Rolling Blackouts Coming

Quintus · Post by **Quintus** » 07 Sep 2009, 23:24

Something handy I've discovered, it's possible to stop buying most things.

It feels odd at first, but soon you realise that you've already got lots of stuff - and what you don't have already you probably don't need. Weirdly I seem to have about 50 pairs of socks and almost as many teaspoons, about 10 pairs of scissors and God knows how much assorted footwear. I even have a 'golf ball personaliser' (I don't play golf). How I acquired all this stuff, I don't know.

Not to mention the finding, making, mending, and borrowing you can do.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 08 Sep 2009, 00:14

Try living in a van for two years. It makes you limit your stuff to pretty much what you really want or need. If I have more than one visitor at a time the extra people need to bring their own mugs, or they'll have to wait for a cuppa

Quintus · Post by **Quintus** » 08 Sep 2009, 00:24

JohnB wrote:Try living in a van for two years. It makes you limit your stuff to pretty much what you really want or need. If I have more than one visitor at a time the extra people need to bring their own mugs, or they'll have to wait for a cuppa

It sounds very sane, John.

It only needs a (v cheap) rambling old house, a couple of relatives popping off, friends going travelling and not coming back - and ten+ years of putting things in boxes and forgetting about them.

I have two unused (by me) boxes of cake forks. Alas, I don't often seem to have 24 friends round simultaneously nibbling Victoria sponge.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 08 Sep 2009, 08:27

Oh dear, sets of two dozen cake forks are an absolute necessity for convivial living. Everybody should have heaps of cutlery and crockery for the promotion of more partying. I bought another set of six knives, forks and spoons at a car boot just last week.

(It's all right for John - he can just travel from one other person's party to the next.)

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 08 Sep 2009, 09:44

biffvernon wrote:(It's all right for John - he can just travel from one other person's party to the next.)

It's funny how when I was parked in your field I went to your house for food, but never invited you to mine

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 08 Sep 2009, 11:39

Quintus wrote:Something handy I've discovered, it's possible to stop buying most things.

Welcome to real world, Quintus. My money, such as it isn't, is precious and I hoard it; I have to think through every purchase. I don't want to get a pay rise at work, even if they could afford it and even though I'm due one. I'm asking for fewer hours, same productivity.

Quintus wrote:It feels odd at first

Odd = nice. I often go into the likes of Aldi to look at stuff I don't need and no, I am never tempted these days. It's all shite.

Make do and mend. FreeCycle. Live.

Quintus · Post by **Quintus** » 08 Sep 2009, 15:28

emordnilap wrote:
Quintus wrote:Something handy I've discovered, it's possible to stop buying most things.
Welcome to real world, Quintus. My money, such as it isn't, is precious and I hoard it; I have to think through every purchase.

Very wise. However, it might be the real word but sometimes it feels quite lonely. People seem to be very well trained and can't seem to get enough of buying and upgrading stuff feverishly.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 08 Sep 2009, 15:43

Quintus wrote:People seem to be very well trained

Chuckle for today.

Ludwig · Post by **Ludwig** » 08 Sep 2009, 20:08

Quintus wrote:
emordnilap wrote:
Quintus wrote:Something handy I've discovered, it's possible to stop buying most things.
Welcome to real world, Quintus. My money, such as it isn't, is precious and I hoard it; I have to think through every purchase.
Very wise. However, it might be the real word but sometimes it feels quite lonely. People seem to be very well trained and can't seem to get enough of buying and upgrading stuff feverishly.

Are you saying that buying stuff makes you feel less lonely, because everyone else is doing it?

It's always seemed to me that most of the things that bring people together, do so on an entirely superficial level.

I never felt I had an option of "buying into" the consumer society, because I just can't accept that it's meaningful. Even though I quite enjoyed my job, when I had one, there was always in the back of my mind a certain feeling of emptiness: what am I doing all this for? (I worked for a company that produced software for mobile phones.)

I'm not saying I didn't spend money, but I spent it because I had it. It never made life meaningful for me.

It seems to me that most people are completely immune to such thoughts. If someone tells them something is worth doing or having, they just believe it and get satisfaction from it, as though they're obeying some kind of divine dictat. Or maybe they all feel empty too, but they don't realise it. Who knows.

madibe · Post by **madibe** » 08 Sep 2009, 21:13

Quintus wrote:

Weirdly I seem to have about 50 pairs of socks

Can I have some? My socks seem to have gone on a self destruct mission recently. All 20 pairs I owned have dissintegrated within the past two weeks. Chinese socks eh?

I now find my self scrabbling in the morning to find a pair (matching) without holes. I must go and buy some QUALITY socks sometime soon.

McSock

Quintus · Post by **Quintus** » 08 Sep 2009, 21:21

Ludwig wrote:
Quintus wrote:
emordnilap wrote: Welcome to real world, Quintus. My money, such as it isn't, is precious and I hoard it; I have to think through every purchase.
Very wise. However, it might be the real word but sometimes it feels quite lonely. People seem to be very well trained and can't seem to get enough of buying and upgrading stuff feverishly.
Are you saying that buying stuff makes you feel less lonely, because everyone else is doing it?

Maybe I mean - not spending like crazy can make one feel the odd one out (in a world where everyone else seems to have "spend fever"). I agree that satisfaction doesn't come from buying more consumer durables.

maudibe wrote:Quintus wrote:

Weirdly I seem to have about 50 pairs of socks
Can I have some? My socks seem to have gone on a self destruct mission recently. All 20 pairs I owned have dissintegrated within the past two weeks. Chinese socks eh?

I now find my self scrabbling in the morning to find a pair (matching) without holes. I must go and buy some QUALITY socks sometime soon.

McSock

In the old days people used to repair holy socks and keep them going for years, tch life's too easy these days!

madibe · Post by **madibe** » 08 Sep 2009, 21:23

Ludwig mentioned mobile phones...just as a quick question (I dont own one believing they are spawn of the devil) anyone here anti-phone or doesnt own one through choice????

I know this could be a diff thread and really not on track for this forum...

But anyone fancy a rant?

LOL

McMobile

madibe · Post by **madibe** » 08 Sep 2009, 21:35

Interesting thread this...just got to say, in my office have a couple of dudes that cant stop gadget buying. Jeez it is weird.

PDA's (and subsequent upgrades) new storage drives (must have a solid state now), mobile dvd players (why?) phones, ipods, players, laptops and mini laptops (the latest craze)...meanwhile they are broke, in debt etc.

Foreign holidays are a must too. Just got back from summer and they're ringing the school asking when half term is because its time to go away again. Wot?! Dont forget to pack the laptop and portable DVD - cant spend time abroad without entertainment. I wonder how the wifes bear it to be honest.

Worse than most girlies when it comes to clothes shopping, shoes etc. Got to be the right names on the label. Probably all made in China tho. LOL.

Oh, I could go on but probably makes me sound bitter and twisted.

But consumerism. Yep.

Keela · Post by **Keela** » 08 Sep 2009, 22:08

maudibe wrote:Ludwig mentioned mobile phones...just as a quick question (I dont own one believing they are spawn of the devil) anyone here anti-phone or doesnt own one through choice????

I know this could be a diff thread and really not on track for this forum...

But anyone fancy a rant?

LOL

McMobile

Me!

Can't hack them. I was bought one by OH but I keep forgetting - to charge it, or where I put it, or what the ring tone sounds like or to bring it with me. Sometimes it is lost for months at a time. Latest lost incident seems to be permanent!

Ludwig · Post by **Ludwig** » 08 Sep 2009, 23:18

maudibe wrote:Ludwig mentioned mobile phones...just as a quick question (I dont own one believing they are spawn of the devil) anyone here anti-phone or doesnt own one through choice????

I know this could be a diff thread and really not on track for this forum...

But anyone fancy a rant?

I was very anti-mobile and only went to the interview for my ex-employer due to massive pressure from a recruitment agent. I expected the company to be full of bleached-haired snowboarders, but was actually confronted with a bunch of geeks who despised mobile phones and were just in it for the challenge and the money. I immediately warmed to them, so accepted the job

These days I find having a mobile phone useful, but I could live without it and gadgetry in general leaves me cold. My vice is books