Dealing with the Wanties

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I have an illness.   It’s called 'the wanties'.  I don’t think it is hereditary but I am fairly sure that it’s contagious.  I seem to catch it from my Mum, my sister, my friends and my bloddies.  Admittedly some days it is worse than others but it’s always there - an illness that I will have to deal with for the rest of my life.  I think I am beyond cure now but I have found ways to make the symptoms more manageable for my husband and me.  I have tried many things but the most effective approach, I have found, is to have savings.  I don’t have much in the way of savings at any one time but the money we have kept by has certainly helped me through the more serious bouts of the illness. 

My current spending obsession - this smells amazing! Have bought two bottles of the shower gel since our spa trip!

Joking aside, I do sometimes feel as though I am cursed with an illness called the wanties.   An ex of mine always called me a ‘marketeer’s dream’.  He was so right.  I am a sucker for marketing tricks; nice styling and special offers having me reaching for my wallet every time.  I have always read lots of magazines which add fuel to the fire but now I’ve discovered blogging I am even worse.  No wonder so many ad agencies have cottoned on to the power of the blogger’s review; the rapport between bloggers can be very strong and a review by someone whose opinions you have come to trust can be very powerful indeed.  If the lovely Vanessa, for example, recommends a book it’s in my Amazon basket quicker than you can say ‘crochet’.  If Lucy shares the gorgeous colourful photos of her Spring bulbs, my supermarket shop is a teeny bit more expensive that week as hyacinths and daffodils sneak their way into the trolley.  

I used to think that credit cards were the way to deal with the wanties.  Stick everything on the credit card and worry later.  Instant gratification.  Then I married a bank manager who frowned upon my frivolous spending.  (I caved; it’s a sexy frown let me tell you.)  Now I have ‘pocket money’ each week and if I don’t spend it, I save it.  The money goes into my savings account and enables me to have a proper splurge when the wanties hit hard.  It is amazing how easy it is for me to control the wanties when I know that I have the means to make a guilt-free purchase.  Savings are so precious to me that I think twice, often thrice, before hitting the ‘confirm order’ button.  This makes me happy - I feel liberated and in control - when I buy something that I’ve thought long and hard about, I am even more grateful for it.  Andrew’s happy, too.  No more cheery announcements of "baked beans for dinner all week I’m afraid, darling, but I do have the most gorgeous handbag you’re going to just LOVE". 

My new and beloved De Manta clutch bag.  Paid for with the pocket money I saved.  Yay me! 

Hope everyone is having a good week!  So glad it's nearly the weekend, I've got loads planned including a bit of shopping at a local vintage fair and afternoon tea with my oldest friend before she gets married on Monday.    

Thanks for popping by - I need to catch up on loads of blogs this weekend as I feel a bit out of touch.  With these gorgeously sunny evenings I just have to be outside!  :-)  

Nicki 

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