These boots are made for...

One of the few things I NEEDED to buy before beginning this fast was new winter boots. However, I couldn't find the perfect ones. So now I'm left a bunch of old scrappy pairs!

Mine are all (but 1 pair) falling apart at the seams! And not in a subtle kind of way either.
More like two pairs could be having a conversation with each other in my closet..

I could be a supersuper money saver and just wrap my feet in in ziplock bags and cross my fingers they won't leak.
Or I could just have all the soles done up at a shoe repair (which would still cost less than a new pair.)

I guess in the meantime I'll just deal with my boot envy and do some serious online -window- shopping.

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I'm a size 8 in boots for anyone feeling generous this month :)))

Day 8: Can't buy love.

It doesn't take money to have a good time with these goofs. (These 3 are my nanny family, by the way!) We can read, or make crafts, or visit free parks or zoos. We can just hang out! They have plenty to say!

In the past, I've felt like we'd have more fun or, as silly as it sounds, they'd like me more if I bought them things or activities (including those butterfly wings...)

I'm not quite sure where I've come up with this theory considering my parents certainly didn't shower us with STUFF. I grew up in the era of "Go play outside!" if you were bored. And having an active imagination was encouraged!

They'll like me, with or without the crap.

One Week in...

And here I am sitting at a STARBUCKS. I'm WEAK!

Here was my internal dialogue after noticing my Internet is down at home today.

Frustrated Tiffany: Gah :curses Internet company: where can I use WIFI for free?
Illogical Tiffany: Just walk over to Starbucks, it'll cost you 3 bucks TOPS.
Responsible Tiffany: That's $3 more than I want to spend. Let's take the bus down to Nordstrom to use theirs.
Irresponsible Tiffany: It's so far and COLD. Plus Day 7 is way too soon to be window shopping. We could visit with Ashley at the bar and use their Internet.
Smarty pants Tiffany: You know you'll end up ordering food, then drinks, then before you know it, you'll be 20 dollars in the hole.
Bad Tiffany: Save yourself the frustration. Just go to Starbucks.

Bad Tiffany is quite convincing.

BUT somehow the universe got together and wanted to help me out! After I ordered my black blonde roast, the barista very apologetically informed me that they had to brew a new batch and this cup was on the house. (I did tip her, of course. I'd rather be poor than cheap.)

Thanks, Universe. I owe you one.

Day 4: SUCCESS!

After a quick trip to pick up some food for the weekend, I'm feeling quite proud of myself.

Picture this:
I'm pushing a crabby toddler in a stroller while dragging two 3 year olds through a crowded grocery store at lightning speed saying, "Please stop touching. Please stop touching. Boys, I won't tell you again, PLEASE stop touching."

I've got exactly $23 dollars in my wallet and that's all I have to spend on meal food, not treats or snacks. (The old Tiffany would have just taken out her debit card without a care in the world.)

After gathering all my necessities and making my calculations, I see a 12 pack of toliet paper for $4 bucks (over half off!) Plus a 12 pack could last me almost 3 months! Seeing as with all my sale items and my store loyalty card, I thought we might just make it under par.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. It was about a buck fifty over. And with jussst a glimmer of hesitation, I grab a box of frozen pasta and put.it.back.

We have to celebrate the small wins, people.

I should mention that this Spending Fast project is two-fold.
Not spending money to pay off debt is important to me. Very important.

But so is living more simply. Enjoying life (without so much STUFF) and the people I share it with (without the burden of having to spending cash to spend time together!)

Even after downsizing from a one bedroom apartment with 3 big closets and ample storage to my charming little studio with it's one.tiny.little.closet and no usable storage space to speak of, I still have more stuff than I know what to do with. My drawers are at capacity, under the bed is overflowing tupperware containers, and I can't close the closet door without using all my body weight..

And, sadly, I can count the number of times I've "entertained" on one hand. ( I use the word "entertained" loosely, because in order to actually have people over for a meal we have to picnic on my floor...and if we're just hanging out, it has to be on my bed watching my 13 in. television. or listening to music on my Macbook... Really, I may as well live in a dorm.)


So! In addition to using "eat more cake" as a forum to share my journey (journey? really? bring on the cheese...), struggle, and most importantly, successes out of debt, I'm also using this as a platform to display all the simple (see: cheap, inexpensive, free) pleasures that I'll be paying more attention to and photographing!

I'm assuming most of the images I'll be sharing will be of babies and food. But who knows, I could surprise myself! This is, after all, a growing process.