No Buying Challenge Rules

And so it has begun. Today is October first and so begins my little spending fast. I've been giving some thought to how this will work, and I am going to divide it up into some categories and make some rules for each category.

Food

I've decided not to buy any for the next 3 months. 

Ok, I lie. Obviously. We need food. You may be wondering why I even need this in this list. The fact is I do a lot of my impulse buys at the grocery store. Interesting new ingredients, stuff that I like to have around but don't really need for my grocery shopping this week, a thing of gum at the checkout... 

So trying to curb this impulse, I am going to be making a weekly menu, making a shopping list and buying ONLY WHAT IS ON THE LIST, DARN IT! Not a new and innovative idea, I know, but  something that I desperately need to work on...

Clothing

I believe that everyone has their own Achilles heel when it comes to shopping. I know for my mother it is undoubtedly clothes. I have not inherited this gene from her (there is a clothes buying gene, right?) and so theoretically it should be easy for me not to buy clothes for the next 3 months. But here is the little catch... I have an almost 2 year old daughter and a 1 year old son WHO GROW LIKE WEEDS! Seriously guys. These kids grow overnight. I put them to bed in jammies that are too big, I get them out of bed and lo and behold, what were long pants are now mid calf. So here are my clothing rules/ goals:

For the Kids:
1. Figure out how many clothes they actually need and buy only those things which are deemed absolutely necessary. (ie. Amelia's toes will soon burst through the front of her shoes, her feet have grown so much. We will need new ones in the next couple of weeks. Not necessary are snow boots for Bini, who cannot walk yet.) Sound fair? Ok moving on,
2. Buy second hand, where we need to buy at all.
3. Buy only the things which will fit them now, not that size 4T dress because it is just so cute and she will fit in it eventually. 

For Me:
1. Don't buy clothes
2. Unless I magically shrink out of my current clothes and actually truly need new ones (This is the goal, people. But I am not so crazy as to absolutely expect it. For diet and exercise commitment issues, see my previous post)
3. Clothes wearing out is not an excuse to buy new clothes, unless they are absolutely beyond repair. A button or a patch I can sew on, a gaping hole in the crotch continuing down the leg I can do nothing about.
4. If the unthinkable happens and I lose several inches, buy secondhand.
Exceptions: There is one thing that I know I need to buy... I am in my brother's wedding later this month, and while I have a dress, I have not got shoes. If I cannot borrow (my preferred method) I will have to buy.

Books

Books need their own category. I love books. I love to read. But for the next few months:
No new books. This includes digital (oh beloved kindle) and audio (audible, I adore thee) and real live honest to goodness books (oh the luxury of real pages to turn!)
I wanted desperately to think of some exception... but seriously, I have no excuses. I live less than 6 minutes away from our local library.

Gifts/Toys

It has not escaped me that I am doing this OVER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS (forcryingoutloudwhatwasieventhinking?) So here is where I am with this... 

Gifts will be:

1. Consumable (candles, soaps, yummy food) or

2. Experience based (concert tickets, memberships, weekend getaway, etc.)

3. Homemade

4. Money. This is a last resort. Except for my brothers, possibly, who ONLY want money for Christmas.

Heaven help us all. 

Art Supplies and Crafting Stuff

I am an artist (watercolors and ink, for those who are curious.) I love going to a good art supply store and just walking around, stroking paper, ogling paints, running paintbrushes through my fingers. 

Now this could be a bit tricky (Thanks to my resolution not to buy Christmas from the store this year... for the love...) but I did come up with some rules:

1. I can replace any paints or brushes that I run out of/use into oblivion, but I cannot upgrade or buy new stuff just for kicks and giggles. Also I can buy more paper only when I run out.

2. Craft stuff with be for specific projects only... Example, felt for the quiet book I am making for Bini, material for the doll I am making for Amelia, wood for the chests that we are making for them both... you get the picture. 

3. Things found at the craft store that are clearly not actually crafts, they just want you to buy them for your kids (I am looking at you, stuffed animals) are a no-no. Sorry kids. 

That's all I can think of for the moment. I may think of more.

Miscellaneous

I know that there is so much stuff that I could make categories and rules for... music, games, electronics, home decor, pet stuff, outdoor equipment... I could go on and on and on. But mostly this is stuff that doesn't tend to intrude on my buying radar so often. So for now I am just going to let it be. This is the stuff that I deal with most often... someone else might have an entirely different list. I know someone, for instance who would need a whole category dedicated to cosmetics. If I think of something terribly obvious that I missed, I will happily add to this. 

Some last things to discuss:

I will probably mess up at some point here. I've heard somewhere that to err is human, so... yeah. I am going to TRY not to and to stick to my rules 100%, but we shall see. And if I don't, I promise that I shall plead your pardon and tell you exactly what I bought. And then you can all judge me and mock me and tell me I suck at life. I mean, if you are really that mean. I have a thick skin though, and I can deal with you thinking I'm flaky. 

Also in an effort to really be conscious of my consumerist thoughts, I am going to write down what I actually do purchase... as well as everything else I want to buy. I am hoping by seeing these things on paper, I can recognize how my mind is still in the "machine" and how I don't really need them. And then, if all goes well, I can, in the end, not even want them. 

After all, wanting less is even better than having less.