Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping

by judith levine | Biographies & Memoirs |
ISBN: 0743269357 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingminesaynwing of Huron, Ohio USA on 1/2/2018
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2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingminesaynwing from Huron, Ohio USA on Tuesday, January 2, 2018
From a friend, April May...

Partners Judith Levine and Paul, in a radical experiment, forgo all but the most necessary purchases for an entire year. This is her journal.

Journal Entry 2 by wingminesaynwing at Huron, Ohio USA on Thursday, March 4, 2021
This book that centered on the lives of Judith and her partner Paul buying only what was truly necessary throughout the year 2006.

I have to say that I have had this book for 8-10 years. One of the clerks at the local post office (thanks, April May) had read it and gave it to me to read. Every year I planned to read it beginning in January, and I would then forget until it was February or June. But after the year (2020) we all had it seemed like like their adventures in non-consumerism was similar to the year 2020 in which everything was pared down (and little shopping was done except for necessities) to dealing with the pandemic. In other words, this seemed like the perfect time to read it. I figured that I already understood what Judith and Paul were going through.

True enough, there are some similarities.

Drowning in debt with maxed out credit cards after the 2005 Christmas season, Judith Levine and Paul made a pact to forgo shopping and spending money on anything other than food, housing, and utilities. They paid down their credit cards, and struggled to put aside the desire to shop for stuff like Q-tips (for Paul) and SmartWool socks (for Judith).

Month by month (and day by day), Judith talks about different methods and what she was experiencing. Sometimes her essays were uplifting; some were rather depressing; some were humorous; and many of them were philosophical or psychological.

On the other hand, they discovered that being a good citizen was more important than being a good consumer. In the end, they actually managed to save money, get out of debt (nearly $ 8000.00 worth of credit card debt), survive not eating at restaurants or going to the movies, and make do with less. (Kinda sounds like 2020 to me!)

What was 2020 like for my husband and me? Very little shopping and only for necessities. Lots of time together taking photos and walks. What little tv we watched were what we always watched via antenna except for our splurge of Disney + to watch Hamilton (and a few other movies), and we found that we weathered it all like Paul and Judith (saving money because we were not spending it otherwise).
2020 will always be known for global pandemic AND people hoarding toilet paper!

Journal Entry 3 by wingminesaynwing at Decatur, Alabama USA on Saturday, April 10, 2021

Released 2 yrs ago (4/10/2021 UTC) at Decatur, Alabama USA

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"No two persons ever read the same book."--Edmund Wilson

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Just because...since the pandemic, who buys anything but essentials anyway.

Journal Entry 4 by wingminesaynwing at Huron, Ohio USA on Saturday, April 10, 2021
Did not send out, but thought I did (and my comments for it were spot on...who bought anything except essentials during the pandemic lock-down?). This will go into my LFL.

Journal Entry 5 by dvg at Toms River, New Jersey USA on Friday, May 28, 2021
Thank you for sharing this with me. A year without shopping?! The title alone makes me want to give it a shot.

Journal Entry 6 by dvg at Toms River, New Jersey USA on Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Well not sure what to say about this book. It’s a memoir about not buying stuff with the exception of necessity. Okay. It’s a older title so price tags are off. Author has two homes, 3 cars with stuff in each. She justifies one vehicle is an old truck used for just hauling stuff. Okay, I had one of those as well, then I got rid of it (gas and insurance outweighs the use).

So that said, there is nothing outlining what is necessity. Apparently Starbucks is a necessity. Nope, not in my world. Buy the beans and make your own cup. I can tell you I skimmed because I was getting annoyed at this couples journey. One can only hope that years later, their priorities have changed.

Journal Entry 7 by dvg at To Another BCer, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Released 2 yrs ago (3/8/2022 UTC) at To Another BCer, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Now traveling to a BCer who entered my 17th BCiversary Bookbox Raffle. Hope you enjoy your party favor.
Happy Reading and Happy BookCrossing!

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