Living the ZERO DOLLAR Experiment by spending NO MONEY for the Christmas holidays has been interesting. I have been overwhelmed that so many people have written me privately and said they tried to get their families to participate in the experiment. Some have enthusiastically voted to participate, while others have not. I understand, of course, that this idea of spending less is not everyone’s cup of tea. I am not judging the parents out there who choose to provide purchased gifts for their family – particularly if you buy local – I am in support of you.
However, the letters I have received (there have been many and all sent as ‘private’ messages) have expressed disappointment over their children’s decision to remain “new toy - big cash spending only”. Parents told me that their children called them cheap, became hateful, and felt resentful about this change in their parents holiday buying. I even had one lady call me in tears because she truly believed she had raised her family to practice a thoughtful, non-commercial mindset, and was saddened when her children rejected the idea. She felt as if she had failed as a parent.
::mouth hanging open::
Really? Really people?? Have we – and our children - become so selfish that we consider a commercial gift the only expression of a parents love during the holidays?
In my opinion, if you choose to practice a concept that costs you less and provides a simple and perhaps beautiful or useful gift for a family member, they should not have much say-so about it. I mean, seriously, this is YOUR money and your family. This is also a GIFT. You know, that thing which is given out of the kindness of your heart with no painful expectations of any kind. YOU should be the person who sets the example and decides how your money is being spent.
Call me wonky, but I did not ask my children’s permission to do this unique holiday approach. Why? Because I AM THE PARENT. I make the rules in my household. We are going to try this and see how it works – there is no whining or complaining about this decision. So far, my family has been enthusiastic, helpful, and supportive with the idea of spending less money and trying something that might be good for our local community and environment.
What has happened to American society that we think giving gifts is about money, money, money and money only? Parents are letting their children dictate living conditions with human greed and selfishness acting to destroy our world. Bill Maher expresses it well in the video and Christmas message to Oprah I have attached.
Back to the results of the ZERO DOLLAR Experiment. I am ROCKING THE CHALLENGE like a rawk star. Turns out that my post on Freecycle.org was extremely well received and lots of people wanted to help me find some creative and absolutely free items to be used as Christmas gifts for the family, friends, and helpers in my life.
Over the next few weeks I will be posting lists of the various gifts so you can see what I got for free and what the approximate value is for the items. I am using Ebay as my “rough estimate” source for the items, so please remember this is not an exact pricing science, but the best value I can estimate. This experience has required that I really think carefully about what they might like and do a bit of coordination to make it happen, but I think the results have been pretty nice: I am giving thoughtful, appropriate gifts to the people in my life. It is working.
We all have helpers in our lives – the trash man, the postal carrier, and the hair dresser for instance. Below is a list of my special helpers gifts which I obtained from friends or Freecycle.org at no cost. I will list more items as we get closer to the holidays and will save my immediate family’s gifts for December 24th and 25th so I can surprise them.
HELPERS GIFTS
Trash Man – Two insulated bags to hold cold or hot beverages with several can and bottle “coozies”. Estimated value – $19.00
Postal Carrier – An orange mohair scarf and a brand new car visor organizer. Estimated value – $20.00
School Crossing Guard #1 – A special custom art coffee mug made by a friend utilizing infrared light photography art. Estimated value – $16.00.
School Crossing Guard #2 – An antique reverse painted-on-glass rose in white frame. Estimated value – $20.00
TOTAL ESTIMATED VALUE FOR HELPERS GIFTS – $75
THE ZERO DOLLAR EXPERIMENT - HOW I DID IT --
All the gifts I am giving have been discovered on Freecycle.org, Craigslist.or, or have been given to me over the course of the last year for free. Everything was given to me at absolutely no cost, yet are great gifts that I am proud to give to others. Below are links to the previous gift lists and rules post -
- I posted the original outline on the rules I am using for the experiment here - ZERO DOLLAR Experiment
- I posted my first gift post where I show what I have spent for the helpers in my community - HELPER POST.
- I posted my second gift post where I show what I have spent for the friends and business workers who have helped me to wonderful things with my business - FRIEND POST.
- I posted my third post where I show what I have used as gift wrap - GIFT WRAP POST.
- I posted my fourth post where I show what I got our Mom's - MOM POST.
- I posted my fifth post on what I got the immediately family - FAMILY POST.
Filed under: Green Family, Save Money
Tags: Christmas, free, green, green lifestyle, holiday, shop, shopping
