I will be encouraging my dear husband to join the "Let's Be Frugal" train, me being the engine that gets up the steam to get us rolling. Let's hope we both enjoy the ride and it becomes a healthy habit. We have a wonderful reason for trying to do this, our dream of retiring on Prince Edward Island.
Now I'm a born shopper, as soon as I could walk I was looking into cupboards and secret hideaway places especially at my nana's looking for treasure. I started working when I entered High School, earning a pittance but it was more than my allowance from my parents. Once I started seeing the power of money, spending it had me in it's spell. A girlfriend bought me a small wooden shopping bag years ago with "Born to Shop" written on it..She knew me!
When I traveled to England with my mother in 1989, everyone on the bus tour was asking me to show off my purchases, they soon learned "I knew how to shop!" I love nothing better than showing off my stuff, my family often teases me, "oh no, it's show and tell time!" It's in my blood, what can I say?"
But after reading my brother's blog and my sister's blog about being more frugal and trying to decide whether we need a thing or just want it, the idea has caught on. I too will learn to ask myself these questions before buying another "thing" and try to weed out of my house many possessions that were bought on a whim. Many of my girlfriends look at everything before shopping, then make a choice. Not me, I buy as I go, loving nearly everything I see..Those days will now be over. One special friend always asks me when we go shopping: "do you need it and where will you put it?" I think she is on to something. She can help be my conscience.
It's actually turning out to be exciting to think of ways to cut corners and save money. Don't believe for a second that I won't have a melt down at one point and my friends will have to tie me down from shopping at all the stores in town. But I will set in stone in the forefront of my brain, our future goal of buying a property in dear beloved P.E.I. and keep away from downtown plus sort out my possessions for a spring yard sale and that should keep me very, very busy. You haven't seen my house!
Hey - if I can go a year without buying new clothes you can stop emotional shopping. There is such a huge difference between what we want and what we need. I "need" nothing - I "want" lots of things.
ReplyDeleteI hope to come out of this year with my shopping demon in check. There is a momentary "rush" when I buy something followed by regret for spending money foolishly.
So good luck Lannie and we can help keep other in check!:)