Thrift is poetic
byThrift is the really romantic thing; economy is more romantic than extravagance. Heaven knows I for one speak disinterestedly in the matter; for I…
A story of yogurt: The path from frugality to richness
by Laura MenzeEditor’s note: Each Thursday, we feature a throwback piece from Topology’s predecessor, catapult magazine. In this essay, Laura Menze traces the origins of a…
Purchase substitutes
by the daily asteriskOnce we have sacrificed our time to the extractive economy, there is even more money to be made, because we now must use our…
The mad and the mundane
by Alex JoynerAccording to Google (and who would ever argue with them…it?), thrift reached its zenith sometime just before the Great Depression and has been in…
Simply a tool
by the daily asteriskMoney is simply a tool. We use money as a proxy for our time and labor—our life energy—to acquire things that we cannot (or…
Pea-Shelling Pantoum
by John Davis Jr.Raindrops’ procession percussion on porch metal awning matches the cadence of empty soldier-green hulls striking the timpani-tight bottom of No. 2 washtub as our…
At a loss
by the daily asteriskWithout a supermarket, fast-food joint, gas station, prescription drugs, shopping malls and television, many Americans would be at a loss for how to meet…
Original thrift
by Kirstin Vander Giessen-ReitsmaMa was boiling molasses in a pan. When Laura’s kettle was full of popped corn, Ma dipped some into a large pan, poured a…