My sister is 14 years younger than me, and even she has a different concept of money, I think £10 is worth having in your purse, whereas to her its nothing really. No criticism of her its just different generations.
I buy a pack of dishcloths, and each day the one I use is added to the wash basket, and they last for ages and I aways have a clean one, whereas my sis will use those throw away wipe things as they are more hygenic.
I think I am a bit of a dinsoaur even though I am 'only' nearly 49, I feel quite horrified at the materialistic world, but am married to the loveliest man on the planet, who thinks the best thing in the world is to have a Bentley Continental (in his dreams!) and go on exotic hols. Good job we cannot afford them, I am happy with the Ford pick-up and hols in Devon and Whitby
In order of importance
I need a roof over my head
I need food to eat
I need to look after my cats
I need a car, I would feel trapped without it
I need this computer, it's my link to the outside world
I need my bed, I love sleeping
All the rest I don't need but it's nice to have, to make my life easier.
Mobile phones. I lost mine just after Chrsitmas and made a concious decision not to replace it.
I haven't missed it and there has only been one time that I wished I had one - when my eldest hadn't waited for me to pick him up from Scouts and I was driving round the streets looking for him!
I have a mobile, but never use it and no one knows my number not even Spencer. I do not need to be contacted when away from home. The mobile is there for my convenience ie: if I have an accident etc.
I had my last one for many, many years and when I gave it to a charity it still had the initial £5 on it.
I have a newer one as I can text on it if need be.
I think they are an absolute pain and a lot of people are very rude when using one. Like talking to you and start to dial, or cut a conversation abruptly to answer the phone.....how very rude !
Wendy
Good point Mo, what I should have said is 'Don't need new clothes', only need second hand ones. I looked round a ladies clothes shop today out of curiosity they are closing down and everything was half price. I thought, if there is anything that I absolutely need I will get it, some nice things in there at good prices. I came out empty handed, such is my will power, they cannot beat me.
many of my friends think that the idea of having two washing machenes and two tumble driers is extreme...BUT because of my childrens special needs I have at least 4 loads of washing every day... more if there is an unexpected occurance (I will not go into detail ). If I get behind then there is total chaos...they all (the machenes, not the kids) live in the utility room which is fondly known as "the temple of doom"
I've never used kitchen roll, but I do have a good stock of washable dishcloths/rags to use in place of.
None of our modern day gadgets are a necessity, but I must say they are very nice.
Way back when I had my first son (14 years ago tomorrow.....my doesn't time fly) I had no washer. My husband and I managed without. It was VERY difficult when you add a baby to the mix. Now, four kids later, can I just say I am immensely grateful for my washing machine. I couldn't live without it. Well, I could, but I really wouldn't want to I do have a dryer too, although we try not to use that unless it's really necessary.
God bless the Dyson! Can you imagine beating rugs out every day?
We are spoiled, absolutely.
All of the different cleaners for different things too.....now, I will admit I'm a bit of a sucker for laundry products I have colour powder, whites powder, and fabric softener.
I recently purchased some spray bottles to make my own household cleaners, which to be honest work just as well, and don't make me cough like the mr muscle/cif brands tend to do.
Now to change my wash powder fetish My dishwasher...well, it is kind of essential......but it's almost 14 years old, temperamental and only works when you threaten it with a grounding (that would be my son )
I do like having my gas cooker too. I'm not sure how I'd cope without that. It's easily controllable, and very convenient.
Stick blender. Where would I be without that? Oh, hang on, we'd just have lumpy soup In some ways, I am glad we have moved forwards, but in others, we've gone too far. Disposable cleaning wipes? Prawns on a plastic spoon? (Iceland, I believe) Ready made jelly in small pots? It's madness.
I have dish clothes that are changed everyday and washed with towels.
Hawthorn, i bought some of the eco balls and have found them effective and i had a serious washing power addiction. I still use a nice conditoner as i do like my washing to smell fresh (it also stops me washing clothes x2 as my son puts his clothes away on the floor!)
I have chickens Blaze, Star and Comet, who have met Sunny Clucker in Cheshire :-) I'm training to be a midwife!!!!!
I had washballs, but I didn't find them effective. I have spectacularly mucky kids (three boys, say no more) and we live in a very hard water area.
I've tried wash gloop (left a film on the clothes...a build up of soap scum I think), eco balls, and soapnuts. I always end up going back to Ariel When my huge box of Ariel runs out, I'm going to try a cheaper brand, and see if boosting it with wash soda helps I may get some eco balls for the darks though. I hate buying colour powder, but hub has a dark uniform and I need to stop it fading if possible.
LOL, my kids have a floordrobe too. Drives me nuts.
My mum had an old twintub, and never seemed to have such problems.
I think clothing these days is built to be disposable. As a child, I don't remember huge bobbling problems, or seams coming apart. Clothes seemed to last until you outgrew them. Nowadays, it's a couple of months and they are ready for the scrapheap. I hate this disposable fashion thing
I was lucky (???), my babies were all very sicky, so we had piles and piles of muslin cloths, so along with the cloth nappies, I should be alright for cleaning cloths for the rest of my life!
). If I get behind then there is total chaos...they all (the machenes, not the kids) live in the utility room which is fondly known as "the temple of doom"
I have colour powder, whites powder, and fabric softener.
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