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

[Annpan]

Well done UA !!!

Bare in mind that BF helps loose all the other extra weight put on when preggers, I coudn't BF and have only just got back into my pre-preggers clothes (2.5 years later) But it is like having a whole new bunch of clothes again

[MuddyWitch]

Right...advance appology...I'm about to fail spectacularly!!!

We're dressing the house for sale so it'll be cushions, vases, lamps etc but I will try to source as many from friends (to borrow of course) or charity shops & anything that we don't want after the house sells (confidence...it WILL sell, right?) will go to the local charity shop.

THEN we can start our new, trully ISH life on 5 or more acres & I'll bore you all silly with how we do!

MW

[Flo]

Have you ever tried to buy a second hand stiff yard broom that works?

Right then, you'll know how I feel. But unfortunately the one that was left three years ago for sweeping up the front yard that faces the street (think typical northern terrace!) died, fell apart and swept nothing. Yard was a scabby shambles so new broom it was.

The daughter and family are fitting a new kitchen to replace the one that has fallen apart and was done on the cheap to start with and expressed a desire to have a particular clock to fit in with the furnishings. Of course it was a very artistic one that cost an arm and a leg. As I said, forget birthdays, Christmas, wedding anniversary and any other celebrations you choose to have till back end of 2010. But they were happy to accept that. So one "crime" covers what might have been many small ones.

[Thurston Garden]

Jings - after a bit of an absence from the forum, I had completely forgotten about this thread lol.

Although back in the big bad world of working full time, I am only buying new when absolutely necessary.

Looks like a good few others are doing well though!

[flyonthewall]

I'm intending to have another crack at this in 2010. I'm going back to being a skint student so might not have much choice come September!

[Flo]

Now being a skint pensioner with no chance of a job, I've decided that the only possible shopping in the next 12 months will be if the washing machine or computer die of age and overwork. The washing machine has been threatening to give up the ghost for a couple of years but it will work till it dies.

Who knows - both items might manage to survive the year.

[ellie12022]

You might be able to get a computer & washing machine second hand, flo. eg via freecycle. I recently bought a reconditioned laptop over the internet too.

I think it's an interesting idea not to buy new, I buy a lot of stuff second hand anyway.(just got a pair of curtains from the kitchen from the charity shop down the road) but I don't think I could commit myself to it zealously.

[crowsashes]

reading this post got me thinking, would it be possible to actually get everything we need, "made in the uk" just a thought i had after noticing a lot of 'stuff' i have is made in china ( it is mostly second hand) but it would still be great if we could buy everything british.

[JillStephens7]

Oh yes please!

It's so hard to find things - they make fleeces and waterproof jackets near me but I only found out recently that some of the stuff is actually made on site. They don't advertise this at all! Anyone know a good list of british made stuff??

thankyou for bringing this up

[crowsashes]

actually thats probably a great idea to start up a new thread! listing all places to get british made stuff! i find the odd bits and pieces and its like finding fairy dust

[Green Aura]

I think I learned quite a lot trying this last year. There are some things you just can't find, or contemplate buying, secondhand. Or I can't see me ever buying someone else's knickers

So I now try to buy what I can secondhand, local or as near as possible and those things that don't fit into any of those I question whether I really need them. If the answer's yes then I get it without beating myself up.

I've been quite amazed by how much I've decided not to get over the last few months. It's not so long ago I'd have got things without a second thought.

[JillStephens7]

Yes! New thread please!

I don't actually know what a thread is but assume it means not invading this topic about not buying anything with the names of lots of places to buy stuff

[Millymollymandy]

A thread is also known as a topic. Sounds like a good idea for a new thread to me too, even though I'm in France, but it's the next country up from me!

[flyonthewall]

We need a part for our boiler that we can't get secondhand, and we need it for the efficiency of our boiler, at the moment it's taking ages to heat the water up which means we have to run it for a while before it's even warm, which is wasteful both of energy and water (and therefore ££ as well), so there are cases where buying the new thing is actually beneficial and necessary.

I definitely will only be buying new where I can't avoid it though, where it's something essential that needs to be replaced, rather than just adding more stuff to the pile without a thought, ie avoiding buying for the sake of it.

My OH reconditions computers and laptops and business is booming at the moment for those. The recession is making people think twice about buying new stuff.

[Flo]

It's a shame when money drives reuse and reduce rather than principle.