Some time ago I read about a man who gave up buying things for a year. He bought food, of course, and necessary medicines, and gifts for other people, but nothing else. Then last fall I read about a group of friends in California (where else?) who signed a compact to not buy anything new for a year. They allowed themselves to buy services such as haircuts and going out to eat, but no new things, only used or recycled things. They bought used gifts for people, even re-cycled brake pads for their car. The whole idea intrigued me and I decided to give it a try.
For 2007 I am not shopping for new things: no clothes, shoes, dishes, towels, books or furniture. I am not buying anything that will add to the burden of possessions I already own. I am spending money on food, medicine, gifts (even new items for gifts), and lattes. I am paying to have my hair done. And, as I pointed out to my husband, I have no prohibition against other people buying things for me.
So how is it going? Well, I did pretty well in January. I bought a new battery for my car because it needed one and I need my car to get to work, and I'm not sure I could have found a re-cycled battery. Then I bought new eye glasses, but only because my old ones broke and couldn't be fixed, and anyhow my vision insurance paid for most of them.
Norah Jones released a new album. I probably wouldn't have noticed, but both my kids pointed it out to me because they know I really liked her previous albums. But I wouldn't buy it. My son offered to get it for me for Mother's Day, which was really sweet of him, but then I remembered the itunes gift card my daughter got me for Christmas, so I ordered the album from itunes. I figured that wasn't really buying it because the gift card had already been paid for.
I went to Best Buy today and bought my son a birthday gift. That was a challenge. Any number of items caught my eye, but I didn't buy anything else. Then I went to the Barnes and Noble book store next to Best Buy, and that was really a challenge. So many interesting books! I almost bought one as a gift for David, but I put it back. He hadn't asked for it, and I really just wanted to give it to him and then borrow it back to read myself. I have unread books at home, so I was strong.
I've started a list of things I might want to buy in 2008. The funny thing is, I've already forgotten about most of the items I've put on the list.
My husband is quite amused by all this. He says he will shop twice as hard to make sure the economy doesn't suffer.
I plan to continue one month at a time. I will be saving money, time and energy. I will be enjoying the possessions I already own. I'll keep you posted.
I don't really have a poem about not shopping, but this poem amuses me, so I'm sharing it:
From “The Walrus and the Carpenter”
‘The time has come,’ the Walrus said,
‘To talk of many things:
Of shoes—and ships—and sealing wax—
Of cabbages—and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
And whether pigs have wings.’
Lewis Carroll