Thursday, July 14, 2011

Not Buying It Update 6: June Results

Posted by Crystal Pepperdine, Founder and Executive Director of Flint Handmade

JUNE RESULTS

Money Saved: $1,000

The breakdown would show money spent on gas, groceries, toiletries and other necessities as usual, so I won't bore you with the details.

Projects Completed: LOTS!

Most of my projects in June involved ridding my house of the clutter that comes along with "Buying It" and, therefore, accumulating way too much unnecessary stuff.

 1) "KILL MY TELEVISION"

I gave up commercial television in 2005.  However, I kept my TV and used it to watch movies and shows on DVD, videocassette and, briefly at the end of 2010, streaming Netflix via Roku player.

After fewer than 6 months of my Not Buying It Project (as well as reading an excellent book called The Age of Missing Information by Bill McKibben), I decided that I didn't need a TV at all...or a VCR...or a DVD player...or a Roku player.

All of my VHS box covers went to Kate Kehoe of Chicaloo Photography and More to make into awesome upcycled notebooks. 

I donated all of my videocassettes to Alternative Community Training, an organization in Missouri that employs disabled persons to clean and refurbish the tapes for resale.  It cost me $25 in postage to ship the box to Missouri, which put my over my spending limit for the month, but it was worth it.

I donated dozens of DVDs to Flint Handmade for our DVD Sale

2) BECOME AN EBAY and HALF.COM SELLER

I am now a seller on eBay and half.com!  I posted dozens of DVDs, CDs and books on half.com and made almost $200 total.  I will be posting my Roku player and more items on eBay soon.

I have decided to use eBay/half.com money to purchase a secondhand spinning wheel and chairs for my patio!  I was inspired by my beau, who sold his unnecessary TV and used the proceeds to buy a grain mill from Lehman's, a company that sells non-electrical appliances and supplies. 

3) DONATE BOOKS TO THE FLINT PUBLIC LIBRARY

Some of the books I owned did not come up in the half.com system, so I just decided to donate them to the Friends of the Flint Public Libary.  They accept donations on the first Saturday of every month from 10am-noon.

4) VISIT FRATZ CONSIGNMENT and WEARS LIKE NEW

In addition to ridding myself of DVDs, CDs and books I no longer use, I am also letting go of a lot housewares and clothes. 

I have consigned 20+ household items with Fratz Consignment and 40+ articles of clothing at Wears Like New.  Money I earn from these sales will also go into my spinning wheel account.

I have now been "Not Buying It" for over 1/2 year and there are no signs of slowing down!  Wish me luck for the rest of July!

2 comments:

  1. I read The Age of Missing Information when I was a sophomore in college (which was longer ago than I'd like to admit, ha ha), and loved it. Still have it in my bookshelf, now I'm inspired to read it again!

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  2. Bethany: So glad you are inspired to read The Age of Missing Information again! I attended a talk by Bill McKibben and I really agree with a lot of what he has to say.

    I recently read his short book called Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a More Joyful Christmas. My beau and I are going to give copies of it to our family members so that they better understand why we are choosing to celebrate holidays the way we do...which is with handmade, heartfelt gifts and/or simply sharing meals/time together instead of a racing around from house to house opening totally unnecessary presents. You should check this book out! :)

    Crystal

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