"Nothing New" Check In

A few months after I moved back to Utah a reoccurring dream started.  I find myself in a huge thrift store and as I walk through it I discover endless amounts of beautiful items for only a few dollars a piece.  Each dream the things I find are a little different but usually it includes old cameras and beautiful chairs.  It's my favorite dream now - which is telling of my vanity. 

Anyhow, I thought I'd give you my first update on how only buying used is going.  Saturday after I sold all of the stuff I've been hanging onto but not loving I decided to check KSL's classifieds out to see if there was anything new to spend my cash on.  And I found a mid-century king sized headboard for only $25 - which I promptly snatched up.  I love it but found that our modern mattresses are a lot thicker than our middle of the century forebear's so I'm going to need to rig something up so it fits better.   I'll post better pics once it looks beautiful.

And over the weekend I realized the pressure cooker from Costco that I've been waiting to buy would now be out of reach.  I was bummed because I've been really looking forward to getting that.  Uncharacteristically for me, I checked ebay and found the SAME pressure cooker - refurbished by the manufacturer - and ten dollars cheaper.  So, I ordered it.  And how pleased I was with myself.

But then a true test of my new goal was presented and I failed it.  For the past year and a half I haven't had a cell phone.  I've been holding out on getting a plan so I could get an iphone cheaper.  Well, about a month ago my babies broke both of our portable house phones so we were down to our one non-portable corded phone.  And it's been a real inconvenience.  I like to talk on the phone a little more that I'm proud of but talking on the phone with young-ins' requires the ability to change diapers, sit outside, and generally check on them.  Which meant that I was frustrated for the past month.  And that brings us to yesterday.  Yesterday I was having one of those amazing conversations with a new found soul mate when someone jumped on me - hitting the phone strangely and killing it.  It was gone.  I have no idea what happened but in an instant my ability to communicate with my friends, my clients, anyone without a skype account, was over.  So I went to the AT&T store - remembering on the way that I was only supposed to buy used.  And when I got there and asked about refurbished and they said I'd have to order one and it'd be a while, I caved and bought a new phone.  I know, I know - it was a bad idea.  But at least I'm being honest.  Looking back, I should have gone to a thrift store, bought a cheap house phone, and then ordered a refurbished iphone.  But the immediate need and the strong covetous desire for an iphone got the best of me.  But I hope that it taught me a lesson.

Anyhow, I'm still stoked about the year ahead.  And I'm still waiting for my friends and family to bring me their old paint.

And I love my lazily purchased new phone.

Fix it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without - for a year.

I am often embarrassed that I am a willing participate in the insatiable American Consumerism.  In theory I'm against it but in practice I'm just as bad as the other guy.  "Pleather boots made in Thailand?... Goody!"  Anyhow, I've been toying with an idea for a long time and decided with the move that I would finally put it into play.  For the next year, neither I nor my family will buy anything new - except food/toiletries/medicine.   That is including but not limited to clothing, housewares, books, art, furniture, and hopefully even stuff like paint/building materials.   We'll reuse what we've got, find it at a thrift store, or search the local salvage yards.  Today was the first day and we went to our local thrift store and got ourselves some books and clothes.  It was actually really exciting too.

Now, you could argue that we are still consuming, and you'd be right, but when we buy used goods we aren't requiring the system to produce - we are recycling what would have otherwise ended up in a land fill.   And I'm not going to just stop buying and wait a year to get the things I want so that we go on some crazy spending spree in 366 days.  I'm going to get creative, dig deep, and work hard to make it work.

Which will be hard because our house needs a lot of things done to it.  It needs flooring - but I've heard of people putting in old wood floors from gyms.  It needs paint, art, furniture, etc. And when we do find things and make it work I'll let you know how.    Anyhow.... I'm soo excited!