Buy Nothing Challenge: The Results

Early last month, I wrote a quick post about how I was participating in Crunchy Chicken's Buy Nothing Challenge for the month of April.

Well, April is over, and I'm pleased to report that I did awesome. I only bought one thing for the entire month—a DVD of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation's Synthetic Sea film. I bought the movie in case I have additional presentations about plastic or anyone I know is interested in seeing it. Obviously, and somewhat ironically, it's made out of plastic, which makes me sad, but hopefully the effect it has on people will make it worth it in the end.

Anyways, I do want to admit a few things about The Challenge:

First, it was really easy for me because I'm anti-plastic and there is so little I can buy in the first place.

Second, during April I did go out to eat several times, order several drinks at bars, and buy two lattes at Starbucks. All of these things were okay according to the contest rules.

That said, I think I would like to do the challenge again in a few months and make restaurant meals and alcoholic and coffee beverages made outside the home. I think it will be a fun way to challenge myself and I can save a bundle of money at the same time.

Final comment: even though I can't really buy too much anyway, it's still amazing to see that it really is possible to go an entire month without buying a single thing.