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When I've wanted something I've been adding it to a shopping wishlist on my phone. Now my husband is asking for birthday present ideas I'm going through that list and actually there's nothing I want enough to ask for.

I was able to pay off one of my two credit cards yesterday I have just passed them from interest free to interest free card for yyeeears, but have done the snowball method. £2.5k paid off since Jan

Put it into practice today:

went into a charity shop. Gorgeous wool and cashmere coat for £30. Asked myself “do I want this because it’s a good deal or because I need it? Would I buy it if I saw it in Zara?” Didn’t buy the coat and don’t regret it!

Kittylover2019 said:

4 adults in the house, packed lunches for 3. What should I be spending?!

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There's a wide range but ultimately it comes down to what you can afford and your saving goals.

heretoreaditall2019 said:

Today I went to the dump and thought of this thread - as a caveat we were dumping waste like metal for recycling/old toilets that needed replacing/etc not consumer goods - but was so surprised at how much “nice” stuff I saw? Like not stuff I wanted to fish out for me but perfectly normal Christmas stuff or rugs that could be sat on a shelf in any shop and not look like they’re at the end of life or horrifically antiquated. Also the volume of stuff going to landfill/processing is always quite anxiety inducing too. Maybe a spiritual experience for anyone looking to re-address their relationship with consumption/sustainability, I wonder if there’s YouTube/TikTok content to save you a trip down lol.

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I feel like the insta huns are to blame for excess consumption being normalised. Constantly redoing rooms just for "content".

really_whythough said:

I hope it pays off in career advancement! Or the food and company was good at least…

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Well! The meal was fun and cost a bit less than half what I earnt in the overtime shift, so all good there, plus I also got the chance to chat to a colleague I don't see often, who let me know about a couple of job opportunities coming up at a higher band, so it worked out well! Plus I got a request for my side hustle which will earn me back half the cost of the meal. Quite successful overall!

Silverback said:

£2500 on a pair of jeans, £6000 on a handbag etc- and these aren’t rich looking people, either. They’re normal people like us for the most part who clearly wanted a little piece of luxury.

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This I think is a bit of a red herring and speaks to something that I think is a huuuuuge issue on social media, undeclared generational wealth. Which is why a lot of influencers are able to prioritise endless consumption over saving because their house is at a low LTV as it was gifted by parents, they don’t need to save for their children’s’ futures or pay out school/uni fees, have their rich parents around to provide a contingency fund, they don’t need to save for their (or their children’s) retirements as they’re due a share of a multi million pound estate, aren’t paying out to support siblings and elders, etc etc etc. Life is very different if you’re a first gen professional and your money is all you’ve got

I know Dave Ramsey is polarising and has some antiquated if not outright problematic views but he puts out a looot of content and it’s a nice palette cleanser from the sort of image obsessed consumption pushed at us from every angle, personally it always re-focuses my mind on clearing our mortgage over any other bollocks that is ultimately fleeting/meaningless as financial freedom is the biggest flex (imo)

Silverback said:

I’m glad we are talking about trips away actually. I’ve booked a trip to Paris for August and it’s gnawing away at me. Every year I kick myself that I haven’t gone anywhere but there is a reason we don’t- it’s so fucking expensive these days! 4 nights in Paris at a half decent hotel plus Eurostar and eating out etc is going to come to over 2 grand for us and the kids. Is it worth it? Is it only worth booking a trip if you can comfortably afford it without scrimping for it? I don’t know. Answers on a postcard please.

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It’s SO expensive to go anywhere. Even small U.K. based getaways are in the multihundreds most of the time. It will be worth it, you will make loads of memories and I think you always forget how much a change of scene refreshes you.

We are doing well over here, touch wood. Still doing a proper weekly shop then topping up for bread and milk etc. (never again will I spend a grand a month on food ) No unnecessary purchases made, and we've sold about £120 quid via vinted the last few days.
We have also put £4k each into lifetime ISAs just in time for the bonus to come in will add another 4k each and then will hopefully be buying a home this time next year. We have rented for years and tbh never saw a possibility of buying, so this huge for our little family

Stay strong everyone xxxx

I saw a Tiktok which was saying if an influencer starts a video with any of the following statements, WE DON'T NEED IT. Appreciate it's beauty related but I feel it can apply to other items too, and tbh it's made me so conscious when I hear any of the below that it's just a marketing technique:

• Run don't walk
• I finally got my hands on (insert product)
• This is honestly life changing
• Because when I tell you...
• The skin is skinning
• Literally made my pore's disappear
• I'm obsessed/this is my latest obsession
• I want to marry this (insert product)
• Are you kidding me!?
• Can we please talk about how gorgeous (insert product)?
• This (insert product) has me in a chokehold
• *Shocked face* STOP
• I'm so not over this

Why we continually buy stuff like hair care products when we have more than enough is a mystery. We are always searching for the holy grail.
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Ladies and gentlemen- we are enough. We don’t need external stuff to complete us. That is what I think is at the bottom of most of our wastage.

You can do it @SqualorVictoria
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I can’t resist a Kindle Daily Deal. The 99p ones. I only buy books that I was interested before they went down in price, but I find them irresistible. I must stop, I have loads on my Kindle to read, 98 at the last count. (I read 46 books last year, so I have 2 years worth!) Didn’t buy any yesterday or today. It’s not the amount spent, those 98 books equate to less than 100 quid. But it is the compulsive nature of the buying. I want to change that.

Shopping is dopamining, full stop. I've lost count of the amount of times I've hit buy on something, stalked it on each and every passage of its journey, only to literally throw it in the cupboard and never look at it again. Rinse and repeat

This is the thing though isn't it, because we are not wasting money on things we don't need when we do need something like paint or a new washing machine we have some money put aside to help pay for it.

I met with friends on Friday evening and instead of going out, I offered to take two bottles of wine to their flat and staying in instead. The wines were Christmas gifts from work and I don't drink at home by myself, so they've been sitting in my cupboard for weeks. Got rid of them and didn't pay a fortune having a bottle outside, win/win

Though, the whole evening reminded me that I don't do well with alcohol anymore. Saturday was a blur of exhaustion and anxiety, I had to take a 3 hour nap in the afternoon. (I don't mind not being able to drink a lot, it saves me money and I loathe being drunk, anxiety goes into overdrive the next day.)

Hope everyone had a nice weekend.

I am going to try and give up alcohol for a few months. Drank a lot over Xmas, and feel blah, plus it is so expensive. Nearly a week in. I am looking forward to the weekend shop. The total cost should be a lot less!

I went into a Poundland today for batteries. I don’t go in there very often. Shocked that most things are no longer a pound. Shocked they have removed the self service tills. Shocked at the bouncer style security guy on the door. Times must be really hard if people are nicking from Poundland.

Silverback said:

Been thinking about other purchases recently that were a waste of money. £40 on a Charlotte Tilbury foundation that goes cakey in my pores. £8 on an Essie polish that chips off after 5 minutes. £35 on an Uniqlo jumper that is too cold to wear in winter (will be useful for spring tho). I’m sure there is other stuff that I’m forgetting.
Dunno about anyone else but I get bored by the grind of life- work/ kids/ responsibilities/ bills etc and get myself bits and bobs to bring a little brightness. There’s probably other ways to cheer myself up that don’t involve wasting cash…

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Try spending money on experiences rather than items to bring that brightness. For example last year my friend and I had a cute pottery painting date which we did get a plate/mug out of in the end. I know creativity isn’t for everyone but it was nice to just do something that wasn’t spending money on more crap for a 5 minute buzz and then be bored of. There’s always things in your local area that you’ve ignored and realise can be a nice hour or 2

I find this really good for my mental health. I have embraced enoughism and it's amazing at how free I feel. My house is less cluttered. I am not under pressure to keep up with anyone. I buy just what I need look after it and mend it several times before discarding it. I have a pair of everyday leather boots that have lasted 10 years. I now hate shopping, the crowds and queues.

This year I plan to grow all my bedding plants from seed so much cheaper and I think more rewarding. I am also going to run down my makeup stash and replace it with one of everything. I will need a few t-shirts for the summer and perhaps a pair of jeans so I will keep my eye out for a good deal but that is all I need this year. I am also, horror of horrors, seriously thinking of giving up my anti aging skincare for a simple moisturizer and SPF. Sick off the faff.

Would make me MORE inclined to buy from Lulu.

I am breaking down the perfume collection and getting rid of stuff which I never really loved entirely. I donate to my local chazzer who don’t over-charge people and I hope someone gets a lovely bargain that cheers them up. I realise probably not all chazzer a will accept part-used bottles, but thankfully this is one that serves the community rather than the CEO. I still have more than I need but I’m working on it.

Mod edit let's leave this topic here as it'll only end in an offtopic argument

Definitely need to stop unnecessary spending. Husband and I just reserved a new house