NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

Catcherupper14

yesterday I decided that I must have a sort-out of my toiletries. I don't buy many but went through a period of trying new things, which turned out to be no better on the whole than the stuff I usually use.


I am going to gather all my toiletries together so that I can work through them over the year. I have some shampoo that I bought and don't like, so I'll use it up with a conditioner that I do like.I am also going to do the same with cleaning things (although most of the "mistakes" were inherited and I've avoided using them).


I've been on a "no-food waste" mission, helped by the Grocery Challenge and meal planning, and I notice that whenever I fail to plan my meals I end up throwing out something I've overlooked. I want to get my waste down to nothing next year.
As for the crafting materials, I will only buy what I need to finish a project eg particular colour thread. I have fabric/yarns etc to last a lifetime and anything I can't use I will try to swap for items I can use.
I would like to do a couple of special craft courses next year so I will be saving for those - not spending on books and craft materials will pay for the courses.


I am really looking forward to this.

[Deleted User]

I have gone through everything in my accounts and as far as I can see the only big purchase I have to buy shortly will be two ferry tickets for the IoW for next year's summer holiday I am hoping there may be some discounts appearing shortly from Red Funnel as two car ferry tickets are £343.50 I have already paid for our holiday house in September so its the only major outlay I have.Not something I can avoid as there are 7 of us travelling plus two dogs, hampster and luggage.So I am going to hanng on until after Christmas as often the ferry companies start touting for business then :)

maria3104

Yesterday was meant to go to Christmas fair, budget £10, but the day got hijacked! Thank goodness it is not 2015, I would have fallen off the thread spectacularly. Mr T delivered £51 as planned, and we then had a fabulous day out, changed some too small trousers for baby clothes, and got £41 of YS and bargains in Mr T again. So total spend £92, I have updated signature. Actually £7 of £41 was a gift and so I will take this off again.
Had a marvellous walk round a garden centre and they had made a real effort for the children with polar bears and a stunning display of trees. My garden birds are now enjoying £1 of reduced meal worms and seeds.
Happy day and frugalish too., who am I kidding, new pvc table covers, only 2.99 a metre and will last all year. All good stuff and needed, but it was lovely to give my xmas jumper an airing and catch up with my friend.

girlinayellowdress

Oh dear, couldn't sleep last night with all the ideas going through my head. Determined to plan this all out properly and also although I'm packing up many unused but wanted things for moving in the next few years I need to find alternatives for the temptation of online shopping etc. I will still buy the odd piece of Royal Albert china from CS if seen and very very cheap as that does make me happy and will always hold it's price if I pay pennies. I have my sewing machine and plenty of sheets and duvet covers to make dog bedding etc. the one thing I am interested in as a hobby is yarn spinning, would this be cost effective and where would I start, as it's not technically 2015 yet is it worth investing? keeping me sane as much as anything

thriftwizard

Pinksteps, go along to your local Guild of Weavers, Spinners & Dyers (Hampshire has at least two very lively Guilds) and have a go before investing anything. I first learnt to spin because I wanted to use the kind of yarn I couldn't afford to buy in any quantity, yet our farmers were giving good fleeces away. And for me, it has been a very good investment as well as a lovely relaxing thing to do in the evenings. I bought a cheap secondhand wheel after investigating & working out what I wanted from a wheel, but I still missed two vital details that I didn't know to look out for; it seems I'm a left-handed spinner so need an upright or LH wheel - most are RH - and I had an unsuspected badly-damaged arthritic hip so am better off with a double-treadle. But as wheels hold their value very well, I didn't lose out when I had to sell that one on & buy one more suited to me personally

I've tried to teach a few people to spin, mostly with great success, but have to report complete & utter failure with two of them. Both very experienced crafters, but people who like/need quick results & are perfectionists, so weren't prepared to weather the practice-makes-perfect stage; they didn't "get" it straight away (some do) wouldn't slow down & relax, & at the end of the day, got cross & frustrated & gave up before they'd got anywhere. My teaching methods probably leave a lot to be desired, though!

A good spindle is much less of an investment than a wheel, far more portable, and I can go nearly as fast, and produce a much more consistent and attractive yarn with mine. Don't look at the big name easily-available producers, though (there are 2 or 3 independent local craftspeople not too far from you who make excellent spindles) and find out more before you invest as there are several different styles of spindle and some will suit you better than others.

Gandhi certainly believed that spinning keeps you sane (as well as being a political act) and made time to spin every day. But on Ravelry, when someone first starts, we usually say, "Welcome to the Dark Side..." Warning: it's addictive...

[Deleted User]

thriftwizard wrote: »

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A good spindle is much less of an investment than a wheel, far more portable, and I can go nearly as fast, and produce a much more consistent and attractive yarn with mine. Don't look at the big name easily-available producers, though (there are 2 or 3 independent local craftspeople not too far from you who make excellent spindles) and find out more before you invest as there are several different styles of spindle and some will suit you better than others.

Gandhi certainly believed that spinning keeps you sane (as well as being a political act) and made time to spin every day. But on Ravelry, when someone first starts, we usually say, "Welcome to the Dark Side..." Warning: it's addictive...

Oh I agree about starting with a cheap spindle, that is exactly what I did and I made the lumpiest bumpiest thickest yarn ever but I carried on and soon made enough to ply together. Then I made a simple ribbed tea cosy from it, just like a pull on hat with a hole on one side for the spout. It was thick and warm and the lumps looked nice and rustic. We use that tea cosy every single day. My first spindle was a drop spindle from ebay and there are lots of youtube videos to help

Pinksteps I did the same with royal albert lavender then we had to downsize to move, 2005. I didn`t have time to sell everything I had previously bought for no good reason except I wanted it and spending was endorphic for me. I gave loads of crafting things to oxfam, dozens of rubber stamps and ink pads and that was only a fraction of what I gave. I had the full works in that lavender set and oxfam had it too, all of it. My reason for oxfam was because I knew they would get a decent amount of money for my things, so I didn`t feel guilty because the money was for a good cause and I just put it behind me. That set was only ever rarely used. It was like this and more http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/191416424219?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

we went on holiday a bit before that and met a lovely old lady who was flitting about on holidays, she said she was trying to give lots of stuff away and trying to spend her money. That was a wake up call. I`ll never forget what she said

camelot1001

Wow, so many like minded people!

I decided earlier this year to use up all toiletries, I get lots from the children at school at christmas time. I had always been a snob when it came to 'cheaper' body creams, shower gels, etc, but on using them I have discovered that they aren't that bad. Any that cause irritation obviously go down the plug hole but I haven't bought any for months. This and the fact that DD works for an up-market candle/toiletry company means my spending in that department is virtually nothing.

On that subject, candles! As DD works for said company we have lots of 'bargains' that I am working my way through. When we moved last year we had 3 large boxes of candles, I have now got 1 which contain mainly outside candles (good for keeping the midges at bay).

We moved from a huge (6 bed) house to a 'normal' 3 bed and I brought most of the decorative things with me. I am now making up a box each week to take to the charity shop which is very satisfying. I hope to start on the loft soon (actually when it is warmer to go up there!) and sort through all that carp.

Gosh, that has made me feel a lot better writing that. Thanks for all the tips and support - may the Good Ship sail safely!

girlinayellowdress

Thank you thriftwizard and kittie, lots to research to do but I prefer to do this than jump in blind. I too am left-handed but do most crafts right-handed, so that is also a consideration as I wouldn't have a clue, thank you.

Kittie, my RA is all mismatch but I will not spend over five pounds in a charity shop, mind you if family want to treat me who am I to say no. My other luxury is fountain pens but I never buy, just hope family or friends take pity and give me the odd ones!

DawnW

A brilliant and very thoughtful thread, so thanks to Slowdown for starting it

Many familiar names among the posters too, :hello: to all from the small things thread where I regularly post, the Grocery Challenge, the SHTF thread and various diaries where I lurk, and how lovely to meet new like minded people

IWAB, I think you must have visited the garden centre local to me :eek: I live in Wiltshire too, and went just over a week ago to buy some straw for my chickens and, believe it or not, a couple of gardening bits (well, it is a garden centre, right??) and it was absolutely horrendous :eek:

OH and I both took early retirement (ie aged 60) before we could 'officially' retire, as we were able to take the small pensions we had paid into for many years. I left a quite well paid and high pressure management job back in April, and did worry a bit about how we would manage - my pension is small because I was a late starter to contributing, having had my children young and gone to uni / work afterwards. It was also actuarily (sp?) reduced because I didn't wait till 65 to take it. But it has all worked out fine We are pretty frugal anyway, and both currently have small earnings from little part time businesses. We were able to do this because we have no debts and no mortgage, but we also don't have lots of consumer goods and a smart upmarket house :rotfl:

BUT - confession time
* we are not minimalists. My little business is dealing in antiques and vintage items and we love them, and they are everywhere
* I love 'country living' type magazines but only buy one now and again. They used to be something I indulged in waiting at endless airports and railway stations when I was working. I don't buy the stuff though, not because I am super-virtuous but because we have plenty of real vintage/ antique stuff that is much better and cost less in most cases than Ikea. Plus, when I get tired of it I can sell it and display something else :rotfl:
* I have developed a bit of an online shopping habit over the last few months - this needs to stop :eek:

So, I would love to join in too

mynellie

Hi it's a gorgeous if not chilly day up the North East today but dog walked and shopping trip organised with my mam who wants to have a couple of hours out of the house she is waiting on a new knee should be before Christmas surgeon said but she has been stuck at home now for a few months plus I need to pick up one last pressie hubby's 60th birthday present so thought she could give her opinion on the present and that should be the last of my big spending for a long time fingers crossed
I was checking my emails and nearly got taken in by the sales lure and fell in love with a gorgeous pair of sheepskin slippers my feet get so cold and thought that they would be lovely and warm and last a fair while then I looked at the price £80 :eek: wow that soon snapped me back into frugal mode I could not believe a pair of slippers could cost that much so pleased I have joined this thread I think I will purchase pair of nice slippers tomorrow hopefully for under a tenner if not extra socks it will have to be
I too am disabled and unable to work but find taking the dog out knocks me for six and is hard work for me so I do what I can and class that as my work and do comping to give me the feeling of contributing to the household plus the surveys too
I get my books from the good reads website so have quite a eclectic range of books all for free and also review books for magazines every so often and then my friends get to have the books after me so helping them too to save a few pennies
The one thing that pushes me to get the dog out is finding money on the walk and when I do I put it in a box in our house that is for the Hospice where my hubby has his treatment for side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy so it gives me a good feeling to raise a bit of money for them for the wonderful way they have looked after him and also we pop a pound coin in every week with a thank you and then when he goes down to the Hospice for treatment we always take our money raised too seems like a great transaction bit of money for them me getting to keep my hubby by my side for longer:)
Right I better go and get ready as DS is coming for dinner and to get spoiled by us and I also need to get some comps done too have a great day shipmates

Nellie xxx