Month 2 – I Am Still A Spender

I’ve officially spent thirty-eight days wearing the same clothes, working the same accessories and walking in shoes that are a year behind my time.  I survived without making a spontaneous trip to the mall or even a midnight shopping spree to Wal-Mart, but I am quickly learning that I didn’t necessarily have a love affair with clothes and shoes, but on spending money on ANYTHING.  What was my major purchase in January?  I bought myself some beautiful, expensive hair.

This month will probably be the first month that I stick to my budget that I create faithfully on Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover monthly.  If I am truly going to conquer my former consumption habits, it has to involve some hardcore reconditioning.  Overconsumption involves a variety of things such as food, finances and resources.  It has become clear to me that I spend too much money, eat too much food and need as many resources as possible to get me through this year.  Wow!!  I am truly a work in progress!

24 Days of Nothing New

24 days and I have purchased absolutely nothing new.  This may seem easy to some, but for a girl that loves her “stuff”, this is definitely a monumental moment to be celebrated.  How did Ido it?  Well I have not been to a mall in 24 days, a Walmart in 24 days, a shopping center, drug store or any other area of temptation.  My trips to the grocery store are even far and few.  The funny thing is I don’t feel like I am missing out on a thing because it has forced me to be creative and resourceful.  Whereas, like many I would instantly go to the store whenever I had a want or a need, I am finding myself getting clear about what my needs truly are and finding other ways to fulfill them. 

For me, my shopping craze was fueled by so much more than just wanting a new shirt or needing a new pair of shoes.  Many times there was always a void, or a feeling that I never took  the time to acknowledge because in a society where you can “buy everything to fix anything”, atleast for the moment, it so much easier to drop by the store and buy a new outfit to make me happy than to address whatever I was allowing to get in the way of my happiness.  If I am not happy with myself, then the television and magazines would inform me of all of the products that I could buy to create the image  and the person that I desired to be, as opposed to me working on myself and dealing with what is within.

No wonder the group of consumers that are growing the most are teens and tweens.  Going through a period of their lives, where they are searching for an identity, while seeking independence and acceptance from their peers,  marketers are discovering there’s lots of money to be made.  Corporations capitalize on the age-old insecurities and self-doubts of teens by making them believe that to be truly cool, you need their product.  Some companies hire “cool hunters” or “cultural spies” to infiltrate the world of teens and bring back the latest trends. Trying to stay ahead of the next trend can be a tricky business however, as cultural critic Douglas Rushkoff explains. “The minute a cool trend is discovered, repackaged, and sold to kids at the mall—it’s no longer cool. So the kids turn to something else, and the whole process starts all over again.”  Talk about massive consumerism and waste!!!

This thought lead to my desire to learn more about this area of consumerism and the long-term affects of exposing our children to this media frenzy.  I found this alarming quote, ““Advertising has always sold anxiety, and it certainly sells anxiety to the young. It’s always telling them they’re losers unless they’re cool.”(Mark Crispin Miller, The Merchants of Cool, 2000)  There is a packaged child-hood that is sold to youth through ads, advertisments, magazines, movies, video games and the internet.   To have a healthy, body-image,  attitude towards sexuality and view of their place in this world is almost impossible, while they are bombarded with stuff to cure their fix and a commercial with all of the answers.   “Girls are mini-fashionistas who are pretty and sexy and who are obsessed with boys, friends, shopping, pop stars and celebrities; boys are independent and strong, and preoccupied with sports, video games, adventure, cars, music, and hanging out with friends”, it’s all a part of the package.  No wonder I have spent so much of  my life buying and spending.

At the end of the day, our problem of mass consumption not only has long-term enviornmental and  financial effects, but may also involve alarming emotional and identity issues. For me “24 days of Nothing New” marks 24 days of being committed to myself and looking within and 24 days of investing in me.  341 days to go.

Sacrifice a Day for Haiti

This week, our neighboring country endured unimaginable devistation.  As I continue my journey to reduce my consumption and to be mindful of the careless use of our resources, I am reminded once again of those that are FORCED to do this everyday of their lives because it is a matter of  life or death for them.  It is heart breaking what is happening at this very moment so close to home.

We spend each day spending, while so many people around the world are simply trying to make it to the next day on what they have.  My challenge to you is to take a break for a day and to sacrifice what would have been wasted to save a life.

Visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34835478/ns/world_news-americas/?gt1=43001 for a list of organizations that are supporting in the relief efforts and are in need of your help.  You may also simply text 90999 and $10 will automatically be  donated to the Red Cross.  A country is in ruins and every little bit will make a huge difference.

8 Days of “No New Things”

The last time I wrote, I eagerly boasted about my last purchase of 2009, which I guess is also my last new purchase for myself until 2011.  I know it probably sounds crazy, but I still think it was the best investment ever!  I have gotten so many compliments on my gift to myself and I guess if I am looking a hot mess due to my inability to get creative with me current closet gear, my Coach bag makes up for it.  At least that is the story that I made up in my had to justify the obvious “image consumption” of this expensive accessory.

After 8 days of this challenge, I will have to say that there is freedom in knowing that there is nothing that will call me to the mall this year,or if I go to the local Wally World, I can bypass all the extras that always seemed to end up in my cart to get the necessities that I came for.  I receive coupons and promotional codes all day long virtually through my email or as the only ”good news” in my mailbox.  Whereas, it used to be a reason to jump in the car for an impromptu shopping trip, I immediately hit delete, send it to the  recycling bin or pass it along to a fellow shopper that can use it.  It’s amazing how powerful a coupon can be,  but I have defeated them all!

2010 for me signifies transformation and a opportunity for me to create another chapter of my book that will be completely different than the rest.  I am starting school and committed to building a solid foundation for myself that is in line with who I am and my core beliefs.  I am out to save and erase the scarcity conversations that I have had from a financial standpoint, while living with respect for our scarce resources. I choose to make investments into myself that are bigger than what we experience on the surface when we are wearing the latest gear, or driving the fastest car or  living in the mansion on the hill.  My dreams are so much greater than that.  Therefore, this challenge is an opportunity to eliminate the distractions and to get back to the basics.  For me, that means to get back to my Passion and Purpose and the Pursuit anything green to include money and food. 

I Have My Coach Bag, I Am Officially Done

Call me crazy, but my one guilty pleasure in life is my obsession with my infamous Coach bags.  It has been a lost tradition of mine, due to my own personal recession, to treat myself to a brand new Coach Bag annually.  Although, I have always been money concious about this splurge  of mine by selling the old one to put money towards the new shiny replacement, as well as shopping the Outlets only for a discounted purse, I am well aware that $300 plus purses are ridiculous.  But guess what?  I DON’T CARE!!  I WANTED IT AND I GOT IT!!

Don’t get me wrong, I had much anxiety along with excitement behind this purchase.  I know my partner in crime is going to speak her mine big time about this one.  I also know that I cry broke every other day and this purse is definitely going to hit me hard.  I have visited the Outlets on numerous occassions this year and passed up the temptation to spend.  This time around, I had it all planned out the moment I knew I was headed to Gaffney, GA.  I was so excited that I practically dragged my 3 year old from the car through the outlets, to (music in my head)  the  COACH store. $200.00 later and a savings of $377.00, I left the store with my bag.  YES!!!  I know I preach overspending and never ending overconsumption in this blog, but this is IT for me and I am going to be so happy going to work tomorrow with my brand new bag and my year of “No New Things” has officially begun.

This is my magical bag that is going to get me through a year of frugal living and no new things.  Some of us need a coach, some therapy and there are those of us that turn to numerous of ther people and things for support.  I turn to my bag  that is large enough to store all of the money that I will be saving in 2010.  So the journey begins.

Good Morning World!

What better time of year to examine the terribly broken cycle of consumerism that we Americans so heavily contribute to? If there is a true spirit of Christmas in America today, it’s overconsumption.  Overconsumption of goods, food and gifts that NO ONE wants.  I am clear that I can easily fall in either of these traps, due to my constant desire to fill voids and gaps in my life with various new items and food.  If I am not shopping I am eating.  It’s the American Way.  While, it is so easy to say we are going to do something about it, but how do we break the cycle and kick these habits?  Our lives have been set-up in a way that makes hyper-consumption not only a seemingly necessity, but also easy to maintain.  So to start for me, the credit card and debit card that is always so quick to jump out of my purse and swipe for all the little things that add up, are now officially on punishment and staying home.  Statistics show that half of the world lives off of $2 a day, let’s see how well I do.  As a disclosure to set myself up to win, I do have plans this weekend, which may require a little more than $2, but I guess that just means that I won’t be spending my $2 on some of my other days.  Think  you can handle the challenge?

I Could Be A Millionaire

Why not buy anything new in 2010??  The statistics speak for themselves.  It’s called hyperconsumption.  Not only are Americans loosing their jobs, homes, cars and retirement savings, but we have lost our minds!!  Check out these statistics.

• 12 percent of the world’s population lives in North America and Western Europe and accounts for 60 percent of private consumption spending, but a third of humanity that lives in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa accounts for only 3.2 percent. WorldWatch Institute
• Half the world lives on less than two dollars a day – source: GlobalWatch. 
• In 1950, the global population was 2.6 billion people. We had 53 million cars- which works out to be one car for every 50 persons. Today, there are over 6 billion people and 500 million cars-more than one car for every dozen inhabitants. Sierra Club (lots of fascinating facts on that page)
• If the Chinese consume resources in 2031 at a level that Americans do now, grain consumption per person there would climb from around 600 pounds today to around 2000 pounds needed to sustain a typical western diet. This would equate to 1,352 million tons of grain, equal to two thirds of all the grain harvested in the world in 2004. OneWorld
• In 1950, Americans consumed 144 pounds of meat and poultry per person on average. In 2007, that shot up to 222 pounds. Factory Farming Campaign.
• Global oil production is currently about 81 million barrels a day and is predicted to fall to 39 million barrels a day by 2030 due to diminishing resources (see Peak oil). Source: Energy Watch Group via Guardian
• In 2003, gasoline consumption per capita in North America was 1,593.1 litres per person, whereas in developing countries it was 59.2 litres per person. World Resources Institute.
• Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels in November of 1958 were at 313.34 parts per million. In March 2009, levels were at 387.41 parts per million, an increase of over 20%. Carbonify.com
• Industrialized nations, representing only 20% of the world’s population, consume 87 percent of the world’s printing and writing papers and global production in the pulp, paper and publishing sector is expected to increase by 77% from 1995 to 2020. The pulp and paper industry is the single largest consumer of water used in industrial activities in OECD countries and is the third greatest industrial greenhouse gas emitter, after the chemical and steel industries. Co-op America
• The average American buys 53 times as many products as someone in China and one American’s consumption of resources is equal valent to that of 35 Indians. Over a lifetime, the typical American will create 13 times as much environmental damage as the average Brazilian. Sierra Club via CNN
• South Australia is the driest state in the driest continent in the world, yet it’s water consumption is 445 litres per day per person (2001/2002) according to Environment SA. Australia’s average per person water consumption was 493 litres per day.  In the USA, average water consumption per person in 2008 was 575 litres daily. China’s daily per capita consumption in 2006 was 86 litres according to Data 360
• The world’s annual consumption of plastic materials has increased from around 5 million tonnes in the 1950s to nearly 100 million tonnes today. WasteOnline
• The USA’s electricity consumption per capita is 12,343.098 kWh per year and 71.4 % of that electricity is generated via fossil fuel. Australia’s consumption is 10,252.432 kWh per capita, with 90.8 % fossil fuel dependent. German consumption is 6,366.428 kWh per capita with only 61.8 % of that fossil fuel generation dependent. NationMaster
• Between 2000 and 2005 around 10 million acres of forests were lost per year in South America, which incorporates the might Amazon forest. The land is cleared primarily for cattle ranches and soybean plantations. Only 20 – 25% of  Brazilian soybeans are used domestically; most is exported overseas for use in food, textiles and increasingly – cattle feed. Choices Magazine and Monga Bay
• The food we eat now typically travels between 1,500 and 3,000 miles from farm to our dinner plate (also known as food miles). The distance had increased by up to 25 percent between 1980 and 2001. Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University
• To grow a pound of wheat requires around 130 gallons of virtual water. For meat, depending on the type – multiply that by five to ten times. Water Footprint
• Global coal consumption in 1980 was 4,129.498 million short tons. In 2006, it was 6,743.786 million short tons. Coal consumption is projected to grow at about 2.5% per year over the next 20 years. US Department of Energy

Simply put, we could learn alot from other countries.  Sounds to me like we are the richest, poorest country and we are quickly diminishing our resources.  I could truly be a millionaire if I adopted greener and more resourceful habits. How about you?