Interesting thread, it echoes much of what I've been thinking/doing over recent years.
It's particularly interesting because people are developing their own ways of doing it, to fit their own personal goals and lifestyles, and I really think that's the key. People come from some different directions - someone (like the author of that book perhaps?) living in a comfortable, well-furnished home with every appliance they could want and a wardrobe of clothes to last them a lifetime is at a very different starting point from someone who has few clothes and a sparsely or badly-furnished house.
Too many other articles and threads I've read have focused either on just getting everything as cheaply as possible, or buying absolutely nothing at all in what can seem a very joyless existence.
I'm still making up my rules as I go along, (I think we all are!) but I think the main rule is just to think about what I buy. Do I actually need it? I think there is a case for sometimes buying things we want rather than need, but that should be an exception and only after much thought.
Having decided to get something, how do I get it? Obvious sources are things like Freecycle and charity shops. Or even better, making said item. But if I do decide to buy it, price isn't everything. I want to buy things in the best way I can, so I'm thinking of issues like how the product is made, is it made from recycled, recyclable or sustainable things? Is it made by an ethical company. Sometimes, these things mean I might actually spend more. In some cases (clothes perhaps), it might be better to spend a bit more on good-quality, well-made items but not to buy clothes very often at all.
Food is a case in point. I know I could spend less on food, have done in the past. But I've come to the conclusion that food matters and we're happy to spend more on it if it means spending ethically - local, organic, fair trade etc. But to offset this, we only eat meat once or twice a week, cook from scratch and eat a lot of very inexpensive but not cheap and nasty meals - lentils, beans etc.
Books are a difficult one for us. Reading and yes, owning, books is one of our joys in life. So we are still collecting books, but trying to do it in a way that isn't too consumerist. I almost never buy a new book - although I have to admit putting books on my birthday and Christmas lists. If someone is determined to buy me something, isn't it better they get me something I actually want than some rubbish I don't want? Otherwise, we buy books from charity shops, and we do use our library lots too. Our books are well-used too, there are 5 of us in the house and most books are read and re-read by at least 2 members of the family. Friends and relatives borrow books from us too, they joke it is better than the local library!
It's really fascinating to see different people's take on all this. I think in some ways even just mulling it over is a good thing - if it makes us question what we buy and pare things down a little, that's got to be good.
Will watch this one with interest!