Friday, November 28, 2014

Ten Ways on How to Avoid the Buy, Buy, Buy...

Ten Ways on How to Avoid the Buy, Buy, Buy...

Today is Black Friday (Nov. 28, 2014 - the day after Thanksgiving in the US).  It's also notorious for the herd mentality buy, buy, buy day where people are trampled on for latest televisions, computers, and toys.  To me, it's depressing.  

This morning, a BBC article, 'Black Friday': Police Called to Supermarket Crowds, was a bleak read for me.  This day and concept has now spread to the UK (where my husband is from, where I have lived, and my in-laws still live).

So how best to avoid this unfettered materialism run amok??  How to avoid that herd mentality?  How to avoid the emotional tugs of needing the latest and greatest?  

Since the spring/summer, I have been doing much research and reading about zero waste and refining my purge and resistance techniques.  I think I've come up with some ideas.  

1.  Avoid as much media advertisement as possible.  This is easier said than done.  Even in dentist or doctor waiting rooms, there's usually magazines, such as People or Family Fun, with pages chockfull of holiday ads. 

2.  If possible, limit or ban television.  We've been television-free for a little over a year now.  We don't regret it for a second.  My son watches videos online and can successfully avoid being a captive advertiser's victim.  

3.  AVOID shopping malls and big-box retail shops as much as humanly possible (preferably at all times, not just the holidays).  If you actually need to buy some socks for your child/ren, then try to shop when you're pressed for time in one retail store, such as Target, and not subject yourself to impulse buying.  Browse in a library NOT with retail therapy.

4.  Consider shopping at charity, thrift or consignment stores instead of hitting the mall.  If you shop at a charity or thrift store, it's often a double win situation where you and the charity benefits.  You help others and the environment when you shop at charity and thrift stores, as well as your wallet.

5.  Donate to charity.  Clean out the cupboards.  Remove the 'junk' from your home.  Simplify your home and lifestyle.  You'll feel refreshed and invigorated when you do.

6.  Read, listen, or watch about the Zero Waste movement.  Embrace the motto:  refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, rot.  



7.  Read, listen, or watch The Story of Stuff or about Garbage-ology.  Let's face it.  We all have mounds of stuff in our home.

8.  Visit a museum or attend a cultural event instead of giving a gift.  The Nutcracker Ballet is a popular cultural event during the holidays around my neck of the woods.

9.  Make a gift or create something homemade.  DIY lip balms, lotions, teas, cough drops or anything else.  My grandmother and great-grandmother would knit entire designer Barbie doll collection clothes and accessories for the holidays as well as mittens, hats, scarves, and sweaters.  

10.  Pinterest!!!  Best site for crafts, DIY, hobbies, and anything else.  No one said you had to come up with a flurry of brilliant recipes or ideas for fairy houses.  With Pinterest, however, there are plenty of people who do and then post for others.  So if you are tapped out of ideas or hard pressed for what to do with old sweaters, turn to Pinterest.  You can search under a subject/s (ie. DIY) or for a specific item like no-bake pumpkin cups.   You can also follow someone's board.  You'd be amazed how many cleaver people and cleaver ideas are posted there.  And your wallet will be amazed too. 



This post was written as part of Hoagies Gifted Blog Hop series. Follow Hoagies Gifted on Facebook and join the conversation on how to keep holiday focus on what matters to us. Hop to the next blog in this blog hop clicking on the button below



14 comments:

  1. Great ideas! While we are by far not at zero waste, we are trying to simplify and pick gifts that work with what we already have and value (like a whole lot of Lego :))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sigh. Legos. Ugh. They seem to multiply, don't they?

      Delete
  2. I love these ideas and love that you are striving to be zero waste. We aren't there yet, but it's always in our minds. We avoid media much of the time and I am always relieved that my children don't see all the commercials this time of the year. Happy Holidays!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I try. You try. We try to do our the best we can, right? What more can we do? In an ideal world, we wouldn't have to deal with the amount of advertising on TV pitched to (our) kids.

      Delete
  3. Lots of great ideas! We are in a big purge process ourselves. I'm with you on the black Friday thing! No amount of money is worth braving that chaos!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's completely nuts with Black Friday. Best of luck with the purging...

      Delete
  4. I live alone and watch way too much TV. I shall try a TV fast for December.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Try it and see how you are. Start small and go easy on yourself with cutting back on TV. Best of luck.

      Delete
  5. Great post. So important for us to stop waste and become more conscious of our choices. And what a great lesson for our kids.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. I think most of us can become more conscious of waste and choices once we're aware. It's definitely a valuable lesson for all.

      Delete
  6. Thank you for a great post - lots of good ideas for gifts and activities that avoid commercialism and seek to produce as little waste as possible!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even if you don't have the ideas, it's amazing how you can find ideas today while avoiding commercialism and waste.

      Delete
  7. I love browsing in a library, and during the holidays I get to borrow 16 books, so with two children's library cards, I get to borrow, gasp, 48 books! That takes away the need for me to splurge on books. Will work towards lower consumption, as zero waste is still too difficult.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ok, browsing in the library is a favorite activity of mine too! What a wonderful way to engage the spirit and the mind and not empty your wallet.

      Delete