Not Buying It- A Consumer Holiday 2016

eandjsmum

Afternoon all not all that much happening here,but I am reading a very interesting book called Stuffication by James Wellman. I have borrowed it from the library so not cost there. It is very interesting to learn how we got to spend so much on stuff we don't need. Also the stories of minimalism are interesting. I do have to admit that the decluttering part is the bit I find hard ,as logically I know that I don't need the stuff, but can't bring myself to part with it as I feel it may come in useful.

RicardaRacoon

Evening everyone

Had a very lazy day today, knitting group in the morning and then home to a very lavish nap/laying in bed thinking about everything and nothing. But at least managed to tackle some loathed household tasks after my nap like washing out the catties toilets.

Yesterday evening I went to the theatre with my parents which was their Christmas present from me, so tickets were paid last year. It is a tradition that we go to the plays of our local drama group. They always have really good plays (often with a lot of songs) and part of the fun is that we know some of the actors and it is interessting to see which roll they play.
We had dinner at my place before going there, Hungarian pepper chicken with mash and veg, followed by little chocolate cakes with orange ice cream.

Thank you for all the suggestions on chicken stock, I didn't made it however. There was only very little bones etc. left as it was a small chicken and it just didn't felt economical at all to have the stove on for such a long time for a bit of stock.

I tried to do some reserach on my grandfathers family which I assumed must be very easy as they had been in this town for a couple of generations. I was allowed to have a look into all the church registers but they only go back to 1910 and noone knows where the older one is... I somehow think that it might have been lost a couple years later when there was a very messy vicar around, who, according to my granddad, would frequently forget his bible in such strange places as the rabbit hutch...

Have a nice evening everyone!
Will now indulge in a guilty pleasure and munch the rest of the posh ice cream we had yesterday evening

Aril

Day 24/366 A quiet spend free day. Have picked up a cross stitch kit I started some time ago and got going on that again. Our supper tonight was a fidget pie made from pastry and ham I had frozen before Christmas. I cooked up a load of apples and the spare pastry was turned into a small pie which we had for dessert. Have been doing a spot of deep cleaning this weekend and decluttered some paperwork and some dried chickpeas and urid dal to a veggie friend. We've tried eating them but nobody's keen!
Arilx

wildthing01

dND wrote: »

Secondly you are, in my opinion, so right about the expectation bit. Advertisers have used the media to invade our lives and through fear/shaming messages persuaded us that we have to buy their products, not because we want to but because we think we have to.

I think NBI isn't so much a blanket not-buying-it but a movement to reclaim our right to buy what we want. Meaningful purchases, be they necessary ones or whimsical ones, as long as you have the money and have thought about why you want it and could you use something else that you already have.
:beer:

I totally agree with this - both that we should not feel shamed into buying stuff, e.g. so that our houses are perfect like the air freshener ads, so that we are not embarrassed when people come round, but also that we should not feel shamed into not buying stuff, as if we're only worthy if we're having nothing but bread and water.

My take on it is, if you can afford it, and it enriches your life in some way (makes it easier, less stressful, or more pleasurable), then buy it. But do so mindfully, think about whether it will really do these things in the longer term, and do it for yourself/your family, not to impress others.

I'm trying to save money, consume less, live a more meaningful life, but having said that, I'm not going to go without my smartphone (it's revolutionized my life) or my holidays (we couldn't afford one last year, and this year we really need one!) Instead, I'll try to spend as little as possible on these things. When I needed to replace my phone this year, I couldn't afford to replace like for like (I had a top of the range phone before), so bought a lower grade model in same range for less than 1/4 of the price, and it's actually just as good if not better as the old one (the technology has come on a long way since I bought my old one!) And we've booked a holiday at a less popular time of year, so the price is half what it would be in the summer holidays, but we'll still be by the sea and the weather should be fine.

We're continually decluttering both our house and our lives, at the same time making a bit of money, or letting others have what we can no longer use. We're consolidating and paying off our house renovation debts, slowly making our house beautiful (so that it 'sparks joy' in us, not so that we can be the perfect family as per the ads!) and I'm trying to remember to be grateful every day for what I already have (my family, my health, my lovely village life), rather than feeling resentful that I can't afford the latest phone or a fancy holiday.

DawnW

RicardaRacoon wrote: »

Thank you for all the suggestions on chicken stock, I didn't made it however. There was only very little bones etc. left as it was a small chicken and it just didn't felt economical at all to have the stove on for such a long time for a bit of stock.

What I do is to freeze the carcases until I have enough for a good potful. I also use the slow cooker which feels more economical

Lynplatinum

Ahoy there

Am climbing back o board as I went on Shore leave AGAIN on Saturday!!:o In my defense, my friends in the group were begging me to go and promised to buy me a drink or three between them! we also got the train deal where if you travel as a 4 you can get to London for £10.50 rather than £13 +

Thanks for everyone's input re train fares! :eek:

No, Jackie O Im not going wearing long boots and with a cat!! :rotfl:

I am so very lucky, Nurse Maggie, that my dear friend in Cornwall, with whom I will be staying, has offered to drive me around! I am just so blessed! :A Ergo getting a train is feasible in practical terms.

chirpycheap - I so agree the NBI point is to do what enhances your life and what is important to you - and that is going to be different for each of us! Which does not mean that we cannot get inspiration from each other. It is very good to learn from each other!! I have learnt loads on here!! This is about, also not following the expectations of family and friends or what we think they are. For example my DIL was delighted with her 'pressy voucher' - Martin's idea - to go shopping in Hobb!crafts at sale time in Jan rather than in December because she could get more for the money I could afford to give her However, several 'friends' thought I was being v mean! Luckily DIL and I are on the same page here!

NBI today - filled the oven with Clafuti ( a ground rice almonds and fruit desert for the week); peppers to roast; HM oven chips. So less money for the Energy company!! :beer:
NSD as well - luckily I have so much food in (as I get down the cupboards I keep on finding more!! And remembering old recipes) that I wont need to go shopping until at least Friday so by saving £10 in that way I will 'repay' the over spent Entertainment budget!
Nite all

[Deleted User]

Kerfuffle I found Roots-web brilliant I had posted on there looking for a very long lost uncle that had vanished in 1915 in New York and even my grandmother didn't know what had happened to him.
About a year after I had posted on there a very kind lady from Connecticut emailed me to say that whilst researching in New York she had found a record of his death in 1918 .She had remembered my query as our surnames we similar with only one letter changed !! so my long lost Dad's brother was found after almost 90 years Bless him, no one in the family knew what had happened to him.

I also had a message several years later from a lady in Australia who is my third cousin that I hadn't heard of as her granny had married a Danish chap in 1947 and moved to Denmark to live .The granddaughter, Ingrid had grown up and gone to Australia and met and married there.We still exchange Christmas cards and mail as she had lots of family info that I didn't know about.The internet has been brilliant for research and often ,especially if you know the area where the person has lived there will be a local either family history group or just a web-site where you can post a query and someone will come up with an answer for you.My paternal line now reaches back to 1645 and covers 43 pages, but it has taken me since 1976 to find them all You are right research can consume hours in a flash,especially when your surfing the net.I have found relations in Australia,Canada,Mexico,Denmark, New Zealand, France and Germany.

Its a fascinating hobby and I think akin to a jig-saw with tiny bits popping up every now and again.But you can never say you have found everyone as descendants go on appearing every year.Also its great fun what you find when you shake the family tree to see what and who drop out.

I have found rich,poor,soldiers and sailors,good and bad in my trees and my grandchildren all know where they have originated from over the years I found it great for helping my grandsons with history as its not all about Kings and Queens, but everyone has to come from somewhere and for my grandson to find that one of his umpteen times great grandpas was alive at the time of the 1745 rebellion in Scotland he thought was brilliant So keep on digging as us genealogists are a friendly bunch and often I have had help from the most unexpected places.

Today is the last Monday of the month so spring won't be far away hopefully.
NSD for me this week and fingers crossed I shall be able to stash some more cash into the holiday fund next monday
have a great week everyone what ever you are doing
JackieO xxx

dND

RicardaRacoon wrote: »

Thank you for all the suggestions on chicken stock, I didn't made it however. There was only very little bones etc. left as it was a small chicken and it just didn't felt economical at all to have the stove on for such a long time for a bit of stock.

RR I save all my individual portion bones - those from chops or a chicken drumstick etc. ) - in the freezer until I have enough to make stock. Doesn't matter if they've been chewed as they will be boiled

mavvymoo

Hello Shipmates I am still not buying anything I dont really need Had to go out and buy a few bits I did need today and found myself in Mr Ts I have no idea why as I am not keen on this store at all.

Had a wander round and it all seems so expensive to me or am I just out of touch as DH does the main food shopping As if I go with him he says we spend too much :rotfl:Suits me fine as I hated doing it when I did the main shop.

They had some kitchen candle thing in there for £17.99 :eek: Would anyone just pick that up with the weekly shop ? I cant see it myself .

Anyway I am still with you and when ever I feel like buying I read this thread over and over :rotfl:


Mav x

Aril

Day 25/366 Another NSD Got paid a bit more by my regular client as did some extra for her and have spent a fab evening cross stitching and rewatching the last Harry Potter DVD which I haven't seen in ages.
Arilx