Saving money by not buying anything?

[Juliacat]

You shop at thrift stores, you shop on the TP, you look for deals on eBay, you buy in bulk. What about simply not buying anything? Can you really get used to going against the grain that much? What do you do for fun?

[2babybees]

Well my dp lost his job unexpectedly about 2 months ago and I learned real quick about not buying anything. He has just started working again this week but I need to remember some of the lessons I learned during this time. For fun I found out:

-The local art musuem has a free kids project time every Sunday
-the video store up the street lets you rent kids videos for free from their section with no other purchase or rental
-parks, parks parks!!
-Library time/ story time
-checking the paper for free events, there was a lot more than I would have thought

[Ruthla]

Don't forget the local library! Free books!!

[dietzamom]

Your message reminds me of a book that I read with my daughter last year. It was "A Year Down Yonder". Magnificent book!

I know why we have been conditioned to be consumers, but I just don't like it anymore. I'm sick of buying, sick of wasting, sick of being owned by my debts. There are times I just wonder how we undo all this consumerism.

Honestly, it's not what you have, but the people and the memories that make life good.

[Shiloh]

I am going to try to limit my purchasing days to one a week.
Plan it out so I don't get sidetracked!
As it is so easy to spend a few dollars here and there every day.

[FireWithin]

Originally Posted by Shiloh

I am going to try to limit my purchasing days to one a week.
Plan it out so I don't get sidetracked!
As it is so easy to spend a few dollars here and there every day.

hmmm I like that idea. I think if I had to plan everything out, it would help me keep my goals in mind (getting otu of debt) and not impulse buy.

[westernmamomma]

There are also free playgroups in the area. Lots of interaction for the kids with free craft and snack. I found also that if I structure my day with activities in the morning, that I'm less likely to go places and spend money. We go to playgroups, story time at the library, and the park when the weather permits. That means that we're out of the house each morning, home for lunch and nap, then a low key afternoon, dinner, and then bed, no time for shopping and spending money I don't have to!

[Juliacat]

I find that it helps me to keep an inventory of everything I have. It is just too easy to see something cool in a store and buy it without stopping to think that I already own something that serves the same purpose.

Another thing that helps me is to constantly remind myself that little amounts of money REALLY DO add up.

I am appreciating the input on free things to do with children

[Woodchuck]

I find the best way to not buy stuff is to just not go to stores. We spend our time at the library. We can bring home bags of books and just return them later. It is sooooo awesome. You just can't beat the library!! Also, our library has museum passes so we can get in free or at reduced rates.

Our favorite thing to do that is very free is just take a walk in the woods and notice the changes every day. We love to do that in the morning. It is great to share nature with my son.

[marasmum]

Doesn't feel like a never-ending battle with "Madison Avenue"? We are so inundated with marketing and advertising - corporations who spend countless hours and resources with one mission in mind: Make people spend money to buy their (often cheap, inferior and toxic) widgets.

Try turning off the TV (or reducing the hours spent watching it) or at least "muting" the commercials - it's a great place to start filtering out "Madison Avenue".

[OwensMa]

Making a plan, targeting stores for things needing, grocery specials included, helps me a lot. DS and I love the library, and free Early Years Centres.

[nannymom]

Originally Posted by Woodchuck

I find the best way to not buy stuff is to just not go to stores. We spend our time at the library. We can bring home bags of books and just return them later. It is sooooo awesome. You just can't beat the library!! Also, our library has museum passes so we can get in free or at reduced rates.

Our favorite thing to do that is very free is just take a walk in the woods and notice the changes every day. We love to do that in the morning. It is great to share nature with my son.

:
I rarely buy anything b/c there just simply isn't the money. I help myself feel better about it buy just staying out of the mall and out of target. I am fortunate enough to have all I could ever need for my baby from a very generous sister who hands me down everything her kids use, but i find myself getting caught up in the need to consume and feeling poorer than I am when I am in stores.

[baileyandmikey]

we love the library, going out side to play on the swingset, digging in the dirt, playing in the sand. visiting the park and sometimes they do free programs, free carnivals at churches, free movie nights, etc.

[phroggies]

Not that I'm as good as I'd like to be at not buying things, but. . . . I do think that there's a big difference between saving money on something one buys and not buying it in the first place. I don't just mean financially, but also psychologically. And therein lies the key, I think--it can be fun to find ways not to spend. I'm always more pleased when I find a new use for something I have on hand than when I buy something. There's something creative and productive about that kind of frugality that you can't get from consumption.

Of course, I'm not always able to convince myself that this is the case. . .

[auntieM]

Yup. This is DH's way of saving. I liked to put money aside & spend what was left. One thing to be careful of. When you don't spend money, all of a sudden, you might notice that you have some. :LOL It may make you feel like you can afford to spend it.

[twindaze]

I can relate to this philosophy, it just isn't much fun. :LOL However, I've been buying very little lately besides groceries and necessary clothing/shoes for the kids. Of course my dh is currently out of work so that could have something to do with it. Normally I do do a lot of thrift store shopping, or rather I go a couple of times per month.

[modmom]

We are saving for a trip and I have decided I am not going to target until we meet out goal. Too much impulse shopping. My DH packs his lunch but likes to get out of the office so he has offered to make stops. I hope this works. It is nice to be frugal for a goal instead of "having" to finally.

[flminivanmama]

use it up, make do or go without

we have no money for buying *anything* other than groceries gas rent & utilities. although things are slowly getting better it's been like this since 9/11 when the stock market crashed and we were not able to get back on our feet.

hand me downs rock LOL

[Juliacat]

Originally Posted by phroggies

I do think that there's a big difference between saving money on something one buys and not buying it in the first place.

Yes, EXACTLY. That's what I was trying to say in my OP.

[onlyzombiecat]

Originally Posted by Woodchuck

I find the best way to not buy stuff is to just not go to stores.

We also don't go to stores often. We moved to a rural area so choice of stores is limited and farther away.
We go grocery shopping every 2 weeks. We plan meals and make a grocery list. When I am planning our meals I look in our cupboards and try to incorporate what we have into the plan.

We go to free places (parks, library, events).
We visit family.
We have a lot of books, movies and computer/video games and the internet to help amuse us.
Sometimes we get movies from the library or borrow something from friends.
Dh has a large game collection (board/card games) and we are getting some that dd can play but aren't boring for adults. She can do Jenga and dominoes.
I read a lot.
Dd and I go outside and just hang out.