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Original poster

What did you do/use/buy that you wouldn’t dream of now?

73 replies

CurlsandCurves · 30/08/2019 21:42

I was at the supermarket this afternoon, and I saw someone with a 10 pack of Capri Sun. It jogged a memory in me, as I used to buy these. Some weeks I’d buy 2 packs, one orange, one blackcurrant at £3 a pop.

Now I can’t believe I did that, it’s such a massive amount to spend on juice!

Absolutely not wanting this to be a judgemental thread, we are all different and what’s excessive to some is standard to others. But if you’ve changed your habits, what do you look back at now and think ‘I can’t believe I used to do, have, buy that!’

OP posts:
Tigresswoods · 30/08/2019 21:48

Smirnoff Ice. The sugar in those things, OMG.

HalfManHalfLabrador · 30/08/2019 21:57

Glossy box subscription. €20 pm for a load of old tat and samples that were mostly binned anyway Blush

HalfManHalfLabrador · 30/08/2019 21:58

*€14 not €20 but still!!

HalfManHalfLabrador · 30/08/2019 22:00

Actually just went and checked the amount it’s €14 plus €5 pp so I was closer with the €20. I’ll shut up now

PoppingOneOutIn2020 · 30/08/2019 22:06

Smoked!
I always told everyone I was only a social smoker and I was never really addicted.. but then I realised spending nearly £10 every day of every month was absolutely mental and i couldnt shake the habit.

DP took my debit cards off me so i couldnt buy any, he helped me cut down by buying and keeping my fags and would only give me one 3 times a day and I eventually found where he was hiding them and was smoking like a train again.

The only thing that stopped me was when we found out we are pregnant, it was instant and I havent even had an ounce of craving to smoke since seeing the first line on that test.

alcohol on the other hand.. give me a bloody g&t already!

Pearofwisdom · 30/08/2019 22:13

Glossy box as well Blush
Amazing I had enough spare money that I didn't have time to work out what to spend it on so let glossy box spend it for me. And on micellar water and mini mascaras! I still have them all, unused, in a box somewhere.

EmpressJewel · 31/08/2019 17:03

Magazines.

I used to buy Cosmo, Marie Clare, just Seventeen, Big, Smash Hits, Closer, New, Look and countless others over the years.

A couple of month ago, I was given a pile over a couple of months and I realised how bad they were. Literally every cover had either Cheryl Cole/tweedy/whatever or Katie Price and the information was so out of date... (despite it only being a few weeks old)

flirtygirl · 01/09/2019 00:36

Magazines. I only ever bought them on special offer subscriptions usually £1 or less per issue but now they are free with the local library and rb digital.

Also used to buy capri suns and right now I'm wasting £1.29 per week on 3 bottles of x cola from aldi or lidl, I'm in love with the stuff.

Also cleaning products probably around £5 a month before, now it's £1 or 2 per month. And by not using body wash has saved £££s. Soap lasts longer and is much cheaper.

Lookingsparkly · 01/09/2019 00:41

Bottled water

SlightlySleepy · 01/09/2019 00:42

The gym. I really tried to like it. I hated it but just kept in paying in the hope that I'd get a personality change. I didn't.

mystupidmistake · 01/09/2019 00:44

I currently spend over £10 a week of fizzy juice and it’s driving me mad but I can’t stop myself!

If someone told me I had to sign up for a DD for that amount for my juice I’d laugh at them but it’s apparently acceptable to me to spend that as long as it’s coming out of my purse £1.70 at a time.

BlindAssassin1 · 01/09/2019 11:08

Hair cuts - the only decent hair dresser I ever found charged between £50-70 for just a cut alone. Add whatever they were flogging and transport and that's £100. Every few months.

I bought a pair of proper scissors to do a trim myself and my hair is so much happier.... as is my bank balance.

Gluten free bread. It tastes like dusty cardboard, crumbles and falls apart and mostly tastes like disappointment. At over three quid a loaf I can do without it. There's one decent brand but I wait until its on offer.

Orangecake123 · 01/09/2019 16:17

Disposable sanitary towels. 6/7 months ago I was having very heavy period. After soaking through two normal pads in less than 30 mins- I made 5 of my own (there's guides online ) that I wash and reuse.

I also gave up buying so much clothing- in october it will be two years. In that time I've bought a pair of gloves as I lost mine and running shoes.

Make up.

I'm also giving up meat and am making the transition slowly.

Monday55 · 02/09/2019 07:40

I've given up buying clothes & shoes. I have soo many unopened boxes of shoes and suitcases full of clothes that still has tags. I tend to wear the same outfits weekly so it's probably going to be a decade before everything gets worn out.

Pinkyyy · 02/09/2019 08:07

I used to buy breakfast and lunch every day at work. By the time I'd paid for fuel and parking, it was costing me £20 a day to go to work.

QueenOfWinterfell · 02/09/2019 19:14

Expensive skin care. Am now using Avene from Boots and there’s absolutely no difference to the appearance of my skin.

MissCharleyP · 02/09/2019 19:22

Lottery tickets; I even used to have fast pay cards - £20 a week. I have started playing the set for life game now but not religiously.

AMAM8916 · 06/09/2019 21:14

Dior pink clay face mask! T zone do one that works just the same for £6 and it lasts about 3 months. The dior one did about 5 applications and was £55. I must have been off my rocker!

Jumblebee · 09/09/2019 08:41

Lunch every day at work. £3.50 everyday for a meal deal, now I only work 2 days per week but I always take a packed lunch.

Gingernaut · 09/09/2019 08:44

Magazines - Psychology, New Scientist, Good Housekeeping and Cross Stitch mags.

All about a fiver a pop. New Scientist is a fiver a week.

What. Was. I. Thinking?????

JoyceJeffries · 09/09/2019 08:49

Magazines. I feel far happier not having them in my life.

Expensive skincare. Just use Superdrug own brand now and my skin looks pretty much the same.

Bellasblankexpression · 09/09/2019 08:56

Expensive skincare. Switched to an own brand and my skin is better than ever

OneRingToRuleThemAll · 09/09/2019 08:57

Breakfast in Pret. £2 every single day.

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 09/09/2019 09:04

Books. I used to buy a Couple of paperbacks every week with my weekly shopping in ASDA. The 2 for £7 offers usually but often Id go for a more expensive one and sometimes I’d buy 4! (thats £14!!)

Magazines, a couple of them too.

Flowers £5-£10 a pop

Nail varnishes

Expensive shampoos/conditioners

my weekly shopping would be over £100 a week regularly due to just picking whatever I fancied off the shelf in Asda (a new toaster? Sure- why not) now a days I can’t even afford to shop in Asda. It’s Lidl and usually spend £35-£40 a week for 3 of us. Can’t believe the shit I used to waste money on.

Rainbowknickers · 09/09/2019 09:06

Magazines-I was spending £30 a week!
Smoking-£10.50 a day plus tips and papers on top
Sweets and chocolate-at least £5 a day
Meal deals-two a day-5 times a week-£6
I quit smoking (use a vape) have a meal deal once a week and buy sweets/chocolate with my food shopping-once it’s gone it’s gone so no more mindless snacking
I’ve just started online shopping so at least I’m spending about half on stuff I need and have something to show for it