Not Buying It- A Consumer Holiday 2016

smiley_77

Thanks for the tip about almond milk Caterina. I have it every day so that is good to know!

I have moved house recently from rented to my own. Hurray! But I don't have any storage so my plan is to save money in other areas to buy some furniture. I have been given some and bought some on ebay but it needs a revamp.

So I am limiting food shopping to £40 a week. No buying from amazon which is my total weakness. I have also joined another thread about not buying unnecessary toiletries which is another area of weakness which I hadn't even considered was adding to my clutter until I moved house.
I have a library of books to read and wont be buying any more of those either.

I will be perusing charity shops for some more furniture as well.

I am looking forward to being more frugal and hopefully reducing my clutter at the same time.
Smiley

nursemaggie

Caterina One thing about going onto DH's pension is when you don't have it you can't spend it. It sure focuses the mind.

I am glad you put up your recipe for almond milk because I agree the commercial stuff is extortionate. Almonds have more calcium for those who may have osteoporosis. If you are over 40 it is as well to insure you get plenty of calcium to prevent it.

If you have an Asian supermarket in your area they are often much cheaper for nuts, pulses, spices, rice and lots of other things. I find my Hindu neighbours a big help in buying vegetarian foods. You can often get local farm yoghurt at very good prices too. It works out cheaper than making your own, is often organic, and I can mix it with a little fresh or frozen fruit and barely any sugar. It works out much cheaper than the commercial organic stuff and no additives.

firesidemaid

We need a new roof eek! The worst thing about it isn't the cost, but trying to find someone half-decent to do the work - even someone who will give us a quote, let alone with some detail in it?!........


NBI for me is those top-up food shops, 'bargains' and books from charity shops. I have about 80 books waiting to be read, but I find it really difficult if a shop has them for 20p each. NO MORE!!

Primrose

[QUOTE=firesidemaid;69830623


NBI for me is those top-up food shops, 'bargains' and books from charity shops. I have about 80 books waiting to be read, but I find it really difficult if a shop has them for 20p each. NO MORE!![/QUOTE]

i collected loads of charity ahop books to read during my retirement. Then when I retired I often found myself too busy gardening, belinging to U3A Groups and doing other things. Then because our local library was under threat of closure and needed to keep ita footfall and borrowing numbers up I,ve found myself borrowing books from there I don't always have time to read.

By the time I am less active and have more time to read my eyes will peobably be too bad to enjoy reading :rotfl:

mirry

Thanks for the almond milk tip, I'd forgotten you can make it yourself. Infact I seem to remember trying it once, but it was still very bitty & bitter.
I like the idea of straining it and sweetening it with prunes, what a good idea. :j

chirpycheap

JackieO wrote: »

Great to see so many new folk on here, I was listening to the weekend Womans Hour this afternoon on Radio Four and they are going to have a phone-in on Monday next about what sort of changes you would like to do or try in 2016

So come on chums, what's your hopeful ambition or goal for the New Year, nothing that's set in stone, but perhaps your little wish-list.

My money goals in 2016 will be:
1) To be more mindful of spending on unnecessary stuff. I have very little interest in mainstream shops but get me in a charity shop or a car boot sale and I end up buying things that I didn't even know that I needed or desired just because they are a 'bargain'. I have bought some fabulous stuff over the years and I'm not giving up thrift shopping but I am going to stop and ask myself whether it is a wise purchase or is it just going to end up cluttering the house!

2) I'm going to recycle/reuse/repair and learn to reject my perfectionist streak that means I sometimes replace perfectly good stuff because it doesn't match my decor or offends my very particular eye in some way!

3) I am a bit of an all or nothing person and I know that this sometimes scuppers my money saving aims. If I'm being thrifty it will be 100% effort at all times but it is never sustainable and I end up losing focus and start buying silly stuff. So I am going to watch my pennies carefully but I am also going to plan in some treats and when I do I will try not to feel guilty about it!

4) This is the hardest one. I am going to try and be proud to be thrifty. My saving secrets are hidden behind closed doors and when colleagues talk about all of the stuff that they have bought I nod and pretend that I have a clue what they are talking about! There is an element of embarrassment and worry that people will think badly of me. Which is ridiculous as I should be proud rather than ashamed that we manage well on a lower than average income and still manage to put some money into savings. So I will try not to be embarrassed to admit that my clothes are second hand, that my shopping comes from discount supermarkets and I like a rummage in a skip! This thread (and last years) has really helped me as I feel that there are other people out there who are proud and unapologetic about their thrifty ways!

kittydfw2012

Today I am planning to combine not buying it with not eating it! Tomorrow is the start of the big campaign to lose some weight and in the past I have done this by spending money on lots of things and expensive ingredients. I know there's no need to do this as once you get your brain in gear, it's as simple as burning more calories that you take it.

Having said that, I have signed up to a month of online ww with a money back guarantee if I lose 10lbs in 8 weeks, as I find it helps me to be accountable and I like having recipe ideas and support all in once place but I won't be buying branded foods and getting all the gadgets, I have good healthy ingredients in my fridge, freezer and cupboards, weigh scales, measuring spoons/cups and really the best thing is to plan my meals (helps with budgeting and reducing waste too) and then give myself more time to cook healthy and increase activity which will be walking the dog and visiting the local leisure pool.

I honestly think it's more about getting your head in gear than anything else, much like watching those spends and not getting drawn in to the advertising.

Good luck to anyone else on a weight loss journey and maybe see you on the ww threads also.

Primrose

kittydfw2012 wrote: »

Today I am planning to combine not buying it with not eating it! Tomorrow is the start of the big campaign to lose some weight.......

I honestly think it's more about getting your head in gear than anything else, much like watching those spends and not getting drawn in to the advertising.
.

I think we under estimate how profitable the dieting industry is to those who sell gadgets, gimmick diets, special cook books and all the associated paraphernalia and weight loss products. All you are doing is lining other peoples' pockets. Sensible eating, smaller portions, a little more regular exercise and a lot of willpower are all free of charge, as you say, it just takes getting your head in gear.

butterfly2507

Newbie here! :T :j

My goal for this year is to have a more simply life. I'm not going 100 % minimalist but I try to cut back on stuff that I don't need and rather appreciate what I already own!

Also I try not to get takeaway as often as I used to since I need to get fit for summer

Aaaanyway... off to read the rest of the posts! Here's to a good new year :beer:

kittydfw2012

Primrose wrote: »

I think we under estimate how profitable the dieting industry is to those who sell gadgets, gimmick diets, special cook books and all the associated paraphernalia and weight loss products. All you are doing is lining other peoples' pockets. Sensible eating, smaller portions, a little more regular exercise and a lot of willpower are all free of charge, as you say, it just takes getting your head in gear.

Yes, it seems so easy to lose lots of pounds - just not the ones made of fat, rather the ones made of gold (or whatever it is they put in pound coins