Ok, so I have had a lot of fun (too much so) recently making some changes to our home and buying items for a someday gift/craft project/a must for the house. As I tell everyone I know (and as those who really know me, already know), I am a more is more kind of gal!
But I was recently paying bills and looking over our purchases and came to a startling realization - we have been throwing money away! I can't believe all the money I have spent (see previous blog post on ALL my recent purchases, not to mention that my husband has currently been on a shopping spree as well!). So I gathered up the bills, grabbed a glass of wine and sat down with my hubby to propose a plan I had - now this is far-fetched for me and will be one of the biggest challenges of the year - drum roll please - let's not spend any money for the next month! Ta da! My hubby starts laughing! Now I am not talking about bills, food, normal living expenses (haircuts, birthday presents, etc...). I am talking about all the EXTRA little stuff I buy for the house to decorate, seasonal items, shoes just for the heck of it, fun jewelry, you name it and he has to agree to the same on his end. When we both stopped laughing, we realized it made a lot of sense. We have SO much, we honestly don't need one more thing. Se we decided September would be a great month to start, one, because it's the next month chronologically and two, because it's a month I usually shop a lot. I mean A LOT. I hit all my usual haunts and a lot more. I LOOOOOOVVVVE fall and with Halloween decorations starting to hit the stores this will be the perfect start time. I have to keep reminding myself - I. MUST. BE. STRONG!
If I see something that inspires me on Pinterest or in a magazine, I can make it or copy it but I have to only use items I have here at the house. In fact, I just reorganized one of the closets in my house but used only items I already had plus, I painted it by mixing two colors! Look at me go and it's not even September!
This challenge will be hard for a shopping-kind-of-girl like me but I think I can do it! I am using many different trains of thought to keep me on track -
1) We are taking a BIG vacation in two years (including my two nieces) so it won't hurt to start saving.
2) My house has a TON of storage and I am running out of room!
3) I have two kids to still get through college, one starts in four years.
4) I would like my husband to retire some time in the next 20-25 years.
5) Do I really need it?
Yes, I know one month of saving won't help me afford everything I just listed, but I am hoping it will start me on some better spending habits. Now don't you worry, I will still allow myself that splurge purchase every so often, the goal is just not as much!
So I am off to finish pulling together my newly organized closet, and I look forward to showing it off to you, but that will be for another post!
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