Summer Banks
archillesCan You Go the Summer Without Buying Anything New?
March 9th 2009 23:56
Freecycle.com
There are people across the world who are adopting a frugal life of barter and trade. These people have chosen to give up buying new things (with the exception of personal items) for an entire year. Many of these people choose to expand their commitment to the environment and their wallets by extending the year well past the initial 12 months.
Most people would find this task very difficult, but what if it were approached on a much smaller scale? Let's say trying to go the summer without buying anything new as a part of your frugal life. The summer month's make up about 1/4 of the entire year so this should be an easy task to accomplish, right? Maybe not.
When it comes to buying new things, the items on the list include clothes, electronics, shoes, furniture, household items and anything that is not a necessity. Necessities are often defined differently to different people, so let's examine the rules associated with this new sector of the population. The "Compact" is the name of the San Francisco based organization of people who are truly trying to change the world by living a frugal life. The basic rules of the group are:
Do not buy anything new that is not a bare necessity.
Shopping at thrift stores is an accepted part of this frugal life.
Online - freecycle.com and craigslist.com are good places to find the things you need.
Buying used is an okay part of this frugal life, just not new.
Now that you know the rules and you understand the aspect of buying used versus buying new, this frugal life idea may not be so hard to follow for the summer.
Photo Credit: Screenshot from Freecycle.com
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