Buy Nothing Day

It may seem a little early to start talking about Buy Nothing Day, but the heft of today’s ad-laden Sunday newspaper says otherwise.
For those not in the know, Buy Nothing Day is a 20-year-old program put on by AdBusters, asking that participants buy nothing the day after Thanksgiving, (the traditional start of the Christmas shopping [...]

Things vs. Experiences

Last Sunday’s Parade Magazine included an article titled, “Why Shopping is Good Again” by Lee Eisenberg. I set the insert magazine aside, thinking the information included in such an ad based publication would certainly be an interesting read.
It turns out that Eisenberg has a book to be published next week called, “Shoptimism: Why the American Consumer [...]

$100 Holiday Gift Challenge — Round II

Last year I posted a $100 Holiday Gift Challenge which was easier than it sounds, because we had already discussed with some family the year before to not exchange gifts. I say some because some family members thought this was a great idea, while others responded as if I’d suggested throwing the kids into the [...]

Kittens!

 

 
I finally finished up my Christmas shopping today with the addition of two tiny kittens to our household. One black and one tuxedo.
The main gift for my ten-year-old son this year was a small stuffed animal cat with a note around the neck that read, “please exchange me for a real kitten.” 
But our local Humane [...]

Merry Christmas Non-Consumers!

 
 

Merry Christmas to all consumers and Non-Consumers out there.
Giving used and home-made presents. Putting presents in reusable wrapping, (I was able to scare up enough gift bags for all my gifts.)
Not going into debt.
Have a great day!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

Really, Really Last Minute Holiday Shopping

 
 

Portland Oregon has been snowed under for the past week, and my holiday shopping went kaput. I was mostly done with my shopping, but I desperately needed to get more things for my 13-year-old. And because I do The Compact, (buy nothing new) shopping is a self-imposed complication.
So after dinner tonight, I got into the chained-up Subaru [...]

When Life Throws You A Curve Ball

 
 

I’ve been very smug about my holiday gift plans this year. Not only did I administer the $100 holiday gift challenge, but I decided to try and squeak by for under $50.
I was doing pretty well. I’d already bought a fair number of gifts ahead of time for just a few dollars, and had some very specific [...]

The Non-Consumer Advocate on msn.com

 

How do you deal with gifts when your budget is tighter than Joan River’s forehead?
Abby Ellin  adeptly answers this question in her msn.com article, “Putting Santa on a Budget.”
Here’s an excerpt, which includes her interview with me. (The corset reference makes me feel a little sexy, or maybe just fat.)
 
For some families, Santa’s belt isn’t just [...]

$100 Holiday Gift Challenge — An Update

 
 

Starting to get anxious about the holidays?
Worried about how you’ll be able to buy thoughtful gifts without going into debt?
Take a deep breath fellow Non-Consumers. Help is on its way.
I had posted a $100 holiday gift challenge on the blog last month. To see if I could put together thoughtful and welcome gifts for the friends [...]

The $100 Holiday Gift Challenge

 
How much do you plan on spending on holiday gifts this year? 
$500?
$250?
$801?
How about $100?  
According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans plan on spending an average of $801 for their holiday shopping this year. And that number is down from previous years! 
$801 is a lot of money. And with the costs of groceries and other [...]