Have you got OS friends?

sammy_kaye18

Freyas mum - Im 23 and my little one is 3 years old which is nice as it means hes big enough to go to school and i get a few hours a day to practice my OS ways - or browse MSE!

freyasmum

I'm 22 and Freya is 15 months

That's good that you're getting time to do OS or be on here This site has been a great help to me.

Just don't let other people get you down or put you down. They might think you're a bit loopy - but really, you're not the one who has to take out loans to go on holiday or buy food on a CC, etc And I bet you're a lot happier (not to mention healthier ) than those who do that

Lx

lilmisskitkat

People think i'm weird anyway lol, i'm away with the fairies most of the time! :rotfl: In my own little world of cooking, cleaning, clothes, Bones, CSI, books and card making.

I dont have many friends, well actually none that arent family - my sis is my bezzie mate and i spend a lot of time with my cousin and my sil because we have the kids in common. Then theres a few mums at school but thats just for a quick natter at the gates. I'm not a confident person and find it difficult to make friends because i can't imagine why anyone would want to be friends with me lol. i dont like to follow the crowd, have my own dress sense, interests and hobbies which some people think are strange :rolleyes: Plus i have Fibromyalgia and this has caused problems in past friendships because i can't always keep to plans as my condition is unpredictable. oh well!

My gran is o/s and my mam to a certain extent, used to be more so when we were kids and they had very little money, since we've got older and my dad earns more she pays extra for things to make her life easier like prepared veg etc as she has trouble with her hands - she has FM like me. But no one else i know is, my cousin is terrible for wasting money, you'll never guess what she bought today....wait for it.... a READY MADE pass the parcel game for nephews party tomorrow :eek: :eek: for the grand sum of £5.99 you get 10 layers of paper and a prize at the end, i was speechless lol

My sis hates coming to asda with me because she says i'm like a vulture at the reduced to clear section lol, she also spends money like water. DP isn't bothered how i do things, he loves his home-cooked meals but i dont think he really gets o/s - if he was on his own he certainly wouldn't do any of it lol. My gran is very proud of my o/s ways though!

This is really the only place i feel that i fit in and no one judges me for anything - being a young mum, being o/s, being an individual etc - i love you all!!

Kate xxx

jayward

:wave: no most of my friends would pay more for the same item . just because the name of the shop but its nice to see you can share on the OS forum doing more reading than posting but its great

dianadors

I only have 1 friend who is OS. I am 48 and she is 53. We are soul mates - down to the home made gift tags out of last years Christmas Cards. I must admit that I was OS when I first left home as my mum was (and still is) but then in the 80's when 1st hubby and I had good jobs, no kids and the ethos of the day was "spend, spend, spend" I got seduced by the "lifestyle" and wasted a load of hard earned cash. However, since having kids (and latterly discovering this site) I am firmly back in the OS business - and quite frankly enjoying life much more than when I was "Spending". (Its a bit like finding a religion!). A big eye opener for me were mothers at the school gate. When I had my 1st child, I decided to stay at home and look after her, whilst all the rest in my post natal support group returned to work. I was jokily called "The Earth Mother" and some mothers still snidily call me this when they catch me blackberrying - whilst they are out jogging!! I agree with the poster above that it is a bit like a secret society - if they knew half of what I do I dont think they would want to associate with me!!! A lot of my clothes are 2nd hand (my OS friend has a lot of contacts!! and items rarely make it to the charity shop!) Most of the mothers at the school gate would rather die than wear something 2nd hand - one can actually "date" any item of M&S clothing, so if something is from 2003 she will know! We used to have an excellent M&S "seconds" shop nearby (sadly defunct as manufacturing done in China now). They all knew my M&S clothes came from there, but they would make a big thing about buying the same thing from M&S at full price. The only explanation for this is snobbery (tinged with utter stupidity!). I do love this place - as lilmisskitkat says - you are not judged, infact you are appluaded for being the way you are.

Cazzdevil

99% of my friends are male so they're generally not fussed on the OS approach, their wives aren't fussed either because they've all got fairly well-paid jobs and don't need to scrimp as much as myself & OH do.

I like being a bit OS (I'm not a fully fledged OS'er like some of you), it gives me great pleasure to say to my friends and family that OH & I can do our monthly shopping for what they spend in a week. And they all know I enjoy baking and am keen to improve my dressmaking skills, none of them object that's for sure!

Sarahsaver

People who I know who are not 'converted' to OS ways will be when they sample my HM marrow rum at xmas LOL;)

rosh12

I think for me the OS thing is so closely linked to trying to be a bit more green and ethical... (in other words, it's not just about saving money- much as we need to right now!)...
I have quite a few good friends (not geographically close though) who, like us, try to be a bit more ethical (and OS (eco / green / local / fair trade / home made etc etc), though I don't think they'd call it OS!) however since moving up here this summer, I've not met any people who share these interests! We have a baby and I think people here seem to buy a lot more stuff for their kids (esp clothes- new outfits every week from the supermarkets) , having said that I have a wonderful new friend who I don't think would class herself as remotely OS but she is so kind and gives me all her baby's cast offs- it's fab!!!:j

Sarahsaver

Ignore those who berate you. I know someone who is tens of thousands in debt and thinks it unusual that we always sit down at the table together for each meal.
I think you have to decide whats more important in life, and the so called stress of cooking every day, reusing stuff, doing it yourself... is nothing compared to debt trouble.
I want to be debt free, I do not have huge debts but at least by being a CONSCIOUS consumer, THINKING before you spend, the debts will clear bit by bit.

heather38

my friends tink i'm mad as i have an allotment (i'm 27) people ask me if i have a flat cap and wellies!
i love my allotment, i just finished putting up my new shed, (i may well move into it yet).
i only really started the os thing when i got pregnant last year as i had a huge drop in pay to smp and then going from f/t to p/t at work.
i work with mainly older women in their 50/60/70's so are fairly os themselves, one lady and i love drooling over the lastest lakeland catalogue!
DH and i only really have one couple that we are best frinds with, they are not os, they eat lots of takeaways and drink loads of alcohol. they got married in june and she is starting to cook more and they shop in a farm shop and grow tomatoes, but thats it, no coupons in their shop, no reduced food.
in fact she paid £5000 for a nose job when they got engaged so she would look good in her wedding pictures, as she broke her nose as a child and she had a small bump in it. i was gobsmacked!!! :eek: