About four months ago, in a thrift-obsessed mania, I launched a Facebook petition calling for a commemorative month of American Thrift. It didn’t take long to realize this was a monumental project, naively approached with the build-it-and-they-will-come mentality. Like most super-sized deals it’s easy to order, hard to swallow and sticks to the gut for a long, long time.

Overwhelmed by its scale, I put it on the side bar. Some encouraged me to try at the state level first and then work up. No! This needs to be national! Now! So, I’m back at it, spittin’ and a swingin’.

Retailers have done a bang-up job leading Americans away from thrift and making us think “If it’s not new its EWWW!” All kinds of bizarre myths are in play. The strangest I’ve heard is that one needs a voucher, like food stamps, to thrift. Consumers are lost and it’s time to call them home.

American Thrift deserves at least one month in the annual spotlight to educate and recruit people to the cause. Remember folks this is poetic shopping. Buy a repurposed item and the profits go to repurposing a life!

Retailers have been receiving commemorative months for years by self-promotion. Who would sign a petition for Return the Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month, Noodle Month, Frozen Foods Month, Hamburger Month, or Umbrella Month?* How these months became a reality is a real head-scratcher. I provided links to these promotions because I’m betting you don’t believe me. The link to Return the Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month provides instruction on how to observe that month. Phew! I was a bit uncertain as to how to honor that month, its title is so vague. For a list of our national commemorative months click here.

If you’re a Facebook member, click here and join and then invite your friends to join too. If you’re not on Facebook, we’ll be developing an alternate option. As I wrote, this project was kicked off in a thrift-loving manic state. But, I believe it can be successfully orchestrated.

Oh, and this is no shameless promotion of Facebook. I just happened to be on it during my psychotic thrifting break of genius and naivete. This “I can change the world attitude” makes me feel like I’m in college again! Why, I’m as light as a feather!

We can do this! Please join and then comment as to what month you think it should be. And, if you have experience in this field and want to help, email me right away at Shopping [dot] Golightly [at] gmail [dot] com.

Visit the Thrifty Chicks at: http://thethriftychicks.blogspot.com/

*Sources: epromos.com & Wikipedia

As you know from my previous posts I’m a big fan of charity and thrift shopping. For me its the greenest option, buying pre-loved things means they have an intriguing history as well as low, low energy consumption. So if you’re not familiar with the joy charity or thrift shopping check out this great giveaway from the The Thrifty Chicks to get you started

Over to you The Thrifty Chicks Denver Correspondent….

The Thrifty Chicks are in the midst of a week of FREE Thrift-ya-aways! Thrift-ya-aways are items that Shopping Golightly of The Thrifty Chicks purchased at a charitable thrift store. This could very well be the first give-away of non-celebrity, non-antique second hand items.

These items dispel the myth of “If it’s not new it’s EEW” and The Thrifty Chicks hope this promotion gives thrift a lift.

Included are a new MASHA D’YANS pillow, a new Anthropologie bracelet, a new set of a year of correspondence cards from Hallmark, a rare vintage apron, hip flea market style candleholders and more.

To enter readers must leave comments to corresponding items pledging they will either visit a thrift store, donate to a thrift store, talk to a friend about thrifting, etc.

Visit The Thrifty Chicks today. The first deadline for entry is Monday, February 6th and will continue through the 14th.

The Thrifty Chicks are on a mission to build a more robust repurposing market via the promotion of charitable thrift stores. Shopping thrift is light on the pocket book but even lighter on personal carbon footprints. These products already come with manufacturing stamps, no new energy is required to make them. The fuel of transport in the bellies of jets, ships and trucks, often from the other side of our planet has already been burned. Thrifted products do not carry the weight of excessive packaging of new products. Finally, thrift store shopping diverts reusable items from landfills.

Aside from that, the profits made from the sale of a repurposed item are directly turned to aid in the repurposing of a life. Shopping could not be more poetic.

Visit http://thethriftychicks.blogspot.com to find out more.