I’ve just discovered that October is officially “Buy Nothing New Month.”

No longer devoted to simple beer drinking or mega rock concerts, and consistent with my budget bottom line at the moment, it’s not so much a celebration, as a question of what can you do? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Quite a lot as it turns out.

As always, these hacks are free, but you do need to register and you should only do that if you really are going.

Instead of Oktoberfest, you could try Winefulness. You heard correctly. Learn about wine from a VinoMofo expert and kill two birds with one stone. 3 October, 6PM. It’s free wine and mindfulness.

Friday 12 October Portable, our friends in Collingwood have another of their super cool catered ‘introduction to’ sessions this one on empathy in human centred design and what it means.

Can’t give up your fashion habit? Into upcycling? Take a squizz at the North Fitzroy Clothing Swap

Frock up for free film as part of the national seniors festival. Melbourne Libraries is hosting ‘Iris‘ the Albert Maysles’ documentary about New York fashion doyenne and art collector Iris Apfel.

On October 30 there’s also lunch with an entrepreneur discussing ‘the truth about early stage tech startup investing.’

All this and more in the Tech and the City Calendar.