The Shopping Moratorium.

While at my sister's beach house this summer, I saw a human interest piece on the Today Show that really caught my attention. The piece involved a bunch of friends, who simply stopped all shopping for a year! It went on to tell how they managed to get by (and trust me, you can get by) ... I honestly don't recall the details, but it fascinated me. What this moratorium intends is to bring awareness to the non-sensical type of spending. At the end of the moratorium and once you begin to shop again, when you do purchase things, you're more apt to ask yourself: Do I really need this?

My niece Jordan and I did it for the month of August - NO SHOPPING. Starting last week, about four friends and myself started another month of NO SHOPPING.

I'm doing great! I'm not the shopper I once was, so honestly, it really doesn't bother me much. Example: In the past few years, I find myself picking up things I would really like to try on; things that look so nice on the rack, and I carry them around for a while... then suddenly, some urge overwhelms me and I just put them all back. Nothing really happens, I just look at them and feel it's not worth it. That's why in the my closet at this very minute, there are pants and sweaters, blouses and shoes, dating to the early 1990's... I know for a fact, the other day, I wore pants that I had bought when Pat was a baby (he's 16 now!).

I did, however, start a Good Will bag this past week! If I clean out my vintage clothes from the 90's, I will have to buy new...right? So, perhaps during this moratoruim, I'll clean out all my drawers and closets, and by the time it's over, I'll shop!

It's rather liberating, this NO SHOPPING thing... I've been reading, and cooking - made spag. today, and baking, and crocheting.... I've turned into frigin' Martha Stewart! I believe I'm becoming: domesticated....

So folks, if you hear that the Dow suddenly and unexpectedly takes a nose-dive, you first read the reason here: A Shopping Moratorium, right here in Central PA!