Trying to keep a log of my expenses just hasn't worked out for me. Getting organized about my life in general hasn't worked for me.
Yet.
I'm still trying to make it work.
But, there's something about my crazy laziness that makes it near impossible. It's a lot harder than I can ever imagine. And I've been trying to stop the shopping for years. What a problem.
Although I haven't been journaling, it doesn't mean I haven't been telling myself regularly not to spend. I do it every time I remember to and I do it as much as I can. It's necessary and it some scenarios has worked. Sometimes it backfires and I have to return the items purchased. But... at least I return.
So... tomorrow will be another day. And another day I tell myself, I don't need whatever it is that I think I need.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Monday, October 19, 2009
Uncle!
Okay, month number one of my shopping diet has not been very successful so far. And I've still another 10+ days to go before month two arrives. I suppose I'll need to stop carrying cash and debit around and only just enough for food and transportation. Must I resort to such tactics? Perhaps it will help. It used to. It may again.
I sigh a long sigh in my admittance of defeat. I do not wish to, but I must. And now my October log will remind me of such failure. (Speaking of logs, I need to update it!)
It's okay. Slip ups will occur in this long, arduous process. I knew it would happen and prepared myself for it. Hopefully I will recoup some of the money through the clothes I'll be selling. And I'm expecting a $30 check from the city government for my two additional days of jury service.
Moving on.
I was excited to discover the Goodwill store on Haight Street in SF was filled with fun things. I've never stepped inside and never realized it was a Goodwill store. I guess it's probably because Haight Street is filled with so many vintage/thrift/mish mash clothing stores already that it never caught my eye. I'm glad I finally stepped in. There were costumes, vintage clothing, nice/new-looking regular clothing, shoes that weren't just black, and dishes and clean books with titles and authors I recognize. And yarn! Bags of cheap never-used yarn! And vintage wool hats! And did I mention that there were clean and almost new expensive stuff like Lululemon and Patagonia? DID I? Oh, pinch me before I wake up. My first thought was: So this is where all the good donations go to. I thought the Goodwill on Fillmore Street was rad, but this is even better. :)
Suffice it to say, I made it out of the store with a bag full of goodies. But, hey, at least I can comfort myself knowing I only spent $50 for 9 items. And for items that would've cost me a whole lot elsewhere. You can't beat that.
So, I scream "Uncle" in defeat but I smile knowing I left with a wonderful haul. My bag o' goodies! :D
I sigh a long sigh in my admittance of defeat. I do not wish to, but I must. And now my October log will remind me of such failure. (Speaking of logs, I need to update it!)
It's okay. Slip ups will occur in this long, arduous process. I knew it would happen and prepared myself for it. Hopefully I will recoup some of the money through the clothes I'll be selling. And I'm expecting a $30 check from the city government for my two additional days of jury service.
Moving on.
I was excited to discover the Goodwill store on Haight Street in SF was filled with fun things. I've never stepped inside and never realized it was a Goodwill store. I guess it's probably because Haight Street is filled with so many vintage/thrift/mish mash clothing stores already that it never caught my eye. I'm glad I finally stepped in. There were costumes, vintage clothing, nice/new-looking regular clothing, shoes that weren't just black, and dishes and clean books with titles and authors I recognize. And yarn! Bags of cheap never-used yarn! And vintage wool hats! And did I mention that there were clean and almost new expensive stuff like Lululemon and Patagonia? DID I? Oh, pinch me before I wake up. My first thought was: So this is where all the good donations go to. I thought the Goodwill on Fillmore Street was rad, but this is even better. :)
Suffice it to say, I made it out of the store with a bag full of goodies. But, hey, at least I can comfort myself knowing I only spent $50 for 9 items. And for items that would've cost me a whole lot elsewhere. You can't beat that.
So, I scream "Uncle" in defeat but I smile knowing I left with a wonderful haul. My bag o' goodies! :D
Saturday, October 10, 2009
October's Spreadsheet
Here is the spreadsheet for October. I have not filled it in completely but already I can see that I've done a bit of spending. Oops. I find that by having to track my spending and having to admit where I shop and how much I spend on each item, I can pinpoint my weaknesses and work on that. It's definitely a cringe-worthy experience having to actually add up your expenses! It's one thing to know how much money you still have leftover but it's another thing to know how much you no longer have. Yikes!
Monday, October 5, 2009
This is The Plan
Let's face it, I have too much "stuff". More stuff than I can handle or manage or even remember possessing.
We all have this problem.
Just admit it.
And with the economy not quite ready to pick itself up, it seems more relevant than ever to curb your shopping issues.
But... like everyone else...
I've tried swearing off shopping and it never works. My new method (more on that) probably won't work either. But, I persist. There must be some way to kick the money-spending habit. There's no gum or pill for this addiction, but there must be a way.
There must be.
So... what's Shirley gonna do?
This is MY plan. Read: It may not work for you and it may not even work for me.
I know that with anything, moderation is key. Extreme dieting never works and so is completely swearing off spending of money. What I propose to do is moderate my spending habits. Keep myself in check via this blog. Make my purchases known to the world.
(And may it bite me back in the behind if I should fall off course.)
Sounds like a pledge, doesn't it?
With anything, this plan is probably going to change as I change. The rules will be updated as necessary. And I hope to come out a winner. Or, wiser. At least.
The Rules:
For one month, beginning October 2009, I will swear off spending. A meal here and there is okay. Necessities such as grocery and bus passes are okay. But clothing, accessories, home decor, and the like are not okay. You can decide for yourself what is acceptable and what is not. For the "okay-to-spend" items, create a log to monitor your spending. The last thing you'd want to discover is that you're replacing shopping for eating out. That's just as bad!!
Additionally, I will create a log AND an excel spreadsheet to monitor ANY and ALL spending that I do. Because, let's face it, slip-ups occur. And what a better way to monitor progress than to have some sort of log of spending? You can decide to do a daily, weekly, or monthly log/spreadsheet. Whatever works for you. I'll probably stick with a monthly log for ease of use.
Once I have my spreadsheets created, I'll be sure to share them here! A great source for sharing spreadsheets is the Google Documents feature.
And.. lastly, to keep myself and my progress in check, I will write up a "progress report" at the end of each month (or day, or week if that better suits your needs) and post it here for all to see. I've found that introspection and self-evaluations are great ways to reflect on growth and development. It causes you to stop and think about your actions and sometimes your stream-of-consciousness may lead you to discover new strengths and weaknesses that were hiding in the crawl spaces of our mind.
If you're up for the challenge, follow me (linky on the lower-right hand side) by keeping up with my posts and/or respond with your own progress. I'm curious to see how others are handling this crisis of sorts.
-----
In my next post, I will share how I will be organizing my spending as well as addendums to The Rules.
We all have this problem.
Just admit it.
And with the economy not quite ready to pick itself up, it seems more relevant than ever to curb your shopping issues.
But... like everyone else...
I've tried swearing off shopping and it never works. My new method (more on that) probably won't work either. But, I persist. There must be some way to kick the money-spending habit. There's no gum or pill for this addiction, but there must be a way.
There must be.
So... what's Shirley gonna do?
This is MY plan. Read: It may not work for you and it may not even work for me.
I know that with anything, moderation is key. Extreme dieting never works and so is completely swearing off spending of money. What I propose to do is moderate my spending habits. Keep myself in check via this blog. Make my purchases known to the world.
(And may it bite me back in the behind if I should fall off course.)
Sounds like a pledge, doesn't it?
With anything, this plan is probably going to change as I change. The rules will be updated as necessary. And I hope to come out a winner. Or, wiser. At least.
The Rules:
For one month, beginning October 2009, I will swear off spending. A meal here and there is okay. Necessities such as grocery and bus passes are okay. But clothing, accessories, home decor, and the like are not okay. You can decide for yourself what is acceptable and what is not. For the "okay-to-spend" items, create a log to monitor your spending. The last thing you'd want to discover is that you're replacing shopping for eating out. That's just as bad!!
Additionally, I will create a log AND an excel spreadsheet to monitor ANY and ALL spending that I do. Because, let's face it, slip-ups occur. And what a better way to monitor progress than to have some sort of log of spending? You can decide to do a daily, weekly, or monthly log/spreadsheet. Whatever works for you. I'll probably stick with a monthly log for ease of use.
Once I have my spreadsheets created, I'll be sure to share them here! A great source for sharing spreadsheets is the Google Documents feature.
And.. lastly, to keep myself and my progress in check, I will write up a "progress report" at the end of each month (or day, or week if that better suits your needs) and post it here for all to see. I've found that introspection and self-evaluations are great ways to reflect on growth and development. It causes you to stop and think about your actions and sometimes your stream-of-consciousness may lead you to discover new strengths and weaknesses that were hiding in the crawl spaces of our mind.
If you're up for the challenge, follow me (linky on the lower-right hand side) by keeping up with my posts and/or respond with your own progress. I'm curious to see how others are handling this crisis of sorts.
-----
In my next post, I will share how I will be organizing my spending as well as addendums to The Rules.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Be back in a bit
I will be away for the summer and when I return we will have lots to talk about! I have so many topics I want to share and discuss. Come back soon.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
This is Our Mantra
...or well, at least this is the mantra I hope to adopt.
"Buying something you don't need at a discount isn't a savings, it's an expense." Anyone know who wrote that? Let me know. Too lazy to search right this moment.
I think, however, a little spending now and then isn't necessarily bad. I don't believe that we should confine ourselves to any set of rules, strictly. I always believe in exceptions. I also truly believe that if we confine ourselves to any thing (whether we believe strictly in politeness and never blow off steam, or we only buy what we need and never what we want) without some kind of release, we'd go insane or in some sort of unhealthy frenzy.
Take sweets, for instance. It's super unhealthy and super unnecessary. And, yet, I have a sweet tooth like no other! If I do not allow myself some candy or soda here and there, I tend to go crazy and eat/drink it all up in one sitting when I am presented with the opportunity of some. And then a big tummy-ache ensues. So, I've learned -- many, many times over -- it's better to make some exceptions now and again. If only to avoid a tummy-ache. Or other aches. And pains.
So, my mantra? Buying something I don't need at a discount isn't a savings, it's an expense. But if I must spend, now and then, I might as well spend wisely -- with moderation and caution -- on hugely discounted items. Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?
"Buying something you don't need at a discount isn't a savings, it's an expense." Anyone know who wrote that? Let me know. Too lazy to search right this moment.
I think, however, a little spending now and then isn't necessarily bad. I don't believe that we should confine ourselves to any set of rules, strictly. I always believe in exceptions. I also truly believe that if we confine ourselves to any thing (whether we believe strictly in politeness and never blow off steam, or we only buy what we need and never what we want) without some kind of release, we'd go insane or in some sort of unhealthy frenzy.
Take sweets, for instance. It's super unhealthy and super unnecessary. And, yet, I have a sweet tooth like no other! If I do not allow myself some candy or soda here and there, I tend to go crazy and eat/drink it all up in one sitting when I am presented with the opportunity of some. And then a big tummy-ache ensues. So, I've learned -- many, many times over -- it's better to make some exceptions now and again. If only to avoid a tummy-ache. Or other aches. And pains.
So, my mantra? Buying something I don't need at a discount isn't a savings, it's an expense. But if I must spend, now and then, I might as well spend wisely -- with moderation and caution -- on hugely discounted items. Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The Confession
Hello to the world! Welcome to my fashion blog. My name is Shirley and I am a shopaholic.
As much as I am both ashamed and horrified to announce to the world that I am, very much indeed, a shopaholic, I feel it is necessary to admit it - to myself and to everyone else - everyday, all day, if I am to recover.
It's not easy to tell someone you have a problem. It's harder to admit it to those you love most. I can tell a stranger I just met - i.e. the lady ringing up my purchases - that I have a spending problem (not that the lady would mind, it's her job to sell, after all). I can even tell close friends of mine - you should meet Sarah Z., when I'm around her it's like my wallet is on lockdown. But to people I've known all my life - like my younger cousin Wendy, who sort of looks up to me - it's really difficult to form the word 'shopaholic', let alone attaching the word to my identity.
Yet, it is who I am. It is what it is. I declare to everyone - MY NAME IS SHIRLEY and I HAVE TO SPEND.
But all is not lost. No, I certainly don't think so. I wasn't always a spender and I don't have to continue being a spender. In the next few months, my goal is to monitor my spending, set a semi-strict budget, and figure out ways I can curb my shopping and spending habits. Will I ever completely curtail my ridiculous "need" to shop/spend? Maybe. Maybe not. But this is a journey I am willing to take if you will come along with me. I will keep a log of my spending and the budgets I've set up for myself. I will also keep a list of resolutions, simply and basically, to keep me in check.
As a reward to myself and to you, I will also discuss fashion (as it interests me). How to build a wardrobe. Shopping tips and pointers. Deals and bargains that I find. Stuff that catches my eye. Y'know. That sort of discussion. And if I really get my act together (which may take some time), I'll even take snapshots of my best outfits as I come up with them.
I know, I know. I have a spending problem, so why would I even devote any portion of this blog to discussing the very thing that's creating such a mess? Hey, just because I have a spending problem doesn't mean I'm never allowed to live, breathe, think, and talk fashion. Like any chronic condition, I just need to learn to live with it. With moderation, anything can fit into our lives.
And frankly, I love my fashion sense. Why not share that as well?
So... whatdoya say? Will you join me?
As much as I am both ashamed and horrified to announce to the world that I am, very much indeed, a shopaholic, I feel it is necessary to admit it - to myself and to everyone else - everyday, all day, if I am to recover.
It's not easy to tell someone you have a problem. It's harder to admit it to those you love most. I can tell a stranger I just met - i.e. the lady ringing up my purchases - that I have a spending problem (not that the lady would mind, it's her job to sell, after all). I can even tell close friends of mine - you should meet Sarah Z., when I'm around her it's like my wallet is on lockdown. But to people I've known all my life - like my younger cousin Wendy, who sort of looks up to me - it's really difficult to form the word 'shopaholic', let alone attaching the word to my identity.
Yet, it is who I am. It is what it is. I declare to everyone - MY NAME IS SHIRLEY and I HAVE TO SPEND.
But all is not lost. No, I certainly don't think so. I wasn't always a spender and I don't have to continue being a spender. In the next few months, my goal is to monitor my spending, set a semi-strict budget, and figure out ways I can curb my shopping and spending habits. Will I ever completely curtail my ridiculous "need" to shop/spend? Maybe. Maybe not. But this is a journey I am willing to take if you will come along with me. I will keep a log of my spending and the budgets I've set up for myself. I will also keep a list of resolutions, simply and basically, to keep me in check.
As a reward to myself and to you, I will also discuss fashion (as it interests me). How to build a wardrobe. Shopping tips and pointers. Deals and bargains that I find. Stuff that catches my eye. Y'know. That sort of discussion. And if I really get my act together (which may take some time), I'll even take snapshots of my best outfits as I come up with them.
I know, I know. I have a spending problem, so why would I even devote any portion of this blog to discussing the very thing that's creating such a mess? Hey, just because I have a spending problem doesn't mean I'm never allowed to live, breathe, think, and talk fashion. Like any chronic condition, I just need to learn to live with it. With moderation, anything can fit into our lives.
And frankly, I love my fashion sense. Why not share that as well?
So... whatdoya say? Will you join me?
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