Living below your means

HappySad · 10 May 2005 at 5:23PM

I now very rarely buy books CDs & DVDs.

I always pop down to my local library. I still visit book shops but I never buy. Instead I note down the ISBN number, author and book title and take this infomation to the library. If the library don't have the book on their shelves, they will order the book from another library or sometimes buy the book brand new. The only down side is that you have to wait for a month or two for the ordered book. This service only cost 70p per book, CD & DVD.

When ever I see a good book on Amazon.co.uk I just print off the details, pop down to my local library and order the book in. Great.

I am currently trying to see if my library will stock my requested food magazine.

Mango · 10 May 2005 at 5:31PM

I've recently discovered my local library. When I was a kid we never bought books, alway went to the library but somewhere along the line I started thinking that it wasn't the same unless you had your own copy. Ended up with tons of books & no space!! Now if I do read something that I love and know I will read again/lend to other people I do sometimes buy it. It is also really nice to support local libraries now that so many are being threatened with closure.

HappySad · 10 May 2005 at 5:41PM

Sarahsaver wrote:

a period of hardship as a student, back in the day before loans, stood me in good stead for nowadays where I am feeding myself and 3 kids on £20 a week. I remember in about 1990 spending £8 on a weeks' shopping for me and the (now ex) husband, AND that included a daily copy of the Independent.
All the better for those of us who can and do manage to live like this. I did the £20 a week thing because I had to a few months ago, we were literally broke. Now we are ok, slightly better than breaking even, but I see no reason why I should spend more just because I HAVE more. It is NOT in the government's best interests to promote the fact that you CAN live on a low income, and actually have a healthy diet and so on, because the way things are suits - keep the 'underclass' in their place, and keep the NHS full of fat kids and fat adults, people addicted to food/alcohol/tobacco, who will die early and not be too big a burden on the state. Its not at all 'PC' to admit that you can live well on benefits.
Phew!:rolleyes:

Yes you can live well on benefits if you use your head. My mother was able to look after my sister & me on buy buying only what we needed and no what we wanted. Everything we bought was on special offer/sale;l she cooked all our meals from scatch and she also sewed our clothes.

chinagirl · 13 May 2005 at 10:50PM

I live in admiration of my cousin, early thirties. She has 3 kids, nice house, well furnished, always keeping up with the 'must have new craze' for the kids, so they don't loose face with their posh friends who live on their newish estate. The only difference is, she NEVER buys new. She goes to all the charity shops, regularly, so is on hand to bag a bargain, like-wise the local car boot, getting friendly with traders, (managed to book a bouncy castle for kids party at half price, through the man who does one at the car-boot). Her house is immaculately kitted out, but there is not one item of furniture that was bought new.

I often ask her how she does it, and really there is no great secret, it is common sense,shop-around, wait and pounce. (it helps to have good taste though). I ask her if I can come on one of her expeditions, as she is looking out for a bike rack for the back of the car for me. Hers was a boot-sale bargain, complete with fixings, instructions etc.

crana999 · 13 May 2005 at 11:51PM

HappySad wrote:

I now very rarely buy books CDs & DVDs.

I always pop down to my local library. I still visit book shops but I never buy. Instead I note down the ISBN number, author and book title and take this infomation to the library. If the library don't have the book on their shelves, they will order the book from another library or sometimes buy the book brand new. The only down side is that you have to wait for a month or two for the ordered book. This service only cost 70p per book, CD & DVD.

When ever I see a good book on Amazon.co.uk I just print off the details, pop down to my local library and order the book in. Great.

I am currently trying to see if my library will stock my requested food magazine.

Have you tried seeing if you can request and search for books online? It's really handy, and you can usually also check what you have out, renew things etc. If you're not sure if your library has a website, your local council's website should have a link to the library website.

jazzyjustlaw · 14 May 2005 at 9:58AM

I am glad this thread is back again as I believe it underlines MSE.

princessmoneysaver · 15 June 2005 at 10:17PM

What is Old Style? I have heard it mention a few times

Yvonne

squeaky · 16 June 2005 at 8:12AM

Hiya

Essentially Old Style is about living in a way where you are more in charge of your day to day budget, the meals you eat - by content and by cooking, and in many other ways that help you become much more self reliant and confident.

For a fuller explanation please click on the "Welcome" in my signature below for an introduction to Old Style.

Mics_chick · 18 August 2007 at 3:36PM

I'm just posting in this thread so I can find it again

Sarahsaver · 18 August 2007 at 4:46PM

Good - pleased to see it again :beer:

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Living below your means

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