There are a number a things that I still do buy:
- insulation, insulation, insulation (this year of Energy Audit retrofit anyway)
- construction materials for the retrofit
- construction materials for garden stuff (when I can't find something to reuse)
- gasoline (only 2 gallons for the mower this year; less than 10 liters a week for the car except when we do a road trip vacation)
- seeds (but I'm starting to save my own and swapping with other seed savers)
- garden supplements
- local meat and speciality foods I can't grow/make myself
... but I've long since given up on:
- brand new outfits
- commercial tomato sauce
- weekly purchases of citrus fruit while in Ontario (we've bought Arizona citrus when in Tucson)
- the latest computer
- the latest cell phone
- i- Anything
- a newer car (we may die before the Honda CRV does)
- a bigger house (we spend enough to heat what we have)
- a different house (we'd never be able to afford the yard we currently have)
- brand new furniture (we bought good and it's aging well)
- magazine subscriptions (go to the library or Chapters and browse while having a coffee)
- a bigger TV
- electronic game systems
- more and newer appliances (only replace what breaks that we use frequently)
- makeup
- chemical cleaners (for house and body)
- pre-baked goods
- boxed cereal
- pre-made dinners
- just about any processed food
There's a lot of excess in the industrial economy. I'm doing my best to reduce its bloat. And if I'm going to spend money, it will be with local business and producers because that's what I want to have around for my very old age and all the ages of my children and grandchildren.
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