Friday, December 28, 2012

We got no money, but we got heart, heart, heart.


“Ok. don't panic. Don't panic. It's only a VISA bill. It's a piece of paper; a few numbers. I mean, just how scary can a few numbers be?” 




Show of hands: Who has seen or read Confessions of a Shopaholic? It's a light-hearted, beach read about the quirky Becky Bloomwood and her misguided love affair with her credit card. She's endearing and (arguably) quite likable.

Except that she's kinnnd of a compulsive liar and sort of selfish and has not an ounce of self control in her entire body.
However, anyone that has ever hidden unopened bills from themselves... or faked an accent when collectors call... or has bought a pair of $250 shoes instead of paying the gas bill... or has had a bad day and needed to buy something...just a little something...as a consolation... or...er..is this just me? :) Anyway, I find her completely relatable in the worst kind of way.

So here I am.
Up to my ears in debt.
Trying to start a new business.
And I am the queen of not following through. (I get bored, lose interest, forget about it, don't have time...I have a laundry list of reasons why...I embarrassingly have a million unfinished projects sitting around my itty bitty apartment.)

Here is my public declaration...
::drum roll::

January 1st begins the first month of my Spending Fast! I'll be using And Then We Saved as my bible! (Check her out!)

Simply put, I will not be spending money on anything I don't NEED. 
And similarly to Ms. Bloomwood, I can justify most of my "wants" as "needs"(ahem...$100 rabbit fur ear muffs...) The following is a very black and white, if not all-inclusive, list of things I will have to spend money on and things I just can't.

NEEDS! Things I will have to spend money on

Rent.

Utilities.

Phone bill.

Groceries. (comparative shopping, coupon clipping (!?) and researching deals rather than going to the fancy store that's only a stones throw away.)

Monthly bus pass/ public trans. (or walk! most everything I need is within a mile of me!)

Photo supplies. (done cost effectively and sparingly.)

WANTS! Things I can NOT spend my money on

Eating out.

Fancy coffee. (and the yummiest. :( )

Clothes/ Shoes. (learn to shop my closet and repurpose old items.)

New makeup.

Cute little notebooks.

Trinkets/ knick knacks/ tchotchke (AKA JUNK)

Books. (Get a library card! borrow or have a book swap with friends! some of these money saving tricks are so smack-me-in-the-head-DUH!)

Pretty paper.

Boxes of greeting cards. (already own a half dozen..)

Waxing. (they created razors for a reason, i suppose.)

Cabs. (I'm embarrassed at the amount of cabs I take.)

Home decorations.

Yarn.

Cupcake liners. (I don't know...I'm a hoarder of the weird variety. they ARE usually on sale :) )




Alright, seeing as my "wants" list is quite a bit longer than my "needs" list, now would be the time to wish me luck.

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