No insurance. Just nasty teens.
@conmama: If my math is correct, you’ve spent around $1000 on “stuff” in the last couple of months.
I thought this might be a good thread to post this on - I am NOT interested in no spending for a year but I am interested for tips and for curiosity to read this book. One of the podcasts I listen to has talked about this book a lot and the couple (home renovators/decorators) are doing a “no spending” month. (no spending does not mean essentials - they have set their own rules up)
I really hope to get a chance to get my hands on this book, “The Year of Less” :
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-year-of-less-cait-flanders/1126612822?ean=9781401953522&st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_New+Core+Shopping+Top+Margin+EANs_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP210220&gclid=CjwKCAjwoKDXBRAAEiwA4xnqv5JP9ychYJZYMJI0jENOBK0a8F00bGs8jQO6Dpa0tVAHeHAxhMvVdRoCcvYQAvD_BwE#/
@VeryHappy …that is correct. I sent some things back, closer to $800. I hardly had any summer clothes or sandals that were instyle or fit me well. We are going on a vacation next week, so did my summer spending in March. Most of it I don’t consider mindless…especially my sandals, which are orthopedic. $360 is that was for those. But I ask you, what was the purpose of your comment?
No purpose, @conmama. Just an observation.
$360 for orthopedic sandals seems a necessity to me, not “stuff.”
I guess for my lifestyle, I don’t consider the clothes I purchased “stuff”. Your posts seem quite judgmental. Not sure why you feel like commenting.
Not seeing anything judgemental. Clothes ARE stuff.
I certainly didn’t mean to sound judgmental. Sometimes posts don’t come across right.
My D unsubscribed to all her emails from sites that tempted her to spend money. She feels this has helped her not just browse because somewhere she likes to shop is having a sale. She also is making an effort to track more of her spending. She has plenty of money and a strong savings account built up but felt she was spending without a lot of thought.
I have cut way back on my spending. I’m thinking twice about what I buy. I also am more selective about what items I keep when I receive an online order. If I don’t love it I send it back. Where I have to be careful is I get a huge discount on several lines of footwear through a family member. How many sandals, boots and athletic shoes do I need.
I’ve noticed a temptation to purchase items for the house that I “like better” than the current, perfectly functional items I have.
I found myself browsing Overstock for a new dining room table. It’s…ridiculous. I mean, it’s not ridiculous for anyone to want a new dining room table, it’s ridiculous for ME to be considering it. We sit at the dining room table, at most, twice a year. And it’s not like I have a mountain of disposable income at hand.
Funny how our minds work.
We are very much a consumer society.
Well, I am having a custom window coverings guy come to our home tomorrow to give us free advice and show us some samples. He made and installed drapes in a friend’s home and I was admiring them. Our current drapes are several decades old and really deserve to be replaced—just didn’t know whom to ask.
I’m looking forward to our meeting and believe his price will be in the ballpark or lower than his competitors. We really can afford to get window coverings more often than we have and H says we can just replace rather than washing when they age or get dusty.
This is a great month for me to jump in. DD’s club season has ended so there go thousands of travel expenses. Looking forward to saving my paycheck again!
I have’n spent a dime this month!! (I’m pretty sure many of you haven’t, either.) Good start!!
@HiToWaMom I went grocery shopping yesterday just so I could wait as long as possible before spending anything this month. :))
Hahaha, @HiToWaMom
Unfortunately, this very morning, I placed an order with IT Cosmetics. BUT, I took the time to order directly from their web site instead of automatically going to Amazon.
We are almost out of catfood… but I don’t think my cats will let me wait any longer with my Chewy order. 
The clothes I purchased wasn’t mindless spending.
I bought 2 dresses last month. I didn’t really need 2 but I liked them both a lot. It’s hard to find dresses that are flattering and fit well so I kept both.
I have occasions to wear both of them. And if the weather is even somewhat nice on Friday, I have another.
Never feel bad about what you buy. For so many years, everything was about the kids. Now I feel it’s about me for a little while. I’ll get to the point that I won’t want to buy trendy clothes or I won’t look forward to shopping for something. I see that happening with my mom and mil. And god willing, I’ll have grandchildren to spoil.
Enjoy your upcoming vacation @conmama. I love having something new and cute for vacation. And every year when I get my summer clothes out, I find especially with summer clothes, they wear out faster. Stuff looks worn and bad. Or those shorts are a little too tight. I want to get out of leggings. So I replace a few things at the beginning of the season and wear the crap out of them.
@deb922 …thanks! I think you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned how we seemed to do without when the kids were little. I still liked to look nice, but found I was always buying for them and enjoying it. I never went to trendier stores to buy my clothes, until just a few years ago. I still have the tendency to gasp at prices, even when it really isn’t that bad.
I also agree how our priorities will continue to change. We used to spend money fixing up the house, remodeling, buying new furniture, etc. Now, our home is dated and we don’t want to spend the money. We have it, but would rather spend it on other things. I’m just not sure giving our house a do over would give us the joy it once did, so we are hesitant about plucking down the money.
Right now, we love to travel, stay at really nice places, go to trendy restaurants and wear our new clothes!