Is frugal the new normal?

Nonnadiluca

I've really enjoyed this thread; some very interesting points of view. I have always been frugal which has enabled me to retire early with no change in our standard of living, a standard that I'm quite happy with.
I agree with the general viewpoint of each to their own and try not to judge by my opinions but sometimes....
In the large office I used to work in were two women, both with two school age children. One decided that she wanted to go on an eye-wateringly expensive holiday while her boys were at an age where they would all enjoy the experience. She spent a year cutting costs wherever she could so that they could afford it. While I would never spend that amount on a holiday, that was her choice and good luck to her I say. Another was always pleading poverty and we all felt sorry for her as she was always broke. Last Xmas we all clubbed together to pay for her meal at the Xmas do as she couldn't afford it - Xmas spirit and all that. A few weeks later she proudly showed off her latest tattoo which had cost hundreds of pounds.At that point I'm afraid my non-judgement went out of the window!

ivyleaf

VJsmum I saw the pic of your sideboard. Gorgeous!

greenbee

Teacher2 wrote: »

On the subject of recycling and upcycling furniture I have noticed that genuine antique furniture is now much cheaper than modern two-by-four, slap-it-together artifacts. A really nice Georgian chest of drawers will cost about £400 and you would pay £600 for an equivalent in, say, John Lewis. Amazing. The old stuff has just gone out of fashion but, of course, is still much nicer.

GreyQueen wrote: »

If I was buying furniture, I'd be after the Georgian stuff, have seen examples in excellent condition at about the prices you quote. Can't understand why anyone would spend several hundred on new stuff when they could get the old.

I was very taken by a Georgian chest-on-chest for £600. Darn thing was taller than me!

I have a lot of antique furniture - because both my grandmother and my mother when they first got married furnished their homes with cast-offs and bargains from markets and auction houses - both at times similar to now when 'brown' furniture was out of fashion. I rarely buy furniture, I mostly take other people's cast offs! My spare room beds belonged to my grandparents, as did the bureau in my sitting room. My chests of drawers were all auction house finds (one has the price inside - lovely small CoD bought for £10 in the 1970s), I even have silver cutlery bought on Cambridge market in the 1930s with lots of different monograms - apparently it was cheaper for my grandmother to buy that than new cutlery!

My mother has been upcycling furniture for years - she started with auction house finds and friends' discards and just a coat of paint, and progressed through distressing, stencilling and paint effects to produce some stunning pieces before she gave up and became a botanical artist.

GreyQueen wrote: »

ETA; gas engineer (am down to just one atm) likes the bread wiv herbs innit. Because of where I live, I did have to qualify to him that it wasn't that kind of smoking herb.

I expect you'll be on their priority list from now on :cool:

kboss2010

Nonnadiluca wrote: »

I've really enjoyed this thread; some very interesting points of view. I have always been frugal which has enabled me to retire early with no change in our standard of living, a standard that I'm quite happy with.
I agree with the general viewpoint of each to their own and try not to judge by my opinions but sometimes....
In the large office I used to work in were two women, both with two school age children. One decided that she wanted to go on an eye-wateringly expensive holiday while her boys were at an age where they would all enjoy the experience. She spent a year cutting costs wherever she could so that they could afford it. While I would never spend that amount on a holiday, that was her choice and good luck to her I say. Another was always pleading poverty and we all felt sorry for her as she was always broke. Last Xmas we all clubbed together to pay for her meal at the Xmas do as she couldn't afford it - Xmas spirit and all that. A few weeks later she proudly showed off her latest tattoo which had cost hundreds of pounds.At that point I'm afraid my non-judgement went out of the window!

Yup! I met a lot of those 'I have no money to feed my kids but I smoke 60 a day/have several expensive tattoos/just got a £400 German shepherd/Staffie/rottie puppy' in a previous job in finance.

The sympathy wears thin when they're screaming at you that they have kids to feed yet you know that they've just spent a heap on clothing from catalogues and gambling establishments. Sadly it happens more than people think.

kboss2010

fuddle wrote: »

I'm putting my little paw up in support of TV chefs doing their thing 'frugally'. I have learned a little by watching, essentially it's been how to use herbs and what goes with what.

And dear auld Kirsty Alsopp? I have her to thank for my now life long craft of crocheting. After I watched her trying to crochet some string into a basket shape I decided to have a go. Here I am a number of years later in the last stages of crocheting myself a 100% (drops quite reasonably priced) cardigan.

I think Kirsty was faffing about with odd bits of tat long before it became fashionable.

With everything in life, watch and observe those things that interest, store what's canny and disregard the rest.

Kirstie Allsopp is one of my guilty pleasures along with Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa). They're both smug, self-indulgent and quite fake but they sell a lifestyle that, in a perfect world, I would like to try on for a while (even if I'd be bored witless after a few weeks of spending my days cooking, baking and sewing - everything in moderation!)

GreyQueen

greenbee wrote: »

. I expect you'll be on their priority list from now on :cool:

They're council contractors so they go where they're sent. But I'm a blokey sort of woman and get on well with the fellers. Most people like food and it's a pleasure watching their eyes light up at the prospect of hot-out-of-the-oven bread slathered with butter.

We've had a fun day yakking whilst he was working; we've met before when he did work on my flat. He and SuperGran have known each other for about 30 years so I rang her up in his hearing to just tease her that I'd got her boyfriend over here - she came down to give him a hug.:rotfl:

HOWMUCH

Well if we are talking furniture my dining suite was bought in 1976 Old charm oak. I am only on my second lounge three piece, I had a leather Chesterfield suite again bought in 1976 this was replace by a G plan velour suite in 1995 and we are still using it.

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

On GQ's comment - I still have my chipboard and veneer table and 2 of the chairs bought with my savings when I was first married - which would have been 35 years ago :eek:

Am wondering if I could chalk paint it tho - then I saw price of chalk paint - then I decided to move house and am bequeathing it to my son who can do as he wishes with it!!

Nonnadiluca I also have a similar story from my workplace! And another one is giving folk lifts who choose not to drive or choose to get somewhere on public transport; have a drink; stay beyond the time public transport would get them home and then ask the non drinking me for a lift!!! :mad:

I will help anyone in real need but to cry wolf removes folk's sympathy!!

For example a friend of mine did not receive her maintenance from her ex (back in the days when I was on benefits - having just divorced). I talked it over with the kids and we sacrificed fancier stuff so that I could go to the discount supermarket and buy beans/loo roll/ tinned sausages/mice/bread for both families with that week's benefits. The veg man on the market let me have his 'endings' for free that week and we all survived! (She did repay the favour in so many ways)

I have also been told how 'lucky' I am to semi- retire @ 56. Luck has nowt to do with it!! I prefer (like teacher 2) to live simply but with much less stress!! Folk are also saying how 'lucky' I am to fully retire to Cornwall soon. Luck has nowt to with it - knowing what my dream was/is (Im not there yet.....:eek:) and working hard towards it - years of running a house on my own and looking after it on a tight budget! etc etc

Sorry its all got a bit ranty

But real frugal becomes a habit after a lifetime like mine/yours dont you think??? I would be interested in hearing your opinions!

BTW GQ - that bread sounds fab (mouth watering here :rotfl:) Any chance of a recipe?
Nite all

armyknife

I'm writing this resting on an old 1960s formica topped table that must have been through one and a half dozen moves with mine. Still sturdy as a rock and now covered with computer stuff.

If you attached the words, retro, vintage, shabby, chic to it in some form they appear to sell on ebay. Personally I'll keep the unending utility it provides.

GreyQueen

Lynplatinum, I'd be embarrassed to call it a recipe, it's more like a happening.

1. Take large bowl and chuck quantity of wholemeal bread flour in it. Add one sachet of dried yeast and stir. Chuck in random amount of any dried herbs you have - I used the dill & mint combo yesterday.

2. Get jug of hand hot water from tap.

3. Oil a baking sheet and put a glug of oil into the flour. I use bog-standard veg oil.

4. Add hot water slowly until bound into a dough, turn out and knead until bored or tired, whichever comes first. Usually under 5 mins.

5. Form into balls of dough, park onto baking sheet, cover with teacloth and get on with other activities. Leave to prove for several hours.

6. Bake for 20 mins in pre-heated oven at Gas 7 or equivalent.

7. Allow to cool on tray for 5 mins then put on baking rack. Have wooden spoon handy to smack any thieving hands. Also bask in comments of passers-by smelling fresh-baked bread smell drifting out the window.

There's no particular reason for yesterday's choice of herbs, other than I had plenty of it. There's no culinary reason (at least not one known to me) for combining dill and mint in one jar, it's just what I did.