Rampant Consumerism

[midnightrose]

I’ve got into quite a bit of debt this year through shopping - Klarna & overdraft never been in debt before

The Christmas thing is a Joke. Especially Xmas eve boxes, since when were they even a tbing
I feel embarassed when my friends get drawn into the trap of it all... thought they were smarter than that

I’m in debt too this year with Very
They are practically a pay day loan

 

[SisterBliss]

I feel like this too but I don’t know how to tackle it. I just have so much STUFF - either it was given to me over birthdays/christmas or ‘just because’. I’m conscious that I don’t really need as much so trying to sell things or donate them to charity shops. Christmas makes me so uncomfortable, the thought of getting more ‘stuff’. I hate the idea that it can’t be Christmas unless you’ve spent LOADS. For e.g.. this year I got some doc martens. Expensive yes but will last years and good for my feet. Also had a tracksuit which was £80(!) hoodie at £50
....and yet my mother apologised to me for not getting a gadget I mentioned - it was £500 I said no way, I never expected you to buy it in the first place!

My in-laws always have a ton of presents, they wrap them all up separately (small stuff). It’s a huge family so fairly early on I started doing one hamper per couple, usually all the same, it would typically have some treats I made (cookies, chilly jelly, jam), something we liked eating or using or watching that year (a bottle of liquer, a film, a book) and maybe a houseplant I propagated from one of my own during that year, all in a cheap tray basket from Amazon wrapped in cellophane, or paper gift bag. I don’t spend more than £20 per hamper (I do buy kids clothes whuch are more expensive but only in consultation with their mums) and there is not much stuff to lie around gathering dust, except the plant, but it cleanses the air at least. Everyone likes these presents, they look forward to them every year.
ps. And because I have allergies I told everyone to not buy me the typical shower gel from a pound shop x15 because I won’t be able to use it, so now I get a piece of pottery or a chutney, or an orchid from them and it’s a win-win.

 

[Oohthedrama]

I've not bought anything since before Christmas because I've not been shopping. I thought I don't need anything so I'm staying away from the shops.

See I had to go shopping for January birthday gifts. we have twins here who will expect gifts, feckers don’t understand it’s right after Christmas.

and the kids stuff is 50% off so I’m planning 4 weeks early and now it’s done
but that’s all I’ve bought or need.

LIE.... I bought Christmas cards for a quid, reduced from 8. who the fuck spends 8 quid on Christmas cards that’s for next year if I’m still alive and kicking, if not, I’m sure someone will use them Or stick them on eBay

 

[Demiseoftheinfluencer]

Our youngest daughter has suggested that we do a secret Santa next year, (one gift) she's concerned about the environment and wants us to cut down on waste. We already recycle, shop local and use renewable energy. We love nothing better than a day out trawling the charity shops.

We started doing a secret Santa in my family last year (just the adults, 13 this year) and we all much prefer it. Less stress, cheaper and you get to put thought properly into one person instead of buying lots of little things and panic buying at the last minute because you’ve forgotten your step dad!

 

[bry800]

OMG this!!! I can’t believe they can get away with saying a cheaply made dress was once £80 but with the ‘sale’ it’s now £10! Nasty Gal always has a sale on I’ve been swept up by it all and been victim to the many many swipe ups of fashion accounts I follow. I love clothes and always have but I barely go out enough to wear them so I am stopping all this consumerism. There is just no need.


This is a really good idea! I am going to give it a go

Yes! Join me! Charity shops would be better but I live in a small town so they don’t tend to be very good.

Agree with your point about not going out enough to wear them - I like the idea of certain styles but in reality, my friends and I love having a wine and gossip night at home!

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

I'm pretty good at not overspending but that is because we grew up poor in South Africa and my dad always said if you can't pay cash then you can't have it.
Some of my tips would be:
1. Do not to take tags off clothing and if you haven't worn it within 28 days return it to the shop!
2. Save up a little bit for the sales and do Xmas and birthday shopping for the coming year. I've just spent £200 on gifts for 2020 but I got LOADS of stuff. I really hunt for bargains that are quality, also gives me a bit of a day out over the holidays
3. If you really want something expensive don't buy it, wait a week or 2 and if you still want it go and get it (bonus if it's sold out!)
4. I agree that shopping on ebay, gumtree, depop etc are great for second hand items especially mobile phones

Our youngest daughter has suggested that we do a secret Santa next year, (one gift) she's concerned about the environment and wants us to cut down on waste. We already recycle, shop local and use renewable energy. We love nothing better than a day out trawling the charity shops.

I love that you're daughter cares so much wish more children would be like that.

Although I often think it's the parents fault that Xmas is over-commercialised. Most kids would be happy with one decent gift or a great day out

 

[TheDuchess]

Shops such as Trespass are exactly the same. Massively price up their items to a top ticket price, eg £100 for a few weeks (which is nowhere near the actual cost price to make the item). Reduce to £50 under a “discount” or “sale” offer when the true coat price could be anywhere between £18-£30.

These companies know how much they need to sell an item to cover costs and make a decent return. They KNOW that by over inflating the initial price the item is massively overpriced compared to cost price.

It’s all smoke and mirrors to trick you into believing that you have bagged a bargain but in reality you are still paying over the odds for an item which has been made as cheaply as possible to ensure that they can squeeze as much profit out of each sale as possible. In these discount shops which seem to always have a bloody sale on (DFS is another great example) you are only getting a bargain when the item is heavily reduced to around 60%-70%.

 

[coconochanel]

Our youngest daughter has suggested that we do a secret Santa next year, (one gift) she's concerned about the environment and wants us to cut down on waste. We already recycle, shop local and use renewable energy. We love nothing better than a day out trawling the charity shops.

I love a browse in charity shops can find some great bargains esp homeware and books.

 

[Apple In My Pie]

I feel like this too but I don’t know how to tackle it. I just have so much STUFF - either it was given to me over birthdays/christmas or ‘just because’. I’m conscious that I don’t really need as much so trying to sell things or donate them to charity shops. Christmas makes me so uncomfortable, the thought of getting more ‘stuff’. I hate the idea that it can’t be Christmas unless you’ve spent LOADS. For e.g.. this year I got some doc martens. Expensive yes but will last years and good for my feet. Also had a tracksuit which was £80(!) hoodie at £50
....and yet my mother apologised to me for not getting a gadget I mentioned - it was £500 I said no way, I never expected you to buy it in the first place!

 

[fireflies]

Anyone else sick of it?? The fake sales, crappy clothes on boohoo were apparently £89.99 now reduced to 30.99 even though they’d never been 89.99. You can’t get a good deal now days, Black Fridays a sham. Influenzas doing hauls daily, who can afford all this buying! The worst thing is customer service in businesses are getting so much worse. Look at sofa club for an example.

Yes totally it's so depressing.
Wish I could escape it but it's everywhere

 

[Bubble10]

I love a browse in charity shops can find some great bargains esp homeware and books.

She found a Hugo Boss cardigan and a pair of Max Mara trousers in our last visit, which she wasn't delighted with and won't look out of place in her new job. I always buy books from the charity shop, and once I've read them , I take them back not always to the same shop because I believe it's good to share the charity.

I'm pretty good at not overspending but that is because we grew up poor in South Africa and my dad always said if you can't pay cash then you can't have it.
Some of my tips would be:
1. Do not to take tags off clothing and if you haven't worn it within 28 days return it to the shop!
2. Save up a little bit for the sales and do Xmas and birthday shopping for the coming year. I've just spent £200 on gifts for 2020 but I got LOADS of stuff. I really hunt for bargains that are quality, also gives me a bit of a day out over the holidays
3. If you really want something expensive don't buy it, wait a week or 2 and if you still want it go and get it (bonus if it's sold out!)
4. I agree that shopping on ebay, gumtree, depop etc are great for second hand items especially mobile phones


I love that you're daughter cares so much wish more children would be like that.

Although I often think it's the parents fault that Xmas is over-commercialised. Most kids would be happy with one decent gift or a great day out

Thank you, she's such a caring soul, she's not like most 18 year old girls.

 

[Bumblebee]

It is every where. I have older children. My eldest is 22 and spends a lot of his salary on clothes, designer and branded. But bizarrely he drives a 54 reg fiesta and isn’t worried by cars despite most of his friends having Audi, bmw or Mercedes.

We live in a fairly affluent area and appearances mean a lot but lots of my friends talk about how expensive their mortgages are or how they spend £500 a month on their car payment.

I live in a bog standard 3 bed semi. We moved recently and got asked loads why we were buying such a small house. Well we want to be able to afford and not worry about the repayment and should one of us lose our well paid jobs be eagle to pay it on a minimum wage salary as dh’s Job is reliant on a buoyant economy.

 

[Greed-Futures]

I’ve had my eye on their leather biker jackets for years, they are so nice I feel like I need to buy less, but better quality, staple items like this rather than buying more frequently, the cheaper ‘latest trend’ items.

FWIW I have a Michael Kors black leather biker jacket which I got on a deep discount back in 2008 which is still going strong. So long as you get a cut that's a bit classic and which flatters your body type, the jacket should last you a long time as a biker jacket never goes out of style. I consider something like this reasonable to splash out on for a xmas or birthday gift.

In fact, my biker jacket has been such a great investment for my wardrobe that I added another to my wardrobe last year for xmas in a different (but still classic) cut, but in a medium brown leather from an outlet store.

But it's my general principal to buy nicer outerwear, shoes, and bags as they all tend to take a beating, really need to last you, and you only really need a few key pieces of each.

 

[Bubble10]

I’m feeling like this, we have so much STUFF. I’m trying to give up buying “cheap” things, encouraging my kids to really think about what they want and not feel like they have to spend money they’re given. I do really want an All Saints leather jacket though (in fairness to me I’ve wanted one for years) and am sorely tempted...

My husband bought me one for Christmas this year, I wouldn't normally ask for anything so expensive but managed to get it for £208 in the Black Friday sales and I made the purchase through Topcashback.co.uk and received £10.43 in my account. I'm roughly the same size as my youngest daughter so we plan on sharing the jacket and this should be a wardrobe staple for many years.

Lol I have a teen with a birthday in feb and already it's what am I having.
Usually it includes something Superdrug sale.
I can't believe people pay 8 quid for cards.
I did buy wrapping paper Sainsbury's as 50p a roll was 2 and 3 for 2 and will stick in loft next year.
I like sales shopping seasonal items or Xmas Halloween and Easter. it makes sense but everything else is just too much.
We have a big family every saving counts.
What we don't need is clothes.
We do need new carseat and hoover.
We try and buy loads 2nd hand and u defiantly spend less time in pound shops.

I've stopped buying Christmas cards, we have some purchased a couple of years ago in the sale, but because less and less of our friends/neighbours send cards now I haven't replaced them, and once I've used them up I shall not be buying anymore. Also the the last couple of years I have wrapped the presents in brown paper with a nice ribbon, the paper can be recycled and the ribbon reused. With the exception of our grandsons, I do still wrap theirs in Christmas paper because they still like to see Santa on their presents. When our children were much younger I used to buy a lot of their presents in the January sales, and add to the bits throughout the year it was easier on the bank balance in December, with 4 children every small saving made a difference.

 

[Spider12]

Anyone else sick of it?? The fake sales, crappy clothes on boohoo were apparently £89.99 now reduced to 30.99 even though they’d never been 89.99. You can’t get a good deal now days, Black Fridays a sham. Influenzas doing hauls daily, who can afford all this buying! The worst thing is customer service in businesses are getting so much worse. Look at sofa club for an example.

OMG this!!! I can’t believe they can get away with saying a cheaply made dress was once £80 but with the ‘sale’ it’s now £10! Nasty Gal always has a sale on I’ve been swept up by it all and been victim to the many many swipe ups of fashion accounts I follow. I love clothes and always have but I barely go out enough to wear them so I am stopping all this consumerism. There is just no need.

Yes, I hate all this consumerism too. I’m doing a “no new” year in 2020 with clothes, only buying second hand (except for underwear, sportswear and PJs although I have plenty of all of these!) I started only buying on Depop at the end of this year after several shopping bans and I love it!
I’d say I own a fairly modest wardrobe now and I don’t buy half as much as I used to but I’ve been clearing out some stuff I left at my parents’ when I moved out three years ago and I’m so embarrassed by how many clothes I’m donating to the charity shop!

This is a really good idea! I am going to give it a go

 

[SisterBliss]

I bought totes slipper socks for 9 quid because it was in the sale and to be honest.

I walked out and thought “like fuck I’d have spent that if it wasn’t on *sale*”

I hate myself but I love the socks do you feel me...
I’m a mess.

we didn’t really do Christmas gifts though so let me enjoy my frigging socks.

but the serious bit, it all feels too much, on Boxing Day and the 2 days after, our local Tesco had 10’000 transactions I was speaking with the manager and they were shocked with how many people seemed to be shopping after 24 hours without the ability to shop. It’s crazy. I miss the days when Christmas was 5 days stuck with your family and your credit card got a rest

Don’t feel bad, I bought a £50 cushion today and I’ll have you know that it wasn’t even on sale But it was perfect for my bedroom feng shui next year so I technically needed it. I had loads of other stuff in the basket but I moved it all to my wish list and called it a day. And if I really messed up, I can always return it for full refund. Enjoy your socks, may they warm your feet throughout the long and miserable winter

 

[JNRS90]

I’m feeling like this, we have so much STUFF. I’m trying to give up buying “cheap” things, encouraging my kids to really think about what they want and not feel like they have to spend money they’re given. I do really want an All Saints leather jacket though (in fairness to me I’ve wanted one for years) and am sorely tempted...

 

[Spider12]

I’m feeling like this, we have so much STUFF. I’m trying to give up buying “cheap” things, encouraging my kids to really think about what they want and not feel like they have to spend money they’re given. I do really want an All Saints leather jacket though (in fairness to me I’ve wanted one for years) and am sorely tempted...

I’ve had my eye on their leather biker jackets for years, they are so nice I feel like I need to buy less, but better quality, staple items like this rather than buying more frequently, the cheaper ‘latest trend’ items.

 

[fireflies]

See I had to go shopping for January birthday gifts. we have twins here who will expect gifts, feckers don’t understand it’s right after Christmas.

and the kids stuff is 50% off so I’m planning 4 weeks early and now it’s done
but that’s all I’ve bought or need.

LIE.... I bought Christmas cards for a quid, reduced from 8. who the fuck spends 8 quid on Christmas cards that’s for next year if I’m still alive and kicking, if not, I’m sure someone will use them Or stick them on eBay

Lol I have a teen with a birthday in feb and already it's what am I having.
Usually it includes something Superdrug sale.
I can't believe people pay 8 quid for cards.
I did buy wrapping paper Sainsbury's as 50p a roll was 2 and 3 for 2 and will stick in loft next year.
I like sales shopping seasonal items or Xmas Halloween and Easter. it makes sense but everything else is just too much.
We have a big family every saving counts.
What we don't need is clothes.
We do need new carseat and hoover.
We try and buy loads 2nd hand and u defiantly spend less time in pound shops.

 

[coconochanel]

I bought totes slipper socks for 9 quid because it was in the sale and to be honest.

I walked out and thought “like fuck I’d have spent that if it wasn’t on *sale*”

I hate myself but I love the socks do you feel me...
I’m a mess.

we didn’t really do Christmas gifts though so let me enjoy my frigging socks.

but the serious bit, it all feels too much, on Boxing Day and the 2 days after, our local Tesco had 10’000 transactions I was speaking with the manager and they were shocked with how many people seemed to be shopping after 24 hours without the ability to shop. It’s crazy. I miss the days when Christmas was 5 days stuck with your family and your credit card got a rest

I've not bought anything since before Christmas because I've not been shopping. I thought I don't need anything so I'm staying away from the shops.