NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

Bigjenny

tara747 whole thread dedicated to Marie Kondo here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5146700

blackcatsx2

I have read along all year and find inspiration from this thread. Although I have been renovating a house so I have been doing a lot of spending on that, my personal spending is so much more controlled and therefore sensible than previously.
I've also got much better with my food spend and I sometimes find myself saying "would Jackie O" put that over priced, over processed food in her shopping basket?"
So I would love this thread to continue in 2016 to help keep me on the straight and narrow.

candygirl

tara747 wrote: »

I've only just discovered this thread, would love to sign up for 2016 if there's a new one!


Has anyone here read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo? I did, at the start of the year, and it's changed my life - no exaggeration.


After completing the process, my shopping habits have drastically changed - I no longer shop unless I really need something. I have no wish to bring anything into my house that doesn't 'spark joy' (the central theme of the book). My relationship with my stuff has changed - I have more respect for what I own if that makes sense??

I read her book, but didn't feel right thanking my old handbags n knickers, for letting me utilise them :rotfl:

eandjsmum

My bank balance is definitely better. I have found other entertainment to occupy me.

Yesterday I spent the afternoon wrapping presents. I used last years wrapping paper( she giggles).

pm2326

I'm good at not spending in all areas except food.....that's my target area next year.

I've just sorted the freezer out and updated the inventory I keep....without touching the packs of mince, ribs, chicken etc I can easily feed myself 50 main meals :eek:

GreyQueen

I've never been a keen consumer. I grew up thriftily in a household which didn't have cash to splash (the essentials were essentially covered, I've never gone hungry and was mostly not too cold). And when out in the world as a young adult, I was brassic and never really got into the shopping habit. Now, I'm beyond disinterested in shopping, it's like being an anthropologist, watching and hearing about the strange and alien customs of the shopping tribes.

December's spends thus far; 4 x 2nd hand not-in-the-library books collectively £4.68, 2 library reservations (£1.50), a fish supper for £5.50 and a tea tin from the chazzer for 50p.

Last of the big spenders, me.:rotfl:

The advantages of not-shopping out weigh the gains, for me.

VJsmum

I am not a shopper either. Genuinely don't understand when people say they shop for pleasure or as a hobby...

Regrettably DD has not inherited that gene from me....


This morning circumstances forced that I gave her my bank card to buy herself some new clothes.. Haven't dared look yet :eek:


(Just kidding, told her to get a certain amount of cash out and that I wanted receipts...)

nursemaggie

GQ Agree with you 100% I have never been a shopper. Got dragged around by my mum for her last few years until she became sick then struggled with full time work, young child and her demanding me to be with her 24/7 poor mum she did not know she was doing that.

I used to hate going to town with mum just to look and waste money on coffee and cakes we could have had much cheaper at home. We never actually did any shopping.

Now DS moans at me for taking him shopping. I have told him I need to have him help me with the curtain rails. Being so short I will probably end up hitting someone over the head with them. Wilko only deliver to their shop and they are by far the cheapest.

chirpycheap

Thanks Grunnie and Nurse Maggie for your suggestions about my craft stuff. I think they are great ideas. Anything I can't use, give away or send to a charity shop will be recycled.
I have already spent the afternoon making gift tags using lots of paper embellishments. They turned out lovely and I didn't spend a penny!

dND

I do hope this thread carries on into next year as it is so inspirational. I'm sad to have been more of a taker than a giver but my circumstances in France don't always translate back to the UK

I think that the two most useful (to me) things to come out of this thread , apart from the 'don't buy it' in the first places is to not keep for best/special occasion as some how then things get left for ever; and the wonderful and innovative ideas on how to use or use up what you have already - the latest example being making gift packs out of unwanted craft items :T
My end of term report I'm happy to say, shows a marked decrease in spending which is good as I have very little coming in . I've had no viewers for the house, but that is not unusual for France, but there is always next year!:D

I still have too much 'junk' but on an old farm, it quit often gets pressed into use for something, but reading this thread has helped me think about what I'm prepared to pay for to be shipped back to the UK. I've sent at least 10 :eek: bags of clothing/curtains to the clothes bank. There were 'guilt' items that were 3 sizes too small which I realise now I'm really never going to get into again and if I do somehow get back to that size I would probably never wear as they are from the 80's :rotfl:

Still a long way to go so really hoping the thread continues, and a really big THANK YOU to all this year's contributors :T:T:T:beer: