Do you miss anything from your "old life?"

valk_scot

randomer wrote: »

just to clarify when I say shoes I'm not talking £100 trainers ,but unlike clothes which can be sought out in charity shops, it's not really an area for economy.

Yuck, tell me about it. I buy the kids school shoes and trainers new but things like wellies and plimsoles I'm quite happy to use handmedowns, given that they wear them only once a week if that. The shoes that really pee me off though are party shoes for the girl. They only get worn a half dozen times if you're lucky and somehow I always end up buying new ones.

valk_scot

Reverbe wrote: »

No I am quite clear about OS. I have seen enough people on the board who have a good income and do OS as a hobby while getting things like organic veg boxes etc and conversely people who are OS due to financial reasons.

Well, my OH earns a good income...but there are four of us living on it (plus two cats) and frankly to make it stretch I simply have to be OS. So it's perfectly possible to be doing it both for financial reasons and still have the income. For me it is a necessity but I do treat it as a hobby type activity too...because it gives me a sense of satisfaction and I enjoy it. What's wrong with getting the best out of it from all sides?

ubamother

I think people see a distinction between 'have to be' and 'want to be' OS, but I would take a fair guess that for people who feel they are OS for purely economic reasons, if their financial situation changed for the better they would keep up an awful lot of their OS habits. One of the reasons I am OS is that its about me making the decisions and not being blindly led by the utilities, supermarkets, marketing companies etc. For others its about environmental concerns and some about money - but I'd take a bet that for all of us its a mixture of two or three different reasons, that may be different to others.

I do worry sometimes though that sometimes it is very easy to judge someone's elses level of OSness and find it wanting simply because it is different to our own.

There was a thread about unsalted butter recently and it got me thinking - personally I think it is just as OS to find the cheapest unsalted butter for baking as it is to find the cheapest possible marg equivalent, or to buy whole milk and churn your own, or to knit udder-warmers and trade them with your local farmer in exchange for butter - depending on your own personal OS choices and those differences should be accepted and respected. I do feel sometimes those who are OS "by choice" are sometimes treated a little harshly, as if they're playing at it. OS is a choice regardless of financial circumstance - I know plenty of people who are in very difficult circumstances who wouldn't even think of making OS decisions. We are all here 'by choice'.

Sorry if that was a bit soapboxish!

valk_scot

ubamother wrote: »

or to knit udder-warmers and trade them with your local farmer in exchange for butter -

I knitted two hats for my friend's daughters the other week and she gave me a dozen eggs from her pet hens in return. (Will get another dozen soon.) I thought that was a really good deal...and my kids thought it was hilarious that I could "knit eggs".

thriftlady_2

ubamother wrote: »

There was a thread about unsalted butter recently and it got me thinking - personally I think it is just as OS to find the cheapest unsalted butter for baking as it is to find the cheapest possible marg equivalent, or to buy whole milk and churn your own, or to knit udder-warmers and trade them with your local farmer in exchange for butter - depending on your own personal OS choices and those differences should be accepted and respected.

:T I think that is a very good definition of OS:T

Penelope_Penguin

[QUOTE=Reverbe;25085377No I am quite clear about OS. I have seen enough people on the board who have a good income and do OS as a hobby while getting things like organic veg boxes etc and conversely people who are OS due to financial reasons.[/QUOTE]

I see that I'm not the only one to take that as rather patronising :rolleyes: We're all Old Style for our own reasons. DH and I are well off, but even if we were millionairres, we'd still grow our own fruit and veg, keep hens and pigs, and cook from scratch. Indeed, we'd be more OS, as DH would then insist on getting one of these :rotfl:

ubamother

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

I see that I'm not the only one to take that as rather patronising :rolleyes: We're all Old Style for our own reasons. DH and I are well off, but even if we were millionairres, we'd still grow our own fruit and veg, keep hens and pigs, and cook from scratch. Indeed, we'd be more OS, as DH would then insist on getting one of these :rotfl:

And if you did, I could knit her udder-warmers in exchange for dairy product! See how it all works out?

mummysaver

For me being OS means making the most of what I have and making it go as far as possible, I have a terrible weakness for magazines though, and I guess the big difference for me now is that I tend to take out a subscription when there is a gift that would make a lovely present, such as a perfume that a friend wears, or when I can use my tesco vouchers to pay for it!

I have always cooked a lot, simply because I enjoy it, but another difference now is that this board has inspired me to try lots of new dishes and meal plan much more successfully.

I think the biggest difference in my OS ness is since finding this board and discovering lots of other people with similar views and great new ideas to try, many of which I would never have discovered or thought of on my own!

PS I'd love a cow too penpen! In fact if money were no object then OH and I would be running an OS b&b with a smallholding attached I think!

randomer

Reverbe Is sounds as if things are incredibly challenging for you. Not even having basics like a bed and a decent sleep or being able to spend time with someone you care about is no quality of life.
Are there ways you can find support in order to make changes?
For example I think that Relate will see people and you can make a donation or there may be other organisations which can help you find a way forward.

newlywed

I miss takeaway when I can't be bothered to cook (but only occasionally).

Most of all I miss M&S food and buying all their lovely fresh fruit and juices. I used to spend well over £50 a week just on fruit, juice and lunch nibbles in there