stop buying things i dont need.

Did I positively need those two beautiful pair of earrings, on sale for 25% off, the one pair two hues of blue and the other, an intense combination of my favorite limey green and deep turquoise?

In a word, no. However, they’re beautiful and on sale and well, I’m quite happy with them.

Now, that said, I have to get out of here and in order to do that, two things need to happen: I need to find a new job and I need to save enough money to sustain myself for a little while and to afford another move.

So…things to stop buying…I need to cut down on the coffee expenditures, also muffins. Too many lunches out, too many groceries wasted. I can use Emily’s extra umbrella until I can buy one; I can wear the shoes I have until my adorable lime flats go on sale; I can shop more smartly for the things I really do need…it’s gametime now, for a little while.

Cross your fingers, though, that I find something, please?

As I’ve mentioned in many of my recent entries, we’ve decided to move our Boston plans up six or seven months and set our new date some time in early 2008. This is legitimately heartbreaking in addition to being frustrating, sad, and basically stressful. The reasons behind our decision, however, are purely monetary in nature and so, I’ve come up with a legitimate budget for the first time in my life.

Knowing how much I ache for Boston and how much it’s going to cost to live there, I hope that my budget will constantly remind me that I’m not punishing myself, only ensuring that these dreams are on momentary hold, not deferred indefinitely.

For almost a year now, I’ve been eyeing travel mugs at all of the various coffeeshops/bookstores I frequent. Big ones, small ones, bulky ones, convenient ones, cute ones, nondescript ones…most steadying at around $15-20.

When I went to Starbucks last week, I saw an adorable green travel mug, on sale just after St. Patrick’s Day. I didn’t need it, so I passed it up grudgingly. When I went back today, the sale was off, but they had their new Easter merchandise out, so killing a few minutes, I decided to poke around. I found an adorable lavender travel mug, beautifully shaped and colored and with a sealable spout and ergonomic grip. Very snazzy, if I may say. I fell a little in love with it and on a sunny day whim, I bought it with my chai latte.

It was $14.95, which I didn’t essentially want to spend, but every once in a while, I feel the urge to treat myself and because I really did like this mug, I didn’t feel the need to resist. This, also, will hopefully push me toward making my own coffee rather than going, y’know, to Starbucks or an independent shop so often. Plus, I’ll always have a clean mug at work and will be able to stay away from the slightly funky ones available on the table.

Rationalizing just a bit, sure, but I think it works.

So yes, I bought something I didn’t essentially need and I’m feeling a little stupid for it, but I did just find out that I may have a new job just 3 days after my contract expires at this one, so call this my celebratory treat.

Onward, then. Must be diligent.

On an absolute fluke, I found an adorable skirt set that fit rather perfectly and a cheap boyish button-up for about $100 out the door, but stood my ground on this goal. I also stared wistfully at some earrings from afar, but stayed firm.

I did, however, buy a $3.60 crème de menthe latte, so I’m obviously not on top of things just yet, but I’m getting there. Slowly.

This seems strange, even to me, but perhaps buying a couple of expensive things I do need will stop me from buying inexpensive but a variety of things I don’t.

I recently bought a new organic hot wax I’d been looking at for a little while and a rowing machine. For those of you who don’t buy organic products, they tend to be difficult to find and wicked expensive. I found a lovely organic hypoallergenic hot wax for $7 on sale which is both perfectly-priced and exactly what I wanted.

Which brings me to the rowing machine…

Almost $300 is not something I would have spent if I could have gotten by with something less. However, I absolutely need to exercise and absolutely everyday. I don’t like to run, I don’t like anything that is particularly hard on my joints, and I like to exercise in private. A rowing machine is going to be absolutely perfect for me, I think, I spent two full days researching different models and types and I found one I really like for much cheaper than I imagined.

With this single investment, I already feel better about my progress this year and even though it’s a decent chunk of a paycheck, I think it will allow me to curb my general want to buy shiny new unnecessary, unwanted things and allow me to make inroads on a body I’ll recognize.

So. Onward, then.

As November wears on into the colder, the grayer days, as the American public imagination turns to the nicer, more socially accepted themes of Thanksgiving, and as I grow more and more restless with each passing day, I start to realize how soon and how real Boston is, how apparent and how bloody expensive…and then I start freaking out about money and such. It’s so much easier, so much nicer to go out and grab a salad for lunch than it is to cook, pack, and sit at my desk like I am currently. Still and all though, coffee is my biggest culprit. Instead of buying a cup each day (which I don’t do, but shouldn’t start), maybe I’ll buy some sort of fortification—a large thermos or some coffee creamer that neither contains hydrogenated oil nor needs refrigeration.

Regardless—I have to either get a second job or start selling lots of my belongings. I’m making money, sure, but it doesn’t actually seem to add up at all, curiously. Hmm..what do to?

I’ve done this forever, truly. Nail polish ($3), hair products ($5), office/art supplies ($6), bad gas station coffee ($.99), et cetera, et cetera. It’s not that I’ll never use these things or that they’ll go to waste (aside from the coffee, man, gross), but I’d rather pool the money and y’know, buy an overstuffed chair or hey, my so-craved copies of Rilke. I turned 24 today (* cheers! *) and I really think this is about the time to put away old habits and to consciously live in a way that will lend itself to a smooth transition to Boston. I’ve set myself up on a reasonable budget, I think, and should be able to spend even less than I’ve allowed myself each month. I did spring for a string cheese last night, but I think that’s something I can forgive. ;)

We’ll see how this goes, eh?