Did you participate in "Not One Damn Dime Day" on January 20th?

[SemperEadem]

No, it didn't bring the economy crashing to its knees... and it wasn't the lead story at 6, but how many people indulged the spirit of the idea and kept their money in their pocket?

A rain drop won't take out your house---but a deluge from a rainstorm will.

[SemperEadem]

1. I did... and I'm glad I did

I felt as if, even in this small, insignificant gesture to some, I took a stand against what I feel to be an abomination. Stayed home and perused DU most of the day... didn't even watch tv that day.

[Pachamama]

2. As the Queen of spending, I can proudly say that I didn't spend a cent on

1/20/05....felt good....

[ClassicDem]

3. I didn't, I was not about to punish liberal business owners because

we have a jackass in Washington.

[el_gato]

28. that wasn't the point and you know it

[ClassicDem]

31. It may not have been the point but it was certainly the outcome.

There are too many small business owners that depend on their base customers to make a living.

[el_gato]

32. find me one "liberal" business that was hurt by this move

unless you can do that, I will say you are full of shit.

[ClassicDem]

35. Any liberal business that is service orientated.

Coffee shops, restaurants, bars, my business just to name a few.

[el_gato]

38. I'm not talking about "just cause you say so"

I was asking for proof of a business that was hurt by this action.
You gave me nothing.
As well, we all know the real target of this action is the corporate scumbags that are helping destroy this country. I, personally, boycott almost every large corporation and only do business with small businesses if I can help it. Aside from that, life is not about consumption.

[geniph]

39. It was purely symbolic

Damn few people actually participated in it, so I think any businesses that suffered any actual dropoff in business from it were decidedly in the minority. Besides, any business that suffered a loss in revenue on Thursday probably made it up on Friday.

I think it's a valuable thing to do to make a point, but if I were trying to organize something like this, I'd exempt small businesses (unless they were outspoken right-wing supporters) and well-known liberal businesses. However, as a one-day thing, I have a LOT of trouble believing anyone's going to be suffering any severe hardship from the few of us who chose to participate.

[aquart]

4. Didn't step a foot outside

For fear I would lack moral fortitude.

[saracat]

5. Yes, except I had to refill a perscription. Does that count?

[JohnnyRingo]

6. Yes I did...But being retired and that it was 12 degrees here

Made it kind of easy.
I didn't go out the next day either.

[Kenneth ken]

7. other

yes, I didn't spend anything, but I didn't have grande lattes on Friday either, so I didn't know what poll response to click.

[SemperEadem]

8. so, your answer is yes

that was a humorous aside to having all those dimes in one's pocket that they didn't spend on Thursday... you know.. not one 'damn' dime...

never mind

[Kenneth ken]

13. ok

I typically put humorous asides in parentheses, so I thought you were saying all the people who didn't spend money on the 20th, but bought grand latte's, or whatever it was, on Friday should pick that option. :)

[NurseLefty]

9. Yep - bought my groceries and gas the day before.

Maybe we can do some more national boycotts. I'm all for voting with my wallet.

[Piperay]

10. Yes

I didn't buy anything, course I didn't leave the house all day either. :D

[LeftyMom]

11. Nope

Somehow I doubt my trip to the food co-op propped up the BFEE, though.

[cornermouse]

12. Took my pet to the vet.

Cancer.

[itzamirakul]

14. Yes! and

I stayed home all day and watched The Godfather I and II for the umpteenth time and I didn't even order pizza!

What did I say that for?...now I want some pizza and its breakfast time (but then I can eat pizza any time of day or night)

[MercutioATC]

15. Yes, but not because I agreed with its effectiveness.

I just didn't have to spend any money that day.

Even if half the country stopped spending money for a day, it wouldn't make a difference. If you didn't buy gas, you just bought that much more the next day (same for food, etc.). Many expenditures (like electricity and mortages) are paid on a monthly basis anyway.

It was a well-intentioned idea that would have made ZERO difference, even if everybody bought into it.

[ObaMania]

16. Yes

.. and I believe it was ineffective. Heard nothing about it.

[Ms. Toad]

23. Not hearing about it

from the MSM does not necessarily mean it was ineffective.

My experience (and that of others I spoke with) was that the change in routine created lots of opportunities for individual conversations about the witness - particularly for those who had to take extraordinary steps to pay bills/employees early, purchase lunches ahead of time, reschedule (or avoid) lunch dates that day, skip daily routines (hey - what happened yesterday, I didn't see you for your morning coffee?), etc.

I never expected it to make an economic blip - but I was pleasantly surprised at the volume of added opportunities for conversations I encountered and observed occurring. From the standpoint of keeping the issue in front of individuals - and encouraging interactions on important issues among folks who would not otherwise talk to each other about such things - I think it was quite successful.

(As for the impact on businesses - which was a basis someone earlier in the thread mentioned for non-participation - I expect most of us shifted purchases rather than skipped them, so the impact was likely minimal if any.)

[FreeStateDemocrat]

17. It was easy for me I do that most days anyhow.

Outside of paying utility bills, buying food and paying taxes (including the new hustle by state and county repukes- fees) most days I don’t buy anything. It is called survival living. I only buy what I absolutely need and I don’t buy that if I don’t have the money to pay for it.

[BiggJawn]

18. I spent a whole furking 60 cents.

In a vending machine, that wasn't emptied until the following Monday.

As a respondent on one of my listserves put it, "With my current state of financial solvency, almost EVERY day is "Not One Damn Dime Day"...

Now, if we had "Not One Damn Dime QUARTER" (that's 3 months, or NINETY days) they might notice that the Sheep aren't feeding like they had projected.

[Freebird12004]

19. It was difficult

most of my shopping is done on-line - I actually had to stop myself several times. TV was boring that day.

[One_Life_To_Give]

20. When you need to add oil to your vehical

so you can get home. You do what you got to do.

[slor]

21. Yes and I damn near...

did not make it home or to the gas station the next day! I was literally driving on fumes.

[RPM]

22. yes - but was out of the country

does that count?

[Liberal In Texas]

24. Yep, bought groceries on Wed. Stayed away from all stores.

My wife forgot, however, she spent $3 at work.

[tnlefty]

25. I did and I haven't spent much since then either.

eom

[noamnety]

26. other

I was in the spirit of it - but I usually work mornings, and when I got in, they asked me to sub in the afternoon for someone, so I was caught without a lunch. So I spent $4.00 because if I skip a meal I get the migraines from hell.

[tk2kewl]

27. I think so...

I spent some Colones in Costa Rica, but no Dollars in U.S.

[napi21]

29. Yes I did, but how much publicity did this get?

Were there enough participants to make anyone notice?

I think we should pick at least one day evey month and do the smae thing!

I understand that you don't want to punish the liberal businesses. There are so few of them. Maybe part of the monthly program, there could be an exception list, thereby benefiting the liberals and punishing the others.

Think we can get enough nationwide support to get noticed?

[Lisa0825]

30. I didn't participate because I went to the Jazz Funeral for Democracy

in New Orleans, so it was prettyimpossible to NOT spend money while on an out-of-town trip. But I would have participated if I had stayed home!:-)

[justinsb]

33. Actually

As a Canadian, I've been participating in Not one damn dime day (at least as it pertains to US companies) since Nov. 3

[AllyCat]

34. I bought only a few things on Weds/Friday.

Tried to carry the message of reducing consumption overall instead of just saving up the day before or splurging the day after.

[SemperEadem]

36. The boycott wasn't mean to bring commerce to a screeching halt

But change has to start somewhere--laying the foundation in the mind to consider this option needs a genesis.

I never thought that it would be noticed by MSM--that's not where their head is at. But the next time a bolder approach is suggested, my mind is already bent to consider it.

The next time, a 3 day focus-spending exercise might be suggested with supporters wearing all blue and patronizing only liberal businesses; or supporting only liberal businesses for a 6 month period...

I know I have the restraint and discipline to do it--it's like learning to recycle. Everyone whined about it at first, but once you got used to it, you did it.

However, I am still very impressed and excited that many more did than didn't; no matter what the reason. I am on survival mode myself, so it wasn't hard to do; but if I did have disposable income, I still would not have spent a dime and I still would not have watched the tv.

[bobweaver]

37. Bush participated, in church on Jan. 21

[Lindsey]

40. I didn't spend a dime nor did I watch ANY T.V.

N/T

[DinahMoeHum]

41. Yep, but I don't drink lattes.

Cappucinos on occasion, though.

:evilgrin:

[Danmel]

42. I gave my son $2.00 to buy the "Chicken Ceaser Salad" school lunch

but other than that, I did no shopping at all.

(It is the Thursday special and he loves it!)

[MuseRider]

43. Didn't spend a dime

simply because I believed in the concept and it made me feel good. It cost me though because that was the day my truck was finished, 2+ weeks after my wreck. They were pissed but they are Bush** supporters so too bad. I had to pay the next day for an extra rental car day but still, it felt good to do it.

[livinginphotographs]

44. I was going to...

But after watching the coronation on C-Span at work, I promptly went to my friendly neighborhood bar and got lit up.

[ignatius 2]

45. Yep, not even my morning up of java and it was one long ass day in

more ways than one.

[imenja]

46. zero spent on 1/20, and no lattes on Friday either

or any other day. I hate wasting money on that stuff. I make my own coffee.