use what i have before buying more

I have made some progress on using up the personal care stuff in my bathroom closet, but I do need dandruff shampoo. I bought a big bottle ( the store brand that costs half as much for twice as much as the name brand). And then I found a bottle that had falled on its side behind the others.

There is a major grocery store a block away that is going out of business. I go in every few days to see what has been marked down and what is left. Serious markdowns are happening, so I am stocking up on stuff that I buy habitually ( 5 toothpastes, 4 deodorants, 6 boxes of tampons, batteries, etc) and non- perishable groceries like oatmeal. This seems like a wise time to break my ” use it up first” rule

after pledging not to buy any more hair care products until ALL the bottles I already own are used up, I slipped and bought some conditioner. My excuse? It was a new product from Burts Bess and it was on sale. Is there a support group for people who can’t stop buying hair products?

This continues to be a problem. I am ruled by impulse, both when I shop and when I eat, so sometimes food goes bad because I’m just not craving it or in the mood for it, no matter how much I like it. And even when I buy food with a carefully thought out plan that will use everything up in an efficient manner, I can’t bring myself to eat food I am not in the mood for even if the food is about to go bad. And of course it is the healthy food that is most perishable . I have been trying to eat more whole and organic foods, and it is amazing how much more quickly real food goes bad than the heavily processed stuff. It really makes you think that it’s crazy to eat foods that can sit around unchanged for so long.

I buy yogurt as if I were buying for 5, not 1. So once again, I bought 10 cups of yogurt becuase they were on sale when I already have 12 in my fridge. I like yogurt, but not 3 x a day!

I went 8 days without shopping for anything including food! My refrigerator and freezer are much less full, and the food I bought yesterday is meant to help me use up the perishable stuff still in the fridge. With 4 kinds of cheese and 3 kinds of tortillas, I think it is going to be quesadilla week at my place. And chorizo-potato burritos, as the potatoes are getting those little sprouts.

I just threw out some expensive Whole Foods produce that turned to sludge. I keep buying food and eating the newer stuff rather than what I bought previously, so this week, instead of going to the store every day or two and buying whatever catches my eye, I will eat only the food I already have. There’s probably enough for 2 weeks, at least.

I wanted to read this book, and have had it on my library request list for weeks and weeks, I almost caved and bought it ( ironic) but I decided to wait a litle longer, and 2 days later the library has received it. I hate delayed gratification, so I am proud of myself!

I went for groceries and left with a cart full of non-essential stuff. But, it was all on sale,and for $120 I got 3 bags of food, batteries, 3 big pillows, a vase, a serving bowl, 3 shirts, and a pair of pants.

I bought nothing but food, and except for a baguette that went stale very quickly, wasted no food. I hope to buy nothing but food this week as well, and not too much of that.