This year millions of people on Earth will not receive a single gift for the holidays. Nor will they have enough food or water. Yet every year millions of Americans over extend themselves using credit cards, putting themselves in debt and our country in debt, simply so their children can say they have the latest brand spanking new "things" and "stuff".
I want to teach my children that giving a gift does not have to cost money. That we do not forever have to want more, more, more! As a professional writer, my income is not the highest and my family - just like most who live in the U.S. - is having to tighten the money belt and struggle through the down economy.
Let me make it clear, however, that we are not so poor to be in a lower American tax bracket. We do not receive and do not want to collect welfare or food stamps. We are making it alright on our own. However, even with a decent income, we face the battle of paying for a mortgage, car payments, health insurance, college loans, medical bills, food bills, and school bills for our children. It is difficult. It is life.
Which brings me to my point - living the so called American dream is darned expensive. Many of we "middle classers" are losing our homes, our insurance, our medical care, and much, much more because of the current economic situation. Many of us want to work, but cannot because we are laid off and few are hiring. It is a challenge.
With all that in mind I ask myself what my family needs in life, and it seems to me that "things and stuff" will be fairly low on the totem pole of priorities this holiday season.
My friends, what does not kill us is a definite opportunity. And I am an opportunist.
I began thinking about all the crap and junk and things that most of us have in our closets. You know, that closet you have been meaning to clean out for the last six months. There is stuff in your closet that someone else could really use or want, right? There is stuff in my closet I would be more than happy to give to someone who needs it.
Instead of buying new crap and junk and things and stuff for the holidays, why not go to your friends and neighbors and share? For example, If you gave that barely used bottle of perfume to a teenager who would really like to have it, you are saving that teenager's parents between $25 and $75 depending on the price of the perfume. That is a lot of money that could go towards food, or a heating bill, or a college loan bill.
With that idea in mind I ran an "ad" today on Freecycle.org a great give-away-for-free website (Craigslist.com is another great one to look into) asking if any of my neighbors in the community might have some extra things that they no longer want that I might be able to use in my experiment to see if I could spend ZERO dollars for Christmas and the holiday season, but still have a joyous and special holiday. I am starting now in October to give myself plenty of time to try and find what I need or get crafts put together.
My goal in the experiment is to learn how to spend ZERO dollars myself and to also teach people how to think outside the traditional American box and spend less and live a little greener by sharing with community.
Below is a copy of what I posted on Freecycle.org:
"I am not on welfare. I am not a bum. I am growing my own veggies and
helping feed the hungry. I am doing good things to help others. I am
also trying to set a goal of spending ZERO dollars on Christmas and the
holidays this year. This was started partly because I cannot afford a
lot this holiday season, but also I am writing about the experience to
see if I can do it using Freecycle and my own creative crafting, but
more importantly, I'm trying to teach people how they can do it too.
It's about educating people to stop wanting SO MUCH and to share a
little of what they have (one man's junk is another man's treasure). I
definitely need your help.
I have two daughters - a 10 year old and a 20 year old. I also have a 43
year old computer geek husband and our two amazing elderly mothers to
find gifts for.
Can you help me with the challenge? Do you have some old junk that
might be an amazing holiday gift or stocking stuffer for one of my
family members?"
If you do, would you please contact me? I will include your item in
my story and it will help me meet the goal of spending ZERO dollars
this holiday.
What do you think about all of this? Can you try the ZERO DOLLAR Experiment for your own family? Do you really think they HAVE TO HAVE brand new things to love you and be happy during the holidays?
I think - no, I truly want to believe - that this exercise in no spending will show those who participate in it that there are more important things in life other than the "things and stuff" we in the free world are obsessed with. My heart knows there is love, there is sharing, there is community - and if all of us can unite together to help each other through this difficult time, there is a future.
Think about the ZERO DOLLAR Experiment and how you can make a difference for your family and those around you.
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, Help Neighbors
Tags: craigslist, dollar, freecycle, green, green living, zero, zero dollar experiment
I love this idea! If you want to come over and look through my house you might be able to find something for your daughters and mothers. I'm always trying to pass off my good stuff that I don't need or use. Are your girls ok with not getting any fancy gifts? I'm not sure it would fly with my six year old.
Thanks - I've found enough I think - but this has been an AMAZING experiment and journey. :-)
Shawna