Can I "not buy anything new for a year?"

[hamster]

I think glasses count as essential Fee!

Urgh, I'm rubbish. This week I've bought new: 4m of fabric, lots of yarn, the Transition Towns handbook AND I had to buy lunch two days in a row cos I was in London for work. Grr. I HATE having to buy sandwiches.

I also bought two pairs of knitting needles and some BBC spin-off book that claims to have something to do with a Victorian kitchen garden, but they were in a charity shop and dirt cheap.

[ina]

Urgh, I'm rubbish. This week I've bought new: 4m of fabric, lots of yarn, the Transition Towns handbook AND I had to buy lunch two days in a row cos I was in London for work. Grr. I HATE having to buy sandwiches.

I also bought two pairs of knitting needles and some BBC spin-off book that claims to have something to do with a Victorian kitchen garden, but they were in a charity shop and dirt cheap.

Transition tonws handbook - any good? I'd be interested to hear more about it!

Lunch is food - so even if you didn't like the sandwiches, they still don't count... Yeah, I know what you mean, I've totally gone off them. I always carry a "survival pack" of oatcakes, juice and an apple with me.

And knitting needles, I'd say, are essential tools for self sufficiency...

Myself, I bought books again. Can't get away from them.

[hamster]

Transition tows handbook - any good? I'd be interested to hear more about it!

Not arrived yet - I think it's waiting to be collected at the PO tomorrow. I'll let you know what it's like once I've read it.

[Thurston Garden]

Nearly crumpled today.....got on the train for Inverness at Edinburgh, put hand in bag for mp3 player...check....headphones....bugger.

Fortunately the train up was quiet...no tss tss tss tss tss from some inconsiderate sod who, if they were considerate would turn their tunes up just a wee bit more, the whole carriage could then hear it properly

Now the train back is normally full, so I headed to HMV and looked at headphones...cheap ones? (they will be cr4p) dear ones? (good but can't afford them) middle of the road (well they would just be middle of the road!).

It was the thought of admitting buying them on here that made me turn round and walk out lol

Nobody on the train back with loud phones on.....I have worked out the trick - find the one seat that is not reserved in the reserved carriage. Young/inconsiderate ones don't reserve their seats! The only sounds I had to listen to was the click clack of knitting needles and "Mablel I am stuck...4 down....lies on the bottom of a budgies cage...something something I - T" "Grit Dear...Fancy another cup of tea?"

Nearly 3 months without buying anything noo 'cept bits for the Landy for it's MOT

[Mydreamlife]

Would anyone object to us joining in... I know you are a quarter of the way in but We would like to give it a go!!! Just need someone to own up to!!!

Also planing to reduce our electricity consumption by 25% over the next month! Anyone else up for that?

[Thurston Garden]

MDL - 'fess away!

[mrs slocombe]

Fancy having a go at this myself but maybe not for the year. So I'm doing a month starting from last Thursday. Well planned I say as I have my father's and my own birthday within that month

Biggest threat to my will power is ;

1. Books: therfore will borrow more from the library and
2. The fab cargo pants I've seen at M&S: could get them with birthday money from parents. Could this be classed as a proxy buy as it's not my money that's buying it??

[Saoirse]

Just read what you are planning on doing and it sounds amazing - big up you.

You make me seem like a wimp - I started on a UK food only, no plastic, no bin, 'transition experiment' just over two weeks ago (you can check out my progress at http://justfortheloveofit.org/blog), but it pales in comparison to yours!!

Also check out fergus the foragers blog in the ecologist, I think it would be useful to you.

Best of luck and more power to you.

[mrs slocombe]

Actually looked at some books today whilst I was out and I walked away from them which is practically unheard of .

My birthday is coming up and as I have most of everything( and a lot more, to my shame) any money I get is going into the Bank until I decide what i really want. And that's the crux of the matter deciding if it's something I want and would have a use or somehting that advertising tries to persuade me I need.
OH is buying a bike carrier for the car so I can start cycling again...

[ina]

Also planing to reduce our electricity consumption by 25% over the next month! Anyone else up for that?

No problem whatsoever, as I'll be switching off the heating altogether soon! And that's most of my consumption, even if the house is freezing...

Overall I use very little anyway; don't think there's much I can do to reduce it further.

Can I put in a request? Can we please exempt books from the "not buy anything new"? I've just ordered 9 new Terry Pratchetts...

[MKG]

library

I copied that word from TGs second post on this thread. I think the Pratchett stuff can be safely counted as exempt.

[ina]

library

I copied that word from TGs second post on this thread. I think the Pratchett stuff can be safely counted as exempt.

Library is all very well if you live anywhere near one! The ones we have in the villages around here are only open a few hours per week; and at the moment I just can't get anywhere at any certain time. I just about manage to pick up the milk twice a week, and the shop is open 11 hours every day.

[MKG]

I reread the thread again - see what you mean. BUT ... You cannot possibly depend upon a public lending library and then claim that you're not spending any money on books. So I think that books might well be added to the growing list of exemptions which this thread is actually about (I think).

[hamster]

I've bought two pristine new things lately:
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, which is FAB
and a beautiful, decadent, pink organic cotton dress.

[mrs slocombe]

Bum! Bought a new digi box today as the previous one had died.

A bit of a slip there as OH was wanting to replace the broken one. Made in China too.

On a unilateral declaration of non-spending and will resume in the correct manner tomorrow.

One of my earlier posts mentioned a fab pair of cargo pants that I wanted to buy for my birthday. Have now decided I don't need them and will make do with my trousers I have now. I think that actually might redeem
my didgi box prurcahse ( tenuous link)