Happy Thursday to my readers!
As I head into the weekend, I'm smiling more than usual. The secret? I've gone the last three days without spending one cent! I know this because for over five years, I've been writing down what I spend every single day--even down to a coffee or newspaper! At the beginning of March, I decided to make a concerted effort to spend as little as possible for the entire month. So far, the perks have been fabulous in more ways than one. Not only have my hubby and I cooked up some pretty amazing meals from pantry staples, fresh veggies and a little protein, I've also put together some great new outfits from my now-organized closet. Since studying for my image consulting certification last year, I've become a master at harmonizing colours in my personal palette (in my case, a soft palette of dusty autumn and summer colours) and even borrowing occasionally from other palettes. Shopping in my own closet is now a blast, not a chore--and much cheaper than buying a top a week, as someone I know (hmm, wonder who?) used to do!
Here's a little experiment you can try for yourself. Use your favourite method of recording information (Blackberry, Outlook, an actual memo pad) and for one week write down EVERY SINGLE THING you buy. After the week, look back at your purchases and check off those that were absolutely essential. You will likely surprise yourself when you note the number of unchecked items. If you decide to keep going with this experiment, you may discover (as I did) that simply the act of knowing that you have to write down every purchase will make you much more likely NOT to buy that coffee, magazine, or lipstick. You may also find that, magically, items that you thought you had to buy turn up mysteriously in your home. Just this morning, I was despairing that I finally had to shell out $27 to buy my Lancome lip pencil in "Charme," having just about an inch left of two very stubby pencils. Imagine my excitement when I found, tucked into a corner of my "extra makeup" container, an almost-new lip pencil--not Lancome, but a brand I do still like and in a very similar colour and texture to my beloved Charme! I'm now good for at least another month--and that $27 can go to that spicy cologne I'm seriously coveting . . .
In all seriousness, try shopping at home--you might like it and discover amazing "new" products there! Let us know what YOU find--and please feel free to ask me questions about mixing and matching within your own closet!
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Hi Lauren,
ReplyDeleteThis is my first visit to your blog - wow! It's great!
I have been writing down every penny I spend since 1985 and I can attest that it works in terms of knowing where you spend as well as being able to make informed decisions about when to splurge and how to save.
I find it very freeing to know each year exactly what I spend on food, transportation, holidays, clothes, etc.
Good stuff promoting these best practices in living!
Nancy
Thanks, Nancy! It's great to hear about other women who are doing the same thing--and kudos to you for having kept up this practice for 20+ years! We already have so much else to worry about in our day-to-day lives--having the peace of mind knowing where our money goes to every day is worth the time we take to write it all down!
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