It has come to my attention that I have been buying too many little thingies here and there (not to mention assorted clothes). Now that I have broadcast (in earlier posts) to the world my inability to pass up anything cute and/or on major clearance, I have no choice but to openly dare myself to not even go to dangerous stores like Target, Ross, or any other place that carries an abundance of seemingly irresistible knick-knacks. I've been in the middle of a heated internal debate over whether or not I should suppress my shopping tendencies. It hasn't been pretty. What if I miss out on something adorable? I'm going to miss all the neat winter clearance everywhere! How can I let everybody else in town spend hours sifting through the leftover crap that nobody wanted at a higher price? What am I going to do with myself????
Well, I decided I like the idea of trying to restrain myself. I'm going to do it. Not only will my abstinence save money; it will do wonders for my character! I was trying to decide on a reasonable time frame. I currently don't "need" anything. Can I go without buying any non-essential thing until Ryan graduates? That's just over two months away! I challenged myself to a full month last spring, and did just fine. I think I can definitely do it. The only exception I can think of during that time frame is Easter, and even then the only thing I know I will be getting is some candy for the egg hunt (The shopping freeze includes candy! Good thing I already have at least a year's supply...)
The kids do NOT need any more clothes, hair things, shoes, toys, etc. I have to keep reminding myself of this. No matter how cute or how cheap, I DO NOT NEED TO PURCHASE THEM! The best way for me to control myself (when handcuffs are not available), is to not step foot into my favorite stores. It's easier said than done, especially right now. I have a special weakness for springtime merchandise. I always have. It's so delightful! I love the cheery colors and sweetness of it all. Every year, I eagerly anticipate the fully stocked shelves of Easter treasures. For me to attempt a shopping hiatus during my favorite season of all is a HUGE emotional sacrifice. I'm wilting a little as I type, thinking of all the cuteness I'm going to miss out on. Can I make it through with my sanity semi-intact?
HEAVEN HELP ME! ;)
You can do it! I hadn't gone to Target (until this last week) since Christmas. I really didn't miss it all that much. Something that helps me, too, when I'm tempted to buy something I don't need to survive is to think, "Do I really want to have to clean this/store this/find a place for this/pick this up 100 times because my kids are too lazy?" It gets really easy to pass by stuff. Report on your blog every week or something and let us know how you are doing, and we'll cheer you on!
ReplyDeleteI hope you can do it! I know I couldn't but I'm weak so just be strong. Your stuff is so cute and I still wish you lived closer so I could sample some of those really delicious looking sugar cookies. Good luck and keep us posted on how it is going.
ReplyDelete