I've made a decision, RE: Lent

Whatever your religious affiliation/belief(s) may be, there's one thing to be said for believing in something greater than you, for believing that there might just be someone or something out there that can give you some peace, guidance, help, whatever.  I like to believe that there are numerous, wonderful divine spirits that reside above and watch over us, guide us, help us make the right choices in our lives.

 

 That's why I'm going to observe Lent this year.  Jesus  

(and all his variations) is one of the divine spirits I believe in, and the purpose of Lent revolves around the sacrifice he made for us all.  I figure if he sacrificed his *life* I can sacrifice something of great importance too me.  Something that some would say I am addicted too (probably rightly so), something that gives me true pleasure and contentment,







#Shopping 



  
If you know me, you know I love, love, *LOVE* to shop.  Hell, my dad dubbed me "Imelda Marcos" years ago because my shoe and purse collection kept building up "NO dad, these black shoes are, like, *so* different from the other 5 pairs in my closet" *laugh*. I dig getting a good bargain, true, but I just love shopping plain and simple; Target, Charlotte Russe, Forever21, eBay.  The rush of buying that super cute top, those to die for shoes...priceless.  The smell of COACH leather, there's not another thing like it in this world.  

Back in college I gave my soul to the credit card devil for those new shoes, super cute top, and 50th pair of jeans, and I'm still paying my way out.  *sigh*  While I don't use plastic as liberally as I did in the past, I still have an addiction too it.  That's why I closed down as many accounts as I could (I had a successful run at paying some off near my alter years of college) a couple of years ago and; I just took my last credit card *out* of my wallet because in truth the only way I won't use it is if I don't have access to it (kind of like the reason I don't like keeping sweets in the house).  Even with the credit card devil out of my reach, there's still the problem of my check card and the fact that I am the main "shopper" for the family so therefore make frequent trips to the grocery store and Target (dog food) where the impulse can take over.  

I'd say that on average I overspend by about $30-$50 per trip to either place.  I go to the grocery store about twice a month for the main grocery loads and probably about two more times to replenish the necessary items like milk, creamer, almond milk, and bread.  Twice a month, along with the main grocery trip, is the trip to Target for dog food.  For whatever reason, Target's the only place that carries the type of food our dogs eat, and the temptation to walk through the clothing section and pick something out because "Hell, it's *only* $30" is almost to much too bear sometimes.  So let's say $50 bucks twice a month with the main shopping trips, then $30 a pop on the side trips and that's $160 a month.  Then the awful truth is that I probably spend another $100 just straight up on clothes in a month.  Then tack on an extra $40 a month in Walgreens stops during the school week, and I average $300 a month I'm just p!ssing away.  That's horrid when I see that in print, but that's what I need to see.  I need to see the awful truth of it and put it out there for everyone to know because then and only then will I begin to change.  That money could be put to better use in our lives and that's what I intend to do.

So there it is folks, there's my dirty little secret.  I'm a shop-a-holic, I *love* shopping, and I intend to give it up for Lent.  So here's the plan.  Anytime I feel the need to shop, I will take the money that I most likely would have spent and either give it away to charity or put it in savings.  Here's my first savings drop.  Below are two items that I want really really bad.  They would freshen up my wardrobe with a light spring "kick" and would bring me on trend with what's new this season.  Now, do I really need either of these?  NO.  Would I like to have them?  Oh yeah.  I've already got items to pair them with, and places to wear them.  I've already imagined them in my closet, but I'm not.gonna.buy.them.  Here they are...both are from Body Central 

1) Printed One Shoulder Top, $22.80 
2) Fleur-de-Lies Print Belted Tube Dress, $24.80 (purple is the one I want)
3) Horseshoe Thong Sandal, $14.50 (silver)

Adding that all up; $22.80 + $24.80 + $14.50 = $62.10, then tack on some shipping and handling and we're looking at $70 give or take.  *wow* So, I am now going to mosey on over to my banking website and transfer that amount from our checking account into our savings account, or rather maybe I should transfer it onto the credit card to pay it down some more...hmmmm...thoughts?  The way I see it is that if I were going to spend that money anyways I should rather "pay myself" than the big corporate mongers to add more clothing to a closet that is already jam packed full of beautiful things.

 


So that's my plan.  That's my thank you to the big man in the sky for the sacrifice he made, it's time for me to make my own.  I will chronicle as I go along this new journey because I know it's going to be one tough thing for me to do.  So give me your support however you like, even if it's just some positive thoughts into the greater beyond, or dedicating a yoga practice to me and my quest to give up shopping for at least 40 days.

It shall be interesting.