18 January 2011

january goal


i have to say, i'm doing quite nicely with my 2011 to do list so far. made a start on quite a few items, & have even scored off #19 after a quick trip to london with my boyfriend at the weekend. wonderful! however, something i didn't mention when noting my 25 things to do on my blog was that as well as that list, i've also set myself monthly goals. this month's: buy nothing for myself.

i've made an attempt to be a much more conscious shopper of late. i've completely avoided the big guns in terms of supermarkets over the last few months (screw you tesco!) & in perhaps the last half year have bought one item of clothing from a high street chain. i'm hoping to continue these shopping habits in 2011 & beyond, & thought i'd start the year by buying no new things for myself, with the exception of food/art materials/toiletries (all of which i'm trying to buy sensibly/sustainably).

so far, so good! there have been a few temptations in the form of hand-made goodness, but rather than buying things that i know i don't really need i got excited about buying my first tube of 100% natural toothpaste (i know, what a loser). i've also not made up a mental list of all the things i want to buy come the start of february, pat on the back for me. one of the things on my to do list was to buy a plant every month, but rather than buying one, i got a cutting from a co-worker's plant which will hopefully survive our office environment. best things in life are free!

hopefully all of the above doesn't sounds terribly arrogant. i'm in no way perfect in my shopping habits but this is a topic that interests me. if it perhaps makes people question what's right for them then i don't think it's a bad thing.

ps. instances such as gap ripping off gemma correll only cement my decision to avoid the high street.

11 comments:

Same Length Pinkies said...

not arrogant at all, but wonderful! i've also become much more conscious in the last few years in terms of ingredients, packaging, testing on animals, how the workers are treated and so on. it's just too important. i don't want to be numbed by an industry that is so powerful and knowledgable about consumer preferences.

Stephanie Webb said...

Very admirable, Jen! I got a bit too excited about some peppermint tea the other day, so proves I don't really need to be buying stuff either. I am so annoyed with Gap about that Gemma Correll incident, they were one of my favourite highst shops, such a disappointment.
I think I would fall down in this challenge though because I spend money on music fairly regularly... does that count?!

Sara said...

I bought 100% natural toothpaste recently. I too was really excited to try it out!

I also got excited when I found a jar of quartered artichoke hearts at the grocery store for a very reasonable price.

Little things, right?!

Dia said...

Sincerely? You're an inspiration and you have an iron will.

Aurora said...

That's Fabulos. I had the same idea too! :)
Let's resist! :D

beth said...

That doesn't sound arrogant at all- really, more like admirable. Best of luck with the both the short-term and long-term ends of your goal!

taylor leigh said...

Good idea! I have a long-term goal for this year to slim down on my belongings and really get to know what exactly I own. Your monthly goal would be a good way for me to keep things that way!! :) keep it up! I really like the plant idea as well! :)

p.strange said...

How is this blog so cool?
I look beautiful your artwork!

p.strange

Katie said...

Number 1 on my wishlist after reading this post: 100% natural toothpaste

I don't even know where to start looking!

Fotografia Ĺšlubna Warszawa said...

damned I love your works!

Brasil said...

That was very fabulous, Setting Goal for this year was one of my aim. setting one's goal needs to have the courage and sacrifices that you can do it. And most especially sacrifices within yourself. And believing that it will really come true.