We're nineteen days into our abstinence from consumerism - so how is it going? What are we missing? Any slip-ups?Each of us has expressed a desire for some food that has not been prepared in our kitchen. My youngest wants sandwiches on white bread with hula hoop crisps to accompany. Jez wants to go out for a luxurious meal at our favourite veggie restaurant in Brighton partly to eat amazing food but also to avoid the washing up for a night! And create washing up we have done. In a normal month we eat little processed food anyway but never before have we made so much washing up. It seems that when everything is prepared from scratch, at least double the amount of time is spent in the kitchen. Which can be tricky when you have a business to run and two home educated daughters to inspire. Yesterday whilst making a load of breads and pies and stuff to last for a couple of days I made salt dough too, for the girls to get creative with. We also boiled up some beet juice to make pink food colouring and the salt dough creations look really gorgeous in shades of pink and white.
As for me, I seem to get a brief burning desire for things that normally I wouldn't feel too bothered about. It passes quite quickly and sometimes I don't get affected at all. At the weekend we went to Wakehurst Place as we have Kew membership (so free to get in!) and the shop there is great. I really enjoy noodling round gift shops in these sorts of places. I saw plenty of nice things that would make great Christmas pressies. And yet, walking around I felt so liberated. Completely freed from having to make a decision on any of this STUFF. Which is essentially what it was, albeit very nice stuff.
And on to slip-ups. Have we had any? Well yes, last week we had a home ed trip pre-organised and despite lots of creative ideas about how we could get there and get in without paying in money, but using other resources instead, we ended up parting with cash. Yep, I spent over £10 that day; on entrance to the fort and also on public transport home. So we didn't actually buy anything physical but we bought experiences and it still felt as though I was 'breaking the rules'. To our credit we did have a crazy packed lunch of things like sprouted seeds and pieces of dried fruit that we ate alongside friends availing themselves of café fare.
So, that's where we at at the moment - 11 days to go...
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4 comments:
Oh Melissa,
Your adventures have been SO inspiring. I need to update my blog with my latest; I feel like I've fallen off the bandwagon a bit, but I'm sure my overall expenditure is less because I'm stopping to think before purchasing. We went to Waitrose yesterday (big mistake!) but I know I could have bought double the amount if I had not stopped to think before loading it in the trolley.
you've done so well. This morning I was reading about a woman who cut her spending for a YEAR - it was really interesting to read. In it, she wrote down all the things she would have liked to buy, but didn't to see how much she had saved. It was thousands :O
Keep up the great work!
Rae x
From Nicola:
Good work Melissa, but surely Rachelle you shouldn't be beating yourself up. Buy nothing isn't a competition - it's just a way of finding out what you really want and what you and your family really need... I've had a go at denying my family plane rides, but we disguised it as fun (which it was!). See http://aroundbritainnoplane.blogspot.com or the full adventure in Pete May's book "There's A Hippo In My Cistern" (Collins) which finds the humour in the struggle to green your family. Melissa is clearly doing the same thing with her kids (ie, having fun trips without the huge drain from splurging on nick-nacks and snacks). Keep it up!
I fell off the band wagon too last week and went to Bailey's (near you Rae?) for lunch with a friend - three hours later and lots of putting things carefully into basket then taking them out again - I did succumb, but some good buys and I only go once a year! plus I have spent the rest of this week in bed poorly! we are buying less things but sensibly and I have noticed the difference in our bank balance already! Now for Christmas and making many homemade gifts!
I'm afraid I have done the awful deed that one friend can do to another and tagged you.
Take a look at:
http://myzerowaste.com/2008/11/we-interrupt-this-blog-to-bring-you-a-tag-or-two/
You have to share 6 interesting things about your self with us all
xxx
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