Shopping Fast – Week Four

I’m in the home stretch! Two more days and I can shop to my heart’s content. But, you know what? I’m not all that anxious for my shopping fast to end. I kind of like how all the cash I’m saving is feeling in my wallet!

I did have a few weak moments in the last seven days, usually revolving around designer purses. For some reason I want a blue leather one for the fall. But then I consider the red Coach purse that I bought last year (at the outlet, with a 20% off coupon!), and I still think that one is fantastic. So maybe I will just make due with what I have.

Making due with what I have has been the theme for me this week. And I do actually have a lot to make due with! Most of us have more than enough in our closets, cabinets and garages, don’t we?

I’m reading an interesting book called, “The Cheapskate Next Door” by Jeff Yeager. The author said that none of the cheapskates he interviewed for the book suffered from “Keeping-Up-With-the-Jones” syndrome. I think many people, me included, get caught up in wanting what’s new & now, when we really don’t need most of it.

This shopping fast has helped to clarify what I need, what I want, and what I really want. And I will buy some things that I really want as soon as this fast is over.

Shopping Fast – Week Three

Everywhere I turn, there is a great end-of-summer clearance sale! Ugh! This is SO hard because I love getting good deals at end of season sales. Ten more days to go! I think I can make it!

I ran to Kohl’s on my lunch break one day this week to get a gift for my cousin’s baby. Of course, all of the baby stuff is at the back of the store which means I had to trudge past both the women’s summer clearance racks and the new fall clothes. Fortunately, the baby stuff is on the opposite side of the store from the shoe department. I don’t know if I could have gritted my teeth and pressed on past the shoes! Kohl’s has a great shoe department – cute styles and low prices, a little slice of heaven on earth! But I passed the test, and only bought the gift I came for.

What am I doing with the money I’m saving because of my shopping fast? Well, yes, I am saving some of it. I’m also making an extra charity donation this month because I know that I am richly blessed and there are many people in need. I’m also going to pay down some extra on the mortgage. Nick and I hell-bent on becoming debt free and the mortgage has got to go! So far we have paid off 1/3 of the balance in the seven years we’ve been here. That’s pretty good but we’d like to kick it up a notch and knock out the rest in seven years or less. Maybe if I do more of these shopping fasts, we can accomplish that!

I have also spent some time cleaning out my closets. I’ve got some things to take to Goodwill and some to give away to friends. If I haven’t worn something in the past year (including shoes!) it goes in the give-away pile. Before you think about how generous I am, just know that I’m partly doing this to make some room for the new stuff once my shopping fast is over. (Hey, I’m only human!)

Shopping Fast – Week Two

I’m almost through week two of my self-imposed shopping fast. For those of you just tuning in, I am in the midst of a 30-day shopping fast. No shopping for clothes, shoes, books, cosmetics, etc for a whole month (only necessary grocery shopping allowed!). This week was definitely more challenging than last week!
After golfing with my Mom on Thursday night, I stopped at Target because they had Kashi brand frozen dinners, granola bars and cereal on sale, which we eat a lot of at my house. I avoided even glancing in the direction of the women’s clothing section as I entered the store. (I know there’s a cute t-shirt that was only $8 I would be sorely tempted to buy! I saw it in last week’s Target circular.) I marched past the cosmetics and books, straight to the food section. I tossed my Kashi items in the cart and high-tailed it to the check out. Whew! Disaster averted for now!
I was also tempted by the myriad of emails that I keep getting in my In-box from my favorite retailers: Chadwick’s, Express, Coach, and (my favorite!) Sephora. I try to delete them as soon as they come in… I love make up, so ignoring the Sephora emails causes me physical pain! But that’s the whole point of this shopping fast, to break the hold of “stuff” on me…
I’ve decided that when I see something I would like to buy on-line, in a catalog, or in a magazine, I will print the page or tear it out and put it in a folder. At the end of my shopping fast, on August 20th, I will take out the folder and see what I still really want to buy. I’m sure some things I won’t buy, since the “fever” for it will have passed. What’s in the folder right now? Brown suede Coach clogs, a plaid shirt from Victoria’s Secret catalog, a white shirt with embroidery from Chadwick’s, and Clinique moisturizer. I’m sure that folder will be pretty fat come August 20th!