NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

nursemaggie

I agree with you Catarina. My point about the phrase that is usually used is "Hard Working Families" . It is used buy all political parties implying that those who do not work hard, and they do mean at a job, are undeserving lazy scroungers because we are on benefits.

Unfortunately society has finished the job for the politicians and "Sanctified" it as Caterina says.

Actually the majority of people on benefits are retired. The state pension is classed as a benefit but I do not think most of us wish it to be classed as a benefit. If like me you, if not a SAHM only worked part time and never earned enough to pay a stamp then you will like me only have a very small state pension. Also because of that I also only paid into a pension for 20 year. The two together only just take me over the State Pension rate. Yet I am expected keep my 20 year old son on that small income because he is under 26.

I did work hard and brought three children up. I do not want to be thought of as a benefit scrounger. I think we deserve to be able to retire.

I know you did not mean it but all the same people do think "benefit scrounger get out and get a job". I have had it said to my face. There are no jobs for those who are unfortunate to be out of work. The only ones who get a job are those who got one in the first few weeks before they got onto the unemployment figures.

moneyistooshorttomention

Well...re the Government trying to re-name pensions as "benefits", they can try all they like to misname it but pension is pension is pension and is simply NOT a "benefit" and shouldn't be called it.

It may seem like a small thing to let them try and call it by the wrong word, but I do think we need to hold fast to pensions remaining called "pensions" and not trying to shift this over to people seeing them in a very different light iyswim.

nursemaggie

Hi Money. the State Pension has always been called a benefit it is the major money coming out of benefits. You can't complain they are trying to call it by another name it has never been anything but a benefit. Each benefit also has it's own name too.

I did say most people did not know. You go and ask Martin.

Caterina

I am horrified to discover that pension is called benefits, in a civilised society we should all look after the older and less able members of our community, including children, people out of work for no fault of their own, people who come to ask for help, people who are sick, mothers of young children, the list is endless.

If everybody worked less hours and people were paid a fair living wage society would be a nicer place.

maria3104

Hi

Loved the story Caterina. Have enjoyed the debate on what is hard working. I wonder what the next generation of young people will consider normal. I survived the yuppies/sloane rangers/yummy mummies/naughty nineties/economic boom and bust. Happily no world wars.
Looking forward to Martin tonight. It will be recorded for later second viewing.

fiftyeighter_2

Oh nursemaggie, you've said everything I feel, ( well you all have really )
I too am a pensioner, next birthday 65 oh dear. I worked most of my life either full or part time and I get the basic state pension £118 08 per week plus £30.27 because I'm on my own. But I have my 19 yr old still at home.
Well I say that she travels into London each day to uni and the fares are crucifying. Obviously she pays those herself. I wouldn't be able to afford them.
I love this thread. I consider myself to be frugal but like most I do have my bad times when I get sucked in to this consumerism thingy. So with all my ship mates on here I'm sure we will all be in for a smoother ride.

GreyQueen

Caterina wrote: »

I am aware that sometimes there is no choice but to work hard, but my question is why strive for it? Why almost sanctify the concept?

Ah well am I the only anti-hard-work person here? I am interested in hearing people's opinions.

Nope. There's me over here.

I had seven whole years out of the workforce when my chronic illnesses were very bad. As a single, childfree woman, I couldn't kid myself or anyone else that I was a SAHM, I was just someone who had invisible, but debiltating, illnesses and lived on benefits.

So I've a lot of experiences of that humiliating social scenario where someone you know slightly ask you what you're doing these days, meaning what work are you doing, and you can see the thinly-veiled contempt when the answer is some version of not-a-lot. And when it keeps happening, and happening year after year, you start to feel a bit like a non-person because you're not out there in the world of paid employment. Been there, done that, got the teeshirt.

I am well enough to work p/t now, just over 60% fte, although that taxes me to the limits. I get by, as long as I live modestly.

And I've been pretty poor but one thing life has taught me about myself is that there is NOTHING, no good, no chattel, no meal out/ theatre show/ experience which I value as highly as my time. Nothing you can live in, drive, stand on a shelf, hang in a wardrobe, serve on a plate or in a glass is worth me giving up any more of my time than I sell now. Absolutely nothing.

Your life is numbered in hours and days. You can never get back time you sell for money, you can only get compensation for your real and absolute loss and the chance to buy gimcrackery. Once you have sufficient shelter, enough food, warmth and good companionship, anything else is froth and excess and not worth a jot.

So, next time someone is bragging about how hard they work, with the glow of virtue around them, start to pity them instead of feeling inadequate. Most of the stuff being done in this world is busywork and could just as easily not be done at all.

If you want to know what kind of work matters, look at the consequences of it not being done. And you will clearly see that the crew on the bin lorry are worth a lot more than a whole winebar-ful of PR executives and libel lawyers. If the bins ain't emptied, things get nasty, smelly, unsightly and unhealthy pdq. If press releases aren't generated..........? Phooey.

Another Diogenes tale.

Back in the day, Alexander the Great was visiting Athens, being feted and courted and fussed over by the important people. Conspicuously absent was the famous Diogenes, so Alexander and entourage went looking for him. He was sunbathing by his barrel-home.

Alexander was the biggest cheese of his era and asked what he could do for Diogenes? To which, the philosopher said the equivalent of Stand out of my sun. The warlord was so tickled by this that he apparently declared that if he wasn't Alexander, he would have liked to have been Diogenes.

lizthewhiz

Heave ho my hearties...I'd like to be in on this one as well.

My own personal challenge would be to only buy ingredients, not ready made stuff. Only wood and nails, not a shelf, flour and eggs, not a cake, needle and thread, not a shirt and so on... I love making things so it would be a real challenge to make everything I need (more or less)

Minimalist - I always, without fail, fast forward over the adverts - I don't want my mind polluted with all that stuff. Not only the desire for goods but also the whole rather mindless "you are what you have" merry-go-round

Every time I see a notice saying "Save £5, buy it now" I hear my dad's voice in my head saying "Yeah - save even more - don't buy it at all" - that piece of advice must have saved me hundreds of pounds over the years!

black_cat

I love this thread. I read Judith Levine’s book when it came out and I recently re-read it. “Not Buying It” would be a great motto for me for 2015. I think being frugal is about making wise financial/purchasing decisions that enable you to live by your priorities and values – not by society’s. I might decide to shun consumerism so that I can travel every summer, whilst you might save so that you can work part-time or retire early. I remember the lady from the “Tightwads” documentary who used bath water to flush her loo but gave so generously to a charity that saved children’s sight in India.

Minimalist – I like your definition of work as “undertaking purposeful activity.”

GreyQueen – an ode to time! It’s helpful to think of paid work as selling our time, and buying as giving that money away. We should be careful who we give it to and think carefully about what we receive in return.

Lizthewiz – your dad was so right! We shout at the TV when the “bargains” come on – we’ve possibly saved thousands this year already simply by not buying anything!

Slowdown – thank you for starting this thread. It’s obviously struck a chord with many people on here.

poorly_scammo

GreyQueen wrote: »

Your life is numbered in hours and days. You can never get back time you sell for money, you can only get compensation for your real and absolute loss and the chance to buy gimcrackery.

Sorry to gate crash but this is one of the most eloquent and meaningful sentiments I've ever read or heard. I don't know if you write GreyQueen but if you don't then you ought to. I'm an amateur writer and your prose is wonderful.

I too am unable to work at present and have a hatred of multi nationals imploring me to buy crap. I won't be posting on this thread much but I'm here in spirit.

Oh and here's a not buying tip: Next time you're tempted to buy something: bookmark it (add it to favourites) and leave it for hours, days, weeks then reclick on it. I'll bet that at least half of the time, your interest in it will have waned.

Scammo