposit, then eventually bought a house that needs alot of work doing to it and are now continually saving up for something house related. Plus we want at least one decent holiday per year….
I ebay alot of stuff, if I dont use it or wear it within 6 months it goes on ebay unless I love it or something like that…. The ebay app makes it so much easier to list items on my iphone.
Its actually quite nice not having so much junk. Saying that my spare room is still full of clothes and shoes!
I also try and only buy stuff I really want/need/love. Too many times in the past I have compromised by buying a cheap version of something I want and nine times out of ten Ive regretted it and ended up buying the expensive version at a later date. So when Im in TK max considering buying yet another cushion – I try to remind myself that could actually be £10 towards that certain expensive piece of furniture/dress I REALLY do want.
My nan has a good moto – she alwas says to spend a bit and save a bit. I try and remember this, particularly when on Asos!
Stacey I need to check out this ebay app, a few people have mentioned it’s way easier to use that the desktop version.
I think your Nan has a very good moto, now then, how much is “a bit”…?
Yep I’m pretty good at frivolous spending but I do think I use most of the stuff I buy but I am guilty of buying cheaper clothes that maybe doesn’t last very long. I visited a friend at the weekend who always goes for better quality and thus more expensive but then she gets bored as she wears the same things over and over. There has to be a happy medium!
I do seem to have far too many moisturisers – I have the stuff I’m currently using in the bathroom and a massive bag full of additional stuff under my bed. I seem to believe everything the magazines tell me and just want want want! Hmmm….
Lynn I used to be a skincare whore, I’m not at all now – I just use Aveeno cream and remind myself I’ve wasted a small fortune on products that don’t work as well. I clearly need to tell myself this about make-up too.
Although I am on the hunt for a super glow giving serum to wear under moisturiser….
Me too me too! Am currently being wooed by Cliniques ad campaign for their new smart custom serum although it’s only available in Selfridges – helpful for an Edinburger with no Selfridges nearby! Actually maybe that’s a good thing!
Keep me posted on the serum search – I was actually going to ask if you guys could do a post on serums at some point!
L x
Ooh yes what a good idea, I’m planning on asking for lots of samples and doing some extensive testing!
My “weak” point is *Gap. I buy soooo much crap in Gap that never last longer than a few washes and get so mad with myself, I go shopping in Gap to make myself feel better! The worst is jeans… what, £45-£55 a pair? sometimes more? WHY oh WHY is it that when you buy a pair of jeans in Gap they look great and fit perfectly in the store but then as soon as you get them home, wear them and then wash them – they completely lose their shape?!!
*sorry to name and shame Gap – but they are the worst!!!
Maddy have you ever taken the jeans back? My sister had some Topshop Leigh jeans that are always super but for some reason this particular blue pair went all out of shape and weird.
They took them back and let her exchange them – she didn’t even have a receipt and bought them about 4 months ago. Might be worth giving it a go.
Oooh thanks Charlotte! I might give that a try…it does seem to happen more often than not, I have 4 pairs folded up and assigned to the “painting/DIY” pile! I could maybe bring one pair in to a different store and see how i get on! Two pairs i never actually wven washed – they just lost shape as soon as i had them on for a morning! Thanks for the tip though, will let you know how i get on 🙂
Frivalous spending. Moi? Ummmm yes. I seem to have extraordinary powers for justifying crazy spending. I was super proud of myself the other week when I bought a dress for way less than my expected budget. So proud in fact that I bought a pair of shoes to go with it, and a necklace, and earrings. You get the picture. Twice my intended budget now spent. Ooopps xx
Ha ha hahahahahahaha Hannah this is the story of my life.
Oh and Instagram kills me too – ‘ooo I like what she’s wearing’, ‘oh it’s only from newlook, h&m, Forever21 etc etc’ – find on line – purchase – turns out it doesn’t look quite as good on me!!!
Am I the only one who has managed to curb my spending? A few years ago I threw away all my loyalty cards and started having cash in my purse rather than credit cards. It’s amazing what a difference that makes. You think about your purchases far more.
Now if I am going shopping I write a list of what I need and stick to that. I rarely buy anything on a whim and always question do I really need it.
To be fair I have done all of this because I needed every spare penny to set up my business but do you know what? I have actually got out of the habit of spending & I don’t miss it at all.
Louisa you are quire right, cash in your purse makes a huge difference. If I go into a shop with the actual “money” it’s far more difficult to spend than bashing your plastic, I don’t know why, it just seems more real I suppose!
Congratulations on your business investment, I’m quite good in that area – i.e. investing in property/my business etc, it’s just all the extra crap that does add up over time. x
I’ve never had much money, and at uni my clothing purchases were mostly from charity shops and cheaper shops like Primark. Now that I am earning, I still seem to have a habit of shopping online on the likes of ebay and still frequent cheaper shops like new look and H&M. I tend to bulk buy things and end up with too many of the same thing (brown ankle boots and any form of green jewellery being my main downfall!). I too find it embarrassing how much *stuff* I have. We moved in January and the amount of shoes, bags and clothes was embarrassing. When I was showing friends round our new house, many commented on how funny it was that I need a whole separate wardrobe just for dresses. It’s funny but it also kinda isn’t!
Sian, well done for the excel spreadsheet, that sounds like an excellent idea, and would probably work quite well for me for the shock factor of what I actually spend on all these “cheap” wee bits and bobs that I don’t need as I already have several of them! xx
M-J I think we need to ask Sian for her spreadsheet! (minus the personal details obvs) I’ve never been tempted to replicate my husbands as frankly it’s far too complicated (!)
I have a thing for cuff bracelets. I nearly bought yet another one from All Saints in the sale today, I told myself to go back and read my own post…
Hubs and I are living on one salary at the moment so non-essential spending has completely stopped and you know, 99% of the time I really don’t miss it.
And, not to get too worthy on the subject, but everything we buy has a footprint whether its environmental, social etc
Claire I know, I do give my clothes to charity though – in the hope that they will go to someone who needs them and will appreciate them.
I don’t even know where to start! I can’t go shopping without coming back with either a piece of make up/skin care/hair care or clothing item. Or both. Since losing lots of weight clothes shopping is so much more fun and things look nice and it’s such a buzz that I can’t help myself! Before I never used to buy clothes unless I really had to cos it was a nightmare trying on and being dev about the size! Make up has always been an addiction, and I have made a conscious effort to go more cheaper rather than luxe but Chanel is like magnetic north to me!!! And I have a husband that fully encourages it if it makes me happy…bad news!!! We are also saving up for a house and are nearly there really but that just means we have had less holidays/trips away and iv probably spent that on bloody clothes/make up!! The phrase you only live once is a killer though when you’re in the moment!! Glad I have no kids so at least I don’t have the guilt factor lol!! Xx
I think I might treat myself once I get my pre pregnancy body back, it’s a good goal anyway!
That might be why I’ve bought so much other crap though, compensating for all the lovely fashion that at the moment simply won’t look quite right.
I do like the fact you buy lots though, I can live vicariously via your instagram! x
I really need to learn how to crack down on my spending! I never have any money left at the end of the months and nearly always go into our joint account overdraft which I then have to pay back once I’m paid, making me broke all over again for the new month!
I wonder if anyone has used any apps to help them?? We have lots of things on our ‘before babies bucket list’ including some big holidays, a car and a house. I really need to try and save but there always seems to be something to spend my cash on…
You know what Francesca that’s a good call, I wonder if there is an app? and if there isn’t someone should create one! x
My weakness is shoes. I just bought my first pair of Birkenstocks last weekend (in brown) and then immediately wanted the same pair in pink. I had to tell my OH to tell me not to buy them and he started getting really into it. I eventually asked if he would hate me if I ignored him and went ahead and bought them anyway and he hit me right in the guilts and said he would be disappointed. I stopped wanting them after that. He’s always been better than me at saving and I knew I wouldn’t buy them if it meant getting into trouble with him! I’ve also given him my credit card to keep hold of. That way I know that if I want to spend on it I’m going to have to explain to him why.
I don’t have a spreadsheet but I do use a piece of software called You Need a Budget! I was recommended it by a friend who was also a spend-a-holic and needed to curb her ways. It really helps me see what I’m spending and it also gives you fancy reports to show how much money you’re spending in certain areas. It shames me to know how much I regularly spend on shoes but YNAB is helping me to curb this. Plus I need to save really hard for my fancy cruise in November. (If you’re interested in having a free trial, you can use this link http://ynab.refr.cc/5C4HP35 and not only do you get a discount, I also get some money back. It’s a win win for everyone!)
I might start trying to leave my debit card at home more often and just have cash. I thought about doing this before but panicked at the thought of having an emergency and not having the money (although realistically, what kind of emergency am I really going to be in?)
One trick that I’ve learnt to control my spending ways is to take photos of the items I like when I am out shopping. Then if I remember them, I check them out on my phone and buy them online. Most of the time I have gotten over the urge by the time I am home so as yet haven’t bought one item that I’ve photographed so it does work…. just a shame for every photo I take I still seem to have one bought on the spot purchase!! Not enough willpower 🙂