Not Buying It- A Consumer Holiday 2016

mirry

I'm amazed how focussed I've been & my purse is smiling as there's money in it, lol.

I had my mobile hairdresser visit yesterday after a lifetime of cutting/colouring my own hair. My health is such, it makes life much easier & it's nice to have a guilty pleasure.

As for shopping. I only go to the local food shops and my husband takes me into town at the weekends if needed. I do not shop for long periods of time because I have postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Basically my heart races when I stand up or stand too long, causing me to faint. So my shops are a race against time and I'm always seat hunting, lol.

I managed to buy a large joint of meat in the coop this morning £5.99 now £2.19, so that's Sunday dinner sorted. We also booked our 2 camping holidays, one is fully paid for and one has a deposit placed on it. I'd rather stay in a hotel but we are being good :A

I also calculated how much support my daughter will need from us through uni, and it appears when I tally everything up its going to cost us
£6000-£7000 :eek:

GreyQueen

I once did a questionnaire about your consumption patterns and I fell into a category the questionnaire writer had deemed 'maverick consumer' - probably called Bl00dy Awkward Squad behind the scenes.

I really, really don't like shopping. I particularly detest shopping for shoes. I just want to be able to walk without pain and without triggering a flare up with my plantar fascitis. Not much of an ask, I would have thought, but you can have a field day trying to buy something like that.

Shoe-shopping is horrible and plenty of times I've gone out with a full wallet and returned after several hours traipsing in a foul mood, still shoeless, with my money unspent.

Clothes shopping is moderately more endurable because I can do that when in chazzers looking at secondhand books.

grunnie

I agree about shoe shopping. Have bought so many pairs over the years worn them once or twice and if they hurt my feet they land up in the chazzer. I have size 8 wide feet. Any shoe shops in London that you recommend as I am coming up to have a wee holiday. I usually shop in Hotter or M&S or British Home Stores for shoes but they just don't seem to fit my feet any more. Have spent the whole winter so far in uggs which are very comfy so short of wearing slippers for an evening out I am stuck.:o

Primrose

It seems to be one of rhe horrible facts of life that as you get older your feet change shape and you develop all kinds of horrible bumps, corns and callouses which make find comfortable shoes difficult to find and smart shoes almost impossible. Some of the conditions are doubtless because of the footware indiscretions of our youth but some of course may be genetic. I have developed a bunion on one foot in exactly the same location as my mother had one and I don't know whether to blame her for that, or myself ! I too have nightmares trying to buy new comfortable shoes. I tend to wear my favourites until they are falling apart.

GreyQueen

You can have heriditary bunions, Primrose, unfortunately.

Some foot woes in middle and later life are attributable to silly choices in younger years. I flinch when I see so many girls and younger women pounding the pavements in ballet flats and flip-flops, both do damage. Still, you can only learn by experience by having the experience.

I have several common-as-dirt foot foibles, all structural, not caused by previous shoes. These caught up with my in my forties and I have to have orthotic arch supports in my shoes. Tres glam, but hobbling because of shin splints ain't exactly coolio, either.

If I was rich, I'd have my shoes handmade to my specifications. Don't give a t0ss about designer nonsense, but proper footwear would be blissful.

I'm wearing H0tters atm, not overjoyed by them as the toe-box is a bit narrow, as all my toes bar the smallest are the same length, grrr!!

nursemaggie

GQ I think I am the same, DS calls me an advertisers nightmare.

As for shoes I have had a big big problem since my first pair of shoes. my feet are narrow and small. I take 2 1/2 to 3 depending on the manufacturer. My feet are A at the back and C at the front. As average feet have grown three widths wider and 5 sizes bigger through my life. It used to take me two years to find a pair of shoes It now takes about 5 years.

One thing I am delighted with is here in Bolton we have an independent shoe shop that specialises in Awkward sizes. Oh it is bliss! I tend to not just get individual attention but two of them will do their best to help me.

I have never possessed a pair of pretty shoes until last summer when I found some beautiful sandals. They were very expensive but as I don't wear sandals very often they should last the rest of my life. They also have a cushioning system like trainers but without the thick soles. I don't have any pads on the underside of my feet so walking is very painful without cushioning.

Clothes shopping is hardly better especially since petite went up to 5ft 4in when I as struggling on the 5 ft 2in. I am only 4ft 9in.

I once ordered a blouse out of a rather expensive catalogue. When I had to send it back they asked for details of where It did not fit.

I described it as. A bit tight round the knees and I cannot reach the pockets at my ankles. They never asked for clarification so they must have understood.

It is a beautiful day today not a cloud in the sky and the sun is shining. very rare here in Greater Manchester.

GreyQueen

Blimey, nursemaggie, I'm 13 inches taller than you. Still, I expect you don't have the experience of picking up pairs of trousers in your size and finding that they're capri-length and not actually capri trousers..........:D

My late Grandma used to take a size 3 and even 40 years ago, she had fun and games getting shoes to fit. There was a great independant shoe shop here in town which was expensive but the only place you could count on to get certain sizes. Sadly, it's gone now.

There's a lot of shoe-money being unspent because retailers can't be arrissed to cater for the awkwardly sized foot. We'd be beating a path to their door if there was a good option, wouldn't we?

Well, hobbling, possibly.

nursemaggie

No GQ I find they trail on the floor at least 10 inches. You can't shorten them that much because the crotch hangs down to my knees and trousers are often shaped at the knees which fall at my ankles.

Cropped trousers still tend to need shortening though some fit me as long trousers.

If you are ever in this neck of the woods I highly recommend my local independant shoe shop. I do hope it never closes.

Siebrie

I've found that the really discounted shoes, in the damaged boxes, sometimes fit. They have been on the shelf so long, because they are 'awkward', just like my feet....


I'm still looking for a brand of Ukranian shoemakers. I only remember 'Ukranian' and don't have the box anymore; their court shoes were really comfy.

eandjsmum

you poor shoe shoppers all have my sympathy. My work shoes are eCC0. I do own a pair of DR Ms which were brought in a sale and are very comfy.
Comfy but expensive , I have flat feet so need arch supports as well. As for clothes its either DIY, Chazzer or occasionally Marks outlet, I really can't be bothered with anything else. Also a member of the B Awkward squad and don't give a damn.