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

Bella79

Hello all,

Thankyou for all your lovely replys, its nice to know where not the only ones in this situation, I know things have to get better at some point but its just so hard when i dont feel like im achiving anything positive.

On a plus note, ive just taken a lovely batch of carrot cake buns out of the oven, with some carrots that i would have previosly thrown away :@)

Managed to entertain my dd all day too by crafting and filling a bucket with soapy water , what is it with children and water ? lol, for most of the afternoon she was "cleaning" my patio doors :@)

Love and health to all x

Pink.

Hi Bella,

You can read more in this thread about the reasons behind others being Old Style:

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

I'll add your thread to that one later.

Pink

tara747

VJsmum wrote: »

I am one of the fortunate ones for whom it is a choice too. However i grew up with very little money in the house and my poor mum worked her fingers to the bone to make sure we were fed properly. I have seen her weep because she'd left a half a cucumber in tescos and had no money to replace it (i still, to this day, cannot buy half a cucumber).


.:D

scottishminnie wrote: »

I also remember my mum not eating when I was young, claiming she wasn't hungry. I now know that wasn't the case, there simply wasn't enough food and that really upsets me now

Both these posts have brought a tear to my eye. My parents had a tough time too when I was younger, and no doubt they went without to make sure that we were clothed and fed. I will never be able to repay them.

snookey

We live frugally as my mum did. Also I lived on my own from eighteen and had a really low paid job. I always had money set aside and freinds on much more would borrow when skint. We have had rocky patches where oh has gambled but are now back on track.
I buy as much as possible second hand. We have furniture that Iv paid buttons for thats in near perfect condition and people who sold it have paid thousends. Example being two leather couches that cost over three grand and we bought for a hundred pounds.
Its never intrested me to have the latest object and trying to keep up with the neighbours.

espresso21

This has been a great thread for me. As I said before, I used to be on a pretty good salary and wasted so much money on silly things. Now that my salary has decreased so much, I feel resentful and angry and a little bitter. It's as though I resent having to cut back, I guess because I am so used to not having to. But that's such a decadent and selfish way of looking at things. I am angry, mostly because I have a good degree and great experience and am very hard working, but still can't find a job out there although I know others who are getting paid loads and are actually lazy and slope off work at all times. But this isn't what's important and I shouldn't compare myself to others. I am also luckier than most. I have a huge mortgage and some debts (such as repaying my boiler which went wrong to the tune of £2500 last year) but the hole isn't too big and I can still dig myself out of it. Thank you Bella for starting a thread that has made me think, and thank you to everyone for reminding me of what the real priorities are.

marmiterulesok

Initially it was a necessity:I was so bad at managing my money and it all started getting out of control.So,in order to sort out this mess,I had barely enough for the bare essentials.It was a pretty miserable time (lasted about 18 months I think).

Just towards the end of this period,I discovered this wonderful website.I've taken so much on board and it has been such a great source of inspiration.

Now,being OS is a definite choice.I choose to save a lot of my salary and have a weekly budget.I also put money aside monthly for any large bills,so the cost is spread out,which makes it so much less 'painful'.

I wouldn't go back to my old ways and am so grateful that I have been able to change my spending habits and my attitude to money.I am firmly in the 'make do and mend' camp and am happy with what I have.Living this way is a challenge,but one that I enjoy.

lovebargainshatewaste

Some years ago, due to various reasons, I had no money. It got to the stage that I was seriously malnourished and underweight. I worked in catering, so would "help" myself to some food on the sly when no-one was looking. I felt depressed and desperate. I gave myself a good talking to and made a decision to apply for my dream job. I had to travel over 500 miles for the interview (twice) and having to go to the bank to beg was mortifying but made me very determined. I got the job and relocated.

I'm still in the job, although I've had a promotion since. I promised myself that I would sort myself out financially if I got the job, and I have. I now have a mortage, but no other debts. I've never had a credit card and I don't buy something if I can't afford it.

My work means that my salary can vary up to £600 each month (up or down), so my budget is based on the worst case scenario. This has enabled me to save a lot of money. If I want to shop in a posh supermarket, I can afford it, but I don't. I get much more personal satisfaction finding bargains. I do treat myself to wine, although it's usually £2.99/bottle. I rarely buy clothes, because I have plenty and therefore I only buy new if the old clothes are worn out.

When it comes to OS, I cook all meals from scratch, I'm fairly good at diy and I'm learning to knit. I'm no good at baking, but I rarely eat baked goods anyways. I'm growing some veg and I have to say it's wonderful to see stuff grow. I'm just so impressed with myself that I haven't killed any of my plants off yet :j

I never go to night clubs and very rarely out for drinks or meals when at home. I have to when I'm away, as I can't bring a cooker to a hotel room , although I go to fairly cheap restaurants (not fast food). It doesn't bother me in the slightest that I don't get out much. I do stuff online, read books, watch tv, chat on the phone, walk in the country (on the door step) and spend quite a bit of time with my neighbour. I don't feel I'm losing out because it's my choice.

Having said that, I do feel priviledged though. A lot of people on here are in a very difficult situation and I appreciate that it must be very hard, especially now that all prices are sky-rocketing.

Oh, and is it weird that I still find it hard to open official looking post? I have a really weird phobia about it!

PS. I take absolutely no interest in what the ads say in the media. I just don't buy into it. Some of the ads are funny, but they don't make me want to buy the item. I think that if you feel fairly confident within yourself, one doesn't feel the need to "keep up with the Jones' " or filling whatever void with "stuff". I guess I'm just not a materialistic person.

candygirl

LBHW I agree about the ads being soooo fake and untempting;);)Who wouldn't look good using any old mascara with about 4 pairs of fake lashes on, and using beauty creams after a face lift/botox :D
I too don't even try to keep up with the Joneses, never have ,and never will:D;)

natlie

I don't really know if I am OS I don't think I am frugal either? I grow my own because it saves me money, its good for the kids to know how food grows and my dad did it when we were growing up - to me a garden with flowers or lawn in is just wasted space.

I recycle because I am a bit of a serious environmentalist - its my job too and we try to reduce and reuse as much as possible.

I cook all my own meals - I trained as a chef but I grew up with my mum and my gran cooking and baking from scratch too.

I am strict with my budget, my partner finished work 2 years ago due to depresssion and we have two children - and another on the way, I am on a good wage now with 2 jobs, but I manage my bills well and I good with ebay and quidco etc and I do get some bargain stuff

I do have a fair bit of debt - all from childcare as I had my eldest daughter when I was in Uni and her dad is still not supportive - I was in low paid jobs until 2007 so I just left the debt on minimum payments and it is what it is - hoping to pay it off in the next 3 years. I have had bad credit rating since 2004 but its getting better now.

I do have some things I will not compromise on like Fairtrade Tea and coffee - which I bulk buy but I am not one to fall for ads either - I buy tesco value dishwasher tablets £1.72 for 30 and they are fine - I refuse to pay £7 for dishwasher tablets and I definately do not keeep up with the Joneses - my best friend is a Jones and she spends £200 a week on food shopping :eek: lol

I think living sensibly to your own budget is the best way forward my friend is £33k in debt - not including £90k mortgage and I know that if that was me I wouldn't sleep EVER! I still have holidays and clothes etc - but maybe a bit less than others

I would like to add that I find everyone on here inspirational and I love reading all the posts, I don't think I would keep motivated without you

Nat
xxx

bargainbetty

I try to be OS, or at least not wasteful through choice. I earn a good wage, am gradually paying off my mortgage and my car loan only has a year to go too - no credit cards anymore. What I save in not buying household branded goods probably pays for a weekend away each year!

There have been times when I didn't have a job and it became less of a choice and more of a life-saver to know how to live frugally, but I mostly just don't like waste. I see friends spending money on expensive branded products and have to laugh when they complain about the cost, while I have learned (the hard way) to shop wisely by listening to smart people who use tried and tested methods instead of advertisers.

Being OS is being sensible to me. I wouldn't want to change that, regardless of my income.