Lighthearted! What thing did you say you'd do as a sign you'd 'made it'?

[Tiredofitallagain]

I always said I'd know I'd 'made it' (whatever that means!) When I could go to M&S for my weekly shop!

DHs made it moment is when he can wake up on a spontaneous Saturday and decide to take us to Paris on a whim! (We are in UK)

Obviously his more exciting than mine but I guess for both it's about having enough disposable income to not feel guilt about 'luxury spontaneous' buys!

What are yours? Achieved? Gave you the thrill you thought?
(Ours as yet unacheived haha!)

Having a holiday home abroad.

I achieved it, but it wasn't worth all the problems that went with it.

If it was “lying on the sofa cuddling my cat with biscuit crumbs all over my tits”, I’m thrilled to announce I’ve bloody made it.

In my thirties I was desperate to own a house and in my forties we bought one.

It was lovely to be able to paint the walls whatever colour we wanted, to have cats, to let the children put posters on the walls and to finally have a garden.

To be able to afford makeup the counters and food shop at M&S. From reading this I realise that I failed in my aspirations and should have set my sights on first class travel!

When we moved to a really nice house in a nice area and my child was in a really good school, i felt as if I had made it.

Mine was always a fridge full of good food. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, salmon, prawns. Many years as a student and early career where it was filled with cheaper, processed food, I just wanted to eat well and I do now. My fridge is filled with all of that food. Not wealthy by any means, but comfortable enough to prioritise food choices and I am very grateful for that!

But something from Tiffany in New York. I was in a tizzy with excitement!

From being a young mum on benefits to a higher earning tax payer, I have gone from the children having holes in their shoes and having to wait a week or two until the money came in before they could have new shoes, to having, shoes, boots, slippers, sandals etc.
When my 20 yr old grandson was young and came to stay he saw all of our shoes and said ‘Daddy just ask Grandma for some money, she’s rich- look at all those shoes’! Unknown to that gorgeous little boy Grandma did regularly give Daddy some money!!

When we paid off the mortgage.

Did you get them when they were elderly? Just interested...

They were kittens! But in my youthful enthusiasm I didn’t really consider that 17 years down the line I’d essentially be running a nursing home for bewildered pets - particularly given the recent acquisition of my late mother’s ancient, bad-tempered cat and nervy dog (who was bullied by the cat as a puppy, and now has a full-on cat phobia requiring canine behavioural intervention).

Always stagger your pets!

sounds fun though 😊 just reading 'secret life, with cats' a.niffenegger .. very topical!
poor nervy dog, hope he improves 🤞

There were lots of milestones but the first one was a beautiful Aspinal handbag in black croc leather

To be able to buy a CD just because i wanted it. To be able to get a taxi home alone not waiting around for ages for friends or being dragged away when having fun. I remember seeing someone flag a taxi during the afternoon with lots of shopping bags and being in awe. A achieved sometime in early 2000s when I was in my 20s.

To own my own car. To stay in a nice hotel. To be able to eat in a nice restaurant. All possible now thankfully.

I just bought my own home, my first by myself. I love to look around and think ‘I did this’.

I knew my DH had made it when we went to the London eye, he took 1 look at the queue and bought VIP tickets.

I remember saying I’d know I’d made it when all the knickers in my knicker drawer were decent.

I always thought the epitome of having "made it" was moving into a house with a second drainer sink in the kitchen :)

I think you've made it!

Buying a birthday card I like without considering the price. Did this recently without realising

Being able to finally start PROPERLY tackling my debt. For years prior to moving in with my partner and getting a pay-rise mid 2025, I’d just be paying minimum on credit cards, but then spending again to cover basics so never really getting it down. It’s bloody hard living alone. Also taking out consolidation loans with the purpose of clearing the debt until an unexpected bill came along. I guess the real ‘i have made it’ moment will come when I clear these debts but it feels good to see chunks of it decreasing as the months go on

Jump a 7ft hedge (on a horse!)

Achieved.

For me it's being able to afford things for my kids that only the well off kids had/did when I was at school eg buying Derwent colouring pencils, buying clothing and shoes from recognised brands (Nike etc) rather than the cheapest department stores.

I still feel grateful when I can go to the shops and pretty much put whatever I want in the trolley.

Being able to go overseas on holidays. I was the first one in my family to go overseas (on my honeymoon) meanwhile my kids have been to 3 different continents.

I was once trying to lose a little bit of weight, maybe only 8-10 pounds, and I'd replaced my tiny gold hoop earrings. I told myself that when I reached the half-way mark, I could start wearing one earring, and when I reached the final goal, I could put in the second earring.
The problem was that I plateaued halfway. And for the longest time, I had people coming up to me and saying, very gently, very politely, "I'm sorry to tell you this, but you've lost an earring."

Always said you've made it when you have a kitchen island.....now have a large one. Sadly have to downsize from divorce so prob wont have one again. It was good whilst it lasted.