I DID IT! 2014 New Years resolution is complete. On this very day last year I made a vow TO BUY NOTHING NEW FOR ONE YEAR! I made a few exceptions. 1. Food obviously had to be new. 2. If there was a hygiene issue, I could buy it new. For example, underwear. 3. If it was related to my business, I could buy it new. For example my hard drive was failing and I bought a new one but I made sure it was properly recycled. 4. If it is something that will fix something I already have then I can buy it new. For example, my really nice Max Cool Igloo cooler had broken hinges so I ordered the parts to fix it and make it useful again. Finding something you want without just walking into Target or Costco or department store takes a bit of commitment. The thing I learned the most from this year was a new thought process when deciding to buy something.... 1. Do I need it or want it? 2. Regardless of need vs want, If I do decide to try to find it, is it worth the search. Ebay, Amazon used, geartrade, goodwill, thrift store...you cant just go there and know your item will be available and if I have to order it will it be timely. 3. Do I already have something in my current inventory that will satisfy the want/need. Fifty percent of the time I went through this process I just stopped wanting it. Not worth it or Yes, I have something like that in the attic. I found that there is very little that I actually need, most of the time its a want situation. Why did I do this you ask? First of all, I have tons of crap. I really dont need anything. I have enough stuff to last the rest of my life. Also, I wanted to live more simply, I dont believe that things make you happy and I was right. Environmentally, consuming less stuff is good for the planet. I hate to think of all the polluted rivers in China from the manufacturing of all the cheap crap we buy. I also wanted to see how much money I would save. At first I kept a spreadsheet of my savings. It was well into the thousands of dollars when I sorta forgot about it. Had I kept it going I know it would have been substantial. Although, I have to say, as the year went on I just stopped buying anything. OK, so here is the real deal. Yes, I did slip up. I bought 24 new rubber snakes for my Halloween costume. There, I admitted it. This prompted me to make a new exception that supplies for costumes or art projects were exempt. Hey, its my resolution, I make the rules. :) I am posting this on Facebook because I am proud of myself. If you would have asked Frank a year ago, he wouldnt have believed I would follow through. Long term resolutions and goals are not really my thing. Also I post this because I would like to challenge everyone to consume less and live more simply in 2015. It really is liberating. I am going to continue (probably not as strict) in my new way of consuming for the rest of my life. It really changed me. However, there is a sweet pair of boots that have my name on it and I cant wait to buy them. Think about it..a whole year without a new pair of shoes. Oh, the humanity. Now on to my 2015 resolution. No cursing for a whole year. Every time I slip I will put $1 into a jar and send it to charity at the end of the year. 2015...BRING IT ON MOTHA FLUBBERS!
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 19:43:48 +0000
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