Not Buying It- A Consumer Holiday 2016

Aril

I look forward to reading the postings of others and drawing inspiration from you all!

Just done my weekly menu plan as it will be the food shopping tomorrow. I always do my lists on a piece of scrap A4 paper which I stick on my fridge afterwards for during the week. On it is my menu plan day by day for the coming week and I also scribble down things we need to replenish, things that I notice need using up and ideas for meals for the following week aswell as any reminders for non kerbside recycling that can be done at the supermarket to save on fuel. It takes a lot of the thinking time out of the whole process when I come to do it again. This week I know I've got some leftover pudding [that won't be difficult to use up], natural yogurt, potatoes and a cabbage that need my attention. They've all now been incorporated into our meal plan.

I received a copy of HFW's Love Your Leftovers as a Christmas gift- I am looking forward to trying out some new ideas.

Today will be NSD. I am inspired by the Non Consumer Advocate blog and like the way she runs her version of The Compact. As far as possible I will still buy when necessary but try to keep it to second hand. Making do, borrowing or freecycle will be my first port of call.

Arilx

mummyroysof3

Thanks for new thread, I'm a lurker but will try to join in more. Saving goals are for 2 holidays and work done on house so need to cut spending.

dND

I'm signing on again as I really can't buy anything - no income and lots of outgoings :eek:
Fingers are crossed here that I will be able to sell my house for a price that will let me return to the UK housing market so NBI is important not just due to lack of cash but I also need to reduce the amount of 'stuff' that I will move back to the UK.

I don't often have time to contribute - or my experiences aren't really applicable to the UK - but I read the catch-up every morning and am so inspired by everyone.

NBI is a bit like dieting, sometimes you crack, but what is important is getting back on track and it is courtesy of everyone's posts that helps me.

So here's to a Happy and Prosperous New Year to everyone :beer:

thriftwizard

Joining in again, resolved to make more time for posting & blogging because it keeps me on track! I foresee some potential major life changes this year, so need to hang onto my resources & deploy them wisely. Not to mention, not acquiring any more clutter!

RicardaRacoon

Good morning and happy New Year to all!

I spent the evening at my parents place but was home by eleven as my sister had to go up superearly for work, Mum was sleeping on the sofa already and Dad could barely keep his eyes open. So we decided to not stay up till midnight.
But we had a nice evening with a light dinner (bread filled with eggs, ham and herbs, salad and a very big bowl of tiramisu) and a few rounds of our favourite board game.

Thanks for opening a shiny new tread Aril and welcome to all the new ones / delurkers!

I really enjoyed reading your lookback on the year yesterday, Jackie! There are so many things to be happy about and it is good to count ones blessings every now and then!

Mirry, TlGER usualy has 3-4 different yarns in, I think they always have sock yarn and mostly a bulky yarn too, everything in 2 or 3 different colours. The sock yarn apparently is quite good, my Mum tried it out. As I said, the other yarn is probably nothing for jumpers or so, but for a scarf it is fine.
They also have quite good tools, I bought a set of three cable needles for £2 and their knitting needles look ok too.

Will spend a lazy day today, will now have a bath with a (hopefully) good book and then go on knitting my scarf and watch a movie. Purse will stay shut till tomorrow where I will have to buy a few things for next week and will meet a former coworker. We will go to a nice caf! and have breakfast there.

WeeMidgie

Happy to be continuing the NBI journey in 2016!

On Christmas Day a leg came off my reading glasses. A check with Specsavers yesterday confirmed they can't be fixed. The frame is still available and the lenses could be put in for £46. But I'm due an eye test in May, so I'm opting to use a back up pair with the same prescription until then.

Other NBI news - I've given a friend gardening books and received tiles for making a splashback in the kitchen. A perfect swap as we each received what the other no longer needed!

loopy53

Happy New Year Everyone,

I'd love to jump aboard please! long term lurker here. My New Years resolution is to crack on properly in 2016 as I've got some challenging savings goals this year. I hate waste and rampant consumerism and very rarely buy new anything. I live in London and the thought of a shopping trip to Oxford Street is pretty much my idea of hell! I'd really like to simplify this year, sell a lot of our excess 'stuff' and re-evaluate what we actually need to be happy. I'm also hoping to acquire the things we really do need either second hand or free. I've started as I mean to go on and posted a request for a hairdryer on Freecycle. Mine exploded quite dramatically the other day so we shall see what happens.

I'm really looking forward to hearing how everyone gets on in 2016 :-)

chella

Happy New Year Everyone!!


I like the idea of monthly goals, they seem much less daunting than trying to promise to do something for a whole year!


I am saving my pound coins as I always do.


I am gong to try to buy whatever I may need, and the occasional treat/want from charity shops. (apart from underwear, primark for that should I need any)


I am not going to be lazy and not make myself a packed lunch. A crappy sandwich in our works shop is £2.80 !!!


I love the reduced YS bargains, but think I need to keep out of the shops a little more as all that stuff keeps adding up and a lot of it is food that's bad for me anyway. sugary etc.


I have a very easy well paying second job but again I am lazy so January I am aiming to make £400.


I have a mountain of clothes to get rid of. I am donating the winter coats to a local charity and will bag up everthing else and do a job lot bootfair listing to see if I can get rid in bulk.




my last challenge for the month.........not to get in a taxi, its so easy to just get in one after a long day at work, but they all add up and the 20 minute walk home will do me good!

Caterina

Happy New Year to all.

I am in but have two planned spends in January.

The first is DH's promised Christmas gift to me (money comes from a joint account so it does not matter who gets what, it's still family money), which is a guitar. I need to choose it myself so he could not buy it for me to put it under the tree as there was no time before Christmas.

The second is a series of coaching sessions for an issue I need to resolve, which is my gift to myself and I have already committed to.

Otherwise DH and I have agreed to a January of minimal spends.

On Monday 4th January I am starting a partial fast, the Daniel Fast, it's a devotional thing not a diet, so will only eat the vegetables from the organic delivery box plus the grains and pulses that I have already got at home, plus I might have to buy a few salads, nuts and possibly some soya milk. DH will eat normally but I have a lot of stuff in the fridge, freezer and cupboards that he can have during this month.

I am committing to a personal plan of reduction but there will be times in the year when there will be spends on experiences (shows, some travel etc) rather than objects, because DH has a serious health issue and will want to live life to the full as far as possible while he can. I will obviously be there with him, but for my part I will do my best to remain frugally minimalist in my personal life.

This is as far as I can commit and really look forward to reading about your swashbuckling adventures on the NBI seas!

Poppy_Golightly

I'd like to sign up as well. It's not going to the shops that gets me, it's the online shopping - soooooo easy! For 2016 I need to 'Step Away from the Laptop'. If I do that then all the other resolutions I've made are doable!