Have you heard about ‘Buy nothing new month’?
The website buynothingnew.com.au describes it as “literally about taking one month off to really think, “Do I really need it?” If I do, “can I get it second-hand, borrow it or rent it? What are my alternatives? Can I borrow from a friend? Can I swap with my neighbor?” It’s about thinking where our stuff comes from (finite resources) and where it goes when we’re done (often landfill) and what are the fantastic alternatives out there to extend the life of our ‘stuff’.
It is officially in October, but it is a wonderful way of thinking, no matter what month it is.
Cutting down our spending on new stuff has a multitude of benefits including more money in our wallets, less junk in our homes, and a reduction in ‘shopping induced stress’. It is also an important step towards a more sustainable future for our planet.
We went to a second hand sale in Kangaroo Valley a couple of weeks ago, which is where I bought this gorgeous old oil painting ($45!!!) and the pears, plate and runner in the top photo. We also bought some books, a couple of toys for the kids and a set of football goals. All together, I think we spent about $60.
Even though this is more than I had meant to spend (“I’m just going to pop in for a look, honey” HA!) I came out with some great quality, pre-loved items that I knew we would get a lot of use from.
Now I just need to work on my ability to drive past a garage sale without yelling “Stop the car!”
If you are interested in this topic, the book ‘Not buying it – my year without shopping‘ by Judith Levine is a great read. (and I bought my copy at a second hand book sale!)
I think about this but scale it down to…”buy nothing without getting rid of something first”. Also, everything must have a place or it won’t be bought. Maybe one day we will buy nothing new, but that is a tricky one.
I plan to do the ‘get rid of one item’ thing, but never quite get there!