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

[QuakerBear]

Sounds like a really good idea.

On a positive note, the British Heart Foundation are currently opening lots of new second hand furniture shops across the country. I've had a look in the Aldershot one and they've got some really swish stuff (I mean like James Bond style sofa's, not just Granny left overs) in there and very well priced (buy it out of your usual months budget kind of price). So if you need a new table....

[mybarnconversion]

I hate to slip this one in, but ... drink ...

Second hand drinks - that's just nasty!

[ina]

I hate to slip this one in, but ... drink ...

Second hand drinks - that's just nasty!

Consumables are allowed - and food and drink goes under that!

[ina]

Ina - I had not been reading the Ecologist lady - do you have a link?

theecologist.org - but I can't find that particular series on there - I think not all articles make the website (or you have to subscribe to get access to all).

[Thurston Garden]

Thanks Ina - will look.

Iam going to give it a go, but OH aint so keen! I will need to try and not get him to purchase new items I need.....

[Nikki]

I would love to be capable of doing this. I imagine this is the full experience of being self-sufficient.

However, in practicality, I don't see it happening. But for me, it's about being an aware/thoughtful consumer. So like others, I already purchase 'needs' that are local, fairly traded, organic, green, etc, as much as possible. And 'wants' as infrequently and as thoughtfully as possible by asking myself just how will it enhance my life (and again, is there a green/etc option available).

From the few experiments I've read about, the people appear quite miserable and look forward to finishing the project. It seems the lessons learnt are about consuming thoughtfully. It's possible to be such a consumer without going through the extreme deprivations I believe.

[farmerdrea]

For our family, this was sort of born out of necessity/economics, as we were pretty skint for a while when my husband was out of work. It became like a treasure hunt to find things we needed, almost like a sport for some things!

We can go for months on end without buying anything new, except for consumables - food, obviously, to make up what we couldn't grow; food to feed what were growing (locally grown grains and hay); toothbrushes, toothpaste and other like toiletries; we don't use shampoos anymore, so there went the waste of the containers, which aren't recyclable; toilet paper (though I personally don't use it at home anymore); vitamins (I need a few for various auto-immune disorders); the odd magazine; printer paper and envelopes (I do newsletters for several difference groups) and laser printer cartridges; fuel; ... trying to do a thorough list here.

Sorry to ramble on, but yes, it can be done without serious deprivation. I'm not sure what it comes down to. We've been through the gimme gimme stage of our lives (we're both in our early 40s), and don't need anything much to be happy anymore. We even have 2 children who don't ask for every latest rubbishy toy to come along (they are 15 and 11 now), but then again they have an indulgent grandmother who has FINALLY seen the light and not sent them every toy made in China this Christmas! It took the children themselves to ask her not to, and it was their choice.

Just some pre-caffienated morning ramblings.
Andrea
NZ

[Chickenlady]

Have to ask - how do you manage without loo paper?

[farmerdrea]

I use face cloths, and they get chucked straight into the washing machine (literally... loo is right next to laundry area). I've been doing it for about 5 months, and find I much prefer it to loo paper.

Cheers
Andrea
NZ

[Nikki]

I use face cloths, and they get chucked straight into the washing machine (literally... loo is right next to laundry area). I've been doing it for about 5 months, and find I much prefer it to loo paper.

As gross as that sounds to me, I suppose many of us do just that with diapers. As long as the cloths are washed separately - otherwise bacteria can and does spread - then it's no different.

[mrsflibble]

I use cheap face flannels for cleaning. I also have a set of exfoliating gloves for hard to scrub areas in my bathroom and kitchen. they're a different colour to the ones for my body. As are the flannels. white for kitchen, peach for cleaning bathroom, red for bodies. the flannels get "miltoned" regularly before being laundered so they are a bot faded, but they do the job.

[farmerdrea]

So sorry if my toilet habits offend anyone! Perhaps I should delete my post so no one else is "grossed" out.

Sometimes I think it's best to just keep my mouth shut about my personal life.

Andrea
NZ

[QuakerBear]

I'm trying to switch to cotton hankies instead of paper tissues as they can be washed with other stuff and re-used rather then being chucked away.

[snapdragon]

............Sometimes I think it's best to just keep my mouth shut about my personal life.....

lol
not in the slightest farmerdrea - I find second-use cotton fabric - old pillow cases sheets etc cut up are perfect as handkerchiefs and also for wee wipes, and cost nothing
:)
and a normal wash would clean them, i tend to wash them through while I wash my hands

[Annpan]

So sorry if my toilet habits offend anyone! Perhaps I should delete my post so no one else is "grossed" out.

Sometimes I think it's best to just keep my mouth shut about my personal life.

Andrea
NZ

Absolutely not Andrea.

This has been discussed on here before, I see no problem with useing wee wipes, I think I personally would prefer to use loo roll for solids though. When I get sorted with the house a bit more, and when I can dry stuff outside, I hope to try it out... and the only reason for that is because people discuss things openly here... thankyou