Shopping used to be my hobby.
I used to get a thrill from spending money on well...anything.
Last year for Lent I gave up unnecessary spending.
This should have been easy last year because I had just started working full time, and had been struggling with part time employment, only working 19 hours part time at the library.
Even with my limited means, giving up the stress reliever of shopping was excruciating.
I am the queen of Target.
Yes I know...Target donated to political candidates that are anti-gay rights...But I can't shop at Walmart for other political reasons, have a guilty conscience for going to Publix for groceries due to their abuse of migrant workers, and I get terrible mall related anxiety...so basically my options are pretty limited.
Aaaaanyways, I digress.
Target. It is my happy place.
$5 can get you a shirt on clearance
a new nail polish color
some delicious Archer Farms trail mix.
The list goes on.
During one of the lowest points in my life, I lived across the street from a Target. I found myself spending at least $50 a day on random odds and ends. Shopping for me was cathartic.
Jump ahead 2 years.
I work and am damn proud of it! Sometimes I wish I was working up a sweat as a line cook somewhere. I could be the only woman in the kitchen, proving I could cook the pants off of the men...But hey, I'll take my pink collar job and the benefits for the time being.
After Lent ended last year...I lost my ability to shop. It just wasn't fun any more.
I began to view things in a different light.
The exploitation of the consumer through advertising.
Is my iPad worthless now because one with a camera is coming out? My iPad was perfectly fine 3 days ago.
The waste and excess.
Those $5 shirts from Target, cheap, yes. But where are they now? How many colors of nail polish does one person need?
When I moved back to Florida, I lost pretty much all of my worldly possessions. Except Pookie of course.
Besides a few boxes of childhood memories that never left my parents garage, a set of mixing bowls, my silverware, my Kitchen aid mixer, some DVDs, and maybe 30 books, There are only a few things I own that are older than 2 years old.
For a while after I moved I would be at Target and think, "Didn't I used to own that?"
Giving up my "Things" allowed me to start over.
I believe that in giving up shopping for fun last year, God freed me from the control that "Things" had over my life.
Yes, I created a pretend child to get free Amazon prime. (His name is Pookie birthday 02/06/2008)
Yes, I found my wedding band for $4.95 on Amazon and got all excited about the free shipping.
(And I found that not everyone sees the excitement in this)
Yes, I pledged to never spend more than $20 on an item of clothing.
Yes, I have only eaten lunch out at work 6 times in the last year.
But you know what,
I found an awesome Goodwill 25 minutes from my house, and have scored some awesome finds.
Realized that I can make granola myself that tastes 10X better than the pre-made stuff
And I have been able to donate money to causes and organizations that are important to me because of my savings in other areas of waste.
Perhaps frugality is not a spiritual gift. But for me it has been a blessing.
More Won't Make You Happy, Unless You're a Corporation.
The Methodist Church is suggesting followers give up alcohol this year. (Yes, Methodists already take an anti-alcohol stance)
I don't see the reason behind giving up something that is not a personal struggle to ones self to be honest. Besides, my honeymoon falls during Lent!
So this year, I continue my quest to simplify my life and find ways to continue to save.
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