to boycott bloody boring buy something parties

[shggg245]

Deep breath - body shop x 3, scented candles, temple spa, boden, pampered chef, Jamie Oliver - blimey it's all too dull.

Got another invite and said sorry I'm not attending. 1. Very dull. 2. Can't get pissed. 3. Fed up of getting told off by some wanky demonstrator for not paying attention to life changing products.

Aibu to think it's just a way of guilt tripping friends onto buying stuff? Surely it's better to not bother if you've no intention of buying anything. My friend thinks I'm being rude and should show my face.

[LovelyMarchHare]

Hate them. It's as though people think they're doing you a favour by guilt tripping you to buy shit you don't actually want so they can get a great hostess gift. I never go to them either.

[Hawkmoth]

Why don't people get pissed?

[sunbathe]

Turning down an invite cannot be rude. As long as you were polite, of course.

[LovelyMarchHare]

Guests plied with booze to encourage them to spend.

[Bowlersarm]

If I had no intention of buying something I wouldn't go.

Some of the products I really like though, and I like going to those, so not everybody hates them.

[MyBodyIsAtemplate]

no yanbu op.

life is far better when you just do what you want in your leisure time.

spend half your life doing stuff you don't want to like work and chores so bugger using up precious free time to please others.

[hazelnutlatte]

I hate this - friend is constantly having Phoenix card parties, plus she bothers me about buying cards every time I see her. I just decline politely but wish I could tell her that I don't want to go round to her house to shop!

[littlewhitebag]

I'm going to a temple spa party soon. I am looking forward to it. The host is someone who always holds fun parties and I haven't been out in a while. I intend to get pissed, natter and look at some stuff which I may or may not buy. I like smelly stuff so I probably will buy something but I never feel pressurized into it at these kind of parties. If you don't want to go then don't go but not everyone hates them

[shggg245]

I got pissed in the past and spent 90 quid on bubble bath and hideous shimmery body butter stuff which I inadvertently spread over husbands black suit - he still shimmers now.

Was polite I think - said I'm skint.

[RosegoldRuby]

YANBU.

I've had this policy for the last thirty years. In that time I've been to one of these "parties" because I wanted to support a friend. I can't remember what the brand was, but the sales rep kept holding up various pieces of decorative tat and saying brightly "There's only one word to describe this".

"Indeed there is" I would say to myself "but I bet we're not thinking of the same word".

That was my last purchasing party, over 20 years ago.

[sassytheFIRST]

I have a policy of not going. Sorry, we're busy, have fun usually works. If not and party hostess is offended... No biggie for me.

[Hoppinggreen]

Boden have parties?
I refuse to go to theses as well. If I want to but something I can go to a shop or go online and if I want to drink wine with my mates I can can just do that. No need to mix the 2!!!

[Comeatmefam]

Why can't you get pissed?

I've been to two Pampered Stupid Chef parties and one Ann Cringe Your Head Off Summers party and I was arseholed at all three. It didn't help though - never going to one again, boring and I wasted a lot of money wine consumption didn't help the latter.

I bought a cupcake for £40!!!!!!!! You can get it at John Lewis for half the money. I don't even bake ffs!!!!!!!!

[shggg245]

Did suggest none buying, just let's get pissed and put the world to rights party so I'm not completely unsociable.

[WooWooOwl]

I'm SO glad I get to avoid the constant stream of these invites now that my dc aren't at primary school.

I eventually realised it was actually quite rude to put people under pressure to buy crap that they didn't want in the name of being supportive.

[BlueSkySunnyDay]

LOL at husbands shimmering suit.

A phoenix card party - god how dull.

I like pampered chef, although I dont really have enough room for any more kitchen stuff.

Dont like people trying to sell me skincare as I have a routine which has worked for decades...so why change it?

I would just invent a prior engagement if I didnt want to go.

[shggg245]

Yeah boden - cheaper than catalogue prices. You're all making me feel super liberated - and I like it.

[childrendriveumad]

As someone who used to be a wanky demonstratory (USED to be!) it's better not to go than to go and not spend!

:)

[YoullNeedATray]

A friend of mine does a chocolate one each Christmas which is always good but the pseudo-science bollocks that was spouted at a health products party had me fuming! I asked lots of questions about the supposed benefits ... and no-one bought anything.

[shggg245]

Oh yes the science bit - I went to aloe vera gell party, mega expensive and reckoned it would clear up my hormonal spots - utter bollocks.

[BrownSauceSandwich]

Good god! I've never even been invited to such a party. I see several possible reasons:

a) my friends like to have parties without me
b) my friends think I'm a cheapskate, so a bad bet for these parties
c) my friends don't go in for this sort of shit any more than I do.

In any case, I'm off to let my friends know how great they all are.

[WitchWay]

I know someone who sells Aloe Vera products, lots sold by party plan type arrangements. She has a habit of turning any social gathering into a forum for her bloody stuff. She once brought it to a friend's MacMillan coffee morning, managed to sell some stuff & didn't even donate the profits

[ScarletLady02]

EEK! I've just started doing Body Shop parties

Admittedly the only reason I'm doing it is because I want to be a Makeup Artist and I can get a discounted kit if I work for it.

[Megrim]

Jeez, the last one I went to (Pampered Chef) the demonstrator spent an hour trying to recruit us - she told us she earned over £50k a year and won lots of cruises and TVs for selling so much.

So that's why the Pampered Chef crap costs so bloody much.

[RufusTheReindeer]

DAMMIT

And I was going to invite you all to a pointless party and ply you with booze so you feel obligated to buy all sorts of unnecessary crap