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A few friends and I from church read about a group who decided to buy nothing new for a year and we are doing it as well. ( You buy groceries and health items at the store and nothing else!) I was very skeptical about it being possible, but we have done it! We can buy anything we need (want) at thrift stores, garage sales, ebay, etc. but NOT be the front line consumer at a store. It was hard at first, because your knee-jerk reaction when you need something is to run to the store, but there ARE other ways! ( My 9 year old son "needed" black basketball shorts for the season, first game was 3 days away...I put the word out and got 3 pairs from friends whose kids had outgrown them). This works for me because everyone in town knows how frugal I am, and I always offer others things I don't need anymore. If nothing else, it causes you to think in a different way about things.
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Wow.. good luck to you!!! Hope you're able to do it!!!
Can I ask what you plan on doing for birthdays and Christmas, etc.. when you would normally buy gifts? I've thought about going a month with a "buy nothing unnecessary", but not nothing new.. I know i'd fail without a doubt over a span of a year..
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i think this challenge that you're doing is great! whenever i would like something new i never think to buy it anymore! i put my mind at work at how and who i can get it from and then put out the bulletin to all friends and family what im looking for!
the only thing we are paying for retail wise is our deck - even that im doing at a discount by using home depot 20% COUPONS at lowes and also buying lowes gift cards on ebay!
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I will buy birthday gifts at garage sales..( don't freak out, many items are still in unopened condition, gifts THEY received and didn't even open, also, pawn shops ( don't faint ) are great for items like DVDs, gameboy games, etc plus big ticket items like guitars, etc. I think people here have been conditioned to expect NEW to be great, and USED to be bad,( dirty, broken, you know...yukky) . My kids have always gotten "used" items and clothes and they don't care a bit. They would much rather get a "new-to-them" Nike t-shirt in like new condition, than a brand new Walmart brand. Also, if you creatively wrap presents..gift basket, etc...it really doesn't matter if it doesn't have the shrinkwrap "new" wrapping on it. I buy and stock up on Christmas gifts all year long at yard sales and estate sales. I even buy wrapping paper at yard sales! I picked up a a gorgeous Ann Taylor Loft 3 piece baby girl outfit at a yard sale ( never worn ) and gave it to a new mom at the baby shower and she LOVED it, ( even without the tags! )So, don't be afraid to give "not-new" items.
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Very cool! I'm inspired!
I need garage sale tips! I am a new SAHM and will now have time to hit the garage sales this spring. I think I will start a new thread here asking for garage sale tips from all you experts!