Buy nothing new for a year challenge

[Stonehead]

Does it count if someone else buys it for you?

I should think it would. Otherwise I could just give all the money to the OH and get her to spend it on me.

Oh, and jam kettle fetishes are completely understandable. I have a gleaming stainless steel one although I have more of a chutney thing going than a marmalade one. Well, there is the berry jam thing, too, but...

[crowsashes]

5 days in and i havent brought anything

im very jealous of the imac! my emac is well on its way out now ... and is in need of replacing... but alas i will have to make do... unless i get a very generous gift too

[niknik]

Well Im joining in as well.

I will haveto buy car parts , to get it back on the road, and service items. but I think that´s excluded.
Clothes.other than underwear shouldnt be a problem.
Books, will get 2nd hand from charity shop., as I have to have something to read.

I will be buying some plants (veg and fruit) as have had no joy from seeds, but will try first with the seeds I have, and anyway was going to spend some xnas money I was given, so in a wy that doesnt really count ( does it)

I might have to get a few diy bits ( nails/screws/hinges) ....... but thats to hep replace afew damaged items.. so repairs I guess

Have to see how it goes. but this threadshould help keep me on the straight and narrow!

[Milims]

I bought a new dishwasher - but before the end of last year! After that I've had to buy some back boxes and gromits in a move to finishing the kitchen - but after that - nowt!

[Flo]

Argh. I'm doomed. Years of stingy, self congratulatory austerity thrown away in an instant. How many years penance do I have to do for such a gorgeous piece of consumerism?

(It is very, very nice though.)

In your case none at all so long as you don't make a habit of it.

[crowsashes]

a quick question...

my current mattress is now at the end of its life , springs poking my backside and lack of a good nights sleep for months now plus its so old i can flatten it with my hand ... its unrepairable...

does it count if i go and get a new mattress ?

( p.s freecycle not an option as i do not have transport)

[Stonehead]

Our "mattress" is an ancient king-size shikibuton (the thin padded mattress that forms the bottom of a futon) that the OH bought when she was at university. And that was a lot more than 20 years ago. Whenever we get enough money together to buy a proper mattress to go on our old steel bed, something breaks and we have to spend the money on that. But we do have ambitions of having a real mattress by the time the OH retires. :D

[Flo]

does it count if i go and get a new mattress ?
( p.s freecycle not an option as i do not have transport)

I've used second hand beds over the years but they have never lasted as well as a good new mattress. Rather than having to dispose of two, it's probably better environmentally to buy a new and longer lasting one. Buying new and well is sometimes better than second hand and more often.

I know that at first it sounds as if it might not be in quite the spirit of buying nothing new but the challenge is surely only there to make us consume less.

[Helsbells]

I would definitely go for a new mattress. I would only get rid of my old one if it was sagging and I wanted a nice firm one so there would be no point buying second hand, I have to be careful with things like mattresses and pillows because I get a bad back and neck otherwise.

[Flo]

As for clothes, We treat me to 2 pairs of new jeans from A$da last week for the princly sum of £4 per pair. They cost more than that in charity shops in my town so I'm afraid i won't be doing this challenge but good luck with it for those that do.

I think that we have to agree that second hand clothes are almost a no-go area here too. All I wanted was one warm top for the rest of the winter. Last of the sales at Millets turned up a fleece top at a fiver rather than having to go for two thinner woollies at £3.49 each in the charity shops to get the same thickness.

The only reason I needed one was that I've lost noticeable weight and would otherwise have been going round wearing well ventilated and none draught proof sacks .. Cold air layers don't keep you warm.

But the cookery book was second hand.

[Elliecat]

We have ordered a new mattress as our present one is over 10 years old and lumpy and unsupportive. It gives me backache but doesn't seem to bother OH. I made a point of ordering it on 31 December so that it wouldn't affect this challenge though!

I am actually listing everything we buy which is not part of the usual food/drink/toiletries consumables group of allowable items, so I am listing such things as essential DIY/household items, presents and secondhand books (6 things so far! ). This really helps to keep me on the straight and narrow with this challenge!

I also list everything I am getting rid of on my 2011 things in 2011 decluttering challenge - I suppose I'm a bit obsessive really!

How is everyone else getting on?

[yvette]

Curses, just had to buy some new reading glasses as I lost mine a few days ago and I cannot sew or read without them. I suppose this comes under necessities, but I am still annoyed. BUT I did get my new ones from the pound shop, so at least I am still being frugal!
Otherwise, have just bought food and a second-hand bedspread from a charity shop (so I can use the fabric)

[Helsbells]

What has everyone bought so far?

I have bought a book called "Sew Liberated" Bought it second hand first time from Amazon and the patterns that were supposed to be in the back were missing!! After a convoluted discussion with amazon the only answer they could give me was to offer a refund then for me to buy one new to get the patterns. So I got a refund then bought a brand new one. Weird, I basically got a brand new book for about £3.00!

Second purchase was a CD, again from Amazon, not available from library or second hand. And I really needed it!! (for my creative process).

[Flo]

I'm sorry but the shoe sales called. I don't expect a pair of shoes to last me more than six months as I'm heavy on them even when not undertaking manual labour on the allotment. And shoes cost me a fortune due to having short, wide and deep feet. I replaced the slippers at £10 a pair plus P&P from the only shop in the country that supplies shoes which fit me. I bought two pairs which would normally cost me £25 each plus P&P.

Likewise I picked up another two fleeces from Millets at a fiver each end of sale because the standard of any woolly goods in the charity shops didn't come at a comparable price. Like Big Al, I refuse to pay more for second hand than I would for a comparable or better standard new. It's not been very warm up here and these fleeces are a real boon to keeping warm.

Oh and the son sent me an M&S voucher for Christmas so I bought two new nighties and a very cheap corded telephone to cover for power cuts - the other sort don't work when the power is off. Did I need the nighties? Could have put the purchase off six months at the most. We've had this discussion on whether vouchers are allowed or not. Well of course they are if otherwise the gift would expire before the end of the year.

[crowsashes]

so far the only fail of something new was a DVD for the little one. we dont have a TV but he gets the occasional dvd to watch instead.

other than that i have honestly only brought food and some soap from lush as ive finally found one that doesn't screw up my skin.

ive even - so far this year got rid of loads of items! i have more going out - goods wise- than i have coming in!