A Comment about Consumers these days

[RICHARD]

Bite me!

Us "old folks" remember the time when we paid cash for our purchases?

If you didn't have cash, you could not afford it.

T.V. that came from an antenna?

No microwave ovens?

Gas for 25 cents a gallon?

A phone call was 10 cents from a booth?

Drive in movies?

Home cooked meals?

Afternoon Newspapers for info?

Milk delivered to your home?

Cloth diapers?

AM radio?

Clothes without labels?

Non-Organic food?

It's not the government to blame-It's our own selfish desire to make our lives simpler.

We kneel before everything that we believe will make life simpler.

It's keeping up with the Jones-our thought that what we own and have make us more 'better' than the rest of the planet.

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Faster, easier!
30 minute meals! GPS! Text messaging! On line shopping! Ebay!

When the 'lights' go out see how impotent we are!

UGH! The thought of having to interact with people!

Us 'old people' will survive longer than the AHs who depend on electricity and tech in our lives.

LOL,
I have a manual can opener and plan to use it when the end of the world comes. God forbid I starve -I can open a can of raviolis when I get hungry.

Luddites Unite!

[moosmom]

Amen Richard!!!!!!

[Catty1]

One of the main characteristics of an addict is the "I want it when I want it and I want it NOW."

In a way, all North American society has become an addict.

Let's slow down:

1. No 'instant' anything - mashed taters, puddings, Pop-Tarts (ecch!)

2. No processed foods - cheese, etc

3. I do frozen veggies - but get better results with fresh-cut.

4. The basic foods - protein, veggies, fruits and healthy starches.

5. Do without until you have a grocery list long enough to warrant a trip to the store. Splurge on reusable shopping bags and/or a plastic shopping bin. (Plastic can be recycled).

It's funny - when I buy groceries and it is all healthy basics - I am surprised at how reasonable my bill is. I think it is the junk and processed stuff that really adds up.

Anyone else have ideas on how to slow parts of our lives down?

[shais_mom]

One of the main characteristics of an addict is the "I want it when I want it and I want it NOW."

In a way, all North American society has become an addict.

Let's slow down:

1. No 'instant' anything - mashed taters, puddings, Pop-Tarts (ecch!)

2. No processed foods - cheese, etc

3. I do frozen veggies - but get better results with fresh-cut.

4. The basic foods - protein, veggies, fruits and healthy starches.

5. Do without until you have a grocery list long enough to warrant a trip to the store. Splurge on reusable shopping bags and/or a plastic shopping bin. (Plastic can be recycled).

It's funny - when I buy groceries and it is all healthy basics - I am surprised at how reasonable my bill is. I think it is the junk and processed stuff that really adds up.

Anyone else have ideas on how to slow parts of our lives down?

shut off the computer and read a book
how "novel" an idea...

live without Cheese? I. Don't. Think. So.

[RICHARD]

shut off the computer and read a book
how "novel" an idea...

live without Cheese? I. Don't. Think. So.

Watch out, that stuff will bind you!

Dang, I was having fun until........

[Catty1]

LOL, Staci! I meant eat REAL cheese, not the processed crap! LOL

I think this is where the almost-tired expression 'footprint' comes in. I am not going to live without my electricity either. I do read, and use a lamp to help (compact fluorescent). My computer and peripherals are on a power bar - and turning that bar off after pooter is shut down has made a difference in my power bill, and hence consumption.

My goal is to spend less energy and money than is created for me. There are various charts out there to "measure" that, but none of them are really finite.

The old "need vs want" dilemma? I heard a great new version of that - DESIRE vs want. If it is something I truly desire, that adds a value - and it is not an impulse buy.

Our own national broadcaster, CBC, has come up with OMAOG - One Million Acts of Green. Anyone can post - here's the link: http://green.cbc.ca/

Some background and stats: http://www.blogto.com/environment/20...acts_of_green/

Gee - what do you think of having and Acts of Green sticky in General?

[lizbud]

The concept of buying on layaway plan has resurfaced in Indy. Many people have stopped charging things & I think it's great. My Mom used
layaway to buy most everything but food back when I grew up.

[ramanth]

The local K-Marts are pushing layaway very heavily.

The concept of buying on layaway plan has resurfaced in Indy. Many people have stopped charging things & I think it's great. My Mom used
layaway to buy most everything but food back when I grew up.

[RICHARD]

I am not going to live without my electricity either. I do read, and use a lamp to help (compact fluorescent).

LOL, I should have been more succinct! I was thinking about the people who cannot live with out their PDA/cells and feel like the are entitled to plug in a charger everywhere they go.

"My cell is almost dead, can charge it up here?"
Or they go to a public place that has a plug for the janitors to use. I laugh when I see a person squatting next to a plug using their phones for free.
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What I meant by the "lights going out" was that when the electricity goes out-people who are accustomed to 'everything' electric in their lives will panic.

Not me, I gots my propane camping light and me books!

[caseysmom]

LOL, I should have been more succinct! I was thinking about the people who cannot live with out their PDA/cells and feel like the are entitled to plug in a charger everywhere they go.

"My cell is almost dead, can charge it up here?"
Or they go to a public place that has a plug for the janitors to use. I laugh when I see a person squatting next to a plug using their phones for free.
-------------------
What I meant by the "lights going out" was that when the electricity goes out-people who are accustomed to 'everything' electric in their lives will panic.

Not me, I gots my propane camping light and me books!

Hope you don't use that in the house!

[zippy-kat]

LOL, Staci! I meant eat REAL cheese, not the processed crap! LOL

If it doesn't come individually wrapped and in a square, it's not REAL cheese!

[Edwina's Secretary]

Us 'old people' will survive longer than the AHs who depend on electricity and tech in our lives.

So what are you using to generate the non-tech computer you are using? AH's?

A nostalgic look back at how things were must include...limited opportunity for women and minorities, segregated schools, lack of knowledge about what constituted healthy and not healthy foods, far less medical advances, dangerous food additives and lots of other not so good things.

With the good comes the bad.

(For the record, I am older than R and the only debt I have is my home.)

I agree that as a society, overspending is a problem. It is extremely apparent in the area where I live.

I just don't think we should throw the baby out with the bath water!

I like my computer. I like the convenience of being able to order books, make reservations, research and learn on line. I like being able to make friends all over the world. I like voice mail. I like the microwave oven. I think a vacuum cleaner is much nicer than beating rugs and a clothes washer far better than a rock at the river.

Of course I could do without these things. But I would rather not.

It is a matter of whether we manage our things or let our things manage us.

[ChrisH]

A nostalgic look back at how things were must include...limited opportunity for women and minorities, segregated schools, lack of knowledge about what constituted healthy and not healthy foods, far less medical advances, dangerous food additives and lots of other not so good things.

With the good comes the bad.

I agree that as a society, overspending is a problem.

I just don't think we should throw the baby out with the bath water!

I like my computer. I like the convenience of being able to order books, make reservations, research and learn on line. I like being able to make friends all over the world. I like voice mail. I like the microwave oven. I think a vacuum cleaner is much nicer than beating rugs and a clothes washer far better than a rock at the river.

Of course I could do without these things. But I would rather not.

It is a matter of whether we manage our things or let our things manage us.

Well said, Sara.