fur4elise
Well-known member
Shelly! Thanks, I feel like I made a lot of progress last year and am sort of in a semi-maintenance stage, at least with most of my shopping habits. Always enjoy your FOTDs!
Yes! I started using Mint in July of last year and couldn't believe how much we were spending on eating out. We've gotten so much better at eating healthier and have probably cut our food spending by half.
Super smart to only purchase something when you have the money for it - that's how I was brought up but when I had to take out loans for school that kind of went out the window because debt was viewed to be normal and acceptable. Seems to be less and less common to pay for things with money you actually have these days! I'm still a little bit on the credit card float - using credit cards for groceries and things over two weeks and then paying that off every paycheck along with my regular payments and interest. Making payments every two weeks instead of after every statement helps me keep on track and also helps lower the interest a little bit - and every little bit helps. I'm working on paying back a $7000+ balance from July when we moved, but I'm almost halfway and in a couple of months it should be gone when I pay off the last chunk with my tax return. At that point I'll have an emergency fund sitting in my account at all times and I hope to never have a balance past the grace period again. The amount of interest I've paid in the last 7 months was a wake up call for sure. I've been using YNAB now instead of Mint which I like a lot better and I'm finally on the right track!
All the best with applying for jobs! I hope you find a good fit soon and get out of that environment. I feel like on some level I'll never really overcome the retail therapy thing. I've been doing so well for the last couple of months and then over the weekend I felt the urge to purchase rising again. I was able to resist, but it shows me that I always have to be self-aware. It was my birthday over the weekend and I made plans with 6 of my friends - everyone cancelled. It seems to be the trend for me lately - there's always something going on so people tend to avoid committing to plans to keep their options open or make plans and then cancel. I'm trying to make sure I cultivate that inner happiness and motivation instead of relying on other people for that self-esteem boost. Definitely a work in progress.
Thank you!
Thank you! "Spontaneous" aka "waiting to see if something better comes along."
I think making sure that your happiness comes from within yourself is one of the best things you can do.. no need to rely on unreliable people or that short-term high from the new & shiny. Still working on that but things really started to turn around for me last year when I realized that I needed to work smart, not hard. Being restrictive and trying to fit yourself into a box usually doesn't work as well as finding more positive and beneficial things to focus on.
^^^^^^Happy Belated Birthday! Boo! Shame on them for missing an opportunity to make fun lasting memories!
I love your reflections on inner happiness. No matter how sparkly shiny the outside e.g. clothing, shoes, jewelry, & makeup, true shine comes from inside not stuffs. I learned a few years ago that no one person, no one thing is responsible for my happiness. It lands on us to control / modify our responses to those around us. Block bad energy, cultivate peace around ourselves, invite those in who energize, invite those in who are authentic, do things that make you happy! etc.
Well ladies happy weekend! I've gone another week with a no beauty buy! Really not too hard with no outstanding sales and no releases calling my name.
I'm also ready to dive back into my "dekrappification" of my stuff! Currently it is my costume jewelry, watch collection & some fine jewelry. Waaaay to much stuff just sitting in drawers getting no love no attention. I've become a minimalist, just wearing my diamond earrings, wedding rings & my sterling silver promise key necklace. Oh and my Polar A300 watch (fitness tracker & heart rate monitor with exchangeable bands). It is time to let it all go. So I will gift some of it & list stuff on eBay. I look at it this way, I will be able generate a small fund that can be used for either a new fitness watch and/or a beauty splurge. But Oi! It takes time to take pics, measure things & write descriptions. On the flip side it feels great to lighten the heavy stuff load!
Last edited:
