Shout, shout, let it all out...

the mad cyclist · Post by **the mad cyclist** » 07 Dec 2010, 12:06

...what are the things we can do without?

ITV

contadino · Post by **contadino** » 07 Dec 2010, 12:26

Vortex wrote:
My earnings were in the top 3% for the UK at the time.
IT contractor? (Just being nosey!)

Nope.

Lord Beria3 · Post by **Lord Beria3** » 07 Dec 2010, 12:50

Nothing to do with being young, it was a question.

Personally even when I had more money I couldn't see the point of spending stuff on things which I didn't really need or want. So for me, my relative frugality is a choice. Having said that, months of being unemployed has given me no choice but to be frugal, but I would have chosen that path even if I had won the lottery.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 12 Dec 2010, 20:54

To be honest there are probably loads of people swanning around with luxuries I don't even know about. Full-body blow-driers, centrally-heated golf-clubs, electric apple-peelers, that sort o'thing.

I'm quite convinced at least 1/2 the folk you see cruising merrily along in disability buggies aren't, actually, disabled

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 12 Dec 2010, 21:02

Ah. Full-body blow-driers. My next door neighbour tells me there is one in the changing room at our new municipal sports centre. I wouldn't have cause to try it.

lulubel · Post by **lulubel** » 12 Dec 2010, 21:28

I did used to live frugally - through necessity, but I was quite happy living that way. The only gadget I had was the computer, which provided all of my "entertainment". I did have a 14in TV, but never watched it because you couldn't really see the picture anyway. No hairdryer or styling gadgets, usually ate at work (where I ran the kitchen) so hardly ever turned the oven on, had gas heating, but the house was well insulated so it was hardly ever on.

Then I met my partner ....

Now we have a flat screen TV, DVD player and surround sound system, Sky+, another flat screen TV with Sky, 5 computers between 2 of us, loads of kitchen gadgets, my partner has a "salon performance" hairdryer + straigheners, dishwasher .... The only thing we don't have is a Wii (I've probably resisted as long as I can seeing as they're still available 2 weeks before Christmas this year) and a tumble dryer, and the only reason we don't have that is because we gave ours away when we left the UK.

Considering we've also got electric heating that keeps getting turned up, I nearly fell off my chair when I found out our electric bill for last month was "only" 160 euros.

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 13 Dec 2010, 10:36

RenewableCandy wrote:To be honest there are probably loads of people swanning around with luxuries I don't even know about. Full-body blow-driers, centrally-heated golf-clubs, electric apple-peelers, that sort o'thing.

I'm quite convinced at least 1/2 the folk you see cruising merrily along in disability buggies aren't, actually, disabled

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6756573.html

Of coure, not much demand. These days they heat the golf ranges

http://www.DODGY TAX AVOIDERS.com/s?ie=UTF8&keyword ... ler&page=1

spoilt for choice.

My daughter has had a full-body blow dry at the local swimming pool.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 13 Dec 2010, 10:51

Rather than list what I/we don't have/do (so many things we don't have or do have become part of our day-to-day life), it would be interesting if people posted things as they decide to do/have (or not do/have) them.

I suppose it's a bit like new year's resolutions but these things can occur spontaneously, as in "wisdom comes suddenly" from Thirteen Conversations About One Thing.

Here the latest: I decided not to buy another take-away coffee - not that it was a regular occurrence, maybe once a week - because the quantity of 'paper' (hah! and double hah!) cups and the plastic lids being discarded daily is frightening. I want no part of it, unless the coffee is organic and the container parts are biodegradable.

What have others decided to do recently which has a positive effect on the biosphere, which may or may not be PO-related?

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 13 Dec 2010, 11:30

emordnilap wrote:Here the latest: I decided not to buy another take-away coffee - not that it was a regular occurrence, maybe once a week - because the quantity of 'paper' (hah! and double hah!) cups and the plastic lids being discarded daily is frightening.

It partly depends on what you do with the cup! On 10th May 2008, I had a pint of orange juice in a plastic beer glass, when we visited the Mid Hants Railway. I don't like having glass in my van, and the plastic glass is still in regular use for beer and cider

.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 13 Dec 2010, 11:53

JohnB wrote:
emordnilap wrote:Here the latest: I decided not to buy another take-away coffee - not that it was a regular occurrence, maybe once a week - because the quantity of 'paper' (hah! and double hah!) cups and the plastic lids being discarded daily is frightening.
It partly depends on what you do with the cup! On 10th May 2008, I had a pint of orange juice in a plastic beer glass, when we visited the Mid Hants Railway. I don't like having glass in my van, and the plastic glass is still in regular use for beer and cider .

Yeah, that's fine John. Thing is, making such a decision necessarily sticks it in the mind and you can gently hint about such behaviour to others, pointing out what you do instead of x, y or z.

We have all sorts of plastic containers, some of which we've had for years, used for things like keeping left-over soup in, containers for freezing veggies etc, taking a sandwich to work. We still refill our two 18(?lost count)-year-old washing up liquid bottles.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 13 Dec 2010, 12:00

What's happening to the Daily Wail?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... treet.html#

They seem to be getting a bit left of far right these days.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 13 Dec 2010, 12:06

Irony, biff, irony. Think chicken and egg.

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 13 Dec 2010, 12:19

We recently had three radiators and all the room thermostats replaced in our house for the CH s. Before I could get the balance right between the rooms, the OH decided to whack up the central thermostat by 4C because the downstairs was colder than it used to be. Because that is what the CH guy said to do. (actually the CH guy simply set them all to max).

Now the house is too hot for me. I am inching the temperature down again and hope the OH doesn't notice

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 13 Dec 2010, 12:20

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 13 Dec 2010, 16:12

TroubledTimes wrote: I can do without tea. I am making a big effort to stop drinking it during the day.

I think there will one day be a huge campaign here in the UK to stop it because of the energy it uses and it's something we Brits could do without.

I jest of course.

I should jolly well think so too!!!

However, best to avoid putting on the kettle at any "TV Pick-Up" times