...what are the things we can do without?
(no prizes for guessing which song that came from).
I've been wanting to basically ask ths uestion for quite a while, seeing as when I started on here I recalled people were going on about doing with less 'stuff', and reading a lot since about how much we have that is basic luxury, and our ancestors had to manage without. Much of which is using up resources including oil, to produce and run, needless to say, and we may have to do without in future.
So, the question is, what "stuff", what modern conveniences, and so on, is it easily possible to do without? What sort of stuff do you guys live without other people take for granted?
Shout, shout, let it all out...
Moderator: Peak Moderation
-
the_lyniezian
- Posts: 1125
- Joined: 17 Oct 2009, 11:40
- Location: South Bernicia
- Contact:
-
emordnilap
- Posts: 14814
- Joined: 05 Sep 2007, 16:36
- Location: here
-
the_lyniezian
- Posts: 1125
- Joined: 17 Oct 2009, 11:40
- Location: South Bernicia
- Contact:
Re: Shout, shout, let it all out...
We haven't given up much. Always on heating, daily showers, foreign holidays, TV (we iPlayer now and again and the kids are allowed the odd DVD), convenience foods (unless we've been weak, usually my fault), factory farmed meat (ditto last one). The kids are also only rarely allowed computer gamesthe_lyniezian wrote:So, the question is, what "stuff", what modern conveniences, and so on, is it easily possible to do without? What sort of stuff do you guys live without other people take for granted?
Up until a year ago we didn't have central heating or a freezer (we now have a fridge freezer and heating).
We've never had a dishwasher. Don't have a tumble dryer either. No satellite, plasma, flat screen HD TV doo dahs. No money wasted on hair and beauty crap. Ditto glossy magazines, although I am getting a subscription to Private Eye soon.
Haven't been on a foreign holiday for 10 years. Hardly ever buy new 'stuff'. Rarely watch telly, except the odd thing on iplayer. Oh and we don't have a car or ever fly. Also mainly cook from scratch and never get takeaways. Have friends over rather than nights out.
However we do have a PC, family railcard, instruments, dvd player, bikes and chickens which all provide us with ample entertainment.
We've never had a dishwasher. Don't have a tumble dryer either. No satellite, plasma, flat screen HD TV doo dahs. No money wasted on hair and beauty crap. Ditto glossy magazines, although I am getting a subscription to Private Eye soon.
Haven't been on a foreign holiday for 10 years. Hardly ever buy new 'stuff'. Rarely watch telly, except the odd thing on iplayer. Oh and we don't have a car or ever fly. Also mainly cook from scratch and never get takeaways. Have friends over rather than nights out.
However we do have a PC, family railcard, instruments, dvd player, bikes and chickens which all provide us with ample entertainment.
Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Frederick Douglass
-
the_lyniezian
- Posts: 1125
- Joined: 17 Oct 2009, 11:40
- Location: South Bernicia
- Contact:
Well for one we've managed without a dishwasher or separate) tumble dryer for as long as I can remember, and there are relatives of mine who manage without a microwave or central heating. But as for the rest, we seem to have "stuff" aplenty.
Going back to my earliest memeries of the late '80s, we managed without video recorder, computer, games consoles, hi-fi or car (we did live about 5 minutes walk from the town and the nearest supermarket, however), although certainly had plenty of other 'mod cons'.
Back in my uni. days I went without a telly in my room most of the time, though spent plenty of time watching the one in the common room or the back room of the bar when either weren't being taken over, and did get the old black-and-white one part-way through my final year. Having said all that I could certainly live without, given that most TV is rubbish.
Games consoles? I could probably live without- got a Sega Megadrive second hand recently I hardly ever play on, same with the more recent PS2.
Computer is a tougher one, but if I did without at least I'd curb my internet habits only getting 2 hours per day at the library!
I could probably manage with a lot less, but sadly don't. Far too much "stuff".
Going back to my earliest memeries of the late '80s, we managed without video recorder, computer, games consoles, hi-fi or car (we did live about 5 minutes walk from the town and the nearest supermarket, however), although certainly had plenty of other 'mod cons'.
Back in my uni. days I went without a telly in my room most of the time, though spent plenty of time watching the one in the common room or the back room of the bar when either weren't being taken over, and did get the old black-and-white one part-way through my final year. Having said all that I could certainly live without, given that most TV is rubbish.
Games consoles? I could probably live without- got a Sega Megadrive second hand recently I hardly ever play on, same with the more recent PS2.
Computer is a tougher one, but if I did without at least I'd curb my internet habits only getting 2 hours per day at the library!
I could probably manage with a lot less, but sadly don't. Far too much "stuff".
-
RenewableCandy
- Posts: 12777
- Joined: 12 Sep 2007, 12:13
- Location: York
We don't have a tumble-drier or a microwave or any "games" (wii xbox etc), we do have a dvd player, the kids have discovered...Monty Python and Dave Allen!!
Our telly is ancient and we don't use it much (Channel 4 news mainly). The last time we ate out our friends paid, but they're both working and their kids are often 'round here so six of one and all that. Our car has disappeared under a snowdrift as we don't tend to use it much.
Fils is, amazingly enough, airbourne even as I type: his best friend's family moved back to their native Aus last year and he's off to visit, "while ye may". I've given up flying: my visit to the airport to drop him off has reminded me forcibly of why I did this
.
Our telly is ancient and we don't use it much (Channel 4 news mainly). The last time we ate out our friends paid, but they're both working and their kids are often 'round here so six of one and all that. Our car has disappeared under a snowdrift as we don't tend to use it much.
Fils is, amazingly enough, airbourne even as I type: his best friend's family moved back to their native Aus last year and he's off to visit, "while ye may". I've given up flying: my visit to the airport to drop him off has reminded me forcibly of why I did this
.
Gave away the dishwasher. Sold the second car and the big kitchen range cooker. Rarely use the tumble dryer.
Down to two laptops at the moment. Video player replaced by dvd. Did buy a wii but don't use it much. One TV in the house. Never use a hair dryer (don't need one in my case
We have had one flight in the last 8 years. However the micorowave/convection oven us an energy saver. We don't have many powered gadgets, although my electric saw helps with cutting logs.
We live a cut price exstance, cheap deals whenever possible, buy stuff on Ebay but rarely bid more than once on an article. If we get outbid, wait for another one. We happily accept neighbours' cast-offs.
Bought our ar at 11 months old for 55% of the list price.
We still seem to collect a house full of junk and tat, I don't know where most of it comes from...
Down to two laptops at the moment. Video player replaced by dvd. Did buy a wii but don't use it much. One TV in the house. Never use a hair dryer (don't need one in my case
We have had one flight in the last 8 years. However the micorowave/convection oven us an energy saver. We don't have many powered gadgets, although my electric saw helps with cutting logs.
We live a cut price exstance, cheap deals whenever possible, buy stuff on Ebay but rarely bid more than once on an article. If we get outbid, wait for another one. We happily accept neighbours' cast-offs.
Bought our ar at 11 months old for 55% of the list price.
We still seem to collect a house full of junk and tat, I don't know where most of it comes from...
-
Lord Beria3
- Posts: 5066
- Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 20:57
- Location: Moscow Russia
- Contact:
Out of interest, how many people choose this frugal lifestyle our of choice or necessity?
I have never had a playstation, my family restrict use of central heating until 4 in the afternoon (even recently with all the snow), nor do we have a dishwasher or a microwave, but other than that we have the usual 'stuff'.
I have never had a playstation, my family restrict use of central heating until 4 in the afternoon (even recently with all the snow), nor do we have a dishwasher or a microwave, but other than that we have the usual 'stuff'.
Peace always has been and always will be an intermittent flash of light in a dark history of warfare, violence, and destruction
-
RenewableCandy
- Posts: 12777
- Joined: 12 Sep 2007, 12:13
- Location: York
I always lived frugally as a student and "young professional". Hardly any heating (to be fair that was Down South in a string of mild winters) no telly no w m/c let alone drier, no computer/mobile phone (hadn't been invented 
) no video player, obviously no car. Lots and lots of fun though, and quite a bit of hard work.
'Twas my choice. And I'm very glad I chose it.
) no video player, obviously no car. Lots and lots of fun though, and quite a bit of hard work. 'Twas my choice. And I'm very glad I chose it.
My dishwasher claims to use less energy and water than washing by hand, I assume the clothes washer can make similar claims.
I could do without, not sure why I'd want to.
I could of course do without the clothes dryer, but its a condensing model, so I do vent any heat outside, although it is now plumbed into the waste, and I'm not sure I could dry clothes on the radiators without increasing the heating by significantly more than the dryer uses.
I could do without the telly, but it doesnt use much more power than a light bulb.
I could do without a 25mile journey to work everyday, and hope to solve that when they finaly make me redundant, which is now another 12 months away...
I could do without, not sure why I'd want to.
I could of course do without the clothes dryer, but its a condensing model, so I do vent any heat outside, although it is now plumbed into the waste, and I'm not sure I could dry clothes on the radiators without increasing the heating by significantly more than the dryer uses.
I could do without the telly, but it doesnt use much more power than a light bulb.
I could do without a 25mile journey to work everyday, and hope to solve that when they finaly make me redundant, which is now another 12 months away...
Money I dont waste on one thing is money I can enjoy elsewhere.Out of interest, how many people choose this frugal lifestyle our of choice or necessity?
I'm a realist, not a hippie
-
emordnilap
- Posts: 14814
- Joined: 05 Sep 2007, 16:36
- Location: here