Not Buying It.

I'm almost through reading Judith Levine's book, "Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping".

The title is fantastic. The idea is spectacular. Can you go a whole year without shopping?

Sadly, the content seems to have very little to do with the actual title.

Full Disclosure: I'm a single parent living in the most expensive part of the country. 95% of my salary goes to my mortgage (6 years ago it went to my rent). How did I do it? Buy a teeny townhouse for half a million dollars? By not buying crap. I don't go to Starbucks, I cut my own hair (Youtube has great how to videos) and I shop at thrift stores.

So, I was very interested in reading this book. After all, I could probably try to go a whole year not buying the little things I buy...you know, the special items at the grocery store that look so appealing and you get them home and they're not. Or those thrift store shoes I had to have. And maybe I could start a garden or make more handmade items.

This book is not written with me in mind.

The book is written for a very specific audience. It is written for a left leaning, shopoholic without sound reasoning skills. Sadly, there are enough people around for whom this book might work. But they won't pick it up. You know who that audience is; the Starbucks buying, credit card loving, subprime mortgage buying, SUV driving, out for dinner every night, preachy, guilt-ridden yuppie. The person who is the first to rant and rave about global warming and ecology...but provides enough trash to fill a landfill in a month--that throws out more than a 200 unit apartment complex--the person that fires up an SUV and hires a gardener to spray the whole block with a leafblower. The kind of person who wouldn't know a rake if he/she stepped on it. Yet, assauges that guilt by railing against immigration reform and, although paying that gardener next to nothing throughout the year, throws a twenty his way for Christmas.

Her book makes no sense and is a rant against Bush and right wing policies. I think it is supposed to be anti-consumerism, but I often found her arguments to be just the opposite. I don't think the author truly understands her premise. However, the book is so poorly written it's hard to tell just what Ms. Levine thinks.

In fact, having plowed through most of this book (which I got from the library), I really think the author's problem(s) run much deeper than just shopping. I suspect a low I.Q.

Thrifting and loving it!

Well, I've started cleaning out the clutter.

And decided to be very selective when it comes to treasure hunting, or thrifting if you will.

So yesterday, I dropped off a comforter (huge!) and three bags of clothes. At Goodwill.

And then I went in for a little shoppin' (HEY no judgements! I deserved a little treat for cleaning out some of my clothes).

Anyway, I ended up with this fantastic 1960's spice cabinet for $5.99. It is gorgeous, with illustrations, descriptions of what spice goes where...and I'm thinking I can store things other than spices in there as well, tea, salt 'n pepper, tea, tins, tea, etc... Who knows, maybe I'll just put some of my tea in there...

Also, I found gorgeous Thank you cards for $1, a little bowl for planting my succulents (plants, you fool!) for $2.99 and a cup with "G" on it for Big G when/if she comes over again.

AND yesterday I decided to wear two of my thrift store finds (and lots of sterling silver jewelry). I wore my Lucy tank top....which I love...and a pair of capri jeans (the label called them "Tuff lady jeans" or something) which fit really well. I'm not into wearing jeans so much anymore now that sweatpants have become stylish and comfortable and something you can dress up and wear and pretend they are just regular pants. Plus, sweatpants don't have those huge pockets that emphasize my rear.

I love, love, love thrifting...but I've decided I need to focus on 1) saving cash (every dollar counts!) and 2) clearing out clutter. Today I may attack the second bedroom and/or the garage. I fully expect that garage to take a month to clear out and I'm NOT looking forward to it. I really just should call 1-800-GET-JUNK or whatever that number is to pay someone to haul all of the crap away.

But I'm so attached to some of it....I even have Big G's baby clothes from 20 years ago!