Buy Nothing Day
November 25, 2022 12:35 PM   Subscribe

Instead of Black Friday, try Buy Nothing Day!

See also the Buy Nothing Project gift economy, which started on Facebook but now has smartphone apps and will hopefully have a browser-based option at some point.
posted by aniola (44 comments total) 11 users marked this as a favorite
 
This is a formal request not to hyperfocus on the activism in the main article's bullet points. It's been done recently, everything's been said. Do a search for like mashed potatoes or canned soup on famous paintings or the tyre deflators or something.
posted by aniola at 12:35 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]


This is a good opportunity to share your favorite gift economy stories. I suppose one of my favorites is that time my landlord kicked us out to remodel and it was too soon to move into the new place so we did a ton of pet/housesitting through Buy Nothing and everybody won.
posted by aniola at 12:51 PM on November 25, 2022 [6 favorites]


I … bought something. It’s a new MacBook Air, replacing a MacBook Pro I bought in 2015. I prefer not buying things in general and especially on this most capitalist of days, but we need a new laptop and the old one had a really good run.

Other than that, though, we’re sitting the day out.
posted by fedward at 12:53 PM on November 25, 2022 [2 favorites]


Well I didn’t buy anything today that I know of, but it wasn’t a conscious effort.
Tomorrow I’ll have to buy some gas to get home.
That website had a lot of ads though.
posted by MtDewd at 12:57 PM on November 25, 2022 [3 favorites]


Yep, I thought that was funny.
posted by aniola at 12:58 PM on November 25, 2022


Soccer. No buying here even though Qatar bought FIFA and the cup.
posted by DJZouke at 12:58 PM on November 25, 2022


We always participated in Buy Nothing Day, until we opened a yarn shop. Now we participate in the game of capitalism and encourage people to buy local if they’re going to shop this weekend. I don’t love it, but I like being able to pay the bills.
posted by rikschell at 1:00 PM on November 25, 2022 [16 favorites]


(Buy Nothing Day was invented by the folks at Adbusters magazine (now the Adbusters Media Foundation), and they're still doing this work.)

See also REI's Opt Outside campaign, in which they close their stores and encourage people to do something outdoors today.

Or, for the other side of things, see Record Store Day, in which (mostly) big corporations leverage the goodwill and cachet of local businesses and the allure of limited editions to sell us (mostly) climate-unhealthy versions of things that (sometimes) we already own. (Part of me still likes the records though.)
posted by box at 1:05 PM on November 25, 2022 [3 favorites]


I don't know why anybody gives a single fuck whether I buy something on Black Friday, or any other day.
posted by 2N2222 at 1:06 PM on November 25, 2022 [7 favorites]


I am too tired from an epic day of prepping and cooking and washing and eating to even think about going out to shop. Even online shopping might be too much of an effort. Oh well I guess I'll have to just lie here on the couch with my cat and a book and leftovers oh no.
posted by supermedusa at 1:16 PM on November 25, 2022 [4 favorites]


For awhile, I would consciously participate in Buy Nothing day, though it seemed less and less relevant during the sad period where we moved Black Friday into Thanksgiving itself and people started shopping at like 4pm or whenever Walmart opened. It seemed enough to just not go out on Thanksgiving. Now that the labor market is tight and retailers are spreading out the offers more, I’m glad to see pretty much everything closed on thanksgiving again.
posted by skewed at 1:37 PM on November 25, 2022 [5 favorites]


I don't know why anybody gives a single fuck whether I buy something on Black Friday, or any other day

This was largely what I was thinking as I read this. This concept reminds me of those email forwards I’d get years ago about sticking it to the oil companies by having a National Gas Out Day where nobody buys gas on Wednesday, April 5th or whatever. In the very unlikely chance this concept was a success and the entire world coordinated itself to not buy gas on this one, particular day, everyone would just have to buy gas on some other day.

I’m inadvertently participating in this today since we hosted Thanksgiving yesterday so today is a day to unwind, but eventually I’m going to need to buy something. Probably tomorrow.
posted by The Gooch at 1:38 PM on November 25, 2022


In the very unlikely chance this concept was a success and the entire world coordinated itself to not buy gas on this one, particular day, everyone would just have to buy gas on some other day.

I don't think it's supposed to be the only thing that people do.

After participating in Buy Nothing Day, maybe at least some of the participants try to buy less fast fashion and things made of plastic, or leave something in their online shopping cart a little longer before pulling the trigger, or install an ad-blocker on their browser. Maybe one person in a thousand really reconsiders their relationship with consumer capitalism.

If the no-gas day thing catches on, maybe somebody combines three errands into one trip, or makes their next car a more efficient one, or decides to ride a bike or take public transit more often. Maybe one person in a million plants a bomb at an oil refinery (that one was a joke).
posted by box at 1:53 PM on November 25, 2022 [5 favorites]


The idea isn’t to put a dent in consumerism, but to reorient attitudes about what is normal, or laudatory. Thirty years ago Christmas was thoroughly commercial, but Thanksgiving was a standalone holiday, the next day was a busy shopping day and often the first time you’d hear Christmas music, and you might read something about how this was the day when retailers often expected to go into the black for the year. But it wasn’t an event unto itself, much less the grotesque capitalist ritual it’s become.
posted by skewed at 1:54 PM on November 25, 2022 [10 favorites]


I'm looking forward to Hairshirt Tuesday.
posted by Nelson at 2:00 PM on November 25, 2022 [4 favorites]


I take a third option: I go to craft fairs this weekend. I just got back from one, actually. Buying SUPER local!
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:07 PM on November 25, 2022 [6 favorites]


I've always had mixed feelings about Buy Nothing Day. On the one hand I am sympathetic to what I understand as the goals of it in terms of critiquing excessive consumerism and so on. But on the other hand, shopping and gift buying are events that people seem to take a lot of pleasure from, so it's always felt kind of sanctimonious to me with a strong tinge of looking down on people.

I remembered it was Black Friday today just as I pulled into the Home Depot parking lot for a couple of things this morning. But it seemed pretty much like a regular day inside, kind of busy but nothing very unusual. Maybe a lot of the focus has shifted online and spread out over the full weekend?
posted by Dip Flash at 2:28 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]


I had food delivered from my favorite Indian restaurant on Thursday including a DoubleDash of alcohol and I have enough leftovers that I don’t need to buy anything today.
posted by bendy at 2:33 PM on November 25, 2022




The day after Thanksgiving is also Pie for Breakfast Day, but you can eat pie any time today in celebration. I have celebrated and plan to celebrate again.
posted by theora55 at 2:56 PM on November 25, 2022 [13 favorites]


I used to teach part of a Diploma for Pharmacy Technicians. Our central heating went phut in November a few years ago and in a gap between classes on Friday afternoon, I nipped into town to buy hot water bottles for everyone at home from one of the pharmacies. One of my students was at the counter on work-experience and rang up my purchase. Instead of €20, they quoted me a really irregular price and I started explaining s l o w l y that these things were €5 each and that price was too much. Turned out, instead of being bilked, I was getting a 15% Black Friday discount. Big red face!
posted by BobTheScientist at 2:57 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]


I’m not into the mass consumerism that is Christmas in the US but I also don’t judge people for wanting to shop today. That said, I know shopping on Black Friday is a choice while working today is often not, and I deeply care about my fellow workers’ rights and well-being. But one day of protest by mostly privileged people? Sure, but is it more about making a scene or actually working to improve the rights and well-beings of workers in the US and beyond?
posted by smorgasbord at 2:57 PM on November 25, 2022 [2 favorites]


Buy condoms day
posted by beesbees at 3:01 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]


The headline of this NYTimes article captures some of my ambivalence about Buy Nothing Day these days: This Holiday Season, the Poor Buckle Under Inflation as the Rich Spend.

Consumerism just doesn't feel like the major challenge we are facing at the moment and when lots of people in increasingly precarious situations it seems kind of tone deaf to tell them they are doing it all wrong by shopping some sales.
posted by Dip Flash at 3:17 PM on November 25, 2022 [5 favorites]




Sales induce spending, so in many cases, us low income people can benefit from not buying into the hype, too.
posted by aniola at 3:25 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]


Agreed with Dip Flash & others on this. I have sometimes done a Buy Nothing, sometimes not, but at this point it feels like the damages of consumerism have been wildly compounded by societal erosion at many levels. It's not that Black Friday isn't a problem in many ways for many people, but that all of the other days have also become a problem (worker's rights, fast fashion/furniture/etc., etc.), including the creep of Black Friday into a multi-week sales orgy.

Like jenfullmoon, I have been trying to think twice and buy more locally, or from individual artisans or publishers or what-have-you. It's a drop in the bucket vs. the behemoth of global retail, but it matters.
posted by cupcakeninja at 3:28 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]


Consuuuume on Buy Nothing Day! C is for Consuming, that good enough for me...
posted by BiggerJ at 3:51 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]


I'm more about celebrating Discardia. Getting rid of stuff has been more satisfying to me lately than getting new stuff.
posted by Wild_Eep at 4:00 PM on November 25, 2022 [3 favorites]


I wasn't aware of Buy Nothing Day, but my spouse haunts the Buy Nothing Facebook groups for our city and has often been able to use them to both nab things we find useful and also as a pretty feel-good way to get rid of things that would clearly be useful or nice for someone but that we no longer need or want. It's generally the first place I look to offer something when local friends have already passed on things we'd like to give away.

I'm really glad that groups like that exist. However you feel about consumerism qua consumerism, it's really nice to be able to participate in win/win interactions with other people in your community, when you get space and someone else gets a useful object. Most recently, when my spouse broke an ankle, we picked up a knee scooter for temporary use. Now that the ankle is mostly healed up, the scooter will be going back on the exchange for the next person who can use it.
posted by sciatrix at 4:31 PM on November 25, 2022 [2 favorites]


I haven't bought anything yet but it's a cold night and I'm tempted to order a Puffy Bear.
posted by swift at 4:49 PM on November 25, 2022


So you buy something tomorrow? How does that help?
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 4:54 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]


So you buy something tomorrow? How does that help?
I don't know why anybody gives a single fuck whether I buy something on Black Friday, or any other day.


I think the point is you don't buy anything at all. Because, you may have heard, some consider unnecessary, excessive consumerism that is celebrated on Black Friday to be bad for the environment. If you don't remember, I'll remind you, Buy Nothing was born out of a time where %*&$^# like this happened. It was a conscious objection to these things.

I participated so thoroughly in my local Buy Nothing group that they made me an admin. I mean, I got EVERYTHING from it - a waffle maker, make-up, tons of kids toys, books and games, a soap dispenser. My entire house is made up of Buy Nothing items. I also gave a lot away, mostly outgrown kids clothing and books/toys. Is it anti-consumerism? Sort of - in that I didn't purchase these items or sell them, but I definitely was part of a materials economy. Minimalism is probably far better for the environment. I was ok about this though - there is just so MUCH stuff that people have, that this is a good way to redistribute it based on local need.

I ended up leaving Buy Nothing because I left Facebook (though I understand there is an app), but also as an admin I was part of several Buy Nothing admin groups and the other admins were so ungenerous in their opinions of other people. It was really terrible what they said about people who wanted to join their local groups or people they thought were "cheating" the system (there was A LOT of concern about "cheaters"). Also they wouldn't ban people from their groups for doing things that were really terrible - like ex's giving away their former partner's things, harassment and stalking etc. It was gross and made the Buy Nothing concept pretty unappealing to me.
posted by Toddles at 5:58 PM on November 25, 2022 [3 favorites]


See also REI's Opt Outside campaign, in which they close their stores and encourage people to do something outdoors today.

I sent them an email today about an item just because I remembered to send it and then I crossed my fingers no one would respond today, and they didn't!
posted by Emmy Rae at 6:39 PM on November 25, 2022


Reverend Billy exorcized a cash register at Victoria's Secret and said an anti-consumption blessing in front of Old Navy.

How do you know when a cash register requires an exorcism?
posted by Emmy Rae at 6:45 PM on November 25, 2022


When it has cash in it and/or there's a card processing machine in the vicinity.
posted by aniola at 6:51 PM on November 25, 2022 [1 favorite]


So you buy something tomorrow? How does that help?

Well, maybe some day later we can all agree to compress all our evil shopping into one high stakes day where we shop for gifts for others. And as it becomes the make or break day for retailers, they'll compete via markdowns and deals, so we all win.
posted by pwnguin at 8:46 PM on November 25, 2022


I remember when I was a kid, some place was advertising free donuts on Black Friday. I went with my mom, she went shopping, they gave us each a single donut hole.
posted by aniola at 9:02 PM on November 25, 2022


Remember when oil futures went briefly negative a few months into the pandemic because 14% of the western economy jobs switched to work from home and there was no physical space for oil deliveries to put inventory and they just parked tankers outside major ports.

Yes, aggregating and shifting individual behaviors of a portion of the population has big effects on the economy because the economicy isn't mathematics, its a physical system with parts and speeds and sizes. If even a small portion of people don't act predicably, it gets all fussy. Thats how predictable we all are, they know how much to stock.
posted by anecdotal_grand_theory at 12:42 AM on November 26, 2022 [1 favorite]


So is Buy-Nothing just Freecycle or craigslist-freestuff or Wastenothing? Freecycle built my shed/greenhouse.... eventually.
posted by anecdotal_grand_theory at 12:43 AM on November 26, 2022


Low Canadian turnout in Michigan for Black Friday deals. "I was expecting a bigger turnout. I mean, it’s Black Friday. It’s an American tradition and Canadians always love to participate in American traditions,""
posted by porpoise at 10:23 AM on November 26, 2022



I don't know why anybody gives a single fuck whether I buy something on Black Friday, or any other day.
posted by 2N2222 at 1:06 PM on November 25


Not everything is about you.
posted by klanawa at 11:55 AM on November 26, 2022 [4 favorites]


The one day my procrastination helps. Success!
posted by filtergik at 1:09 PM on November 26, 2022 [2 favorites]


So is Buy-Nothing just Freecycle or craigslist-freestuff or Wastenothing? Freecycle built my shed/greenhouse.... eventually.

Basically* but with a lot more community than I remember experiencing on Freecycle or Craigslist. They basically reinvented the neighborhood but for the modern era. Like, you end up with a community of people who live nearby from whom you can do the figurative borrowing of a half a cup of sugar and find friends and whatnot. Skewed mostly female while I was using it in Portland.

*Not just physical stuff. Also services like babysitting and petsitting and helping with resumes and cleaning and raking pine needles off roofs and whatnot.
posted by aniola at 1:28 PM on November 26, 2022


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