What do you refuse to spend money on?

Tori_Scope

I just find stuff written in ink a bit easier to read I think @leeCal and, however strange it sounds, I prefer the way it feels when writing on paper Re-using the paper is next level money saving! 

We had to use pencils in primary school until we got our 'pen license', and then we could use a Berol handwriting pen. 

Nothing wrong with that @MarkN88! Do you have any fancy or interesting ones? I have a fountain pen but I haven't used it in years.

MarkM88

@Tori_Scope I just like bright and colourful ones haha. 

Tori_Scope

Nothing wrong with that @MarkN88! I do have some coloured ones, but don't use them so much these days. 

Did you ever have smelly gel pens? They used to be all the rage. I can still smell some of them if I close my eyes and cast my mind back  

MarkM88

Tori_Scope said:

Nothing wrong with that @MarkN88! I do have some coloured ones, but don't use them so much these days. 

Did you ever have smelly gel pens? They used to be all the rage. I can still smell some of them if I close my eyes and cast my mind back  

I remember them yes, not sure if I ever had any though. 

OverlyAnxious

I'm guessing both of you had one of those thick pens with about 6 different colour inside?  

I'd forgotten about the pen licence! 

Tori_Scope

I inherited my brother's old ones @MarkN88. I remember the smell of the cinnamon, popcorn, and cola ones the best. 

Of course @OverlyAnxious I think I still have one somewhere! Hours of fun trying to press all of the levers down at the same time... How could you possibly forget about your pen license? Do you not have it framed?  

kes2611

I dont buy branded food,toilet rolls wtc.Only branded stuff i buy is diet coke.

MarkM88

kes2611 said:

I dont buy branded food,toilet rolls wtc.Only branded stuff i buy is diet coke.

Oooo Pepsi max for me..

I don’t buy - 

1. Newspapers or magazines, content is available online. 

2. I do a lot of shopping at LIDL, reduces the amount considerably. 

3. Clothes from charity shops, I’m not into brands or fashion. 

4. Printer paper & ink, stopped using them, I keep things digital and electronically. 

cartha

66Mustang said:

8<

Medicines - I don’t buy branded medicines. As long as they have the same active ingredients there is no reason to buy a branded medicine in my mind. (Maybe someone can correct me? I’m open to it!)

Clothes - I’m not into fashion so spend little on clothes and shoes. Only buy new shoes and clothes when my old ones have holes in them!

Over to you

I agree with both of those. I mostly buy clothes from charity shops because I can get nicer clothes for less money. Shoes I buy new. My current pair are cracked across the middle on the soles so I suppose I should stop complaining about wet socks when it rains an start wearing out another pair.

I avoid spending on large companies as much as possible and in favour of local companies and companies that people I know are linked to in some way. I also won't pay through Google, Apple or Patreon for anyone I want to support because those companies take away far too much commission which makes the little man really struggle to get off the ground. I would rather buy goods directly from the people I support, such as a few small music artists I like, I buy their CD's, and I have bought books direct from authors which usually contain a personal message, too. I don't mind a middle"man" but I don't like a greedy one.

I won't spend money to buy something I can't have and hold. I'm not talking about subscriptions and rentals but buying things to own, a movie, game, or music. I have been stung too many times, now. If I buy a any of these items I want my own copy in a standard format which will work on all my devices without having to check back with the retailer all the time to make sure it is a legal copy. I still prefer CD's and DVD's because they come with a nice cover with a but of information and are something I can feel like I own.

People used to call me an Apple "fan boy" because I owned so much Apple kit. I will no longer spend a penny with Apple after experiencing a lot of problems with more recent hardware, and Apple lying through their teeth about known problems they wanted to charge a fortune for looking at when the items should have really been recalled. They have since admitted the faults publicly but it's years after customers were experiencing the problems so it's no help to anyone now. Maybe one day they will do the right thing again and I will be able to experience their wonderful software again.

If I had the choice I would refuse to spend money on certain taxes but the free accommodation offered if I were to do that really doesn't appeal to me ;-)

That's about all I can think of, and I think my list is long enough now!

cartha

Tori_Scope said:

8<
We had to use pencils in primary school until we got our 'pen license', and then we could use a Berol handwriting pen. 

What is a "pen licence"?

cartha

SheffieldBloke1976 said:

Haircuts, seeing as I refuse on principle to spend more than about 4 quid on one and during lockdown Mum's been doing it. Also the few times I go to the Pub, I refuse on principle to pay more than about 3 quid a Pint, even at Town prices.

Haircuts are another one for me. My brother is a hairdresser and took over from my mother doing my hair when he started qualifying. After he moved to Australia I ended up cutting my own hair for £9.99 for a set of cutters from Tesco that are still going strong about twenty years later. I guess that works out to pennies per hair cut :-)  I used to cut my daughter's hair for as long as she would let me. She's fourteen now and sometimes does her own fringe trimming but it's £10+ at the hairdressers outside that! No more children's rates.

cartha

lisathomas50 said:

@leeCal when I was in school we wrote with pencil  and used an ink pot and a nib to write withe in tests or things like that ?

I used a hammer a chisel at school.

But I did use a ball point pen in all the non wood working classes ;-)  I only remember using pencils for drawing and wood work. Someone gave me a Papermate pen when I went to college and I still have it. It's still my favourite pen, though it isn't fancy looking nor my favourite colour but I love the feel of it when writing.

ChrisW

I refuse to spend money at MacDonalds, never even been in one in the UK.
Only been to one in America because it's an American thing.
Same as paella is Spanish, frogs legs are French etc.
But nothing tastes the same, like the Americans can't make English tea or fish and chips like we do.

cartha

ChrisW said:

I refuse to spend money at MacDonalds, never even been in one in the UK.
Only been to one in America because it's an American thing.
Same as paella is Spanish, frogs legs are French etc.
But nothing tastes the same, like the Americans can't make English tea or fish and chips like we do.

I don't see the attraction to Macdonalds, I get far better burgers in the local independent shops. I last ate Macdonalds in 2000 but only because I was on a road trip and I was outvoted about where to stop. I didn't have to pay for it but it reminded me of flavoured cardboard. I don't think I have ever spent my own money in a Macdonalds. I agreee that food is usually better in the country it's from but there's really no reason to not make it as good in UK. I grew up with Nandos in RSA and loved it but was very disappointed with the UK version. Chinese food is often weird here, too. Indian food I find OK. Fish and chips from a good shop is great in UK but it was pretty disgusting in RSA where I tried it. I loved KFC in RSA but have never enjoyed it in UK. I don't know why they change a good formula often when selling it in another country.

I had frog's legs in Belgium. I assume they are similar to France. Not something I would buy again but I can at least say I have tried them. I would rather have chicken legs cooked with the same sauce :-)

66Mustang

I had a burger from a burger van for the first time when I was 20 and it was the nicest burger I had ever had, nicer than a £5 Big Mac or £7 Subway (I know that’s not burgers but you get what I mean) and it cost like £1.30 so I will always go to a decent burger van now. People say to avoid burger vans but I have never had a problem with the food or hygiene from them and they always seem really friendly as well.

Marble

BBC Licence don't pay it cancelled it best thing l ever did. 

cartha

@66Mustang Burger vans have to follow the same hygiene rules as any other food outlet. I've never had a problem from a burger van, and it supports the locals. No franchise fees or prime location rent for them to pay out.