Beginning April 1st, 2008, I pledge not to buy anything new. The purpose of this pledge is to save money, to learn to be satisfied with the possessions I already own (and to take care of things I do own so that they last longer), and to distinguish between what I "Want" and what I "Need".
Strategies for avoiding the "Wanna-haves" include not browsing on shopping websites, flipping quickly through the pages of my magazines that extoll the next best green thing to buy, rewarding myself with several trips to the thrift shops, and reviewing my bank account balance!
Here are my exceptions (with forbiddens noted) for the months of April and May:
Food (coffee shop coffees, restaurants, buying lunch at work, and "energy bars" are strictly forbidden)
Medicine & Doctor's Visits
Feminine Hygiene Products (I am really, really sorry all of you Diva Cup fans)
April birthday gift for Great Grams
Postage
Anniversary Present for Green Husband (must not be a "thing" however - can be something like admission to the butterfly exhibit - if I were to do that.)
New shoes for the children (I'm sorry - unless they are used snow boots or dress shoes, I don't do "used" shoes. They mold to the wearer's feet over time and basically become customized. I predict that both of my children will jump a shoe size over the next two months!)
Medicine & Doctor's Visits
Feminine Hygiene Products (I am really, really sorry all of you Diva Cup fans)
April birthday gift for Great Grams
Postage
Anniversary Present for Green Husband (must not be a "thing" however - can be something like admission to the butterfly exhibit - if I were to do that.)
New shoes for the children (I'm sorry - unless they are used snow boots or dress shoes, I don't do "used" shoes. They mold to the wearer's feet over time and basically become customized. I predict that both of my children will jump a shoe size over the next two months!)
I think that is it! Gulp! Let the Compact begin!
{This pledge is cross-posted over at Mamas on the Compact}
9 comments:
I'm inspired by you, Amy. I just ordered a bunch of fabric online last night! Please keep us updated on how it's going.
CONGRATS on this great start. I am feeling the bug to not buy. My good friend and I were just talking about the compact as spurred by your earlier post. I will be here reading and cheering you on...maybe my friend and I will take the pledge next!!
ALL THE BEST!!
Good luck! I'm doing it for just the month of April. That seems long to me, but my son and daughter in-law just did this for a YEAR! I don't know how they stayed with it!
You go, Green Girl! We've been on a general austerity campaign for financial reasons, and it's amazing how much you don't buy when you don't need to. I'm with you on the feminine hygiene and the used shoes. Post updates so we can share in your daily victories!
You are officially the coolest person I know. This is awesome, I am so looking forward to hearing about your experience with this!
Good for you! I'm doing April. I'm doing "tangible" goods to start. No books, cds, clothes, cosmetics, just stuff in general.
Mine's more about consumerism, it's just gotten out of hand!
Good luck, we can do it!
I'm intrigued by this post ... all the more so because I've made a conscious choice to simplify my life in the past year or so. It’s clear to me that I have more than enough ...so am working at letting go of much of what I've accumulated over the years ... and as a result, I've not been in a mall or outlet for more than 10 months!
I do shop for groceries weekly at Trader Joes and/or Wild Oats (now Whole Foods) and occasionally at Ralph's or Albertson's for cat food and a few 'staples' ... pick up Duck and Potato dog food for Molly at the Vet's (treats at PetCo) ... but other than that I'm living off what I have and loving it!
I have met friends for meals out and/or 'coffee' on occasion ... but even those get-togethers are being replaced by visits to museums and other places of interest. For me, this is an idea whose time has come for real!
Good luck with your decision.
Hugs and blessings,
here we go! I'm not on the compact (the blog that is) but I'm still doing it~
wow! that is impressive. you definitely give me food for thought. i've heard about the compacters who do this for a year (or more) and just ruled it out for my family. but a month or 2? what a great idea! it would be hard but so insightful. i can't wait to hear how it goes! bravo.
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