Friday, November 26, 2010
Consumer Culture War
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Junk Jaunt 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saving America by Buying a New Car or Getting Rid of One
Sunday, August 29, 2010
I told you it wasn't a new idea!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Retail Therapy
They'll do anything to get you to buy crap you don't need...
Thursday, August 12, 2010
I'm sorry, 20 pairs of shoes is not 'one item.'
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1812048,00.html
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Taxes
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
It's catching on...
Something to look for at secondhand shops - there are some out there that way overcharge. While you want a secondhand store that is organized and clean be on the lookout for those that are too nice. Just like in a retail store, if the overhead is high you'll see it in the pricetag.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Luddite-like
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Possibly the Best Idea Since Kinko's
Sunday, June 13, 2010
If You Buy Something Alone Did You Actually Buy It?
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Choice
Saturday, April 24, 2010
The Blind Leading The Blind
Saturday, April 10, 2010
It Might Not Be New But It Still Costs Something
Sunday, March 28, 2010
What a Deal!
Since starting this little experiment in January my first home appliance took a digger and died. My DVD player kept getting stuck at 15:11 and would go no further, wouldn’t stop, wouldn’t chapter forward or backward and generally just gave up the ghost. In today’s throwaway world it would cost more to fix the player than it cost to buy it 8 years ago so I was left with the DVD player on my laptop. I thought, ‘fine, I can deal with watching movies on my laptop.’
Since I already cancelled my cable months ago, the red envelope has taken on a monumental importance in my casa. The only thing to watch on the 5 channels I do get is “American Idol” and truly, I’m just not that into it. The DVD watching on my laptop lasted about 3 days and then my aunt suggested I visit a pawnshop. My aunt is a genius! I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier!
A few days ago I tripped on into my local pawnshop in search of usable, cheap DVD player. I hadn’t been in a pawn shop for about 17 years, back when I pawned my camera three times – I kept going back to get it out of hock. I had my choice of 4 DVD players and a Blu-ray player. I don’t really get the whole Blu-ray thing. Is it like 3D - totally a waste of time? Of the 4 players available, there were two in my price range. Neither had a remote so I picked the $15 model. An Apex. I’ve never heard of Apex but as I mentioned, I don’t get the Blu-ray thing so what’s in a brand name to me anyway?
I took it up to the counter and they plugged it in and showed me that it worked – sold! I was feeling that now familiar smug feeling I get when I feel like I’ve pulled one over on ‘the Man’ by not buying anything new. The nice woman at the counter rang me up and only charged me $10! I reminded her that it was actually $15 and she tells me that she gave me a discount – just because!
I’ve watched 3 movies on my new-to-me/used DVD player and except for wanting to watch the special features or chapter through something, it’s all-good! Now I’m waiting for the used universal remote I just bought on EBay to arrive.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
A Tan Would Come in Handy Here
I retreated to the good 'ole standby - nail polish. I would venture the "Hint from Heloise" that has gotten the most traction is using nail polish to stop a run in your nylons. Is Heloise still around? If she's online she'd get a lot of hits on this helpful, practical and free (as long as you already own a bottle of nail polish) tip.
I dug around in my manicure basket and came up with an old bottle of clear nail polish that worked splendidly on the multiple runs on my nude nylons. Off to the event I went.
I really do wish I had a tan though. Summer legs would look much cuter!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Cheating Leads to Fender Bender
My dog sheds like no other. If I could shalack him I would. I've actually had dreams of drowning in a giant hairball. This carpet rake invention sounded like the answer to my (ahem) hairy problem. I rationalized this purchase by telling myself it was a cleaning product so therefore not new.
So I drove myself to the Home Depot all excited to rid my house of unwanted dog hair. After explaining this new fangled invention to the helpful hardware gal I was turned away without a carpet rake. None to be had - online only. Grrr!
It was snowing heavily as I walked back to my car sans rake with plans of ordering it online. As I started to back out of my parking space I collided ever so slightly with a cream-colored luxury car. I say ever so slightly because seriously there was so little damage I had to pinch my eyes together to actually see it.
Unfortunately, the owners of said car were not as nice as their car and I now believe that my insurance company will be paying for a new bumper. C'est la vie.
If I hadn't become so intoxicated by the prospect of a hairless carpet and stuck to my resolution I wouldn't be purchasing a brand new bumper for an ugly, extravagant car.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Valentine's Day Euphoria
2/14/10
Since I started this endeavor I’ve purchased one new thing, well, actually two; damn it! The first was right after the beginning of the year and was a gift. I had little time and nothing in my ‘gift closet’ that was appropriate. The gift was about $15. I justified this purchase because it was a gift. Can’t get through a day without a good justification.
The second purchase happened today. I blame it on Valentine’s Day euphoria. I got out of the gym at about 3 p.m. and walked right next door to PetCo to buy Cadence, my dog, a new bone for Valentine’s Day. Not that he knows it’s a sweetheart holiday but I do and I felt that I needed to get him a new bone because I was planning on clipping his nails that evening and he hates it. So I walked in and instead of a bone, which counts as food so therefore, not new, I bought a stuffed, red, squeaky toy! I didn’t even think about it until I got out in the parking lot, realizing that I didn’t buy a bone but a NEW toy. Unfortunately, Cadence has to go along with this not buying anything new dogma too. At least he liked it and was happy to have it after the nail-clipping session.
So, two things in a month and a half. Overall, I think the experiment is going well. It's very liberating – really. I walked into Target a few days ago to pick up a prescription and normally I would stop and look at the sale clothes rack. More often than not I would buy a silly little shirt or skirt or something else I don't need. On this trip I walked directly to the pharmacy and walked out. I didn’t feel like I was missing out, I felt a distinct sense of freedom.
Speaking of Valentine's Day - I had decided back in December to send out Valentine's Day cards since I was too lazy to send out Christmas cards. After the first of the year, I realized that with my New Years Resolution I wouldn't be able to buy cards so I ended up making them from stuff I had in the house. I'm not super crafty but it was fun to do and I think my friends liked them better than a store bought card anyway!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Not Buying Leads to Allergic Reaction
2/6/10
To blog or not to blog? Will anyone really care what I have to say about not buying anything new for a year? I’ve been told that blogging is more about the person blogging than it is about people reading the blog. I can live with that. I like to write and don’t much so this will now give me an excuse to do so.
I’m not the first person to decide to not buy anything new for a year or a specified amount of time. I don’t remember why it occurred to me to do this, it just did. I already enjoy shopping at resale shops anyway so it seemed like a good idea and something fun to try. While a lot of people think that recycling really doesn’t help the planet, I beg to differ. I do, maybe naively, believe that one person can make a difference. So, here I go.
I’ve been doing this since the beginning of 2010. It’s my New Years resolution. I’ve already stopped smoking, exercise 4-5 times a week and have upped my 401K contributions so I was struggling to come up with an appropriate resolution. To not buy anything new seemed like a bit of a challenge - but a fun one.
Today became annoying after making cookies for an open house. Food does not count as ‘new’ so instead of buying a plant or kitchen utensils, I decided to make some cookies to bring as my gift. These cookies contained coconut to which I find myself allergic. I made the cookies and of course had to try them to make sure they were suitable. I ate two of the smaller ones, changed clothes and went for a run. Halfway out, my eyes started to itch and swell and I’ve spent the remainder of this lovely, what I thought unfettered, Saturday in bed sleeping off a Benadryl.
Lesson? I’m allergic to coconut. The cookies were a good, not-buy-anything-new idea even if they took my day in a different direction.
Since I’m stuck in the house so as not to scare anyone with my bug eyes, I’ll spend the evening making Valentine cards.