This year I joined some of my friends on Facebook to buy ‘œNothing New In 2009’. It’s not a piece of cake- even though it’s been easier for me since I already buy most things second hand. I’ve been able to pay off old student loans faster; but if  you’re a spender, taking the pact this year could actually save your precarious financial life! It’s near February but it’s not too late to be a radical.

It’s a challenge worth taking even if you’re not yet in the financial toilet. You can come up with an average amount you spend per month on new items and sock that much away into an emergency savings account, or pay off more of your debt each month. For me it’s also a very eco-friendly and spiritual challenge. I’m not imploring you to be a monk here. Services and entertainment are definitely a great place to spend your money if you have it, just no more stuff!

I am always thrifty, and still I estimate that I have already saved over $300.00 this month. (And that does not include the ($1000) business project expenditure I creatively talked myself out of.)

As an organizing coach, I have asked my clients and readers to shed the things you don’t need and so this next part may seem counter-intuitive. I would usually urge you to get rid of socks with small holes, stacks of paper bags to re-use for groceries, old favorite clothes you could sew or re-vamp with patches of other cloth. I do wish for everyone to be organized this year, but I also want you to take what you have that’s working and make it last. But if you own seventeen pairs of white socks and four of them have holes, you can still afford to shed the four. I usually buy just shoes and underwear new- this year I must wear out the shoes and under-things I already own. I will think about replacing them next year.

My favorite effect of this resolution is that we learn to appreciate what we already have. I had planned to replace the ugly lamp on my desk but after taking the pact I have learned to appreciate it for its quirks and I worked with it. I just disposed of the ugly stained shade-holder and now it’s a modern looking bulb on a stick which shines so much more light! And although I had wanted some new sweaters for this biting Seattle cold and rain, I put on the ones I have and feel their coziness with adoration instead of wishing they were new. But if we just have to have something or the old one is destroyed in an accident- there is always the thrift store. Buy Nothing New.

New Years Resolutions are difficult to keep for most people and I’m only able to keep the ‘œBuy Nothing New‘ ambitious pact this year because I’m well practiced and successful in keeping my previous resolutions. Some people are having trouble managing once-weekly exercise.  One of the keys to success is making your goal “sustainable” for you.  As you’ve read this you may feel you can’t go  whole-hog but you could “buy nothing” on the weekends or even buy nothing tomorrow-  and  that’s a start.

I’m giving a FREE Workshop in Seattle on the 31st on Whole Life Fitness: How to Keep Your Resolutions and Meet Your Goals which outlines my easy 4 Part System for Success. Are your resolutions not working yet? Let’s tweak them together. I will be happy to provide this coaching by phone to just 5 Queercents readers for FREE. Email mooreamalatt@hotmail.com to reserve your spot!

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