Do you ever want to buy new clothes and have money in the bank?

Know its not for everyone - I've been buying vintage/charity shop clothing since I was 14 so I've got very good at it. Still have the fun of the chase, some pretty new-to-me clothes and enough pennies for the ponies.

We've been pretty lucky in being able to part-furnish the cottage with family furniture over the years too - my late father used to take an inventory every time we (or my bro who is the same) visited :) :)
 
I am planning a gap year for when I am 65, all my current animals will have passed on by then and I am resisting taking on new ones now most strongly. I am off round the world (probably riding round the world) seeing everything there is to see. When the year is up I will be back to buy a four year old.
 
Ebay is my friend! I love the bargains I can pick up on ebay (Max Mara dress, £49, originally £275!) and it means I can still look good in nice clothes for a cheap price. Furniture and just about everything else we need tends to come from ebay as well. My hair is short so I do need regular cuts but I don't have expensive treatments (I dye it with henna). Beauty treatments I make out of ingredients in my kitchen. I would probably do all this even if I didn't have my pony because, if I'm honest, I'm a bit of a tight wad! God knows when I will take a break from horses as both my daughters ride and will probably always keep them at our place. We love having them around and love the routines they give to our lives. When the girls get a bit older we could probably have the odd weekend away as they will be able to stay in the house on their own but long holidays are out as OH is a bit of a workaholic - it's why I got the pony in the first place!
 
Tiddlypom said:
Most of my spare cash goes on the neds. I've never been fussed about meals out or posh clothes, so its no hardship not having them.

Cortez, I'm sure that I remember you posting a while ago that you only kept horses because you needed them for work. Once you packed the work in, they would go.

Are you getting sentimental in your old age :eek:?
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Unfortunately not; still working!
 
I tried clothes shopping today and it was a fail. Tried a few shirts on and they were the wrong cut, material and looked rubbish. Boots were ok ish. I do have my hair cut and coloured every other month and do Nails myself.

After buying things for two children, hubby and I do have funds left over but as I'm either working or at the yard I tend to spend my life in jeggings and primark stretchy tops.

Personally I'd rather save a bit for a nice holiday, however I do have a thing for handbags and nice shoes , they sit in the bottom of the wardrobe and somedays I touch them and put them back..... then go to the yard.
 
I'm a middle of the road kind of girl.

My horse is on DIY (with some assisted) at a no-frills yard but I pay a bit more than the local standard rate for amazing hacking. He has everything he needs, plus a few 'wants' but I'd on the whole rather invest my spare money into him in the form of lessons. Don't get me wrong, I've also this year bought into diamante browbands and matchy or smart looking saddlepads this year - but I can't justify spend £80 on a new saddle pad when Rhinegold, Roma and HKM do equally nice coloured ones at a fraction of the price. Stuff like my jodhpur boots are Derby House own brand as are a lot of my breeches (despite occassionally coveting Ariat boots, I can't justify £300 on a pair!) but I have a £150 riding hat, as it was the nicest one that fits my head & I'd rather pay a bit more for that. I did also spend almost £90 on a snaffle bit as it's what my horse prefers!

Anything slightly more extravagant, I tend to put on a Christmas or Birthday list. There is an Eskadron pad on my list this year - fingers crossed!

I try to look like I've not been *too* dragged through a hedge backwards at the yard & do try to colour coordinate/wear flattering cuts but a lot of my base layers come from sports shops, eBay, Primark or Matalan. Aldi equestrian & skiwear ranges have been amazing! HKM are a great, relatively low budget brand too.

Day-to-day again I like to try to look well presented & I'm a big fan of make up and having nails painted. But I buy brands like Barry M or NYX instead of higher end brands. Plus, I just paint my nails myself! I do get my hair cut regularly (at a local salon, not an expensive posh one) & I get my eyebrows tinted but at no great cost. The only thing I tend to buy higher end is my hairdressers recommended brand of shampoo, conditioner & treatments/styling products but they work so well and last for ages so I think that balances the cost.

Clothes wise, most of my clothes are again from Sainsbury's (they do Joules-eque clothing better than Joules :D ) or places like New Look, Matalan & Primark.I like fashion & I like to look stylish, but not at a huge cost! I do keep an eye out for bargains.

I do go out fairly regularly, but I do often drive to save some money. Plus through work I get a discount card for a lot of chain places so that makes it cheaper.

I enjoy the gym & have access to a (basic) free gym at work & just top up the rest of my workouts at home with YouTube workouts or a no-frills class in my village hall rather than an expensive membership elsewhere with fancy extras.

I save money every month, although the amount can vary depending on if I've had to MOT car or a vets bill!

I love my horse to bits & wouldn't be without him - he's literally my reason for getting out of bed every day, but I enjoy a low cost dress, Costa Coffee & an evening with friends too. Some months I have to cut back on something to make room for another - this month there's a lot of Christmas socialising, so I'm only paying essentials (livery, hay, feed etc) for the horse. But if I've had a horsey blow-out month I'll go for cheaper alternatives elsewhere. If push came to shove, horse would win every time :)
 
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I guess I'd like to have the best of both worlds and can't afford it 😂

Splashed out £4.29 on a cardigan from eBay today though! Go me living the high life!

It doesn't help that I work alongside two of the most glamorous and chic women I've ever met. The boss literally looks me up and down (not in a good way) every morning at 8am as she unpacks her mulberry and gets ready for the day 😂
 
Just remember, it makes no difference as to who you are as a person if you wear Jimmy Choo's or not :)

I too work with a designer-holic girl & whilst she always looks nice, it's not the be-all-and-end-all. I'd like to be able to afford it absolutely all, but can't. When it comes down to it, I'd rather my horse so I have my New Look or Sainsbury's handbag whilst others have their Mulberry, but I also get whinnied to every morning. So really, whose the real winner? :D

I've honestly bought some lovely but very cheap stuff on eBay! I bet your cardigan is lovely :)
 
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Mongoose11 said:
She is on full livery for half of the year ��. After keeping her on DIY for many years it was a shock to the system but I just can't do the job and DIY unless I want to fry myself!

My mortgage is almost a third of my wage which feels pretty huge but I think that's fairly normal? I'm not on the breadline by any means but we do have some debt that eats up another whacking great chunk of the monthly income. It just seems to disappear and I'd like to look presentable once in a while and not feel wracked with guilt for buying a £12 top ��

I've looked around for quality grass livery (because I genuinely want something different for us both) but it just isn't suitable. I can't find a middle ground between what I have now and the local alternative, which is to turn her out in a big herd on land that I'm just not happy with.
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That explains it! FL is expensive.

I have to admit that we err on the side of basic in our horse-care. The horses have just the inexpensive brand rugs they need, rather than a full wardrobe of Amigos or similar, they have a simple diet, with plentiful hay and few supplements. We have loads of tack and equipment that we have amassed over the years, so can recycle that instead of buying new stuff (although we did splash out on Solution saddles recently).
We both have hi viz jackets from The Range as yard coats, just as good as Rockfish, if not better! I do have a few pairs of "good" breeches but they were all bought in sales/from Equestrian Clearance. I like Requisite breeches for everyday, they are comfy and wash well, I bought most of those at sale price too!

Grass livery sounds like a good idea, OP. Just make sure that you enjoy spending money on the baby when s/he arrives!
 
I understand where M11's coming from and I certainly don't have a baby due.

I've been here, with horses and early mornings 24/7/365 and no real breaks for pretty much 4 decades plus. I've done a bit of everything. I've even played polo as an U21 for the UK. I've mucked out, mucked in, stayed up, worried myself silly, laughed at my mistakes, cried at them too and slogged and slogged for my hobby.

But now? I would have shot myself a few years ago before admitting this, but I am thinking about giving it up, after H.

I might still ride, or have lessons or even share but as a way of life? Not sure right now. There are other things I want to do, other places I want to go. Things I might want to buy. Like a new thatch, which is a year of keeping a horse. Plus. Quite a bit.
If I had my own land and they were like big pets, maybe I'd see it differently. Maybe not.

And as a caution to all those on this thread who said 'I'll never give up! They're my life!' - that was me. For nearly 50 years.

Never say never. ;)
 
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Another way of looking at it - I am naturally frugal, whether I had horses or not I'm afraid I would be one of these people that analyses almost any purchase for its value before I buy. So perhaps if you had rid of the horse you would still worry about the money you spend on yourself.
 
samlf said:
Another way of looking at it - I am naturally frugal, whether I had horses or not I'm afraid I would be one of these people that analyses almost any purchase for its value before I buy. So perhaps if you had rid of the horse you would still worry about the money you spend on yourself.
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Yep this is what I found whilst I was horse hunting after selling H. In the end I found myself putting the sizeable chunk that was his monthly livery/lessons etc into my savings account as I didn't want to get used to how much money I'd have without a horse :D
 
I wil never be horseless I am an OAP so they have to have what they need not what I want mind you I am so used to keeping costs to a minimum I resent the fact that even essentials have got expensive in my eyes. Would rather not move with the times when it comes to money. I have a great pile of "working" clothes and a wardrobe full of stuff I will likely never wear again so can look nice if I feel inclined if not very fashionable
The ponies are out 24/7 are up to date with everything and are fed daily. I have a bit put aside to treat or PTS if needed but it comes and goes depending on what else takes it. Usually the car. I would like a holiday one day but when I do go away all I want to do is come home so I consider it a waste of money a good idea at the time but in reality I hate it. Do get days when I really coould do with a rest from them but that is old age and pain not really feeling the need to give up
 
Horses get everything they need and more. I never scrimp on them. Spent £1K on a new saddle recently, and as a result am now in a slightly difficult financial situation (I can't shift his old saddle, I was slightly relying on getting some money from that pretty quickly!). But I don't buy stupidly expensive things- I won't pay out for £150-£200 turnout rugs when I can get them for £40-£50.
I have two horses now (down from 3), on DIY.

Out of my monthly wage also comes my loan for my wagon, plus insurance for horses, wagon, car etc. I don't shop for myself much at all and if I do its Primark, H&M etc. I have no guilt spending £50 on a rug for the horses, but I'll um and ah over spending £10 on a pair of jeans for me!

The worst is my hair. My hairdresser has gone so expensive and is now a bit £80 a visit. Since the saddle situation, I really can't afford to go here, so I'm seeking a cheaper alternative! But having nicely coloured hair at least makes me look relatively 'normal' and not a complete tramp!
 
I would like to have my own house and mortgage which when I add up what i spend on the horse each month I'd probably have by now if I didn't have him. (I'm 26)

I personally hate clothes shopping and trying stuff on, hate walking in heels etc. Rug and saddle cloth shopping however I could spend a whole day doing lol.
I'm not overly into getting up and putting make up on for work like someone else said I'd rater spend the extra time in bed.
I am not a girly girl and am very much a Tom boy but it would be nice to be able to do more holidays etc.
 
It's not so much the money aspect in my case - although come to think of it, I do spend a lot on my oldie. I guess I'm used to the outlay, and I've always been used to spending money on the horse(s) rather than myself.

For me it's several decades of being wet, cold and filthy that are taking a toll. I'd like to wear nice clothes, get my nails done and not look like a ruddy scarecrow for a change. But it's simply not worth it as I'm always at the yard doing my horse and helping with two others. My hands are like sandpaper and I can't even get a consistent fingerprint for my iPhone to recognise as they're often chapped!

So when my oldie goes, I definitely won't get another. I couldn't replicate him anyway.
 
I think there are three types of people who have horses in their life.

Horse keepers.
Horse lovers..
Horse addicts.


I am not bearable to live with workout horses in my life, and I don't find life bearable to live without horses in my life. I guess that makes me an addict :)

Mongoose, you are a lover downgrading to a keeper, by the sound of it. When the baby comes along, don't make the mistake of thinking no-one can love your horse as much as you do. Perhaps consider that she might be better off with someone who can offer her their unqualified love, and concentrate on the child (who most certainly DOES need you) for a few years?
 
I have plenty of nice clothes....they're all in the wardrobes going out of date and gathering dust. I get bored with them, they are not comfy, they require careful washing or dry cleaning, cashmere jumpers attract moths by the legion, heels make your feet hurt and give you bunions...the only things I really wear are the boots and coats.
Clothes give you a boost for five minutes.
I have never got bored with my horses.
 
I hear you OP. I've always loved horses and always will, but I'm 7/8ths of the way to making a decision not to have any more when my current ones are gone. I mean, never say never, and I'll hopefully keep the current ones for life, but I think what I need is the ability to "pick them up and put them down again" depending on what life throws up. If you want to keep a horse for life, you just can't take a break like that on a whim. I know there's full livery etc but my experience is that's more headache than it's worth and I'd not be comfortable putting a horse into somebody else's care for a few months and not keeping an eye on things.

I'll miss horse owning I know that and I can see how I might driven back to it if shares etc don't work out. It's not the clothes and make up for me, though I do like those things I manage to have them on a budget. It's more the lifestyle, the routine of it, the hard slog of winter and the flies in summer. It's never waking up and thinking what do I *want* to do today, instead of waking up knowing the first thing I'll be doing is going to the stables and anything else I want to do will have to be fitted into the time/energy left afterwards, if there is any. I love being a horse owner but I'm getting fed up with *having* to do it every day.
 
Sugar_and_Spice said:
I hear you OP. I've always loved horses and always will, but I'm 7/8ths of the way to making a decision not to have any more when my current ones are gone. I mean, never say never, and I'll hopefully keep the current ones for life, but I think what I need is the ability to "pick them up and put them down again" depending on what life throws up. If you want to keep a horse for life, you just can't take a break like that on a whim. I know there's full livery etc but my experience is that's more headache than it's worth and I'd not be comfortable putting a horse into somebody else's care for a few months and not keeping an eye on things.

I'll miss horse owning I know that and I can see how I might driven back to it if shares etc don't work out. It's not the clothes and make up for me, though I do like those things I manage to have them on a budget. It's more the lifestyle, the routine of it, the hard slog of winter and the flies in summer. It's never waking up and thinking what do I *want* to do today, instead of waking up knowing the first thing I'll be doing is going to the stables and anything else I want to do will have to be fitted into the time/energy left afterwards, if there is any. I love being a horse owner but I'm getting fed up with *having* to do it every day.
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^^^ That's me to a tee.
 
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