NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

tatabubbly

Hey all,

I'm abroad and even though we could have the trimmings, I have not given in.

Heading into town today to do our normal weekly shop anyway - hoping to just stick to the list I've made and not give in. OH is with me though so I doubt that will happen!

I've got an ear infection so I've been stuck indoors but that means I've spent not, €3 yesterday was the height of it in boots for some painkillers

black_cat

Slowdown - I'm having a lovely lie-in and opened your link to watch later. Didn't pause it quick enough and have just frightened OH half to death! (Well you did say to turn the sound up)! The sound of those kids makes a great alarm :rotfl:


Shampoo: I've used Alberto Balsam over the last few years. It's cheap anyway, but when I buy on offer it lasts me the year - at the moment you can buy 4 bottles for £3. Luckily it suits my hair so I'm happy.


Still lovely this thread. Surely it's the best on the forum!!!! I've now finished work for Christmas so hope to post more. Thanks for all the fantastic motivation, inspiration and ideas everyone

[Deleted User]

CAFCGirl I only just seen this as a day goes by and the thread is galloping away again :) I wish I'd know I have a very large wool stash in my house and you would have been welcome to have what ever you like I rarely buy wool as my friends all seem to 'donate ' it to me as I'm the 'knitting lady' I make blankets for The Linus Project which ships them to children around the world who have nothing at all,also I make small ones for prem babies along with tiny hats for then as prem. babies feel the cold even in hospital.And I only live 10 minutes away from you I could have loaded some in my car, and met up at Dobbies at Bowaters roundabout great idea of making the presents though I think people love something where a bit of thought has gone into it. I have some housebound friends whom I make baskets up with bits of extra's that they may not have at christmas, small pots of jam,chocolate, nice shampoo,different soap or small shower stuff with maybe a little tee light candle and holder thrown in as well Probably coast less than a fiver but always gratefully received.One of my sis -in-laws always makes me a mini Christmas cake which I share on boxing night with my DDs ma-in-law as we are the only ones in the family who enjoy Christmas cake.Lots of small things when thought out carefully can bring down the cost of the Christmas shopping.I had a lovely jar of HM caramalised red onion chutney given to me last year, and it was gorgeous and every time I used it I was so pleased as it had been carefully thought out by a friend who knows its my favourite Its not how much a present costs, its if its the person you thought of when you got it I think.
Last night we spent a bob or two taking my youngest DD oout for a meal but it was so worth it and she rarely goes out dining at all.Our next meal out will be next August on the last night of our holiday :):)

mirry

How's everyone coping with the Xmas frenzy? Does anyone notice how the shop adverts say "must hurry whilst stocks last" :rotfl:

I was browsing the shops online and the artificial flowers in a vase I want is reduced from £50 to now £25 . So now I'm torn between head and heart . We can't have flowers in the house due to my sons allergy and these flowers get 5/5 star for realistic quality. But I just don't want to part with my money. So I'm thinking, I might see if they reduce further in the new year and risk loosing them. Or see if I can sell something on ebay to earn them. Apart from that I'm out of ideas.

I have been given some lovely presents from the elderly I visit, I only have 3 clients and one has given me a large tub of celebrations. The elderly man I visit has given me £40 marks and Spencer's gift card :eek: and the other lady has given me something wrapped up to open Xmas day. Then my husband came home with a £50 sainsburys gift card from his work. We intend to spend this money very wisely.

In 6 weeks time it's my sons 21st birthday and then my daughters birthday a week later. I want to buy them things they will need and not just waste money on mindless spending. My son is a movie fanatic so any ideas would be much appreciated

115K

I was watching a programme called Benefits Life on the Dole (I think that was the name) last night and we were commenting that the people on benefits in the show have more presents than we will as we are not exchanging gifts. I said to my hubbie that he could buy something for himself if he really wanted but he said he's not bothered. The fight against consumerism must be contagious.:)

thriftwizard wrote: »

Katkin, shampoo-wise - don't know whether you have a branch of Lush near you, but their shampoo bars work really well & last for months. I goggled at the price to start with & nearly had a fit, but if I leave a bottle of shampoo in my bathroom, it'll be gone within a week, irrespective of cost. One bar, though, will last me about 6 months, even though younger daughter will also use it when she runs out of all other options. So although it seemed like a lot to pay to start with, it works out cheaper in the long run & it works on my menopausal hair really well.

I might try a Lush shampoo bar as I have been using a very cheap shampoo and my hair is looking lank. It needs cutting but I will save my £8 haircut until the new year lol. We have a mobile hairdresser that visits us at home.

Do the Lush bars lather up like a shampoo?

camelot1001

Slowdown, I saw that video a couple of weeks ago and it made me cry! It's such a lovely thing to do and means so much. At school last year we had a backpack collection and had to choose the age/sex of the child to buy for. There were guidelines as to what to put it but the only thing they really wanted was a spoon - so they could eat their lunch. So humbling.

Whatever I haven't bought/got I will do without for christmas, we are all travelling individually to a friends house and just want everyone to arrive safely so we can enjoy our time together.

Not long till the beginning of the year now, then I will be ultra careful.

kacie

mirry wrote: »

How's everyone coping with the Xmas frenzy? Does anyone notice how the shop adverts say "must hurry whilst stocks last" :rotfl:

I was browsing the shops online and the artificial flowers in a vase I want is reduced from £50 to now £25 . So now I'm torn between head and heart . We can't have flowers in the house due to my sons allergy and these flowers get 5/5 star for realistic quality. But I just don't want to part with my money. So I'm thinking, I might see if they reduce further in the new year and risk loosing them. Or see if I can sell something on ebay to earn them. Apart from that I'm out of ideas.

I have been given some lovely presents from the elderly I visit, I only have 3 clients and one has given me a large tub of celebrations. The elderly man I visit has given me £40 marks and Spencer's gift card :eek: and the other lady has given me something wrapped up to open Xmas day. Then my husband came home with a £50 sainsburys gift card from his work. We intend to spend this money very wisely.

In 6 weeks time it's my sons 21st birthday and then my daughters birthday a week later. I want to buy them things they will need and not just waste money on mindless spending. My son is a movie fanatic so any ideas would be much appreciated

Would he like a cinema membership or a subscription to something like lovefilm? Which would save him money if he uses it often.

Has anyone made their own shampoo bar? I've seen a few recipes on pinterest for it but not tried it myself

Lavender_Cosmos

I really love this thread, and have sailed my little dingy alongside and am coming onboard. I'm self employed and my income can fluctuate so I always try to be careful with money. I've been reading some blogs on simple living and I've now got an allotment. So I'm looking to be as self-sufficient as possible.

I'm ready!

mirry

Kacie, I love the cinema membership idea and think it would make a lovely present. When I speak to my elderly clients they tell me when they were young they used to go to the cinema serval times a week with the whole family. I told him if we did that it would cost us about £80 a week!
Why does it cost so much now days?

I just popped into my local charity shop and managed to buy 6 large vintage wine glasses that are really pretty for £1.95. I've waited a few years for a matching set for our 6 seater dining table and for some reason l appreciate them more than I would new ones? I overheard a lady saying how she has finished her Xmas shopping and everything she purchased was from charity shops as she was disgusted at the scenes on tv on Black Friday. I think it's made a lot of people think.

DawnW

mirry wrote: »

I just popped into my local charity shop and managed to buy 6 large vintage wine glasses that are really pretty for £1.95. I've waited a few years for a matching set for our 6 seater dining table and for some reason l appreciate them more than I would new ones?

They are probably much nicer than new ones, unless you could afford to pay the earth for crystal ones