NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

greenbee

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Health food shops (of the non-chain variety) are a source of supply for things like flour/dried yeast (or it would be possible to do sourdough bread instead)/non-alcoholic booze/etc.

The things I struggle with buying more outside the grasp of supermarkets is things like loopaper/coffee/etc, as these can be either unavailable or a lot more expensive from these shops. I've not been able to find cheese even in my local healthfood shop and so its T*sco's organic cheddar cheese, followed by more T*sco's organic cheddar cheese, ad infinitum (with that being the only organic cheese this rural-ish one stocks so far:(:mad:).

I buy my loo paper and coffee from the Natural Collection website (with cashback via Quidco). The loo paper is recycled fair trade, and the coffee organic fair trade.

I have also moved recently, and although I do have rather more choice than you, I have to travel further than I used to in order to avoid T*sco (who I have ethical issues with), and I no longer have a local organic farm shop. However, there are good health food shops, butchers and delis locally. The village shop sells decent cheese and eggs are available from one of the farms.

There are plenty of independent wine merchants... my biggest issue is the need for bottled water, as even filtered the water here is vile, and I'm not sure what to do about it (maybe just drink wine instead?).

Honey_Bear

I've just cut my own hair, with OH's help to tidy it up after I washed it. That's the first time I've done that since I was three years old, when I cut myself a fringe with my mother's nail scissors while sitting under the kitchen table listening to her talking to her sister. For quite a while.


If it hadn't been for this thread I probably wouldn't have done it, even though it's been really annoying me because it was too long for about six weeks. Sorry to any hairdressers on this thread for depriving you of your income. I don't begrudge paying anyone for providing a service, but I actually don't enjoy going to the hairdresser at all, even though I liked mine very much.

Thistle-down

I cut my own hair too honeybear - mine is quite long and wavy with a fringe. I've gotten really good at it over the last 20 years or so. If I had an actual style I'd be tempted to go to a pro, but I only wear it up in a bun or hanging down my back - I can't be bothered with anything that takes any more effort than that. There doesn't seem to be any point paying someone to do something that takes me a few minutes every month or so.

Islandmaid

Cut your own hair - you are brave, i wouldn't have the guts to - last time I delved into hairdressing my best friend and I cut each other's hair with my Mum,s pinking shears - we were 5

I have just splurged on 2 x bottles of red wine for a tenner , as we,ve decided not to go out NYE, so will save on that, also bought a HUGE pork shoulder down to £4 from £12, so that will sit in the freezer till it,s needed. Ohh and some brussel tops for 30p for our New Years dinner.

Off round to a friends house in a bit, will take one bottle of the red and some HM Sloe gin.

purpleshoes_2

Im dealing with the what do I do with my hair now that Im not getting it coloured at the college, but am sure they do a cut and blow dry as well, it was as cheap for me to get a colour there than a cut and blow dry anywhere else in town, I did trim my fringe the other week, but it will need cut before the year is out (thats next year), its pretty long at the moment.

black_cat

My mother cut my hair for me when we were visiting over Christmas and she also sent us on our way with a food parcel! Lovely preparation for a frugal 2015.

We had planned to go to a coffee shop this afternoon but changed our minds and have had coffee at home. The Christmas tree looks beautiful now it's getting dark (other decorations are down), and we've had a lovely afternoon catching up on recorded TV, doing a jigsaw, listening to new CDs and MSE-ing. After an Indian meal (a mixture of Yellow Stickers and homemade), I'm looking forward to some reading, knitting and recycling cards into tags. Who needs to spend lots of money to have a lovely day?!

Picklepot

Hi all


Loving this thread!!!

Went on winter walk today - nothing unusual in that. EXCEPT this time last year this is what it would have been like.

An hour's journey to AONB take flask and sandwiches. Excited dog in car.After 15 minutes he would have driven us mad because he would suss where we were going. Yipping howling barking in that endearing spaniel kind of way. After 45 mins we would have arrived frazzled. After walking said mutt, and arrived back at car we would not be able to face sandwiches in car with loopy even more excited/full of adrenaline smelly dog. Nearest pub would look more appealing, picnic would go to waste as we have a soft drink at pub and sandwiches at pub with obligatory bowl of chips plus coffee and then pride ourselves that we had not eaten a full meal and that it only cost £24.00 we would drive back with smelly wet dog, smelly car for DH to wash it (company car he seems to fated that every time he leaves it dirty the director needs a lift!!)) forget sandwiches and 3 days later find them and bin them and then chastise ourselves for being so wasteful.


Rewind to this year and in training for sail date to 2015. Promise to ourselves to KEEP IT SIMPLE. we walk from our house with mad dog to nearest woodland try to remove our 'car drivers heads' and find the small paths and subways away from road. No one about woodland beautiful in winter sunshine , ducks were funny skidding on icy pond .Nutty spaniel happy and as relaxed as a spaniel can.
Collected dh prescription on way back and went past tempting pub. As we walked passed DH said' we have oven chips..'(not his usual chat up line!??) within 30 minutes of being home he had made me a hot chicken roll with chips in a bowl, pub style a hot milky coffee and mince pie and ice cream for pud.


He told me how nice it was to walk locally and not have to spend Christmas driving. Spaniel happy, able to stamp his dirty self in suitable area and slob suitably on his bed without fraught owners.


Apart from prescription nothing spent.


All your winter walks inspired me. Thank you!!!

Picklepot

Hi
I think it was grey queen talking about Just in case?? For a fleeting ridiculous moment I thought you knew him too until I read the post properly.
I don't expect anyone to believe me but I went to school with a boy called Justin Case I still see him most mornings waiting to take a bus.:)

mumto2monkeys_2

It's the little things Pickle - sounds idyllic.

I am HOME <twirls>. Rather than a) order a takeaway or b) go to supermarket, I have rustled up a homemade bolognaise and I am determined to reduce the food we have in already.

Food overspending and overeating (:o:o:o) is definitely my key area to get on top of.

I also intend to get out more. We will be walking tomorrow morning and there will be NO coffee shop.

Even thinking about avoiding spends makes me feel freer. I'm really hopeful that 2015 could be transformative. We've been through so much as a family that it would be nice to have a period of time where we do plenty together and really appreciated those little things.

GreyQueen

Picklepot wrote: »

Hi
I think it was grey queen talking about Just in case?? For a fleeting ridiculous moment I thought you knew him too until I read the post properly.
I don't expect anyone to believe me but I went to school with a boy called Justin Case I still see him most mornings waiting to take a bus.:)

I am neither surprised nor disbelieveing; I have met a Robin Hood before now. And Gernomio and a Toyah and a Sade (none of them the original articles).