Nothing New/Mindful Spending week 43

[Ginevra]

The "rules" of this challenge are self-defined. Anyone can join in at any time. The aim of the challenge (for me) is to combat consumerism, wastefulness, mindless buying, and overspending. It is meant to nurture creative problem solving, ecology, frugality, intentionalism, and resourcefulness. To support these goals, I seek to buy nothing new/unnecessary. I aim to use existing resources, borrow, hand-craft, and buy existing second-hand materials to the greatest extent possible. However, I recognize that life is unpredictable, and family life increases this factor exponentially, so I will buy new in the following cases, when a non-buying option does not present:

 

Food, health, and necessary household goods excluded.

Requirements for school, work, or health and well-being which cannot be obtained used.

Gifts, when a creative non-commercial option will not suffice.

Anything animal or gardening related that cannot be obtained used.

Fuel/energy sources.

 

Posts will appear each Saturday, referring to the week that is ending. Post your successes, creative solutions, relapses and weak moments. It doesn't matter if you have a weak moment! Just keep swimming!

So, this week: I gave a small pile of money to DS16 for different things - end of season soccer banquet, cake for the Seniors for last game; money for coaches' gifts. I think I forgot to mention last week a donation for a bake sale as well. My niece just had her baby, so I'll be sending her something this week coming up; probably a Target gift card for diapers or such. I got a vicarious thrill from seeing her FB photos of the baby wearing the football-themed hat I knitted. :) paid some annoying bills: electric bill (though September's is generally lower because of mild weather), property tax bill, trash and recycling bill.

 

How is everyone else doing? Are you starting to make Christmas/winter gifts yet?

[JustEm]

This week was not spend at all. I managed to do all 4 kids costumes without spending a penny! I did eat out tonight with my youngest since the rest of the family was at a costume party.

 

Ds and I started making some Christmas gifts for cousins and his younger siblings. It is 2 sets of a felt nativity playset. For the gifts I did need to buy a bit more embroidery floss and felt. In total, I spent $15 but it was more than enough supplies. We'll use the supplies when my entire family gets together to make Christmas ornaments and ds will likely find another cool felt gift to make for someone else. We'll see.

 

On Sunday, we did spend some money on events at an apple orchard and picking pumpkins. That was so much fun. I'm really enjoying spending money on experiences and not stuff.

[SKL]

Let's see.  It's been another crunch week where I don't have time to spend money.  :P  But I did go on Amazon and put a few things in my cart.  I would like to get the kids something fun involving robotics or similar for Christmas.  However, that sort of thing is expensive!  I found a couple things that are not super outrageous, but I am still deciding.

 

I think I paid something like $30 or $40 to sign my kids up for a charity 5k run, which was today.  I also tried to work in a horse riding lesson, but the race ran over so the riding didn't happen.  In retrospect, I probably should have done the race for one kid and the riding for the other.  Oh well, next time.  :P  This was the kids' first 5K and it was hilly.  There were a bunch of kids who have been trained in running, which mine have not.  I thought maybe my aspiring runner would have been discouraged, but when I asked her if she wanted to run another 5k in November, she said yes.  So I signed her up today, to avoid the late registration price.  Because this November race is to support several charities which I have ties to or otherwise approve, I clicked the boxes for "additional donations" to them.  So the total ended up being about $125, but I think it's money well spent.  Now I need to figure out how best to prepare my kid to be a real runner.  Luckily we live in a hilly neighborhood, so just running around here should be helpful.  Now that she's 10 and has a cell phone, hopefully I can send her off and not worry about people calling the cops.  :/

 

Today we went to the museum and got another "cooking lesson" (no charge because I'm a member).  I even remembered to get my member parking discount.  :P  The kids enjoyed learning how to make (and eating) Halloween treats.

 

Tomorrow I plan to take my kids to get some sneakers at WalMart.  (Last week I forgot to bring my wallet.)  Maybe see about getting a coat too.  For some reason my kids' coat zippers keep breaking.

 

It's time for the nut fundraiser for scouts.  I'm not sure how I want to approach it this year.  Buying the nuts and giving them out for Christmas is problematic because I end up with too many leftovers (which I eat).  But I'm not sure about sending my kids door-to-door.  Mainly because it's annoying to the neighbors, but also I think the scouts have a policy against doing that due to fears or whatever.  So then I'm thinking, maybe I should just buy up a bunch and then have the girls sell the actual nuts somehow.  But I'm not sure that wouldn't be just as bad....

 

Say, what if I have my kids pass out copies of the nut stuff when they go trick-or-treating?  And the folks could contact us if they wanted to buy, or throw it away with no pressure if they don't?  Is that crazy?  It's probably crazy ....

[Guest]

It's time for the nut fundraiser for scouts. I'm not sure how I want to approach it this year. Buying the nuts and giving them out for Christmas is problematic because I end up with too many leftovers (which I eat). But I'm not sure about sending my kids door-to-door. Mainly because it's annoying to the neighbors, but also I think the scouts have a policy against doing that due to fears or whatever. So then I'm thinking, maybe I should just buy up a bunch and then have the girls sell the actual nuts somehow. But I'm not sure that wouldn't be just as bad....

 

Say, what if I have my kids pass out copies of the nut stuff when they go trick-or-treating? And the folks could contact us if they wanted to buy, or throw it away with no pressure if they don't? Is that crazy? It's probably crazy ....

SKL, I don't think I would pass out the fundraising stuff while ToTing. Is there an option for just donating a sum or so you have to take the product? Do you have clients or people in the community you could give the nuts to?

[Jane in NC]

Shall we discuss fall wardrobe updates? In anticipation of cooler weather, I have given this some thought. I decided I wanted a new sweater and really needed a couple of long sleeve basic Ts to wear under sweaters. My long sleeve Ts and turtlenecks are mostly pathetic, i.e. showing their age. I purchase two pima cotton long sleeve Ts from LL Bean, using a gift card to pay for part of the order. And I ordered a slightly pricey wool sweater, but something that I fell in love with at first sight.

Today I tried on pants that are hanging in the closet.. I have lost some weight (huzzah!) and found my cords and khakis to be droopy. But I really don't want to replace them at this point because I hope to drop a few more pounds. I have two pair of blue jeans and one pair of black jeans that fit well. I also have several pencil skirts that I love. So I am thinking that my wardrobe choices may consist of jeans or a skirt and tights for the next several months.

One of the organizations to which I belong has meetings coming up that require "business" or "business casual" attire. Between the pencil skirts and a couple of dresses that I own, I have options. Options are lovely, aren't they?

 

But how many options of aged shirts, sweaters and sweat shirts do I need?  I keep some "sloppy" clothes for sloppy tasks, some oldies but very comfortable favorites. I need to do some purging.  How many old long sleeve Ts and turtlenecks does a girl need?

My walking shoes are also showing their wear. Given my odd sized foot, replacing them will be an investment but a good one as far as general well being is concerned.

One of my goals has been to make Christmas gifts. Last week I finished a self fringing "shawlette"--triangular scarf with fringe. And I have been embroidering some cutesy felt ornaments to include with giftcards for the grand nephews. I wanted to start knitting a French market string bag but the circular cast on has been an epic fail. I need to find some other tutorials to figure out what I am doing wrong.  In the meantime, another shawlette in on the needles.

We will attend another flood related fund raiser this week.

[SKL]

I had another thought about the fundraiser.  I could just give the extras to a charity that distributes food at the holidays.

 

There is a buy-out option, but the kids might miss getting a patch or whatever (if they're doing patches this year).  I do opt out of most fundraisers, but I try to do the nut one because the product is actually pretty good.  Also as my kids get older, it gets more realistic to ask them to do some actual fundraising.  I know my post doesn't sound like I"m having them do any of it, but I think they should try doing some.

[Jane in NC]

Question for SKL:  Does the organization give advice on selling nuts?  Girlscouts here only do cookie sales, not nuts. Cookie sales seem larger than life with cases making their way into my husband's work place (despite the "no solicitation" policy), scouts in front of big box stores, etc.

 

Some of the fundraisers these days advise kids not to go door to door.  They encourage asking immediate neighbors and family members.  If a quantity of nut sales is expected, it would seem that the troop would organize a sale in front of a big box store.

 

I agree that these might make an excellent gift for your employees, colleagues and clients.  Two birds with one stone, so to speak.