Spend me! Save me! Spend me any way you want to! (What do you spend your dooyoo earnings on?)

Member Name: HS28

Product:	What do you spend your dooyoo earnings on?
Date:	22/04/09 (189 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: when you are allowed to hit redeem

Disadvantages: when your balance goes back down to zero

Spend me! Save me! Spend me any way you want to!


**What do you spend your dooyoo earnings on?**

Well my dooyoo miles have a split personality. One side is good and the other side is bad. Those miles yelp Spend me, save me, spend me, save me. Argghhh to be torn!


**Finding Dooyoo**

I first came across dooyoo before as a consumer when I had been looking for something online and was doing price comparisons but never noticed you could join at the time to become a reviewer. I remember thanking the author though for the product I was researching. I found out about dooyoo and writing reviews through MSE (money saving expert) on the up your income forum boards.


**Switching Personalities**

In recent years I have started a mission to save, save, save and be money savvy. You see my motto used to be spend, spend, spend and live for today. Thus I have enjoyed lots of holidays and bought anything I used to ever want as I have always worked even through my studies in Sixth Form and University. I used to waste money and my wardrobe would be full of clothes I didn't wear. Although I did do a bit of e-baying to slim it down! I think I became this way because of the government that was in power when I was growing up. I was an 80s child with Thatcherism and all the Privatisation and slap it on the credit. So I am not surprised the UK is in a financial mess now as I think the financial lenders are just as equally to blame as us all. They were not responsible enough to stop lending and we ''Joe public'' not the ''fat cats'' are all paying the price now the boom has well and truly bust!

My conversion from a spendaholic to a saverholic changed when I went into teaching in 2005. I became a student again living off a bursary for a year after working for over 5 years which was quite harsh financially. For some reason when I then became a ''proper'' teacher in 2006 I became a fully fledged saver convert. There always seemed to be something about teachers and saving money rather than spending it and seriously in 3 years I have picked up those habits. I have relatives who were teachers and very thrifty and my parents friends were the same. For example with my nieces and nephews I encourage creative play where you don't need money and I even started buying them educational toys (poor kids!!). You see teachers wages aren't all they are cracked up to be! Although as a profession we are probably recession proof.

**Miles, Miles, Miles**

So now as a saving convert I changed my spending ways and I'm determined to save, save, save. I looked up some of the threads on MSE about dooyoo and thought this was up my street as I like talking and expressing my opinions and I love writing. I thought this was a nice way to earn some extra money for these efforts. I also like writing reviews in speakers corner which you don't get 50p for in fact you get 0p but I like to give my ten pennies worth anyway!

As I was on a money saving mission I decided that I would use the earnings from my dooyoo reviews to pay for birthday presents and other celebrations. At 5000 miles we can claim money for a charity, at 20,000 miles we can claim Amazon vouchers or at 50,000miles we can claim cash. I wasn't too bothered about earning cash and it would take me ages to write reviews so would take ages to hit 50000 miles (£50) anyway. I did like the idea of getting Amazon vouchers as it is such a universal store and has lots of products available. With the vouchers being e-vouchers this would also stop me from being tempted to spend the cash and go back to my old motto. I also like the fact that it is now only £5 for the super saver delivery which used to be a lot higher. I have 4 nieces and nephews and quite a number of family and friends to buy for so my aim was to try to use the earning to help with the present buying. My Amazon basket is always full though ready for the checkout!


**Where did they go?**

So far I have used my first set of earnings of dooyoo miles to buy a mother's day present which was the DVD that my mum has wanted for a while. With the second set of earnings of dooyoo miles I have bought a friend's birthday present. This included some travel books she was after about Italy and Greece, some slippers and a piglet character mug. It's my little nephew's birthday next so I'm saving up for him now and I think he will be after some pricey new wii games but still got a bit of time until his birthday though. Well after his birthday in May there are two more in June to start saving for. But then I have a break and no more until September and July and August seem to be quiet months in our family. This is good as is also the summer holidays which means I get to go travelling on my holidays!

I don't think ill be able to do enough reviews for Christmas presents as I have a lot to buy for a lot of people but I suppose the motto ''every little helps'' suits. I am pleased that being able to contribute to the dooyoo community and consumers by reviewing products or holidays destinations has helped me to be more thrifty and save some pennies. I also feel better that I'm not entirely cashing it in as money for myself but for my nearest and dearest!


**Curiosity got the cat**

I am always fascinated to see what others spend their earnings on and some seem far more exciting and fascinating like saving for holiday trips to exotic places. I would have to write a heck of a lot of reviews to go somewhere exotic! I also think those who covert their dooyoo miles into money for charity are very gracious.


**One final question**

So there was my ten pennies worth and my question to you all is what ''dooyoo'' spend/save yours on?

Summary: making my miles go further