NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

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I realised that the council tax and water bill haven't been taken out this month and then remembered that Feb and March are the months that I don't have those bills. It cheered me right up!:T

BirdNerdSophie wrote: »

Hope you're feeling better soon Slowdown! I have many eye conditions, one of which is where I have blisters on my cornea which pop and cause my face to swell up, vision loss and excruciating pain. I wear a special lens all day which gets changed every 3 weeks which mostly stops the pain as it covers the exposed nerve endings that the blisters cause. I'm also permanently on antibiotic drops and I know what a pain they can be!

That sounds awful.:( ((Hugs))

Live_laugh_love

To all those about to embark on the hanger challenge,I would heartily recommend you do!! I did this a couple of years ago and it really opens your eyes to what you don't wear!!! I would quite often reach for the same things all the time, after a few months that really shows up!!!

Bit up and down spending wise, not really bought anything unnecessary but had to buy a new front bulb and windscreen wiper for the car( annoying and still have the MOT to get through yet!!
Have been treated to a night out at the theatre for a pre birthday treat and a couple of coffee shop catch ups with friends which I really enjoyed.
Have realised that any spending relating to eating or drinking copious cups of tea is not begrudged at all!!!!
Stay safe and out if the sea!!

PenguinOfDeath

Turtle wrote: »

I do have a bit of an ongoing problem though and it's related to not buying it. At work we have a brand name coffee counter, I never buy anything there but I have a walk every morning and afternoon with a couple of friends from my team who do. I get a free drink from the machines. One of the women who works on the counter has been making comments on a daily basis about me never buying anything for weeks now, even to the extent of announcing to the whole queue that I don't buy anything. Today, I've been nearly in tears twice over it. She's embarrassing and upsetting me about this and I feel the time has come to say something. I just want her to stop, I shouldn't have to feel I have to justify what I do or don't spend my money on. So, wish me luck please in putting a stop to this

Sounds like this 'lady' needs something to talk about, maybe ask her why she's so obsessed with what you are up to?

Or maybe just tell her you don't agree with the Ethics of the coffee brand in question so you don't want to pay money towards them?

alice-mary

Afternoon All,

I have been trying to use this thread and it's mindset to help me save for 3 events this year but unfortunately things haven't been going to plan :mad:
Since the new year I have had to pay over £850 for repairs for my car.... annoying but by "not buying it" I have been able to pay the cost without borrowing from my sister!
So a success really and I hope that starting next month I really will be able to start saving for the stag do (honourary lady guest)/ wedding / 50th birthday celebrations.
That WAS the plan but I have just been outside to put my recycle boxes out for collection tomorrow and have seen that one of my tyres is completely flat :eek: It is the 3rd one on this street in the last week so I am suspecting foul play! And I realised that for some reason the lid/screw top of my water meter had been undone and was half way down the street! The meters were read last month and the tops were definitely screwed safely back in when the man from Anglian Water left so I am feeling a bit "picked on". I know that is ridiculous really and that I am feeling under the weather with my typical "teacher's holiday cough and cold". I just have to keep reminding myself that without this thread, things would be quite a bit worse for me... onwards with the NOT BUYING IT!

Alice
xx

edwink

vodkawitch1 wrote: »

JackieO - I look forward to reading your posts they are always so interesting.

I enjoy reading them too!! Some are like little stories and I always want to know the ending!! Well done JackieO, us shipmates need a sit down and read at times to have a break from the hard work on deck. Keep them coming!!! Fab!!!!!!!!


Edwink x

Rebelle

Hello shipmates!

Still sailing very well on these spend-free waters! :j

Been about 10 days since I last posted due to life getting in the way - had a lovely time on my little trip to London the weekend before last, visited Regent's Park as someone had mentioned on here how lovely it is & I'd never been before - & lovely it was too! :T

So thank you for that, whichever shipmate it was who put the idea in my head... been going to London quite regularly for little breaks for the past year or so & meeting up with friends there, in fact part of my NBI inspiration is to be able to keep doing this, as getting away often has really improved the quality of my life... but at the same time I really want to pay my debts off & start saving! Just the kind of challenge this good ship was built for...

I have to confess I was naughty on this trip & spent £30 in Primark (altho for that I got 3 nice tops, a scarf & loads of hair ties!) but spends for the entire weekend (minus train fare & hotel) didn't come to more than £60 with my little splurge included, so I'm not tying myself to the mast to be flogged just yet! Spending on food & takeaway coffee was much reduced compared to previous trips - brought stuff from home & had a hotel room picnic of reduced stuff from T£sco Express... so despite getting a bit spendy there were still NBI wins to be had!!

I have my landlord's inspection straight after work today, so have been cleaning & decluttering in earnest for the past week to prepare! KonMarie'd my tshirts & underwear drawers, so pleased with the neat & tidy results I took pictures to show to my workmates :rotfl:& now some of them are interested in trying it too! I never thought I would be the type of person to watch videos about clothes folding on YouTube & then become an advocate for it...!

Ooh another NBI sin to confess... I did spend £35 on having a professional carpet cleaner come & do my lounge & back porch room last week, which I know is very un-OS & non-NBI BUT in my defence, the carpets were pretty filthy with stains all over & it was worth the time & effort saved to pay someone to do it for me. It's the first time in nearly a decade of renting that I've paid out to have something like that done on anywhere that I've lived... so please don't make me walk the plank!

All other spending has been essentials only (top up shopping from A1di & bus fares etc, no frivolities!) & I can tell I am buying much less stuff because my stash of carrier bags, which seemed never-ending, is almost running out now!

Just proves how few trips to the shops I've made this year compared to my former habits - thanks again everyone for the continued inspiration! :T I am very nearly caught up with reading the thread, you are all amazing & I love hearing everyone's tips & how things are doing... ((((hugs)))) to everyone going through s*%t at the moment, let's hope there are calmer waters to come... Candygirl I was glad things turned out OK for your Candy!

And Edwink I particularly love hearing about your hens!! You are making me wish I had a garden to have some of my own to spoil, they sound delightful! How is little Langley doing now??

Karmacat wrote: »

Rebelle, cinnamon in porridge! Yes! Thank you

Karmacat I know this was pages & pages ago, but I thought cinnamon in porridge was a pretty common thing?? I've always done it... but I nearly always put raisins in my porridge too & the two just go together for me! I love cinnamon in my hot chocolate too, makes a nice change... but I leave the raisins out of that!

Wow I think I've rambled enough now, can't you tell I'm having a quiet day at work?! Hope everyone is having a good day... long live the good ship No Buy, me hearties!! :T

Rebelle

RicardaRacoon wrote: »

Rebelle, if you don't mind the work with cooking I think it is much nicer and more confortable to meet at home than in a restaurant anyway. Plus I think with relatively regular guests you don't have to have a huge effort cooking something fancy every time. A friend sometimes visit on a weeknight and we do some knitting together. We normally have pizza or hm cornish pasty and salad.

Hi Ricarda

I do agree, it can be nicer to cook at home & I don't have the kind of friends where I feel like I need to make a huge effort to impress everytime, I love a relaxed night in with good company better than anything - it's more a planning thing, for spontaneous get-togethers it's often much easier to order in or go out to eat than to cook something from scratch... think I need to try & have more spontaneity going on at my place (or plan my spontaneity better! ), so I can fish something batch-cooked out of the freezer or assemble something from cupboards & have everyone fed within 30 mins or so!

I do really enjoy cooking but with working full time & then being so busy with stuff after work too, I don't get the time to spend on it that I'd like. You're right though, something simple like pizza or a pasty & salad can be just as nice as a fancier meal when you're eating with friends... it's the company that counts!

grunnie

JackieO I too love to read what you have to say - wish I stayed beside you. Turtle don't take any notice of what people have to say to you , she is just jealous. If she said it to me I would say either \I have stopped eating rubbish and junk or I am saving up for a round the world cruise. Depending if she got me in a good mood or not would depend on the tone of my reply;)
Edwink love to hear about your hens my DIL wants to keep some as she has just moved to the country and I haven't told her I am scared of them yet.
Had the dentist this morning and was early so popped in to "Oldie "very first visit and was amazed at he prices £12 for 2 huge bags of messages. Will return on Monday when I have to visit the dentist again.

WeeMidgie

NBI is helping me save a pile of money, even with a short break away - we took our own food, and were out in the country, not interested in going anywhere near the nearest town. Our treat was lunch out on the last day, one course cost me £8 and was worth every bite - a real treat for being an infrequent event. We had a flask of hot water for making tea, and some nibbles (oatcakes and cheese) for the 3-hour journey up and back.

I am on course to have over £200 left of the cash I withdrew for this month, which will go into savings. At present I'm managing to save really well by using the weekly cash envelope system. Next month I'll withdraw less, and see how I go.

Thanks everyone, for the continuing inspiration!

Turtle

Thanks to all those who have commented on my situation with the woman at work. I have in the past told her I prefer to spend my money on holidays, or that I have my eye on the long term prize of early retirement, both of which are completely true. I really don't think I should have to justify it though when she shouldn't be making the comments in the first place.

Anyway, worrying about it had me tossing and turning last night so I decided I needed to bite the bullet and say something to her before she got chance to make any more comments. I went with a friend who wanted something and noticed she was on her own at her counter so I went over and said 'Can I please ask you not to make any more comments about me not spending any money'. I had intended to say more, but I couldn't because I was about to cry. She said she wouldn't and that she'd realised yesterday that she shouldn't say anything (and she must have realised I was a bit upset yesterday). She did actually ask me if I was ok today, I'm glad she realised I was upset about it, it might make her engage brain before speaking in future. So, I'm hoping that's the end of it now. I was quite proud of myself as I hate any kind of fall out or confrontation and it's difficult when I think my friends were thinking I should just laugh it off.

In other news, £3.60 spent yesterday on library fines (£3 for being 1 day late :mad:) and 60p on parking. Today I go to a monthly race at my running club which is £3 but that should be it so not too bad:)