You win some, you lose some. For all my mothering and motherhood skills, I suppose I have a trick or two to learn from Thrifty Mommy, though I’ve come a long way.
I’ve been trying to adhere to the Compact, as well as I can. Basically, I’m not supposed to buy anything new except medicine, food, and underwear. Glasses, I suppose. For the eyes, not the drinks. For the most part, I’ve been doing well. About a month ago, I spotted a platform bed in shambles on the street. I  borrowed a friend’s car and schlepped the pieces back to my …read more

There’s a backlash against the kind of rampant consumerism that we’ve seen over the last what? decade? forever, here in the USA? Have you heard about the Compact yet, the movement that began in San Francisco with a decision to buy nothing new for an entire year (excluding medicine, plain old undies, and food, that is)?
It’s exciting.
Think about what you’d like to teach your children: that buying something is good, or that doing something is good? Which message do you like better? In a lifestyle where ‘retail therapy’ is part of the daily vernacular, and children are fighting each other …read more