The end of the no-buy embargo

Posted in consumerism on December 18th, 2007 by MarkBallew

Three months ago I announced to the blogging world that had checked out of consumerism since July. I was no longer going to be a part of this system of buy, use, throw away. I was going to buy used, be sustainable, and avoid garbage I no longer needed. Essentials was I was to buy: underwear, toiletries, food. Anything else had to be used, borrowed, or loaned.

I actually thought the end was Dec. 19th, tomorrow, but as it would turn out I spaced the date and it was really Dec. 16th. I guess I really didn’t realize I’d stopped buying and started saving and conserving. It has become commonplace and easy, my life became simpler and I didn’t even appreciate the change I had made.

Did I cheat? Yes. I bought a monitor stand about halfway into the embargo. It sits on my desk holding my flat panels, and likely I didn’t need it at all. I bought maybe one or two books, and new shoes — but that was per doctor’s orders. That’s it. No iPhone, no $200 jeans, no cheap plastic crap.

Now that the embargo is over, I guess I can bust out the credit cards and start spending again. But should I? I’ve banked every single month except this one, enough to cover one full month of expenses in San Francisco.

My point is, now that I’m used to no-buy, should I even bother going back to the American Way(tm); spend, spend, spend, have the latest and greatest, damn the credit card bills?

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