That’s a very elegant outfit @conmama. I can see why it is tempting. Good luck in your decision. I’m glad your new iPad is bringing you such enjoyment!
@HImom , thanks! I did have the salesgal take some photos so I could look at home. I think I’m going to have to pass. I just got finished looking and it seems I’m going to have to say goodbye to strapless (even with the convertible straps). I noticed I have too much underarm fat that now buldges out. Maybe no one would notice, but I do. When did that happen???
Not my iPad, I think that was deb22.
Just got my credit card bill and I did very well. Except for the over $500 car repair, I didn’t spend much at all.
Groan . . .
Trip to Puerto Rico for S2’s wedding. Spent lots on dinners out, gifts for DIL’s family.
New furnace. We knew that was coming, but still.
Granddaughter was born February 6. As soon as she gets her Social Security Number, I’ll be opening a 529 for her and depositing $1,000.
Not a good February, but certainly a special, wonderful one!!
How did you find PR? We were there 6 months before the hurricane and it broke my heart. We stayed in Condado, spent a couple days in Rincon.
We were only in San Juan, which has substantially come back. The two major problems we noticed were terrible terrible potholes, even on major streets, and traffic lights that still don’t work. Our hosts – who are from PR, were there during the hurricane, and still live on the island – said that the government has had other, higher priority issues to deal with – water, electricity, etc.
A college friend of mine is Puerto Rican and stayed there for 2 months, left to stay in Chicago with family for a long time and went back last fall. I only talked to her after the hurricane and she said it was unimaginable. Glad to hear things are somewhat better.
How 'bout if everyone stops mentioning repairs/maintenance/replacements/groceries? You don’t need to be forgiven for required expenditures regardless of cost. If your furnace/car/arm breaks, it has to be fixed or replaced and whatever it costs is not what this thread is about. It’s about controlling mindless spending.
Kudos to @conmama for passing on the lovely, but unnecessary jumpsuit. THAT’s what this thread is about IMO.
Carry on. 
Sigh, we’ve really blown it this month. 
We need an intervention.
I have always had difficulty with strapless and always preferred sleeves for myself due to underarm and underwear issues myself. This includes from when I was a teen through now.
I guess I’ve saved a lot of money and probably avoided a lot of trendier fashions.
I agree that spending freeze never includes necessities and maintenance. I think mindful spending is the key.
It just seems like we can’t get the “necessities” under control. We HAD to go to Denver this past weekend because DH’s mom is failing rapidly. We HAVE to pay for tutoring for our middle kid because he’s struggling in his computer programming class at college. We HAVE to pay for counseling for our daughter with anxiety. It just goes on and on and on. I think we get so discouraged that we then spend money on stuff we DON’T have to buy.
@MaineLonghorn , we do that too. It’s almost self-soothing spending. I have spent $150 on clothes this month. 2 items actually filled in holes in my wardrobe. (That’s my defense). The other was totally unnecessary, I just wanted it. (Not the jumpsuit). I might return it if I don’t think it looks good, though.
I think that’s really true @MaineLonghorn. We are so depleted by out of control emergencies that we are worn out. That’s when we may feel that we want to let loose a little bit. Reward ourselves for weathering those storms.
Which I don’t feel are necessarily bad. Because we have to have an outlet for all the stress in our lives. As long as they are affordable and not putting yourself in a hole, then by all means treat yourself! That’s how I feel, life is short, you can’t be perfect all the time.
That jumpsuit is swoon worthy @conmama! Too bad you don’t have an event to wear it to. Keep checking the website though, it’s a piece that might find itself markdown by a lot. Wouldn’t it be great for a dress up night on a cruise? You could always find a cute shrug for the top part to cover it up. Anyways, it’s very cute.
Thank you @ChoatieMom for saying exactly what I’ve been thinking.
I’m doing ok right now. Trying really hard to save and accumulate savings for our new roof. Once we have a price firm on that, then I can try and figure out what to do with the rest of the year. Now I’m dreaming of a vacation somewhere warm, trying to figure that out.
Sometimes food items are a splurge. I bought two white truffle butters $11 each on sale just because I wanted to yesterday. Popped into my favorite uptown market and spent $150. I try not to stop there often but I will splurge there and enjoy the guilt over clothes shopping most days. This has been a very bad month so far. Not what I have bought but what I paid. No sales shopping. January was a super savings month though.
(Contessa’s truffle butter mashed potatoes ??)
@deb922, I think that’s a good idea to keep an eye out for a deep discount. I could probably make it work. I’d be happier knowing I paid a lot less.
Exercise is free!
Sorry to be a negative voice here, but the jumpsuit combines quite a few of “no nos”. It is white, strapless, and a jumpsuit. Any one without the other two would be fine, but all three make a horrible combo, IMO, from a practicality standpoint. White stains, strapless sags, and it is hard to go to the bathroom in a jumpsuit!
Gosh, how did those millions of brides in strapless gowns manage??
Are we talking a wedding dress? 
Brag alert
I’m successfully eight months into a year of no clothes buying. This is an amazing accomplishment for me. Every time I feel antsy about needing something new, I go through my clothes, try everything on and then donate some items. I don’t need more. I need less. It seems cleaning and organizing gives me the same rush as shopping. Definitely a stress reliever. Also, I’m doing cost per wear charts, which are both educational and entertaining. And another way for me to obsess about clothes without buying.
I’m trying to frame this to myself as living well, not putting the emphasis on saving money, though of course that’s happening.