Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Recent purchases #2
Two posts in two days...this is the way I'd like it to continue, but let's not get over excited ey?!
The fact is, September has been a horrid month, money wise. It started with the power steering failing on our mini... we thought it would cost nearer a grand but we were "lucky" with £500... then the MOT, service, repairs, car insurance, road tax, building insurance, content insurance. And the new dodgeball season has begun, so we're back to paying for petrol to take us halfway round the country every weekend. This month, I really am moneyless, but clearly I've been pretending to myself that I'm not, as here's a few of the things I've been buying (okay, some of them were bought in August...):
First up, Amazon- I bought this glasses case, because I'd cracked the boring Boots one I got when I bought my glasses. I was looking for one like this, as it's pretty much perfect: floral print, lightweight, hard shell to protect, and a zip all the way around so that your glasses don't fall out if you drop it. Not to mention, the perfect size and a great price!
Then after losing one of my favourite earrings, I decided to explore the internet for another of the same pair...no luck. However, I did remember how much I loved the brand, "Pilgrim", and decided it was time to treat myself. I got this simple pair, because they'll go with anything and I have a thing for heart-shaped earrings, but trust me I have my eye on many more!
It must have been a bleak day (isn't it always when you lose something?!), so I needed a bit of colour in my life. In the form of the ultimate pens that we've all loved since the beginning of time. They almost manage to make writing meeting minutes exciting...
ASOS has been my other guilty pleasure. I did worry that buying this £9.99 year-long next day delivery would be dangerous! I've actually ordered too many things to list here, but a lot of them ended up going back. A few of the things were make-up/ nail polish too (after falling in love with Barry M Greenberry, I thought I'd try some of the other gelly polishes... for some reason they just don't seem to last as long, wahh!).
I think the favourite thing I ordered has to be this vest by Monki. I feel like I "needed" it because I have a severe lack of slogan/ band tees or vests, but it's risky because I think I look far cooler than I actually do when I wear it: a trip to the cinema in this, skinnies, wedge boots and a big leopard print cardi and I felt on top of the world. Oops.
Might I also mention that because Ted's still a student, I made him purchase an NUS Extra card for £11 a year. There's 5% discount at Amazon, and 10% (sometimes 20%) at ASOS... just to make me feel less bad about my purchases!
Monday, 16 September 2013
Wishlists: A good idea?
The other day I read a really great post by A Thrifty Mrs , and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since.
I started wondering if I'm one of these "now" people that she talks of... and it made me think about the wish lists I write, and whether they are a good idea.
I've written "wish lists" for a long long time, and not just in the traditional "blogger" way. When I was at secondary school I'd spend most evenings looking through catalogues lying around the house, circling products and writing lists of what I wanted. Obviously at that age there was zero chance of me being able to afford these products (usually stationary and home stuff, but sometimes clothes), so just looking at them and imagining they were mine was about as good as I could get!
Now though, I do have some money, so it's a bit more dangerous. Every day at work I spend a long lunch break scouring the entire website of ASOS/ Topshop/ H&M/ Boohoo... etc. I'm wasting my time but I always feel such a great sense of achievement when I find something I like, the "perfect" product I've imagined, or just a great bargain.
Most of the time, I don't buy these products. I just note them down. I copy the image, and the link, and I paste them in a huge document on my laptop- 'Jess's wish list'. Then, when I'm down, or bored, I open up that file and grin from ear to ear as I see the pretty dresses, cool shoes, stylish bags I've made a list of over the last few weeks or months. And then I want them all over again, and I click on the links and see if my size is still in stock/ it happens to have made the cut for a sale. This time, I do buy things. Many things. You see, I think I'm doing myself a favour by not buying instantly. I tell myself that writing things down, and seeing if I still want them days/weeks/months later, is mature, and sensible, and maybe even frugal.
Sometimes, that's true. Take the Juju jelly shoes that have been on trend this summer, for instance. I decided I wanted a mint green pair, and they made it onto the wish list. For days I'd check my wish list and hover over the jelly shoes, wondering if today was the day I should buy them. And then suddenly, a fortnight on, I viewed my list and looked at the jelly shoes in disgust- I finally agreed with Ted that they looked tacky and I'd never actually wear them. So they were deleted.
Most of the time though, it's not. A few months ago, there was a jacket I fell in love with while browsing some brand I'd discovered on some blog. It was perfect, and not too expensive. But, it was also the end of the work day, and I hadn't yet put it onto the wish list. It turned 5pm, and I logged off. I drove home, had a busy evening, returned to work the next day. The jacket was forgotten, never looked at again, never bought. And there are many other items like it. So is that money saved by not writing things down, and potentially forgetting about them?
I'm not sure. Writing lists/ recording things is all part of being organised, and with clothes is all part of feeling up to date with fashion. I don't think I'm ever going to stop, but I need to be careful. They need to be wish lists, not "lists of things I will buy in two weeks' time".
To demonstrate that I'm not stopping, here's one coming up! I absolutely love the River Island parka, and the Next monochrome dress. The shoes would be perfect for work... I currently live in some similar leopard print brogue-types. And as it gets colder (urghh, off work with chicken soup today as my voice has gone and I'm really fluey!) I turn to jeans rather than skirts/ dresses; this grey biker pair might actually get purchased as I love the detailing on the knee and think they'd look really edgy with florals/ a fluffy knit.
I started wondering if I'm one of these "now" people that she talks of... and it made me think about the wish lists I write, and whether they are a good idea.
I've written "wish lists" for a long long time, and not just in the traditional "blogger" way. When I was at secondary school I'd spend most evenings looking through catalogues lying around the house, circling products and writing lists of what I wanted. Obviously at that age there was zero chance of me being able to afford these products (usually stationary and home stuff, but sometimes clothes), so just looking at them and imagining they were mine was about as good as I could get!
Now though, I do have some money, so it's a bit more dangerous. Every day at work I spend a long lunch break scouring the entire website of ASOS/ Topshop/ H&M/ Boohoo... etc. I'm wasting my time but I always feel such a great sense of achievement when I find something I like, the "perfect" product I've imagined, or just a great bargain.
Most of the time, I don't buy these products. I just note them down. I copy the image, and the link, and I paste them in a huge document on my laptop- 'Jess's wish list'. Then, when I'm down, or bored, I open up that file and grin from ear to ear as I see the pretty dresses, cool shoes, stylish bags I've made a list of over the last few weeks or months. And then I want them all over again, and I click on the links and see if my size is still in stock/ it happens to have made the cut for a sale. This time, I do buy things. Many things. You see, I think I'm doing myself a favour by not buying instantly. I tell myself that writing things down, and seeing if I still want them days/weeks/months later, is mature, and sensible, and maybe even frugal.
Sometimes, that's true. Take the Juju jelly shoes that have been on trend this summer, for instance. I decided I wanted a mint green pair, and they made it onto the wish list. For days I'd check my wish list and hover over the jelly shoes, wondering if today was the day I should buy them. And then suddenly, a fortnight on, I viewed my list and looked at the jelly shoes in disgust- I finally agreed with Ted that they looked tacky and I'd never actually wear them. So they were deleted.
Most of the time though, it's not. A few months ago, there was a jacket I fell in love with while browsing some brand I'd discovered on some blog. It was perfect, and not too expensive. But, it was also the end of the work day, and I hadn't yet put it onto the wish list. It turned 5pm, and I logged off. I drove home, had a busy evening, returned to work the next day. The jacket was forgotten, never looked at again, never bought. And there are many other items like it. So is that money saved by not writing things down, and potentially forgetting about them?
I'm not sure. Writing lists/ recording things is all part of being organised, and with clothes is all part of feeling up to date with fashion. I don't think I'm ever going to stop, but I need to be careful. They need to be wish lists, not "lists of things I will buy in two weeks' time".
To demonstrate that I'm not stopping, here's one coming up! I absolutely love the River Island parka, and the Next monochrome dress. The shoes would be perfect for work... I currently live in some similar leopard print brogue-types. And as it gets colder (urghh, off work with chicken soup today as my voice has gone and I'm really fluey!) I turn to jeans rather than skirts/ dresses; this grey biker pair might actually get purchased as I love the detailing on the knee and think they'd look really edgy with florals/ a fluffy knit.
Sunday, 1 September 2013
Life Update
So I think now I have to admit that "blogging life" is going to start slowly, and irregularly, for me. We're redecorating (including stripping the whole house of nasty woodchip wallpaper) which is a pain, and I've become a bit of a sport and exercise junky lately. So by the time I've had my tea and showered, and turned my laptop on, well, I've usually fallen asleep on it and then I wake up to go to work and the cycle begins again...
Here's a little update on my last few weeks:
- It was my Dad's 50th birthday party... a surprisingly good night and really nice seeing some family and friends I hadn't bumped into in a long time! I wasn't sure what to wear, but this new dress from Sugarhill Boutique did the trick (I think I actually love it):
- I've decided that, as much as I love fashion, I love comfort just as much. I'd always vote for trainers above heels, and love a good hoody... though I'm not sure I'd ever go as far as fleeces/ crocs/ birkenstocks. This decision culminated in the purchase of this little fella' from Cath Kidston... absolutely perfect for carrying my laptop and various bits and bobs to and from work. The comfort (and florals) are worth looking a bit silly!
- We bought a dishwasher last week, and I feel like it's saved my life. Washing up is just the worst, and so is that horrible feeling when you see how filthy your kitchen is. I'm loving how quick and easy it is to clear up after meals now!
- It was EuroDodge 2013 last weekend, in Chester... and it was great! I'm a coach for England, and England won both the men's and women's tournaments (wahoo!), plus Ted's Scotland team came second in the men's... it's just a shame I got roped into refereeing on the first day! There were ten men's teams and eight women's, and everyone was so fun and friendly- I'm already looking forward to Vienna 2014. I'm old before my time and feel like I'm still recovering from our two big nights out though... I can't cope with not getting home until 5!
- I've been doing lots of "name related" bits and bobs. My surname is GOSHAWK, like the bird, and last weekend on our way home from Chester we stopped off at a pub called "The Goshawk"... unfortunately my attempts to get a free drink failed. This weekend, my little brother and sister are visiting, and we went to "York Bird of Prey Centre" and they actually had a Goshawk, that they let us hold! Goshawks are really dangerous birds, so we were really surprised and pleased, if not a little bit terrified!
- If I do post anytime soon, it will probably be either an ASOS haul or an ASOS wishlist. I was in urgent need of some black moccasins last week, and so I added some to my basket on ASOS and selected "next day delivery"... it was £5.95, and I was about to pay when I noticed the "unlimited next day delivery for 1 year, £9.95" banner. Well it would have been STUPID NOT TO, right?! ASOS stock everything now- I buy my nail polish from there, most of my presents for family and friends, and they seem to stock half of the brands I regularly buy anyway.
Ciao for now,
Jess
Here's a little update on my last few weeks:
- It was my Dad's 50th birthday party... a surprisingly good night and really nice seeing some family and friends I hadn't bumped into in a long time! I wasn't sure what to wear, but this new dress from Sugarhill Boutique did the trick (I think I actually love it):
- I've decided that, as much as I love fashion, I love comfort just as much. I'd always vote for trainers above heels, and love a good hoody... though I'm not sure I'd ever go as far as fleeces/ crocs/ birkenstocks. This decision culminated in the purchase of this little fella' from Cath Kidston... absolutely perfect for carrying my laptop and various bits and bobs to and from work. The comfort (and florals) are worth looking a bit silly!
- We bought a dishwasher last week, and I feel like it's saved my life. Washing up is just the worst, and so is that horrible feeling when you see how filthy your kitchen is. I'm loving how quick and easy it is to clear up after meals now!
- It was EuroDodge 2013 last weekend, in Chester... and it was great! I'm a coach for England, and England won both the men's and women's tournaments (wahoo!), plus Ted's Scotland team came second in the men's... it's just a shame I got roped into refereeing on the first day! There were ten men's teams and eight women's, and everyone was so fun and friendly- I'm already looking forward to Vienna 2014. I'm old before my time and feel like I'm still recovering from our two big nights out though... I can't cope with not getting home until 5!
- I've been doing lots of "name related" bits and bobs. My surname is GOSHAWK, like the bird, and last weekend on our way home from Chester we stopped off at a pub called "The Goshawk"... unfortunately my attempts to get a free drink failed. This weekend, my little brother and sister are visiting, and we went to "York Bird of Prey Centre" and they actually had a Goshawk, that they let us hold! Goshawks are really dangerous birds, so we were really surprised and pleased, if not a little bit terrified!
- If I do post anytime soon, it will probably be either an ASOS haul or an ASOS wishlist. I was in urgent need of some black moccasins last week, and so I added some to my basket on ASOS and selected "next day delivery"... it was £5.95, and I was about to pay when I noticed the "unlimited next day delivery for 1 year, £9.95" banner. Well it would have been STUPID NOT TO, right?! ASOS stock everything now- I buy my nail polish from there, most of my presents for family and friends, and they seem to stock half of the brands I regularly buy anyway.
Ciao for now,
Jess
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)