To suggest that people should buy less stuff

I sewed up holes in a couple of socks at the weekend, I doubt many people bother doing that any more! I also painted my 80's kitchen cupboards and wrapped the worktops - looks like a completely different kitchen and took no skill. I have a travel habit though so can't pretend to be an eco saint.

I live in a flat with an unmodernised kitchen, it would be 50 years old and I don't think it's ugly at all, in fact I detest ultra modern kitchens. (Obviously it has been painted during those 50 years and has a more modern stove). If I was buying a house I wouldn't buy one with a very modern kitchen.

I live in a country where almost everything is made in China. Just because something is made in an Asian country doesn't mean it's rubbish, brands known for their good quality stuff still have it made in China.

We have done all of the local things, such as they are… . and choose to ensure the kids are aware of the culture and history of England, we visited Salisbury cathedral so that they could see the magna carter… an important turning point in social history!

Our city breaks are very much educational as well as fun!

We have RSPB, National Trust and English heritage memberships we like to make the most of (bought as family presents at Christmas rather than plastic / unsustainable stocking fillers)

I can only assume that you feel that enjoyment and learning are somehow incompatible with sustainability, but that’s simply not the case!

From your comment it seemed like you thought we were jetting to New York and Beijing.. but no… it’s public transport or zero emissions driving (we charge the car on a renewables tariff as we signed up to that for our household and has gas disconnected 12 years ago to reduce our emissions)

There is so much built in obsolescence- phones or laptops that no longer charge properly or can't update with new operating system update after 5-6 years. My own personal example is a Panasonic TV I bought new for the London 2012 Olympics so we could watch them at home on a new TV. 12 years later the TV is still absolutely fine except it is now not able to have the Netflix app as it is has been terminated on that model. Why????

Ha ha nope. I won’t buy from smaller independents.

They’re more expensive, inconvenient and have much less choice. They certainly won’t get my money.

I hate the 'shop like a billionaire' slogan

I don't disagree, my point was just that you wouldn't have people knocking off £15k the price, it's more that you would be marketing it at £15k more than it was worth to people based on the interior spec - I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with people wanting to live in aesthetically pleasing surroundings. There is surely a happy medium between living with an ugly and unmodernised 40 year old kitchen and mindlessly replacing things every couple of years.

My fridge is 23 this year! Washing machine about 12, telly about 20 years old too!

I voted YABU because while I agree with your sentiments, we don’t have the infrastructure any more. We absolutely ought to buy stuff that’s made to last but if you look at country of origin on so many things it’s Taiwan, China, Korea etc. We sold our souls and our skills for cheap goods. Instead we are awash with service industries. It’s not that we don’t make stuff, we do but not enough and some of it is expensive and niche goods.

Yes that Netflix "Buy Now" documentary was shocking. Every time I pick up something to potentially buy, it pops into my mind as a piece of future landfill.

Agreed, social media influencers plugging shite they have bought from Shein or Temu makes me cringe. It’s all tat. I have friends that swear by it as it’s ‘cheap’. Funnily though if they were to add up over the years the money spent on cheap rubbish…and then replacing said cheap rubbish it would have worked out cheaper to buy quality in the first place.

Can't you suggest to her that she donates to a charity shop? It's awful if she's taking things to the tip - makes me feel a bit sick actually at the sheer waste.

I have given her the number of a local charity that helps people that have been given a home but she says she doesn't have time to wait in for them to collect the stuff. One of her own family Doesn't have two pennies to rub together and she won't even take the stuff to her.

Yes there's too much stuff! I have too much stuff!
I've made a conscious effort not to buy anything that I don't actually need and always try to buy clothes and things for the house second hand.
My car is pretty old too but works perfectly fine.

I would rather spend spare money on city breaks with the kids and make memories rather than on things that won’t last

Good for you. But maybe step outside your world and think for a moment that some people don't really have anyone to "make memories" with on a regular basis.

Sure I enjoy experiences both alone and with people at times. But my home and garden are where I spend the overwhelming majority of my time. Therefore I want them to be happy places for me.

I spend on my hobby stuff, home decor, stuff for the garden. Because those things make me happy. And they last, unlike an "experience" that is over in a matter of hours or days.

I just got back from holiday on Friday. Yes it was great but after getting back to a normal routine today it already feels long ago! The things I brought back with me, I will continue to enjoy them for a long time to come.

I think you’re missing the point. There are probably things you can do locally. But obviously you can do what you want

Sorry I tried to delete it but can’t seem to!

I suspect you have posted on the wrong thread, @Mamamiaaaaa.

Classic example of first world problems. Be glad that you have access to healthcare when some people in third world countries would literally die for it.

So to answer your question, Karen is it? They ask you this because they need to plan for your future delivery to make sure that you and baby are safe or to follow up following birth to make sure that you’re ok. Whether you’ve had a vaginal vs c-section is obviously medically important?!
Jeez you just can’t please some people, any excuse to get offended.

@minuette1 see even the words ‘interior spec’ speaks to the British obsession with interiors being constantly updated. Surely there is more to life and better use of our planets resources than interior spec where everything is constantly 10 years away from being taken to landfill.

When my kitchen becomes dated I plan to get the doors resprayed. I think that they are all easily replaceable though so the frames never need replacement in my lifetime!

But people spend a lot of time in their kitchens, increasingly so as the cost of living rises, and sorry but 80s pine is ugly and depressing. Your house price surely reflects the interior spec too. People wouldn't be knocking £15k off the price - just as a modern kitchen would add value to your house, an ugly dated one would decrease the value.

I’ve got ‘old’ brown furniture (ie bought 30 years ago), and it is still perfectly serviceable, ie, it doesn’t stick, the doors still align, the drawers close smoothly, etc, etc. I’m sure there will be plenty of u tube videos or similar to help with any issues, though, should the need arise. I did need to replace a handle on one of the drawers once on the dresser, but that was easily remedied.
Some more modern stuff can have issues, too, I imagine.

Agree! I remember when Tiger first came to the UK and I went in there a couple of times, drawn to the cheap prices and then realised that all of it is plastic junk.