A Simpler Life 2018

LameWolf

Molillie wrote: »

<snip>we were asked to put colleagues in our sub-groups into categories based on animals they were like, <snip>

Should I be worried that Mr LW often refers to me as his "little Rottweiler" ? :rotfl:

Molillie

LameWolf wrote: »

Should I be worried that Mr LW often refers to me as his "little Rottweiler" ? :rotfl:

So you are definitely canine LW? After all, there is a link between wolves and dogs.

Molillie

I'm not replying to myself, but just offering a very short Youtube video recommendation (think that's allowed) it's from NonStopParis, and is 29 things in 29 years. Wish I'd known these at that age. Maybe especially the one about learning to put together flat-pack furniture, (not), that's a service I'll gladly pay for. Quick, straightforward and thought-provoking.

jackyann

A friend just shared The Indepent's analysis of the 10 companies that control 'everything' we buy.
Had a look, and at first estimate, I think they take less than 10%(mybe even 5%) of my household budget. We make nearly all of meals, including lunchtime soup / salads from scratch, and buy at the local wholefood co-op, independent shops/ markets and the Co-op.
The 'big 10' things we use are:
DH sometimes gets fed up with porridge and reaches for cornflakes (he tells me they don't 'go off' despite the pack lasting more than 6 months - up to him I think!
I have a tin of Heinz tomato soup at the back of the cupboard for 'emergencies'
We do open a tin of Heinz baked beans maybe once a month or so.
I do use quite a lot of tinned tomatoes, and buy whatever is cheap, so I think some of those are 'big 10'
We also have a jar of 'own brand' mayonnaise put by for when making our own is too much of a faff.

Of course, there is the other occasional purchase. I know that to others, our shopping and eating rituals do not sound 'simple' but in our version of the 'simple life' we want to avoid big corporations as much as possible, because of their (mostly, not all) lack of accountability.

tighteningthebelt

Jackyann, so interesting, thanks for sharing. I've added the link. There's an infographic that oxfam has done that show how the big companies are linked together. Should add to the national curriculum!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/these-10-companies-control-everything-you-buy-a7400971.html

tighteningthebelt

My mistake... The infographic shows all the brands each of the 10 companies owns. Sorry.

VJsmum

Thanks for that - interesting. they don't get a lot of my money, beans and ketchup mainly.

I actively boycott Nestle, although it isn't always easy as they own an awful lot of subsidiary companies.

dolly84

jackyann wrote: »

A friend just shared The Indepent's analysis of the 10 companies that control 'everything' we buy.
Had a look, and at first estimate, I think they take less than 10%(mybe even 5%) of my household budget. We make nearly all of meals, including lunchtime soup / salads from scratch, and buy at the local wholefood co-op, independent shops/ markets and the Co-op.
The 'big 10' things we use are:
DH sometimes gets fed up with porridge and reaches for cornflakes (he tells me they don't 'go off' despite the pack lasting more than 6 months - up to him I think!
I have a tin of Heinz tomato soup at the back of the cupboard for 'emergencies'
We do open a tin of Heinz baked beans maybe once a month or so.
I do use quite a lot of tinned tomatoes, and buy whatever is cheap, so I think some of those are 'big 10'
We also have a jar of 'own brand' mayonnaise put by for when making our own is too much of a faff.

Of course, there is the other occasional purchase. I know that to others, our shopping and eating rituals do not sound 'simple' but in our version of the 'simple life' we want to avoid big corporations as much as possible, because of their (mostly, not all) lack of accountability.

Scary really. Even if you buy own brand products it still comes through these companies, there cannot be a canning/packing/production plant for every brand going.

tighteningthebelt

Jackyann and vjsmum
Same, they don't get much of my money... a little coffee, knorr stock cubes, and marmite.
Like you say dolly84, that's as far as we can tell, yes, scary.

jackyann

Yes, I'd forgotten about Marmite - though a little goes a long way!
It's relatively easy to find Clipper or Cafe Direct coffee, but I know some aren't keen on those. I have one friend who insists her only 'vice' is Nescafe!
I make my own stock, and otherwise use Marigold Vegetable Stock, which I think tastes much better than most cubes, so use it in meat dishes if I don't have any HM. Just looked up the company on-line and they look as if they are still a small independent!