Not Buying It: A Book Review About Someone Else Who Tried To Keep A Resolution

I picked up Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping by Judith Levine (seen here) at my local library for some light reading, but hoping I'd get some tips on how to pair down our budget. Levine documents a year long project that she and her partner, Paul, undertake. The goal is to not buy anything that isn't necessary, which leads to a long (year long) discussion about what in life is necessary, as well as how you're supposed to entertain yourself if you're not allowed to spend any money.

I was really interested to see what one couple would deem "necessary" and what they would do without for a year and was expecting a lot more emphasis on this. There was a lot of discussion about what entertainment was necessary and what wasn't, but not all that much on individual products. Or, even, what level of processing everything should be bought at. It was touched on a little as far as food goes, but laundry detergent? Soap? Shampoo? Is it still necessary to get the fancy stuff, or do you have to get the cheapest stuff out there? If you can make it yourself, what then? I really expected more discussion about this, as well as a more detailed account of how much money was saved. Although it's clear the project was not undertaken with the intent to save money (but rather because the author was sick of consumerism), it would be great to see that side effect.

I also picked this title to read because, well, since trying to spend less money and by implementing some environmentally friendly practices I've felt...left out. Left out of consumerism, since I'm not out in the stores as much and I'm not buying the same items as everyone else. I was hoping that someone who decided to do minimal shopping for a whole year would be able to relate, or at least express that they had felt the same way, too. Judith did, but not in as much detail as I would have appreciated.

The novel was a political commentary, in my opinion, rather than a commentary on life without shopping. Although many would argue that the two are intrinsically linked, and I agree that they are, it didn't make for an interesting read on my end. On someone else's end? Of course. But it just didn't answer the questions I would have asked if I were a friend.