This "Buy nothing for a month challenge" is mine, I've set the rules. I decided to do it just to see if I could change my way of thinking and maybe some of my habits. There is no judge watching over me, no panel or peers deciding what I can still pay for and what I can't.
I had to explain this to a workmate today,
Him "So you're not buy petrol then"
Me "nope, I'm catching the bus"
Him "Ah! so you're buying bus tickets! and what about electricity huh??"
Me "Don't be a wanker"
Everyone else "ooooooooooooo"
Its not an all or nothing challenge, those are always (like diets) doomed to fail. I am challenging myself to purchase nothing. Electricity although not absolutely necessary for my survival does make for my comfort and I don't think I can be called a blatant consumerist for paying my electricity bill.
This challenge is more about what I do with my discretionary income. Each pay day I pay all my bills (I don't want no collection agency hounding my ass! That would be mental) and then don't spend whats leftover. I think a month is a good amount of time to try something out. I could have said to myself "Oh god, I am fed up with buying so much crap, I'm never ever buying anything again!" Its so unrealistic I would go out and buy something within three days because I know its impossible for me to never buy anything. So I think its way cooler and groovier to say "OH GOD, I am so fed up with buying so much crap, I'm going a month without buying anything" and presto, a goal! Which is achievable and just lengthy enough to feel worthwhile
So far I haven't bought anything. Just my groceries, once a week, so I don't starve.
2 comments:
Yeah, what are you doing EATING!?? Freak! And how about that READING you are doing at night with that ELECTRICITY?? You should be sitting in the dark!
morans.
I'd just like to say that I too have been in a state of self-deprivation in support of Scientician.
I have cut down my coffees to only three giant ones a day and my chocolate consumption is down 50%(!)
I am drinking my (cheap) whiskey neat instead of with mixers. I am turning off my electric blanket when I go to sleep.
My emails are only half as long as usual, and 25% as frequent.
I'm only leaving half the lights in the house on when I'm at home myself, but I still like the company of all the TVs and computers and the clothes drier whirring away relaxingly.
And I'm still riding my motorbike to work, even though it's persisting with rain and I could take the car since Scientician ain't using it. See - how big a sacrifice is that!?! ;o)
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