Cash is burning a hole in my pocket. As you may have been able to tell, (alot of) money is trickling through my fingers (alarmingly) rapidly. I think I lost my saving mojo discipline.
It probably doesn’t help that my love of online browsing has deepened- a couple days ago I spent 4 hours in the middle of the night looking at bedding from Target. (Is that a cry for help?) At least I was looking at Target, not Neiman Marcus. Still, I know sooner or later I will succumb to the style and comfort promised by a new duvet set, and then $90 will go bye-bye.
How, HOW do you all stay motivated?
Maybe this will help: Target bedding looks nice, but it feels icky. Get something less attractive on clearance somewhere higher end and you’ll get more enjoyment out of it.
You’ve basically hit the core of personal finance and investing. Of all the factors that can influence your financial well-being, behavior is by far #1. Without a real goal to shoot for (beyond just reducing debt or funding savings/invesments), it’s very hard to stay motivated. I’ve personally found I can avoid spending by working on my side projects.
I have my eye on a new job soon … that’s what’s keeping me motivated to stay on track and budgeting. I’ve got my eye on the prize …
My brain keeps telling me not to spend anymore money on clothes … so far I’ve spent $272, $20 for shoe repairs, and $80 on a few tops to replace the ones that were fading and old. Then I went to Nordstroms to replace the bras that have lost their shape and get an accurate fitting Chantelle ones at $68. That’s equivalent to that tote bag you just purchased! It stings to spend that much but now I’ve got a better wardrobe to wear for interviews and such.
I feel your pain.
I recently hit a similar speed bump due to some extra spending for Valentine’s day which included a shopping trip where I pulled the “something for her…and something for me” routine.
I think (read: hope) the bumps are fine. There’s an old saying that I think fits - “it doesn’t matter how many times you fall, what matters is how many times you get back up”.
So - keep at it and you’ll get there.
Look - sometimes being frugal is a little like dieting. You can’t deny yourself all the time. But it is worth understanding your spending and what is motivating. Are you shopping because you’re bored? That’s like eating because you’re bored.
Anyway, if you do want to get some nice bedding I suggest you go more upscale than Target if you can afford it. Actually, go to smartbargains.com or overstock.com - they have really nice bedding for pretty good prices. I agree with Strange Bird, the Target stuff just doesn’t feel as nice.
Good luck!
I do a few things to resist the desire to shop:
#1 don’t get magazines, except business-related material.
#2 don’t buy soft goods online that you haven’t already tried in a store. You wouldn’t want a scratchy blanket or a sweater with sleeves too short.
#3 remember that mall traffic is awful on weekends, and do something more fun instead. Play outside, meet friends, go for a run.
I was also going to suggest Overstock—way better quality than Target for the money.
I guess I stay motivated with clever use of repetition. Over-planning, if you will—making effectively the same decision over and over again. Which, if one thinks about it, is pretty appropriate, given that every day one is deciding between financial goals and pretty, soft duvet sets (or similar).
But be careful to make sure that your goals are manageable—budget to spend, not just to save, you know? For me, doing a budget in which “clothes” and “haircuts” and “unexpected little spending things” and “eating out” all get money every paycheck helps keep the spending guilt in check—that way, I’m sticking to the budget, even if I’m spending, you know?
Hey everyone, thanks so much for your suggestions. I did check out smartbargains.com and found the prices (and quality) much more appealing than the Target duvet set.
I’ve decided that since I bought so much stuff in the past month, that I’m going to hold back for a couple of months before I start buying again. But there is a red and white set from smartbargains that seems awfully tempting…
Oh and Alyssa, you hit the nail right on the head. I do buy when I’m bored AND I eat when I’m bored (and not bored. In short, I really just have a love affair with food). Bad bad bad, I know.
I was just pondering how awful online shopping is for your budget. It’s so instant gratification, without even getting up from your seat! I’d have to say that I try my very best to stay away from even browsing online when I know that my bank account can’t bear it, and especially if I’m JUST browsing out of boredom. I swear this is why you hear stories about people finding that they’ve spent ten thousand dollars on iTunes!
[...] going out to eat (sushi, tacos, tapas, Vietnamese noodles, Chinese takeout every 2 nights), shopping up a storm online, sleeping at odd hours and putting off studying until the last. possible. [...]
Hi Wanda…I just look to the goal! I have clipped pictures of my dream houses, kitchens, etc. and when I get tired of being sooo money-cautious, I just take them out and remember…mostly, I’ve found that keeping a list of “things I want ” and returning to the list in a few weeks to re-evaluate has drastically cut down on my I-want’s.
…plus, you can always find coupon codes & %’s off from things like Citi Merchant network (if you have a Citi credit card), or “shopping networks” (if you subscribe to Lucky, Marie Claire, or FatWallet).
[...] Well-heeled has a question about motivation. [...]