Could You Go 200 Days Without Buying Anything New?

Quartz magazine is telling the story of one woman, Assya Barrette, and how she decided not to buy anything new for 200 days.  It's amazing!

I've heard of others practicing a spending free month, where they try to live on what they already have and only buy food and gasoline for 30 days.  It sounds difficult, but doable.  What Barrette has done, that sounds impossible!  What would make her want to do something so drastic?

Her father passed away.  After cleaning out his apartment, which she describes as “the bitterest labor,” Barrett had this to say:

Time, money, and effort had been heavily invested in getting all of this stuff—only to be disposed of with great difficulty. We were destroying the planet for future generations, all so that we could enjoy a short lifetime full of material possessions that in many cases were hardly used, rarely necessary and easily forgotten.
I decided that I didn’t want this to be my “normal.” And so I embarked on an experiment lasting 200 days where I would buy nothing new. Excluding groceries, medicine and basic toiletries, I would borrow and buy secondhand, or simply go without.

It starts to sound romantic in a very bohemian sort of way. So, after all that, what did Barrette really learn from her spending fast?

1.  People buy things out of pure compulsion. As I looked to fill my needs through pre-owned sources, I was blown away by the amount of new items in thrift stores—items that were unused, complete with price tags and original packaging. Everything from new scented candles to new clothing graced the aisles of secondhand stores. Clearly, the act of buying is often completely disassociated with actual human need, or even want. It’s much more akin to a compulsion.
2. There is an unreasonable stigma against pre-owned items. As I blogged about my experience, I received a lot of interesting feedback on the hygienic aspect of my efforts. Many felt that buying clothing, furniture and other goods used instead of new was dirty and uncivilized. What a weird mentality! These same people would happily donate their used goods to thrift stores. I guess it’s good enough for the lower income among us—but not for “us.”
3. When nothing is new, nothing is expensive. My bank account definitely got a break during these 200 days. Secondhand comes at a delightfully steep discount. And I never felt that I compromised on quality, either.
4. I don’t really need that stuff. Truth is, some things you simply cannot find preowned. Lots of items, even common ones, are either impossible or impractical to find pre-owned. When I was forced to not buy them—against my strongest impulses at times—I was surprised how nothing changed. Not my health, happiness or inner harmony. I realized that most things are really just “nice-to-haves;” real needs are generally more limited.

I don't think a 200 day spending freeze like the one Barrette practiced would work very well for me right now. It still sounds really scary.  But I am inspired to try a spending free month!  Still curious?  You can find out how Barrette says the experience helped her to mourn her father and “deeply changed” her outlook at Quartz.