Monday, January 30, 2012

Spending money when you don't have to.

I was talking to a friend yesterday about not spending money that we don't have to spend.

For example:

When I got to HEB and I really want to buy a new lipgloss when I already have 10.

Or....when I want to buy the kids their Valentine's cards on December 31st....

Or..... like the time that I went to Target to buy socks and saw a really cute bathing suit for Madi. In January.

Now, I didn't buy the bathing suit, but why the heck do they have to put that stuff out yet??

Because there are suckers like me.

I used to be REALLY bad at this. Sometimes I like to buy a magazine at HEB and that's okay. No harm done. However, I have really forced myself to stop buying things I don't actually need.

Also, I have been talking about how I want to move to a bigger house. We don't actually HAVE to, but I find myself getting annoyed with our home and critical. When in reality, I actually like our home.
Since I've been running, I have grown increasingly thankful for our neighborhood and I really like the we are getting to know our neighbors (and that they are coming to church with us!)  God has us here for a reason. Remembering things like that helps me to get focused.

Contentment.

Is that another part of this change thing in me?


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh, I struggle with this very thing, too, even with basic groceries, like I used to buy 8 cans of soup when I really only needed 3 or so. There is a chapter in Blue Like Jazz where Miller describes our impulse to shop - he goes on about needing an extension cord, how he desperately wanted to go to the store to buy one just so he could buy something - it's silly, but I can relate. I think this kind of mental shift is a process that takes a long time. I know because I have been living the process for a few years. I have found it does get easier over time to say no. And then when I DO buy something for myself, it is so much fun. And when I AM gifted with something like a gift card, I have such a hard time spending it now! I still have $7 on a Target card from a couple months ago and I don't want to give it up. Ha ha.