Shopping Frenzy.

[SoCalDem]

This AM, I heard an "expert" explain that there were TWO "types" of shoppers.

1. shoppers WITH jobs
2. shoppers WITHOUT jobs.

Her assumption was that the shoppers with money (i.e.jobs) would use the "Black Friday" sales to start their shopping...and the ones without money would "do it all" and then stop. The idea is that, even a "good" post-Thanksgiving run-on-the-stores may not mean much as a whole.

Perhaps next year they will start the "holiday shopping season" immediately after Halloween..or why start there?..why not immediately after 4th of July?

People forget that during our most "prosperous" times, stores closed at 5 or 5:30 PM, and were not even OPEN on Sundays. Even restaurants were closed on at least one day a week. Employees EXPECTED time off.
There were no "malls" or "super" stores.

Most people had NO ACCESS to credit. A chosen few had "store accounts", but hardly anyone had a generic credit card that was usable anywhere.

We all managed to remain clothed, shod...children had toys, we managed to buy groceries.

Usually one weekend a year stores had "Midnight-Madness/Sidewalk Sale" or some other sale with a quirky name..It was as much a social event, as a sale, but people did not queue up days in advance, to get a $2 toaster or $1 sweater.

People understood that a "sale" was just that.. a sale.., and that things cost what they cost. If you wanted something, you either saved up for it, or chose something similar that you could afford.

We all managed very nicely for a very long time, with that mentality.

What we have now is almost a psychological illness...we are driven to shop..

I wonder how many of those magnificent bargains will even be appreciated/wanted/needed by the recipients...or will those fancy sweaters be folded & put away with the other 16 sweaters they already have. Will the new toys be cast off into a toy box along with the others, a few days after Xmas?

Years ago I used to be a "shopper". I was always shopping for bargains, and what I found out was that the hunt for the bargain was the "hook"...and the actual "thing" was not all that satisfying. Many of the bargains were for my kids, and often they did not even want what I had found for them.. I "Goodwilled" a LOT of stuff they "outgrew"...that still had the tags on them:)

I stopped shopping, and have never looked back.. Of course, when we need something, I will shop, but it's no longer a hobby/pastime.

We have been "guilted" into rationalizing our shopping-frenzy as a way to "support the economy", or as a jobs-preserving mechanism, when it's more like a pathological activity that many people cannot change..even if they are broke and have homes crammed to the rafters.

Years ago, when we bought stuff, there were Americans all along the way who benefited.....the people who made it ..the people who shipped it..the people who stocked the shelves with it.. the people who sold it.. Even with all those people involved, were the prices all that much higher than now?

I know the goods were more durable, and that the jobs in the "cycle" were usually family-supporting jobs, and the money spent often remained in the community. That is no longer the case.. The end-game for our shopping frenzy now is "the market"... the pocket of a mega-rich entity whose goal is to pay as little in wages as possible, offer as few benefits as possible, and to retain as much as possible... The making of the goods usually happens "somewhere else", for pennies, and the quality/safety is often suspect, but dammit..if it's cheap enough, that's all that matters these days.

[spartan61]

1. What an excellent post!!

And all so true.

[asjr]

2. Those were the days when sanity prevailed.

[mdmc]

3. r

happy holidays

[KharmaTrain]

4. The Culture Of Shop Til You Drop...

First off...I've chatted to several of the way too many people I know who are either out of work or barely working and few are spending much beyond their immediate family. My bets are there are many buying the low-end and loss leaders and only window shopping the big tickets. As one friend said "just cause you can't buy doesn't mean you can't look".

Not long ago I ran across of a tape of a radio show I did in the mid 80s. In those days the station I was at would go crazy with holiday ads (much to my angst as I had to produce and write most of 'em). I heard the famliiar names of local auto dealers, grocery stores, department stores and other retailers. Almost all of 'em are gone today...either bought out by some larger corporate or driven out of business. All of these businesses were locally owned...not anymore. The small downtown today is a ghost town...you either go to the mega mall or Wallyworld.

I know the people of that town didn't ask for this to happen...and there was a lot of opposition when they built the mall and later when Wallyworld and Target undersold and drove many of the little guys out, but we were told this was "progress"...we'd get better vareity at cheaper prices. What they didn't say was how we lost the customer service and satisfaction that you were helping out someone in the community by "shopping close to home".

Somehow in my lifetime, the holidays went from a time where you gave a token of your appreciation to a personal spending spree. But little good that will do this year as so many have tight budgets. The corporates still haven't learned that customers don't grow money on trees...destroy the middle class and cut off your biggest number of customers.

[NNN0LHI]

11. Write any of those cheesy Earl Scheib commercials by any chance?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtjdHaMeiiQ

Those and the 'BEUTIFUL US 30 DRAG STRIP', ads are the ones that stuck in my mind.

I used to race at US 30 Drag strip back then and it was always a dump. :)

Don

[KharmaTrain]

13. Where The Great Ones Run.....

Ya mean like this one??

http://67.162.73.47/public/zecom/studio/audio/mp3/Great%20Lakes%20Dragway%20Spot.mp3

I'm up north, all the gearheads this way went to Santa Fe or Great Lakes up in Wisconsin.

I wrote lots of cheesy...whatever it took to pay the bills. LOL.

Cheers...

:hi:

[SoCalDem]

27. Sunnnnnnday... SUNdaaaaay.. SundaYYY

@ the Yahoo Speedway..or BlueBonnet Dragstrip:)

[EFerrari]

12. I'm just old enough to remember when people, not corporations.

owned the stores in Sunnyvale, with the exception of Sees and a couple of gas stations. My brother is 8 years younger than I am and he doesn't. Now when you drive through there, it could be anywhere. It's a parking lot for brands.

[ProudDad]

40. I like that. USAmerica is a "parking lot for brands!"... (n/t)

[Odin2005]

42. We have a very good regional chain here in Fargo called Scheel's All-Sports.

They are a mix of sporting and hunting stuff on one hand, and VERY good clothing stuff, especially shoes, on the other. An employee will measure your foot length and width, check any orthodics one has, and find just the right size and width of shoe. Wonderful service.

[madmax]

5. Call me Scroogette

but, I don't care about all that crap anymore.

Wreath on the door, few candles and free pine cones and braches from the yard for caenterpieces and that's that.

I buy what I need when I need it but, will search out the best price or a sale. We don't 'do' Birthday, Valentine's Day, Anniversary or any of them. My husband and I forget our Anniversary unless someone calls to wish us a happy one. :rofl: We're happy so who needs a special day.

When I need something and can afford it I buy it, bring it home - even if it's July and proclaim with breathless excitement - 'Look what you bought me for Christmas, honey!' :bounce:

The Grands are spoiled rotten and I've cut back big time over the past 4 years. This year bare bones. Sick of the waste, commercialism - all of it.

Bah! Humbug.

[handmade34]

6. "We're happy so who needs a special day"

love it!

[SoCalDem]

16. Same here.. Our Thanksgiving was "understated" to the max

:)

about 8:30 PM, we went to Dennys..

I had half of a hamburger..hubby had french toast..

he had the other half of my hamburger for dinner tonight:)

Christmas will probably be the same:)

We have not bought gifts for about 10 years..no tree & trimmings for at least 15 yrs.. If I see something that just suits someone, I buy it THEN and give it to them:)

[obxhead]

45. I refuse to stop anywhere on 2 days a year

Thanksgiving or Christmas. My only exception is a gas station and only then if on a long trip. Otherwise I fill up the day before.

Several years ago I worked at a nice restaurant and they stayed open on Thanksgiving. I was unlucky enough to be picked to work a shift. While my family had food, fun, and festivities I went off to wait tables. Fail to show was termination.

My first customers of the day opened with "we are sooo sorry you have to work today". Yeah, I hear exactly how sorry you are as you order your meal and the only reason I am here is because people like you will come out on a holiday.

Yeah, I've heard all the excuses. Fact is we deserve a couple of "sacred" days a year. If your company can't make the nut open only 363 days a year it's probably time to shut the doors. That's never the case though. It's always only one thing that keeps places open on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Selfish greed.

So after having to suffer through that missed Thanksgiving I refuse to shop anywhere on those 2 holidays. My inconvenience is far less important than doing my part to make it unprofitable for a business to remain open on Thanksgiving or Christmas, the 2 family days in the US.

[Merlot]

57. What is wrong with going out to dinner on a holiday?

Some people don't have big families, don't like to cook, etc. It's actually a public service to be open on the days when most other stores and restaurants are closed.

Some people just want to eat.

Your boss should have given incentive to get people to volunteer instead of "picking" someone who didn't want to work. Usually customers tip better on holidays.

I used to work in the airlines and would always pick up a shift on thanksgiving. The airport was usually deserted, and everybody brought food and treats. Plus holiday pay.

[obxhead]

58. One persons public service is another persons

forced work holiday.

I get your point. I just really lost out on a special day because of greed from a company. They were not open to provide a public service, they were open to generate a profit, pure and simple. The family plans some of us had did not matter in the least.

It's a personal decision of mine. I feel that those two days need to be left as family days. It's simply my opinion and I'm sticking to it. Sometimes you simply must make things about more than just yourself.

[SoCalDem]

60. That's right.. We purposefully chose Denny's; since they are open all the time anyway

When I worked, we got triple-time on holidays, so there were always more volunteers than were needed.. They gave out 4 hr shifts so as many as wanted to, could participate:) The employees worked it out by signing up for the hours they wanted, and no one missed out:)

[fasttense]

91. My son worked on Thanksgiving day at Ruby Tuesday

There was NO extra pay for him. There was no incentive to make work any better. He had a choice either work Thanksgiving Day or Work Christmas Day. It's all such BS that they are providing a public service. He is a bar tender, yeah people really need to drink on Thanksgiving.

Yeah and he had customers. If you don't like to cook you can certainly plan ahead and get some pre-cooked junk. I don't see why people excuse their laziness and corporate greed so handily.

[bedazzled]

94. i am exactly the same way. i had to show for work at 8am on new years day one year

as a cashier! it was the only day i was angry at the customers.
there is no need to open stores on major holiday. i have no
religion, and as far as i'm concerned, a day off has no religion
either!

[Odin2005]

43. LOL, your post made me laugh!

:D

[T Wolf]

87. Yours is the way I think and act. We are too small a minority but we can have some influence over

our own lives.

[ChiciB1]

96. Same Here, Same Way... n/t

[madrchsod]

7. we grew up in a different world

a world where things were built to last,where things had value,and where things could be passed from one generation to the next.

now they want to through our generation in the scrap heap because we do not produce or consume enough.

[madmax]

10. I bought a house that had a stove and refrigerator

from 1949, both still worked! They were 42 years old!!

Today you're lucky to get 10 years out of a refrigerator. Stoves last a little longer. Then if something does break it costs more to have it repaired than to fix it.

Printers, the ink costs more than to buy a new printer! :wtf:

It's the waste that pisses me off. All this junk we buy not only during the holidays but, all year end up in landfills.

This year my Christmas philosophy is if you can wear it or eat - I'm not buying it.

[CrispyQ]

37. Pie...

Several years ago I baked pies for everyone on my list. The only thing I bought was a bunch of $2 pie pans & of course the ingredients for pie. My house smelled WONDERFUL & it was quite a sight to behold 15 gorgeous home baked pies on the table. I called people & asked them what kind of pie they wanted. Several told me it was one of the nicest holiday gifts they received. I've done it every year since, & people love it! My list is not so big anymore. This year I will probably bake 8-10 pies. Apple, pecan, pumpkin, & cherry.

[susanwy]

55. hear hear!

I just put another bubble jet printer in the dump, right after buying $90 of new ink, because the stupid print heads were dried out again. They just are not built to last. At least a few years ago I could download the maintenance manual of a printer and unclog the print heads myself. But now, oh now the manufacturers can't allow you to do that, then you don't go out and buy another cheap plastic piece of crap. But, of course, I need to be able to print or copy so off I go to buy another cheap piece of....oh never mind.

Lately for holidays I buy time, if I can, meaning I try and travel some where with my kids and have fun. I figure if I waste a little money at least I have a memory to show for it, much more satisfying then plastic.

Susan

[arikara]

67. I hear you...

We still have the stove that came with the house. I don't know how old it is but the brand hasn't been available for years, I think it must be 30 or so. No problems with it except changing the element in the oven. Our washer is 20 yrs old, had it repaired 5 yrs ago. The repairman told us to hang on to it, they don't make them like that anymore. He said the new ones don't even last 5 years.

You're right about the damned printers, a new one... 20 pages and its out of ink. I checked and buying the ink two times will cost more than the printer did. And its not even worth donating because anyone who needs help wouldn't be able to afford ink either, so if I can't get ink refilled at the cheap ink place in the mall the whole thing is going to be recycled. I refuse to give Canon one plug nickel for their overpriced ink.

As for shopping, all gifts came from the local craft fair. No walmart, no cheap toxic china crap period.

[onethatcares]

8. so much of it is based on the trap

that is set when a person is convinced a toy, a game, a sweater or some piece of crap will make someone else happy. So out comes the credit card and there goes the trap.

For way too many years the country has been using that artificial money then paying for it the rest of the year. Just another trap that most can't get out of. and forgive those that lose their jobs along the way. That fisa score is our standard anymore.

[madmax]

14. If you have will power you can make a CC work for you

We have a MC Rewards card was of 2 CC we have for 'emergencies' and by that I mean on the road in the middle of nowhere stuck kind of emergency. Absolutely no cash advances or purchases we can't afford.

For a little over a year I used it for everything and I mean everything, BUT! here's where you have to have major will power. When the bill came in I paid it off. I accumulated 'points' and when we needed a new refrigerator I used my points. The refrigerator was about 1200.00 Out of pocket I paid 325.00. :bounce:

Did that too, for a snow blower when we lived up north. Now they've lowered the points system so I don't use it at all.

Another benefit of using the card that way, I could see what I was spending on food, gas and such. I'd see the food bill and think, I could lower this a bit if I tried.

[SoCalDem]

17. I have no idea what our fiso score is..and don't care

we are not buying another house, we pay cash for our used cars and pay with a debit card for everything else..

Our youngest & his wife are savers & do pretty much the same..They put $70K down on their house & are paying double payments, so they can have it paid off by age 45....they also pay cash for used vehicles..

our middle is a cash only guy (out of work..no choice there for him) :(

The oldest & his wife are the spendaholics, but then they have no kids and are both 6-figure people, so they can at least afford it.. They love the electronic gadgets & traveling..

[madmax]

23. Two year old used cars - that's what we've been doing

since we paid off the one new car we bought in 26 years of marriage.

Low mileage, private owner. The trick I've found is to start car shopping before the old one dies. Less pressure and more time to evaluate the various models and learn about recalls, etc.

:toast: To being frugal. Screw the corporatist bastards! :rofl:

[arikara]

68. I retired my 23 yr old sunbird last year

a very sad day indeed. I bought it new in 1986. Sigh.

[SoCalDem]

73. We are still driving our '91 Honda Accord EX and our 1988 Dodge pick up

In a few years when hubby retires, we will bid them both farewell & he'll get his "dream truck" to toodle around in (used, of course) and we have our "pleasure car" for the duration:).. also bought gently used:)

[ChiciB1]

95. I Still Have A 1991 Toyota Celica... My Husband Has A 2003 Toyota Tacoma AND

my Celica only has 54,200 miles on it. Original miles and that's the truth. We only use my car locally and I RARELY shop. For the past 5 years I give money to my grandkids which I ALWAYS make a design out of. Such as a Christmas tree, a star, a wreath, this year will be an styrofoam Christmas ornament. I fold about $65.00 back and forth to create a fan and work them into the design. A fun way of giving JUST money in an envelope!

Since they are teen-agers now, and one goes to college, I take one dollar bills to fashion these designs with about 2 five dollar bills as some sort of toppers. They each get $75.00 so they can shop for what THEY want. This way I don't give them crap they don't want, just let them buy stuff that they may in the end find they don't NEED!

We adults have decided in the past 3 years that NONE of us will exchange gifts. I also used to decorate my house with hundreds of BLUE lights and a HUGE Peace sign! Haven't done it for the past three years either.

I have a daughter and a son and we get together for T-Day and Christmas for dinner. Generally I get the BULK of cooking, but we all contribute and spend the day together and play games after dinner.

Times are tough and unless I NEED something, I just don't buy! For me, just going to stores to look around almost always ensures someone will buy SOMETHING they really don't need and will never use. I've been to MANY, MANY garage sales and have seen BRAND NEW items with tags on them, and they sell for practically nothing. I used to go a lot, but rarely anymore.

Checking Craigs list is just about as good. I DO need a new mattress right now soooooooooo guess I'll have to dole out lots of money for it! Going to try to get the best one I can for the least amount of money, but back problems are getting the best of me!

:shrug:

[SoCalDem]

97. With all the bedbug news these days, I think we will "go new" with our next mattress

The one we have now, we bought for $100.00 from a friend who was getting a divorce.. $100 for a Cal King set was too good a deal to pass up.. but that was in 1993..so we need a new set:)

[ChiciB1]

99. Really Late On This One! But YES... It's Going To Be A CHUNK Of Money

to lay down! Been checking prices and frankly am astounded! As I stated, I don't go out shopping for shopping sake anymore, so looking up prices only on the internet has my jaw dropping.

Would LOVE a sleep number, but THAT AIN'T GONNA happen! But I do need a relatively "good" mattress because my scoliosis and disk degeneration is "begging" for RELIEF! The low end of some of the best "regular" mattresses seem to run around $1,000.00 at least! It's sickening!

It will be Happy New Year, Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas and any other special day we celebrate, all rolled into one! I WILL admit that I've decided to see what I can get for all the old coins and sets I've collected over the years. Been keeping them so long and why not use them before I die?

Sounds like a joke, but not so much!
:hi: :eyes: :yoiks:

[FarCenter]

9. Why spend money preparing for a religious holiday that is a month away?

Especially if you are not particularly religious.

[madmax]

18. Our Jewish friends have the right idea

A menorah and 8 candles. Good food and family.

No trees, reindeer, snowmen, elves, fat guys in red suits, and the b.s. that has nothing to do with religeon or if you're a Christian, Christ's birth.

[Frisbee]

49. Actually, I thought...

Frank Costanza had the right idea with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus">Festivus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS7-jcsB_WQ&feature=related

[unhappycamper]

15. When I was working, I always usta hit stores at their end-of-the-season sales.

I still have polo shirts with the tags on them. (I retired in 2002.)

I stay away from stores during this feeding frenzy.

[madmax]

20. After New Year's is the best time

to shop for everything. Especially winter clothes but, I find everything much cheaper - as good as the Black Friday sales.

Best part - no crazies and no crowds.

[sammytko]

19. Well, now its the younger generations turn to "shop"

I used to do more shopping when I was younger, now only once a month. I can't really tell young people to stop doing something I used to love to do. They'll stop eventually. I do not know any out of control elderly shoppers.

[madmax]

22. Yes, they'll stop - eventually

when their credit is cut off and their in hock for their lungs. ;)

[Hannah Bell]

75. apparently you've never seen an episode of "hoarders".

i know several people over 60 who are compulsive shoppers, to the extent of making their homes uncomfortable to live in. some with second hand goods but same difference. they can't not shop, & they have too much crap to fit in their house.

[SoCalDem]

76. It's so sad to watch those shows.. It reminds me of my mother to some extent

she was a garage-sale-aholic.. When she finally got her "dream house", we could hardly wait to see it.. She had lived in the same house she inherited at age 32 when both parents had died.. It was her childhood home & nothing much. In her 50's she sold it & moved into a GREAT house with a fantastic pool & cabana..

When we came to visit, imagine my shock when she took us downstairs to see the great bar.rec-room.. what greeted us at the bottom of the steps?

A full sized suit of armor..with a 7 ft long lance..

why? It only cost her $50 at a garage sale:rofl:

That house had 5 bedrooms, a 4 car garage..it had to be about 4K sq ft.. and she was a single person..too old to care for it..


She had the super jumbo projection tv (garage sale again) and there was only one "sweet spot" in the room where you could see the picture well..but it was a bargain.,.

Her Macaw/parrot "Cooter" had his own room (he was also a garage sale find..)

The Moluccan Cockatoo that bit everyone, and screeched all day long had a zoo-sized enclosure in the living room, and he flicked god-knows-what all over people when they sat at the dining table. ..

She had 3 fur coats..none fit her..
she had golf clubs..the closest she ever came to a golf course was when she drove by it on the way home..

It is a sickness..

[Hannah Bell]

82. i agree. i have people like that in my family. i was asked to clean out a house once to "help".

big mistake. it wound up putting a wedge between me & that person.

[madmax]

21. Thanks SoCalDem -

With this thread you gave me a chance to vent. My DIL is all caught up in the holiday frenzy and they don't have the money and I'm not The First Savings and Loan either. :mad:

Calm down, max - just say NO!!

[SoCalDem]

24. Years ago, we stopped the gift stuff..

It ended up being "swapping gift cards" & I said.. ENOUGH..

We all have pretty much everything we need, and now that they are grown up, I have NO idea what they like anymore..

I do send them all a gigantic container of pistachios from Costco..and a big batch of Chex Mix (when I get around to making it..sometimes it's in March :rofl:..)
and cookies I make from scratch..

I'll send them a book if I find one that catches my fancy..

but no more gifts..

I remind them that the more crap they send us, the more crap they will have to sort through when we are gone:)

[madmax]

25. Good one! I'll have to use that. nt lol

[Motown_Johnny]

26. the trend can be exploited

I go shopping on December 26th every year. I tend to buy new winter coats, jackets, hats, gloves, boots etc.


When the stores already have things marked down and then put an extra 20% off on top of that on everything in the store I go and buy the things I know I need most.

I am also in the market for a new computer this season but I will be waiting for a good sale and/or some in store coupon where you get more off if your purchase is of high enough value (take another 15% of any purchase over $300.00 type of thing). I am also not opposed to buying the computer and it's monitor separately if that saves me some money too.

We won't change society's shopping habits. We, as a whole, have been conditioned to respond to specific stimuli and there is no concerted attempt to break that conditioning. The best we can do is to not follow the crowds and to look for small ways to enhance our lives and the lives of those around us.

[SoCalDem]

29. I wait until January...

or lately, I shop online . www.Boscovs.com had some wonderful sales after Xmas..& free shipping too:)

[CoffeeCat]

90. Absolutely, I exploit like there's no tomorrow...

I've become really frugal in many, many ways. We pay cash for used cars, I use coupons and we are on a budget.

Like you said, "the trend can be exploited." Stores incentivize people to shop at their stores, especially on Black Friday. I wrote
an earlier post about a local, upscale department stores that puts a "$10 off any $10 or more purchase" coupon in our local newspaper.
I purchased 30 newspapers and had 30 of these coupons.

I shopped the clearance racks and bought clothes for my children--and also some much-needed household items like bed pillows. With the $10
coupons, I got Ralph Lauren bed pillows for $1.06 each. They are amazing and so comfy to sleep on!

I spent $106 total--and I got 11 pairs of jeans for my two girls, seven sweaters/shirts and a few sweaters for myself. All of the
clothes were name-brand. I could care less what name is on the tag, but I ended up paying a few dollars for each item.

Combining those $10 coupons with the clearance price worked like a charm. I have purchased most of my kids' clothes this way
for the past 7 years. We totalled up the purchased, and the retail value was more than $600.

You can work the system.

[pinto]

28. Kick

:kick:

[treestar]

30. I'm not much of a shopper

Never cared for it and buy just what I absolutely need, probably at higher prices than I should.

However, complaining about consumerism while complaining about high unemployment is inconsistent to me, and I bet you're not OK with high unemployment. Somebody has to be buying something or people don't have jobs.

[SoCalDem]

32. When we used to be an exporting nation, we had a balance

but now that we are an importing nation, our service economy is a bust.. We cannot remain a "great" nation when all we have to offer is one low wage service employee "servicing" another low wage employee.. It's a race to the bottom..

[treestar]

34. We're still the number one manufacturer though

And we are the biggest market. That's how other countries see such opportunity.

[quakerboy]

47. manufacturer of what?

[some guy]

63. I think bombs, mostly.

We make a lot of bombs, and missiles and such.

That's a great field to be in - "use 'em once and then replace 'em" items.

And if we have any extras, we can sell them to other countries, and let them blow up their enemies.

[quakerboy]

77. I heard that

that we couldn't even make missiles anymore without importing parts from china. I don't know if that is actually true, but it sure sounds plausible.

[trud]

93. there's a steady state

which is people buy what they need, what they need is produced. Somehow the US thinks it has to constantly expand (why the heck isn't the inflation target 0 instead of positive), when the fact is the planet has finite resources.

We need fewer people on the planet buying less and with decent jobs and healthcare at a decent price. No hundred million dollar a year salaries for parasites.

[SoCalDem]

98. The corporatists deplore stasis

Expansion, for expansion's sake, is all they want..all the time..forever..

I think we never came to terms with one word.. "enough".

[tinkerbell41]

31. Great post!

This will be my 3rd yr where I won't be buying anything except for my daughter. And the items will be coming from a wildlife rehab place she volunteers at. I was sad about this the first year, last year it was a relief, and this year I am fine with it.
I find things to do with my immediate family all during the season, Owl walks, Zoo lights(free passes) sledding, ice skating, etc.. That is my gift. I love you I want to spend time with you, I'm just broke!!!

[FedUpWithIt All]

33. Really fantastic post. Kicked and rec'd

:hi:

[Catherina]

35. Rec'd n/t

[NYC_SKP]

36. Stellar Post. Correct on every point.

Kick, Rec.

Happy Holiday!

www.storyofstuff.com

[CrispyQ]

38. When my mother was alive, every year she would ask me to provide a list

of things my husband & I would like. I would comply. Becasue she was on a limited income, I would provide a list with items that were $10-$25. Every year we would open the gifts she bought & never were there any of the items from our list, but rather things she thought we would like. All of it ended up in the thrift store box the following spring. What a waste - of time & money. I used to tell her - just get us a gift card to a bookstore - we would LOVE that. "That's not any fun!" she would reply.

[ProudDad]

39. I still have a couple of those old "durable goods"...

I inherited them from my grandmother...

They still work...

And they were ANATHEMA to the GDP -- the only recognized measure of USAmerican "prosperity" and "success"...

Follow the money...

[SoCalDem]

53. I still use my grandmother's pressure cooker.. I think she bought it in 1940-something

A few years ago, I needed to replace the rubber gasket-ring-thing & the only place I used to be able to find them ( a vacuum cleaner repair place) had gone belly-up.. I did some online searching & found a place to call.. When I read the numbers off the bottom of the pot, the lady on the line started laughing..

"Honey, that pressure cooker has not even been made since 1953...time for a new one".. But then she started flipping pages in a book she had & she found just what I needed..

[Odin2005]

41. There are posters here that push the "if you are against Consumerism you hate workers" BS, sadly.

I was lambasted yesterday by a poster for decrying consumerism since it "creates jobs". When an economy requires wastefulness in order to create the demand to keep wages and employment up then the system is destined to go off a cliff eventually, and it just did 2 years ago.

I am by nature a frugal person and I don't have much money, yet I am probably happier than the guy will a $300,000 salary and decadent lifestyle. Why? Because I am free of the consumerist delusion that you can buy TRUE happiness.

Speaking of durable goods, I just bought a new pair of New Balance shoes to replace my old ones, 6 years old, which got a hole in them. $55 for a pair of shoes that last 6 years is pretty damn good.

[scarletwoman]

44. Thank you for a wonderful post! I remember those days when stores were closed on Sunday.

I never was a "shopper" -- always hated shopping (I'm a bit agoraphobic).

I've made do with mostly second-hand stuff for my whole life, and I'll only go out and buy something if I have to replace some item that I need that can't be repaired.

I was raised by parents who grew up during the Great Depression, frugality was one of our core family values. I never wanted stuff just for the sake of having stuff.

Consumerism is the trap that allowed predatory capitalism to take over our country.

sw

[quakerboy]

46. This year I have kinda gotten into shopping

We are not buying any Christmas gifts. But I indulge my "find a deal" urge in buying food. Nothing beats finding a way to get a box of cheerios for $.75, and then knowing its going to the food bank, and because you found that deal, you can still afford to get more for them.

[krabigirl]

48. K & R. Great post.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

50. I'm still out of work (since Jan. of this year), and my sisters and I are all

short on cash this year. My older sister lost her husband unexpectedly two years ago, and has a nine year old daughter.

For Chanukah, we usually spend...maximum....$25 each on each other. This year, we're just giving something to our niece (max. amount: $10). We're not exchanging with each other. We're also going to give a gift certificate to our parents to their favorite restaurant ($75, so split three ways, that's $25).

I'm going to a networking event later next month. It's free to get in, but they always have a sponsor. This time, it's Toys for Tots, so I'll buy a small toy for a child who may not get a gift otherwise.

My husband isn't Jewish, so if we do exchange presents, we have made it a tradition to do so on New Year's Eve. It gives us extra time to do shopping and it gives us something to look forward to. Not sure if we'll be exchanging this year (depends if unemployment benefits get extended...OR I get a job by the end of the year. Frankly, that will be the best Chanukah gift!).

I never have gotten why people would choose to spend the night waiting for stores to open up on Black Friday. Seems pretty fucking stupid to me. Let's freeze our asses off, stand in line and possibly get trampled!! Oh, and don't forget fighting for a parking space. No thank you.

How about spending time with people you love and enjoy (whether that be family, friends, pets, etc.)? Isn't that what the holidays are supposed to be about?

Btw, I liked the post about giving home made pies as gifts. Sounds wonderful!

[marmar]

51. Yep. I've gotten over my addiction to buying pointless shit.

Escaping the dreariness of consumerism is a good thing.

[SoCalDem]

56. How much "stuff" is too much?

I think people forgot how little we actually "need"..

When I am out with my friend or a kid of mine & they see something they like, I'll just pay for it & say "Happy Birthday".. That way I know it's something the need/want and I don't have to guess or even wrap it :)..their birthday may be months away:)

[Lorien]

66. Me too. Not watching TV anymore has helped with that

now I'm in the process of downsizing; selling stuff on eBay and giving away what doesn't sell to those who can use it. I loathe shopping for anything other than books (and most of those I borrow from the library, but I buy the ones that are written by or about my friends). Honestly; just about everything for sale today breaks, wears out or is obsolete in six months. I have sweaters and shirts from the 80's that are in better shape than stuff I bought last year, and my 1940's blender and oven are still going strong while the toaster oven gets replaced every five years or so. x(

[SoCalDem]

74. Coffeemakers.. can we TALK??

%$#@!!((&&^%#

I wish I had just spent the damned money on a commercial one years ago.. I have wasted SO much money buying them and then junking them in months:grr:

[canoeist52]

52. We just treat Christmas like "Thanksgiving -Part II"

Celebrate family time. I Told my family the greatest gift they could give us was to be solvent.

[Pacifist Patriot]

54. K & R

You're my kind of people. :-)

[Raine]

59. TOTALLY on point!

:thumbsup: That's the America I remember and it's very sad what it's come to. :-(

[Swampguana]

61. No wonder corporations are doing so well.

Shop local! Support small businesses! I don't make much but thats what I do.

[SoCalDem]

64. We do too, but they are going away faster & faster

We used to buy our appliances & furniture at at place called R J Furniture.. They had been in business since the 60's. They would deliver free, haul away your old stuff and do it any day-time you wanted.. Their prices were a bit more, but you got service and they were always eager to order something for you if you wanted a different upholstery.. They also had a "top floor" with all kinds of bargains..( stuff that had a few scratches..or were floor models)

Then the Dad got Parkinson's and none of his kids wanted the store.. It's gone now..

That was our last Mom & Pop furniture store..

[Swampguana]

71. I'm sorry to hear that sounds like an amazing store

Too bad no one could have taken over their business. I try and shop at anywhere that isn't a chain store. It may be more expensive but worth it overall, but it's getting harder and harder for these businesses to compete with places like Wal-mart, Target and Cosco. I also try to buy things made in either US or Canada or fair trade. I wish things weren't going the direction they are.

[Lorien]

62. ....

[Blecht]

65. The question has changed

It used to be, "Can I afford this?"

Now it is, "Can I get approved?"

[nevergiveup]

69. You nailed it !

One of the best posts of 2010.

[arikara]

70. One exception to shopping however

is for books. I don't know how true this is, but an author I know said she was told that real books will be a thing of the past by 2015, everything will be e-books format. So just in case thats true I'm not hesitating to buy books that I want or to give as gifts.

She did say that used book stores will be doing well when that happens though. I'm not looking forward to the change, it means buying more crap technology if I want to feed my habit.

[SoCalDem]

72. I bought 6 books & one special order puzzle

Each son gets two books..hardback

The special order puzzle set me back $50, but it's a streetmap puzzle with their house highlighted:)

the books:)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61RRCtkLxZL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA160_.jpg

and

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Z3XNXTcHL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg

[knitter4democracy]

78. I refuse to use an e-book of any kind.

I don't like audiobooks, and I hate e-books. I don't care how interactive they are, and I don't care how neat they look. My eyes can only read a screen for so long but can read a page for hours longer (with occasional breaks for each, of course). I need my books, and I refuse to join this new stage in development.

[Incitatus]

80. dupe

[Incitatus]

81. I don't believe that at all..

While ebooks will become more popular, paper books have so many advantages over them that the idea of them becoming obsolete in only 4 years is absurd.

[arikara]

84. It seems rather unlikely to me too

but she's not the sort to make things up and I'm just reporting what I was told. She is ordering and buying books constantly.

[Hannah Bell]

83. by 2015? doubtful. contrary to the hype, more real books are still sold than ebooks.

[proud2BlibKansan]

79. Yes! I remember those days.

When I was a kid, we got one present at Christmas and were thrilled. When my mom died and we were cleaning out her house, my sister and I found our sleds in the attic of the garage. We started crying. Our kids came out and asked what was wrong and we told them how special the year was when we got those sleds. When you only get one thing, you remember. Another year we got skates. I can still remember what fun we had in the basement skating during that Christmas vacation. It was too cold to skate outside but we wore rings on that basement floor. But what I enjoyed more than presents was going over to my grandma's and spending the day cooking and eating. That was all the gift I wanted. I had a favorite uncle who I saw only a couple times a year. And he was always there at Christmas. I spent weeks looking forward to seeing him every year. And being with my grandma. That was so much more special than presents.

We stopped putting up a tree here at our house several years ago. One year no one had the time to get all the stuff out and set it all up so we just bagged it. It was the best Christmas ever. I love it. The holidays are so much more relaxing without the hussle bussle of decorating and shopping.

We also started a tradition of taking a trip at Christmas. We ask the kids where they want to go and we go. Last year we took them to Vegas and they just loved it. It's also cheaper than buying all the junk we used to buy them.

My husband and I were saying just the other day that as we get older, we find ourselves returning to the simple ways of celebrating holidays like we did as children. And we both love it.

[Dystopian]

85. Thank you...

A beautiful post.... brought me back in time.. treasured memories.


peace~

[stopbush]

86. Somewhere between your nostalgia for a past that probably wasn't and a present that isn't

lies the truth.

Yes, I know that there are people who line up for Black Friday. I don't know any of them, but I see them on TV. What I assume is that this is the same rabble that would be doing something else that was just as unproductive if Black Friday didn't exist, just as they did in the past before Black Friday came around. These are the same people who lined up overnight in the parking lot when they opened a Chick-fil-A in my neighborhood. People camped out in tents to be the first in line to get a free Chicken sandwich. I'm sure they spent more $ in coffee and snacks than the sandwich was worth. They do it because they want "the experience" of doing it. They're the people who tailgate at athletic events. The rest of us waited until midday to get our free sandwich (at which point they were handing out two and three sandwiches to a customer).

What I'm saying is that it isn't the one-time shop owner who has lost his business that had been turned into a Black Friday fan. It's the herd mentality people we've had with us forever.

And why even go to a store? This will be the third Xmas in a row that I have purchased almost everything for everybody by shopping online. No lines, no BS and prices that compare favorably to what many of the stores are offering. Malls and superstores are going the way of the mom-n-pop stores. Internet shopping is the wave of the future.

A few years from now I fully expect to read a post on DU bewailing how we've become a nation of online shoppers; how this is serving to isolate us from each other; how a nation of communal shoppers has been turned into a nation of reclusive consumers; and how we've lost the wonderful experiences of the past, when people would gather by the hundreds to invade a store at 4am, all preceded by a few hours of sharing our favorite shopping stories with complete strangers.

Ah, those were the days!

[bessie]

88. Grinches

Own a computer? Pay for the hookup? Yet you can't afford anything for any holiday for your relatives? I'm having some trouble with that one. Children especially love the attention & the special recognition of who they are etc. Truth be said, everyone is still a child at heart. So you hate shopping - go online and order something. How difficult is that? And for the guy who wears shoes that are 10 years old, you must have dynamo arches. Most of us mere mortals understand the real pain of aging sagging arches. I'm really thankful that I came from a family that loved life & presents & celebrations & giving. They are mostly gone now but the memories endure & I especially honor my Mother's legacy as her family never thought it was important to give her a birthday party or much of anything for Christmas. There's a fine line here between shopping frenzy & just the simple joy of generosity & giving.

[kaffy4x4]

89. this year and years to come

my shopping for the holidays will boil down to 3 gifts and homemade.

[trud]

92. Not everyone is nuts

Some of us still live the old way.