About six months ago I joined my local timebank. Honestly, I wasn't sure I'd use it. Time banking involves accruing hours by offering services to others, and spending those hours by "buying" a service for another person. In time banking, each person's hour is worth every other person's hour; that is, an hour of cleaning bathrooms is equal to an hour of legal services or massage. Every person's time is equally valuable.
The first hurdle was shyness about meeting people. When I attended the orientation, I did a one-on-one orientation with a board member because I was too shy to go to a big group meeting. We met at a coffee shop; she explained to me all the principles and logistics involved in our local timebank, and I earned my first hour just by drinking coffee and listening. I decided to bite the bullet and post a request right away. I didn't think I needed a personal trainer, but I sure could use someone to meet with and walk with, so I posted a request for a "walking buddy" to meet at a local park and walk. Everyone in the timebank is vetted through a legal background check so I was comfortable enough meeting a stranger. The woman who answered was delightful. She was a retired person who was extremely active in the volunteer scene and delightful to talk to. My second experience was in earning hours. I saw a request for resume editing. Because I've had so many jobs, resumes are something I've become expert in. I helped a woman with her resume and met her in person, and earned a couple of hours. I earned more hours by helping with a garage sale, and by tabling for the timebank itself at a couple of summer fairs. The greatest bit for me is that I didn't have to trade my skills one-on-one with someone who had the exact skill I was looking for. I could bank hours and then "shop" the services for a haircut, a massage, a consultation on closet organizing, and (the one I most often desired) walking buddies. There are over 300 members of my local timebank, so that's a lot of talent to tap. I found an ukulele teacher, who not only got me started on playing but also taught me how to pronounce "ukelele". I found a woman who is teaching me to sew. I found a woman who refurbishes cast iron, and a man who offers a nonjudgmental listening ear. That last I wasn't sure about, but he worked the same garage sale that I did, and I noted how peaceful he was with other people, and how much listening he did at the time. So I booked an hour, and just got to complain and kvetch to my heart's content (to be fair, I told him that's what I was going to do and gave him a chance to back out). The session wasn't much like therapy, but it was really healing for me. Being able to talk about my problems led me to seeing solutions I hadn't considered before. As I move away from a money-based economy, time banking has a real place in my life. I'm looking forward to doing more, and spending my hours on those services I used to spend money for.
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Okay, folks. For transparency and accountability: I've spent money all but 2 days so far this month. I've overspent my spending plan, which was $10/week.
Details: I spent $13 on the Headspace app because I wanted to do two specific meditation series; $5 and $10 to worthy causes on GoFundMe; a couple of coffees, and yesterday I actually went shopping (gasp!) I hit up a clothing store where I have $80 credit and bought black jeans which look great on me and a Chico's red & black shirt & what-the-hell-throw-in-some-earrings...totaled about $30. I headed into the Discovery Shop (benefits the American Cancer Association) and housewares & pink tags were on 50% off. I got two items for my room at $2 each, and spent the rest of the $11 buying stuff for my spring garage sale at a dollar or less each. I'm planning a $2-$5 for every item garage sale in March. It's specifically to raise money for an emergency savings fund. Lastly, I've used my Starbuck's card twice (and bought my lunch with rewards points). And I gave Penn $12 for a prescription & $10 for bumming around money. This is all to say: I'm not clean, and I'm not perfect. I'm still susceptable to whim and I do get a high from shopping. I notice I'm trying to justify most of my purchases by the "it's for a good cause clause". I feel a little guilty from the shopping. But I also feel like putting it in perspective, which has led me to post these Impulsive Shopping Recovery Steps as a guide for myself.
So my plan is to stay aware, and keep trying. I may never be able to completely stop all impulsive buying -- or hey, it's early days yet, maybe I will someday. But what I'm actually aiming for is a lifestyle I can sustain. So follow the steps above and stay aware. More info bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/6/e011045 Estimating the number of quit attempts it takes to quit smoking successfully in a longitudinal cohort of smokers. Chaiton, M. et al., BMJ Open, 2016 https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200405/the-surprising-truth-about-addiction?collection=10075 Peele, S. "The Surprising Truth About Addiction," Psychology Today. May, 2004 I went shopping yesterday - or rather, met a friend for coffee and walked through some thrift stores on my way back. Although I did spend money (3.00 for coffee and tip, 3.50 on thrift store items to turn around at a garage sale in the future), most of the trip ended up being a foraging trip. From two different boxes of free books, I got: a book written in 1957 on hypnosis for hysterical neuroses (and it is hysterical -- I'm going to turn it into an art book); a book of photographs of food art -- onion heads turned into faces with black-eyed pea eyes and the like; a John Grisham novel; and an old book on Katherine by Anne Sexton Chase, published sometime in the 1950s, a little water damage but otherwise in good shape, no mustiness.
I also found a desk lamp, the kind without a base and that screws into a desk, dumped in the parking strip on the street uphill from my house. I got it because it had four good-looking springs that I was sure I could do something with later, and I could take it apart for screws and interesting metal pieces. But I put a bulb into it to make sure it didn't work -- and it did! It worked fine! Since I've been needing a source of brighter light in my room, I gerried it into place between my bed and the wall for now, and now I can read in bed. Yay! One for the team! And my favorite coffee person gave me an unworking Disney Mickey Mouse watch. I'm going to experiment with trying to get it running again. Otherwise, fodder for mixed media and collage art. The thrift items I found were 50% off an already low price ($1 - $2). I picked up a votive holder and a few saucers to use in my room for now, and as garage sale filler for later. I'm already planning a garage sale this coming spring -- maybe April. I started a file for my expenditures, and another just to list impulse buys. And...that brings you up to date! My goal this month is to stay within $10/week of discretionary spending after planned purchases like a one-month subscription to the meditation app I've been using for the last 45 days. |
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ArchivesAuthorVirginia Lore enjoys living life as an experiment and frequently steps out of her comfort zone -- when she's not hiding out in her room with the covers over her head that is. You may email her: [email protected] |