NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

Rose_Wood

Hi,

I have always led a fairly frugal lifestyle and as a result was able to semi retire at 50. I used to teach but now work with my son and his wife in a family business so am kept busier than I originally envisaged!

I would just like to put in a plea that although it's good to stop buying for the sake of it, if no one spent any money then a lot of people would have no income. So I'd like to suggest that when you are spending that you try to buy from local independent traders or keep your spending in the local economy rather than always going for the cheapest online or large retailer option. Just a thought.

[Deleted User]

Your posts are moving me to tears, so inspiring and I cannot single anyone out, they are all inspiring. I think the trick when it is very difficult, is to take tiny little steps, just one at a time and that mountain top will, one day, be reached

Crochet_Teapot

I was made redundant 2 years ago and set up a business with 2 colleagues. We are now earning good money and I only really need to work part-time if I am careful with what I buy (which I have always been). I could work longer hours and earn considerably more.....but I choose to live the simple life and spend time doing things I enjoy.

With regards to christmas and birthdays, I would like to move to more homemade gifts, not always easy as my sister in particular is very materialistic and a spendaholic!

Primrose

I would like to echo Rose Wood's plea to buy and shop local. My own village High street shops have served the community for years but are now clinging onto financial survival by the thinnest of threads. Even if everybody bought some of their essentials from them rather than the big supermarkets it would make the difference between survival and failure. Once they are gone , they are gone for everybody, including the elderly and those who have no cars to take them further afield. Would you rather spend and put money into the pockets of giants like Amazon or your neighbour who runs a small shop or business in your locality and who is more likely to put money back into your local economy?

Effyb4

I would love to join this thread, but I am afraid I have a way to go before I become as thrifty as some of you are. We are having to be more frugal because I have had to go from full time to part time work, following heart surgery last year. We are struggling to keep our little boat afloat at the moment.

I did have two items that I needed to buy this weekend. My son needed new school shoes, because he had worn a hole in his others. I also bought a pair of mudguards for my bike. Cycling is my hobby. It keeps me fit and away from the shopping centres at the weekend, but I probably spend more on it than I should. However in order to carry on cycling throughout the winter, I think I need mudguards.

I haven't bought anybody anything for Christmas yet. I don't really know what we are going to do about it. I am reasonable at baking and can knit and sew. Maybe I could do some homemade gifts. I just don't want to spend too much on the stuff needed to make them.

thriftish

Wow this thread has gotten big since I last read! I'm just finished catching up on the 5 pages worth of interesting posts and I find myself nodding to so much of it.

I am a sahm who provides after-school care to 3 children. This allows me to be at home with my own daughter and volunteer in school a couple of mornings a week while still boosting our income.
My husband works in a job that he enjoys and that allows him to be home for the maximum amount of time with us. He doesn't have the best prospects for moving up in the company but we value other things over increasing his earning potential, and we have a great standard of living by being careful, avoiding debt and saving for what we need. It's those unplanned purchases where we have fallen in thrall to some advert that I want to do away with.

We are definitely in the "learn to like lentils" category.

I try to balance shopping local with shopping frugally. My budget doesn't allow me to spend 25-50% more simply on point of principle, but I buy some items locally to support the various independent businesses in my town. I also try to buy products made here where possible. The local Aldi I use (and other big businesses in the area) employ local people who spend their wages in the area too, so I try to stick to bricks-and-mortar rather than shop online and accept that I can only do what I can do.

mynellie

Ahoy there I have had a lovely morning in town with my mam she thoroughly enjoyed getting out and about I managed to get Hubbies 60th birthday pressie and the shop I was in had 25% off :j so all the better I just hope he likes it ( can't say what it is in case he comes and has a read of the thread) don't want to spoil the surprise.
I treated mam to some lovely lunch in a little tea room in town that has lovely home made food for a very good price she loved her broth and dumplings so it was worth spending a little to see the smile with her waiting for her new knee she is getting fed up so the lunch cheered her
All we have to do for Christmas now is the food shop so that's good but yesterday our son came for dinner and asked to move back home as he moved out earlier this year with his friend to a shared house but he has come to the conclusion it's not for him and would rather be at home and saving a deposit for his own house to say I am thrilled would be an understatement I am looking forward to having him back home even though there will be lots more washing and ironing it will be worth it and the dog will just have to share her settee :eek: she will be most disgusted :rotfl:
Right I better sign off and get some dinner on the go and some comps done in the knowledge I have spent all I am going to spend and roll on no buying 2015

Nellie xxx

lessonlearned

Ahoy there shipmates.

Well I'm done for but that's all the Christmas shopping done now, just the food and a few sweet treats for the boys for their stockings.

The gifts for my sons are really very practical, diy tools and much needed clothes. They have both bought their own properties iin the last couple of years, which they are doing up bit by bit so practical stuff like power tools and winter woollies will be much appreciated.

Mynellie, my youngest son came back to live in the family home when he was 25' to save money. He loved it and I loved having him home again.

My husband died earlier this year and I'm currently living with my son helping him renovate his little house. I mentioned to him that I will be looking for my own little place in the new year and he said "there's no hurry, stay here as long as you like".

I think he likes having me around, as you say washing done and dinner on the table when he gets home from work. I think he likes me spoiling him.....;)

Goldiegirl

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

You can use your old sky box as a freeview one, that is what we have done.
That should save you a few bob

We have wondered about that, but we don't think it'll record, which we would like. Will investigate further, but even if we do buy a new freeview box it'll pay for itself within a few months.


Thanks for the tip, though:)

WeeMidgie wrote: »

I'm a few years away from retirement, but cuts at work may accelerate that, most likely around 2016. So I would be living on savings for 3 years in that situation, till the state pension kicks in. Like others, I have been affected by a long-term health condition, and would not willingly submit myself to the stresses of the DWP claims system. Hence my ongoing quest for simple living, and the squirrelling away over recent years of as much as possible of my p/t earnings, plus a house downsize - now cured of my book obsession as a consequence.... the clearing out took months!

I intend to treat 2015 as an experiment in ultra-low-cost living, as a rehearsal for the future. Agree about essential replacements when repair is not possible






!

We have done a similar exercise in 2014. We were hoping to early retire around September of 2015. The year was a test run for living on our projected retirement budget, and we've been delighted with what we've achieved.


Because of the success of our experiment, we've been able to bring forward our retirement date to ...... 10 days time!:j

[Deleted User]

Would just like to add, following Rose Wood's and Primrose's comments about shopping locally, that I do agree and will always try to source certain items from our local town shops.
I do already buy eggs and some meats from our local butcher, I pick up handmade biscuits and buns for cups of tea with my friend and love the other independent, decorative-type shops for the odd item for the home, or gifts for family members.

Unfortunately, some of our local shops and businesses are too expensive, and as I have debts and therefore no 'real' money, I cannot afford to be paying out more just to help keep someone else's business afloat, when there are other local shops who have got it right, sell the same item cheaper, and are much more friendly too! Sorry, but I cannot afford a £50 item of clothing from a local boutique, and I will (for special occasions) buy joints of lamb that are £15 cheaper (yes really!) from one local butcher instead of a more expensive butcher with a posh interior.
I do shop with a major supermarket online for most bits, but I have now halved my shopping bill as I can see what I am spending. It means I do have a little bit of money to shop local, but only at the right prices.

Hope everyone has a good week :-)