I am an impulse buyer. I am horrible about buying I stuff I don't really need. When I'm at Walmart I always stroll down the "discount" aisle to see what bargains I can snag (that I usually don't need tho.) I am also terrible about grabbing stuff off the shelves that are alongside the check out counters - a candy bar, a lint roller, magazines.....OMG - I am a sucker for magazines....
But my biggest fall down is I-Tunes. I know, it doesn't really qualify as an out and about kind of place, but it's so easy to go online and buy songs and apps. I am an I-Tunes addict and I need an intervention! Somebody help me!
Therefore, I am embracing the challenge and posing it to myself for the month of February. I know, I am kind of cheating since it is the shortest month of the year, but I figure it's better than nothing. LOL! So, no unnecessary spending and no I-Tunes for one month for me.
Also of interest is that Diane over at "Welcome to Lavender Dreams" is linking up with Sunny Simple Life and 3 other bloggers and they've started a Thrifty Living 2012 Series. The downturn in our economy is hurting a lot more people than I realized. I was under the mistaken notion that we (meaning me personally) are some of the few who are suffering with this crappy economy and no snow situation. (when you plow snow for a living, no snow equates to NO income.) But the replies on the Thrifty Living Series Comments sections have made me realize that a lot more than a few of the people in this country are struggling. Many of us have to tighten our belts these days. Ouch!
I was appalled when I read first hand how many people are out of work, lost their health insurance, lost their pensions, are drowning in medical bills, or lost their homes. Some of them have lost a combination of those things all at once. Yikes! So many people are earning less, however gas prices are crazy high, food costs are up, insurance rates keep going up, taxes are up. Seems like everything is up except income.
My personal favorite is how I've been putting our heat on 60 at night to save money and then the Gas Company (because their earnings were down - oh Boo Hoo for them) just decided to raise their rates. Nice - Not! And, I recently asked my mortgage company to refinance my loan to let me take advantage of a much lower rate. They refused. So I just went and re-financed at a new mortgage company. I'm saving almost
$ 400.00/ month on my mortgage. Believe me, I did a happy dance the day the new mortgage went through. Did someone say Snap?? I'm following the Thrifty Living Series with a notebook and pen and I am taking notes and will be applying their thrifty tips to our lives.
So does anyone else out there want to hop onto the "No Spend February" challenge? It starts tomorrow if you're interested. We can compare notes on March 1st. And I promise I won't head over to I-Tunes and buy anything before midnight tonight.... I am wincing, but I'm determined to do this.
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I'm already quite frugal, and if I tighten the purse strings anymore, they may very well break! Really though, the only thing I splurge on is jewelry making supplies. That is my downfall!
ReplyDeleteJewelry making supplies are a necessity tho!
DeleteI'm with Della, it can't get any tighter around here! so I guess you could say I'm with you! No spending in February. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is by far one of my favorite posts you've done to date. Your transparency is such a powerful place to share from. I started simplifying & down-sizing some time back. I have a soft spot for iTunes & magazines as well. My local library has a friend's shop that resells magazines for .25 cents. I get current Coastal Livings, Redbook, Nat Geo there all the time. That's helped that little habit. I started following a monthly budget with the hubby about 5 years ago. That reigned in the impulse buying. I just trust the Lord one day at a time & life just keeps moving along one moment at a time. xo
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks Kaybe - I sure appreciate that. My mom snags a lot of magazines for us from the free shelf at the library, but I think a lot more people are doing that now too. I hear you on trusting the Lord!
DeleteYou know it has taken me two years of this pursuit to get to a no spend month. It takes time to change habits and just get it out of your system sometimes. Take small baby steps so you feel some victory when you reach the goal. You can do it and if you blow it one day, get back on it the next. Thanks for the shout out and I am so glad you are enjoying the series.
ReplyDelete:-) Kind of like being on a diet - If I fall off one day, just get back on the next!
DeleteThis is great, I am a big impulse buyer as well and I just got the lecture the other day about it too. :( I really need to stop and just get only the things that we need. My biggest thing is Chai at Starbucks in the morning and then a ride to the lake, it gets my day going but I am spending a TON of money there. WIth me not working now, I need to spend WAY less, I am on bored, I can't promise no Chai but I will do my best with all the other things. Is that cheating?
ReplyDeletexoxo
I think that's a good compromise! You can concentrate on your painting.
DeleteWhat a good idea! I'm a terrible impulse buyer too. I don't know if I can go without buying stuff for a month, though. Good luck to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for mentioning met today, Kim! I have a post mentioning you scheduled for tomorrow! heehee! We are out own little fan club! I love this idea and feel like I use it all the time but it's always fun to have a challenge! And the Thrifty living series is bringing up so many issues that we all face no matter what our age or situation! I'm learning so much! Enjoy your day! Did someone say Walmart? I'm off! lol ♥♥♥
ReplyDelete:-) I'm looking forward to your post!
DeleteI was trying to cut eating out from our lives in 2012. Total fail on Jan. 9th (I think). This has been a tough one for me as we are always running to activities or have an unexpected drama and kids have to eat. (Keeping snacks in the car is pointless at -40*,...they'd be frozen). I've really tried to cut out of the impulse shopping and apply that money towards my huge medical debt... I'll try to keep track of when I pass something up I normally would have just bought and compare notes in March!
ReplyDeleteGayle - eating fast food several nights a week was our problem too when my kids were younger - and I only had 2 of them that I was shuttling back and forth, not 5 like you have. Financially and healthy eating wise it was not a good choice on my part. I think you do an admirable job of cooking some pretty nice dinners!
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