NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

PenguinOfDeath

Ahoy shipmates!

Apparently today is 'Panic Saturday' a label no doubt imagined up by marketeers and perpetuated by the media and SMs to try and induce a sense of urgency to spend, spend, spend... Not here though!

I am not joining in, I have managed to get out of any such nonsense (hopefully until after Christmas, if not New Year), OH and his brother have volunteered to venture out to purchase Xmas food goodies today, so I have made them a list to try and stick to, to include items for our usual weekly shop. I am working up until at least Christmas Eve morning so still need bits for lunches etc.

We already have some things in the house that can be used so I've made this clear on the list, I'm not holding my breath on that front but it is a small price to pay for me not getting involved! The only establishment that might be getting some of my money is our favourite farm shop butcher who we may go and see tomorrow depending on how today's mission goes, a small price worth paying for me as the meat is delicious, local and not too expensive.

Today for me shall by 'spent' tidying the house, sorting washing, ploughing on with my online course and visiting friends later on.

Re the videos with the shoeboxes, this year for the first time I have donated some food to the local homeless shelter though work with a combination of some bought staples and some cupboards staples I got on offer or given to me that we weren't going to use in all honesty so I put them to better use.
Earlier in the year I also donated some small toys, make up items, toiletries and clothes to a women's refuge after an excellent suggestion on the Decluttering thread, and I hope to do another one in the middle of next year, as donations seem to peak at this time of year but these items are needed all year round.

I wonder what percentage of gifts given in the next couple of weeks will be seen in charity shops or on ebay very soon?!

edwink

Does anyone else have beans on toast for their supper!! We do once a week as this definitely saves on our food shopping bill. We also have homemade soup once a week for supper too!! Other days we have homemade Spaghetti Bolognaise, Mushroom Tagiatelli or homemade pie with home grown veg and mash!!


Since we started growing our own veg we have save £s.


Maybe some of you on-board could grow a few of the cut and come again lettuces. These are lettuces (for those that have never grown their own veg) that you can take leaves off of as and when you need them. This type of lettuce just keeps on growing. They say you can cut leaves off at least 4 times before it actually will stop growing. This type of lettuce is great if you do not have a lot of space to grow veg. You could pop a few of these in between your flowers. So not only will you be growing your own lettuce but they also look attractive in a flower bed too. You can get such an array of colours with this type of lettuce too. Lettuces can be so expensive for what they are. It is also a great way not to waste any as you only cut off what you need at a time. Unlike buying a whole lettuce and not managing to use it all up!!


If you grow plants in containers you could think about growing just a few tomato plants. They are so easy to grow and again you only pick what you need. The cost of tomatoes are a joke I think. When I had a courtyard garden that was 20ft by 20ft I used to grow 3 tomato plants every year. I called them Tom, !!!!!! and Harry. Those 3 plants keeps us in tomatoes for ages. I even froze some to keep for making sauces over the winter.


Growing veg is easier than you might think. If anyone is thinking of having a go, I would be more than happy to help you along and I am sure others that grow their own veg on this busy ship would also help!!!


Take care everyone!!


Edwink x

purpleshoes_2

The lush bars do lather up, from recollection the one I got from ebay lasted me longer so I'll post the link if I can find it.

Ive got an unlimited cineworld membership, costs just short of £16

There's netflix as well, costs £5.99 a month

I braved the shops for a while after going for my walk with the meet up group, was in Tesco very briefly around 11am, you could see that it was going to get busy later on, popped into home bargains to get yet more cat food and aldi for some clementines and also some potatoes for my mum, got 3kgs of potatoes for 58p.

Very glad to be home. Also bought some hair dye from superdrug, wont save me money as I get my hair done very cheaply usually, but its BUAV approved so not animal tested, I got one chocolate brown and one platimum blonde with the plan being to go brown and then add in a few highlights

I need a change, so why not. Apparently the average spend on panic saturday will be 92 pounds, who makes this ridiculous stuff up

My mum also got some presents for people, shes a teacher and she gets the classroom assistants and cleaners a present, she went to the body shop and I gave her the 40 per cent off code thats doing the rounds just now so she got £48 pounds of stuff before the discount was applied so she was very pleased indeed.

black_cat

Penguin - my OH and I are planning to nip into town later. There are two more presents I have to buy. I know exactly what I want and where I'm going to buy them. They aren't expensive and are planned. Aware that town would be busy, we decided to go later and take advantage of the later opening times.

However, we've just seen on the news that today is so-called Panic Saturday! Like you, we think this is a cynical marketing ploy. We're tempted not to go shopping in protest - but that would spoil our Monday, as we have other plans.

I suspect that Monday and Tuesday will be given their special names too! :shocked:

Butterfly_Brain

We drove through town this morning to Kwikfit to have the tyres done and it was empty, hardly any cars on the road and very few people about, so as for people having a shopping frenzy this weekend it is pure hype.

We have a freezer trade shop near to us that has a shoppers club and we went over after the tyres were done.

We spent £22 and got 1 kg bags of goujons, chicken satay kebabs and ordinary chicken kebabs, 1kg cocktail sausages, 2 quiches, 2 boxes chocolate orange profiteroles, 2 black forest cake bars, 2 coffee cake bars, sausage rolls, and breaded prawns. he even had samples of his cooked turkey, the profiteroles, a cake and party finger food laid out so that people could taste before they bought.
He is one small privately owned company that I will continue to use in the New Year.

Plenty of festive food to see us through

Dee2

Good afternoon all!

I was in town earlier today to meet a friend. I was a bit early so had a look round the market. We have fish stalls, numerous meat stalls, stalls selling cheeses and pies and breads and olives etc. I never knew how lucky I am to have all this, and it was all busy. I usually only go to the fruit and veg stalls but I've been so missing out!

I had to go through BHS to meet my friend - there were lots of signs for 30/40/50% off. Normally I'd be straight in there, probably buying stuff either because it was a bargain and might come in or just because I think I've become conditioned to home in on a sale. Not today! I felt like skipping through because for the first time in ages I realised I don't need this stuff, I have enough - I'M NOT BUYING IT! Yay!

115K

I like Zen Habits. I think some people on this thread would find it interesting. I just read one about how to simplify the holidays.:)

http://zenhabits.net/simple-holidays/

maria3104

Well, had an interesting day. Went to a Church Party and had a lovely time. On the way I got a new light bulb for my car and the lovely man only charged £5 including fitting. Then called into the material shop to look, well drool, at the lovely quilting material and squares. WOW. I have never had a go at this, but after seeing the shabby quilt style, I was drooling, simply overcome. I resisted.
Then off to SBugs for £57 of milk etc to see me to Mr T order on 22nd. It would appear grown up children and friends are home. Food is dissolving from the fridge! Scary.
I have updated grocery amount, am still well within budget for Dec, but am amazed at myself for resisting the £60 in materials. I might set myself a savings challenge and see if I can acquire it another way...hmmmm

fairy3

Afternoon maties sounds like we are all preparing to board although lots have already started - it's infectious and I for one am very grateful as it puts a whole new light on Christmas and finding it can actually be fun has changed my whole attitude this year.
Slowdown - watched the utube and was humbled - was pretty loud though!
Mirry - my son is 21 in four weeks and I am having the same dilemma, may encourage him to open an Isa which will add funds to, not sure.
Radio was reporting a predicted 7% increase in sales from last year this weekend - well not from this little corner, will be working tonight so having an afternoon watching xmas films and doing an inventory of the cupboards and freezer.
Am also going to check out the lush sales for the shampoo bars - usually they start very early after Christmas, maybe a last splurge? Six months? Sounds like my sort of product.

Butterfly_Brain

Lots of our children are 21 in 2015, what a coinkidink. 1994 was a very productive year it seems