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Thread: Finished Year of No New Buying

  1. #21
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    Congratulations sumarie!

    Would you be willing to post your tracking of the inventory?

    It is the details of these things that fascinate me. I can better imagine the bumps and joys to it.
    author of A Holy Errand

  2. #22
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    Fawn, is it my actual inventory of what I have now that you're interested in? (although I've decluttered alot of things
    and am still at it, although more slowly now, what I personally own is static for the moment)

    Although my Year of No New Buying ended last May, I've still bought very few new things: finally did purchase the
    purse I was interested in. Also, a new gadget for a hobby I have. Not many clothes, though. My year's entire
    clothing purchase (Jan to Dec 2011) amounted to $18. (I'm hoping this is not completely obvious to all who know me! Yikes!)

  3. #23
    Senior Member Jemima's Avatar
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    I'm awestruck. I did a no-buy week a few months ago and it was hard. Right now I'm decluttering and reorganiizing my house, and it seems like more stuff is coming in than going out. Boxes everywhere! The three little words I long to hear are "Requires no assembly".

    I really enjoyed reading your post and got a sense of the peace that can be found in becoming a non-shopper. May I get there in the near future.

  4. #24
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    Well, the current inventory would be very interesting to me, but also, what you let go, what you brought in. Did you send anything out that you replaced? (I did that with a corkscrew and purse---tried to live without one, but found it too difficult for the time being.)

    What was the $18 worth of clothing? Stockings? Underwear? A really good deal on leather boots?

    What is the gadget? What is the hobby? It is these details that I find interesting.

    When I study history, I don't really care about the dates that so and so invaded so and so. But the food that was cooked on the battlefield and in the homes of the peasants and the wealthy. What was worn from the weapons and coats to the undergarments......how did folks communicate with loved ones and enemies....when someone died, what was the protocol....these things are fascinating to me.

    So dish....what is your current inventory? What have you given away? What is in the undecided pile?
    author of A Holy Errand

  5. #25
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    Wow, Fawn, I am challenged! Now that you've resurrected this, I'm going to have to pay more attention to things!
    My current inventory has 477 things on it, so don't think I'll post all of that here. Of things I've let go, I would say many
    were duplicates, known things I really didn't need or love, some things I was challenged to let go of just in reading other peoples'
    decisions. I've been very cautious, really, and in no particular hurry, as I haven't wanted to invoke a feeling of deprivation.
    It seems to evolve naturally because it is so FREEING to have less stuff.

    Can't tell you exactly what the $18 clothing was because I didn't write down WHAT I got, just that I spent $13 in Aug & $5 in June on
    clothing. I think it was a couple tops, two camis, and a sweater?

    The gadget was a Japanese punch drill handle (& 5 drills). I make cards & have been lusting after this for awhile.

    I don't think I've gotten rid of anything I've had to or wanted to re-acquire (so far, anyway). I'll keep you posted if I do. The things I have alot of
    now are books (83 current count, down from 200 or so most recently -- tons more before that), journals (53 current count -- I have plans to read & cannibalize/pitch), papers & other craft materials, yarns & fabric. I still have many "objects" that I could happily live without and am still finding
    homes for them.

  6. #26
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    Coming way late to this thread, but I have to congratulate you, sumarie. Awesome achievement! I think I'm pretty much doing the same thing, with my "Can I save X dollars a month?" challenge on the Frugality forum. "X" is close to 25% of my net income, and "No shopping" is exactly what I am doing to make it happen. It's really great to see other people have done this successfully. It sounds like your year of no shopping resulted in a permanent lifestyle improvement. I'm glad I read this and again, congratulations.

  7. #27
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    cjones, it's great that you're discovering that by not shopping, it helps you to meet your challenge.

    I've found that not buying continues to be freeing, continues to help me value & use what I already have, and
    helps to keep my creativity engaged in solving problems that could easily be a "just buy this gadget"
    for a quick solution -- all without feeling deprived of anything because I haven't let go of anything until it
    "was time" (i.e., having it weighed more heavily than not having it). This continues to be a slow process,
    which is fine by me, as it keeps me from acting hastily (and having regrets), lets me use things up, lets
    me discover that I really probably won't get around to doing projects whose components have been sitting
    around for years, etc.

    My "personal possessions" count is now at 415.

  8. #28
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    Wow, sumaire! Excellent.

    I love how the creativity muscle gets exercised more when we decide to spend less money.
    author of A Holy Errand

  9. #29
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    What a great accomplishment!

  10. #30
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    We are doing this now! We are on week 5 of a 1 year challenge. So far we haven't yet had a week where we have spent $0 though. Baby steps/

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