My new year’s resolution is to make what’s old new again. That means focusing on two words my grandparents used to say regularly: “make do.” You hardly ever hear anyone say this anymore in today’s disposable society, but back in my grandparent’s time, it’s what you did, day in and day out. For one thing, they both lived through the Depression and World War II. They knew what it was like to do without – and I don’t mean without a Prada purse. I mean doing without basic food items.
Back then, frugal wasn’t a lifestyle choice – it was the only option on the table. It meant my grandparents did not throw things out easily, even later on when they were doing relatively well financially. They had the same TV forever, and when appliances broke down they would fix them – or get them fixed at the local repair shop (remember when every neighbourhood had a fix-it shop?).
In honour of my grandparent’s innate frugality, I am going to “make do” in 2012 – enjoy the things I have and, if they’re not working, do my best to fix them. Sure, some things can’t be fixed easily anymore – trying to find a place to repair a mixer or a TV is pretty hard these days. But there are a lot of things we have in our house that might just last longer than we think.
Here are just a few old items that all of us could think about making do with in 2012.
Shoes
There’s a lot of pressure every season to buy the latest footwear. But when good shoes can run you $150 or $200 a pair, it’s worth it to make do with last year’s shoes. At only a few bucks, a can of polish does wonders to spruce up an old pair. And if the soles are wearing down, just take them to your local shoe repair and they’ll be good as new.
Clothes
Are your suits a bit tight or loose? Are buttons missing from your sweater? Don’t toss them in the giveaway pile – fix them! Tailor ill-fitting clothing and buy a sewing kit to keep your clothes in good shape instead of buying new ones.
Technology
Buying a new TV, iPad or phone every year can cost you thousands of dollars – hang on to what you have and find cheaper ways to upgrade with cool apps or software. Don’t fall into the technology trap – instead, make do with what you’ve got until it’s obsolete.
Music and books
These are two big spending traps for me. It’s all too easy to download a new album to get you through a deadline or a book because you’re bored with the one you’re reading. Instead, try making do with what’s already in your iTunes file or on your bookshelf – there might be titles you haven’t listened to or read yet. And if you simply must have something new, head to the library – the most frugal place in your neighbourhood is brimming with books and music just waiting for you to find them.
Those are my suggestions – I’d like to hear yours.
- What can you use for another year or two?
- And how are you planning to make do with what you’ve got in 2012?
Love the spirit and approach of this blog Caroline.
Some other areas to “Make Do” might include: delaying the purchase of a new vehicle, latest/greatest sports equipment, choosing to spend some travel dollars here in Canada or opting for 100 TV channels instead of 300+.
There are other areas where I believe we do ourselves and those who count on us (families, employees) a disservice by “Making Do.” We should not stand pat, make do and be placidly content with: bloated cell phone, cable contracts or vendours, advisors and service providers who have complacently taken our business for granted.
Maybe time to resolve to make 2012 the year to seek a professional second opinion and put healthy competition to work to improve service and reduce cost?
Great column. I try to do all you have suggested, even if sewing is painful for me. I can suggest a few ideas:
Cruise through thrift stores. I look for colour, texture of material and whether it suits what other clothes I have, then I look at the size. Saves me hours of real shopping plus a lot of money. It might be a while before I find a specific article of clothing, but I keep a list of what to watch for. See what books they have before you leave.
Grow some food at home. It will take some real work and knowledge to grow a large monetary value of food, but start now. I don’t have a vegetable garden just for the $20 in vegetables. I love my garden, and if I weren’t there digging, I might be somewhere else spending money. It’s very cool to need something in the kitchen, then walk out to the garden and pick it!
Cancel your cablevision. I am a happier man since I did that…and I save money. TV news is not told to us because we need to hear it, but because someone else needs us to hear it. Advertising and bad news were dragging me down. It seems like everything on TV was about making me feel like I need to buy something else. There is more advertising per hour of television than ever before. Use the hour or two a day to spend quality time with your kids, play outside, or read. You won’t regret it.