Okay, folks. For transparency and accountability: I've spent money all but 2 days so far this month. I've overspent my spending plan, which was $10/week.
Details: I spent $13 on the Headspace app because I wanted to do two specific meditation series; $5 and $10 to worthy causes on GoFundMe; a couple of coffees, and yesterday I actually went shopping (gasp!) I hit up a clothing store where I have $80 credit and bought black jeans which look great on me and a Chico's red & black shirt & what-the-hell-throw-in-some-earrings...totaled about $30. I headed into the Discovery Shop (benefits the American Cancer Association) and housewares & pink tags were on 50% off. I got two items for my room at $2 each, and spent the rest of the $11 buying stuff for my spring garage sale at a dollar or less each. I'm planning a $2-$5 for every item garage sale in March. It's specifically to raise money for an emergency savings fund. Lastly, I've used my Starbuck's card twice (and bought my lunch with rewards points). And I gave Penn $12 for a prescription & $10 for bumming around money. This is all to say: I'm not clean, and I'm not perfect. I'm still susceptable to whim and I do get a high from shopping. I notice I'm trying to justify most of my purchases by the "it's for a good cause clause". I feel a little guilty from the shopping. But I also feel like putting it in perspective, which has led me to post these Impulsive Shopping Recovery Steps as a guide for myself.
So my plan is to stay aware, and keep trying. I may never be able to completely stop all impulsive buying -- or hey, it's early days yet, maybe I will someday. But what I'm actually aiming for is a lifestyle I can sustain. So follow the steps above and stay aware. More info bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/6/e011045 Estimating the number of quit attempts it takes to quit smoking successfully in a longitudinal cohort of smokers. Chaiton, M. et al., BMJ Open, 2016 https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200405/the-surprising-truth-about-addiction?collection=10075 Peele, S. "The Surprising Truth About Addiction," Psychology Today. May, 2004
1 Comment
Helen Yeomans
10/2/2017 09:49:04 am
Thanks for sharing your insight. I have been privileged to read all the blogs mentioned here but know that I missed some good knowledge.
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ArchivesAuthorVirginia Lore enjoys living life as an experiment and frequently steps out of her comfort zone -- when she's not hiding out in her room with the covers over her head that is. You may email her: [email protected] |