new consumer habits.

[59Lark]

We run a small store, and everyone keeps telling us the econony is bad, and recession etc. We are however busy , we fix and sell sewing machines and suddenly all these folks that have been throwing out clothing or taking it to a seamstress, are dragging out their old sewing machines and getting them fixed, am very busy right now and the local shoemaker is busy as well. IS this not a sign, of the state of affairs. We spoke to bike shop that survived the 1930s and they said we did a lot of repairs. We are also finding sales of good old sewing machines, versus buying new junk at wally mart. I find myself going to a lot of flea markets and thrift stores. just thought that i would put this thought out there. 59Lark.fftopic:

 

[Miss RM]

It makes me *really* happy to think that people are finally waking up again and fixing their old stuff, rather than considering everything disposable!

 

[Foofoogal]

I am hoping some of the old time mom and pop stores come back when all the chains are gone.

 

[Bill Taylor]

A day or two ago on the TV news, there was a report that trash (waste) collection nationally is down about 30 per cent from last year and the downward trend is expected to continue at a greater rate. It seems people have stopped throwing things away, but are having them repaired, or at least not just tossing them. Also, people seem to be saving packaging materials and such. I'm pretty bad (or good) about saving "things", but no comparison to my mother. She saved EVERYTHING!

I suspect we will see a large resurgence of repair and related businesses. However, I hope these people stay out of the thrift shops and junk stores. It's hard enough to find good stuff as it is.

Bill Taylor

 

[Warbaby]

Those new consumer values are old hat for me - thrift shops, garage sales and auctions have supplied most of my material needs and I've been repairing things as long as I can remember.

 

[Foofoogal]

Use what you have on hand. I just saw the most ingenious fence the other day. Someone had taken the easy to get rocks here in Arkansas and used wire to make like about a 3 or 4 foot tall column to make a fence out of. Logs of some size were used to connect the columns. Quite nice looking and well done. Alot of work I am sure though.
Once upon a time we tore apart an old deck left on a piece of property we bought and used the board for furdown framing for our kitchen cabinets. The framing was behind sheetrock so who knew?

 

[LizzieMaine]

Those new consumer values are old hat for me - thrift shops, garage sales and auctions have supplied most of my material needs and I've been repairing things as long as I can remember.

Same here. It always makes me laugh to see wide-eyed articles about all these "revolutionary changes" that the bad economy is bringing to American life. None of those articles were ever written by anyone from Maine, where we grow up knowing there is nothing the least bit disreputable about dump-picking.

What I'd really like to see, though, is a real demand from the public for goods that *are* repairable. The idea that anyone would spend hundreds of dollars on something -- an appliance, a TV set, whatever -- that's only intended to last five years before you have to throw it away and replace it with a new one, strikes me as just, well, bone dumb stupid.

 

[Rachael]

I'm waiting for the new bumper sticker: "I was frugal when frugal wasn't cool"

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Same here. It always makes me laugh to see wide-eyed articles about all these "revolutionary changes" that the bad economy is bringing to American life. None of those articles were ever written by anyone from Maine, where we grow up knowing there is nothing the least bit disreputable about dump-picking.

Dumpster diving = antiques to stock Maine shops and flea markets. It's why we have so many stores!

I'm with you. Many of the "sacrifices" people talk about making, well it's just how I've always lived!

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Maine seed companies see surge in sales
Submitted By The Associated Press
Submitted on Monday, Mar. 16 at 10:15 am

WINSLOW -- Maine's seed companies say business is booming because of the tough economy and the growing interest in locally grown food...

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/newsupdate.php?updates/maine-seed-companies-see-surge-in-sales

 

[scotrace]

Maybe we can recycle old cooking fat to be used as wrinkle creams?







Having moved into a very small place, I'm taking recycling and using up more seriously. Having no place for garbage bags, I get plastic ones at the supermarket and use them for trash. They get taken out every day. Easy peasy and no need to spend money on bags to send to the dump anyway.

 

[Lefty]

Flea markets and antique stores are disappearing like crazy in Ohio. My wife and I have gone on long drives the last 2 weekends all around Northern Ohio and found that 2 of every 3 antique stores that we visited just last year were gone. These were neither junk shops nor snooty boutiques.

The stores that were still open all had the same tale of woe: "no one has the discretionary income that normally would buy our goods." We were looking for something to buy (hats, vintage clothes/jewelry), not that we have money to burn, but came home empty handed both weekends.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Flea markets and antique stores are disappearing like crazy in Ohio. My wife and I have gone on long drives the last 2 weekends all around Northern Ohio and found that 2 of every 3 antique stores that we visited just last year were gone. These were neither junk shops nor snooty boutiques.

The stores that were still open all had the same tale of woe: "no one has the discretionary income that normally would buy our goods." We were looking for something to buy (hats, vintage clothes/jewelry), not that we have money to burn, but came home empty handed both weekends.

Here antique shops are NOT faring so well, but flea markets are coming back!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Here antique shops are NOT faring so well, but flea markets are coming back!

Funny how that works -- when the unemployment rate hits ten percent, as it just has here, all the "Rare Antiques" turn back into "Second Hand Stuff 4 Sale Cheap." Sort of like Cinderella and her pumpkin at midnight.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Funny how that works -- when the unemployment rate hits ten percent, as it just has here, all the "Rare Antiques" turn back into "Second Hand Stuff 4 Sale Cheap." Sort of like Cinderella and her pumpkin at midnight.

lol lol lol lol lol

 

[Rachael]

I've always been a fan of "Second Hand Stuff 4 Sale Cheap."
Another amusing article was one extolling the virtues of store brand foods over name brand. turns out kids really can't tell the difference and sometimes the less expensive is the better product. we had a good chuckle about that at work. I don't think I had a 'name brand' product before the age of 15.

Next thing they'll tell us that it's possible to make a red sauce from tomatoes instead of buying it in a can.

 

[Lefty]

Here antique shops are NOT faring so well, but flea markets are coming back!

I guess it depends upon what you consider a flea market. The traditional lawn-chair-emptied-pick-up(or minivan)-stuff-on-a-blanket places are disappearing around here. The places selling new junk from wooden stalls seem to be on the rise.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I guess it depends upon what you consider a flea market. The traditional lawn-chair-emptied-pick-up(or minivan)-stuff-on-a-blanket places are disappearing around here. The places selling new junk from wooden stalls seem to be on the rise.

I mean the former only here it's picnic and folding tables.

 

[Lefty]

you snooty New Englanders and your fancy tables

 

[PrettySquareGal]

you snooty New Englanders and your fancy tables

lol