Anti-Consumerism

suzanna

Hi

I have just found this thread and its really good to know that i am not the only one that thinks this way! I just dont seem to spend my money even when there is something that i want i will wait and see if i really need it and weather i actually want to spend my money on it and most of the time i decide against it. My freinds and family make a constant joke of my lack of spending and have taken to buying me vouchers for birthdays and christmas as i say that i dont really need anything so that i will actually buy myself something!

I do get a sense of satifaction though when they come to me to find the best bargins and advice on saving money.

I found this site in january and admit that it really is addictive and so useful to find like minded people. It has made me even more determind to save money.

BrokeBrokeBroke

DingDong wrote:

Food: Organic fruit/veg, free range eggs, from market. Trying to find a good butchers for meat. Everything else from Tesco but using internet vouchers.


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I'm just wondering how buying from TESCO even with internet vouchers is 'anti- consumerism'?? I watched a documentary once about Tesco with some of their suppliers in Africa somewhere and the children were all chanting and singing 'Tesco, Tesco' as if they were some kind of God or something!! Put me right off! Also the company my dad worked for nearly went out of business because of Tesco messing around with them ! (they were a supplier)

moggins

I think that may be a case of helping to deprive Tesco of their profits

I rarely buy clothes anyway, I still have items that are 20 years old and look as good as new. This year I am growing most of our veggies (organically) and will be getting some chickens for eggs.

I still have to buy meat though as I have a family of carnivores and organically reared meat is prohibitively expensive when you are trying to live on one wage.

I needed to buy quite a few things this weekend to start winemaking etc. I found everything I needed at a local bootsale, so I paid less than a 10th of what it would have cost me new and it's recycling stuff that people might otherwise have thrown out.

DingDong_3

jazzyjustlaw wrote:

Do you have any specific household items you use for cleaning and if so what do you use them on. I would like to stop using cleaning materials but I do not know where to start.

See the cleaning thread: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=380 and also this for starters: http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/node/277

As a quick example, I use white vinegar instead of fabric conditioner and also diluted with water for cleaning the bathroom and windows.

Judi has posted the link for the ladies.

Brokebrokebroke, (sorry I dont know how to quote 2 different people) You're right, it's not anti-consumerism. I'm unhappy shopping at Tesco. I try to do as much of my shopping elsewhere but it's often difficult. I just meant I shop on the market first and then anything else I get at Tesco.

BrokeBrokeBroke

Although with the vouchers you are reducing their profits so in effect it is!! :j

Sarahsaver

suzanna wrote:

Hi

I have just found this thread and its really good to know that i am not the only one that thinks this way! I just dont seem to spend my money even when there is something that i want i will wait and see if i really need it and weather i actually want to spend my money on it and most of the time i decide against it. My freinds and family make a constant joke of my lack of spending and have taken to buying me vouchers for birthdays and christmas as i say that i dont really need anything so that i will actually buy myself something!

I do get a sense of satifaction though when they come to me to find the best bargins and advice on saving money.

I found this site in january and admit that it really is addictive and so useful to find like minded people. It has made me even more determind to save money.

Major high street shops HATE people like me. I go in, walk round the 'wrong' way - you know they like you to follow a path, go armed with vouchers, and mainly only buy bogofs, economy items, sale items, and if something is damaged I ask for a further reduction which they always give me. Haggle if you want a better offer than they are making. Refuse to pay delivery charges in electrical stores. Put your moneysaving foot down! Look for things like loose buttons and marks on clothes etc...If you use a high street store always have in the back of your mind that YOU want to be the one who gains from this, not the store.
Some of the assistants in boots still give me a dirty look on my rare visits there when its a particularly fruitful time for points!
My kids even look for yellow/orange stickers, and my daughter could read the phrase 'buy one get one free' when she was 4 years old:)

Austin_Allegro

I'm not sure if I completely agree with 'anti-consumerism'.

As someone pointed out, if we all stopped buying things, the majority of people would be out of a job and we'd all be a lot worse off materially - probably around the same standard as England before about 1700. Might sound ok but there would also be no consumer items such as modern medicine, internet, book publishing, green holidays (how would people know about them or get to them) etc?

Similarly, is it better that a worker in the far east gets no money at all, because we feel guilty about them being underpaid (by our standards) for producing our clothing?

I'm not having a go at anyone - in fact I agree with most of the sentiments expressed on this thread, but to me the most important thing is being 'pro consumer CHOICE' rather than completely 'anti-consumerism'. To me the important thing is being able to opt out of the 'need' to buy things I don't actually need, in order to have enough money to buy the things I do need and want.

elona

I agree that this thread is about choice rather than being anti-consumerism.
My definition of comfort is being warm , with a roof over our heads, good meal in slow cooker and able to save for school trips and educational materials etc.
If daughters need new clothes then we go to designer outlet and get stuff at a quarter of the price or even less.
I have even got stuff at charity shops that has still had the ticket on and never worn.

Lillibet_2

Humm, I'm a bit on the fence with this thread to be honest. We certinaly re-cycle where ever possible & don't buy things willy-nilly, we awalys weigh up purchases. Our recent excursions into the world of all things baby have taught us how saturated the consummer markets are with un-necessarily disposable products. However, we are not going to deny ourselves things which allow us to enjoy our lives or bring us pleasure, we are just going to ensure that we get them at the best possible price & don't let greedy manufacturers & re-sellers rip us off.
My biggest consumer gripe is with companies like GAP or Disney who sell you clothes with their names or logos all over them : They are effectively making the consumer pay to advertise the brand to make other consummers pay for them!!! I cannot believe we have fallen into this trap (Says she who, yes, does own a GAP sweatshirt : In my defence it was an Xmas present several years ago & is very well worn, it's one of the most comfortable things I own, but I could live without the "GAP" name across the front & would never have bought it for it myself!)

Sofa_Sogood

Anti-consumerism's nearly impossible to implement imo.

It's like trying to implement communism.

No disrespect, but people that believe in this should try living in a kibbutz.

Or an ideal world