23 February 2008

Getting Better at This OR It's Okay to Go to Target

I want to honestly portray the challenges in the YOFL. Basically, I spend 50% of the week feeling like I'm kicking ass, and the other 50% of the week wondering what the hell I was thinking and trying to figure out what we're going to eat. For example, it's Saturday and I've technically already spent this week's grocery/gas budget, but we need food and gas. I have two options- "borrow" from next week's budget, or decrease the amount I'm paying to a credit card this week. I decided to do a little of both. Typically, I would just run out and buy what I need, and decrease the credit card payment, and honestly, what I'm supposed to be doing it just not spending any more. I realize how unrealistic this is, though, so I've found a middle ground.

Which brings me to my trip to Target. I went in, looked at clearance stuff, looked at CUUUUUUTTE Easter plates, looked at 75% off Global Bazaar items, and went home with: 2 cans tuna, 2 boxes Annie's mac and cheese, one bag individually wrapped colby cheese pieces, 1 loaf bread, 1 frozen cheese pizza, 1 can sliced olives, 1 can mandarin orange segments, 2 bags of cat food, 1 easter egg dye kit, 2 $ spot puzzles for Easter baskets, a Method air freshener pill, and a sham to match the duvet I bought myself a few weeks ago. Total: $30!

What this means (at least this is what I think) is that the YOFL is changing me. I'm valuing my money in a different way. I'm choosing things that I truly need or want, rather than accumulating things for the sake of having them or buying them. I'm carefully choosing what to buy or not buy in a given week to not go over my budget, which is why it's getting easier. And it feels really, really good.

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