Used

 

 

So do you buy/give used items? Or are you someone who would NEVER dream of buying something at Goodwill and giving it to someone?

 

The two monkey's above are from Goodwill. Paid about 3 bucks for both. The one on the right, is a Build A Bear. You know someone spent a pretty penny for that monkey. I know this because this will be Tucker's second Build A Bear Monkey, and I paid a pretty penny for his back in the day. Although today is a different day in our lives. And wouldn't dream of paying that out of pocket again. Ethan got these for Tuck for Christmas.

 

My kids don't mind used. In fact at times they prefer it. Why? They get more, or they get stuff not in stores today. For Example today. We stopped at Goodwill as I'm looking for something and Cole found a Little Pet Shop thingy he doesn't have. He knows I will pay 2 dollars for this building as that is a steal. I couldn't pry it from his hands if I tried. He LOVES it, this is not sold in stores. And he comes home and spends hours and hours playing Little Pet Shop.

 

It's to the point, I'm nearly done buying new. Not only budget I can't afford it. But I think it's from China, and you have all this plastic packaging that can't be recycled. I'm tired of being part of the problem. We have been going more and more plastic free around here. I don't mind buying second hand. It keeps it out of the landfill. It helps the budget. And there is nothing wrong with it. I also LOVE buying sheets. Often paying 1-2 dollars each, You can't buy fabric for that. So I have lots of fabric, I pay very little for it, and get a lot from each sheet.

 

To me some get too hung up on Christmas. Case in Point my mother. So a few years ago my sister and I decided she would buy for dad I would buy for mom. Except for the fact our parents need NOTHING. And honestly won't come to understand that. Last year, not knowing what to get my mother, I had a thought for a quilt. All in my head, I got it out onto fabric. Maybe spent 5 bucks on the whole thing, but it was more my time and effort, I spent hours sewing it. For Christmas we were snowed in so my sister came by and picked up the quilt and took it out to her. It's December 20th nearly a year later and not a peep about the quilt? No Thank You. No OMG A quilt for me? Nothing.

 

Although this year a slap in the face, as she gave my sister a list of stuff she wants. She then sent my sister another list in a Christmas card. Me nothing. My mother knows I buy for her. My sister caved and bought her two things off her list. My mothers house is stuffed full of crap. She doesn't need more crap, but hasn't come to terms that she needs nothing. To her she needs stuff. She lives for her stuff. Why? I wish I understood her.

 

For her this year she will be getting a framed photo of her dogs. Mind you how hard it is to make her dogs pose, then blow up the photo and find a frame. But she won't see that. She tires me. She doesn't see our very small budget and thinks I need to be spending money. Well I won't be spending money I don't have. It's why we do a lot of shopping at Goodwill. I bought canning jars there today. For the price of a case in a store, I bought home a couple boxes and will probably go back for more next Friday.

 

It pains me to see people go into such debt buying Christmas. And then spending months paying it off. I won't go into debt, I will not hurt us to buy stuff for people who don't need it. In return I ask people not to get me anything. Often it's not needed, you add I live in a small house. Case in point the plastic wine bucket my mother got me last year (I don't drink?) went straight to goodwill. I was thinking honestly just give me the buck, why waste it? although I hear all the time she can't afford to give me cash as a gift? WHAT? But yet you gave the store a dollar? Why couldn't you afford to give me that dollar? She makes me want to bang my head against a wall.

 

So as we head into our very hard year, a lot less new will be bought, and a lot more used, or use what we have and make do.

 

My kids this year really got into making gifts for each other. Ethan had a rough time and decided a Goodwill monkey will do because every Monkey needs a good home. This was Cole's last year of buying new. Next year he will be making or buying used. I'll do an upcoming post of what Tucker made for Ethan because it's so totally cool.