It is going to be an expensive weekend. Husband has work meeting which requires a suit (hasn’t needed a suit for work in over 25 years). Of course, none of his old suits fit. So off to suit shop (probably a nice shirt also). I will consider it an investment, his suit for the next 10 years?
^^^Yes. It’s an investment. We did this with DH, who needed a new suit for S1’s wedding. Hopefully it’s the last suit he’ll ever buy.
Glad to see the old suits turned up on the bag a week thread.
I went and bought a athletic pullover at Old Navy that I didn’t need. I got home and thought, why did I do that? So I took it back the next day even if it was $14. That was mindless spending.
Did great - in about 15 minutes in Jos A Banks - bought suit, white shirt, paid for pants to be hemmed, used a coupon, and it totaled $220!
That’s a bargain, @kiddie!
I bought D edibles for a care package since the one I sent her before was NOT received by her. I used a coupon so instead of $9, it was $2.90 plus $7.20 postage. The box is small enough to fit in her mailbox so I’m hoping she gets it as an early Easter gift, even tho the original was supposed to be a VDay gift.
Ok, so,how are we all doing in March? I’ve been pretty good. Just bought nail polish base since I’m out and athletic socks at Target for 6.50 for 6, since I’m down to one pair. However…the following are my wants and I’m struggling not to buy.
Wallet. Mine is probably 25 years old and the leather has become quite ugly. It’s not attractive anymore, but I like the style. It’s embarrassing to take out and have others see it.
Makeup bag for purse. Same as above. I like the lightweight mesh you can sort of see through. But it’s permanently stained now and embarrassing to me when others see it. Both of these items would probably only cost $40 total to replace.
A dress from Title Nine. I want more summer lightweight dresses. It’s so cute, but it’s $79. Plus, $6 shipping and if I don’t like it another $7 to ship back. I normally wouldn’t spend this much on just a knock around dress, but I can’t seem to find ones I like searching the web, I might have to break down on this and try. I love the pattern and I don’t like a lot of dress patterns, and like I said, ones for day, vacations, etc.
So, how are you all doing. I’m totally aware these are wants and not needs. I’m trying to be mindful.
Other than food and OTC “medical” items, I haven’t bought anything. This year we’re spending on travel, visiting our kids and going to Italy. But we’re not buying any “stuff.”
Things are going pretty well…
We bought a treadmill, it’s being delivered today. I wouldn’t have bought it but my H was insistent. His health is important and he’s working crazy hours at the moment. But I bought the treadmill and nothing else that day, so it was a win for me.
Other than that, I did order a new raincoat. My old one is probably 20 years old and I broke down on international women’s day, for a small discount.
@deb922 , Health is always mindful! I’m afraid if I don’t try that dress, I’ll kick myself. I’d forgo the wallet and makeup bag. I think after a month and helping all of us save money, you deserve that coat!
@VeryHappy , where are you going in Italy? We went for the first time in 2015. We are also traveling this year, to Hawaii, that’s one of the reasons I was looking at the dress. Another reason I’m trying really hard not to nickel and dime us. I did a spreadsheet of our anticipated costs, some we know for sure, some an estimate! Wow, I really need to be mindful!
We’re going to Venice, Florence and Rome. It will be our 40th anniversary and my 70th birthday, so it’s a once-in-a-lifetime celebration. We are not big travelers.
We did Venice, Rome, Positano. One of the highlights in Rome was the Travestere Twilight Food Tour. It was fabulous and it was fun to be with a small group of people for a few hours. I love traveling with just DH, but still, within a 10 vacation, it was nice to chat with others and talk about Italy. It’s highly rated even on Trip Advisors.
https://www.eatingitalyfoodtours.com/rome/tours/twilight-trastevere/
I found Tours really added so much to our experience, they are so knowledgeable. We did the Walks of Italy Tours. Pristine Sistine and Underground Colosseum.
Venice is so romantic. My one piece of advice I read in TA and it was spot on. During the day, walk away from the crowds, in about 3 minutes you will see a calm and different Venice. They were right, it was awesome. You will get lost, but there are signs all over pointing you towards main places, so we never got nervous.
So far so good. Work is really kicking my butt right now so not a lot of extra time to be out shopping or focus on online shopping. I did help finance D2’s 3 day spring break trip to Chicago but I was happy to do that for it - really was pretty inexpensive as spring break trips go!
I do still do fun Easter baskets for my kids with some useful items and some gift cards ($10-$25 ones). I will still do these!
Did not feel well last night after a long day at work and did not make it to the Lulu sale. But on the positive side - $$ saved! 
We spent 2 days in FL a few days ago, and other than eating, we did not waste $$ on anything. No crap was brought home. None.
We’re celebrating ChoatieSergeant’s 21st birthday tomorrow (a month late). Fingers crossed that he gets in tonight with no travel issues. I went to the bank and got 21 tens to put in his card. DH wanted to put 21 hundreds in there but common sense and a thump to the head prevailed.
Haven’t bought any things at all.
I’m also traveling later this month so all resources are going to that.
I only ended up keeping one of the four items I ordered from NR that I purchased during the Feb freeze which was a down jacket replacement for an old, 15+ yo beloved one that was falling apart. Only $40 so the price point was good. I’m wearing it right now. Yesterday I was back on slickdeals and there was a 32 Degrees packable down that I need for Yosemite this summer for $40 rather than $100 so I ordered it. And I read on CC about the 20% off at Lululemon so went over and bought a pair of exercise pants that I’d been thinking about for quite awhile and appreciated not paying full price but they are so darn expensive!
Separately, we’re starting a remodel at the end of the month and I’m spending left and right on that and we’ll be traveling for the first 3 weeks of it as we have to be out of the house anyways so lots of spending coming up. But, for me, this thread is about the ‘mindless’ spending I do. While I can justify the 2 new jackets and the pants, I’m on the fence about true need. Hopefully I won’t make any other mindless or not-true-need purchases for the rest of the month.
I think all of us seem to be doing well…at a minimum, it seems we’re all pausing before purchasing to assess whether we really should make the purchase and are being more thoughtful about it.
Yesterday, went to a thrift shop and bought an air plant for $10 plus a earthenware vase to put it in for $2 (1/2 price). We managed to leave the store after that; it saved me a trip to Costco, Sam’s or florist to buy a potted orchid I had been considering as a gift. We all think it’s a lovely and unique gift for a friend who has been amazingly wonderful and kind over the years.
I signed up for Babbel to work on a foreign language I need. I think this qualifies as “mindful,” though not “freeze.”