DH and i talked about our goals and rules.
It was really hard for us to figure these out as we already consider ourselves compacters. So I guess our next step would be to become more sustainable as well as stop spending.
We just moved into a new apartment and growing our own food will be a lot harder than when we owned our own lot. So one of our goals is to either simplify our apartment even more and construct an indoor garden or join a community garden for our veggies and grow our herbs for cooking and medicine in our home. The last one is the more likely. We will also preserve our fruit. This would help simplify our busy city life and resist global corporatism.
I really would like to focus on doing my art from recycled and found objects. Buying new art supplies is my biggest downfall. My only exception would have to be screen printing ink and emulsion but make our own screens and if I have too, buy new paints. They have to be purchased from a local art store.
The kids crafts seem to be easy for me to buy used or to get really creative and use found objects around the house. I would need to buy glue new.
Cut back on eating out. Still thinking of a plan here. Do more menu planning and keep the pantry stocked i guess
I will try to make things before we try to find them used. For example, we need a shower curtain but I am making one (out of an old curtain we are no longer using) instead of hunting at the local Salvation army. We needed new stockings this year but I am making them from scrap fabric instead of looking for used ones.
For purchasing new things like soap, shampoo, computer paper and ink ect., we are going to stay away from big box stores and large corporations. This should be pretty easy as we live in a huge city. We are going to try and buy from places that are in our neighborhood first.
We will borrow books movies ect. from the library instead of buying. My only exception is for homeschooling items I need to have. We will buy these used.
And our music is another exception. We listen to music on vinyl (records) and we have agreed to this being something we can buy new if we can't find it used.
We will take advantage of the free days at our museums instead of paying for admissions and use free entertainment that is offered in our city. Our only exception here are for shows but only if its cheap. Smaller labels tend to be around $15 a ticket and this is basically all we listen to anyway. Another exception would be classes for the family like art class or classes for DH to further his education.
No more thrift store shopping to curb boredom. Like a pp, I have this problem. Im always afraid Im going to miss a great deal and end up coming home with another dress or cast iron pan
We are going to use public trans and bike more. This will help us cut back on supporting oil companies. This winter has been killer for us and we need to take advantage of the bus system here in Chicago instead of driving. Its a piece of cake in the summer but its winter that kills us. Biking with the DC in the winter is impossible.
ok Im going to stop. We have a few more things specific we touched on but this post in getting looonnggg. I'd be surprised if anyone read this far
I'm getting excited too. I made a first real compacting decision today. Our humidifier broke and we went to look at new ones, which were $30 a piece. The original one was bought at goodwill in 2001 for $3. We have plans with dh's mother over the weekend and she lives near a Goodwill Store, so we plan on checking there before buying a brand new one. Has anyone else started early too?
: for now. I need to talk to DH first. I've been thinking about this a lot lately and wanted to try to find a group for the new year. Thanks for starting the thread 
:
Follow Mothering