Buy Nothing New: January Accounting

Remember I declared I wasn't going to buy anything new this year? Well, I am notoriously bad at not following through on resolutions, but that is partly the reason that I keep posting them on the blog. It is far more embarrassing failing in public than in private, so here is my first of twleve public monthly accountings. To keep me honest. And paying attention.

First, the WHY of not spending. To recap, endless production of pointless doohickeys is straining the finite resources of the world unbearably, while ruining the lives, habitats and livelihoods of the vast majority of the world's population, just so we can have another doohickey (I read a fab overview of the injustice of the capitalist system today. I do recommend it). Also, I have accumulated rather a lot of stuff already, and can probably concentrate on making do with the considerable largesse that life has already deposited in various untidy cupboards and storage spaces around my house..

Now for the accounting. Inevitably I have failed of course, but that's ok. Failure is something I am really very good at:) I have been trying to finish Walden (yet again, third time lucky..),  and  here is Thoreau on aiming at a lofty target:

In the long run men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, though they should fail immediately, they had better aim at something high.

So my aim was, not to spend on anything new. And how did I do?

Bought new: (this includes actual, manufactured things I buy for myself, the house, for gifts, and for the children. It doesn't include groceries, toiletries, medication, services, or what the children buy with their pocket money) 

One book, which I ordered at a local bookstore late last year, and which arrived in January.

One pair of thongs:

Picture added for illustrative purposes. What do people who don't live in Australia call this type of footware? Recently I was going to write about a domestic incident involving a red-hot, unpopped popcorn seed becoming lodged in my thong, and the resulting blister.. but realised that my non-Australian readers would be picturing an altogether different, and rather more painful first-aid moment. Anyway, my old pair of casual summer footware was a couple of years old and worn through. Bought these from a high street shop. Have no idea if it is even possible to buy such a thing secondhand, or if there are fairtrade versions, and didn't feel qualified to make my own. Thoughts? 

Another pair of thongs for Rosy.

One pair of sturdy school shoes for Posy. Bought them at a local school outfitters, which has been the go-to school uniform shop in town since dinosaurs roamed the countryside. Children sit on an old wooden church pew to get their feet measured for new school shoes.

School supplies. The Man graciously took the girls to buy exercise books and drink bottles and annoying plastic folders. We did manage to reuse a good deal of stationery from last year, which was excellent. The Man also remembered to restock us with printer ink cartridges, which I am always forgetting. Oh, and the girls also persuaded their dad to buy them some more blank cards to make even more home made cards, that should keep us in gift cards until about 2017.

One text book for Rosy. Thankfully everything else she needed was handed down by her older siblings.

I think that is it.

Bought secondhand: Nothing springs to mind... I tried to buy a second-hand school uniform for Rosy, but it was given to us instead:)

Given away: What goes around, comes around. This month I gave away a couch and coffee table to two of The Boy's old school buddies, now uni students, who were using mattresses and cardboard boxes as furniture, as you do. I also gave away a bunch of Posy's outgrown clothes and school uniforms, only to have new hand-me-down uniform for her and Rosy turn up the next week:)

So, I failed at the high target of buying NOTHING, but certainly I bought less than I have ever bought before in the month of January in my entire adult life. I must say it was very relaxing not going near the January sales. Usually I panic and become convinced I need to buy towels or sheets or something, because you know, I might run out of manchester, but this year I just ignored the sales and played Connect Four with Posy instead, and therefore had all that left-over money to spend at the vet and the dentist. Because that is so much more fun than spending money at the sales..

One month down; now let's see if I can buy even less in February. Can you tell I am enjoying this? I really hate shopping. It is a bit of a dream challenge actually. It's a free pass never to go to the shops again. Well, I say this, but it's actually not true. The truth is, challenging myself not to pop into a shop to buy something new off the shelf at the very moment I need it, means I am going to have to do some forward planning. Which is so not my forte. Gifts, children's clothes, my clothes. Where are they all going to come from? My one pair of skinny jeans are wearing out in a rather embarrassing place. I was whining to The Girl about this, and she suggested if I leave them under my pillow the Shopping Fairy might come and replace them with a new pair while I am sleeping. It's worth a try..