So the pictures here is the first step to capsule wardrobe, which is that you Take out everything that doesn’t fit, or work and that you haven’t worn- in many months and attempt to build a coherent collection based upon your most treasured items- my collection is still developing but I Am proud of the two Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dresses I still fit- in !!

In some ways this experience has helped me locate more gratitude, even though I have decided not to shop- cultivating my wardrobe and reorganizing and caring for what I already have reminds me I have enough-

it reminds me of a Louise Hay affirmation – ” I am enough, I have enough I do enough” that might be a good slogan for a girl going shopping free for the year!

Now my next step will be to double check all I have still fits and do some mixing and matching for outfit fabulous ness! I said this blog was about thrifty and fierce and I need to start delivering on the fierce!

It’s a challenge to do this year of no shopping when I’m a bit puffy from a bad holiday season bcse I have less clothes to work with but a motivation to get back on the treadmill!

So one of my favorite shoe companies sent me this lovely email and when I clicked I saw these shoes and they are my kind of undoing- they are red, check- they have a nice heel, check they are kind of comfortable, check- they are kind of classic but also on trend-

BUUUUUUUT I didn’t buy them did I? No I didn’t because I’m on a challenge.

And to be a non shopping warrior one has to fight temptation!

No red sandals no red sandals no red sandals!!!!

https://bemorewithless.com/how-to-build-a-capsule-wardrobe/

I read this article and many others and decided to try a capsule wardrobe for a month- it gets at the less is more approach in a really cool way- for me I have the added stressor of. Too tight/ small etc- but I’m determined to buy nothing- even if I’m wearing leggings and a sweater until I thin down-

It might seem severe but even in the short time since o stopped shopping I feel a new calm emerging- I I feel less frantic and more clear headed-

Shopping is is hard habit to break but for people who need to shop it’s also a huge distraction.

It’s freezing on the east coast and tomorrow my wife will be borrowing my car- she asked me if it were okay- for me to be stuck at home without a car- I said- I have no where to go and no money to buy anything and it made me happy not sad-

So tomorrow I’m going to try the capsule!

Stay tuned!

It’s ads like those above that would trick me into shopping even when I knew I should not- the urgency stores and retailers create to inspire action is meant to make you part with your cash-

Last week as we were getting ready for the new year we cleaned the room with all the boxes from mail orders- I was mortified to realize my mindless shopping had also created a box overflow- we recycled over 60 boxes and the whole while I was trying to remember what had even been in them??

One high note- buried in the boxes was a purchase I forgot about and had lived without for a month- so it’s going back to the store- see I made myself 60 bucks!

Happy New Year!

Even though there was sparkling NYE outfits in the window- and who doesn’t want those??

I shopped in my closet and had on my fantastic vintage fun fur and felt pretty fantastic – and don’t have any shopping bags to hide before my spouse comes home!

These are the kind of things that usually derail me-

They are obviously not an option, in my no spend year- but I DO want them- in the past i would have just bought them! Today- not so much-

So the emails are not personal but they are a shopping trigger for me- today o counted I got 57 different emails encouraging me to spend spend spend- I figured out the ads are all written to make you feel it’s not just in your best interest to buy- but that one MUST buy- it’s good for you- good for them and what we all do right?

Except it’s not- so what did I do instead? I cleaned the house some more, blew and curled my hair (because I don’t want to spend on a blow out) and made a tuna sandwich from scratch!

I also unsubscribed to 40 different retailers- (some of the 57 ads were doubles)

That felt like cutting up the number to my drug pusher – not that I know what that feels like! or throwing out the gallon of ice cream instead of binge eating it-

Another day and I didn’t shop!

About 7 days ago I got the news from the accountant that my attempt at owning  my own small business  this year had been less then a success- I owed in taxes,  and had saved what I thought was the beginning of a nest egg- in the bank- my loving spouse loaned me  the funds needed to cover the tax bill and I found myself at 47 looking down the barrel at too few dollars left in my checking account-  GULP. Of course I am lucky, and I have a cushion many do not- but it caused me to have a  true reckoning- what had I done this year? Where did the money go-? I looked at my years bills and credit card statements and realized much of it went to mindless spending, stuff I didn’t need and couldn’t even put my finger on, books, blouses, varying size of clothing due to my up and own weight gain this year- (2017 was a tough year) and I realized spending and shopping had become by coping mechanism- audit was a self destructive one at that.

In the moment I made a crazy vow- “I’m not buying anything for a year!”  then I did the awful job of creating a budget that would get me back  in the green in a year and I realized that in fact if I were going to become solvent, that would need to be true. I looked around a bit and realized a few people had done this but not as many as you would think- and I decided I would try it….no spending for a year.

Then I told my wife and a friend or two and they were aghast, baffled, and basically they  didn’t think I could didn’t think I could do it- so now I am seven days in and realized this is going to be much harder then I thought.

Here are my ground rules:

• I can buy food for the house and house related toiletries as long as its written in my budget.
• I can buy food outside if its a business meeting otherwise its eating home-except for a once a month “out night.”
• I can’t buy any thing for myself for the year that is not consumable- so no clothing, books, trinkets, shoes, music, purses, no quick trips for a cute blouse, bag, skirt, necklace- nothing.
• I can spend  (max) 100 dollars a month in “Personal care” (Manicure, mascara, pantyhose etc., moisturizer)
• I can buy small gifts for others but never more then 100 dollars per month.
• If I can earn extra money in creative ways that doesn’t hurt the budget I can spend it how I please:  for instance, consignment, or Swagbucks…

The first few days because it was Christmas- it didn’t really sink in,  as there were treats a plenty coming my way- new slippers, a flannel robe I had been coveting from the Vermont Country store- but now, that the hectic season of giving has died down, Im beginning to jones for those after holiday sales I keep seeing plastered all over every media source- bit NOPE none for me…

I decided instead to focus on being grateful for what I already have. Things I have done to begin feeling more aware of what I am grateful for:

1. Cleaned out my closets and organized my clothing so I could see my options
2. Spent a long time looking at my cat Jimmy sleep- he was so happy and warm, it made me feel happy and warm.
3. Savored a cup of earl grey tea
4. Downloaded Swagbucks to begin earning some “free” money earned from taking surveys.
5. reorganized my DVD collection because its free entertainment

Will keep you posted on how I fare as the weeks carry on, day 7 complete…. no spending!