Did you know that Buy Nothing New Month is October? Will you join the challenge?
According to the Buy Nothing New Month website, “Buy Nothing New Month is the global movement for collective, conscientious consumption. It’s a little idea, that started in Melbourne and is spreading to the Netherlands and USA.”
Buy Nothing New Month is a great way to challenge the way you approach your day to day life. Too often we blindly accept today’s throw away mentality or we think it’s ok, it’s recyclable.
As Annie Leonard (author of The Story of Stuff) says, “Recycling is what we do when we’re out of options to avoid, repair, or reuse the product first. Firstly: Reduce. Don’t buy what we don’t need. Repair: Fix stuff that still has life in it. Reuse: Share. Then, only when you’ve exhausted those options, recycle.”
Meanwhile, our homes, garages and storage units are bursting at the seams. It’s expensive and stressful!
If you’re aiming to be more frugal, reduce your clutter and simplify your life, a no spend month is an absolute must. Yes, it’ll be a challenge but, you’ll gain so much more from the experience than just money in your pocket. Remember, it’s not about deprivation, it’s about finding other ways to access to whatever it is you need. Can you borrow it? Can you buy it second hand? Can you repair what you already have? It’s also about valuing what you have and making it last.
Will you join the challenge?
You can make your pledge to “beg, borrow, barter, swap or buy second hand whatever you need” for the month of October at the Buy Nothing New Month website here. Remember, it’s just one month where you challenge yourself to buy nothing new, except essentials like food, hygiene and medicines. You can even add it to your 30 day challenge list!
If you need a little help to prepare, check out these posts:
- Zero Waste Lifestyle
- 5 Tips for a Successful Spending Freeze
- Impulse
- Challenge! ‘No Spend’ Month – February
- February No-Spend Month – Spending Debrief
And, take a look this quick (5 minute) TED talk. Not just because it’s fun, but because it’ll challenge your creativity, too.
Are you ready to give Buy Nothing New Month a shot? It starts in just a couple of days so there’s no time to lose!
Image: Pixabay