You may have seen if you follow me on my Facebook or Twitter, that the last week I was challenged to go on a week-long spending ban. I had to pick one item I repeatedly bought and not buy it. Well, I think I did pretty well, I didn't break it - however, I may have bought other things, which I'll tell you about below.
If this spending ban had come last year, then I would have picked makeup to stop buying - back then most lunch times I'd head to Superdrug for a browse and often come out with some 3 for 2 offers or impulse buys. But now I'm on maternity leave, my regular purchases have changed to buying Squidge baby clothes - either online, or when I go to Sainsburys which is usually on a Thursday after mummy club.
Well, it's been extra challenging this week as he's growing out of his current sizes and needs lots of new clothes. The week before I did a bit of a Mothercare Haul of a few bits, but I still need to get lots more (mostly things like trousers, sleepsuits, socks and tops). I had so much temptation to buy, I even went on to Zara looking at their baby clothes and added items to my basket, which remained there in my virtual basket.
So although this was a good challenge, and will certainly help me think twice about whether he 'needs' that top/trousers/vest/sleepsuit/booties etc, I think on reflection it was untimely as I still need to buy bits and pieces for him :) We've definitely saved money though as I wasn't impulse buying clothes for him, so my purchase will be better thought out. Perhaps with some of the money we saved we should open up a Junior ISA for him? It's something we've been talking about since he was born - we've had money from various family members for him and have been debating it, we just need to pick one and do it. That way on each of his birthdays and Christmas, we can put some money in there and hopefully when he's old enough, it could help him buy his first home, or go towards university tuition.
There's no telling just how much money we've saved - if it was a normal week, I'd say about £20, but since he needs a wardrobe overhaul who knows! If this were a makeup spending ban, I'd have probably saved closer to £50, maybe less but I really did have a problem with buying makeup before I got pregnant!
If you're reading this, I challenge you to go on a week long spending ban and blog about how much money you saved by not buying that one thing you can't help yourself on, like your morning coffee, or maybe take lunch into work each day instead of buying it :)
That is a brilliant challenge! I usually impulse buy lipsticks, I swear it's an addiction. I once bought almost 10 lipstick in one week, it's really terrible. I usually put myself on a one month makeup ban, I do pretty good with it but once the ban is lifted, I go on a binge. :-/
ReplyDeleteShireen | Reflection of Sanity
I fear I'll binge now on baby clothes as he needs next size up stuff :P But then I have the excuse that he 'needs' it :D
ReplyDeleteI could never do a spending ban, you do have some good willpower x
ReplyDeletethemakeupjunkiesdiary.blogspot.co.uk
I always spend my spare money at the start of the month and then the rest of the month is pretty much like a spending ban! I end up writing a list of all the things I want but then when I have money again I find that I've changed my mind about half the things so taking the time to evaluate before purchasing can really help save money xx
ReplyDeleteIoanna | Hearting.co.uk
I think I may do a makeup week spending ban. I'm always buying impulse things too! x
ReplyDeleteAmy | www.perksofbeingamy.co.uk
A weeklong ban would be too easy for me, though. I don't really buy things all that often even though my makeup collection is pretty huge. I'm very tight-fisted with money, I guess :))
ReplyDeleteBeauty By Tellie
Ah it was easy, it was only a week :) The beginning of 2013 I did a 100 day spending ban, now THAT took willpower - and at the height of my spending addiction!
ReplyDeletehaha so it's like most of each month is a spending ban :)
ReplyDeleteYou should! Then blog about how much money you saved :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I was! Well, I suppose I am now, with makeup at least, it's just baby clothes that are my weak spot now :)
ReplyDelete