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The artist

Ain't that the truth! I always fluctuate between "we can't take it with us" to "hoard that money, HOARD IT!!!" I need to find a happy medium. I really, really do. It seems I have great self control with some things, ie alcohol, temptations from the male gender, meat etc BUT when it comes to shopping and/or exercising my good intentions fly out the window SO FAST when one pretty thing hits my eye. 

 Hi my name is C and I am addicted to shopping. 

It could be just about anything... Office supplies, love them. Stationery, die for it. Clothing, usually not so bad but recently... I'm making the excuse that it's my birthday month, we'll see if that shows true in April. Shoes: generally do pretty good but lately... Food... oh this is the BIG ONE. I eat like there is no tomorrow all the time. I buy groceries, eat those and then also go out and eat. I want to say I'll be better when I have my own kitchen but I'm not sure. That is to be determined and I need to be making better habits now when it's harder so it will be really easy later. Ugh.

Then there are socks and blankets and thrift stores and organizational products, things with strawberries on them and magazines... oh those magazines. Definitely books too. Luckily I've calmed down about being in the same city as Powell's again and have realized that the Goodwill has books for cheaper and that the bins are even cheaper than that AND I have a whole slew of books I need to read in my tub of books.

So tonight while looking over my Mint account (I do love it though it stresses me out) I decided on a couple of helpful tips that I just MUST MUST MUST live by for now and maybe just forever.

1) Be really picky when shopping for anything.

I know it looks good now but honestly are you going to like it in a week, do you have 3 similar pieces already? Even when thrifting or looking at sale items, really think about if I want it. It's like a cute guy, sure you like him when you first look at him but then when he opens his mouth do you get turned off? In a week are you wishing for someone new? Yeah, impulse purchases don't make anyone happy. Think about it...

2) Don't nickel and dime yourself!

This might mean something totally different than what I want it to mean... my issue is thinking "oh it's only a dollar, oh it's only a couple of dollars..." I do that and boy, turns out those dollars add up. Yes it seems inexpensive to get a meal at Taco Bell for 3 dollars but 1) eating at home could be cheaper 2) eating at home could be healthier 3) the crap I get at TB will probably negatively affect my health therefore costing me more in health bills in the future 4) I'm not full after the meal and THEN have to either buy something else or eat some of my groceries. Moral being: don't buy cheap things just because they are cheap. Did you want it in the first place? Did you NEED it in the first place. Are you only buying it because it's cheap? 

3) Speaking of Fast Food, eat at home more often.

Like a lot more often. Seriously, one meal out a day is too much. Try two meals out a week, save them for when you are getting lunch or dinner with someone else. OR if you REALLY just have to get something you don't make yourself make it a Date With Myself and go a tad big. Like sit down style, not in the car driving around trying not to get all the sour cream Muchas Gracias pours in their burritos on you shirt, or pants, or seat belt. Going out to sushi or burgers during a day of thrifting with Nicole is awesome, and if the food's good, totally worth the expense. If the food sucks and/or I'm alone and could have made myself something equally as decent if not more fulfilling then it's totally not worth it. Not just because I could have spent that money on something else but because my health loses as well as my stomach is only quieted not happy.

4) Carry very little cash around.

I have come to find that I love having cash at hand. It's so much more convenient for me than a card for some reason. It just feels more real. That being said, it is just as easy to spend it, if for some reason, even more so. Because it's cash the purchases don't show up in my statements therefore making them even easier to forget and/or ignore. While I do think that the envelope system seems to be a good idea, I don't feel comfortable walking around or even having envelopes with money in my house. It doesn't matter if they each only have a $20 in them I still don't like it. So having all cash won't work but only using a card wont work. For now I'm going to stick with carrying very little cash, logging when I take it out of my account so it can be tracked and paying attention to my Mint. 

5) Be aware aka actually pay attention to your budget on Mint.

Here's a doosy. Actually look back on everything I've spent and see how it all adds up. I've made some semi large purchases this month (a safe, some clothes) for various reasons which makes looking at Mint really hard. Some of my budgets show me in the red while things like rent and utilities are all empty. Maybe subconsciously I was making the excuse that because I didn't have to pay for those things this month I could spend my money on other things. No good. Budgets are hard for me to follow. While I'm not in thousands of dollars of debt (from shopping, just on a car) I am still in debt and I still have a small problem. No it's not at the Shopaholic book series level but goodness that doesn't make it okay. I want to be one of those people that is really good at living within her means. That want doesn't mesh too well with the girl who likes to purchase pretty things. Pay attention! Write it down every day AND check it with Mint the next day (Mint has a delay which was frustrating to me the first time I tried it). Being aware will make it that much easier to cut down. 

6) Finish projects before you start new ones!!!

This includes e-courses, paint by numbers, blankets, other crochet projects, the purse Nicole is making for me, books, embroidery or anything else I think I want to take up. I have several half finished projects that need some attention and while I love them, I also love NEW (to me) things and to dos. Seriously my list is filled with things I could work on but I always seem to go out and find new ones. Stick to some. If they need something else before you can move on, purchase that, but only that, and continue on until finished. This one is truely going to be hard with the amount of thrifting I do. It's a recent thing this thrifting at large levels. I'm back with my thrifting guru Nicole and if we both have a day off it's all we want to do. We've tried 82nd and out, we've tried Beaverton/Tigard... we're soon to try Corvalis (which she has seen and done before but we'll hit up even more cuz I have a car) and the thrill of the find is intoxicating. No joke, I don't understand why people drink so much but I guess the buzz is pretty equivalent to what I feel when I find great things. By no means the same but the mental high might be. I don't know, all I know is I'm addicted. Diet Coke and thrifting own my life. Back to the point, no new project purchases until 80% of current projects are done.

7) Drink less Diet Coke.

Obviously this one isn't for everyone but it could be applied to other things like, Drink Less Starbucks or Drink Less Alcohol, or something like that. While DC is cheaper than alcohol and or Starbucks (at least any bucks drink I would get) it still adds up. Let's estimate the cost of a soda at $1.50 because when it's free I still tip a dollar and when I go out to eat it's usually at least $1.25 and could be as much as $3. I have at least one Diet Coke every day. At least. Lately it's been more but I don't really want to talk about it...

$1.50 x 30 = $45

WHAT?! That could cover the cost of internet! That could be a thrifting day. That could be 3 fast food meals (at least). If nothing else talks me out of drinking Diet Coke the money part should. Even if it mean buying a 12-24 pack and having it at home to reduce the cost, so be it. 

8) Make more money.

While I don't want to be addicted to making money I do want to be able to comfortably cover my bills, have enough for my hobbies (thrifting, sending packages to friends, reading, crocheting) and save for a really nice camera, Argentina and everything else. So, make more money. I've learned that I cannot do things that I hate to make money. If I am unhappy I just spend more on stuff I don't need and food to comfort me and that's just ending me back at square one if not negative square 10. That being said I don't know what else to do to earn a buck or two. I'm thinking of selling some of the stuff I find on Etsy as well as blankets I make. Right now I'm backlogged for blankets though so that will have to wait. And how do I market that, make ones I want to make and sell them or offer a blanket making service, one type of pattern but in colors you want? I think it's going to have to be the first rather than the latter unless it's for friends and people I can go to the craft store with.

9) Shop less, work on projects more.

That's kind of in line with everything I've said but as I've been typing this I've been realizing all of the things I could be doing with what I already have instead of going out to another thrift store. Nicole and I are going to have to sub some tea, movie and craft days with the thrifting ones we have. Not all, I'm not give them up entirely but I'm going to have to cut back. When I shop in one area I become more willing to shop in all areas and obviously that's just no good.

That's all I want to think of for now because I've been neglecting my book (that I got for a dollar!) and that's sad. I need to read at least 3 more books this month to stay ahead for 52 in 52 and that's not going to be easy.

What tips do you have for saving money?

xoxo

p.s. I was going to title this "giving up the ghost" but then upon research found it meant to die instead of to give up an addiction... goodness, totally not what I was meaning. Learn something new don't we!