Anti-Consumerism

jazzyjustlaw

Well we have a Grocery Challenge incoporating Feb, March and April, Store cupboard challenge, bare bones thread and we have a mend it thread and more.

What about an anti-consumerism one meaning that we ignore the adverts, only buy something if we really need it yes I said NEED, swap with friends and anything else you can think of.

Lets stop these companies from taking our money by taking a real stance against it. Lets keep our money in our pockets. Lets be enlightened on all their tricks and stick together to put the money they normally take from us and put it in the bank.

Anyone up for this or is it too much it could just be for April!!!!!

Good Luck and I am going for it. So any tips would be great.

Caterina

I am totally up for it but it is not a challenge for me in a way - I have been feeling this sense of lack of desire for material goods for a long time now, and sometimes I wonder if I am a bit weird.

Everyone I know loves to go out shopping and a friend of mine told me that 'one can never have enough shoes'. This is a friend who normally is quite frugal and spends wisely!

The other day I went to Central London with my son for a treat (to him!) and we walked around shops etc, and there was NOTHING that I really wanted!

Every time I log on this forum, though, I feel normal again! Thank YOU ALL!

Caterina

jazzyjustlaw

Same here, I do not see much that I like and feel that I should or that because something is fashionable I should have it. I used to buy many pairs of shoes, make-up handbags and more. Now I try to be content with what I have.

Bogof_Babe

I'm like you Caterina, and would rather have the money in the bank than clutter in my house! I even have to make myself buy a loaf of bread before we're down to the last crust nowadays!

I don't get into town very often as I begrudge paying for parking, so only nip in when I really have to, during the 2 hours free parking in Sainsbury's which is just out of town. It's surprising how long you can manage with just buying the basic groceries etc. If it wasn't for the dentist and my quarterly hairdo's (special treat), I probably wouldn't go into town at all.

I've just started a thread on Discussions re. living within my personal tax allowance in the coming financial year (2 of us x £4,895 each before tax kicks in) so if we can succeed in that, and succeed in not lining the retailers pockets, we'll be literally quids in. Can't really start the tax one yet as hubby is still working, but I think we could manage should he pack up, or go part-time etc, which is a nice feeling. :beer: ('course we'd have to cut the beer down ).

nearlyrich

Caterina wrote:

it is not a challenge for me in a way - I have been feeling this sense of lack of desire for material goods for a long time now, and sometimes I wonder if I am a bit weird. Caterina

Hey that's me too, I can afford to go shopping and I buy stuff if I need it and sometimes when I just want it, (books are my downfall) but my days of shopping for fun are long gone. I used to have loads of stuff but no time to enjoy it and things don't make me happy like the feeling of security from having some money in the bank for a rainy day.;)

Caterina

Hi Bogof_Babe!

You know, I have to confess to a relative lack of real frugality, this is because it is easier to give in to my teenage twins' wishes (within moderation) than put up a fight.

In my personal life I am totally frugal, I never buy new clothes - the very friend who told me that one cannot have enough shoes is also the one who provides me with all her hand-me-downs - or shop for personal things. I take books and dvds (occasionally) from the library, do not own a car, reuse and recycle, in general do a lot of the things that the average mse person does.

My husband is very much like me except that because of his work he occasionally will buy new, expensive-ish clothes but he will take oatcakes and fruit for lunch, watches the penny etc.

The kids work for their money (babysitting one and newspaper delivery the other), I don't often give them pocket money (unless I have had a really well paid job, then I slip them the occasional tenner, much to their delight). I sometimes buy them second hand stuff that I know they would like, but as a general rule when they want clothes it's new stuff they want. And of course I pay for their school equipment and for my son's gutar lessons.

Recently I have been put on my knees financially by having to pay for their school ski trip, a GRAND between them plus equipment, all new.

They had promised they would contribute and I know they would if I asked but in the end their dad and I decided that we would stretch ourselves and pay it all for them. Of course, no 14 day holiday this summer for the family, only a 5 day camp (the Big Green Gathering - anyone else going? We could meet there! hehehe) and odd weekends on the cheap.

Overall there is nothing I want to spend money on - or perhaps if I had the chance I would spend it on paying someone to do up my house and would enjoy my husband's company instead of making him endless cups of tea while he decorates (Like this long long Easter weekend fully of paint smells and dust *sigh*).

Caterina

tiff

What/where is the Big Green gathering, Caterina? We put our tent up today for the first time, it was lovely and sunny, MIL went home to fetch sandwiches and a bottle of wine and we wished we were somewhere camping rather than having to take the tent back down and go home.

Depending on where the Big Green thing is, we might be up for it

Caterina

Somewhere between Cheddar and Weston Super Mare - here is the website:

http://www.big-green-gathering.com

Check it out and let me know! We haven't booked yet but hopefully will, before 31 may so we can get the (slightly) cheaper prices.

A while back we bought a new 2-person tent that unfolds itself, in Decathlon sports store, it is really easy to open (but murder to close hehehe) and my daughter and her friend will be using that, we will use our old battered dome tent.

Hope to see you there!

Caterina

Sarahsaver

Anti consumerism is a trait i'd like my kids to have, and you can hear me saying to them 'we can make that at home' or 'we don't need one of those' many a time. They have started to have a little bit of loose change in their own pockets, only about 20p, so they can learn the value/cost of things. They already know that you can get more for your money off the market/yellow stickers in supermarkets/multipacks of value stuff. Hate the adverts on kids tv and try to steer them towards bbc, or preferably reading, playing in the garden and creative pastimes (cooking...)
The publicity over fair trade food and food miles etc made me think about clothing miles, who makes the clothes we wear? I saw in a shop 3 womens vest tops for £5. These MUST be made by low paid workers overseas. Partly this was my thinking behind the make do and mend thread, also to save money of course!
My kids even accepted with no whinging when we walked past burger king, that I could buy a chicken for the price of one kids' meal and that chicken would feed us for 3 days.
Theres so much advertising for crud furniture too, like someone mentioned on another thread, when did we have to have everything matching?
I hope my kids can at least remain sceptical of over consumption of food/clothes etc that is portrayed these days as the normal lifestyle to have.
The green gathering sounds interesting...

tiff

Caterina wrote:

Somewhere between Cheddar and Weston Super Mare - here is the website:

http://www.big-green-gathering.com

Check it out and let me know! We haven't booked yet but hopefully will, before 31 may so we can get the (slightly) cheaper prices.

A while back we bought a new 2-person tent that unfolds itself, in Decathlon sports store, it is really easy to open (but murder to close hehehe) and my daughter and her friend will be using that, we will use our old battered dome tent.

Hope to see you there!

Caterina

Well, as I live in Bristol thats about 15 miles from me if that. I will take a look at the website, I wonder though why they dont give the exact location of the event? I will need a smaller tent though, I cant see my hubby going for this one, but I would and there is no way I could manage our tent on my own but we always planned to get a smaller one, for when I take the kids on my own. Maybe I will post a wanted on freecycle, you never know. Will let you know if I book this event

Caterina

Yes please let me know!

Caterina