I tend to save things rather than use them. I think it started in high school with clothes. I would save a shirt for a date before I would wear it to school.
Hand lotion.
The shampoo-conditioner-soap sets from hotel rooms. I mean, if you used one of those things, the set was ruined.
Notebooks. Journals. Highlighters.
The nice china and silver.
The fine italian bibs my husband and I bought in Italy on our honeymoon. A few weeks ago IÂ found those in a drawer. Being saved.
Are you a user or a saver?
~
Saver.
Ha : )
SAVER !!!
Helena, I wasn’t sure which way you would go on this : )
Saver–and so nice to know I’m not alone!
Anne, it’s so nice to know you.
Saver — until now, when I’m all for using it up…or throwing it out!
Nina, I stopped wanting to be a saver years ago, but it’s still an impulse I have to fight against, like why am I saving the individually wrapped hand sanitizers? I bought them to USE!
And yet another as a saver and always have been. 😉
Karen
I kind of thought you might be, Karen : )
I’m a user, for the most part, when I can. I often forget things I have that I would use if they were more “in my face” 🙂 I have a lot of “stock” of stuff with intention of using them, but they’re not being saved with the thought that I don’t want to disturb or mar them in some way. This immediately brings to mind something Leo Buscaglia (love and miss him!) said, basically making the point of not waiting to enjoy your china only with company, but even on ordinary days. I agree with him wholeheartedly. Trouble is, since I moved back in with my parents 20+ years ago, my china moved to the attic : / BUT—this mentality is one I embrace when I can 🙂 Life’s too short, I think.
I would have said saver for you, Donna! You surprised me. Good for you. No time like the present.
Well, it’s not that I don’t save anything, my dear, so don’t be too surprised! I save certain things “just in case” and I do like to have back-ups, but typically, I like to use things or at least my intentions are to use. Stuff like ketchup packs and things DO build up though! lol So I guess that would fall under the “saver” part of me 🙂
oh my lord, the packs of ketchup–lol
…and duck and soy sauce. One time I actually brought a lunch bag filled with them back to my local Chinese restaurant! lol
and I have returned coat hangers to the cleaners–omg
I’m tellin’ ya—there’s some kind of genes/ancestry thing going on. Of course, that could go as far back as Eve! lol 😉
User. Except for my clothes and kids clothes -for those I’m a saver. 🙂
Ha, I know : )
User. Love to choose and buy a beautiful thing and use it. My frugal mom was alarmed by the cost of some things I would choose for my home when I was first decorating it when I was young. It made me happy when she said to me one day when I was in my 40s, “I finally understand: You buy a quality thing and use it forever.” Beautiful objects make me happy, and using them makes me happier. I like things streamlined but in rotation. If I can, I buy from a local artist for everything from a side table to a jacket. I know which of my nieces and nephew I will pass things on to so they will go on being used. Beautiful stationary and cards are difficult to part with, but I always find something yet more beautiful later. BTW, I bring home hotel products, so I get the joy of appreciating the cunning packaged sets, but then I give them to my local homeless shelter.
Nice, Katherine. I loved the photo of your new socks. Nice idea about donating the hotel shampoo sets to a shelter. Notecards are hard too. I wish I didn’t have so much trouble parting with things…
Oh wow. I used to do the same exact thing–wouldn’t wear “new” clothes because then they wouldn’t be new anymore, for instance. I like to think it’s a a strange sort of frugality, which can be positive, but then again…do we want to be people who keep waiting for life to happen instead of grabbing it completely? I still struggle with it (the clothes and the existential question!), and it was neat to see you say something similar Am so loving these true things, Cynthia! Your little windows into yourself are reflecting back on us!
Leah, nice to hear from you here. And I agree–a strange frugality. And no, we don’t want to be people who keep waiting for life to happen. We want to grab it and wear it! Thanks for your support and especially your last sentence–I will treasure that.
I love, love your voice. It’s so quiet and thoughtful to me–when I see your posts pop up it’s like an excuse to take a break for a bit (Catching Days as mental retreat!) and just be still. Hopefully that doesn’t sound too sappy, but let’s just say that you have a gift, and I am terribly thankful to be a witness to it.
Thanks so much, Leah. I appreciate it.
Saver. A thousand times a saver. How do we make it stop??
LOL!