NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

greenbee

Health food shops are often good for staples like oats, flour etc.

We have a tiny village shop, which is good for quite a few things, but not veg. There's a farm shop up the road (where I've just got my tree, some holly and some mistletoe) but the veg is unreliable. The trout, watercress (grown outside), preserves, cakes etc are fab.

Lots of small, independent shops locally, but frustratingly poor quality fruit and veg, even in the greengrocers. I used to live near an organic market garden and really miss it.

Fuddle - menstrual cups (of whatever brand) are made of medical grade silicone. They are WAY less toxic for your body than tampons (think of the pesticides used in making cotton, and then the fact that they are bleached) and pads (plastics). Lots of people say they get less cramping and often shorter/less heavy periods. So well worth doing your research. It's not just about saving money. It's also about what you're doing to your body.

Minimalist

AnimalTribe wrote: »

It took some major manoeuvring to make leaving work possible but knowing I was working towards it made working life more bearable. I tried very hard to just do my own job. When people came asking for advice I'd freely give it, but I told them who to contact to resolve the matter themselves. Often they'd say stuff like "you've worked with that person before so you'll get farther", or "could you draft a letter for me as you know how to phrase things" - I said no (very politely, but very firmly), and kept saying no. In the end I got fewer requests, and made myself less indispensable. At the same time I let go outside work commitments that were sapping my energy and some people that weren't really friends.

Like you I started to reduce my debts/spending and started stuffing away as much cash as I could.

I felt a bit odd about this one - but while I was working my way towards leaving (which took 18 months) I availed myself of stuff the company offered (which I hadn't before) eg free eye tests and help with glasses. I still feel a little guilty but those things were for the benefit of staff and I was still working there. It saved me money when I left.

My family now survives on my husband's income (I did feel guilty leaving all the paid work to him), but he likes his job and I finally came to realise that I work equally hard at home keeping the household going, and we are all much happier.

I hope you manage to downshift. This is exactly the right thread for helping with that.

I only look in every couple of days as otherwise I don't think I'd leave the PC. However, I need the inspiration this thread provides at the moment as I've slipped into very bad habits - buying stuff that I don't need.

Thanks for the manoeuvring advice, AnimalTribe! And sorry I'm only just getting to write back and say that, it's been a bit hectic...exactly what I'm hoping to move away from… And this thread moves fast - all great stuff - but lots to keep up with!

Really useful suggestion about (politely) sticking to your own job and saying no to additional work. I know I'm often guilty of being *too helpful* to my colleagues...you're right that it's a cycle that needs breaking - whenever I agree to do work that other people are finding too difficult, I'm just encouraging them to come to me in future! Cutting that dependency is the first step to making things more manageable. I do need to step back a bit and maybe do more guidance/explanation instead. Trickier when it's a request from above, rather than peers...our directors are always having me craft emails and documents for them...perhaps I need to start to turn the quality down a little

Sadly OH is not too keen on his job either! The role itself he enjoys, but not the long and frustrating daily commute by bus and train (driving would be far worse/take longer & WFH is not an option). I'd like him to have the chance to find work closer to home - which would most likely involve a cut in pay. His longer term plan is to retrain to work in counselling / therapy, but we need to get our finances in much better shape before that can happen.

I also like your tactics for getting redundancy whilst remaining on good terms too. It's likely that there will be some "restructuring" here in the next 6-9 months, and if offered I'd quite like to take the option (would feel like compensation for some of the stress I've been through!). However I need to think quite carefully about that - the opportunity to take the money and run is very attractive, but it'd be much more difficult to find part-time work elsewhere for a similar salary. Hopefully by the time it comes, I'll have mastered living on much less and will have another plan work-wise!

Minimalist

Cosmetics are one of the few areas where I truly deserve my username :cool: I’ve never done much makeup, just the minimum to appear “groomed” in the office. It does irritate me that some workplaces expect women to be very glammed-up, while men can get away with anything (especially now the semi-bearded stubble look is so "in" for guys) it should be down to personal choice.

As for all the expensive “anti-aging” creams women are coerced into buying, they’re one of the biggest advertising cons around. It’s not a myth that beauty comes from the inside - a healthy, balanced diet, including plenty and varied vegetables, will do much more good than slathering on any amount of fancy creams.

I think grey looks very chic! Not that I’m any sort of authority on fashion, but I’ve noticed quite a lot of stylish, young folk out and about who have *dyed* their hair grey. It appears to be a fashion thing! Daniel Field does natural hair dyes for anyone wanting to avoid the nasties but reluctant to go au natural - they do mail order and aren’t too expensive. My skin’s very sensitive, so I’ve never dyed my hair (well not since henna experiments as a student...) but helpfully it’s gradually faded into a shade that's a quite popular dye colour for women of a certain age

mothernerd

camelot1001 wrote: »

Morning Me Hearties, Got a mailing from Mr Ts yesterday with some vouchers in. £9 off a £60 shop and 2 X £6 off a £60 shop. The vouchers are to use one a week so that would mean buying supermarket goods to the value of £180 between now and 11 Jan.

I would previously have kept the vouchers and maybe used one but not now. I can't avoid using supermarkets, there are no 'proper' shops left around here but I shop carefully and cannot spend £180 in the next 3 weeks. The vouchers are in the bin!!

I will be using one of my Tessimo vouchers (mine's £6 off a £40 shop). Currently recovering from a total hip replacement operation and last did a big shop over 5 weeks ago. We had a small online Iysland shop a couple of weeks back as my son complained I hadn't bought anything he could eat (think that's man speak for it won't walk itself from the freezer to the microwave and then hop on the plate.

Used the last of the 5 week old ys sprouts on a stalk yesterday, ran out of bread over a week ago (had the bug -luckily the cough/sneeze/sore throat one - which meant I couldn't have my normal crispbread as throat was too sore) and no fresh food left.

Dreading the shop but DS3 goes away to his gf's family at the weekend and I want lots of salad and fruit and veg for using the freezer meat (ran out of time before my op). At least the vouchers will stop me feeling guilty if I know I could have got something cheaper elsewhere and hoping to get enough ys goodies to cover the cost of the taxi fare each way. Might not need anything in January (still well-stocked for tins and anything I knew wouldn't go off) and hoping one more shop will get me through to mid-Feb (should finally be off crutches by then). Hoping I can direct DS3 to various areas of the SM (soft drinks/ bread) whilst I toddle around the fruit and veg (think I will have a basket and drop items in one at a time) as I have only walked as far as the Post office so far.

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

We are really lucky where we live, we have four farm shops closeby all of which also sell eggs.
We have two butchers (Used to be four but sadly two have gone) two local greengrocers, a market that sells fruit, veg, fish meat and bread, just wish the old Saxbys shop was still here that was fantastic for cheeses, pies, lard and sliced meats sadly bought out by an American company

We also have an independent hardware store,2 independent chemists and an independent discount shop plus a reuse centre for furniture.

As most say milk could be a problem unless you can find a local farm or independent milkman.

Cereals are neither here nor there to us
We can adapt to pancakes, scrambled eggs on toast, full English, boiled eggs, croque monsieur, fruit salad, eggy bread, sausage sarnies, bacon sarnies, egg sarnies etc

I will get flour, yeast and from here as it is not far from us

http://www.redbournburymill.co.uk/Visit-Us-Buy-Products

Alternatively you can order online from here;

http://www.shipton-mill.com/flour-direct-shop/yeast-and-extras

I will get oats from here:

http://www.hamlynsoats.co.uk/shop/

I remember the butcher's shop, I regularly used to buy 1/2 lamb/pig (once asked if I wanted the trotter - I said I knew a man who would), but think they were early victims of the miner's strike. No independent veg (several flower shops) except the market (rubbish and dearer than the SM). Market 8 miles away is good (incorporates the wholesalers who supply our market). We did have a food co-op for a year or so
but it grew far too quickly and burned itself out and decimated a couple of other voluntary organisations who had set it off.

Thanks so much for the flour info - I have always wanted to bake my own bread but lack confidence. It was one of my few failures when my husband was made redundant when the boys were small and he made endless jokes about it. The only thing I ever asked him to do was possibility of him doing some digging if I took on an allotment (baby was under 6 months at the time) - he didn't fancy it. Diy, sewing, cooking and everything else were always my area.

Re hair dye - I never really saw the point. When I was 50 (appointment for cut for DS2's 21st and last time I went to a hairdresser) my hairdresser said a woman could expect to be 75% grey by that age - well I am nearly 7 years past and still only have the greying temples that men get. Chopped my hair last year (I had done so much painting there were permanent paint/ knots which wouldn't come out) and currently growing it long again.

I think we are all on the same journey and some ideas will work for some and not for others, depending on our circumstances. I am 56 and have never had a car, for over 30 years the majority of food that has come through the door came in on my back. However when I had my surgical consult (was initially told a waiting time of 2-3 months, it came in at 3 weeks and I managed to move back into my old 2 bed terrace within that time frame) the surgeon said my hip was one of the worst he'd ever seen.

System

Hi,
Can I join in please ? Its taken a while but I've read through the thread .
My only real spend next year will be my daughters 18th in April ,we are going to York Mon/Thur but it is already paid for and most of her gifts are bought just a particular bag she wants and I'm waiting to see if there are any reductions in the sales.
I have been saving £2 coins + 50p's in a tin and it's nearly full so that hopefully is the money for eating out.

fuddle

Thanks greenbee you've opened my eyes there. I had assumed (never assume huh?!) that the plastics used in the menstrual cups were more detrimental to me than the cottons (bleached? :cool: ), plastics and adhesives in the outer sanitary wear. It never entered my head that they would be medicinal grade. It's the only thing that's been holding me back all these years!

I will investigate, use up my stash then look to purchase in the new year... buying so I don't have to consume is perfectly acceptable in my mind and thanks for the feedback.

How about popping corn for the men folk. We use oodles here. Can melt butter and honey, ordinary salt or whatever flavour you feel. Needs nothing more than a pan with a lid.

greenbee

Do some research fuddle. Here's just one article picked at random: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/05/22/feminine-hygiene-products.aspx

I_want_a_baby

Just wanted to share with you that I've found out that we have a local milk man! Who knew!

My husband was on board so rang up and booked us in for deliveries, however we are unsure as to exactly what we've signed up for as my husband described the person on the phone as an 'old boy' and a very fast paced discussion on glass, poly, £1.90, semi, full fat, eggs, delivery.

So let's see what is delivered tomorrow! Excited!

A step towards living a mindful way, giving a fair price to the farmer and being slightly less reliant on supermarkets.

IWAB x

Dee2

Good afternoon shipmates!

This thread is romping away - leave it for a day and you have to settle down with a cuppa and biscuits for an hour to catch up - dreadful (!)

I'm not sure if I can stay out of the supermarket for a month - some of you are hardcore! But I can certainly drastically reduce what I do buy there, the rest will be from the market, local butcher.

Because I am fed up with all the "stuff" and all the monetary, ethical and emotional baggage that goes with it, I have been decluttering throughout the year and it does make a difference. I've also been doing a bit of the reverse advent this year and either donating or giving items away. Todays donation was a pair of sparkly high heels given to a colleagues daughter. I wore them once. On reflection why on earth did I buy them? Way too high, crippled me, unnecessary and if I'm honest too young for me. I was clearly buying into "buy these and pretend you're in your 20's again" (weeps into ovaltine).

Todays little victory against the big boys was going to a small independant chemist for cold remedy instead of skipping into Boots as usual. I had to walk a bit further but it also meant a bit of extra exercise - win win!

Thank you GreyQueen for the quote advice - I'll give it a go.

fiftyeighter_2

Oh I wish I could stop using the SM so much. In my very small town we don't have any green grocers , butchers or grocery shops only very small Tesco and overpriced Fiveways. Nearest places being half hour drive at least.
Though we do have a maket once a week that's only recently started and it's on trial. So I have been supporting that and getting my fruit and veg there.
I'm almost 65 and really should stop colouring my hair but I am afraid. The coward that I am. But I do do it myself and it's only £3 once probably every couple of months so I don't feel too bad.
So many of you from Kent lol. I love it there especially Rochester. I'm born and bred Essex. Right over the far end on the river Crouch. But I do love it here.
I'm so proud of myself I have had a good old de clutter and got rid of unused clothes and kitchen wear. I love this site, you learn so many things and it's so nice reading about every ones lives.
Take care all of you and keep up the good work.