What do you buy too much of?

[saturdaysgoodwithme]

Just lighthearted as I can't sleep

I'll start - I buy way too many books.
I love to read but on my last count I have 518 on my bookshelf. I've cut back on spending now and am getting them from bookswaps instead

So what's your thing?

• clothes
• shoes
• cleaning products

I think I'm one step away from having a hoarding problem

I have been doing really well at bringing less in to my not so big house and also getting stuff out via Facebook free groups and vinted.

However my big weaknesses are:
Books - have a full shelf of unread books (like pp - too many children, not enough time!)
Random stuff from said free sites - recently, a crochet kit, kids ride on . . .
Clothes for the kids- I buy ahead second hand and have the next two years of clothes sorted. Fine, except we really don't have the space!

Toilet rolls. I buy 4 a week but normally we only use 2. Then I go cold turkey for about a month. It’s a roller coaster ride…

And plates. I have two important sets that I stalk online for second hand pieces.
But two days ago I ordered a different 18-piece set. The cost was offset by selling a hideous but apparently desirable ornament left to us by DMIL. I look on it as something that will remind us of her in a good way.

Coats - I don't know why. It's as though the 'practicality' of them assuages the guilt.

I was feeling a bit smug until l saw this. I have to stop myself going to the garden centre..every day!!

Food. In my head I still have a houseful of teenagers who will eat whatever jumps into my shopping trolley even though DH and I have an empty nest and he'd eat breakfast cereal three times a day given the option.

We have lots of cupboard and freezer space and my stock rotation is good so nothing is wasted.

I'm also a bit, "Ooh, shiny!" with sports kit.

Cappuccino pods

Cups/mugs, lipsticks and toiletries. I have quite a collection of espresso cups and my sons have banned me from bringing any more mugs into the house .
I have so many lipsticks I'm scared to count them! My fave one was discontinued and I've been on the hunt for a similar shade since. All lipsticks are a reddy/brown shade but never quite hit the mark .
Toiletries, specifically shower gels. My sons think I'm quite mad ( they're possibly right 😁) . I've a rotation of the 'best' ones on view but the everyday ones are out of site.

Food no wonder I am overweight... I genuinely enjoy food shopping and so does my DH - lucky for him he is not overweight - but now he is retired he loves popping out to buy food most days. I am driving back from a few days away today and already planning which nice farm shop type places I can call in at on the way home.

Red lipsticks
Frozen spinach (but annoyingly never the same quantity of paneer required to make the saag paneer I'm always buying the spinach for)
Emma Bridgewater sale pottery
Slightly dead and discounted houseplants that I can revive with an overnight steep in a dog bowl of water (50/50)
Ink
Pasta/olive oil/pesto

Books, although all mine are 99 p Kindle bargains. I have about 700 unread books and now I only allow myself to buy books I want when they are 99 p and I do buy a lot fewer than I used to do. At least mine aren't taking up space.

Also hair stuff, clothes and food to a lesser degree. It's not like I buy a lot of things or even that often, it's just that I don't really eat that much, use things so very slowly and wear things for years without getting rid of them. So everything just lasts...

I've recently had my hair restyled and bought a few different shampoos, conditioners, mousses and sprays to try, but I've realised that it will all probably last for a year or two before it runs out.

One advantage is that just about everything bought is on offer, so I don't really spend that much either. Barbara does not pay full price...

@LunaTheCat - oh I love when that happens!

It's usually something in Next for me. I've seen it and thought I'm not paying that and then they have a sale and it's reduced to 10 quid lol

Yes, plants. I have no room for any more, the patio is full and you have to play hopscotch to get to the table and chairs. The borders are packed full - but I'm still browsing catalogues and thinking - 'ooh that's pretty'.

@JeanMarie - I had a friend who loved lipsticks. Whenever we went out (even just to run errands or pop to the shops) she would buy a new lipstick
I'm sure her count is high too lol

Food here too. I have an irrational need for the cupboards to be full to bursting at all times. I do a 'big shop' even when we could comfortably manage for over a week with whats in the cupboards and freezer.

Also, cookbooks (which I don't have time to use!) There's a them here isn't there?

Oh man I just love these responses.
Made me realise I buy a lot of things I don't need to actually.

Another one for me is hair products.
I'm black and have very curly hair so when Boots and Superdrug do offers (1/3 off or BOGOF) on black hair care I go to town. I keep trying new brands to see if it works well with my hair and if it doesn't well it just sits there 🤦🏽‍♀️

I used to have a massive selection of mugs too

@toastinateapot @christmas2022 - I also love stationery. It got bad when I was at uni and went to paper chase. I hardly used any of it but "oh so pretty" 🤣

@BarbaraofSeville wow 700 books on your kindle! That's impressive.
I did try reading on a kindle - I think I have about 6 books on there but I couldn't get into it. I love the smell and feel of a paperback.

Cookbooks. My shelves are groaning under the weight.

Skincare, I get sucked in by the free gifts.

Gadgets, but I do use them regularly.

Bedding plants for hanging baskets I never make.

Boden cardigans- I can't bring myself to count how many I have!

Books

Gym gear - especially Sweaty Betty! Always use DD's student discount though

I also have a terrible habit that if I really like an item of clothing that I buy it in all colours....

I go for free Kindle books and Kindle Unlimited when it’s free for a few months, then cancel before you have to pay.

Yarn, but I have been very good and not bought any this year.

Also forgot to add...jigsaws

Crafting - I make cards and I buy too much paper, stamps and cutting dies….if I made 15 cards a night for the rest of my life - I don’t think I’d make a dent in my stash.

Coffee and expensive fruit from marks and Spencer's

Clothes and shoes for all of us (5 soon to be 6)

I don’t go a week without buying something new, although donate loads to charity so I try and think of it positively 😂
When we go away; we each have a different outfit for every evening and shoes to go with. So each child might take 5/6 pairs of shoes for the evening, as well as shoes for the day.
I also love buying swimwear for DD. As a result; I have a 9yo who currently owns 14 swimsuits 😑

Plants.....so many plants. Including house plants....my watering schedule is getting ridiculous for all the house plants I've amassed but I still want more..... despite not knowing where I'd put them.

Candles..... I just love them and have a cupboard full. I probably don't need to buy any more for about two years! (But I definitely will if I see a nice one....TK Maxx is dangerous for that.)

Reed diffusers. I have one in almost every room of the house! 😮

I actively stop myself from over buying the things I would over buy, works most of the time. If money and space was no object I would have every kitchen gadget on the market and an abundance of candles, vases and skincare products.

I'm working on food purchasing at the moment, I've got a terrible habit of buying the same stuff every week and I've got out of the habit of meal planning. We're doing a lot of work on the house at the moment and haven't had full use of the kitchen and I've had to throw away or compost far too much.