KimberMama

iTrader: 1 / 100%

I imagine that part of continuing with the Riot 4 Austerity will be a renewed commitment to following the Compact. I'm actually pretty excited. I know at least two families in my area who are going to give the Compact a try, and DH is actually very interested this year.

The first part of the plan is making some decisions regarding how we'll make exceptions, and how we'll overcome previous obstacles. For instance, I'm fairly certain that I could find jeans at thrift stores, if I could shop alone and try things on, or if we all went so DH could watch the boys.

Our exceptions will most likely be related to transitioning to a lower energy usage lifestyle. I am contemplating finally buying a drying rack so I can line dry even if it is damp or rainy outside. I will be buying what I need to make warm window coverings.

This is what I wrote last year, in italics, with new comments in color:

I will carefully consider each purchase I make, even in the exception areas. I will strive to see if I have something that I can use before assuming I need to buy something. I will consider the food I buy, the amount of (used) clothing that comes into the house, and where any allowed new goods come from and what they are made of (natural materials, organics, fair trade, fair labor, etc.)

We did really well with this. My mindset changed dramatically.

This is the year of making do. No new towels, no new sheets, no new furniture, no new small appliances, pans, or kitchen gadgets. No new decorations for holidays or decorative house items. No new hair accessories, or aprons (but I can sew one), or jewelry. Certainly for 12 months we can make do with what we have.

Hmmm . . . I know I bought a few new hair accessories. I'd forgotten that I wrote that. DH bought me a new pan; it was a surprise gift and he wasn't compacting. This year we need new towels; the Gymboree hippo towels that were cute at age 4 are way too small for an 8YO and 9YO. OH, and DH bought a Lego train for Christmas, but again, he wasn't in on the Compact.

It is also the year of making. If we want fancy soap we'll mill it from the plain soap we have on hand with herbs and essential oils. I will make the new pot holders I need (I have the loom and wool loops). I really want to make the quilt I planned out (just need to scavange more denim and corduroy).

I found that I didn't even need to rebatch the soap I had on hand. We used it plain. I never made the potholders, although they are on the list. I didn't make the quilt. We made do with what we had.

All my and the boys' clothing except underwear, socks, shoes, and boys' pajamas must be bought used, traded for, borrowed, or received for free. We're not frivolous shoe purchasers anyway, but I will only replace necessary shoes (sandals and walking shoes) that are beyond wearing. The boys may each have one pair of sandals, one pair of sneakers, and one pair of hiking boots, and I am ordering T-Guy a new pair of slippers for next fall and will pass his down to J-Baby. This goal is actually a continuation of one started last summer, except that we won't make exceptions for sale new clothing.


I never bought the boys new pajamas. But this is the area I fell down in; I had lost a lot of weight and when my grandfather died I had nothing to wear and not time to thrift. Then I lost more weight. I purchased several shirts and several pairs of pants new this year, along with two lightweight jackets.

I will stop buying the little stuff - a toy here, a snack there. You know, the kind of stuff that will nickel and dime you to death.

I did far better with this. Really well.

Food must be carefully considered and chosen based on need. Natural sodas (the kind made with cane sugar) are out. Prepared snack foods are out (it will probably be a month or more before they run out of the GF pretzels, microwave popcorn, and organic fruit leather we bought for consumption during my recovery). Chocolate will be okay for special occasions (organic and fair trade, of course). DH will still buy wine and tea. I will make whole wheat bread, but will purchase vegan GF bread. Canned beans are allowed as an emergency food.

We did well with food, and as the year wraps up we are doing even better. We got hit with a major medical diagnosis in February and had to change how we eat. Then I read and researched more and we changed more.

Our goal is to eat out only twice a month, coinciding with payday, and only at local establishments. We will have to make some allowances for travel. We also have to figure out how this works with family, as both of our families prefer to get together at restaurants rather than cook meals (large holidays excluded). I am more than willing to cook, but people don't always want to come to us, nor do they all like eating vegan food.

We have been able to eliminate almost all eating out except for travel and meals involving family. We have had family over for meals, which is a good first step.


No new books. First I see if the library has the book I want to read; if not, I see if I can borrow it from someone I know. If it is a must have book (for information, no fiction allowed) I will find it used. My book addiction is serious especially since half the time I realize I could have done without whatever book I ordered from Amazon. In addition to not buying new books I will not browse used bookstores or the thrift store for books that I am not specifically searching for. Really, I have enough unread books here at home to keep me reading all year.

I bought new books. All relating to learning skills or sustainability. Usually it was books the library didn't have, and in one case a book I took out repeatedly. I did buy used whenever possible.

No magazines purchased in stores. I have subscribed to the magazines I am most likely to pick up, and will read the others at the library, go without, or find a way to borrow them or buy them used. I do have one homeschooling magazine that I need to call and order on the 3rd (no online orders).

I fell down here. Certainly I bought fewer magazines in stores, but I did buy magazines such as Permaculture. Having seen The Story of Stuff I feel more motivated in this direction, now. I also now have a way to pass on magazines that I have read and don't want to keep.

No new music. This isn't usually an issue for me until holiday time, but I am putting it out there now.

I did great here. I didn't expect it to be a problem anyway, but I haven't purchased a new holiday album this year.

I am going to inventory our craft supplies and choose projects based on what we have. We have so much to choose from that we just have to say no to some of the great stuff out there. It will be okay to replenish consumables such as glue, chalk, crayons, etc. Even then I don't anticipate needing to do much more than replace the frequently used Stockmar colors. We do need 9 X 12 drawing paper.

This was a great goal, and one I will continue for 2008. We still have so much!

We will make all greeting cards or use our stash cards (scavenged by my dad). We will recycle gift bags, make wrap, and use any old wrap we have.

This was an easy one. In addition to stash cards and wrap, we used old maps for gift wrap, and made greeting cards out of watercolor paintings we had done.

I will not buy new yarn until the stash is gone and even then I will try to find sweaters to frog. Any yarn purchased after the stash is gone must be for a specific project. The exception to this will be if I decide to make hats for any kids as I don't have any superwash wool and I don't anticipate many parents wanting to care for merino or alpaca.

Here I've been thinking that I failed miserably at this, and I did far better than I thought because almost all of the new yarn I bought was yarn for children's hats. The goal will go on for 2008.

I am going to learn to sew. Any fabric purchased new must be for a specific project. However, before that I will use reclaimed fabric, thrift store fabric, etc. I have about 5 yards of flannel but certainly do not have a stash and am not going to build one.

I was given a small stash of fabric ~ hurray! I have starting learning to sew. I am unfortunately learning that most fabric at the thrift store is synthetic, and often more expensive than new fabric. So I have to evaluate this one. Still, I want to stay away from stash buying and only buy for projects.

I have begun studying herbalism. I will allow myself to purchase necessary supplies to make herbal medicines and personal care products. This is an investment year; I may need funnels, storage jars, etc. that I will never need again. Still, I will source used goods whenever possible (please don't suggest pickle jars...I never seem to be able to get rid of the pickle smell and I will not ruin good herbs that way).

I mostly gave up herbalism after finding out about my many sensitivities. I have enough leftover goods to make salves/balms again this year, and floral water sprays. I have lots of round Altoid tins from DH.

We are allowed to purchase what we need to start our garden, including minimal tools, lumber for raised beds, seeds and starts, soil amendment, etc.

We grew food this year! Exciting! And we didn't spend a lot of money doing it, either. We plan to get started again in January.

Photo paper and inks are permitted.

Artisan goods are allowed. Entertainment is allowed if it falls within our budget. Experiences are allowed.

Items I didn't get around to purchasing in 2006 that are still possibly on the slate for early 2007: a wool mattress pad for the boys' bed, a futon mattress for FIL to sleep on when he is here (if he decides to come weekly), ear phones for my iPod (yes, I have one...it's nearly 3 years old), a clothes rack and/or umbrella style drying rack. I'm going to try to find alternatives (such as finding a used king-sized 100% wool blanket and felting it for the boys' pad). I planned to buy ear phones before now, but haven't been able to get out to try any.


I did find a wool blanket to felt for DS's bed; $3 and it works perfectly. We have our old futon for FIL to sleep on. I never bought ear phones. I'm still waffling on the drying rack. We did buy a bunk bed and mattresses for the boys.

I found that shifting my perspective to buying used was really easy, and that after awhile I was able to see that I was buying too much, even used, because it seemed to have so little impact. Buying too much used doesn't break the Compact, per se, but it wasn't simple for me, so I cut back.

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Peace,
Kimberly...loving, living and learning with an amazing man and two incredible boys.

"Wisdom, Vitality, and Compassion are my birthright. They are the core of all humanity, in all times and in all places. They may be clouded over, or tarnished, but the brilliance is there, Unchanged, to be discovered again and again. May I constantly seek these things in myself, that I might find them in everyone." ~ my words, taken from the philosophy of Enki Education