the network for radical unschooling families

Have you heard of the Buy Nothing New compact?

I just read about a cool thing that a group of San Franciscans did a few years back. The initiated a Compact with each other. The agreed to basically not buy anything new (with exceptions of course) for 12 months. Check out the guidelines at the link below. Care to try it with me? I am really liking the idea. Of course, I do have a list of things I am searching for used already and it really frustrated my dear son. Not sure what to do about that ...

http://sfcompact.blogspot.com/2006/01/new-years-resolution.html

0 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by angela on April 23, 2009 at 6:28am

i'm in! let's chat!

Permalink Reply by Zoa Conner on April 23, 2009 at 6:46am

great! I think we should come up with our own guidelines based on what will work for us. DId you read the "rules" that the folks in San Fran came up with? If not, check out the link I put in the original post.

Permalink Reply by angela on April 30, 2009 at 11:34am

sorry i didn't see this sooner! i will check out the link again.
<3- ang

Permalink Reply by angela on April 30, 2009 at 11:55am

hey zoa!
so i just saw that you commented back, sorry for taking a while. i guess i didnt follow the updates, oops!

anyway, i went to the link and read up on the 'details' of the buy nothing new, and i am happy to say honestly, for the most part, i am already doing this and have been for a while!

being a tightwad and a pseudo-gypsy for the past year put us in a situation where when we moved to dallas last october, we had no furniture, and had sold or given a way a very large majority of our belongings. so, when we got here, we craigslisted it to find beds and a couch and a desk and lamps and a couple fun things for the kids.

there are very occasional purchases that i make 'new', usually clothes for the kids, but most of my kids clothes come from thrift stores, goodwill, or resale shops anyway.

that reminds me, my husband buys new stuff, likes new clothes, sunglasses, shoes- we don't include our husbands in this do we? (although i have introduced him to the wonders of plato's closet, which has been able to satisfy his trendy clothing styles)

other stuff- i have taken the handmade pledge, and last christmas made or bought off craigslist 90% of our christmas gifts. so, that will be a smooth transition too.
BUT- we are in the market for a new car. although we bought our current vehicle in 'used' condition, it only had a couple thousand miles on it, we are looking at some hybrid options,
so i am wondering how all that would classify?

i'm excited to take this to the next level, and looking forward to doing it together!

xoxo,
ang

Permalink Reply by Heather Jacobs on February 16, 2010 at 12:52pm

I know this is quite old now, but I had infact heard of this and saw the family that started it on the news back when they did this. I thought the idea was AMAZING! For me personally I had years ago put a similar way of living into effect. I try to limit my purchase of new. Clothing, aside from under garments are mainly purchased second hand at thrift stores. I barter and swap a great deal also. We tend to purchase used books and schooling items second hand as well.

I would love to hear if the two of you or more of you did this and how it went or is going.

Permalink Reply by Sarah Briand on December 12, 2010 at 10:47pm