I have always said that I am not materialistic, money doesn't matter and material possessions didn't make a blind bit of difference in my life but I've come to realise that may have been a premature, unrealistic and full on fraudulent statement. I am a material girl living in a material world loving Prada on a Primark budget.
I am not well off. I'm not even cosy let alone comfortable. I have debt, a lot of bills that cost more money than I have most months and I'm trying desperately to rectify this so I am in a good financial and credit worthy position for the future if I ever want to buy a house or take out a loan (probably to buy the house). I make choices every day for luxuries and I know if I buy something, something else will suffer. A coffee in Starbucks with a friend is £4 that I could have bought fruit with for my daughters' school snacks. A £10 skirt from Primark is half of my weekly electricity credit. £60 on a bag is my weekly food shop including household cleaning items for four people and two dogs.
However, I do make these choices. I will choose to buy a lipstick and a skirt that cost £30 and live on stir fried vegetables and instant coffee for the week. I'll buy clothes for the girls and turn the heating off in the Winter when the girls are in school. I am materialistic because I want these luxuries in life.
I'm very lucky that I don't have luxury taste and I am also lucky that essentials such as food, rent, heating, electricity etc matter much more to me than candles and eyeshadow primer. I will always put my children, their safety and their well being first even if that means me eating toast for every meal and no luxuries for months on end. I know where to draw the line now but I haven't always.
In 2007 I was eighteen. The bank had offered me an £800 overdraft and a credit card with a £2000 limit and immediately after receiving them I entered into a contract for a top of the range (at the time) Nokia and had withdrawn £500 that I spent on a lot of cheap things. I couldn't carry the things home alone, they wouldn't all fit on the bed and it racked up so easily with each item being £10-20 that I had a LOT of things. Now? I own none of those things and for seven years I've owed a lot of money paying it off as and when I could as for the past five years I've been unemployed and on benefits, in short term jobs or freelance. Now? I'm debt free in three weeks.
I'm determined to continue making choices and not use this card for lots of shopping. It has served me well being a woman who likes nice things but has to save and wait for them so this credit card will be used for small things, paid off quickly each month and it's main purpose is for building credit again. My credit file is the bane of my existence but I will make it a friend because one day I will need a loan or a mortgage and if I can get my finances in order I can get my life in order.
I'm very lucky to get a lot of discounts and products through blogging which is really lovely when I know that I'd never have discovered the product before, wouldn't have ever been able to afford or justify the expense or may have wasted money on a product that just doesn't work for me but there are many things I lust over that I haven't been offered and in those times it is a battle of my heart and head with will in the middle seeing which one it sides with.
My name is Ella. I like nice things but I will make good choices to do so. Now, when is the Zara City back in stock?
This was a great post, really interesting to read! Good luck when you get your new credit card :) xx
ReplyDeletewww.LaurasHaven.com
Very good post. I work in debt management and I know exactly where you are coming from - I think the banks have a lot of blame in this, giving credit like that to an 18 year old is called irresponsible lending in my book...
ReplyDeleteI'm not in debt but I do have a spending problem, coupled with the fact that I am very impulsive when shopping. But as I've grown older I start to feel buyers remorse which I am thankful for! Congrats on being almost debt free! xx
ReplyDelete-Trina ♥
trinawears.com
Such a great post, Ella. We all like nice things, but it's nice to see someone admit it and admit the sacrifice which comes with it, and the responsibility you need to have over your choices. xx
ReplyDeleteGreat post :) I too got in a stupid amount of debt when I was younger, girls holidays, nice clothes and nights out. I don't regret it because I had so much fun BUT I hated the debt. I was lucky enough to pay mine off in full last week thanks to my hubby. Now I just need to tackle the overdrafts!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I will ever get a credit card again, I simply cannot trust myself. x
Leanne - A Slice of My Life
i try to pretend that i'm not a materialistic person but one look at a glamour magazine and five minutes later i'm on asos looking at £85 dresses considering whether to use my savings because i like it and it's pretty. obviously i would never sacrifice my health or my family's health but sometimes my inner spendaholic wants.. no NEEDS those nice things. what can a girl do ay?
ReplyDeletei think you're a very inspiring person in terms of how much you have to deal with, luckily i'm comfortable financially and don't have to worry too much.. but i really admire your honesty. i'll say it again, i really love your style of writing.. funny, witty and real xx
I love how blunt and honest you've been
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