NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

ruby_eskimo

Wow, you go away for a few days and come back to lots of posts! I'm glad this thread is moving quickly though as it means we're not alone in our thoughts and musings. I've seen a few websites mentionned that are along this vein and one I've read for a while is 'And then we saved' (not afilliated in any way, shape or form) written by a lovely lady called Anna who went on a spending fast and then a spending diet and managed to pay off thousands of dollars worth of debt very quickly. She's carried over the same principles of reduce / reuse / recycle into her day to day life now and has guests posting about their experiences of minimising their expenditures.

Aril

Hello:D

I got up to page 5 at the weekend. I now have a name for that huge pile of books that grows taller far faster than I read them. So that's another thing not to bring over threshold next year no matter how much of a bargain price it seems at the jumble sale.

This thread is stirring up lots of thoughts and emotions. I really listened to the ads on the radio as I drove to my housesparkling client...not to what they were trying to tempt me to buy but the different types of language and voices they used. The words desire and deserve featured on one that more occasion. M&S had used a Joanna Lumley well spoken breathy type of voiceover who exhorted me to hurry in a slightly patronising way so I don't miss out on their 30% sale by leaving it until after 15th December. Another one used a really chipper voice that went up at the end of the sentence to make their experience sound "fun". It really is very interesting take a step back:D

I meanwhile have actually taken a couple of rather non Aril type steps [only small ones I hasten to add:o] I started off by emailing Tesco to find out what our local branch does with its waste food and whether it contributes to the trolley they have asking customers for donations to one of the local foodbanks. They send all their waste to a local recyling plant [we have a biomass one here] and yes they do add in their own stuff to the foodbanks. I found out with horror that a relative of mine [not close by nor do I know him all that well] is now reliant on the foodbank since the bank have frozen his account:eek:The family are putting together a food parcel for him...money for groceries would not be spent on groceries I fear. I will also now make a weekly contribution to the trolley in either Tesco or Waitrose.

I've also been in touch with a local company that sells paint. My enquiry has led me to discover that they recycle paint:j One more thing to recycle.

I've earmarked my first make do and mend project for the new year. The fleece insoles in my slippers are almost worn through. The rest of the slippers are still in good condition so wondered if I could make some more. My initial thoughts are maybe I could recycle some fleece. Any thoughts please?
Arilx

chella

Abel and Cole look really good, anyone ever ordered from them?

alice-mary

chella wrote: »

Does anyone know if there is a thread on trying to shop but not using the big supermarkets?? I find that when I go to Tescos I am bombarded with offers and such. I tried yesterday to find a butchers in my city and as big as it is there isn't one single independent butchers. I found one greengrocer.


In my city we have 2 Neros, 3 costa coffees! 2 Sainsburys 2 tescos. Hardly any small independent shops now. I did find a small haberdashery shop but it was expensive!


If I can I am going to try and avoid using supermarkets in order to help me not get so caught up in the commercialism of it all.

Hi Chella,

I'm in Northampton too and I use the butcher on the market at the weekends. Some friends use the butcher in St James' area (I think it can be found at "butchersnorthampton.co.uk") but I have not tried it myself.

HTH

Alice
x

CAFCGirl

We have had Riverford before now and I'm torn between restarting that or using the local greengrocer stall on market day....
I think Riverford have an offer on at the moment for a free cookbook if theyre in your area...

moments_of_sanity

Lovely to read how we are all 'hearing' the advert tricks played by retailers.

I had to pop to C0stco for some bacon, DH loves it at the weekend and it is such a good price there (£6.99 for 46 slices), I thought it only right that I try the quality before I give it to my DH . I couldn't believe how busy it was at 12 noon on a Monday, no where to park, check outs rammed and people with 2 trolleys! :eek:

I then had to pop into Tesc0's for some Lactose free milk (both DD's get awful tummy ache from normal milk and don't like soya milk), I also wanted a tub of sweets for Christmas, again it was heaving with customers and their trolleys were stacked high. A lot of the shelves were cleared of food and I did have to wonder if I am 'doing it wrong' as there were so many people around, I thought maybe they knew something i didn't!? Very impressed with myself as I only bought what I went out for and not a bean more!

chella

oh crikey, I moved ages ago!!!!! Sorry about that. I am in Kent. Will update my avatar bit now.

CAFCGirl

OOOh another Kentish MSE-er

Lowslung

I don't usually post on here but had to mention what I have done in a similar situation with slippers. I have used that dense thin foam to make a new liner. I used the stuff made to protect a table under the cloth, but I'm sure there are similar things about( washing up sponge that comes in a sheet?). 2 thicknesses works best.I just used what I had. You could glue fleece on top too.
Fleece on its own sort of rucks up so needs to be stuck to a stiffer base - card at a push, but something plastic would be better.
I pulled out the existing inner sole to make a template on paper, and kept it where I would find it again.

It really does extend the life of slippers ( or boots) so worth hunting down something you can use

115K

I am reading this thread with interest, I am very intrigued by minimalism and I was going to go and see The Minimalists at their live show a few months ago.

I have been steadily decluttering through my house and we have just had builders in and one of them remarked how neat and empty (lol) my house looked.

I am going to go through my wardrobe again and get rid of anything I don't love/ doesn't fit and look forward to having a wardrobe with a few outfits that I actually wear! Has anyone here heard about Project 333? It's when you try and live with 33 items of clothing for 3 months.
http://theproject333.com/

The work is done in our house now and we are looking forward to putting up some fairy lights, lighting some scented candles, walking the dogs, eating yummy homemade food and a few treats and just enjoying some peace and quiet.

Next year I want to move house so we will need to carry on being frugal so keeping a sharp eye on spending will definitely help.

CAFCGirl wrote: »

Good day to all,

I was IT today, I was the anti'scrooge, I was the epitome of Christmas cheer - as much as one can be in S'burys anyway!
DS was in my arms, hes 4 and I'm under 5 ft4 so its a struggle, but anyway, he was on my hip, hand on my shoulder, other hand in mine and we were dancing around to the Christmas music, and he giggled and giggled, we spun and we shimmied (on the uncrowded aisles), we stepped aside for people, and sang together...... Husband was pushing the trolley and collecting what we needed.
We had one person tut at us, we carried on and her husband said to her 'There was no need to tut, I think that's wonderful to see. THEY'RE not stressed about their shopping! Maybe you should try it'

He smiled at me, waved at my son who waved back, and then he danced! A grown man - no child to blame it on, gave it a shimmy, and his wife laughed and gave me an apologetic smile.

What a nice story.:T