Shop without buying

Now that we’re fully entrenched in the insanity that is the holiday shopping season, it’s very easy to get caught up in all the sales, the spending and the “holiday spirit” which usually amounts to an overextended budget. Often, when we get wrapped up in a frenzy mentality, we buy things that we don’t need, don’t have room for and can’t genuinely afford. But we don’t have to deny ourselves either if we think creatively.

 

The subject line of this post makes it sound like I’m advocating shoplifting. No, what I’m going to talk about is shopping at home. Last week, my dear friend Jackson came over and after catching up on our life stories: jobs, relationships, food allergies, I put him to work. I have been wanting a headboard for my bed ever since I moved into my new apartment last May. Headboards are not cheap and, like everyone else, I’m in money-saving mode right now. I felt stuck knowing that the West Elm reclaimed wood bed was way out of my budget. But Jackson is extremely savvy and we started brainstorming. I had lugged a wicker folding screen with me from my old place and Jackson and I began eyeing it, propping it up, guessing how to mount it to the wall. After a few minutes, we had pushed the screen behind the bed and it now stands proudly as my “headboard”. It works, I love how it looks and, best of all, I didn’t spend a single new penny on it.

 

We also talked art and I pulled out two prints from Etsy that had been waiting in my art file that would fit perfectly on either side of my newly revamped bed. I’m getting them framed this weekend. After Jackson left I got excited and went online seeing what else I could add to my new space. I found a gorgeous print on 20×200 and added it to the shopping cart. Whoo-hoo, we’re in it now! Simply dropping that item in my virtual shopping cart got me excited.

 

Then I started thinking. What was my goal to begin with? My goal was to save money but to also have a gorgeous, warm bedroom. I achieved that (this is a re-enactment of my dream bedroom, not my actual bedroom).Why was I about to spend $50 on a print (plus shipping and handling and then framing costs, too) when I have two awesome pieces that I am planning on hanging up within a week? I deleted the item and went to bed happy in my cozy new space.

 

What can you do this week to avoid a spending moment when you don’t want to?

 

With love, light and less clutter,

Jeni

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