The Compact to Curb Consumerism

I joined a yahoo group called "the compact" to curb my consumerism. I made a promise to avoid buying anything new for a year. Of course, you can buy new food, health and safety items. You borrow, barter or buy used everything else. The compact is individualize-able  so you can tailor exceptions. The bigger picture is to transform one's consumption habits--which starts in the head.

Parts of this Le Toy Van castle broke and splintered after two months! Not worth it new!

Last fall, I went a month without buying anything. Then Xmas hit. Ay caramba. I bought crap "for" my kids. Why? Because I could. Because I wanted to see their faces light up when I gave them princess crap. Did anyone pressure me? Yup--my internalized beliefs (aka crapitalist ideology). Although my daughter did request a 'castle,' I wasted much time hunting for the right one--from diy cardboard & paper mache structures to used plastic barbie palaces. I found the wooden one pictured for over $200 from a shi shi online store and bought it. At the time, there were no used wooden castles listed on craigslist. The girls have been playing with it almost everyday. And they do adore it. When kids come over, they head straight to the castle. So it's not totally crap, I guess.


However, however... a rambunctious boy broke the castle's music box at my last dinner party, less than two months after xmas! And... And... I found the same castle on craigslist for $40 a few weeks ago (why was I cruising craigslist for castles?--help!). 
There's a light though... since joining the compact, I've lost (or lessened) my 'desire to desire' (gaining pleasure from browsing without a purchase in mind and then buying like a you-got-marketed dolt). I'm not cruising craigslist or amazon. I'm not joining gilt or groupon just to find something I might like. 


The Compact is a gift to myself--a get-out-of buying crap "for" my kids, my home, and other people. I am retraining the self to show love through immaterial joy-scapes, not crap.