What Will Katy Buy New?

I’ve done incredibly well not buying new since deciding to join “The Compact” in January 2007. However, there are a few things I am allowing myself to buy new.

• Underwear. Yup, buying used panties skeeves even me out.

• Bras.

• Socks, although I’ve had no need to replenish my already hearty supply.

• Perishables – Duh!

• Mattresses.

• That’s about it, although I may add to this list in the future.

I have bought a few thing new here and there, most notably gifts for the Japanese host families that my husband and 12 year old stayed with in the Summer of 2007. If I had it to do over again, I would have planned ahead a bit more.

I am the only person in my family officially doing “The Compact.” So my husband does buy new, although his purchases have decreased super-dramatically since this experiment began. The kids are also not doing “The Compact.” Our oldest pretty much buys nothing, but our youngest seems to have the urge to splurge. He buys a lot of art supplies at our neighborhood art store. I’m okay with that. I’m not here to force my ideas and ideals onto unwilling recipients, even my own kids.

Katy Wolk-Stanley