NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

purpleshoes_2

Ive actually never seen gift aided clothes with a sticker identifying them as such in any charity shop and I worked in the red cross for a year as a volunteer. All Ive ever seen is staff asking people who donate if they gift aid on their donations and people fill a form in if thats the case.

Ive also rarely been asked when donating if I want to gift aid, as it happens I cant as Im self employed plus I dont earn a fortune so I have to opt out of gift aid, but I donated loads of stuff to a charity this morning and no one asked me if I could give gift aid on the donations.

GreyQueen

It seems that some of us are having less-than-adequate experiences with the gift aid scheme. I was in Barnardo's and they carefully peeled off the gift-aided sticker from the books I brought, and stuck it on a sheet of stickers. Presumably these go out the back to prove those items sold so that the gift-aid can be claimed.

I'm a touch disenchanted with it; I loved the idea of the taxman being made to barf up another 20% of the selling price to the charity. I shall still donate and try to get if giftaided, but hope to have a better result with another charity in 2015; I won't be turfing out any more stuff this side of New Year.

Roadside

We ask all donors if they are gift aided, and are very strict on using the correct gift aid stickers on the goods donated, it makes a huge difference to the amount of money made over the year, and a little less in the govs coffers.

parsniphead

lessonlearned wrote: »

Had an interesting chat with my joiner today who also happens to work nights in a bakery. Yes even master craftsmen have to work More than one job these days.

Anyway, I thought he was just a general dogsbody at the bakery but no it turns out he's a skilled baker too. Who knew:rotfl:

I was telling him I no longer do much baking because I struggle with my wrists and kneadng bread is unfortunately a no no for me, even mixing cakes by hand is a bit much these days.

Now I used to have a bread maker but it died and tbh the results were a bit hit and miss. He told me his daughter was a keen baker and he has bought her an all signing all dancing Kenwood for Christmas. Lucky girl.

I have been thinkng about one for myself but the big Kenwoods are so expensive. I do have a small hand mixer but I really would like a "big lad" mixer to help me.

Yes I know it's a bit of a luxury but I did say that I wouldn't stop spending completely, but that I would spend with thought and consideration.

I find power tools that will help me to be independent an investment, so just as I use an electric hedge trimmer rather than pay a gardener I thought a few heavy duty gizmos for the kitchen would prove likewise helpful for my poor clapped out wrists and fingers.

What brands, makes, models would anyone recommend that might be a bit cheaper than the big kenwood.

I'm terrible at hand kneading and my bread always used to turn out terribly. I now just make it in the food processor and it rises really nicely every time. I would love a kenwood but have no space. Mum had one years ago which eventually blew up. She still has the bowl though. But the prices of them :eek::eek::eek:

I need to go through to freezer tomorrow to check what I have/ is needed. Also I need to continue with the plans for the allotment part of my garden. This years crops came well but I had a mass infestation of caterpillars and black fly which destroyed a lot of it. It's never happened before so I need to get it sorted before starting again.

mrswive

. I have this deeply ingrained idea that having stuff will make me more attractive, more likeable and improve my life.


My DH made me laugh yesterday; there was yet another ad for perfume which implied all the above and he said, 'I don't get it - it only makes you smell a bit different!'
How true!

greenbee

Thanks for the heads up GQ. Might explain why my gift aid statements seem to have stopped turning up (same place as you, and a hospice shop near my old town who had trouble producing the statements)... I'll see whether the new place I've started donating to (hospice shop with local warehouse to drop off at) does better. I'm a higher rate tax payer, so I also want to maximise the return in order to get MY share of the tax back (I like to confuse the tax man as often as possible, and this is one of my methods).

thriftwizard - think VERY carefully before disposing of an 'heirloom' to make place for something that isn't quite right. If I were you I'd take it back, and measure myself so I could source the replacement. Hopefully you can find something suitable within your new, slightly reduced budget.

fairy3

Evening shipmates hope all are well - missed the political palaver but do not think it belongs on this thread, SD have we got a gang plank?
Have been thinking bout the vegetarian recipes I want to try and came across this thread in the indexed links - https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/2857738#Comment_2857738 which is a four week veggie plan by a lady called Gingham Ribbon and has some great recipes which are already frugal and tested.
My kitchen is also earmarked for a clear out in the new year so will be interested in everyones most useful gadget.
Early bath and bunk for me

cheeseontoastwithham

I was in Boots today and heard two people having probably the most depressing conversation ever, both of them were complaining about Christmas, one even said 'I wish it was only once every 5 years etc..'. Do these people not realise that despite what the shops say, there is no set rules for Christmas, you can buy as many or as few presents as you like, it should just be a time where you and your family are happy and get a well deserved break and can do what you like (you don't even have to eat turkey!!). Christmas needs to go back to basics.

P.S. - Talking to an OAP in town and said I didn't have turkey on Christmas Day - I was amazed to hear her response - "Are you mad? You must eat turkey on Christmas turkey" I think this reflects the problem and I wholeheartedly blame individuals as well as companies - retailers can tempt us but we need to have that self-control.

All the best

GreyQueen

That's really sad, cheese, them feeling that you should do Christmas every 5 years or that there's some unbreakable rule that you have to eat giant poultry or you're in the wrong. We're free to eat whatever we fancy; Shirley Conran suggested egg & chips for Xmas dinner, if that's what you fancy and the rest of the world can go boil their heids.

After the goodness-knows-how-many-times-we're-done-this-before Christmas morning fuss and fandango with the oversized sparrow, I discussed that we could perhaps have a beef joint instead? We all prefer beef to any other meat, and no one was particularly fond of turkey and even the two cats weren't keen, you couldn't give the stuff away.

After clearing it with the MIL, Mum and Dad went to beef and it's made the Day much more pleasant. Of course, the cats insist on trying to dig their claws into your legs during lunch to remind you that it's Christmas for small furries also, and they want some.

Remember folks, that whilst a dog is for life, not just for Christmas, a cat is a slavemaster 24/7/365. But they do it so adorably, don't they?

VJsmum

LL - you can make bread using a no knead method, you kind of stretch and fold. Needs more time to prove though

We are having beef, such a treat to have

OH and I have bought each other a bathroom for Christmas. We are having them refitted - they truly are awful and so other things for us will be token things. I very much want a ceramic chicken to store eggs in - and I shall be very upset not to get it