NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

1of3

Hi All

Just popping in to say Merry Christmas to one and all. This thread has changed a lot of our thinking.Onwards and upwards for 2015!

GreyQueen

Ahoy shipmates, and thanks for all good wishes and good advice for my washer problems. It's 9 years old but as I'm a singleton it's only used lightly, so I am hoping that it's repairable.

I shall certainly take on board the tip of looking at the appliance re-selling charities to see if they have something lightly-used for no more than the call out fee. My washer is a B0sch, and although it wasn't extortionate when I bought it in 2005, it was a Which? best buy and is A rated for electricity use and water use, which is important to me as on a meter.

Anyway, have to put that issue on the back burner as am away from home for 10 days, will start internet researching the likely cause of the problem after new year, with a view to a bit of diagnostics and then we will see how it pans out. I certainly feel that I can be a big girl and be prepared to take to top off and have a look at the innards.

Am taking a few mins out from family life, have been wrapping up a storm, hastily carving a few more gift tags out of last year's cards, drinking tea and doing a few chores around the house.

Dad just found the newspaper from 24.12.2013 in the living room; we laffed at that.............:rotfl:

Have been cleaning and decluttering their bathroom and have found 4 bottles of unused suncream, so have suggested that they are used up for handcream, which is what I do with them, so Mum will do that.

As a family, we're pretty chilled about Christmas, we're making a space to put up the tree, so that and the decs box will come down from the loft after lunch and the halls will be decked etc etc. I do like the glow of the fairy lights on a gloomy day or evening - it's lovely and sunny here atm though.

I asked Mum if there were any last minute bits she wanted me to run to the shop for, and she said no, what we don't have we'll manage without. We've got home grown leeks, a beef joint and lots of mince pies and other nice things, plus comfortable clean beds and a functioning heating system.

I was thinking the other day that we modern people, with our weatherproof homes, potable running water, heating, ample clothing and food are among the most privileged people who have ever lived in any era, and so much more priveged that billions alive presently.

Yet we are extorted to want and strive for ever more Stuff and make ourselves miserable with the endless wanting and needing and grasping after more than we can possibly use, and for what, in the end?

I went TV free in the 1980s amd am rarely exposed to it, but I was going up the wall with frustration with an hour's telly watching last night about Roman Britain from the air, constantly carved up with ads for bliddy sofas and that smug couple on the NFU ad (or whatever it was).

Picture this; me virtually foaming at the mouth, ranting that I don't give a TOSS if you got married in the garden or if your 'commute' is 10 steps, you're annoying the hell outta me.

And sofas over the holiday? Really? Do so many people say to each other, Darling, I know the weather's bad, the shops heaving, and we're skint, but I really feel that we must buy a sofa this Boxing Day...?

I'm 50 and have owned precisely 4 sofas in my life. I shall tell you the sofa saga because it amused the hell out of the family.

Needed to move with 5 days notice to an unfurnished place, really needed something to sit on, otherwise it would have been on a concrete floor. Went to look at sofas offered in a newsagent ad; two for £50, a two seater and a three seater, seller wouln't split. Very good furniture, very good price, 99.9% sure the biggest sofa wouldn't fit.

Agreed to buy them on the Thursday, collected them in the moving van on the Saturday. Seller offered the storage ottoman to match for another £10. Gave it 5 secs thought and bought it; two soafas + ottoman for £60, remember.

Move them to new flat, 3 seater sofa doesn't fit. Put it in the Freeads paper on the Monday, sold it on the Thursday for £50. Now have the two seater sofa + ottoman for £10. A few years pass satisfactorily, then a pal decides to replace her leather couch with a daybed. She offers me her couch as a gift. I accept, and sell the two-seater and ottoman for another £50 via the freeads paper.

So I now have a leather sofa and am ahead by £40. Sofa eventually wore out and was freecycled and the replacement came from a chazzer for £110. That should see me into the 2020s, if we're spared.

Nargleblast

Merry Christmas shipmates and as you splice your mainbrace as the sun goes down over the yardarm, reflect on the past year and resolve to keep those treasure chests firmly bolted next year.

A little silly seafaring joke .......

Pirate Captain: Ah- harrrr! Where's me buccaneers?

Crew: Under yer buckin' hat!

seriouslyfrugal

wishing all the shipmates a happy and peaceful Christmas currently got the gammon in the slow cooker and we're having Chinese for tea ( something different from the next few days)

has anyone any thoughts on where we will sail to my vote is for somewhere a bit warmer without harming the chickens of course or we won't get breakfast:rotfl:

Roadside

Just popping in to wish one and all a very Merry Christmas, I hope you all have a great time. X

Bathory

I hit the shops at 6.30 am today to avoid crowds and picked remaining stuff up at the local Butchers. I noticed the sales are already on but stayed away. However, I did get some Polish chocolates as I am a huge fan of these esp: Sliwka (plums in chocolate). Spent just under £60 for 2 of us and 2 (already excited) cats. Not venturing out now until way after Boxing Day.

Thinking about this thread has made me cut right back on buying booze this year. Apart from some Aldi sherry (OH doesn't drink) there is nothing I want. Can't handle drinking much these days, unlike in my 20's when I would knock back a bottle of wine before hitting the all night Rock clubs and then start drinking more - how or why on earth did I do that?

We haven't many decs up due to the cats trashing them over the years but we have candles to be lit tonight. Staying in and will probably watch youtube stuff as not watched TV since 2009, I like MR James classic ghost stories for Christmas. 'The Stalls of Barchester' and 'Whistle & I'll come to you' (1968 version) being faves.

The one necessary purchase for 2015 will be a spindryer as mine is on its last legs after around 15 years and it is all I've got due to bad water pressure in this house.

Wishing everyone the Compliments of the Season. :snow_grin

grunnie

Just back from Elgin where I collected my M&S order - only 2 people in the queue in front of me so not long to wait. Didn't even look at anything in their sale and just walked along the street no trips in to Boots or the Poundshop. OH asked if I was feeling OK when I said I didn't want to go home via Home Bargains. My Christmas order from Asda was delivered last night and as I usually buy the cheapest version of everything almost everything was substituted to a bigger better items at no extra cost. Thanks Asda. Just home to the postie delivering Peter Walsh's book Lighten Up which I ordered from America last month so that is my new year reading. Happy Christmas everyone I am off to hoover the hallway.

purpleshoes_2

Its horrible weather, here, looks like another weatherbomb is on the way as they said. I went out to post a couple of items, ventured into Tesco, was busy but not heaving, managed to get 20 YS items for less than 3 quid, mostly fruit and veg, another trip into Barnardos, got 2 pairs for workout trousers, 99p each. I teach and do classes so am always on the lookout for cheap pairs.

Well, Ive probably bought way too much tat over the years, but I still have the couch (scots persons sofa) I had when I moved in 19 years ago, a friends dad won the lottery and I got some cast offs, cost me 100 quid for the couch and a wooden table which is still in my hall plus 4 chairs, think theyve all fallen to bits apart from one which I use as my computer chair. Also a big wooden tv unit which is in my electrical cupboard, which is huge and stores some books and other bits and pieces.

To be honest being 4 up in a flat and my landlord (council) doesnt allow workmen to uplift furniture for H and S reasons, thats part of the reason I dont change stuff around more often (other is cash). I had to get rid of a fridge last year and eventually got the council to uplift it from outside my front door, but had to plead with them to do it, they always seem to think youve either got a partner or got loads of people who could help you (my bro would, but hes really busy and he also lives in the next town and doesnt drive so its a bit of a trek for him to get here). They used to, but the rules were changed.

Anyway, goodness knows what Ive spent all my money on over the years, but its not been on loads of home furnishings, a few tweaks here and there can freshen up a house anyway I think.

My friend gave me her old cooker, as her dad bought her new stuff and its going strong still, had it for the same length of time.

The couch is a bit battered and tattered, particularly as I have cats who like to use it as a scratching post, but I just put throws over it and change them every so often

Im on my third fridge I think, the latest is second hand, my last washing machine cost me 90 pounds and I got 10 years out of that, the replacement is also second hand.

Ive had a few additions to furniture too, couple of pine tables and units bought from the red cross when my mum and I volunteered there, but I still have the very basic black ash units I bought when I moved in and I also still have some of the very first dinner set I bought, am sure I got them from a shop called what everyone wants, scottish company who would up years ago and I still use them as well.

Really happy with all my YS food purchases, enough to make loads of soup and keep my mums rabbit happy in broccoli and lettuce.

Also happy that I managed to buy my mum and brother their presents without having a nervous breakdown, had most of it done weeks ago and hopefully they'll be happy with everything they get.

eandjsmum

Happy Christmas everyone.


Not much to report here. Christmas shopping done, forgot the sprouts, not going out now so what ever we don't have we will go without.
House tidied and yet more mince pies made. We have the human equivalent of the hoover here a teenage boy we have got through several dozen mince pies and gingerbread men since Saturday.
I have just deleted all the sale e-mails . Lets see if I can have money left ant the end of the month.


I also got two free cinema tics for Jan for Testament of Youth. I have read the book but wanted to see the film.

cydney65

Bathory wrote: »

I like MR James classic ghost stories for Christmas. 'The Stalls of Barchester' and 'Whistle & I'll come to you' (1968 version) being faves. Wishing everyone the Compliments of the Season. :snow_grin

Ahh Whistle and I shall come to you is creepy but I love it.

Ventured out for croissants but there were none left so didn't bother. The Co-op was packed but everyone seemed in a good mood-no angry shoppers, which is good. Off to prepare the spare bedroom for our eldest who arrives in a couple of hours.

I hope everyone has a Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

CydneyX