You’re tuckered out from eating. It’s not the time to shop.

Today is National Buy Nothing Day. I didn’t make it up. Someone else did.

That means that you consume nothing with your credit card (You are allowed to eat however, just not financially consume). Why would you choose to do that with 50% off at Kohl’s?

It’s like this. The United States is a geographically small country, but we use most of the resources on earth. Why? We think we’re entitled to. Today is the day you say, “Hello? Consumer culture? Yes, you are I N S A N E. Buying stuff will not make me happy. It will make me broke. It wears down my soul. I will not be a party to a nationally brainwashed culture that believes that the next new item will bring with it great sex, love, and hipness (unless it’s Baby Alive!).”

If you just can’t do it. I mean, you’ve tried, but your fingers are wandering around the keyboard, heading to amazon for some amazing deal on that playstation (Note: all playstations are gone. Just give it up). Your legs are moving toward the car because the mall beckons. You must shop. You absolutely must.

I offer you one way to repent: buy used. That means ebay is mostly fine. Thrift stores are mostly fine.

GhostGirl and I launched a thrifty expedition earlier this week, fighting both traffic and jetlag to shop the fine separated by color thrift stores of the Santa Clarita Valley. We both found clothes for work, though La GhostGirl needs to look more presentable, and found an actual dress. I have purchased a velour jumpsuit, very urban house frau. We produced no consumer waste; we recycled. We’re downright smug about it.