Hello Everyone!
Apologies for not touching base sooner (I hope this doesn’t read like an email!) but these first few weeks back at the No Shop/No Spend game have really had its ups and downs. I am very proud to say that I have not spent one dime on anything frivolous so far, although the urge has been so high lately. We are coming up on my favorite time of year- Fall (or in Texas what we refer to as Hotumn), and my old habit of stalking every website to see what new Halloween decor items get released is a very hard habit to kick.
I LOVE Halloween. It really is my favorite time of year to celebrate. Spooky Season was always a big deal in our home growing up with just me and my mom, and I have such a soft spot for vintage Halloween decor that reminds me of childhood. Every year starting about mid July I begin to search stores for fun new pieces of Halloween decor to add to my collection (which includes everything from vintage McDonald’s Boo Buckets, Halloween TY Beanie Babies, coffee mugs, wall signs, more pumpkins than a person could fathom, and anything Hocus Pocus I find).
I promise this entire post isn’t October/Halloween related, but it does go with my point: deciding not to shop frees up so much time that I really do not know how to fill! For the past week I have slowly been on a downward slope of checking TJMaxx and Marshall’s online for new decor items, and while window shopping is fun, it looses it’s magic when you know you aren’t taking anything home. I have instead been organizing the entire house – my poor husband has no idea where anything is anymore – and basically trying to keep my hands busy and free from online shopping urges and grabbing my wallet.
I know I have willpower to achieve my goal of not shopping, but I did not expect to hit a wall so soon. I have been making lists of ideas of things to do rather than online peruse, and I would love to hear some of your ideas of things to do instead of longingly look at my computer screen and drool (lovely image I bet). Walk the pups more, clean, organize and donate unused items, read more and listen to new podcasts, learn a new skill (I am studying French currently!) are just some of the ideas rolling around in my head.
I am just under 2 weeks shy of hitting my first month of no shopping. I am so ready to hit that 1 month marker and I know I can do it. I will keep you all posted how the rest of the month goes and feel free to leave me a comment of what some of your favorite free activities are! I would love to hear them!
