Spending...

Good Morning Blog world.

I took the day off yesterday and it was probably one of the best decisions I made in a long time. Today I am feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world. So, watch out here I come!

On another note... my thoughts on my spending habits.

I have very bad spending habits. I mean... very bad spending habits. And what is worse... I am not very good at denying myself things. If I want it, I buy it. Without much thought either. And as you can guess, that has probably gotten me into some trouble these last couple of years.

Now, I do want to say... people, I am not in serious debt. I am doing fine.

However, if I don't get these bad habits under control, I will be in trouble.

So, what am I doing about it? Well, I am praying about it. I am telling you about it, as well as considering telling a couple of people in my life right now so that they can help me and keep me accountable.

I am also praying about maybe taking a Sunday School class at church that goes through the Crown Financial Series. I think a class just started so I may have to wait until next "semester." (can you believe that semesters still rule your life post college...)

But I am also trying to go on a spending fast. I have read about people who do these for many reasons. They seem to be very trendy right now.... you now... the American kick to not appear to be so materialistic and all.

Well, I guess I am doing my own version of it. What does it look like you ask? Let me tell you.

Of course I can buy the necessities. Food... duh. But, only what I need. Hence why no more buying soda. no more buying ice cream or candy. Just what I need to survive. Do I need that candy bar? no.

Clothing. I have plenty... so no new clothes. There are a couple of items I am allowed to buy though. If I need new undergarments, I can buy those. I am also in desperate need for a new pair of tennis shoes. The pair I am wearing now, I have had since Junior year of college... maybe earlier. It is time to retire them. But that really cute black wrap dress? no... I don't need those. What about if a really cute shirt is on clearance? No... I don't NEED it. I have how many shirts in my closet? in my drawers? no... tennis shoes. And, if I get a hole in one of my pairs of jeans I can replace them. But that is it.

Books. Nope... no new ones here either. I have plenty of books on my book shelf that need to be read first. And then after that... it is called a library. They are your friend. I will use them.

What about Scrapbooking stuff, you ask? a no go there. I have plenty of materials to play with in my drawers. So... I am going to use that stuff first. It is time to let go of the idea that I need new stuff to be creative, to be happy. What is that idea, and where did it come from? I have plenty of stuff in my apartment. Stuff that I don't ever use. It is time to discover what I have, use it and let the idea that I need to buy something disappear.

The hard part is knowing where to draw the line socially. How many times a week is too much for eating out? I feel like I go out a lot, and that is a place I need to cute down. I'll let you know what I decide about that.

Anyway... that is a small part of my plan. A spending fast, of sorts.

Let me know if you have any advice on how to make my bad habits into good ones. Change is happening. I am growing up.... slowly but surely.