READING 4 B1+

www.blog.lucygreen/yearwithnoshopping

So last December I wrote down everything that I had bought that month. A pair of white
boots, for example. They were in the sale and I told myself I'd 'saved' £50 by buying
them at a reduced price. But guess what? I've never worn them – not once! Next on the
list: a cake tin the shape of a heart. OK, I made a pretty cake, but round cakes are pretty
too. Further down the list: a toy for my dog, a lamp, three pairs of earrings …. I could go
on. I still have that list, and when I feel like giving up and going shopping, it keeps me
strong.
And that's why I decided to have a year without buying anything new. I can't say it's
always been easy, but it's certainly been interesting, and I've learned a lot about myself,
and about other people. So, as this experiment comes to an end, I have some messages
for a few of them:
To my dad: Thank you so much for buying me a new laptop for my birthday. Some
people may say that's cheating, but it's the best present I've ever had!
To my friend Rob: Thank you for encouraging me to be creative. You helped me make a
kitchen table out of wood that we found. Now all my friends want one like it!
To my now ex-friend (you know who you are!): Next time someone spends hours
making special biscuits and a beautiful hand-made card for your birthday, don't look
disappointed and say 'I was hoping for a new handbag.' this year when you knew I couldn't (well, OK, maybe just a bit guilty!).

My year with To my sister: You really don't need to feel guilty about buying all those new clothes

look at my own life and decide that I needed So was it worth it? Yes, definitely. I've

no shopping
21 December
Well, it’s almost over! For eleven months and ten
days, my credit card has stayed in a locked drawer in
my study and I have bought nothing except food, bus
tickets, soap, cleaning products and a second-hand
bicycle.
learned to think a lot more carefully about what I buy, and that's a good thing.
Did I save money? Well yes, but not as much as I expected because I allowed myself to
buy experiences, just not things, and with all the extra time I had from not going
shopping, I was able to go to the cinema and the theatre more often than usual.
And what about the environment? One person's efforts don't make much difference,
obviously, but then again, they're better than nothing. Because I couldn't buy petrol, I've
become used to using public transport and cycling, and I don't intend to go back to
driving any time soon.

I can hardly believe it's more than a year now since I And would I do it again? Hmm, not sure about that. I must admit that there were times
watched a TV programme about how much our when the whole thing seemed very silly, for example, when I forgot to take my
society wastes and how terrible that is for the sunglasses on holiday and couldn't just go and buy a new pair. I hope that this year has
environment. That programme made me take a good taught me what I needed to know, but perhaps I will make that list again each

to change my ways. December, just to make sure. 8 Lucy will definitely not have
another year with no shopping.
TRUE/FALSE
1 Put the phrases in the correct order to make sentences about the blog.
3 Find words in the blog that match
1 shopping for / a year / Lucy decided / to stop
these definitions.
2 think more / her year with no shopping / what she buys / made her / carefully 1 bought from someone who has
about 2 Read the blog. Are the sentences true or false? used the thing already
1 Lucy hasn't bought anything this year. TRUE/FALSE 2 a time when a shop sells things
more cheaply than usual
2 She wanted to do something for the environment. TRUE/FALSE
3 something you do to see what
3 In the past, she used to buy lots of things she didn't need. TRUE/FALSE
happens as a result
4 She bought a kitchen table because she really needed one. TRUE/FALSE
4 good at thinking of ideas for
5 Her friend liked the biscuits she made for her birthday. TRUE/FALSE making things
6 This year she spent more money on going out than she did before. TRUE/FALSE 5 feeling bad because you have
7 She is looking forward to being able to drive again. TRUE/FALSE done something wrong
Skills Boost B1+ READING 4 © Richmond 2014 Photocopiable