I don’t know what had prompted me, but several months back I told myself that I am going simple and basic in our everyday life. I am striving to “basic” everything from our house, ourselves, to our kids.
I have recently read Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping by Judi Levine, a copy I have borrowed from the Public Library. It’s something I cannot do for sure – a year without shopping, but the book has inspired me in bits and pieces.
Since we had Struan, we go out less often on weekends like we have used to. That means less shopping and less eating out. Since then, it has cut down our eating-out expense by more than half. And with less and lesser shopping, I begin to NOT feel the need for new clothes, new shoes, new gadgets, and any more new candles and candle dishes!
And so with groceries. I practice not buying anything that I would still have in my pantry, fridge, or storage. I now focus on the basics like milk, eggs, bread, meat, fruits and vegetables, knowing I can whip up good meals with these basics alone. Whereas I would be in the Filipino take-out store on a weekly basis, now I cannot even recall the last time I was there. Canned good and frozen dinners were kept to minimum, and are only for lazy days and last minute meals. I have to give credit to my sodium nitrate phobia, too, although that is a completely different story.
If it isn’t obvious yet, I am a magazine worm. Although I have thoughtlessly bought a few copies here and there, I never subscribed, and never recently bought any. While I go to the Public Library weekly to borrow books for my son who is quite a reader, I take the opportunity to borrow magazines for myself as well. So I get to read current issues of all fashion, parenting, home and lifestyle magazines that I love without spending a dime. I also do a magazine swap with Harriet regularly, magazines our families back home send us and those from our stash.
I have pledged to stop buying toys for my kids months back, but rather spend on what would give them experience, like sports activities, museum or zoo trips, a bus or train ride, or a mere visit at the library. On Stefan’s birthday party last year, we didn’t give him any present, and I have asked friends not to give him too. This was the reason why. Although they still did. And contrary to past birthdays and Christmases where he would get sets after sets of Thomas Train and Cars, this Christmas we gave him a book. Nevermind if it is was another Cars book.
I’ve been on this pledge for several months now. Although I have fallen off the track a few times with some tempting finds here and there, we have so far spent the past many weekends doing family activities, like watching kid movies, bowling, painting, musical chairs, Playdoh, reading, and lots more. The challenge is not easy, but I am making sure that anything I bring into the house and out of my pocket is going to gather the family together for some good quality time.
