Help me not to spend

Stay on GN, redblue - we should prove a satisfactory distraction.

thanks annobel yes it does help to stay on a forum and out of the clothing website in question...! it just goes to show, it is much better not to look in the first place and then you wont know what you would otherwise be missing!!

Do some painting tagging. Advert to the right. You can't miss it -->

I did four or five dashes! TECH! Why has they been mashed into a small space? I wanted a looong arrow!

Oh heck! Now it's the gingerbread men again!

When I am in the mood for an internet shop but the budget has already gone I do it anyway put it in the basket but don't checkout. when I go back the next day I have gone off the said items. I read that Kirstie Allsop dose much the same thing with shoe shopping - not that she need worry but I expect is more a cupboard space thing for her -still she could always buy another house. I do like Kirsty though.
By the way sometimes when you leave things in the basket long enough they get reduced!

Same goes for your wish list on Amazon - I've found that a few books have been reduced by the time I'm ready to read them!

Thanks for that tip Annobel about to put things on wish list rather than "one-clicking"them

I think I am weird - I can't think of anything material I want or need, except a new walking pole to replace the one that broke a few days ago when I went into snow up to my hips. I will have to buy an outfit for my grandson's wedding in August because I have lost two stones and I stupidly gave away all my larger sizes of 'posh' clothes because I couldn't believe I would ever be a size 14 again. My little flat is fully furnished and equipped and I have dozens of books waiting to be read, then all my 'literature' waiting to be re-read.
The outgoings on my flat are minimal and I have no debts or mortgage
I spend about 70% of my income on travel. Apart from the 'biggie' to New Zealand every year, I have a fortnight somewhere in the tropics to snorkel on coral, a couple of trips to England to see my sister (and my daughter and grandchildren there, if I am ever able to re-establish my relationship), several weeks in Switzerland where I house/pet sit for a friend, and short trips into Italy and other areas of France -I am doing a house exchange to the Dordogne in August.
I see no point in saving other than keeping an emergency fund in case of household/car repairs and servicing. My income is from three UK government pensions, which are uprated every year.
I am by no means well off, but working on the Micawber principle means that my income is enough to cover my outgoings with a little bit to spare each month. The only things I buy are food/wine/petrol. I used to get very bored trawling round shops - I told you I am not a proper woman!

maybe have a sort through your wardrobe. If you are anything like me you will find forgotten treasures that are now back in fashion. Or things you have just not worn for a while. Almost as good as having a new thing.

Ask yourself - how will the wonderful top that is irresistible make a difference to you and your life in the grand scheme of things?
Take a long hot shower, do whatever pleases you in terms of lotions and potions, do your hair if that's your thing, put on something you already have that you like and is comfortable, make a lovely supper, light a candle...........whatever.........and viola!
Would a new top make a difference to how you feel after all that?

Resist!

Ebay! If you miss out on a 'bargain' there'll be another along in due course. The problem is, of course, setting your limit. I tend to put in my limit and then ignore the item until after the auction ends, that way I keep within my means - unless of course I see lots of things I'd like. Sometimes I'm delighted and other times I'm disappointed. It gives buying a certain frisson

I must not do internet shopping late at night - that's when my worst extravagance happens. Most recently from looksfantastic - some Clarins stuff. I have to keep clear of the Open University web site since that has previously seduced me into signing up for courses I could barely afford!

My Amazon habit has got quite out of control since I got my Kindle - somehow it doesn't seem like spending real money. I like the idea of putting things in the basket but not checking out - might try that when the flesh is weak.

Thanks for the responses and some great ideas!
You are right and I often think to myself when I am contemplating a purchase or something i have seen, that it is not infact a "thing" I want but more "time" to myself.
It was far worse this time last year with a baby of 9 months and a toddler of just over 2 years who was starting potty training - now it feels like a breeze in comparison but my days are still pretty 24hour choc-a-block more outside my job in the mornings/evenings than inside (whoever said that office work was hard and being a mum was easy - how wrong they were!!).
But really it is not that shiny thing off the internet (although that is much easier to get in terms of clicks of buttons compared with - say - a day off work without my two gorgeous "menaces" (I love them both to bits but i call them my "menaces" because they are into everything!!) giving me time for a soak in the bath.
I am sure a soak in the bath would put the lovely top out of my mind.
Funny how i transplant my needs from one thing to another because the thing i really need (time/sleep) cannot be obtained. But the top won't solve it (although it is v.lovely but still not bought by me hurrah!!)

Why not find a cheap treat you can indulge in. Years ago when everyone was piercing their ears and cheap earrings were everywhere, when tempted by anything expensive, for me usually books, I would go and look at earrings and come home with a pair that only cost a pound or two, Perhaps not as easy with two small children, How about going to the other extreme and search online for the most beautiful and expensive outfit you can imagine. You will end up with an outfit that is so expensive there can be no question of buying it but it will occupy the mind and you can indulge in all sorts of day dreams, like a full nights sleep.

The day really does finally arrive when the children sleep through the night. My DGD was a really bad sleeper from birth, prone to both night terrors and crying in her sleep and waking herself up. Last September she started school and since then she has slept the night through almost every night.

My mother always said that cream cakes look really inviting yet never taste as good as they look-this is very true unless you are in Fauchon on the the Champs Elysees therefore look on the top as a cream cake- not worth it. Your goal to be out of debt is fantastic-give yourself a very big hug for not buying it

My motto with cake is:
Only eat the really good stuff. The good/bad news is i now have a local cafe where the owner makes her own. And she really needs lots of customers.
One of my other mottos is: Don't eat pastries that are not covered. Unhygienic. This really helps to avoid those croissants in petrol stations etc.

You have to focus, as everyone said... try not to look at this clothes websites, i know that they can be tentation sometimes indeed. If you see in any magazines something new that you want, just cut that article of the magazine and try to find after when you have some extra money. More than that, make a rule for yourself, this way you will save a lot! For example, take what you win every month and separate at least 50% from what you don't need to expend. So if you have bills, pay it. And all the rest will be money for you to save from 50% to 80% or more, you can also consult your bank manager and ask where you can invest some amount of this money and maybe grow a little bit your savings.

Jack2012 Win? Are we talking of spending winnings or earnings or savings? There is a difference.

I think it was win as in winning coal fom the ground or prising wages out of a company. Interest on credit card debt is a no no to me-it's totally wasted earnings-save up and then buy however hard it is to do without.

Yes, stansgran if you have to pay it later you will have to go without something then, possibly more essential than whatever you got into debt for now. Some people, alas, really cannot make ends meet sometimes and have to go into debt to keep the wolf from the door, but buying unnecessary stuff on credit seems daft to me.

I was talking about spending savings and earnings mostly, for sure i've used the wrong word! Cause indeed there is a big difference.