100 Thing Challenge - Purchases I'm Considering

With all my recent talk about how the 100 Thing Challenge is making me austere, I figured I should also point out how the needs and desires of consumerism remain present in my life. This could be boring, but figured I'd admit it. Some things on my consumer-mind include:

I "need" new running/hiking shoes. Leanne gives me a hard time, every time I mention this. But the truth of the matter is that, despite being sort of lazy these days and growing something of a mid-life belly and having only done one of the hoped for nine adventures of 2009, my trail shoes are starting to come undone. I could use new ones. REI just gave moi a 20% off coupon, so it could be time to act on this "need."

I "want" new work shoes. My general-purpose brown work shoes are kind of showing their age. I'm not sure they were the best in the first place. This is sort of a "pressure" purchase. The truth of the matter is that other people notice things like shoes. Frankly, despite what snoots and traditionalists think, I'm Southern California to the core, and if wearing flip flops to work does not hinder anything but uppity notions of proper attire, I say, "Who cares?" I have known a lot -- a lot -- of people who dress right, but don't work right. Look good. Work bad. Oh, well. Not sure what to do on this one. I might keep my eyes open for a nice pair of brown shoes to replace my current pair.

I "want" to subscribe to the U2.com website. It's $50 a year and will allow me to listen to all their music, refreshing my lyric memory in anticipation of the concert I'll be attending later this year. This also fits into my personal (I know that I am completely at odds with the entire world here) opinion about music, namely, that we really don't have any right to own it. I'm not saying that we should pay significant amounts of money per song played. But let's face it, a hundred years ago we all paid every time we heard our favorite concerts, live. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that this purchase would not be a "thing." It wouldn't even fit into that fuzzy category of buying and downloading a digital thing on iTunes. So I'm giving it consideration.

I "want" and maybe "need" some replacement clothes. I could use some replacement button-down work shirts. It would do well for me to replace one of my pairs of jeans, which are all thrashed. And I kind of want a sweatshirt. Mostly, I could use a couple of new shirts to replace old grubby ones.

I'm trying to think if there is anything else that I need or want. Today I was tempted to buy an unnecessary item for the first time in a while. After running out of .7mm mechanical pencil lead, I went to the store to buy refills and they were all out. Unbelievable! But they did have 1mm pencil lead, which was nearly irresistible. I hate skinny leaded mechanical pencils. So I almost looked for a new 1mm mechanical pencil, but fought off the temptation. (Yes, I'm both laughing at myself and embarrassed to admit that this was the big temptation of my day. Martin Luther would scold me.)

Please encourage me with stories of consumer desires that don't make me seem so lame...

Comments

[Laura Lee]

ITEM: Paper towel dispenser in brushed stainless steel to replace the one made of bamboo that is currently on our kitchen counter.
REASON: It's too close to the sink so the finish on the wood is starting to fade and look yucky.
CHALLENGE: Instead of moving the dispenser to a location that is AWAY from the water zone near the sink, I actually considered replacing it with a stainless steel version. I had it in my hands. I did put it back down on the shelf. It did not come home with me.
ITEM: I WANT a yellow purse.
REASON: I have no need for it. I just think carrying a yellow purse would make my disposition sunnier.
CHALLENGE: Figuring out how to have a sunnier disposition while carrying my everyday olive green faux croc work bag.
ANALYSIS: You shouldn't feel so bad about your wants and needs. At least you are logical about the THINGS you do consume.
I'm a little embarrassed about the desire for a yellow purse; the poor logic behind the idea to replace the paper towel dispenser; the guilt that we are using paper towels at all. But, I'm still a girl so every now and then I show a weakness for things like purses and shoes. I am an avid bargain hunter, so this helps me sleep at night.
You certainly have challenged me to pause before I buy -- some things even go back on the shelf instead of in the cart and out the door of the store with me.

[Dave Bruno]

Laura Lee you make me laugh. Consumerism is so nuts. We are "economic beings" as one writer said. Thus we need to shop. But there's so much more to shopping than economics.

And I think you are very sunny.

[RowdyKittens]

It's hard to escape consumerism completely and unfortunately some stuff is worth buying. :)

I'm in the same boat you are with regard to work clothes, running shoes, etc. For me running shoes are a purchase I must make - if my shoes wear out my knees start hurting and in the long run, replacing knees costs a lot more than buying shoes.

On the other hand, I want the new Palm Pre (that is a totally unnecessary purchase - LOL). My fascination with gadgets is hard to resist, but I'm doing pretty good so far. I won't be buying a new phone anytime soon.

It comes down to determining need versus want and it seems like you've done a really good job sorting that out. If you do end up buying new stuff, donate your older items to charity. Especially, if they have any life left in them. :)

Good luck! Thanks for all the inspiration.

[Dave Bruno]

RowdyKittens, thanks. I like to donate to charity. Wish we had more of a donation culture.