stop buying unnecessary things

- Nina Simone CD
- Flaming Lips CD for Jackson
- Stuffed monkey for my mom’s Mother’s Day present
- Ribbon for the monkey
- Oprah magazine, also for my mom
- Mother’s Day card

- Two children’s books made of 98% recycled material (and so cute!)
- A summery scarf
- Leather sling purse
- Cheap sunglasses
- Bird necklace
- Two pairs of clearance skinny jeans, one yellow, one grey
- Skein of light green yarn for baby blanket
- Ribbon for baby blanket

- Cute dress
- Half a tattoo for Jacky’s birthday
- Two bottles of mascara (buy one get one)
- Boxers for Jacky
- A book and a box of markers for my cousin’s birthday

Fell behind a bit in Feb:
- Handmade bag for work from Infusion Tea
- Tupperware bin for making paper
- Tape
- Panty hose for making paper
- Glue

March 1st:
- Two plastic plant boxes
- Seeds for corn, carrots, and green beans
- Red bell pepper plant
- Chicken wire to recreate dilapited compost pile

- “Migrations” by the Duhks
- stockings for V-day =)

I went to Target with a co-worker today (for the first time in two months) and didn’t buy anything but food! I was so proud of myself. =)

- A sponge to wash my car
- A bottle of car wash liquid
- A bottle of Drano for our clogged tub

I really want to buy the following: a pair of Toms, cropped jeans, a dress for Valentine’s day. I can get the jeans and the dress used from Plato’s closet, but the Toms…. maybe I can hold out until March. =)

Although this goal is called “stop buying unnecessary things,” I’m sort of using it more as a resolution to stop buying new things. If you haven’t heard of The Compact, check out this article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/13/BAGH3H7DH71.DTL.

I understand that changing habits isn’t the kind of thing that happens overnight. You have to go through a transition from buying whatever you want to really thinking about each purchase. I think I’ve made great progress from where I was only a few months ago. This is the short list of new things I’ve bought so far this year:

- a 9-cube storage unit
- a plastic box for wrapping paper storage
- a Valentine’s card for my boyfriend
- a Valentine’s present for my boyfriend ;)
- nail clippers
- a reduce/reuse/recycle tumbler from Starbucks

What has helped the most is having a new job with more work to do and less time to go shopping. I think it’s going great so far!

I don’t want to cross this off just yet, but I think I’ve made a lot of progress since I started. I’ve stopped buying things online completely (except a couple of necessary items I can’t get locally—like a particular vegan vitamin I need to take.)

I’ve also stopped buying as much prepared food, which used to be a big problem for me, since I have a wonderful co-op near by that has a wonderful deli/bakery with loads and loads of delicious freshly made vegan food ready to go. Instead I invested in a slow cooker (I know, I know! I ended up buying something to save money, but really it was a good idea.) and have been making some really good, cheap, home made meals using bulk dried legumes/grains, etc.

I’d say I’ve been doing a lot better than I was. I haven’t bought any clothes, accessories, stationary, or other cute little things that I don’t need, and I’ve focused on saving money at the grocery store. I also ride my bike to school now, so I’m saving on gas money as well!

I’m getting good at this…
It helps to wait at least a week before buying anything.
Still room for improvement though…