Everything One Dollar

Everywhere we look today, there are signs we are in a economic recession. Times are tough and money is tight - some of us feel it more than others, but regardless of our own financial situation, we are all very aware of what is going on around.

For many years now I have been taking our outgrown clothing to good will. Since we are now living in our new house (and not apartment) I decided to try something new...a yard sale. I began by digging out all of our old boxes of stuff ranging from infant clothes to size six in girls clothes and then I rummaged thru my closet for stuff. To say the least we had a ton of clothes that spanned all the seasons.

Personally, I am not a yard sale shopper. I don't think there is anything wrong with them, but growing up, I seem to remember that was the only place my mother ever took me to shop and so I grew to detest them. Much time has passed since those days and I don't detest them anymore, but I still don't feel the need to stop very often.

Taking into account my views of yard sales and the economic times we live in, I think selling it all for $1 is a pretty reasonable deal. There were name brand clothing, stuff with tags on it never having been worn, clothing sets, jackets ... all for only 1 dollar. I was convinced it was going to go and I was going to be rid of these boxes I have been piling up.

So we set out on our quest - DQ and I set up tables, signs and begin to unpack box after box. People stop by and leave, some purchase stuff and some do not. DQ is diligently keeping track of how many people stop by and how many don't purchase anything and then proceeding to let me know how to fix this problem. In the course of a few hours we had a woman stop by:

Lady - What a precious dress
Me - Thank you, all the clothes are $1
Lady - Is this new?
Me - Yes, see the tag is still on it
Lady - I buy the clothes for my nieces, but can't afford to spend alot of money.
Me - Ah, yes, I understand what you mean.
Lady - This dress was $50?
Me - Yes, but my girls out grew it before we wore it, so now it's just $1.
Lady - Just precious, I just can't afford stuff like this.
(puts it down and walks away)

Perhaps I didn't understand. I think a $50 dress, brand new with tags selling for $1 is an awesome deal, but no...no one bought it. Shortly after that incident I decided I had spent enough hours 'yard selling' and decided to pack it up. All in all, we made a little money, but the stuff I was certain would sell did not, sweaters, jeans, jackets and brand new with tags did not sell so well, but stuff with shorts and toys did. Go figure - who would've thought that summer stuff would sell after the season was over?!

Do you yard sell?

Materialistic?

Have you ever taken a look around you and realized that maybe, just maybe you're not the most up to date, hip, modernized person you thought you were?

Ok, maybe you haven't, but I have. As a matter of fact...I am.

I don't consider myself a materialistic person, I have never really played the 'keep up with the Jones' role but I have always kind of thought of myself as fairly up to date with everything around me. See, I don't feel like I should run out and buy a new car just because mine is a year old and Tom and Sue just bought the brand new '09 blah blah. I never really felt I should stock my house with the latest and greatest stuff because So and so just bought the thingamajig, but for a short bit I have stopped to think maybe there is something wrong with me because - frankly...I just don't care about these things.

It's not that I'm not materialistic, but it is so much more that I am ANTI-materialistic. Take for example my car. I have driven it for 7 years, I've put MANY many miles on it across this country, it's been trashed out thru many years of having kids, but it has 4 wheels and it runs. It's not outwardly beat up, just internally (you can tell I have kids) - there are no mechanical issues with it and overall, I just enjoy having a car, fully paid for that I don't have to worry about. Would I like a new car? Sure Can I afford to get a new car? Of course. Am I going to get a new car? Not any time soon.

Strange? Maybe not.

Example 2: My laptop. It is 3 years old, weighs it weight in gold (no it's not the smallest or lightest thing out there) but it's still an excellent laptop. It has dual core processor, 64 bit operating system, plenty of hard drive and memory and in it's day it cost a pretty penny. Would I like a newer, lighter, sleeker laptop? Sure. Am I going to trade in a perfectly good one? Probably not any time soon.

Do you see a trend forming?

As I analyzed this pattern in my life, I noticed there were plenty of things I have that "do the job" and I don't have issues with them so I don't feel the need to 'change' them for something newer. It's not that I can't, it's just that I don't, but yet I notice so many people around me who are upgrading so many things because "they can" and well because "they want to." What bothers me is the fact that I don't want to. It makes me wonder if perhaps I am missing some crucial element of being a woman?

Funny thing is that if I want something (or the hub and family want/need something) I will go out and get it - rarely though do these types of purchases take place.

Do you care about upgrading your products on a regular basis or do you wait until the inevitable?