Tuesday 22 November 2011

Shopping, just get what you need

First of all I would like to say welcome to Lizp2000. She is ploughing her way through the whole blog and at the moment is somewhere in the seven hundreds. Liz it's great to have your company, I am reading your comments, even on the older posts, as they always come up at the top of my list on the dashboard. I think you might catch us up around the 2nd of January, ha ha. Keep going girl.

I was in town today, walked there and bussed back to save the petrol, and I see we are getting a new Poundland. Whoopeee I am so excited, says me tongue in cheek :o) They are moving into the old Kwiksave store, it was a shame when that went bust, it was quite handy for popping in there, next to the bus station.

Our town centre is suffering just the same as any others with shops closing. We've lost our TJ Hughes, Coffee Republik closed about six months after it opened, Marks and Sparks popped it's clogs, and a long established cafe has gone as well. Of course all these closures wont affect me, there are very few shops I visit anyway.

I was listening to something on the radio the other day. People were saying that they should limit the amount of charity shops they have in town centres, because it brings the place down and people don't visit any more. I say, lets have a High Street full of Charity Shops.

Today I paid my credit card bill into the bank, I bought six eggs for 89p and four tins of cat food for £1.10 from B & M, a wall calendar for 99p from The Works, and a book token from WH Smiths, for Alex as a thank you for hanging my new second hand door. Just opposite the bank is a Thorntons shop, now I absolutely love their Treacle Toffee. I found myself drifting towards it, shall I shan't I. You would be proud of me, I managed to resist the temptation and I am happy to report that I didn't go in. Boy was my will power strong today.

I am watching the pennies at the moment because I know I have my car road tax to pay at the end of December, car insurance is due in the middle of January, and anytime now a gas and electricity bill will be dropping through the letter box. Not that I am bothered too much about that, I still haven't put the heating on, so I don't expect the bills to be very high.

I think I am going to be giving the town a miss from now on till after Christmas, it's not very pleasant at all there now. Far too many folks barging around with plastic carrier bags loaded up with seasonal booty. The normal stock in the shops has been put away in the back to make way for the all the Christmas junk, so there's no point in looking for something because it won't be there. I shall be glad when it's all over. Bah humbug.

14 comments:

  1. I know how you feel. I sometimes wish I didn`t have to bother with any X-mas presents for anyone, especially folks that never quite appreciate what they`re given. But, I shouldn`t grumble. Did enjoy making some gifts this year, I shall take with me on my x-mas trip to Germany.
    I hate going to town for shopping, too. Too many crowds of shopaholics. I`m lucky to have most useful shops nearby, so I do not have to travel into town. Brighton is a nightmare before x-mas.
    You couldn`t go by car as you`d never find a parking space. Bus fares have been increased lately, so I tend to avoid going. A daily saver ticket now costs £4.00. I don`t feel I want to spend that much on a bus trip that only ventures 3 miles.

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  2. I'm finding that charity shop prices are rising fast- so much that I can't always afford to shop there!

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  3. Car road tax?

    Here in the US, we pay for a license plate on the car to identify the car. Then, there is tax on gasoline, supposedly to help repair and pave the roads on which we drive. But, there is nothing designated as a car road tax. Although, our tax on gasoline at the pump might be the same as your car road tax if you don't have tax on gasoline.

    I know the British have to have a license plate on the car. Do you have gasoline/petrol taxed for road repairs?

    Then, a car road tax is levied on top?

    Up until I had problems standing, walking and nevigating large crowds, I rather enjoyed a bit of hustle and bustle in town and stores. However, as the years pass, my pleasure has diminished. I have no money to buy the goodies, no desire to buy the goodies, and try to shop after midnight so I will use less gas, encounter less traffic, find an electric cart in the store, have fewer people to navigate around, and shorter lines. It works for me.

    Do any of your stores stay open after midnight?

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  4. Homemade treacle toffee - deeelicious. 'Bonfire Night Toffee' traditionally hard but I prefer to take it off the boil early leaving it chewy.

    Treat yourself to some homemade. I'm sure you'll know how but can't resist telling you anyway.

    Simple:
    1lb Sugar
    1 lb Treacle
    6 oz Butter
    Melt together until sugar melted, then boil for 10 minutes, stirring all the time. Pour into well buttered tin. Cut into squares, toss in icing sugar to stop sticking together.

    Fancy:
    http://www.lylesgoldensyrup.com/kitchen.php?recipe=75

    Brian

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  5. I'm a bah humbug too. My future daughter in law asked me what we were doing for Christmas and said we could go to them but I really would not like to go anywhere.

    I am making some presents but could just see my son's face if I knitted him a scarf! I am crocheting a bag for FDIL though but will buy her something little to go with it.

    My mum is also a bit bah humbug too, which is probably why I am.

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  6. Bah humbug from me too. I avoid big shopping centres like the plague at this time of year.

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  7. No bah humbug from me, I like Christmas, and I always try to avoid crowds anyway.

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  8. Well, as regards to Christmas, I try not to throw the baby (Jesus) out with the bathwater. I love Christmas baking and a little bit of scrounging around the hedgerows for greens etc. I like carol concerts - we have a wonderful madrigal choir from the high school who perform around town this time of year. Always listen to 9 lessons and carols on Christmas Eve.
    I also like Christmas reading - I get books of ghost stories from the library and hunker down. My Christmas gift giving is simple and enjoyable and I try to give as much to charity as I can.
    I agree that Christmas does have it tacky side but you can screen that out with a bit of planning and still enjoy the season. I do hate Christmas "creep" that start in October though; that does irritate me sometimes.

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  9. Like most, I think the stores start Christmas displays far too early. This year I am giving christmas a miss except for mass on christmas morning, I am moving house early or middle December into a bungalow where I will have more space,(more junk to store) I have promised my daughter in N/Zealand I will be ruthless and throw things out. just wish you lived nearer Ilona, lots of stuff that could be used for pussy cats bedding or for car boots for you . I love seeing all the piccys of the cats and kittens on here. I will be able to have a kitty cat when I get moved, I used to have some Burmese that I showed one time but I also had my old ginger tom-cat which was a real mummys boy, I will get settled and then have a look at Cats Protection to see if they have a kitten or even 2 or an older cat that needs a home.
    Danneke

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  10. Have plucked up the courage to tell family we are not buying any more christmas presents for the adults only for the children. So so relieved as we always ended up paying way too much for presents which were never acknowledged. Also receiveing items we did not need and ended up being given away. The joy of not having the stress of what to buy - priceless
    On another note how do you join this site?

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  11. With you all the way on this.

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  12. Hi Anonymous. Welcome. I think you need to have a Google account or something similar. It's that long ago since I joined I can't remember how I did it. Perhaps someone will come along and tell us. Yes it is a huge relief when you don't have to go battling through busy shops buying presents that other people don't want. I tell everyone, DONT GET ME ANYTHING.

    Good luck with your move Danneka. You should have no trouble finding a pussy cat to love, there are so many to chose from.

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  13. Thanks both i will try to see if i can join you

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  14. It seems to be popular in the u.k. to "suprise" family members with gifts.
    Here in the States if people are into gift giving they make a list or you ask them what and they ask you or look on your list,; a lot more practical.

    Dont you love those soups/stews that go on forever - money in the bank !

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