Welcome to my world....

katieowl_2

I was thinking (always dangerous) while I was out walking the dogs about the thread called "Spill the beans - what's the most embarassing thing you do to save money" and about one poster in particular asking WHY people do these things to save a few pennies.

As I was walking along, I was thinking to myself that if I'd NOT done these things over the years to save money, I could very well NOT be walking down this beautiful lane in rural Wales, looking at the sea, and a National Trust beauty spot... then I got to pondering the OS stuff that was essentially a part of being there.

I was wearing a pair of trousers that came from a charity shop so long ago I don't remember which one, I was wearing a fleece waistcoat that was a reject from my Mum, and a coat I was given by a friend last year as it was too big for her. I was wearing a pair of gloves a girly gave my DS for Xmas a year or two back, that he won't wear (because a girly gave them to him) My glasses neck cord has been fixed twice with elastic bands. I've been re-wearing the same stuff all week, as it didn't need washing.

The Dogs were both wearing the coats I made them the first year they came to live with us. The dogs themselves were 'pre-owned' although probably not as 'pre-loved' as they could have been otherwise they would have never been given up for re-homing. Their coats were made from an old thick fleece and a denim pinafore dress that I had when I was pregnant with my first DD (now 25) One of the dogs harnesses came from some one else's dog because it didn't fit anymore, the other harness was inherited 'in house' and one of the leads was 25 years old, it belonged to our first dog, and when the stiching in the handle went a few years ago, I mended it with a pair of pliers and some waxed thread.

The lane I was walking down was the lane we foraged all the various berries and fruits from that made most of the stuff I have stored in my larder for the winter.

I wouldn't really like to put a price on what all those individual things might have saved me over the years...probably not very much, but the essence of being OS is almost certainly what saved us from being in a much worse position over the years, and I went home to a house that finally is completely paid for!

You?

Kate

tea_lover

That's a really lovely post. I know personally sometimes that I find it hard to see the bigger picture - I get so stressed about whether my OH is reusing sandwich bags and turning the lights off, that I forget why we're trying to do this in the first place.

Thanks for helping me get a bit of perspective back.:T

Greenqueen_2

Katie I live in the same world and speak the same language.

Make do, mend and if "new" is an absolute must then I try to obtain it second hand or buy using every combination of discount/vouchers (usually from doing surveys).

It`s a pity so many others took so long to peep into our world and discover the fun of being frugal. If they had visited earlier then perhaps this country wouldn`t be in such a financial mess.

frugaliciousness

For me, I'm frugal to just get by as we are, and then, when the studying is complete, I'll gain employment and save every penny, still be frugal to get to the point you are at now katieowl.

Clothes, shoes, cars, technology, many nights out, expensive lunches regularly, magazines, not sew nor crochet, just buy new, holidays abroad - oh, and and on.......

Not having those doesn't mean a thing to me. What does mean the world to me is a dwelling that I can call my own, in a place I want to live in.

Everything we do, all we save, or rather the efforts we put into not getting debt, is geared for a small dwelling I/we can call home.

We get our kicks from spending time as a family in the great outdoors. It's free, healthy and fun

GreyQueen

Katieowl, that's a lovely and thoughtful post; you're my kinda people.

I have thrift and non-wastefulness so engrained into my character that if you split me open like a stick of rock it's probably say "Pennypincher" down the middle. I don't think I could change if I wanted to, and I don't want to as I'm happy as a clam.

To me, having a thrifty lifestyle means I can have a bit of money put aside to smooth life's inevitable lumps and bumps. We all have them, rich or poor, young, middling or old; only the details change.

Thrift brings me a small surplus which in turn brings me peace of mind. I'd rather be peaceful in my own head than flashing the cash to impress some strangers who'd probably not give a d*mn, assuming that they even noticed.

I'm wearing trousers from a c.s. years ago, and a nice top from the WI jumble sale (great cast-offs, those WI gals have some good stuff). Virtually everything I own or have ever owned, is second-hand. Mum turfed out a bag of clothes at the weekend and I now have several new things to wear and a shirt from my brother which needs a patch (I love mending because I'm a saddo ) which will become a gardening shirt. Other stuff not suitable will go to the c.s.

It's about a sense of environmentalism, too, a profund sense that it is utterly wrong to waste material resources. When I re-use, remodel and finally recycle something which is beyond all use to me or anyone else, I feel as if I have shown respect for the energy embodied in that item, and respect for this lovely planet and, hopefully, not used more than I needed to and robbed the generations coming up behind me.

:D:p By gum, that's a bit deep. I better go post something silly somewhere or I might get outed as a thinker..........:rotfl:

meanmarie

Lovely post Katieowl, might show it to OH to help convince him that I am 'frugal' (not the word he uses) so that we can have 2 Mediterranean holidays per year, help our stressed out kids in current tough times, pay our bills without 'robbing Peter to pay Paul', and know that we can meet most unforeseen financial needs that occur. Would be a lot more frugal given more co-operation, but have accepted over the years that, as I manage most of our income, he can do what he likes with his share!

Marie

Well done Grey Queen...you have such a way with words!

oldtractor

unfortunately making do and mending was much frowned upon in my family when I was growing up. I cant sew for example. But I am a convert to OS and love it. I am much scorned and ridiculed by my elder sister. I just wish I had kept old clothes for making into other things , I wish I'd spent less on furniture. I wish I'd kept my childrens toys and clothes so my grandchildren could use them . I wish I'd bought less over the years. We have always been quite frugal compared to most in my family,but then again,we are on the lowest wage,and several of them dont even send us a xmas card,havent seen my neice nephew or brother in years,they are teachers at private schools and one is a a solicitor and we are far too working class for them.

shandyclover

Good to know we'll be in good company then!

Next week we move from Ireland back to UK, and a whole new way of life for all of us. OH work has come to end due to lack of funding. I've been a SAHM for the past 11 years since I had 4 DD's who I home schooled. Now youngest will have to go to school for the first time in her life, the next 2 up join college, and oldest off for 6 mos volunteer work in Colombia, and I will need to retrain or find a job or both. OH will be job hunting too. To say we are all a bit nervous is an understatement.

DD's have all been warned about the sacrifices ahead. Thankfully they are all positive. One of them asked me the other day if we ever made a fortune would be still be saving, I had a good think about it and I am sure I would be. After living 20 years in Asia, where there are many people much worse off than I have ever been I cannot get away from the disgust I feel at waste.

BitterAndTwisted

oldtractor wrote: »

I wish I'd spent less on furniture.

Do you really wish that? In my opinion furniture is one of few things that it is worth spending good money on. The others are mattresses and the best quality shoes you can afford. Quality is expensive but it lasts, so often ends up much better value than buying cheaper.

katieclampet

I always save money on things, so I can spend the money I save on family, friends, holidays, books, going out, and generally having a good time enjoying myself.

I also like the idea of not wasting anything, and like "pre owned or pre loved" (sounds so much better than 2nd hand!) stuff. I usually get good quality clothes and house hold things for a fraction of the cost, and it makes me feel I have done my bit, by being environmentally friendly and reusing, rather than just buying new.

I am lucky that what I want and what I need are also what I can afford.

I have actually kept a running total of how much I have saved this month, taking into account using money off codes, vouchers, repairing something that was broken, getting something from a friend that she doesnt use, rather that buying new, and I reckon i have saved approx £60.00. All those pennies soon add up!!!

katie

Hawthorn

Oldtractor, I too am a bit of a black sheep

My nan and granddad were wonderfully frugal, my dad is too, to an extent.

My sister is well off, and has lots of possessions, doesn't believe in second hand anything, and replaces stuff for new that doesn't need replacing.

My cousins are much the same way.

I started out the same way as a young adult. My ideals were nice house, nice car, nice clothes, brand brand brand.

An abusive relationship which lasted for ten years, and resulting in me becoming a single parent on benefits eventually changed that.

I had had to do it previously to that (since financial abuse was a part of the picture also) but I took no pride in it...probably because I saw no positive in it - it was a desperate situation rather than a choice. We ate rubbish food, everything was kwik save value...Back then I was raising a family of five on max £20 a week, and saving what I could to buy clothing for the children. We HAD money coming in, but he spent it, and ran up debt doing god knows what when he wasn't home....which was often (and I can't say I'm sad about that )

So, anyway I digress. I went from a nicely decorated (appearances must be right) home that was our own, if mortgaged, to begging more or less, a friends landlord to let me rent a cheap house off him in a bad area, and would he possibly accept the bond in arrears over a few weeks :rotfl:Thankfully he accepted and I got out.

Once I was on my own, I felt RICH on benefits. No kidding. We started eating better.....no longer having to live on £1 for 4 bags of chicken nuggets I learned how to cook better. Within a few months I had enough saved up for a cheap seaside holiday - our first ever.

I did go a bit crazy at first I must admit. The kids had spanking new clothes for the first time ever and though they weren't designer they were high street names.
After a while of living this way, brands, luxuries, unnecessary spending and a new relationship I guess I just woke up one day and thought what the heck are you doing.

THAT for me was when I began to enjoy getting a bargain instead of resenting having to do it. I began to shop the offers in a sensible way, got the food budget way down, had the family dressed nicely mainly from charity shops - I was really shocked at what people were getting rid of back then in the area I shopped in. I got myself a pair of karen millen jeans for £3 :rotfl: They looked brand new! It's a shame but charity shops seem to be struggling to keep going these days. Some of them are selling things that are way beyond any decent wear left, for high prices.

These days I'm more of an ebay surfer because of the charity shop situation but I do pop in to those shops on the offchance still.

My family (with the exception of my father I guess) I feel look down their noses at me. To them I'm a little bit weird, a lot of a hippy, and someone to be smiled and nodded at rather than spend any time with.
My mum doesn't do that, but she does wonder 'how can you be BOTHERED with that ' :rotfl:
I do have huge problems with anxiety, and because of this I would struggle with work. My husband understands this thankfully. My job here is not to earn money, but to save us money. My husband and my children might tease and call me tight, but it's an affectionate tease and I am thankful that along the way they are picking up tips and tricks. In this economic climate I feel they will need it.

So yeah, it will never make me rich, but I feel that although I struggle sometimes I am passing something worthwhile onto my children. How to make do and mend, recycle where possible, use as little energy as possible, cook from scratch (my daughter is just 11 and is already a really good cook...she was born to it), how to grow your own veg, and still have fun without spending wads of cash to do it.
I guess they are also learning that what we think we need often isn't a need at all, but a want, and the world isn't going to end, if you don't have it right now.

Nice thread, I will be reading with interest