Not Buying It Update 6: Going on Hiatus

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

Well, life has been insanely busy since I last posted a Not Buying It Update in June.

As you may know, I am now engaged and my fiancé has moved in with me while we take our time building our "forever" house on 10 acres of farmland.

Also, I am currently implementing a grant of almost $5,000 from the Ruth Mott Foundation to offer SkillShare Workshops for Flint Handmade.

And, after a long and arduous appliation process that I have been working on since January, Flint Handmade received 501(c)(3) status from the IRS, so we can now accept tax deductible donations AND apply for even larger grants!

With all of these exciting (and time-consuming) life events going on, I just did not make time to track my expenses carefully these past few months. :(

But, I promise that I rarely purchased anything unnecessary.  Most my spending has been on groceries, gas, medical expenses, canning supplies, home maintenence/repair and yard/garden supplies.  Unfortunately, we also had a few emergencies (e.g. flat tire, broken window, etc.) that required larger outlays of money.

Anyway, with all of these major life changes, I have decided to put Not Buying It on haitus for the time being.

Once Russ and I have established our joint household income/expenses and recordkeeping systems, we plan to reinstate many aspects of Not Buying It in 2012.  It's already become part of our lives and we're excited to see how it develops now that we live together!

In the meantime, I do plan to continue posting photos of my completed projects whenever possible.  :) 

See below for project photos from July, August and September!

JULY RESULTS
Projects Completed: 3

I completed more than 3 projects in July, but these are the only pictures I have. 

1) INSTALLED ELEVATED GARDEN WATERING SYSTEM

2) FIXED DRYER

3) SEWED 12 FOOT TABLECLOTH (Shown Folded in Half)

AUGUST RESULTS

Projects Completed: 2

August was very heavy with visiting family and travelling.

My paternal grandmother from Chicago came to visit for a week. Then, Russ and I went to Chicago for two days on a mini-vacation.

But, I still managed to complete 2 crafty projects.

1) MADE 6 COMMISSIONED STAINED GLASS PENDANTS

2) MADE FIRST SET OF CLOTH NAPKINS

SEPTEMBER RESULTS
Projects Completed: 2

Again, many more projects were completed in September (including a major cleaning/organization of my basement), but these pictures will have to do!

1) CANNED 4 JARS OF STRAWBERRY JAM

2) CANNED 3 JARS OF TOMATO BASIL SAUCE

The recipes for above canned goods are in one of my new favorite books called Homemade Living: Canning & Preserving with Ashley English.  Ashley's blog, small measure, is also fantastic!

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!

Not Buying It Update 5: April and May Results

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

NOTE: Blogger went kablooey about a month ago when I tried to post my April results, so I am reposting them after my May results.  :)

MAY RESULTS

Money Saved: $1,000

I won't include a breakdown this time, but suffice it to say that I did not overspend and I did not buy any gifts in May.  :)

Projects Completed: 8

 1) TRANSPLANTED STRAWBERRIES

My friend, Amy of Made with Luv, gave me 25 strawberry plants from her garden.  Amazingly, some of the plants are already bearing fruit despite the trauma of being transplanted!

2) PLANTED APPLE, NUT AND BERRY TREES

 

Above is my Linda Mac apple tree from the Genesee Conservation District.  In two years, I should have fresh apples from my own front yard.  How awesome is that?!? 

 

 3) PLANTED GARDEN and MADE GARDEN SIGNS

Potatoes, onion, broccoli, peppers and tomatoes are now in the garden!  Corn, carrots, cucumbers and beans are up next.

I made the garden signs out of a old pack of wood shims in my garage.  I used a spare tip on my stained glass soldering iron to burn the words into the wood. 

4) REMOVED PILE OF 'URBANITE'

Last summer, I had an uneven concrete walkway removed my front yard.  The broken concrete (aka urbanite) sat in my backyard for a year, but it is ALL gone now!

 5) INSTALLED OUTDOOR CLOTHESLINE

I spent $14 on supplies for an outdoor clothesline.  I've already used it once and I'm eager to line dry my bed linens.

 6) BUSINESS CARD HOLDERS

I made these from Scrabble tile holders, vintage buttons and hot glue.  They will be on sale at Craft City at Buckham Alley Fest on July 16, 2011!

 7) SHORTBREAD COOKIES

These cookies are made from just three ingredients (butter, sugar, flour) and drizzled with chocolate.  So easy and so tasty!

 8) HOMEMADE EYEGLASSES CLEANER

I had been paying $3.50 for an 8oz bottle of cleaner. I made my own cleaner using a 16oz bottle rubbing alcohol ($1) and 16oz of water (free) with a few drops of dish soap (basically free).

I got 32oz of homemade eyeglass cleaner for $1. I would have paid $14 for that much at the store...and, my homemade cleaner seems to work better!

Credit goes to Ashley English's small measure blog for the motivation to finally get this eyeglass cleaner project done!

Reserves Spent: $0
Emergency Funds Spent: $1,348

I didn't fess up at the beginning of this project about my Emergency Funds. 

For the past few years, I have been trying to follow the advice of financial professionals and build up about 3-6 months of living expenses in a separate account for emergencies.

I am SO glad that I did, because I had several large emergencies in May.

First, all of my patio furniture was stolen from my front porch in late April.  In order to try to protect the patio furniture in my backyard (not to mention my car, my house, myself and my dog), I paid $530 to have the rest of my fence and two gates installed.  My backyard is now entirely fenced in, which is something I have been working on since I moved into my house over 9 years ago.  So, I'm glad to have it done, but it was still a major financial blow.

Then, my dog broke my front window.  My beau and I tried to fix it, but to no avail.  So, I paid $400 for a new window which will be installed in June/July.

Then, my dryer died.  I bought the $8 part online (with my discretionary income) and I hope to fix it myself soon to avoid an $80 repair bill.

With all of this money flying out the door, I decided to go ahead and buy a cordless electric lawnmower for $365.  I admit, this was not really an emergency, but dragging a 50 foot extension cord around for my corded lawnmower and trying to mow around the apple, nut and berry trees we planted was just not going to work for me. 

I did buy the lawnmower from Gill-Roy's, a Michigan-owned business, and I plan to loan/give my corded lawnmower to a friend of mine, who is a self-employed single mom trying to run her own handcrafting business.  She could really use the help and I could really use the good karma.  ;)

Finally, my cell phone died near the end of the month.  I had a new phone credit and I'm getting a mail-in rebate, which should cover the cost of the phone, but I still had to shell out $53 upfront.  I really didn't want to get a new phone and I avoided any unnecessary upgrades to a smartphone. 

Going into the phone store was extremely uncomfortable for me.  I was surrounded by completely gratuituous glowing rectangles and salesworkers who were taking about driving 20 minutes to pick up fast food for lunch.  This was not my place and these were not my people.

I am now completely certain, without a shadow of a doubt, that I do not belong to that mainstream, consumption-obsessed society.  I am so grateful for my life of burgeoning self-sufficiency and sustainability.

APRIL RESULTS

Money Saved: $1,000

Here's the breakdown of my $745 in discretionary income for the month:

$136 : GROCERIES
$083 : GAS
$030 : FLINT RIVER FARM CSA
$070 : MEDICAL EXPENSES
$012 : HOME MAINTENANCE
$170 : GARDEN/YARD SUPPLIES
$031 : GIFTS
$014 : VET FOLLOW UP FOR YASHA
-----------------------------------------------------------
$546 : TOTAL SPENT +
$200 : SET ASIDE FOR OCTOBER =
$746 : TOTAL EXPENSES
-----------------------------------------------------------
$745 - $746 = -$1 REMAINING INCOME

I spent $1 extra this month, but my change jar covered the overage. ;)

I did cheat a bit on the Flint River Farm CSA, though. I had about $100 sitting in my personal PayPal account that I used to pay the majority of my share of the half share that my beau and I purchased. But, this upfront investment will help keep my grocery bill low during July-October when we get CSA veggies.

Another major investment I made this month was $170 on Garden/Yard Supplies, which will be explained below in the Projects Completed section.

I did spent $31 on gifts. $6 went to flowers for my beau's other grandma when I met her on Easter and $25 was actually a charitable donation to a student scholarship endowment in honor the upcoming wedding of two of my friends/colleagues. But, I am really going to try not to spend any money on gifts in May!

Projects Completed: 1 Huge Project - Vegetable Garden Prep

BEFORE

AFTER

With the help of my beau and my mom, I transplanted about 100 square feet of grass to the mud pit on the side of my house, tilled up the entire 800 square foot garden and brought in 3 cubic yards of compost ($99) to create 20 perfect vegetable rows behind my garage.

I worked almost 20 hours total on this project, so I didn't have much time for another other projects this month, but I'm hoping to complete more (smaller) projects in May.

One of the those smaller projects will be planting in my front yard the fruit, nut and berry trees I bought this month ($71) from Genesee Conservation District. So, that's how I spent $170 on Garden/Yard Supplies in April. It should not be nearly as high in May.

Reserves Spent: $0

Well, I've completed 4 months of my Not Buying It Project and I still really haven't felt the scarcity.

There was a brief moment when I was trying to decide what to wear to Easter dinner when I felt like I maybe needed to buy some new-to-me (aka thrift/consignment store) clothes.

But, this was just temporary insanity. Lol I have a closet and a couple of dressers FULL of clothes and I just had to be creative about putting together an outfit. :)

I'm sure the creative juices will continue to flow in May, too.

So, have any of you readers been inspired by these updates to make some Not Buying It changes in your lives? I would love to hear about them!

Not Buying It Update 4: March Results

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

I have been advised that these Not Buying It update posts were running a tad too long. (Thanks, Tunde!) 

So, I have decided to keep this one short and sweet! I will only cover three measures of success for March.

Money Saved: $1,000

Here's the breakdown of my $683 in discretionary income for the month:

$201 : GROCERIES
$094 : GAS
$014 : TOILETRIES
$020 : MEDICAL EXPENSES
$011 : POSTAGE FOR PAPERBACKSWAP
$014 : VEGETABLE GARDEN SUPPLIES
$019 : GIFTS
$116 : ANNUAL VET CHECK UP FOR YASHA
-----------------------------------------------------------
$476 : TOTAL SPENT +
$200 : SET ASIDE FOR SEPTEMBER =
$676 : TOTAL EXPENSES
-----------------------------------------------------------
$683 - $676 = $7 REMAINING INCOME

Once again, I spent money on postage for PaperBackSwap, which is not a necessity.  For the month of April, I removed all of the books I posted online and will just donate them to the Flint Public Library.

The annual vet check up for Yasha actually cost $216, but I had to take $100 from Reserves as you will see below to cover the full amount.

I fully admit that I spent $19 on unnecessary gifts.  However, the gifts were for my beau's grandparents, who I met for the first time this month when they invited us to dinner.

Being a gracious guest is very important to me, so I brought his grandmother a small bouquet of tulips from the Flint Farmers' Market.  In the summer, when my garden is blooming, I will give the gift of flowers from my yard.  The gift for his grandfather is discussed below.

As in February, I had $7 remaining at the end of the month!
 

Projects Completed: 5

Once again, I am so excited about the 5 projects I finished this month!

1) FLOWER QUILT PLAN

When I met by beau's grandparents, we talked about the Flint Festival of Quilts.  His grandpa recalled an unfinished quilt that his own mother had started many, many decades ago.  Sure enough, they had 12 completed blocks each measuring 15" x 15" and lovingly handstitched with pink and green flowers.  I couldn't let this gorgeous quilt remain undone, so I asked if I could finish it and they gave their blessing.  I was practically a stranger to them, but they trusted me to take a family heirloom and that made me feel very special.

I was hoping to use some fabrics I already had, but the colors just didn't go together, so I went to JoAnn's to buy coordinating fabrics and spent $28.  My beau and I split the cost and have been working together to finish the quilt for his grandpa's 87th birthday.  I will post a picture of the quilt when it is all done and I hope to have it on display in the 2011 Flint Festival of Quilts.

2) DATE NUT BALLS

I wanted to bake something special for my dad for his birthday.  I asked my grandma (his mom) for a recipe of sweets she made when he was a kid.  It took her a little while, but she remembered that my dad liked Date Nut Balls and left the recipe for me on my voicemail.  I made the goodies and my dad loved them.  I think I might make this a family tradition and bake the Date Nut Balls for his birthday every March.  :)

3) START OF COMPOST PILE

So far, my compost pile is just a small bouquet of withering daffodils that I gently deposited on the soil in my side yard.  Two days after putting down the flowers, we had that icy winter storm and I couldn't add any more matter to the pile.  But, I'm still counting this as a mental project completed...after several years of thinking about it, I have finally made a firm commitment to composting.  I have dedicated space in my yard to the compost pile and I have been saving kitchen scraps to add to the pile once the weather warms up a little more. 

4) END OF WRAPPING PAPER

I didn't spend any money on this giftwrap...or, for that matter, the gift inside.  I had the wrapping paper, ribbon and button stashed in my craftroom.  I used to love shopping for specialty wrapping and embellishments.  However, after wrapping this particular gift, I decided that I would never buy wrapping paper again.  I have enough wrapping paper to last a long, long time.  When I finally run out, I will just have to get more creative in how I wrap gifts.  Maybe I will sew reusable fabric giftbags?  I love giving gifts (as you may have noticed), but I'm not willing to spend money to wrap them anymore.

5) DOG WASTE COMPOSTER

I really dislike picking up Yasha poop in my yard.  But, since I will be walking around yard a lot more to tend the garden this year, I can't let Yasha use the bathroom for weeks without picking up after her.  So, on that one 66 degree day we had in mid-March, I created a Dog Waste Composter out of a bucket I found in the trash, rocks from my yard and a slab of flagstone I had leftover from a project last summer.  I'm hoping that this eco-friendly composter will motivate me to clean up the yard more often.

Reserves Spent: $100

I had to take $100 from Reserves to help pay for Yasha's annual check up at the vet.  Totally worth it.  :)

Fortunately (or unfortunately?), I still have not "felt the scarcity" as I have taken to saying.  Maybe in April?

A small part of me wants to feel like I am really depriving myself this year.  Maybe I could then somehow justify all of the time/energy/money/space I squandered by "Buying It" for so many years?

But, I don't think the feelings of deprivation are going to come.  With my friends and family, the Flint Public Library and Flint Handmade, I find that I can meet almost all of my social/cultural/creative/belonging needs for free. 

We'll see if anything changes in April...

Not Buying It Update 3: February Results

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

I met four of my five Not Buying It Goals for February 2011!  Not as good as my January Results, but still some major progress!

Here's a look at my results by the numbers:

February 2011 Results
Money Saved: $1,000 (Total Saved: $2,000)
Pounds Lost: 0 (Total Lost: 4)
Bags Donated: 1 (Total Donated: 4)
Projects Completed: 5 (Total Completed: 10)
Reserves Spent: 0 (Total Spent: 0)

Now, here's the story of how I made it happen by each measure of success:

Money Saved: $1,000 (Total Saved: $1,000)

As in January, I bought my certificate of deposit at the beginning of the month, paid all my regular bills and lived off the remaining money from my paycheck, which was $792.

For February, I kept very specific track of each dollar I spent.  Here's the breakdown of my discretionary income:

$216 : GROCERIES
$094 : GAS
$016 : DIGITAL KITCHEN SCALE
$031 : POSTAGE FOR PAPERBACKSWAP
$036 : DOG FOOD FOR YASHA
$041 : VEGETABLE GARDEN SUPPLIES
$060 : TAX PREPARATION
$091 : LICENSE/PLATE RENEWAL
-----------------------------------------------------------
$585 : TOTAL SPENT +
$200 : SET ASIDE FOR AUGUST =
$785 : TOTAL EXPENSES
-----------------------------------------------------------
$792 - $785 = $7 REMAINING INCOME

Technically, the $200 I SET ASIDE FOR AUGUST was actually saved rather than spent.  I make less money in August-January than I do in February-July, so I need to set aside some income to cover the difference in the leaner months.

As you can see above, I put expenditures that were not gas or groceries in red.  I justified the digital kitchen scale as being related to food preparation and/or storage, but really, I know it was not a necessity.  The postage for PaperBackSwap was not a necessity either, but I deemed it a worthy expense.  I am going to try very hard not to have any "justified" or "worthy expenses" in March.

The vegetable garden supplies and dog food are actually a form of groceries and they are not regular monthly expenses, so I am fine with these purchases.  One bag of dog food usually lasts at least 2 months and I now have about 2.5 bags, so I shouldn't need to buy more food forYasha until late summer.

The tax preparation and license/plate renewal are just those once-a-year expenses that we income-earning, car-driving adults have to pay.  I'm glad that they came up, though, because it reminded me that I cannot realistically keep my expenses exactly the same every month at least for now.

I haven't officially decided what I am going to do with the $7 of remaining income.  I want to pay off my car loan as soon as possible, so I will probably just apply it there.

Pounds Lost: 0 (Total Lost: 4)

Well, February was not a good month for this measurement of success.  There were just a lots of cakes and cookies and candies around for Valentine's Day.  I didn't buy any treats, but people still gave them to me or brought them into work.

In March, I'm going to try to be very conscious of how much food I am eating in the same way that I am conscious of how much money I am spending.  I realize now that have always been a bit of an emotional shopper/eater and just as I no longer feel any desire to waste money on stuff I don't need, so too do I want to eliminate any desire for unnecessary calories.

Bags Donated: 1 (Total Donated: 4)

Last month, I donated 3 bags to Goodwill.  This month, I only donated 1 bag, but that's still meeting my goal.

I mailed enough PaperBackSwap books to fill another bag, though, so that is more stuff that I no longer need or want being redistributed to others.

I also went through my jewelry and found about 10 pairs of earrings that I am never going to wear again and may have never worn in the first place.  I'm trying to decide if they are worth trying to put on consignment (along with clothes that no longer fit me) at a local vintage or resale clothing store. 

Has anyone had any experience with this?  I could definitely use the extra money to pay off my car loan sooner, but my time is extremely valuable to me.  If consigning is too much of a hassle, it's not a good return on (time) investment and I wouldn't want to do it.

Projects Completed: 5 (Total Completed: 5)

Once again, I am so excited about the 5 projects I finished this month!

1) RADICAL HOMEMAKING QUILT PLAN

Unlike in previous years, when I was scrambling at the last minute to finish my quilt for the Flint Festival of Quilts in September, this year I have gotten a head start on the project.  I recently finished reading Radical Homemakers: Reclaming Domesticity from a Consumer Culture by Shannon Hayes.  I HIGHLY recommend it.

Homemakers were once the producers of most domestic goods used by their families: candles, soap, clothing, quilts, bread, wine, etc.  Now, so many homemakers are just consumers of these goods...which are often manufactured by underpaid workers in sweatshops in developing nations.

One day, I would like to produce the vast majority of goods I use.  So, I have decided to make a quilt of radical homemaking activites, such as baking, spinning yarn and crocheting.  My friends and familty members are each embroidering a fabric square I provide them with a traditional craft that they actually do or aspire to do.  I finished the plan this month and am now distributing the squares.  I can't wait to put it all together!

2) VALENTINE'S DAY THANK YOU CARROT CAKES

I bought a digital kitchen scale this month to bake more accurately.  My first baking project with the scale was making mini-loaves of carrot cake from a recipe in Alton Brown's I'm Just Here for More Food Cookbook.  They turned out so delicious!

I baked on Valentine's Day with my sweetheart and gave away three loaves as little thank you gifts to special people in my life who have been kind to me throughout the past year.  I decided to make this my new tradition.  Showing gratitude towards others seems to me like a much better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than spending a bunch of money on unnecessary cards and flowers and gifts.

3) DENIM POUCH

I made a gift for someone's birthday (not telling who!) and I needed a something cute in which to put said gift.  I've had this dark denim fabric for ages and made a pouch out of it with a simple elastic/button closure.  I already had the fabric, thread, elastic and vintage button, so it was completely free...not to mention easy and adorable!

4) WINE CORK BOARD WITH STACKED BUTTON THUMB TACKS

After a sledding playdate with 2.5-year-old Milo, I was inspired to do a CRAFT TUTORIAL and made this Wine Cork Board with Stacked Button Thumb Tacks.  I decided after I made it to donate it to the 2011 Cool City Art Auction to benefit Flint Handmade.  More info about the Art Auction will be posted soon!

5) 16 SETS OF BOTTLE CAP MAGNETS

One of the first blog posts I did back in 2009 was to say thank you to The Lunch Studio and El Charrito's Restaurant for saving bottle caps for me.  I use bottle caps that would otherwise be thrown away to make magnet sets and, now, pinback buttons.  The magnets are consistently my bestsellering item at craft shows.  I made 16 more sets to sell at the 2011 Flint Handmade Spring Craft Market.

Reserves Spent: 0 (Total Spent: 0)

I did not spend any of my $400 cash reserves. However, as I did in January, I did tap into my change jar.  This month, I spent about $4 on a sled for Milo, which resulted in the aforementioned CRAFT TUTORIAL: Wine Cork Board Blog Post. 

Last month, I spent $3 from my change jar on craft supplies and video rentals for a friend.  It makes me happy to know that my miniscule splurges are going toward creativity and/or my loved ones.

Wish me luck for Not Buying It in March!

Not Buying It Update 2: January Results

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

I DID IT!  I met or exceeded all of my Not Buying It Goals for January 2011!!!

Here's a look at my results by the numbers:

January 2011 Results
Money Saved: $1,000 (Total Saved: $1,000)
Pounds Lost: 4 (Total Lost: 4)
Bags Donated: 3 (Total Donated: 3)
Projects Completed: 5 (Total Completed: 5)
Reserves Spent: 0 (Total Spent: 0)

Now, here's the story of how I made it happen by each measure of success:

Money Saved: $1,000 (Total Saved: $1,000)

I bought my certificate of deposit at the beginning of January, paid all my monthly bills and lived off the remaining money from my paycheck.  I was able to buy all of the groceries and gas I needed for about $300 for the month.  In the past, I tried saving whatever funds I had left at the end of the month, but I was able to justify so many purchases during the month that there was never much left over.  Now, I save upfront.

If I wasn't doing the Not Buying It Project, I probably would have spent money on restaurants, craft supplies, creative projects on Kickstarter, clothes and shoes, books, cds, and/or handmade goods from Etsy and our Flint Handmade Shop inside The Lunch Studio.

None of these things are terrible wastes of money, but none of them are necessary either.  I do miss being able to financially support other creatives on Kickstarter and Etsy, but I have found that I can still be supportive by making trades with my fellow crafters and promoting their projects amongst friends.

Ultimately, I would so much rather have the freedom that money in the bank will likely afford me in the future than the instant (and fleeting) gratification of any kind of monetary transaction. 

Pounds Lost: 4 (Total Lost: 4)

With a limited grocery budget, I had to make sure that I didn't waste any money on empty calories.  I shopped almost exclusively at the Flint Farmer's Market for milk, eggs, cheese, bread, vegetables and meat. 

This month, I did not buy any packaged or convenience foods.  I had to work a little harder at meal planning to make sure that my fresh foods did not spoil, but it wasn't that hard.

For example, I had 1/2 a bag of potatoes leftover from Christmas dinner in December and a bag of shredded cheddar cheese from a homemade mac & cheese recipe that never got made.  I used allrecipes.com to figure out how to make au gratin potatoes from scratch instead of from a box.  It was pretty easy and much more satisfying.

When you have to put time into anything you prepare, it's a lot easier to make healthy food choices.  You have to really want whatever it is you are making and I often found that, after eating a nutritious homecooked meal, I just didn't want sweets badly enough to make them from scratch.

Bags Donated: 3 (Total Donated: 3)

"I own a lot of stuff.  Most of my possessions (e.g. my book collection, craft supplies, kitchen gadgets, etc.) contribute positively to my life.  My home is well-decorated and comfortable and I don't feel like I really need anything else at this point in my life.  However, my garage and especially my basement are cluttered with items that are of no real use to me, but could be valuable to others if I just took the time to clear out these areas and donate what I don't want to Goodwill. My goal is to donate at least 1 bag (about the size of a 13 gallon trash bag) per month, if not more, to those in need."

Above is what I wrote in my Not Buying It Update 1 on January 6 and I still feel this way after one month of only spending money on necessities.  But, I would would now amend my statement to say that even the possessions I have that do contribute positively to my life can be evaluated and minimized.

For example, about three of the shelves on my bookcase were full of books from years past that I knew I was never going to read because my interests have changed.  So, I posted over 40 books on PaperBackSwap and will already be mailing out at least 6 of them this week.  Yes, I do have to pay for the postage, but I am using up old stamps.

I also have a lot of clothes I never wear anymore (or never wore at all) that I keep around just in case my weight goes up or down, but I'm finally ready to let all of those old styles and sizes go, too.

Projects Completed: 5 (Total Completed: 5)

I am so pleased with the 5 projects I got done this month!

1) VEGETABLE GARDEN PLAN

My beau and I are planting a veggie garden in my backyard this spring.  It only took us an hour or so to create a plan that will have corn, potatoes, onions, peppers, tomatoes, carrots and broccoli planted in a space 17' x 49'.  I expect our garden to save us quite a bit of money on groceries in the fall!

2) PISTACHIO SHELL BROOCHES 

I bought a big bag of pistachios to set out for company during the holidays.  The shells were so uniform and smooth, I knew I had to craft with them somehow.  I found a tutorial for making flower brooches out of pistachio shells and I think mine turned out brilliantly!

3) POLAR BEAR PHOTO CORNER CARDS

My mom loves polar bears.  She knows I like to make cards using the preview photos from the backs of calendar, so she gave me the back of a polar bear calendar.  I am only giving handmade presents this year, so I turned the preview photos into a set of cards as a Mother's Day present for my mom.  :)  Sorry for spoiling the surprise, Mom, but I had to show all of the blog readers this awesome upcycled craft!

4) UPCYCLED FOIL TAPE BACKING BASKET

Last year, I wanted to take a basketweaving class at the Flint Institute of Arts Art School, but not enough students enrolled, so the class was cancelled.  Instead, I took a stained glass class as Stalling Stained Glass.  One of the by-products of working with stained glass is long strips of backing peeled from the copper foil tape that is used to hold the solder to the glass.  It occured to me that I could weave this natural-looking "waste" material into a little basket.

5) 10 PAIRS OF BUTTON EARRINGS

I used to love picking up jars and cards of vintage buttons at antique stores.  My friend, Gwen, gave me the idea to make earrings out of buttons.  I have so many buttons, but never enough time to anything out of them.  This month, I had plenty of time to make 10 pairs of earrings.

Reserves Spent: 0 (Total Spent: 0)

I did not spend any of my $400 cash reserves.  However, in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that did tap into my change jar.  I spent about $2 on pin backs at Michael's to make my pistachio brooches and $1 on video rentals for a friend. 

So, if you are going to try your own Not Buying It Project, it helps to have a change jar with lots of quarters.  It is so liberating to know that just $3 in one month is plenty of money to keep away any feelings of deprivation.

In fact, I have never felt more abundant in my life.  Whereas I used to feel like there was always more I could obtain, now I feel like what I already have is more than enough.  Nothing in my material existence has significantly improved or worsened.  I have simply changed my mind about what it takes to be happy and fulfilled. 

I was never very focused on materials goods anyway and now I feel even further removed from vicious WORK/SPEND cycle in which so many Americans find themselves.  I want experiences and knowledge and learning opportunities and freedom so much more than I want newer, bigger, faster stuff.  It is the most worthy trade I have ever made in my life.  Period.

P.S. For more information on the WORK/SPEND cycle and the destructive materials economy, check out The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard.

Not Buying It Update 1: Measuring My Success

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

I want to thank everyone who has been so supportive (online and in real life) of the Not Buying It Project I am undertaking in 2011. 

I really appreciate the positive feedback I am getting in person and the comments you left on my first post about my choice to opt out of the cash economy and into the creative economy.

I know we are only 6 days into the new year, but I already feel so much more connected to my creativity. 

Ideas are swirling around in my brain about all of the crafty projects I want to do with the materials I already have on hand or hope to pick up at the Craft Supply Swap in February.  

I have already started working on pistachio shell flower brooches (shown above) and my next project will be picture frame dry erase boards with pretty fabric behind the glass.

I have been thinking about how I want to measure my success at the Not Buying It Project.  I decided that it's not enough for me to just tally up all the money I am hoping to save.  I want to take a more holistic approach, so I will be measuring my success according to 5 variables:

1) Money Saved - My goal is to purchase a $1,000 Certificate of Deposit at the beginning of each month when I get paid.  In the past, I have tried to save whatever money I had leftover at end of the month, but it's better to just save it upfront.  As long as I don't have to tap into the CD or take money out of my Savings Account, I will have met my Money Saved goal for the month.

2) Pounds Lost - Those of you who know me personally know that my weight tends to go up and down.  I feel fairly comfortable with my current weight, but I would still like to lose about 15-25 pounds.  My goal is to lose 1 pound per week until I reach a weight/size that feels completely comfortable.  So, I am going to be thinking very carefully about which groceries are a necessity and which groceries are a luxury. 

3) Bags Donated - I own a lot of stuff.  Most of my possessions (e.g. my book collection, craft supplies, kitchen gadgets, etc.) contribute positively to my life.  My home is well-decorated and comfortable and I don't feel like I really need anything else at this point in my life.  However, my garage and especially my basement are cluttered with items that are of no real use to me, but could be valuable to others if I just took the time to clear out these areas and donate what I don't want to Goodwill.  My goal is to donate at least 1 bag (about the size of a 13 gallon trash bag) per month, if not more, to those in need.

4) Projects Completed - I have a lot of craft projects and projects around my house/yard that need to get done.  Since I won't be spending time buying things and figuring out where to put them in my already cozy home, I think I will have more time to do all of the projects that I have been wanting to do.  My goal is to finish 5 craft or house/yard projects per month.

5) Reserves Spent - I got a $400 bonus at the end of 2010.  I decided to keep it tucked away just in case there is something that I absolutely feel I cannot live without in 2011.  I was mostly concerned that there would be gifts that I wanted to buy for my loved ones or craft supplies that I needed to finish a project.  My goal is to use as little of this money as possible.

At the start and end of each month, I will post a simple "by the numbers" chart to track my monthly and total year-to-date progress.  For the begining of January, the chart is as follows:

January 2011 Start
Money Saved: 0 (Total Saved: 0)
Pounds Lost: 0 (Total Lost: 0)
Bags Donated: 0 (Total Donated: 0)
Projects Completed: 0 (Total Completed: 0)
Reserves Spent: 0 (Total Spent: 0)
 
At the end of January, I would like the chart to look like this:
 
January 2011 End
Money Saved: $1,000 (Total Saved: $1,000)
Pounds Lost: 4 (Total Lost: 4)
Bags Donated: 1 (Total Donated: 1)
Projects Completed: 5 (Total Completed: 5)
Reserves Spent: 0 (Total Spent: 0)

Wish me luck!

P.S. I want to take a moment to acknowledge my gratitute to Judith Levine who wrote a book called Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping.  I checked this book out from the Flint Public Library about 5 years ago and fell in love with the idea of going a year without buying anything unnecessary.  I am so glad that 2011 is finally going to be that year for me!

Since I couldn't stand the idea of buying a book about not buying anything, I got my own copy of the book through PaperBackSwap.  I would encourage anyone else who is interested in giving up shopping to read this book immediately!

P.P.S. Here's another Swap you may be interested in!  :)