A month without Shopping

On December 31st, I decided to go for a month without shopping. There was not one single thing that pushed me to this decision; it was more me being curious about if I could do it.

I kept my challenge simple – I wasn’t going to buy anything but food for January. I gave myself the option of purchasing household items(like laundry detergent) only if we were entirely out.

I, of course, would pay bills and put gas in my car.

But that was it.

It was hard until it wasn’t.

In the first two weeks, I realized just how much time I spend scrolling through Amazon, searching for clothes on Thred Up, or mindless looking at baskets on World Market.

Whenever I caught myself in that trap, I closed my computer and went for a walk or picked up a novel. That helped.

Toward the last half of the month, I swung the other way, wondering how long I could go on this way. I was gleefully tenting my fingers in a Mr. Burns fashion when I caught wind of how much was in my checking account.

To be completely candid, I didn’t make it till the end of the month. That last week of January, a bathroom vanity, that I had my eye on for months, went on sale. It wasn’t a puny 20% off either. It was half off, which amounted to almost $400 in savings.

So, of course, I bought that bitch with a smile on my face.

So really, a month without shopping is a misnomer. But I stepped into February with a better understanding of my spending habits. And a bit more clarity on what I actually need (and what Instagram ads tell me I need).

Have you ever done a spending fast? I would love to hear about it.

PS – Shop your house first.