Saturday, February 16, 2008

The biggest challenge thus far

As we’re going forward with our LBYM 2008 project, I’m doing awfully well at things like reducing gasoline consumption and not going to WalMart. The grocery budget has been going well, too, mostly because I’ve been aggressively clearing out the cupboards and freezer rather than buying ‘new’ food.

However, it is becoming clear that my biggest temptation is going to come from online retailers, especially those of the yarn persuasion.

I get ten or more emails every single day from assorted online companies. Most of them I can delete without being tempted in the slightest to even peek…but there are a few that are almost irresistible to me.

KnitPicks. Gaelsong. Webs. JoAnn.

They’re killing me, man!!

I know that I should simply delete the emails without peeking. I should just hit the delete key. Bang. Gone.

But I peek. I say, “I’ll just look, you know, just for giggles …”

And then they say, “CLEARANCE!” or some junk like that, and I’m clicking on the link and next thing I know I’ve got $75 in my shopping cart.

Fortunately, thus far I have managed to not actually impulse-buy things like Celtic goddess statues and piles of yarn ‘on sale’, but I greatly fear it is only a matter of time before I forget myself.

It’s like being on a diet while working in a chocolate factory.

So, from here on out, I am going to be screening my email. Every day, I’m going to reconfirm my commitment to taking care of business first by going through my incoming mail and deleting even the most tempty of the online retailer offers.

Without peeking.

Even if the word ‘clearance’ is in the title. No matter how good the sale, spending money on things I don’t need right now is out of the question.

I have bigger hopes and dreams to take care of, first.

5 comments:

Siercia said...

Amen!

Those e-mails are so hard to resist. But SO much of it - absolutely stuff you don't need. And no matter how cheap it is, if you don't need it or if you're spending money you shouldn't on it, it's NOT worth it.

Anonymous said...

You go girl!! Your commitment to debt reduction has helped me to have the same"New Year's Resolution." Every time I read about another time that you have resisted temptation, I too are bolstered to keep the faith.

Keep up the good work!!

Anonymous said...

Good for you! It is SO hard to say no like that. I don't know about you, but the more concerned we are about finances, the more I have to fight the temptation to buy things I don't really need. Forbidden fruit syndrome? I don't know. I just know that you are really motivating me to think twice about how I'm spending my money this year, too. Thank you!!

Marty52 said...

Yeah... they are so hard to resist... I tumbled in that pit last week with fabric from Equilter. It sure is pretty, though! And... it's for Christmas presents... at least that's the plan!

Dew said...

In the interest of supporting you in your financial goals (see my earlier comment on moving back to or closer to SF), I make you this offer: I will photograph my (embarrassingly large) yarn stash and allow you to choose from among it whenever you get the urge or yen to shop online at an emporium that will charge you money. I will send you the yarn of your choice no more frequently than once a month ('cause, you know, I have a job), gratis. That's right: on me! Free! At no charge to you!! Just because I enjoy your writing and think it would be good to do something nice for you.

I will e-mail you this offer, separately, in case you don't see this comment. Peace.