Old Style in 2014?

Angel_Jenny

Do you think it will get more popular in the coming year?

All the old fashioned crafts and hobbies seem to be coming back in which is nice. I was wondering if the predicted increases in bills and the lack of increase in wages would send more people in an old style direction. Maybe just in little ways! It would be nice to think of a less "throw away" society.

More of a make do and mend feel - less about having the latest shiny gadget and more batch cooking and vegetable plots.

Lilyplonk

I'm sure it's already happening, to some extent.

There's lots of people offering 'Knitting/Crochet Classes' - and no shortage of those eager to enrol. Mind you - they come 'at a price'. My d-i-l recently attended a 'half-day course' that cost her £30 for 'An Introduction to Crochet'. There was ONE tutor with around 15 in the class. When she came back home, she could barely remember the instruction for 'half-treble' and her tension was so tight that she couldn't get the hook through any of her chains. So many in the class that the Tutor was unable to give more than a couple of them individual attention.

They were given very cheaply photocopied instructions (copied so many times that they weren't very clear print) for 'How to make a chain', single crochet, double crochet, half-treble crochet but weren't given any proper instructions about 'turning chains'.

We're going to wait until the New Year, then I'm going to step in and see if I can reinforce what she's already been taught and maybe take her a little bit further .......... just wished she'd asked me in the first place .

Rummer

I will certainly be more more OS in 2014 as I will be on maternity leave for a part of it and I need to live as frugally as possible. As it is we do not bad but I am hoping to do even better in 2014.

Most of my hobbies are OS linked including crochet, gardening, cooking and a few others so I have made a good start

Frugalsod

I heard it is called the "New Domesticity" in the US. I have made big changes to convert to old styles of cooking and cleaning. I now am converting to old cleaning techniques using vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. So will slowly use up all my old cleaning products and simplify what I have left and use. Next year I might even consider making my own laundry detergent.

As far as cooking I am cost cutting on a massive scale with home baking instead of ready meals. I am not in the position of needing to, but am trying to clear my debts as fast as possible all while allowing myself some treats before I am debt free. The other big plus for me is the elimination of additives in my diet. If I am successful I will have eliminated many of the usual grocery staples and be able to make more from scratch all without spending any more. In other areas I will be spending the same but have a much higher equivalent standard of living.

Frugalsod

Angel_Jenny wrote: »

Do you think it will get more popular in the coming year?

All the old fashioned crafts and hobbies seem to be coming back in which is nice. I was wondering if the predicted increases in bills and the lack of increase in wages would send more people in an old style direction. Maybe just in little ways! It would be nice to think of a less "throw away" society.

More of a make do and mend feel - less about having the latest shiny gadget and more batch cooking and vegetable plots.

I think it will become much more popular. It will be the way that people can cut their overheads since many can do little to boost their income. Pensioners and people on benefits are limited in getting additional income. Making savings by going old school is the simplest and easiest way.

Also for those who do not need to make big cutbacks it can also be a way to pay for those new shiny gadgets.

notjustlaura

I think it is and will become more common place. And I think that's no bad thing at all.

For myself, I'm solvent and thankful to be so. To stay that way and afford some little luxuries OS is the way to go. But I also like simplifying and using less on the earth's resources. As another poster said, my hobbies are OS so it all ties in together rather nicely.

charlies-aunt

I hope that more people will embrace a OS lifestyle - quality over quantity, homemade rather than shop-bought, stepping out of the rat race into a slower, more meandering route and appreciating a life lived with simplicity


My aims for 2014 are to shop locally on the market and the smaller independent shops to avoid prepacked-in-plastic food whenever possible. Lucky to have a fantastic local market and I will support it more in 2014


Will continue with buying clothes and OS household stuff from CS - a pottery pudding basin is much nicer to use and have around than a plastic container

Antwerpen

I'm jumping on the bandwagon tbh.

I'm in my mid 20's, my mum didn't teach me how to cook, sew etc etc. I think my generation are very lazy, and spend money like it's water. Myself being one of them!!

In the summer I did a sewing course. I did this as I wanted to make my daughter some presents. I was already into card making. I don't think I could ever knit, looks so fiddly.

With the prices inflating AGAIN!It is soo much cheaper to make it, plus personal touch. I'm a single mum and my evenings are very boring, so this keeps me occupied.

I'm trying to be more frugal, I need to start meal planning, I was wasting a lot of food . Any tips would be welcomed lol.

Ladyluck1

I agree that it also seems to be happening already.
I think we (as a country) seem to be more inclined to not pay full price for anything anymore and be a bit more frugal. Compared to 10 years ago I think I can see a change in people's attitude to throwing away/recycling buying new/buying second hand etc.

eandjsmum

My new years resolution. To be honest I already do a lot of this but sometimes |I find myself going off the rails - so more doing it yourself and less TV.

DigForVictory

I can't get past my addiction to Persil, but when I cleaned the table with salt, it came up glorious. The lads use chemicals rather than products for a lot of their hobbies - white vinegar for windows & tiles shouldn't be much of a stretch!
OS makes too much sense for it not to become increasingly popular.