NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

Bobarella

@lillian - what about doing a swap with a friend who likes pickled onions? They might be glad to get rid of a jar that they don't need in exchange.

fuddle

GreyQueen you said elsewhere about cold and car batteries a short while ago. I listened attentively and thought 'nah, my auld robust Japanese-but-made-in-the-north-east-of-England transportation device will be fine'.

Cue dead car on Boxing Day morning and DH + children driving me round on my run.

So today was the day I stamped my feet and shouted I'm not buying it, but I had to indeed buy it. £50 for a car battery as jump leads and VW battery couldn't resuscitate it. By 'eck we tried.

At least it wasn't £75 from highstreet car store but bought via the place DH's depot use for parts. At least some money saving eh?

Thistle-down

I know it's not actually 2015 yet... but today, instead of trawling through the after Xmas sales online or ebay for yet another thing I don't need, I am watching an interview on youtube about giving house concerts and how lucrative they can be if done right.

No spending, just getting ideas on how to bring in more money and eventually being able to do music full time. Full of optimism for the new year!!

bexster1975

Hello thistle down. Do you have the link for this? Another muso ( only part time) and would be very interested in watching this

Bexster

Thistle-down

bexster1975 wrote: »

Hello thistle down. Do you have the link for this? Another mysu ( only part time) and would be very interested in watching this

Bexster

sure thing!! Once it gets into the heart of the interview, it's full of great stuff:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zKEpy-uOpWY

annagaradair

OK. So why do I want to Stop Buying It?

Well, for starters, I don't have a lot of money. I'm retired when I was 31 due to a chronic health condition which isn't going to go away. It's unlikely that I'll work again (am 42 now). I have my full, final-salary pension coming in and some disability benefits. So I do have enough to live on IF I'm careful.

I'm NOT careful. I like the process of shopping. I like having new, shiney things. I have lots of interests and, whenever a new one comes along, I tend to ... well, shop for it. I'm now surrounded by stuff that no longer interests me. Or, if it does interest me, I'm never going to get round to using all of it. I actually think shopping is a little bit addictive.

This way of living isn't in line with my beliefs. I've been watching the world from the sidelines for the past decade and I don't like it. You're family life is unsatisfying? Buy a bigger TV! No, I don't think so. But I have often bought that TV thinking I'd be happy if I had a whatever. I wasn't.

My goal for 2015 is to buy what I need as I go through the month. I'll keep a wish list for big ticket items, those I have a true desire for and those that are hovering on the division between needs and wants. At the end of the month, if I can afford it, I'll buy one item from the list. The remaining money will go into savings.

To help me on the way, I shall track NSDs - weekly, monthly and for the year. Because I'm a tiny bit obsessive. We all have our faults, right?

lilian1977

Gah. Just been to Boots for my free flu jab and spent £20 in the sale. However it's all stuff that will be given away as gifts (some Disney Princess perfume stuff and some Joules bath stuff) - they are gifts I am missing in my stash for the year so hopefully that will reduce my 2015 expenditure.

OK. It starts (again) now!

Kerry_Woman

annagaradair - Sorry to hear about your loss. Thoughts are with you and your family.

[Deleted User]

I am doubly happy today. Yet another mini sort-out done and several excellent items for the cs. Someone is going to be delighted to see my spare vacuum jars (for a vac sealer) and a hm contraption that will actually work to create a vacuum if there is a prolonged shtf power cut. I also found a couple of devices that will take the air out of kilner jars so in fact super for longer term storage. I remember making them 4 years ago and by golly they work well, so hey ho, the original vac jars are (mostly) off to the cs and that gives me almost a full empty shelf. Woo hoo, all the better to see what I do have

Ches

atypicalblonde wrote: »

A big chunk will be coming out of our savings next week, £2,200, but this is to pay for the new boiler that we have just had installed - ours completely died two weeks before Christmas and with 2 small children coping with no heating or hot water is just not an option.

I feel your pain as the same thing happened to ours at about the same time.