Never pay retail

I remember when I couldn't find something I would go out and buy a new one. I also remember days of 'retail therapy' when shopping for everything (except jeans or swimmers!) was entertaining.
These days I am a cheapskate. I won't pay full price for anything. I've always loved catalogues, but anything less than 20% off is not enough of a discount.
I love a bargain - but only if it's something I really want. These days I can hold out for weeks, if not months, for something to get it exactly right. After 8 years I still have plastic outdoor chairs around our breakfast bar because I've never seen low backed wooden chairs sturdy enough (and cheap enough) for my liking.
I'm also in need of a new dishwasher (the one we have now is dying quickly, taking two hours to get through a cycle). And the kids need some new furniture - nothing matches, everything was second hand, two kid mattresses have needed replacing for years, and two chests of drawers are missing fronts!
I'm taking pride in trying to get our finances in order, but it's a real battle. I'm winning, but slowly. It will take years to get rid of our debt - and that doesn't even include the mortgage.
We're an average Australian middle class family - but sometimes things have got to give a little.
I guess it's time *I* loosened the wallet a bit, got the replacement things I have wanted to get for so long, and stopped resenting the spending of others.