Black Friday and green consumerism don't seem to go hand in hand. But holiday shopping can be more about the deep sales.
I can't remember a year when I didn't spend part of Thanksgiving Day pouring over the Black Friday ads--and only one year when, pregnant and miserable, I just stayed home.
Everything about Black Friday, on its surface, is about more, more, more. More sales. More early hours. More lines. More stuff that you didn't know you needed. More waiting in lines and driving circles around the parking lot. I can see why it turns a lot of folks off.
But my Black Friday shopping has evolved in recent years, particularly since my family has grown. I've transitioned more out of the "buy everything...now" mentality to using it as an opportunity to buy things my family did need at a deep discount. Like replacement items, winter clothing or tools for the home.
But recent years and my shift toward being more sustainable have cut my Friday-morning sales even more.
By planning better, I'm able to find gently used clothing and books for my children throughout the year at a fraction of the price of even those fabulous Black Friday sales. Are they new? To them.. (I admit I can't always find what I need at a resale shop or sale, but it helps dramatically.) And my daughter, a new "chapter book reader," as she calls it, is getting a shoebox full of animal books for Christmas, bought for just a few dollars.
By listening more, I've found great ideas for gift-giving, instead of just buying something so that I can check that person off the list. My brother? Desperate to figure out how to landscape his shady scrap of land. I found the perfect book on shade gardening, at a library sale. I doubt I would find it if I'd waited until December, even on Amazon. My brother-in-law, a new dad? Literally wants a nap. So I'll give him free babysitting time during their visit.
By sharing more, I will have helped others and my family. We have always adopted someone for the holidays, no matter how tight things are. But the last few seasons, instead of racing to buy things, I've gotten more creative in my gift-giving there too. Last year, our daycare adopted a family with a little boy my son's age. I'd just gotten a huge bag of train tracks and accessories at the used children's store, and divided them up among my son and this boy. Sure, the boy got a new Thomas too, but it was a way to stretch my resources and bring more joy. My son never missed what he didn't have. This year, the daycare is adopting two little girls whose mother is a college student but can't find work. I posted on our employee classifieds that we're looking for clothes in their size, and people are coming through. And my children, bless their hearts, have always come through with my requests to "be a Santa" and donate an outgrown toy to a child in need.
This year, I suspect my shopping outlay will be even smaller than before. Many of my gifts this year have leaned on the practical, spiritual or creative sides. And I've encouraged my family, whom I still know will buy the toys, to subsidize experiences for my children this year.
Will I still go out for Black Friday? Yes, and here's why. My mom and I have, since I was little, created a tradition of early-morning (I said morning, not middle of the night) shopping followed by breakfas t and a few other mixed errands. I'd miss that one-on-one time too much to go without it. But maybe this year, I'll leave my wallet at home.
Posted at the Green Phone Booth Nov. 5, 2011
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Organizing kids' clothes: A way to Excel at it
Garage sales, hand-me-downs, resale and other sources for kids' clothes have gotten us through the last few years. The challenge is keeping tabs on my finds.
Whether it's my daughter tearing apart diaper-size boxes of clothing in her closet out of boredom or my accidentally stockpiling 20 (yes, 20) short-sleeve T-shirts in a size for my son, remembering what you've acquired can be a challenge.
My solution? It's a simple one: Creating a spreadsheet to track numbers.
I track each kids' clothing pieces by size and type, and I have it uploaded so that family members who are Christmas shopping or hitting sales to splurge know what we have. My hope is it keeps us from wasting money and space, and freeing us from having more than we really need.
Want to start this simply? Create an Excel or Google Docs spreadsheet with a column for size and a row for each clothing type. For example:
uniform shirts
uniform skorts or pants
sweater
sweatshirt
fall/winter weight PJ's
spring/summer weight PJ's
jeans
yoga/dance pants
t-shirts (long-sleeve and short-sleeve)
sweat pants/athletic pants
winter coat
swimsuit
I could expand this to include shoes I've picked up (such as at clearance or soccer cleats from garage sales), but those for now are much easier remembered.
I update the spreadsheets after purchases, and reprint the well-folded sheets as needed. It's an easy reference at a garage sale and has kept me from at least one unneeded purchase.
Whether it's my daughter tearing apart diaper-size boxes of clothing in her closet out of boredom or my accidentally stockpiling 20 (yes, 20) short-sleeve T-shirts in a size for my son, remembering what you've acquired can be a challenge.
My solution? It's a simple one: Creating a spreadsheet to track numbers.
I track each kids' clothing pieces by size and type, and I have it uploaded so that family members who are Christmas shopping or hitting sales to splurge know what we have. My hope is it keeps us from wasting money and space, and freeing us from having more than we really need.
Want to start this simply? Create an Excel or Google Docs spreadsheet with a column for size and a row for each clothing type. For example:
uniform shirts
uniform skorts or pants
sweater
sweatshirt
fall/winter weight PJ's
spring/summer weight PJ's
jeans
yoga/dance pants
t-shirts (long-sleeve and short-sleeve)
sweat pants/athletic pants
winter coat
swimsuit
I could expand this to include shoes I've picked up (such as at clearance or soccer cleats from garage sales), but those for now are much easier remembered.
I update the spreadsheets after purchases, and reprint the well-folded sheets as needed. It's an easy reference at a garage sale and has kept me from at least one unneeded purchase.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
The gift of three gifts
Each Black Friday, my mother and I, like so many other people, hit the stores in search of deals. This year was no different - at least on the surface.
We picked up a replacement printer and a needed gift for my husband (which I won't disclose here). Then we ducked into a drugstore to pick up some toiletries that were on the buy one - get a rebate deals.
And then temptation struck.
On the shelf was a plug-and-go game system. Set very cheap in price - and I'm sure the quality was as such - it might be a good idea for my daughter, who asks routinely about Wiis like her friends have.
And for 10 minutes, I stared at the toy, let her play with it, and debated. It was only $20, after all.
But there's something about sticking to your guns. And long ago, well before we became parents, we decided that we'd not bring a game system into our house. And a few years back, we'd decided to stick to three gifts from us: Partly because of the Three Wise Men, and partly because of the chaos we'd seen from friends desperately trying to match the number and dollar amount of gifts for each child.
And, thanks to some clearance sales as stores ushered in new things, we had already selected our three gifts each. The game system stayed on the shelf, forgotten within minutes. Not a word has been said about it since.
There's something freeing about setting limits. There's no discussion, no worrying, no regrets later. No credit card bills to pay off in months to come. No extra clutter to mess with.
Today, I'm simply thankful for the gift of the three gifts.
We picked up a replacement printer and a needed gift for my husband (which I won't disclose here). Then we ducked into a drugstore to pick up some toiletries that were on the buy one - get a rebate deals.
And then temptation struck.
On the shelf was a plug-and-go game system. Set very cheap in price - and I'm sure the quality was as such - it might be a good idea for my daughter, who asks routinely about Wiis like her friends have.
And for 10 minutes, I stared at the toy, let her play with it, and debated. It was only $20, after all.
But there's something about sticking to your guns. And long ago, well before we became parents, we decided that we'd not bring a game system into our house. And a few years back, we'd decided to stick to three gifts from us: Partly because of the Three Wise Men, and partly because of the chaos we'd seen from friends desperately trying to match the number and dollar amount of gifts for each child.
And, thanks to some clearance sales as stores ushered in new things, we had already selected our three gifts each. The game system stayed on the shelf, forgotten within minutes. Not a word has been said about it since.
There's something freeing about setting limits. There's no discussion, no worrying, no regrets later. No credit card bills to pay off in months to come. No extra clutter to mess with.
Today, I'm simply thankful for the gift of the three gifts.
Monday, November 9, 2009
The gift of yourself
Our department has a tradition of adopting a family each Christmas. Unfortuantely, this year, when I put it up for a vote, I was floored. A third responded. And of that third, only two said a definite "yes."
The economy was cited as an issue for those declining or on the fence, and I wonder. Here we are in a profession that pays respectably, yet we can't cobble together gifts to make a family's season brighter?
It's not easy asking to be on the receiving end. For families who step forward, they simply want their children to have the things they need (clothing) and a small sense of normalcy (every other kid got something under the tree). I should know. We were there last year.
I can tell you also, that after pouring over families' "applications" each year, these are families who truly do need help. Sometimes they are asking for simple things, like dishes or diapers or a gift card for gas. Sometimes, the kids just want to be normal, asking for a video game or hot toy. And they trust that someone will give them an opportunity for once to forget that things aren't right.
But the thing is, we all can make family's holidays - and any time of year - just a little bit brighter. Two lunches not eaten out can be spent on a shirt for a child. A pizza avoided, a pair of shoes. One less toy for our child could be breakfast for someone else. A week's worth of Starbucks could help feed a family for a few days.
So maybe stretching outside of our comfort zone is just the thing we need. Maybe we buy less this year for our families. Maybe we buy more thoughtfully with the dollars we spend. Or maybe we invest all that time that would be spent shopping into time with our loved ones.
But that little gift of ourselves - those small sacrifices we make - might make a difference beyond measure.
Needing more inspiration this holiday season? You might also like:
The economy was cited as an issue for those declining or on the fence, and I wonder. Here we are in a profession that pays respectably, yet we can't cobble together gifts to make a family's season brighter?
It's not easy asking to be on the receiving end. For families who step forward, they simply want their children to have the things they need (clothing) and a small sense of normalcy (every other kid got something under the tree). I should know. We were there last year.
I can tell you also, that after pouring over families' "applications" each year, these are families who truly do need help. Sometimes they are asking for simple things, like dishes or diapers or a gift card for gas. Sometimes, the kids just want to be normal, asking for a video game or hot toy. And they trust that someone will give them an opportunity for once to forget that things aren't right.
But the thing is, we all can make family's holidays - and any time of year - just a little bit brighter. Two lunches not eaten out can be spent on a shirt for a child. A pizza avoided, a pair of shoes. One less toy for our child could be breakfast for someone else. A week's worth of Starbucks could help feed a family for a few days.
So maybe stretching outside of our comfort zone is just the thing we need. Maybe we buy less this year for our families. Maybe we buy more thoughtfully with the dollars we spend. Or maybe we invest all that time that would be spent shopping into time with our loved ones.
But that little gift of ourselves - those small sacrifices we make - might make a difference beyond measure.
Needing more inspiration this holiday season? You might also like:
Sunday, March 22, 2009
One less gift card in the landfill
I love gift cards for their ease of use - particularly when it comes to running to the gas station. I also love it because I'm able to buy them at church and support our youth programs while buying things I know I need to buy.
The reality of this arrangement is that most of the cards come in $20 or so denominations. Fine if you're buying a gift, not so fine if you're buying groceries or a tank of gas. So I struggle with balancing my desire to help others out on my limited budget versus generating more plastic junk out there.
Who knew I can recycle them? I just learned on No Plastic for a Year that gift card recycling is available. I'm very excited. Read on...
The reality of this arrangement is that most of the cards come in $20 or so denominations. Fine if you're buying a gift, not so fine if you're buying groceries or a tank of gas. So I struggle with balancing my desire to help others out on my limited budget versus generating more plastic junk out there.
Who knew I can recycle them? I just learned on No Plastic for a Year that gift card recycling is available. I'm very excited. Read on...
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Being green while saving green on Black Friday
Each Thanksgiving, while the bird is roasting, the women in our family rip apart the newspaper, scouring ads for promised deals for the next day. Our list is written by time of day, in the hopes of scoring the deal. Then, Friday morning, we join hundreds - OK, thousands - of bargain hunters. For us, it's about the camaraderie - and the hunt. (And for the record, we're usually done by the time the men wake up!)
If you, like our family, are on the hunt for deals this weekend, there are a few ways to make this ritual just a little bit greener. Even if you're not ready to give up this holiday tradition, a little common sense and courtesy can actually make a difference in overall consumption of our precious resources.
Make a realistic plan. Unless there's something you desperately need, hold off on the excess and camping out for hours outside of an electronics store or whoever has the 4 a.m. sale. The best case scenario is you'll freeze your buns and get that laptop your kid wants for college.
The worse case? You waste gas and electricity, trying to stay warm in the car, waste time and precious sleep, and come away empty handed (or with something not on your list, just to justify your time!).
Along the same lines, does driving across town to shop at a particular store really save you that much? If not, reconsider that stop on your schedule.
Park and walk. It's a concept, I know. You'd be amazed by the number of people who circle the mall lots like vultures, searching for a close parking spot. It's wasteful, and it's better to burn off yesterday's feast and park in the far ends of a lot and hike in.
Watch your excess. Sure, it's tempting to stock up on sales, but think twice. Not only does carrying lots of bags set you up to be mugged or your car broken into, but you also may be buying things you simply don't need.
Seek out local vendors. While they may not have the splashy ads the chain stores do, local stores may have sales, offer unique gift items and may have great parking. Plus, you have the added benefit of helping the local economy, and, depending on the store, purchasing locally produced or sustainable items.
Watch your plastic. Seek out gift items with as little packaging as possible.
Buy practical. It may not seem as much fun, but it's no less appreciated in a tough economy. Besides, how many lotion gift baskets can a girl need?
Shop online. It doesn't offer the same ambience as being with a thousand of your closest friends in the mall, but many retailers extend the same pricing on their Web sites. Shipping is already done for you, so you save an extra trip to the post office. It's convenient, and if you do miss the holiday magic, throw on a Christmas CD and sip a cup of cocoa.
If you, like our family, are on the hunt for deals this weekend, there are a few ways to make this ritual just a little bit greener. Even if you're not ready to give up this holiday tradition, a little common sense and courtesy can actually make a difference in overall consumption of our precious resources.
Make a realistic plan. Unless there's something you desperately need, hold off on the excess and camping out for hours outside of an electronics store or whoever has the 4 a.m. sale. The best case scenario is you'll freeze your buns and get that laptop your kid wants for college.
The worse case? You waste gas and electricity, trying to stay warm in the car, waste time and precious sleep, and come away empty handed (or with something not on your list, just to justify your time!).
Along the same lines, does driving across town to shop at a particular store really save you that much? If not, reconsider that stop on your schedule.
Park and walk. It's a concept, I know. You'd be amazed by the number of people who circle the mall lots like vultures, searching for a close parking spot. It's wasteful, and it's better to burn off yesterday's feast and park in the far ends of a lot and hike in.
Watch your excess. Sure, it's tempting to stock up on sales, but think twice. Not only does carrying lots of bags set you up to be mugged or your car broken into, but you also may be buying things you simply don't need.
Seek out local vendors. While they may not have the splashy ads the chain stores do, local stores may have sales, offer unique gift items and may have great parking. Plus, you have the added benefit of helping the local economy, and, depending on the store, purchasing locally produced or sustainable items.
Watch your plastic. Seek out gift items with as little packaging as possible.
Buy practical. It may not seem as much fun, but it's no less appreciated in a tough economy. Besides, how many lotion gift baskets can a girl need?
Shop online. It doesn't offer the same ambience as being with a thousand of your closest friends in the mall, but many retailers extend the same pricing on their Web sites. Shipping is already done for you, so you save an extra trip to the post office. It's convenient, and if you do miss the holiday magic, throw on a Christmas CD and sip a cup of cocoa.
Monday, July 14, 2008
'Have a handmade holiday' challenge
Christmas in July. Actually, in my family, it's Christmas shopping in July.
What began as a survival tactic as a broke newlywed, recent college graduate - starting my holiday shopping six months in advance, so that I could actually afford gifts - has stuck as a family tradition. And while my sister-in-law laughs at me now, it's me who's laughing and truly enjoying the month of December, when I am not anywhere near a shopping mall.
It's the middle of July, and I haven't started shopping yet (with the exception of a Christmas toddler dish set I bought at Babies R Us, clearanced for $2, back in March). Given the vast evolution of our financial situation, I'm already thinking about the most cost-effective yet meaningful ways I can celebrate the holiday season with my loved ones.
I feel this holiday season will be very much akin to the months after 9/11, when shoppers scrambled to stock up on essentials - sweaters, jeans, etc., rather than the latest and greatest Nintendo. This year, I plan to be more creative in my gift-giving and stay away from many of the stores if I can.
So we have five months and 11 days until Christmas, a few days less until Hannukah. I am encouraging you to think how you can use your talents (or even purchase someone else's) to create unique gifts this holiday season.
My challenge to you? To come up with one "handmade" gift for the holidays, birthday or other gift-giving event.
A few ideas to get you started:
So who's up for having a little handmade holiday?
What began as a survival tactic as a broke newlywed, recent college graduate - starting my holiday shopping six months in advance, so that I could actually afford gifts - has stuck as a family tradition. And while my sister-in-law laughs at me now, it's me who's laughing and truly enjoying the month of December, when I am not anywhere near a shopping mall.
It's the middle of July, and I haven't started shopping yet (with the exception of a Christmas toddler dish set I bought at Babies R Us, clearanced for $2, back in March). Given the vast evolution of our financial situation, I'm already thinking about the most cost-effective yet meaningful ways I can celebrate the holiday season with my loved ones.
I feel this holiday season will be very much akin to the months after 9/11, when shoppers scrambled to stock up on essentials - sweaters, jeans, etc., rather than the latest and greatest Nintendo. This year, I plan to be more creative in my gift-giving and stay away from many of the stores if I can.
So we have five months and 11 days until Christmas, a few days less until Hannukah. I am encouraging you to think how you can use your talents (or even purchase someone else's) to create unique gifts this holiday season.
My challenge to you? To come up with one "handmade" gift for the holidays, birthday or other gift-giving event.
A few ideas to get you started:
- Maybe you can't live without hitting the closest scrapbook store. Use up your stash to create a personal album for someone who doesn't scrapbook, make a set of notecards for your grandmother, create an "art kit" for a kid.
- Love to take photos? Create a calendar for the grandparents of favorite family pictures from the year.
- Cook like crazy. If you're not a baker, consider making a few dishes that can be stored in the freezer until needed. Who wouldn't want to have dinner simply ready to heat on a hectic evening?
- Create a gift certificate for babysitting, lawn mowing, car repair, computer repair, dish washing - any service, no matter how small, that would be greatly appreciated by the recipient.
- Knit up a frenzy. If you're a newbie, create new scarves, dishcloths, or other simple items.
- Not crafty? Challenge yourself to make a gift basket of items from your local market: a soap/lotion basket or bottles of local wines or sauces, etc.
So who's up for having a little handmade holiday?
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Bagging the plastic habit
I pledged to bag the plastic bag habit for July. In truth, it's a lot harder than it looks.
One week into my experiment, I've still acquired four shopping bags and rescued a newspaper bag from work (thinking it's just right for dirty diapers on the run).
Lack of planning was the culprit in each instance. I'd run into the store thinking I'd just grab one thing and come out with several cloaked in plastic.
The latest time was the result of great intentions. I darted into Goodwill after work, hoping to pick up a serving dish or two that I could carry meals to a flood victim at our church later this week. It was that or buy disposable, and I reasoned that if the couple couldn't use these temporarily, the clients at their homeless organization might.
So I saved some dishes but at the price of bags. But at least Goodwill does #2 recyclable.
I do realize that my small effort has paid off somewhat in our cleaning closet, which typically showers us with a sea of yellow, white, brown and purple bags.
Still, I have plenty to reuse or recycle. If you're like me, here are just a few things you can do with your shopping bag supply:
One week into my experiment, I've still acquired four shopping bags and rescued a newspaper bag from work (thinking it's just right for dirty diapers on the run).
Lack of planning was the culprit in each instance. I'd run into the store thinking I'd just grab one thing and come out with several cloaked in plastic.
The latest time was the result of great intentions. I darted into Goodwill after work, hoping to pick up a serving dish or two that I could carry meals to a flood victim at our church later this week. It was that or buy disposable, and I reasoned that if the couple couldn't use these temporarily, the clients at their homeless organization might.
So I saved some dishes but at the price of bags. But at least Goodwill does #2 recyclable.
I do realize that my small effort has paid off somewhat in our cleaning closet, which typically showers us with a sea of yellow, white, brown and purple bags.
Still, I have plenty to reuse or recycle. If you're like me, here are just a few things you can do with your shopping bag supply:
- Use it as packing material. There's a wierd satisfaction in shipping them off to be my mother-in-law's problem!
- Use it for diaper (or dog waste) disposal. Far better than those wastes of space and bags, the Diaper Genies. We even reuse or bread and newspaper bags for this.
- Take your lunch. It's not exciting, but who cares?
- Use it for a trash bag in your vehicle.
- Line your trash can. I haven't bought a can liner for my bathroom trash can in years. Sure, it's not scented like flowers. I can deal with that.
- Hang it on the door knob of a room for a fast place to store your recyclables as you clean up.
- Leave a few in the back of your car for those unexpected filthy shoes or clothes that inevitably happen with your children (no matter how old they are).
- Bring them back to the store - whether to house a return or to reuse again.
- For the good planner, save them up and return them to the store for recycling. Locally, our Kroger and Wal-mart are now accepting plastic bags and packaging.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Green on the cheap: Save that shopping list!
Grocery shopping in my family typically means one of two things:
I recently learned about a new service online, Don't Forget the Milk. This admittedly simple Web site helps you track your grocery list and even send a copy to your e-mail, cell phone or Palm.
The site allows you to jump-start with your choices from a basic list of groceries, which, if you have time on your side, you can track by price point, location within a store and the store of your choice (i.e. grocery X and warehouse club Y). I did play with it a little bit, and while it wasn't entirely intuitive for me, it certainly would make far more sense than those tiny scraps of paper and partially wasted trips.
If you're interested in taking a look, the Web address is http://www.dontforgetthemilk.com.
- A hastily written list, scribbled on a piece of scrap paper or the back of an envelope
- A frantic phone call to the other spouse, wondering what we needed in the first place.
I recently learned about a new service online, Don't Forget the Milk. This admittedly simple Web site helps you track your grocery list and even send a copy to your e-mail, cell phone or Palm.
The site allows you to jump-start with your choices from a basic list of groceries, which, if you have time on your side, you can track by price point, location within a store and the store of your choice (i.e. grocery X and warehouse club Y). I did play with it a little bit, and while it wasn't entirely intuitive for me, it certainly would make far more sense than those tiny scraps of paper and partially wasted trips.
If you're interested in taking a look, the Web address is http://www.dontforgetthemilk.com.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Possibly the coolest green bag ever
Reusable shopping bags are everywhere these days. It seems like every store is trying to make a buck with bags with their branding on it.Generally, I try to avoid paying for other people's advertising, but I have really become interested in using reusable grocery bags as part of my daily living.
I recently found my exception to the rule. Trader Joe's offers fun surfer-themed reusable grocery bags that I just had to snatch up! And for only $1.
The only downside is that these bags take more space than the cloth ones I've found at the local grocery stores, and they don't compact as well. But they are fun and eye-catching, and remembering they're there is the first step to using them and eliminating just a few plastic bags.
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