Not Buying It- A Consumer Holiday 2016

tatabubbly

Today will be a NSD for me today, planning on getting my housework done around the house.

Found a new place to live, OH is going to go see it with me on Friday morning when he's off work. Hope he likes it as its below what we pay at the moment and it would be good to have some spare money going into savings. It's smaller than our current house but I can live with that if he can!

Mindful shopping yesterday - left with just one pair of underwear! Needed as I threw out a pair, so happy with that. Other shopping included for my little sisters hen do, which I want to make at home as much stuff as possible for her. Got lots of balloons, cupcake holders (will double as any food holders) and little treats for girls.

Haven't bought anything unneeded this year so far, pretty chuffed!

firesidemaid

Was browsing through a charity shop and saw some Joules Bath Fizzers for 'only' £2 - 'ooh that's good' and picked them up, and then I thought....I don't NEED these. I can live without them and save £2


Managed to eek out stores/milk for another 2 days before visiting S/M, then did so armed with a list and some vouchers. I also crossed vege burgers off my list so I can make Jack's ones. Will do the same for falafels too.


Also, trying to sort/add a couple of direct debits to an old current account so that I can open a new M&S account to take advantage of the £220 on offer, as that will buy quite a lot of food!

patentgirl

Apart from food spends trying not to spend unnecessary had two presents to wrap up yesterday both presents brought in sales after Christmas normally would buy a gift bag and maybe that shredded stuff or roll of wrapping paper but instead looked what had kicking around and found several sheets of green crepe paper I brought last year wrapped them up with ribbon had too both look good and no unwanted spends.
I still have large box of Lego from my son who is 29 and big box of Sindys/barbies from my dds which the grandchildren all love to get out.

mavvymoo

I am finding 'The not buying it' challenge very liberating in a strange way. It really is quite odd I am no longer looking for that 'perfect' thing no matter if I needed it or not.

I am just not buying it unless its something I really need.Still have my weekly spends in my purse intact

Its like some kind of pressure has been taken off me How weird.

Long may it continue !

Mav x

GreyQueen

mavvymoo wrote: »

I am finding 'The not buying it' challenge very liberating in a strange way. It really is quite odd I am no longer looking for that 'perfect' thing no matter if I needed it or not.

I am just not buying it unless its something I really need.Still have my weekly spends in my purse intact

Its like some kind of pressure has been taken off me How weird.

Long may it continue !

Mav x

I was around a friend's on Monday evening and we were knitting and nattering with her TV on in the background, half-an-eye on a history programme. What astonished me as someone who doesn't have a TV was the manic activity of the adverts, the froth and lather of consumerism which I am self-sheltered from in my own life.

It was astonishing, like watching an alien culture. I laughed and immediately resolved to go and buy an new sofa, having deemed the secondhand one I bought in 2012 suddenly insufficiently-fashionable.

:rotfl:Actually, I made that last bit up. Does anyone fall for this carp?!

Primrose

I just mentally switch off as soon as TV adverts come on. They're all overblown, (and have you noticed how the sound on them is often turned up too?). The ones for cars I find especially unbelievable. They cost a fortune to make too, all of which the consumer has to pay for costs as advertising and merchandising are of course factored into the retail sales price.

So next time anybody is tempted into buying something after watching these adverts, just remind yourselves that as well as being conned by the publicity, you are actually helping to pay for it as well.:eek:

VJsmum

The words I really hate are "must have". I hate being told what to do at the best of times so when someone says I "must have" it, the answer generally is "no I bl00dy well don't"

I bought some trousers from People Tree, (I am trying to buy things I do need more ethically and I really do need more trousers), they arrived yesterday but I don't like them as much as I want to like them. So, where once I might have thought that I'd "grow into them" they really don't "spark joy" (a la Konmarie), so they are going back..

angela110660

We have Duplo, Lego, Tomy train set and Playmobil in our loft from over 20 years ago. Hanging onto it for when we have grandchildren!! Ooh wish I could get it all done now and have a play but things to do and no one to share with at the moment!

[Deleted User]

I very rarely watch the ITV programmes because adverts irritate the life out of me.Do ad-men really think we are all stupid and fall for their patter.

Can you honestly say that after perhaps spending the GDP of a small country on Christmas stuff you are going to gallop off on Boxing Day to buy a new sofa !!!

I think not I bought my perfectly good sofa direct from the factory where my friends husband worked in 1972, and I have had it ever since.It has a fold up double bed inside, and I picked out the colours I wanted .The two armchairs have gone to that rubbish tip in the sky now, but the sofa is still in good nick.

I have a removable set of covers that I had made about 15 years ago and they come off in the spring, and get washed and put back on again.

It has had at various time every one of my seven grandchildren play, sleep and even been poorly on and its still fine .My youngest DD almost gave birth to her last child on it, but for the swift intervention of a very fast trip to the local hospital.

It has lots of memories on it, and on the very hot night back in 2003 when my OH and I had to sleep downstairs because of the heat it was the last place my OH slept on before going into hospital later on that dreadful Sunday morning.

So there is no way I shall get rid of my much loved sofa which has stood the test of time for 43 years.It cost us £290.00 including two armchairs so its paid for itself over and over again

I too wonder sometimes as to whether people actually do rush off to DFS or similar because their sofa is 'not this years style or colour'

Somehow I don't think so, and why on earth is the background music so loud.I have to turn it up to hear the people talking then turn it down again because of the noisy music.No,I am happy with BBC although I have noticed they seem to be 'trailing' lots of adds for programmes sometimes

dND

tooties wrote: »

Good evening everybody,

I am failing miserably at this challenge!!
I think i have spent money mostly unnecessary every day. I am in the midst of a deep depression just now so i think that could be the cause of my spending.
However i have gave myself a good talking to and i am starting from a clean slate.
Onwards and upwards

regards

Hang in there tooties, things will get better - just the fact that you have identified they are unnecessary spends is a step forward. I too realised I spent when depressed, and still have the urge to, but I think I've finally realised that it's the media myth that you can buy happiness, that drove the spends. :grouphug:

Now I try and deflect it - I don't have the cash anyway - but I crochet so I remind myself that I'm saving up to buy x amount of wool to make y and that usually makes me close my purse. The crocheting also helps with relaxation too