Today is annual “BUY NOTHING” day.
I would like to see this idea expand into more than one day for as many people as possible. We would all be doing something good for ourselves, our families and the environment.
Personally, I have been kicking around the idea of a moratorium on shopping for quite some time. Do I really need another pair of shoes? Am I not struggling to find places to store a lot of my stuff already?
I do bag a lot of good finds for the kids (and sometimes myself too) at my local Value Village. I don’t shop that often, and it really doesn’t work to look for specific items, but I almost always find some really good quality designer clothing such as Gap, Hilfiger, Mexx at a fraction of the original cost. I quickly thumb through the racks, looking for quality items that are in good condition. If you happen to go when there is a 50% off sale, the savings are even better and you are doing a great thing for our environment. You also need to prepare yourself for less than ideal aromas and be in the right mood to do some treasure hunting.
How long can I go without shopping? A week is a snap. I think I could easily do a month. Having two growing boys means I do have to shop for underwear and shoes on a regular basis and these are the two items I would not be comfortable buying secondhand.
What parameters should I set? I have always thought a year without shopping for unnecessary items would be a good goal. A year without shopping for anything new, other than kids shoes and underwear.
Any thoughts?
Anyone else up for the challenge?