The Challenge - Update 1

Not buying stuff is hard.

I'm really surprised. I had no idea how much mindless consumerism I apparently engage in. For example, I spend a lot of time on 'deal' and coupon web sites. Now I have no need to check those. Did I ever really have a NEED to check them? Obviously not. But what do I do online now? Maybe I will work on redeveloping a Scrabble addiction.

It took all of 1 day for the challenge to become...well challenging. On New Year's Day Kevin wanted to go to Costco. This didn't bother me. Kevin wanted shelves for the garage. He had a gift card and we had been planning to buy them for a while. It didn't feel like a violation of my completely made up and arbitrary rules. After checking the website to make sure Costco was open on New Year's Day, we loaded up the kids and headed out.

Guess what? Costco is not open on New Year's Day.

Kevin felt this would be a great opportunity for us to finally visit McKay's Used Bookstore. It is right down the street from Costco and we have been wanting to go for years. The problem is that after we go to Costco, we are too exhausted by the shopping, lifting, carloading and ginormous snack bar pizza to stop anywhere.

Let's just say I knew how this was gonna go down. I love, love, love bookstores. But used bookstores are my favorite. They just have such a weird variety of titles. It thrills me. McKay's was all I hoped(dreaded) it would be and more. The place is huge and just filled with books, books and stuff. Kevin and the kids headed off in different directions and I just tried not to focus. I did not NEED any books. But I really, really wanted some. They had books on sale for a nickel. Did you hear me? A NICKEL!!!

Kevin bought books.

Anna bought books.

Rachel did not buy any books.

But I had a pretty bad attitude about it. And then on the drive home I began plotting the book buying binge I would wreak upon that place as soon as the month of January was over. This embarrassed and refocused me. This challenge is about my behavior. I am not a shop-a-holic. But I do buy a lot of crap I don't need. Some of it isn't crap. Some of it is really cool stuff...that I don't need.

So the biggest hurdle for the early part of this month has been defining my goal. I am not trying to just postpone a month's worth of unnecessary purchases for thirty days. Do I intend to buy stuff again? Yep. Will all of those things be necessary? Nope. Will a smaller portion of those purchases be those unnecessary things? Good grief. I certainly hope so.