WHY are you old style?......

thriftmonster

I was OS from necessity when we first bought the house and had kids and I had to work part time. Dh now earns enough that I stay at home and we wouldn't really need to be OS - but it's a way of life. I do spend more on organic veg and other food now but not a scrap is wasted. Also the OS has convinced dh that we won't become bankrupt with me at home permanently. We're neally mortgage free and then we want to save to pay for the kids to go to uni so that they won't have the dreaded student loans. And we're going on our first holiday with the kids next year to (wait for the exotic location.......) Scotland.

So I can't see us changing now....the knowledge that we can cope is too important to our peace of mind

MrsTinks

I am OS from financial necessity - but organic as much as possible by choice I have to my great amazement found that I enjoy cooking and baking, I can't yet say I enjoy cleaning - OS or otherwise hehe - but I do enjoy see limescale crumble under the amazing power of vinegar
If I had the money to not have to be OS I probably still would be... I'd buy EVERYTHING organic instead of what I can depending on budget. Granted I'd never get OH to give up his Homepride pasta bakes and a few other bits lol but we'd be 95% organic instead of 50-60%
If I had enough money we'd probably be MORE OS/eco friendly OS skills learnt or re-learnt are definitely ones I would hate to ever loose or not use anymore

goonlord

Surely being OS is just about not being wasteful and therefore reducing our impact on the planet as well as our wallets.

I personally also think it is about living rather than just existing as you have to actively engage with things to live an OS lifestyle (to me it's like the difference between reading a book and watching the telly if that makes sense?!). You have to think!

Or maybe I'm just thinking about it too much???!

dolly_day_dream

goonlord wrote:

Surely being OS is just about not being wasteful and therefore reducing our impact on the planet as well as our wallets.

I personally also think it is about living rather than just existing as you have to actively engage with things to live an OS lifestyle (to me it's like the difference between reading a book and watching the telly if that makes sense?!). You have to think!

Or maybe I'm just thinking about it too much???!

No I think you are exactly right. There is a big difference between being involved in your life by creating your own food, clothes, environment and not. I know that I have reduced my impact on this planet as much as I can. Would I have gone down this route if I had more money?- I like to think I would have. I like to consider myself as immune from the advertisers and find myself laughing at many of the concepts that the supermarkets try to sell us. We are the mavericks who are bucking the trends THEY want us to follow - long may we continue.

tawnyowls

earthmother wrote:

Fair enough, OS cooking from scratch is generally cheaper than convenience food, but as other posters have said, saving money and eco-products are often mutually exclusive.
I know that since replacing chemical cleaners, non-biodegradeable products and the such with eco-alternatives, our bills are actually higher than before.

Do you really find that saving money and eco-products are often mutually exclusive? I guess they are for big things (installing solar panels, for instance). I wouldn't put cleaning products in that category though - if you buy the commercial eco-cleaners, they are, but vinegar, borax, and bicarb cost a lot less than commercial cleaners. Savings on money in other areas seems to be to more often bring savings in terms of environmental impact than not - for instance:

• using less water/energy
• using your kitchen rubbish to make compost to grow your own veg
• re-using what might once have been thrown away in the various very imaginative ways shown on this board
• being a member of Freecycle
• buying second-hand goods in charity shops/at car boot sales/off eBay

It's true that being completely eco-friendly would probably cost more, but we have to be realistic. Anything we can do is helpful, even if it seems like a drop in the ocean.

I've recycled waste and made compost for years. However, I had let myself get into bad habits wasting energy and buying ready meals, and the rising cost of energy bills in particular was a bit of a wake-up call to stop wasting money, and the eco-friendly part is still probably secondary. Nevertheless, it has changed my ways, and I think even if I did win the lottery I wouldn't give a lot of it up - like several other people, I think I'd probably try to have a more environmentally friendly house; solar panels, heat sink and the like.

phizzimum

I think I'm os because my family never had money growing up...but now I just can't stand to see money wasted...even though I could afford to if I wanted.

Having said that maybe I the reason we are quite comfortable is partly because I'm so mean! I was getting cross the other day as one of OH's friends was moaning about how much money we have...when OH told me I said "but I bet his wife doesn't buy her clothes from ebay!"

dannahaz

OS from choice.

Started being OS 10 years ago when we moved to a house with a large garden, and grew our own tomatoes and fruit. Made jam, made bread. Started making passata and tomato sauce. Discovered Donald Russell beef and a local free range farm shop.

As confidence grew, we grew more veg and fruit.

Started reading this board a few months ago and realised that we were "OS". Have picked up loads of tips and have gone even further: hm yoghurt, just ordered some kefir culture, will be making our own sausages soon. Now use microfibre cloths and water, and white vinegar, instead of chemicals to clean.

More money wouldn't change us.

carinska

vfairbrass's thread about it not being worth it reminded me of the above query which I keep meaning to post. I find OS living quite a confusing issue sometimes - lots of it (the bits I use anyway!) seems to be about thrifty living, and this I follow because I have to. Meal planning, using the freezer more, better pack lunch planning and Stardrops for everything have really helped me to get out of my overdraft and start paying back more debt. But there are other parts I just can't afford, such as buying more organic things and shopping for better quality meat at Farmers Markets etc. I'd also love to start growing my own veg but am put off by the cost of getting garden tools etc!

When the day finally comes when we are debt free and have a bit more cash, or when we win the Lottery I wonder if I will continue to shop/cook/clean the OS way? Or will I just not care and load my trolley full of wasteful Tesco shops each week just because I can?!

What do you think, if you had more money available to you would OS living still be as important to you?

[Deleted User]

I don`t have to do os but it is my lifestyle choice, as it is a far far better way of living. It is not about money for me

Penelope_Penguin

Hi! Saving money isn't upermost when we're Old Style - it's more about reducing our impact on the planet, using less *stuff*, and producing less waste.

We're now putting our spare money into a fund to purchase a smallholding, and live an even more OS life.

Penny. x