NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

1of3

Hi All

Done the "Big" shop yesterday.IT was approx 1 trolley for 4 of us and I was working from a list so was just pottering about.It was amazing to see how many people were just aimlessly grabbing stuff of the shelves and filling their trolleys with "stuff".

Do people not realise that the shops are open within a day or 2 or is it just greed?

This thread has arrived at the right time for me anyway!

atypicalblonde

I adore this thread.
The past two evenings I have taken the ipad to bed with a cuppa and caught up with it, it really is wonderful reading the thoughts / musings / advice of a group of such similarly like-minded people.


So sad that today being "Mad Friday" the emergency services are laying on extra staff to deal with the spike in alcohol-related incidents, I can't see why anyone takes any joy in getting so drunk they cannot stand up. Don't get me wrong I love a nice glass of rose (or 3) but much prefer to be snuggled on the sofa with hubby, double corrie on telly and home-made supper in my tummy!


I have relished doing some "un-shopping" the past few days (GQ apologies for nicking your phrase!). Plenty of extra consumables have come in for the festive period, we are hosting and have 4 generations of family here so its a mixed bag of extras, ranging from chocolate fingers for the littlies to mixed nuts and fruit for the grandparents. To ying/yang this a little, I have decluttered 7 pairs of shoes, a huge bag of old towels and baby clothes and the contents of the glass recycling box - it feels fabulous to get things out of the place and brings me far more joy than I will have experienced when buying them.


Have great weekends peeps xx PS CAFCGirl - rooting for you honey you WILL find that inspiration, keep your chin up x

GreyQueen

I think a lot of it is panic, a sense that There Must not be Too Little, and disorganisation, in not knowing what the regular consumption is, so not able to calculate upwards for additional guests/ more luxurious meals than usual.

On Sunday I shall be harvesting a lot of leeks from my allotment, to take to family to join in with Christmas meals, plus some more of the stored onions harvested in the summer.

CAFC, if you'd be willing to tell us a bit about the interests of the people you need to make for, plus your craft skills/ materials which you have to hand, maybe we can pool our collective brain power and come up with some suggestions for you? Just a thought.

Last night, I tried out my new-to-me marl grey pj bottoms and marl grey M & S longsleeved tee, 50p each, bought to be a pair of jammies. Lovely and soft and cosy, am very pleased with them.

I find a definate pleasure in getting those things in life which I do need or just want, secondhand for pennies on the pound vs what they would have cost new.

Spoke to Kid Bruv yesterday and he has followed my instructions and got me a litre of foam bath with change from £1 as well as the secondhand book (cannot wait to get my nose into that, it's one of a series by an author I love).

Most gifts within the family are secondhand books. My Dad loves to read history books, the kind which sell new £20-£25 minimum. I buy them used, if I can see them in immaculate condition, for a fraction of that, and he can then have several for less than the price of one, purchased new. He knows this, and approves. And then they're usually donated back to charity when they've been read, to keep the goodness flowing.

Because of a lot of family birthdays falling this quarter and in early Spring, I have always had to budget and shop across the year, even when I was a teen. Which means that the pressies are done and dusted before December even rolls around, so I don't find the useful things have disappeared to be replaced with Xmas tat. Tat which is overpriced now and which you know will be available for pennies next month.

fuddle

A bit annoyed about not being able to get my shopping delivered as per usual.

I tend to get the majority of my weekly shops delivered via online grocery shopping. It's a combination of lack of time, making sure I stick to lists, keeping DH away from bargains and not putting my kids through a late night shopping trip. All year I have no problem getting a slot booked but Christmas? Oh, the world and his wife, who obviously don't normally shop this way because of the availability of shopping slots, have booked all slots solid for the next week or so!

So tonight we will trundle into town and get enough for the weekend then regroup Monday and head back in with a list for fresh stuff.

mishmogs

Morning

hope there's room for a little 'un! (well not so little really at 6' tall!)

read through the thread and although I cannot join in the no supermarket shopping in Jan. I can certainly cut down to buy only the basics. The planned purchase for 2015 which we are currently saving for, is the update of the kitchen. Not a complete refit just new worktops, sink which DH and myself will fit and cupboard doors, which a local company can do for us and I can paint. I have put the word out for a new to me water butt and a smallish greenhouse if anyone has one to get rid of. I will ask on the local fb pages in the new year.

We have decided not to buy each other pressies this christmas due to the kitchen update and decided a nice bunch of flowers will be a good idea so we can both enjoy them.

DH asked me if I wanted to met up with a mate of his and his gf for a lunch next week and spend the rest of the day shopping and I declined his offer as a) I would rather spend time doing my hobbies b) I haven't got the spare cash due to kitchen update c) the thought of all those people..... years ago fine, not now. Missed out on lunch but think of the money I have saved!

So next year is a year of living with what we have and enjoying a relaxing time and walking more.

Really enjoying this thread I thought I was an oddity not joining in the spending hype. Remember: Its only one day a year.

GreyQueen

That's a bit of a b*mmer, fuddle. I suppose the only potential upside is that if they're at home awaiting their deliveries, they won't be getting in your way at the supermarket.

If by fresh stuff, you're meaning fruit and veg as well, I always bear in mind my Magic Greengrocer who's always drolly amused by overhearing shoppers say that they'll come in just before Christmas to get the veggies really fresh, as opposed to buying them on the nearest weekend before.

The veg which will be on offer on Monday will be no fresher than the veg which was on offer on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It'll be the same veg, the harvesting for the Christmas period is already done and dusted and gone through the wholesalers for the independant sector, or the packhouses/ importers for the supermarkets. It's sitting in cold storage as we speak.

Of course, you may have insufficient fridge capacity for the fresh foods to be eaten between now and Christmas, so will shop and eat, then restock on Monday for Christmas week, or perhaps your fresh stuff includes dairy etc. But in case it doesn't, and you can save yourself a trip, I thought I'd mention it.

1of3

GreyQueen wrote: »

I think a lot of it is panic, a sense that There Must not be Too Little, and disorganisation, in not knowing what the regular consumption is, so not able to calculate upwards for additional guests/ more luxurious meals than usual.

I think you have hit the nail on the head here. I couldnt have said it better myself.

PS-Do you mind id I borrow your signature? It sums up the feeling here!

CAFCGirl

Thanks ATBlonde - I found it, at the bottom of my last gingerbread coffee (woe is me)..... It might need a few £'s though to make it complete

Now where can one find cheap wool???

purpleshoes_2

Im going to see what else I can offload to the charity shop, go to my mums work and hand in some soup for her, made too much so there's plenty for her. Go to the gym, my gym has been closed for a refurb and I do use others in the chain but this one is my preferred site. Feed the local crows/pigeons/seagulls.

Come home and declutter what else needs to go. Put the zumbawear I have that's still new in packaging on eBay.

Only going out twice before Christmas tomorrow I'm going for a walk, 4 miles, through the site meet up, Sunday a meal with another meet up group. Wrong, 3 times, going for a drink on Monday night but it will be a quiet affair.

I used to run a large group but it got too much due to various factors, some people were very demanding and less than pleasant so I handed that over and now run a smaller one but we aren't meeting till after Christmas.

Shops only shut for one day here, I'm in Scotland and trading hours are slightly different but they close at something like 8pm on Xmas eve and open again at 8am boxing day plus corner shops are open.

Funny how people shop like the shops will never open again, for as long as I can remember I've shopped pretty much as normal with a few extras.

GreyQueen

1of3 wrote: »

I think you have hit the nail on the head here. I couldnt have said it better myself.

PS-Do you mind id I borrow your signature? It sums up the feeling here!

Borrow away, it's not "mine" in the sense that I originated it, it's been around with slight variations for yonks. I do change my sigline from time to time anyway, prior to this is was a Thoreau quote, and I've had others.