Tuesday, January 13, 2009

'No Buy' January

This is alot harder than it sounds. I am attempting not to buy anything that isn't necessary for the month of January as I alluded to in the previous post. One reason is our credit card bill for the month of December was over $4000! This in part was because of our Disney trip- for which we bought 7 Day Magic your way passes. We only used 2 days and the remaining 5 never expire. So this was really an investment in our family's vacations for the next several years. Then we splurged and bought a HD TV for our family Christmas Gift, which we absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE! (Did you know that if you have a reflection issue from windows that face the TV with HD you will no longer have a problem!?)

I have tripped up a couple of times with this 'No Buy' January. Sunday we went to Walmart and though we did 'need' everything we got I could have done without the small mirror I bought for my desk at work and maybe one of the sewing notions I bought. Then today I was all ready to refuse to go to lunch with the gang at work and they talked me into it! Darn it I was really hoping to keep from eating 'out' during this month. I will try to curtail it the rest of the month...I don't count eating in our cafeteria at work eating out by the way.

But the biggest challenge has been resisting the pull of going to the thrift stores. This year I have been very successful in getting very nice clothes for work for $2-5 per item, and I mean nice. Designer labels pants, blazers and blouses that fit me right and look professional as well as stylish. It's amazing what people give to the thrift stores. Out of the blue it will occur to me that I really could use another pair of Black pants or a Navy jacket...I have to just make do with the clothes that are in this house for this month!

Lastly if I am not bringing anything in this month, it is a perfect time to purge. Boy do I have a hard time purging! What the heck! Why do I feel I have to hold on to clothes that I haven't worn in years!! Here in Florida we don't have basements so there just isn't the storage space to hold on to things that aren't being used.

What do you do to get rid of stuff?

5 comments:

Patty said...

Since you're not bringing anything into the house, I guess you don't want this "never been used" cake plate & dome :O(

I sent 6 bags of really nice clothes to the Vietnam Veterans of America. I also gave them my wedding "outfit" which I don't think I'll ever use again (lol). Too bad you weren't a smaller size, many of the things were suits & blazers.

This week I plan to give them 2 tv's & possibly my "under the counter" coffee maker.

Marthavmuffin said...

I just have such a hard time getting rid of anything. I am sitting on my hands now, not to ask you about the under the counter coffee maker! As well as the Cake dome...But the thrift stores are filled with both of those items and if I ever need either I can go there and pick one up, and then donate it back when I am done! As I certainly dont have any more room!

Patty said...

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time with this . . .

Why don't you try what I do? I put everything I haven't worn or used in a year in a different location (closet, garage, etc.) if, after another year I still haven't used it, out it goes.

I get attached to "things" but give myself a talking to about keeping things that don't fit, will never fit again or are just plain old & out of style.

I have the same problem with shoes & bags (purses) but I KNOW I will never wear them or use them still I hang on.

It killed me to get rid of all my suits cause they are "classic" designs which really never go out of style but who was I kidding thinking I might someday get back into them?

I am ever so grateful I have learned to "let go".

Well, that's my 2 cents worth

P. S. Chris took the cake plate & dome . . . the under the counter coffer machine (Mr. Coffee) is going on Tuesday. John looked absolutely crushed but he realized we haven't used that thing in 3 years & probably wouldn't again (besides, he wants a new one . . . yeah, hello.)

Frederik Urshgur said...

Value Village misses you bad. Actually, it's Value World now. I'm still a regular, though I've never had the pleasure of wandering thru the kiddie stuff. Never will, either - Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

Marthavmuffin said...

is that you Ray?