I'll start. I've been writing a list with different activities to do when I'm hanging out with friends/family relatives. Some of them do need the use of money to participate, but it may be worth the pay if you get something meaningful in exchange (skills, good entertainment, etc.) ( ACTIVITIES WITHOUT MONEY ) >hiking >taking long walks (on the beach, seafront, seashore, country, through the park, etc.) >going to the beach >playing a sport (soccer, basketball, volleyball/beachball, throwing a disc (?), dodgeball, etc.) >playing chess >playing cards >playing board games >going on a picnic >camping >taking photos (you can go out with your friends and improvise a photoshoot) >playing the guitar and singing outside >going to the public library >drawing (if you and your friends are artfags) >rollerblading >cycling ( ACTIVITIES THAT MAY NEED MONEY ) >taking courses about skills you want to improve (you may need to pay) >going to the theatre >going to concerts ( ACTIVITIES THAT NEED MONEY) >taking courses about skills you want to improve (you may need to pay) >going to concerts >going to the cinema >going to karaoke >bowling >ice-skating If any of you come up with other activities, it would be nice if you shared them.

>>7 Nice post anon. I've recently started bird watching. A lot of people use high-end equipment but you don't need to, I've only bought a 20€ pair of binoculars and I'm really happy with them, and a 5€ used book to help with bird identification. You're going to see different types of birds depending on whether you're in a park, in a forest, near a body of water, etc, and you can also see other type of animals like squirrels for example. It's so pleasant to go out in the morning for a walk in the park or in the cemetary and watch the birds there.

>>9 Samefag, but I'll add boxing. I realize not everyone can afford a club or boxing classes, but if you just want to box casually you don't need to join a class. If you want to do some sparring all you need is a sparring buddy and boxing gloves, and as weird as it may seem, boxing isn't necessarily violent, it entirely depends on how you and your sparring partner do it. You can focus on technique and making contact with your partner without using full-strength or even any strength if you feel like it. If you don't have a sparring partner you can even practice shadowboxing which is basically boxing against the air kek. I do join a weekly boxing class but sometimes when I'm at home I'll put on some music and shadowbox. All in all, boxing is a great sport IMO. There is potential for injury but like I said, it all depends on how you do it. Boxing is great for cardio, body coordination especially the lower body, self confidence, core strength...even just doing shadowboxing in your home is good.

>>10 To add on the previous posts, some other activities: >swimming in a closed pool when it's too cold outside (in my country there a lot of public indoor pools although I realize not everyone have that) >cooking at home with friends >going to the museum >going to the climbing gym

>>7 > playing chess I know I'm being a massive weeb but I've been learning shogi lately and it's so much more fun than chess

>>12 >swimming in a closed pool Sorry I meant an indoor pool. I'm retarded and ESL. >>13 No that sounds cool. We can add mahjong, backgammon, draughts, go, and all the other traditional board games.

I'm interested in fashion and want to look good. But the whole thing is set up to just make women buy and buy and buy. There is always something new, and each time I look up some youtuber or fashion blogger or browse a shop there is a new thing I am taught that I "need" despite being fine without it before. Seriously, this is a huge reason why so many women have shopping addictions. We are supposed to! A habit of mine is to browse shops when I'm bored. I really want to quit that habit this year because it just makes me buy more crap. At the same time I struggle to find a replacement for the behaviour. Anyone else in the same situation?

>>21 That's very relatable, anon, lmao. What's helped me most is staying off of IG cold turkey. Whenever I'm there, I end up sucked into a vortex of different fashionistas' content feeds, and all I get is a mix of admiration, envy and the thought that I *need* to buy the things they wear. It's extremely unhealthy, and I already have a clear enough idea of what I like to not need the "inspo" much. Also, I've recently taken a lot of interest in very specific, vintage branches of whatever fashion styles I like. One of the main points of that is hunting down rare pieces that brands don't put out anymore (if those brands even still exist). The scarcity makes it hard to be as much of a consumer, and you naturally end up valuing every possession more. It becomes more like collecting very specific items you like, and crafting a certain aesthetic, than falling into the "I need this new thing that's out to look good" rabbit hole. The more you refine your tastes, the harder it is to find what exactly you want, and you end up with a more discerning eye. Also, it's good to start "rewarding" yourself with clothes, rather than buying on impulse and desire alone.

>>22 Interesting advice! That definitely sounds wise. Another thing I have found helpful recently is that I looked up what exactly my body type is, and what is usually considered flattering for my type (hourglass). Most of the current trends like those boxy jackets just aren't flattering so can be ignored. So when you know it's easier to pick out clothing that work with your body and not against it.

>>21 Technically it's still buying, but you could replace online or fast fashion shops with thrifting or yard sales. For actually free, my library does a monthly women's clothes swap. You may have to organize your own, but basically everyone brings bags of clothes they don't wear, trade with each other, and anything left over gets donated. It's also a fun thing to do with other ladies instead of going shopping.

>>23 what've you found that is flattering for an hourglass? the issue with an hourglass is that if i'm not wearing tight clothes i look fat, so i always have to dress like a hoochie even though it's not me at all. wearing belted dresses is not a thing i'm interested in doing either.

>>29 Ugh, I've been trying to get my group of gfs to do this with me but nobody wants to! However, am so super proud to say that I've probably bought like 10 pieces of clothing from retailers over the past year and largely only thrift now. Occasionally I love to buy band merch or indie clothing labels (I follow a lot of horror shirt companies lol) I struggle with the desire to eat out a lot, though, do we consider this consumerism? Or is that more like objects, etc? I just fucking love food so much.

>>32 Craving and eating food is a basic human need, so I don't think it'd count much for consumerism. Maybe if you're buying those weird candy making kits or something since it's less about eating and more about plastic crap.

>>32 excuse my ignorance but what are 'horror shirts'?

>>34 As in movies, haha. Like movie merch.

>>31 There is plenty of advice online. You don't have to dress like a hoochie. Just avoid stuff that is boxy around the middle of you. https://www.stitchfix.com/women/blog/fashion-tips/how-to-dress-hourglass-shaped-body/

consumerism is something i learned to avoid and hate while growing up a poorfag. living frugal is all i know and it's saved me so much and helped me purchase things i actually need and would benefit me in the long run, such as a used car with high fuel efficiency and being able to pay it off in full. if i ever want to buy something, i sit on it for a couple days and ask myself if i still want it and I usually grow out of that want by then. also thrift shopping is my guilty pleasure and i tend to stick to going there when i want to find something, i tend to spend no more than $150 each year by sticking to thrifting, compared to shopping at retail stores. I'm also thankful for the internet, which has lots of free and "free" resources. pirating/emulating video games has saved me thousands of dollars, i mainly only spend money on the physical console or memory space. youtube is amazing for recipes, lessons, and entertainment. in response to OP's activities that need money, i usually pull up karaoke versions of songs on youtube during get togethers and we do that on the TV. i avoid movie theaters and prefer to just wait for a digital version of said movie i could find on a streaming website. also, avoid subscription services besides basic internet and phone service. i only subscribe to nintendo online and it's $35 for a family plan and i'm sharing with 4 other people so it comes out to $7 a year for me. i avoid subscription online games such as FF14 or WoW and for free-to-play games I tend to avoid the gacha aspect without spending real money. doing google opinion reward surveys can give you google credit that acts as real money if you reeeally want to participate in the smartphone gachas every once in a while. i can admit i do have a hobby that does require spending money to obtain the items, but as i said before, i stick to retail or buying secondhand. i think i have spent an average of $5 per month with my hobbies. for other non-internet based activities that don't require money. i go on walks, play with my cats, take photos, play musical instruments, draw... i see so many people LARPing as poor and hating materialistic things, but all i see them post on social media is name brand or brag about some highly acclaimed product or e-beg so they can indulge in some trendy thing at the moment.

I'm not American, but I notice this on-going trend in the West where in a lot of young millennials/Gen-Zs are now self-identifying as Marxists/Socialists. It's weird, cause they're the same types of people who buy the latest iPhones, worship celebrities and beauty culture, and doesn't seem to have an issue with commercialized sex. And everytime that gets called out, they use the "I'm just trying to survive under capitalism" card. I'm sure you have choices with what you consume in technology, and media. It's not exactly the same when we're talking about food, or shelter. Why is this a thing?

>>50 Some of these young people have contradictory beliefs and actions but I don't see the average young person saying this buying the latest phones or especially expensive designer clothing. If you're talking about people like Anna, Dasha, and their circle of failed socialites, that's a different story. They are complete hypocrites, but I feel like that's an issue with young people from upper middle class backgrounds from NYC, or that have moved to NYC, more than anything.

>>51 It's not just NYC, it's basically anybody who is middle class and up and identifying as a Marxist/Socialist. These two points overlap each other greatly. I have seen the same type of 'Surviving under capitalism' behavior from people I went to highschool with in a rural town hours away from Chicago. It is only when you realize these people fall under the middle class, the behavior starts to make sense. The one thing that baffles me is how hard they try to make themselves out to seem low income. I've witnessed these types e-begging more than anybody.

>>52 my theory is a lot of middle class people who don't know how to (or failed to) make use of the resources they were given resent people richer than them, and disguise their resentment in faux anti capitalism. They don't actually care about people dying as a result of not being able to afford medical help, they want to play with the expensive toys other people have. ironically this kind of entitlement is very middle class. not saying all people like this are middle class, but that's just what I noticed observing this kind of behavior.

>>53 yeah, that way of thinking definitely sounds familiar. like the same kinds of people obsessed with social media influence in general and see the internet as a "serious use only" medium.

>>53 my theory is a lot of people who weren't able to make use of the resources they were given resent people who were positioned to better exploit them, and disguise their inadequacy at the loss of their birthright in the politics of resentment. They don't actually care about people dying as a result, they want to prevent other people from prospering with what should have been theirs. >ironically this kind of entitlement is very middle class. Entitlement is a very middle class thing, because the middle class aspires to be something greater. Working class people are mostly satisfied with base pleasure and the scraps they receive from the largesse of their betters like the 8 hour working day. In other words, they know their place. Yet without a sense of entitlement, we never could have had a Labor Day. The rich are not entitled in the way middle class people are because they have had to fight their way up there or are otherwise intimately acquainted with the struggle to stay on top by virtue of family. Working class people aren't entitled enough; middle class people are slightly too entitled. To be middle class is to be profoundly insecure because you don't want to slip back with the poors but are insecure as long as you're still climbing the social mobility ladder to solidly lower upper class. >>54 Those are midwits.

>>55 >shitting on the lower class to uplift the middle class You could have just said what you had to say without the unneccessary insults, you know?

One thing I like to do when cutting down purchases is looking at how much I actually use stuff. I am a makeup user (kek, my problematic fav hobby) that started in my late teens when the influencer trend finally started taking off so I saw endless amounts of cool new shiny makeup products. Eventually when I did accumulate a decent amount of makeup, it turned me off buying more. I had my essential palettes that catered to certain looks, like a neutral smokey eye, super bright, colorful looks and that was that. I don't need multiple foundations, I don't need 5,000 lipglosses that look somewhat identical on me when I apply them, I only really need one mascara..etc. Same thing with shoes. On a day to day basis I wear mostly sneakers or flats, so why bother purchashing 5,000 pairs of heels that I almost never touch? I have very little utility for them. They are not supposed to be trophies sitting in my closet, I am supposed to wear them. For extra clothes and shoes that you don't need anymore I would recommend donating them or giving them to a second hand shop. At a certain point you should have realistic expectations for how you are actually going to use something that you want, and that helps cut down on consumerism for me.

>>56 Lmao where in the hell did you get anon shitting on the lower class? Did "They know their place" set you off? NTA but I'm literally a poorfag and the way I took it was how we are aware we cannot afford expensive or mundane things and we know these materialistic things don't matter to us so why even bother focusing on these materials. We're happier than the middle class because we create happiness from what we have. We can go to thrift stores and discover treasures for single digit amounts. If anything, this post is completely shitting on the middle class and I'm living for it because they don't get enough criticism for their entitled opinions. The middle class is rampant in modern activism and they hold the popular opinion. Treat Yo Self and Let People Have Nice Things are completely middle class mindsets that these people who LARP they are poor use to justify their entitlement to consumerism.

>>59 >We're happier than the middle class because we create happiness from what we have From someone who's family was poor then became middle class: stop romanticizing poverty its fucking shit and socks your soul dry, and stop stereotyping middle class people like they're in a reality show. Money does buy safety and happiness.

>>60 Thank you. I'm in the same position as you anon, was poor and am now middle class. It's exhausting. The mental toll it takes just knowing you can't afford medical care, putting off necessary maintenance for your health, not knowing if you're going to be able to pay your utilities, facing evictions... Maybe what anon says is true if you're the type that isn't anxious, but the financial instability and insecurity is nerve wracking 24/7. It is ALWAYS on your mind and ALWAYS at the forefront of your mind. A cool dress you find at the thrift store, or a cool video game doesn't distract you from feeling like your life is falling apart and could completely fall apart at any moment.

>>60 >stop romanticizing poverty i'm not trying to romanticize poverty, i'm saying we're not entitled to materials and consumerists like the middle class. >>64 maybe i am naive when it comes to medical care because my parents used to hide the costs away from me. i've been living on my own for 6 years and have not had any big medical issues. my biggest concerns are whether or not my mechanic will charge me up the ass for the junker i bought that has something wrong with it every 5 months. and i barely go to the doctor or a dentist for "maintenance", it's ingrained in me not to go unless it's serious. maybe i am comfortable being lower class because i don't have children to care for and my rent is decent and my current landlord is lax if things come up. also, it is possible to be lower class and have $5k saved up in your bank account because you live so frugally. i deal with panic attacks on the reg so anxiety runs through me almost 24/7 and the money part of being low income doesn't stress me out that much because i know if anything were to happen, whether i get kicked out of the apartment or a lose my job or i break up with my bf, i could go camp in my car or live with my (or my bf's) family members, even if it's the ones who abused me, until i find another place and/or a new job. i won't dare ask for government assistance because i know with experience they will put you in a system made to keep you broke. i think that's what's important is the fact i have plans, i've gotten a new job after searching for a week, i've had moments where someone in the house was unemployed for 4 months and yeah hoping we didn't run out of our savings was on my mind every last week of the month, but i worked past those anxieties because i know the options i have available to me. why am i not middle class? because i don't get paid that much. i might not even realize when i enter the middle class margin because i'll still be living the same.

>>65 It just sounds like youre a lucky poor person with good health. Poor people stay poor because its expensive to be poor, you can't fix things immediately so they fester, and I'm not only talking about health.

>>58 >They are not supposed to be trophies sitting in my closet, I am supposed to wear them This is what I'm trying to remind myself of when it comes to nicer items. I feel sort of scared of using them so they get worn out but hey - I've payed for it already, I need to get value for my money!

>>65 >even if it's the ones who abused me You're a survivor.

>>67 a lot of items won't stay great forever. shoe adhesive goes off surprisingly quickly, for example. enjoy the things you've bought, anon.