PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

1434435437439440564

Comments

  • GreyQueen
    GreyQueen Posts: 13,008 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    :) Morning all.

    Lynplatinum, I tend to regard charity shops as if they are hire places for some things. As in I 'hire' (buy) an item for a small fee, use it for a while, re-donate, then someone else 'hires' it. Each hiring period causes the item to be used, to give joy, and to generate money for the charity shop.

    Yes, the item will eventually wear out, and may sustain damage but, whilst it's locomoting, it's bringing joy. Such as the crime thriller I bought for 50p in one charity shop a couple of weeks back, thoroughly enjoyed reading, and now have in this week's donation bag. Since it's unlikely I'll read it again, it would be wasted sitting on a shelf in my flat, and would end up like the paperback published in 1978 which Mum is reading atm and which is literally falling apart. It isn't be fit to be re-donated and will be going in the recycling bin.

    The waste is when you hold onto stuff you cannot or will not use, taking it and its embodied energy out of circulation. Items stored aren't items in neutral, forces of nature are working on them. How many things rot in storage, or become superceded by new tech or simply so unfashionable that no one wants them? Oodles.

    The money spent is history, but the evidence doesn't need to be loitering on the premises. Liberate the item and liberate yourself in the process.
    Every increased possession loads us with a new weariness.
    John Ruskin
    Veni, vidi, eradici
    (I came, I saw, I kondo'd)
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 17,413 Forumite
    10,000 Posts I've been Money Tipped!
    edwink snap :) I too cut the backs off of card etc and use as shopping list things I also take a small bag with a few pens and some odd bits of unused paper/card to quiz night and we use them up there. the fronts of card get bits cut offf and reused in my card-making as decorations etc.
    GQ I have an old plastic washing basket that I put the books in as I read them and when its full donate them to the local hospital trolley or book shelf as folk in the waiting room (often having a long wait ) will donate to the 'honesty box' for books that are available

    I am a prolific reader and often get books given to me when friends are clearing out their shelves. I will read almost anything and have books scattered around the house to read where ever I am.I have two books on the go at the moment One by my bed and one in the car,that I take with me when I go to Dds as I will today to keep an eye on the DGS as Mum and Dad are at work.The boys, if they are doing something else will play, and I can read:) I once read Barbara Winsor's book whilst waiting for my computer to boot up by reading a couple of pages at a time :):):)

    My late OH said I was a compulsive reader and would read the ingrediants on a sauce bottle while waiting for food in a cafe :) probably true :)

    Well today I am off to Dds as I am on DGS sitting duties,not sure yet what they want to do, but I'm sure to think of something.it looks sunny outside so I may take them up to the local woods or country park.Let them run a bit of steam off along with the dogs.

    NSD today though aand my purse will be firmly closed .The boys will still have chocolate left from their eggs, as their Mum won't let them scoff it all in a couple of days :)
    Have a good and frugal day chums
    JackieO xx
  • GreyQueen
    GreyQueen Posts: 13,008 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    :) I'm a voracious reader, too. Last Thursday, I got 3 books out of the library in the hometown, which is in the same county as my home. Read all 2 and left them; family will return them this morning when doing other errands.

    And yes, I used to read the sauce bottles, the cereal packets, whatever I could lay my eyes on.
    Every increased possession loads us with a new weariness.
    John Ruskin
    Veni, vidi, eradici
    (I came, I saw, I kondo'd)
  • vulpix
    vulpix Posts: 2,865 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic
    Mornin! Also a reader with very few books given shelf space here.I donated a few hundred about 15 years ago when I realized that I would never read them again.All my book purchases are second hand these days.I often pass books on to a couple of my reader children but they hoard them in my loft!

    Phew have I been poorly,feeling much better today but still a bit shaky.Read a travel book in bed yesterday afternoon.I am home alone today so will have a go at the washing mountain and potter about.

    Still not buying it and thinking now about an expensive holiday later in the year.My son and girlfriend are hopefully going to work in Canada for a year.(still got a few more hoops to jump through)I worked in Canada in the 80's and would love to go back,and whilst your there you might as well go to Alaska!!!!!!!

    Sounds like we are loaded but honestly our income is very low.I have shaved our outgoings to a minimal and Mr V has seen the light about wasting money on "stuff".He has recently had new trainers and jeans at a cost of nearly £100 but he was looking scruffy.The back to front coathanger challenge has shown that he has worn 1 thing from the wardrobe in the last 3 months.All those shirts he doesn't wear.To be honest I don't look too much better with about 6 being worn but many are summer things.time will tell.

    Nice to hear how everyone is getting on.Vx
     :
  • eandjsmum
    eandjsmum Posts: 465 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Evening shipmates


    All this talk of reading doesn't make me feel so bad about sitting in my garden for an hour or so reading a Bill Bryson, brought from a Cs. I usually hand my books on but I looked this one up on Amazon and as its a first edition in good nick I could be onto a winner here.


    I do tend to read a lot a couple of years ago Dh brought me a kindle, I think it was his way of telling me enough was enough with the books as I kept the old one in the hope of reading them again. I've donated tons
    of books since then although I am building up a small pile to read, mostly passed on for me to read the pass on to some-one else. By the way I promptly filled the kindle with tons of free books so I read them and delete when finished.
    Today has been a very spendy day as I've been to the dentists, brought compost and placated ds by buying breakfast cereal and squash. I've also cleared out the junk at the side of the house, washed and ironed 4 loads of washing and vacuumed. Hopefully I will get some gardening done tomorrow.
    Also I can now slide the coat hangers up and down the rail in my wardrobe, haven't been able to do that for a while. I still have a lot of stuff to get rid of but as they say Rome wasn't built in a day.
  • GreyQueen wrote: »
    The waste is when you hold onto stuff you cannot or will not use, taking it and its embodied energy out of circulation. Items stored aren't items in neutral, forces of nature are working on them. How many things rot in storage, or become superceded by new tech or simply so unfashionable that no one wants them? Oodles.

    The money spent is history, but the evidence doesn't need to be loitering on the premises. Liberate the item and liberate yourself in the process.


    I agree with this. My 'grand clear-out' has now reached the bottom of the wardrobes and as I was going through the shoes lurking in the back at the weekend I started finding crumbly black rubbery stuff all over the place - turned out to be the heels/soles from a pair of ankle boots that had completely deteriorated, to the point where they were only fit for the bin. Well-known brand, too, and not cheap!! I hadn't worn those boots for at least 7 or 8 years, it would have been much better to have put them in a charity bag and donate them all that time ago when they were still in good condition, at least someone might have got a bit of use out of them.

    I feel kind of embarrassed to admit that I get sentimentally attached to things, if they have memories attached. I've found though that I can let things go if I remind myself that the atoms that they're made of have only been in that particular form for a relatively short period of time. I thank the thing for its service, and let it continue on its journey.

    My wardrobes now have spaces in them! And strangely I've got no desire to buy new stuff to fill them up again. Someone mentioned a couple of pages back feeling like they could breathe again when they got rid of stuff, and that's how I feel, too.
    Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure.
    Oliver Sachs 2015
  • purpleshoes_2
    purpleshoes_2 Posts: 2,653 Forumite
    janb5 wrote: »
    I didn't know PlusNet offered a discount- I`m pretty sure I didn't get one! Must investigate.....thank you.

    They just sent me an email when my initial contract period was about to come to an end offering me a discount if I renewed for another 12 months.
  • Lynplatinum
    Lynplatinum Posts: 939 Forumite
    Many thanks GQ I had nt thought of it in that way before - very helpful - its like the Economics theory of 'Dead Money' i.e. it just sits in a static account or in a box under the bed and does nothing - its value does not keep up with inflation (think what you could buy with £5 - 5 years ago!!) and it helps no one. your argument is the same but for things. I can now CS stuff/sell stuff without feeling evil! Thanks shipmates!
    Aim for Sept 17: 20/30 days to be NSDs :cool: NSDs July 23/31 (aim 22) :j
    NSDs 2015:185/330 (allowing for hols etc)
    LBM: started Jan 2012 - still learning!
    Life gives us only lessons and gifts - learn the lesson and it becomes a gift.' from the Bohdavista :j
  • kboss2010
    kboss2010 Posts: 1,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I completely agree. For the first time in 4 years I'm starting to be brutal and ruthless about tidying, keeping things organised and de cluttering.

    There is something very cathartic about clearing out a wardrobe, tidying a messy corner of the room or finally making a point to do that job you've been putting off for months or even years! I'm finding it also makes those small tasks that before seemed like mountains more manageable.
    “I want to be a glow worm, A glow worm's never glum'Coz how can you be grumpy, when the sun shines out your bum?" ~ Dr A. TappingI'm finding my way back to sanity again... but I don't really know what I'm gonna do when I get there~ LifehouseWhat’s fur ye will make go by ye… but also what’s not fur ye, ye can jist scroll on by!
  • pm2326
    pm2326 Posts: 1,096 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    I don't like mess so my home is usually tidy. But the cupboards are fit to bust with stuff I've bought but hardly used.

    Since joining in the thread I've bought very little other than food and some clothes, I find now that I've started to clear things out, I no longer want to go buy things to fill the spaces up.

    For instance, when I decided to make raisin bread the other day, I realised I didn't have a big enough mixing bowl. I'll admit my first thought was I'll nip to the shop and buy one :eek: once I'd finished a cuppa....10 minutes later while sitting with said cuppa i realised I could use the glass bowl from the halogen oven :T

    I know it's only a small thing and I saved myself maybe £1.50, but I didn't have to go near a shop and I didn't bring more useless carp in to the house!

    Maybe the idea is I should sit and think of an alternative before automatically buying something to complete a task.....
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351.4K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.3K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.8K Spending & Discounts
  • 244.4K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 599.6K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.1K Life & Family
  • 258K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.