[Goosegirl]

For as long as I can remember, most of my wages and savings were spent on the house and other essential things like running a car, and most holidays were either spent with rellies or staying at home. This year will be a special birthday so we're going to a rather posh restaurant in Marlow and next year on a Hebridean cruise! As my wardrobe doesn't consist of many special clothes and have only two pairs of best shoes, I went shopping big-time! Ended up with three pairs of lovely shoes and the most amazing assortment of lovely (and rather expensive) clothes including a fabulous LBD (gentlemen - that's ladies' talk for a little black dress). I can't believe how happy and uplifted it's made me feel to be able to spend money on myself for a change. I can thoroughly recommend it to anyone who feels the same. Flipping happy days ahead!!!

[jaydig]

What a lovely treat to look forward to.  We don't spend much on ourselves either, we just buy what's necessary and spend bits here and there on the house or garden, so when it was our fiftieth wedding anniversary two years ago, we saved up for a week in Italy in a really nice hotel on Lake Garda.  It was a really special holiday, particularly because, like you, we either stay at home or have a few days away.
I hope you get as much pleasure from your holiday as we did, both in the looking forward to it, and actually being there.  We will, of course, expect to see lots of pics when you get home, especially of you in your lbd.

[snowdrops]

Good for you GG, you enjoy it & remember you don’t need to justify it to either yourself or anyone else because “you’re worth it” the holiday sounds wonderful.

[sarajane]

Good on you GG. nothing like some retail therapy to put a skip in your step and boost confidence.  I bet you keep peeking in the wardrobe to look at them.

[Goosegirl]

Thank you for all your kind messages. This morning I felt a bit worried about my post because I didn't want it to sound as if I was bragging, so am glad it's not been taken that way. To add to this, I will be having a double cataract op so I won't need my awful thick-lens glasses meaning another little spend on some new make-up for my eyes plus a better hair style. Oh deepest joy! I promise to send you all some piccies and believe me, that lbd is to die for! 

[jaydig]

It didn't sound like bragging at all GG, you just seemed so excited to have something really nice to look forward to that it gave me a lift just reading about your plans and shopping trip. 

[Tenhens]

Goosegirl , you've earned it , you spend it and why not.   Your plans sound very exciting and you may come back thinking , why didn't we do this before.

Mrs Tenhens and I have mentioned to our off spring that we may sell the house one day and spend 'their' inheritance , and sail off on one of those extra long cruises.   Helps keep them in line!!!

Not heard LBD before   

[LILLILEAF]

I am very happy for you GG,enjoy all your goodies, we all need some thing nice and new once in a while it puts a smile on your face .

[Growster...]

Marvelous, Your Fragrancy!

Well done for all this - you're worth it!

The best part is all the planning too. And make sure you keep a diary. We still hoot at diaries we all wrote in the seventies, and when the girls were older, they added huge amounts of fun and laughter, and we just treasure every memory as if it were yesterday!

Like the idea of an LBD..;0) Pics please..:0)

[rowlandwells]

well done GG I thought we where the only ones breaking the bank we started of last year when I bought a new rotavator then the wife bought a new kitchen then we had to rebuild a garden wall that had seen better days

 good on you spend and enjoy live a little because we only live once some say keep a bit back for a rainy day some that I know must be saving for a real down poor hope you have a lovely time on your hols I'm sure you will be thinking about us poor gardeners doing all that planting and digging when your drinking your favourite tipple 

[Goosegirl]

TBH, it's really (sort of) my OH's fault! He started it by saying you want to go somewhere special for your birthday so how about that Hebridean Princess cruise around the Scottish Isles we've always lusted after?  Nope - they were all booked-up so decided to book a trip for next year. Whilst we were on a roll he said why don't we book two nights in Tom Kerridge's pub in Marlowe? Oh wow!! It's not far from our rellies in Oxfordshire, so booked that as well. Trouble was that my wardrobe was rather sparse in the posh clothes department (as in one very old dress, a pair of black trousers and a couple of shiny tops) because we rarely go to those sort of events so that's how it all began. Sarajane - my beautiful shopping bag containing my purchases was next to my chair for about two days because I just wanted to look and touch them again then pinch myself that they were actually mine! The three pairs of shoes? OMG! One is a smart but casual loafer, but the other two can be worn with either a nice outfit or a posh dress. I believe we should all do this whether it be as we have done, or just a present to yourself as acknowledgement for all you've done or been through, or just to indulge in something to give you a lift when needed. I know money is tight in these days but just go and buy a lovely bunch of flowers, that DVD you've always meant to buy, a special bath product to indulge in, a new lippie, and for the genuine homeless perhaps a big hug?

[rowlandwells]

I always cringe when I see our gardening spend that's for compost many plug plants but when we see the flowers full of summer colour it makes spending that money all worth while 

[Goosegirl]

Well - I've just had another couple of spends!!  Whilst collecting the trousers I got that needed shortening I saw a lovely strappy top, a beautiful bolero jacket to go with my LBD and ... another dress!!!! This one is sort of a floaty one with three layers of fabric in white with pastel flowers that look like a blurred watercolour painting. My other spend (actually two) was on two Lladro ballerinas, one of which I bought as a birthday present for me which we're going to collect from Bolton in the next few days. I will send you piccies of these and my two dresses. Now - what have you treated yourselves to?