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Who are THE NEW JONESES?

The New Joneses

As a Buy Nothing New Month challenger, you are THE NEW JONESES.

You know the phrase ‘keeping up with the joneses’? it’s a stupid, outdated lifestyle of ‘keeping up’ with the neighbours. Like when the new iPhone comes out. And you feel the need to upgrade your perfectly good, existing iPhone…

Where Buy Nothing New Month looks at the stuff we buy, THE NEW JONESES look at everything we do. Everything we do has an impact, so THE NEW JONESES show how to make better choices in order to have a positive impact.

Head over to THE NEW JONESES to learn about easy everyday lifestyle choices we can make (like our energy company, our choice of dunny paper, eliminating plastics, refusing to waste food, composting, walking more driving less etc) for the health and wellbeing of ourselves, our people and our planet.

The Buy Nothing New Month Crew



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WHY BUY NOTHING NEW?

Simply put. We’re using too much stuff.

“we’re living beyond our means – we’re consuming 50% more natural resources than our Earth’s ecosystems can replenish.” WWF One Planet Living

Looking into the ethics and supply chain of everything can seem overwhelming…

So we thought the easiest way to simplify, was to buy less of everything and buy everything we can second hand.

Extending the life of existing goods (buying second, up-cycling, re-cycling, sharing, swapping etc) maximises the energy and finite resources that goes into our stuff while keeping it from landfill.

The Buy Nothing New Month Crew



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Question Everything

Why am I in this shop? How do I feel? Do I need this? How will I pay for it? Where will I put it? What will I have to get rid of to make room for this? What will happen if I don’t buy this? Can this purchase wait? What else could I do with this money (Did I remember to wear deodorant today?)

The Buy Nothing New Month Crew



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The True Cost

All the clutter in our homes, wardrobes, kids toy chests USED TO BE MONEY.

Money you could use for a house deposit, a holiday, a course. Anytime you go to buy something, think ‘what else could I do with this money?’

Check out barefootinvestor.com/the-barefoot-investor-home or mrmoneymustache.com for great tips on how to turn little bits of money into big bits of money that can be used to buy the things that really matter.

The Buy Nothing New Month Crew



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Need that? No, you probably don’t.

We’ve made ‘Do I really need this?’ one of the biggest questions we ask ourselves.

Pretty much every dust gatherer or closet-clutterer we own took finite resources, fossil fuels, water and most-likely slave-labour to find its way into our homes.

Impulse shopping has little to do with actual needs.

It’s often to fill an emotional void or boredom.

Ever notice that dress that was going to CHANGE YOUR LIFE, didn’t?

This month is a time to pursue healthier ways to fill a need or your time. Read a book, catch up with a mate, take a walk, (or take a nap for goodness sake!) make something…

To be honest, that ‘to-die-for’ outfit probably doesn’t look that great away from the ‘skinny-mirror’ and flattering lighting of the shop. And it definitely wont come around with a bottle of wine on Friday night or take your call when you’re feeling low.

Take this month to identify the difference between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’. There is a big difference.

The Buy Nothing New Month Crew



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Fresh eyes on old stuff

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer

We’ve all got stuff in our wardrobe we never wear.

Sometimes it just takes looking at the same thing with different eyes.

Try taking one item out of your wardrobe and commit to wearing it the next day. Hang it up on the wardrobe door, ready for its big outing.

In the morning, mix it up with stuff you’ve never worn it with before. This can help give new life to forgotten stuff.

The Buy Nothing New Month Crew



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It’s simple. We are using too much stuff…

The good news is, the alternative to wasteful consuming is better for us, our mental health and the health of our planet.

This month is a chance to cut out the clutter.

To refuse, reduce, reuse, rethink.

Easiest way to do it is to keep out of the shops and avoid advertising and stuff that exists to convince you you need stuff that you don’t.

Have fun – not post-purchase-dissonance (that nasty state of unease which exists after we buy something we know we don’t need…)

The Buy Nothing New Month Crew



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new-to-you. the second hand swindle

From op-shops to designer consignment, eBay, vintage stores, garage sales, swap parties or suitcase rummages, everything we need is available second hand.

Here at BNNM headquarters, we haven’t bought a ‘new’ bit of clothing or home kit for nearly a decade (except for maybe an apartment which we paid for with the money saved from years of not buying stuff we didn’t need.)

Done right, second hand is the smart default of stylish fashionistas.

Email four mates now.

Set a date, buy a bottle of bubbles (it’s Buy Nothing New Month, not FebFast after all…) and get together.

Everyone brings 3 things from their home or wardrobe they no longer want/need.

SWAP EM!

See. Easy.
Not new, but new to you.

How to Buy Nothing New:
buynothingnew.com.au/how

The Buy Nothing New Month Crew



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Welcome to the New You

Buy Nothing New Month 2018

It’s Buy Nothing New Month again.

Congratulations on signing up to LIVING more, shopping less.

You’re part of the global movement of people experiencing the joy of more freedom, more contentedness, more happiness, less stuff, less stress.

And it’s easy. SO EASY. This month, with the exception of essentials (food, hygiene and medicine) all you do, is BUY NOTHING NEW!

Buy Nothing New Month is about buying less, buying well made, buying stuff that’s built to last, rather than cheap, fast throwaway fashion, or stuff that’s make to break (bloody planned obsolescence) headed for landfill.

This month you’ll learn to shop less and source whatever you need second hand. So find the best op-shop in town (many are rubbish, so do your research) or get into online marketplaces for second hand stuff (eBay, Gumtree etc)

You got this.

The Buy Nothing New Month Crew



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2017 Done and dusted!

Buy Nothing New 2017

That’s a wrap!

Collectively, our thoughts and actions are contributing to the growing global groundswell choosing citizenship over consumerism.

Keep living it up, with your lighter footprint and more contented heart.

Now, you’re on the path, who can you invite to join us?

Remember, Buy Nothing New Month is just the start.

Keep going.

“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” – Arundhati Roy