Could you go a full year without buying anything new?

[tink2dw]

Try it on only $674.00 a month,12 months a year, rent is $580, electric is $145

 

[DawnM]

I brought this up to DH last night.....he shot it down pretty quickly!

He said he would compromise with me.....cut out Disney trips for one year after our September trip and save that $$ to get our 6 months savings up to at least 8-9 months in savings/emergency fund.

Dawn

 

[DawnM]

Well, there are some things I don't buy used either, in fact, I can sometimes find those items on final clearance for the same price as the thrift store!

DH can't ever find pants for him used. So, we find ways to buy them on sale.

A couple of years ago now Dockers had a deal where you spend $150 in Dockers and receive $100 in Shell gas cards! Well, we buy gas anyway, so we got TWO of those deals and he ended up with 7 pairs of 100% cotton Dockers (he won't wear them if they aren't 100% cotton!) for only $100! They are still in good, wearable condition.

Dawn

No. There are several things that I will not buy used. I would not buy used shoes because they form to the feet of the person who is wearing them. The only shoes that I know to not form to each persons feet is Crocs. I will not buy used underthings. I will not buy used swimwear also. I use cloth and made my own diapers, but I do not purchase used for the same reason as undies. My thought is that they are pressed against private areas and even with frequent hot washes they might still contain germs or yeasts. As I have 4 growing children, shoes and underthings are items that get replaced with each person. Also, undies waistbands stretch with each person bodies and may not fit as well. Now, if I could find NIP items that are sealed, I might purchase them. I have given away a swimsuit to a friend that I had purchased at a bulk store that did not have fitting rooms. I tried it on at home with my undies on and the top was a bad fit. I gave it away versus returnming it because the drive would have taken 45 mintues to get $19.95 back for a taniki. Shoes with tags on would also be an option if I had ever seen any! I purchase my kids clothes in advance so that would also be a big negative for that. I can get clothes at 80-90% off and have the clothes waiting for them. Many times I can get it for less then I would be able to 2nd hand. The exception here is pants for my bigger boys. I have one who could care less about brands and one who cares very much. I get them the brand name at clearence outlets and the older gets what fits him and he likes. One wears a 32-34 in mens and the other wears a 10 in boys. I do not save them for future usage because it would create excessive clutter to store that many sizes in advance. Plus they have different body builds and shapes so that rules that out also, they get donated when they are ready to move up. So I do not buy somethings used, nor would I unless circumstance dictated the need.

 

[DawnM]

Of course, if we stay in this house, and can find a way to pay $500 more per month to mortgage, we can pay it off in 10 years instead of 14.

Hmmmm......

 

[Marionnette]

I wouldn't even make an attempt.

In order to accomplish something like that I would need a strong motivator. We have no looming debt. The house is paid off. Our savings is sound. But if any one of those existed, then I could see that it *might* be the stick (or the carrot) that could get me onboard.

Personally, I don't think that I could even survive one of the "no buy" months.

 

[Marionnette]

Of course, if we stay in this house, and can find a way to pay $500 more per month to mortgage, we can pay it off in 10 years instead of 14.

Hmmmm......

One year of austerity in order to gain 4 years one the mortgage wouldn't do it for me. But everyone has their own tipping point.

If you do decide to give it a try, I would love to follow your progress.

 

[neatokimmo]

Could I, like do I have enough stuff sitting around already that would last us a year? Yup

Do I have the willpower to stay out of Target. Nope

 

[peachydreamyxx]

Could I, like do I have enough stuff sitting around already that would last us a year? Yup

Do I have the willpower to stay out of Target. Nope

I have the exact same problem. Target seems to take all of my money!

 

[englishteacha]

As I look around my home, very few items were purchased new. I think we could buy used for items we needed for a year if we had to. I've actually recently changed clothing sizes and found several new-to-me items at our local thrift stores, and the new clothing I bought was on huge clearance, so the same as the thrift store's pricing. Besides food, and some new undergarments when old ones wear out (like a previous poster, I won't buy used undies!), we probably could go a whole year without buying much of anything. An interesting thought.

Both of our cars are paid for; both need work. We've pondered replacing one but if we can fix them and keep them going another year, then it's cheaper than a new-to-us car, I'm sure. Most of our appliances are under 10 years old. Our stove is ancient but if it dies I'm sure we could find a used one. If one of our dozens of electronic gadgets dies, then we could probably do without. DH has his own business as a computer geek so if one of his work computers dies, that would need to be replaced, and it would have to be new. However, he would find the best bargain possible.

DH just came in and asked what I was writing. I asked if he thought we could go a year without buying anything brand new. He said he didn't think so, and said I liked new clothes too much. Sheesh. That's why there are thrift stores, right?!

 

[bettymae1121]

I could, but there is no way DH could do it. As it is now I pretty much only buy for myself or the household when something needs to be replaced. Like a few weeks ago I needed some new sheets for the bed because all the sets I had were getting worn out. So DH has "new" drop cloths and I have NEW sheets!

What we could (and should) cut out is eating out so dang much.

 

[DawnM]

Actually, I was thinking of finding $500 a month extra for the next 10 years to get this thing paid off!

Truth be told, we CAN find $500/mo more, we just find other ways to use it!

Not sure I can go without Satellite TV or some form of Tivo. Not everything is on Hulu that I like to watch and so far we haven't gotten a good signal on an antenna. We are going to try an attic antenna but with our trees we still may not get decent signal. But, even with network TV I would want a Tivo on at least 2 TVs.

I am rambling as I am thinking this through.

I wouldn't blog about it.....it just isn't my thing.

Dawn

One year of austerity in order to gain 4 years one the mortgage wouldn't do it for me. But everyone has their own tipping point.

If you do decide to give it a try, I would love to follow your progress.

 

[trustknoone]

No I don't think I would want to do this. We have a system now where DH and I each get an allowance per month to spend as we please no questions asked. If he "needs" new black slacks because his are worn out or I need something that is worn out that comes out of bill money. If it's just somebody wants something new and pretty it comes out of your allowance. As others have said undies, socks and shoes you get all spanky new just for you. This works for us and nobody feels deprived and like they have to explain how much starbucks they consume but we are thinking more about how we spend our money. There is a think our bank does where we can get a daily txt msg of our balance so we see it every day and are reminded of how we want to spend or not.

And really there are so many loopholes in the nothing "new" I can't see how it would help unless you were buying nothing at all. Does it count as not new if I just bought a refurbished TV from Amazon for $1000, it's not new but it was $1000? KNIM

 

[WeekdayDisneyland]

I think that its an admirable project....for someone else to take on. I've got two growing young children and I don't like thrift stores or garage sales. Rarely do I buy new things for myself, I'd hate to give up that occasional treat.

 

[Pooh2]

Nope!!

 

[DawnM]

You are right about the loopholes!

I am a master at loopholes!

Dawn

No I don't think I would want to do this. We have a system now where DH and I each get an allowance per month to spend as we please no questions asked. If he "needs" new black slacks because his are worn out or I need something that is worn out that comes out of bill money. If it's just somebody wants something new and pretty it comes out of your allowance. As others have said undies, socks and shoes you get all spanky new just for you. This works for us and nobody feels deprived and like they have to explain how much starbucks they consume but we are thinking more about how we spend our money. There is a think our bank does where we can get a daily txt msg of our balance so we see it every day and are reminded of how we want to spend or not.

And really there are so many loopholes in the nothing "new" I can't see how it would help unless you were buying nothing at all. Does it count as not new if I just bought a refurbished TV from Amazon for $1000, it's not new but it was $1000? KNIM

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I just forked out an additional $169 to replace a brand new $199 iPhone with Verizon. You can safely put me in the NO category.

 

[mom2val]

Never

 

[RitaE]

My oldest son and I tried it for about one year. We weren't completely successful but we did fairly well. Our rule wasn't that we couldn't buy anything, it was that we wouldn't buy newly manufactured things. I tended to view "refurb" electronics etc as newly manufactured since most of those are just returns.

I did buy toilet paper, shampoo and groceries etc etc.

Clothes, I mostly just didn't buy but I cruised Goodwill often. I hit a couple of garage sales but found them to be too much trouble. I can't remember if I needed shoes that year but I don't remember buying any new. Mostly when we needed something we'd put out a call to friends and family and try to find somebody who had an old one lying around that we could buy, like a grill for the back deck and a coffee maker.

Birthday presents for family members etc I bought new but we tried to make them consumable things and not eventually landfill space taker kind of things.

Our biggest fight came when his iPOD broke. We finally compromised by buying a used one from one of his friends. Oh ... and towels and sheets. I remember that we really needed some new towels and sheets and I refused to buy those 2nd hand. He thought that was a cop out.

 

[labdogs42]

Not sure I can go without Satellite TV or some form of Tivo. Not everything is on Hulu that I like to watch and so far we haven't gotten a good signal on an antenna. We are going to try an attic antenna but with our trees we still may not get decent signal. But, even with network TV I would want a Tivo on at least 2 TVs.

I am rambling as I am thinking this through.

I wouldn't blog about it.....it just isn't my thing.

Dawn

I'm in the same boat about Tivo. I'd love to give up cable, but I can't give up my Tivo! Do you know if you can use Tivo with an antenna or do I have to keep cable? I haven't found an answer to that yet.

And, no, I couldn't, wouldn't go for a year without buying anything new. Sure, I could cut back my recreational shopping (and I have), but I'd never make it a whole month without buying something, let alone a year!

 

[DawnM]

Yes, you can. The charge is $12.99/mo for the first Tivo and then I think it is $10/mo for the others, but I need to look it up again. Or you can buy a lifetime subscription for about $300-$400, can't quite remember.....I think it is $400 and after 3 years it would be paid for.

IF we can get decent TV over the air, we may go this route.

Dawn

I'm in the same boat about Tivo. I'd love to give up cable, but I can't give up my Tivo! Do you know if you can use Tivo with an antenna or do I have to keep cable? I haven't found an answer to that yet.

And, no, I couldn't, wouldn't go for a year without buying anything new. Sure, I could cut back my recreational shopping (and I have), but I'd never make it a whole month without buying something, let alone a year!