Buy Nothing New in August: are you up to the challenge?

Every year, Aussies spend billions of dollars on new stuff that ends up in landfill—everything from furniture and electronics to clothing and kids’ toys. What if we stopped buying new stuff all the time? What if we often bought second-hand things instead? What if we repaired things when they broke? What if we borrowed and swapped with friends?

No more what-ifs! The MyBudget Buy Nothing New Challenge is coming for the month of August. We hope that you’ll join MyBudget clients and staff as we take up the challenge to buy nothing new for a whole month.

Obviously, there are exceptions. Essential items are excluded from the challenge. We don’t want you to stop buying food or wearing deodorant. Things like medicine, bus tickets and postage stamps fall in the essential list. (A new handbag? Not so much.)

The Buy Nothing New Challenge is an opportunity to address wasted consumption, resist consumer culture and save some money.

Do you really need another pair of shoes? Could that broken gadget be repaired? How about a vintage shirt instead of a new one? How much could you save by buying second-hand appliances?

Our culture’s addiction to new and more has countless costs: ? environmental, human and financial. Give the planet, humanity and your wallet a break for just one short month.

The challenge runs from the 1^st to 31^st of August. Look out for a dedicated discussion thread on the MyBudget Buzz forum where we hope you’ll share your stories, tips and trials as you undertake the challenge!