21 days in AND a little request

A lot of people have been asking how we have been doing with regards to the challenge of not spending/buying anything new for a year, so I thought it was time for a bit of an update.

We started 21 days ago

We have kept our grocery shopping to once a week...except once when Sri had to run to the store for emergency pizza sauce.

We have not bought anything new with the exception of a car tire.  Next time we will price out used tires before jumping at the new one....we didn't even think about it. Oh, and we chipped in $10 for fireworks this weekend.

We have NOT eaten at a restaurant or had take out

We have been able to go to Costco without buying items not on our list ....that is a huge feat!

We have chosen to walk instead of drive much more than in the past

I have been able to avoid paying for parking.  I did pay 50cents at a meter when I could have parked around the corner for free....oops!

I have started to dabble in bartering.  I babysat for my sister and received a few cans of baby formula in return.  I took those cans and used them to pay for PWYC (pay what you can) events at Welcome Inn (they have a food bank in need of staple items).  Bartering this way feels very natural to me and I much prefer it to money...although I know that is not realistic.  I should spend some time investigating if it is feasible to start a bartering system here in Hamilton.... let me just add another thing to my list!

We have had one very unexpected cost.  Something we didn't need or want that is for sure. A stinking ticket for not having our license plate registered...it just slipped our mind.  BOO for us!  I'm sure we have learned our lesson....but that is what we said the last time we got a ticket for the exact same thing!

I have to say that while I am not missing buying "stuff" I am missing the ritual of shopping and the relationships that I have built with shop owners/employees.  I haven't really been able to start window shopping or browsing yet in the stores that I love because I feel like I would fall off the wagon so to speak.

I am really proud of the way my family has taken up this challenge and am looking so forward to June where we might kick it up a bit by starting to make more and buy less at the grocery store!

BY THE WAY... I am really sad that I haven't been able to buy the spring edition of Hamilton Magazine.  I've heard this issue is amazing.
I wonder if anyone reading this would allow me to borrow theirs for a week so I could read it and then return it without bending/ crinkling the pages.  Please let me know... I would really appreciate it!
Thanks to an overwhelming response I have a copy of Hamilton Magazine in my hand right now. Thank you to everyone for your offers and suggestions!