Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2017

maryb

Slowdown when the big City firm I worked for had a redundancy programme during the financial crisis I bit their hand off. I was 55. I still offer up heartfelt thanks every day that I was able to. I have never regretted it

RainbowHippie

Thanks YorksLass and sorry for the late reply - i will give the rock cakes a go this week, they sound lovely!

dND

Slowdown wrote: »

What a lovely supportive thread. I thought people would perhaps be a little 'off' about some one my age not having a job through choice. ( I'm early 50s) But no. Lots of you, like me, value sanity and freedom over stress and money. I like that very much. I'm actually getting rather excited now.

There's a saying Slowdown, Take time to smell the roses.

I came to France after a breakdown due to work stress, a divorce and the death of my father and despite being totally broke now I'm in the best place mentally that I've ever been.

I've just been reading a book on downsizing (one of the Kindle free reads of course ) and I think I'm now ready to divest myself of a lot of millstones I've been hauling around with me all my life and make the space and time for things I would really like to do.

There have been some interesting programmes on BBC4 mainly, both about health and the 'powers' that run the world. There have been some really good ones on consumerism and how we are conditioned to buy, buy, buy. Like most things, I've found that understanding what's happening is halfway to you being able to counteract and control your own life.

Right now what I need to do is stop procrastinating and get on with the work I need to do for the craft fair I'm exhibiting at this weekend. :rotfl:

All the best to everyone, I still manage to read about half the posts even though I'm more of a lurker again.

Interestingly though, MSE was one of the first things I made sure I could log back into after a 'blue screen of death' computer event a couple of days ago. I had to reset Windows which basically took it back to factory state (thankfully with some of the items kept in a data file) but just about all the programmes I've added over the last 5 years wiped. I have more than a few weeks of work getting back to what I want.

Then after that, it's just the little matter of remembering the hundreds of passwords I've used on the various sites over the last 5 years. :eek::eek::eek:

savingpennies

I've not been on for a while (holiday of a lifetime and new kitchen).
One of the benefits of the new kitchen was packing everything away and wondering why I had so much stuff! So I have done lots of minimising as I got rid of lots of 'Tupperware' type boxes either because they had no lid or there was a lid and no box. I also found some out of date stuff - some of which I am sure I can safely use and some binned. One of the benefits of the new kitchen are deep drawers instead of cupboards; I can actually see everything instead of getting down on my hands and knees to find what was in the back of the cupboard.
I've minimised a lot of what is in the freezer as well so not much shopping going on which helps the budget.

Slowdown

It seems to me there are lots of very sensible folks on here taking life over work decisions in order to rebalance and enjoy life. I always remember my grandfather saying "Money doesn't make you happy, it just makes being miserable a bit easier."
Well, I don't want to have the miserable but easy life, I want the happy one.

Make do - with just toast for breakfast. My son ate the last eggs:(

Mend - I intend to fix the hanging hook in the back of my coat.

Minimise - the last of my branches need cutting up for kindling today before the tree men return.

Happy MMM Thursday :)

Emmala

I’m a long term lurker on this thread but wanted to pop in to say Slowdown, I really think you’ll enjoy not working. My DH lost his job suddenly a few years ago, and I went back to work having been a SAHM. I worked at my kids school (didn’t fancy supply teaching so went back as a TA). Earlier this year, after a couple of awful years in an increasingly toxic working environment, my DH (he’s been back in work for three years and earns good money) said he wanted his wife back. He pointed out that I didn’t earn enough money to be treated as badly as I was being, and as I was so unhappy he said to leave. Best decision ever. We can manage without my money, I’m here for the kids (DH works abroad for 80% ish of the time) and I’m available to help my parents more, as my dad has Parkinson’s. It won’t be forever, but I think I’ll not go back until my youngest is at secondary in a couple of years. I’m younger than you and one or two people thought I was mad to give up work, but most people understand that it suits our situation and so is a positive thing (not that it’s anyones business anyway!) I wish you well!

Slowdown

Emmala - inspiring.

Thank you for your thoughts.

Something happened today that made me think that I have finally made the right decision. Let me tell you about it, but if you get bored skip to the next post. I shan't be offended.

I went to meet my DH at a large shopping centre tonight after he'd finished work. I had a token from a J* L*wis loyalty card for a free coffee and cake. I was going to take advantage of it and then afterwards meet DH at a brewery there for a beer.
I got off the train and made my way towards the shops. It's not a place I enjoy and have to seal myself in a bubble to feel comfortable. I don't like the crowds or the noise or the shops but I do like the brewery and its a convenient place to meet my DH.
As I made my way from the station across the bridge, I saw a very sad figure of a young man, sat against a bin, with his head on his knees and a hand written sign saying "Homeless and hungry, can you help with spare food or change."
His image stuck with me as I made my way through the doors and into the mall. As I walked along I struggled to understand why I was going for a free coffee and cake, (I have both at home) while this man was sitting on a cold pavement with nothing.
I walked alongside shops laden with Christmas trite. Meaningless, planet destroying, soul destroying trite. I watched people cramming giant pretzels, heavily laden cream chocolate waffles and huge pots of jellied sweets into their mouths and I felt sad. Sad at the waste and greed.
When I got to the shop,in question I went to the restaurant, picked up a giant muffin, a takeaway hot chocolate and walked all the way back to the man on the bridge and gave it to him. He looked up and smiled and said "Thank you so much".
Did I feel better? A bit maybe. But what I did feel was a great sense of priorities. Of knowing that I was making the right decision to choose life over money, time over stress, calm over convenience. And to step away from the rampant consumerism and greed that grips our society.
Maybe I'm sounding dramatic, but sometimes it's these experiences that help you realign and realise what really matters.

This man had nothing to minimise and nothing to mend, all he had was to make do.

I'm so lucky.

Floss

Slowdown that was lovely.

silvasava

Very sobering Slowdown and what a reality check. Thank you very much for your thoughts.

Emmala

That’s lovely Slowdown, I bet you made his day. When DH was out of work a friend of mine popped in one evening and gave me a gift voucher for Asda and a lovely note. I sat a cried because it meant I could shop that week. We were incredibly lucky that my parents helped us cover the mortgage, but once my wage paid the bills we had nothing for food so I was having to put the shopping on a credit card. Everyone knew things were tight, but this one friend was the only one who thought of us and helped in a practical way. I will always remember her kindness, and I’m still waiting to pay it forward one day.