Do you save stuff ‘for best’?

[Merryoldgoat]

I used to but after some realising that best hardly ever comes I’ve stopped.

However I fancy a glass of wine and all I have in is a gift which is a £50 bottle of champagne. I’m thinking I could have two glasses tonight, the rest tomorrow and it’s all good.

But also seems wasteful.

WWYD?

YABU - wasteful bint - are you an alcoholic? Save for sharing

YANBU - crack it open and add a penguin for good measure (the only chocolate in the house)

Obviously a lighthearted thread!

I rarely save things for best after finding so many lovely things still in their packaging after MIL died. Expensive perfume, makeup, toiletries, all bought for her with love for her birthdays, Mother’s Days and Christmases, and never opened. Such a shame.

My aunt had a room like that.
It was only for when she had “company”.
Apparently “company “ were the only people worthy of being entertained in that room.
😉😁😁

I did when younger. Since 35 I use my best all the time otherwise it'd never get used.. What was I waiting for!? Real life passing me by waiting for a special time not coming.
Now all my pics I am wearing all my best stuff, using my best toiletries, drinking the good alcohol.. we may die tomorrow! Or at least the years will fly by.

Another one who used to - realised life is way too short so I don't save things for best now and use them as and when I need to.

Don't save things for a special occasion, being alive is the special occasion.

Just back from a funeral - agree with PP that "now" IS the best time. Cheers, OP.

Crack it open
Light the best candles
Ware the nice clothes
Remember- you are the best.

I've a bottle of Pol Roger in my fridge that we got for our wedding 14 years ago and I'm gutted we didn't drink it. It's totally going to fart when we open it and then it will taste like vinegar. Bugger.

Thank you all ❤️

The Champagne is finished, two bottles of Co-op Prosecco also emptied and a very lovely catch up with a good friend was had.

I think that this was ‘best‘ as or happens.

My auntie was another one who saved things for best. After she died we had to sort everything out and the fact that she never got to enjoy using any of the saved things hit me.

Life is too short, so I agree with those saying enjoy the wine, eat the cake, wear the jewellery and clothes and enjoy the special things in your life.

My grandma died in 1986. She had so much stuff "for best" that was rarely used.

I've learned from that. I have a(bloody expensive) pair of boots that have yet to be worn, but soon will. And everything else is fair game. I wear it when I want, I drink it whenever, I eat whatever. You're a long time dead. Cant take the fancy clothes/drink/food with you.

From 'Allo' Allo:

"What are we celebrating?"
"What day is it today?"
"Tuesday"
"That will do"

Sorry for the loss of your friend. It was my cancer diagnosis that made me think differently about ‘best’. I’m through my treatment 🤞 but I always overdress, use all the posh beauty products I’d usually save and try to enjoy every moment.

I don't save things for 'best' exactly, but some things are not in every day circulation. They're used/worn, but not just casually with the regular stuff. For example, I have some lovely bowls my mum bought for me when we were on holiday and they don't live on the shelf in the cupboard with the other (nice) bone china every day stuff. But anytime I feel like it, I'll stretch up to the next shelf and get a bowl down to use. Any day that ends in y.

same with clothes. I have some nice clothes, I'll wear anytime I want to, but not the knitwear under my coat (as it rubs & ruins it) or to friends houses with dogs (they all climb all over me & want to play, fine by me, but my old knitwear can take that abuse!

I also have drinking glasses that are engraved from when I used to do a lot of theatre, nice champagne flutes mostly. They were all in presentation boxes, but I'm not one for having stuff like that 'on display' so I decided to use them, rather than have them stored away. A friend was horrified & said hers are stored in the loft, but she admits her kids will probably give them to some poor charity shop when she dies, 'Oklahoma 1989' isn't really their thing 🤣🤣 I hand wash them & don't give them to my heavy handed friends who can break plastic beakers! But it feels right to use them.

For me, that's a balance I can live with. I enjoy having things that are a bit special (to me), but used.

I lost my nan this week. 9 of us have spent all day, every day clearing the house. It is full of things she had spent up to 70 years sitting on waiting for best. They are all now in the charity shop for somebody else to do the same.
Use the crockery
Wear the perfume
Write with the pens
Drink the brandy
Wear the fancy frocks
Don't let your grandchildren pack it in cheap bin bags and give it to the charity shop it is a heartbreaking for them as it is to you

I never save anything for 'best'. I used to, but then realised I didn't want to turn into my friend who has been saving a very expensive magnum of champagne for years for 'best'. In this time she has got married, bought a house, had children, husband got a huge promotion. She still hasn't opened it 😂.

I used to save things for 'best'. After Mum died we had to clear the house and it made me cry to see the best nightdress she'd never worn, the new thick flannel she'd never used because she was using an old one, a new necklace that she had never worn, the list went on and on. Many of the things were gifts from my sister's and I and we were so sad to see them unused as she was saving them for 'best'. Now I wear my best shoes, my best dress and I have tea made from a lovely bone china teapot and drink from matching cup and saucer. If I break it at least I will have enjoyed it first. I think I put things back for 'best' because that was what Mum did. I've told my children it has to stop. We will all enjoy our best things all of the time. I came home and took my best silver plated cutlery out of the wooden canteen where it had sat for about 10 years and put it into my drawer to be used everyday. I threw the older set out.

Yes, I was always made to save things for best and never wore or used them.

The irony is @90stalgia that popping out for some cheap cava costs more than drinking the £50 champagne that's already in the house!

I was taught from an early age about saving things for best

However, I believe in using things now & why not ?

Life is too short

I’m glad you enjoyed the bubbles OP!

Im another non saver for best, and the death of a very close relative yesterday at a relatively young age proves me right

@InOrderDisorder83146

I was taught from an early age about saving things for best

However, I believe in using things now & why not ?

Life is too short
^^^^
This was me
Born in the sixties and rised by a grandmother (parents worked a lot)
Who'd seen 2 world wars.
I was like 2 people.
The day to day scruff and the polished 'lady' when going 'out'
It took a while but now I where clothes I love all the time. Ware makeup and use perfume during the day.
Like pp said - it's always Best.

For the house I try to buy beautiful but practical things and not have a two-tier everyday and "best" set up.

There's no point in saving perishables indefinitely. We once did a clear out of the alcohol stores and DH got a lesson that old =/= good, a lot of ancient vinegary wine went down the sink. Saving for a regular event like a birthday is fine, but not some ambiguous life changing event/ mystery guest.

Clothes are more awkward as evening dresses are fairly limited in when they can be worn. I wish there was more culture for dressing up. I don't get much chance to dress up at this stage of life, but I do tend to be in "best" clothes more than the crowd. For everyday, around the house days, I tend to stick to comfort and practicality though.

Ah, not for me because Tesco is 10 minutes' walk from my house!

Yes, I save stuff for 'best' and then later I find it's past the 'best by' date.