Never mind, books are there…but we should include drinking out along with eating out.
Given that April is coming up in not too long, and some people may want to get ahead (not to mention that we have no idea how ling this might last), I think ‘SDMB subscriptions’ should probably be on the first list.
You also forgot bars and alcohol. On the second list, of course.
“Eating out” might be tricky to define. Some work circumstances don’t really allow for brownbagging it, so maybe lunches should be allowed? And if you’re a saleman who has to wine & dine prospects, well, that should be allowed, I think.
Oooh. How about spending on grooming? Clearly you have to be able to buy a new stick of deoderant if you run out, but what about that new lipstick? Are ‘regularly scheduled’ haircuts/styling/dying okay, but one-off special occasions stuff wrong?
Dude, I’m all for it. Seriously, perhaps we could have a ‘Spenders Anonymous’ thread in MPSIMS?
I went to the eye doctor after work to pick up my new trial contacts. $319 later, I walked out with a new pair of glasses and a new pair of sunglasses (okay, so the glasses were necessary, because my prescription has completely changed, but the sunglasses are NOT). Granted, vision falls under flexible spending at work, so I will be reimbursed for $200 of it, but still…that’s a lot of money in one swoop. Then I went to Old Navy and found some great sale clothes - since we’re business casual (more like casual) at work, I found some great clothes for work. Another $82.
We won’t mention what I got for dinner at the organic market.
Count me into the thread.
E.
I’m out.
How does it work? How will we be checked on or kept clean as it were?
What about dependents (I swear I spend it all on the kids–or at least it feels like it!).
I’m game, but confused (normal state, really).
Consumerholics Anonymous?
“Hello, my name is rjung.”
“Hello, rjung!”
“It has been three hours since my last nonessential purpose, on my honor, so help me Cecil.”
“Good for ya, buddy!”
Nice, but you know what’s worse? I misread it as ‘porpoise’.
“Hi, my name is Jayn_Newell.”
“Hello Jayn.”
“It has been five hours since I last bought myself a marine mammal.”
“Congrats Jayn, we know this has been a realy struggle for you.”
Though I must say, I always wondered what it would be like to have a giant aquarium full of dolphins.
The only buying I haven’t been able to control is books.
Heck, I live in the boonies (there’s nothing to buy in my town except gas, beer and farm implements), and the town where I work has a Hallmark Store and K-Mart – not much temptation.
But Amazon and all those books – damn.
When the To Be Read pile of mostly brand new hardcover books got to 300+, I had to force myself to slow down. But I didn’t want to feel like I was depriving myself, so I started Anti-Buying. It’s something I’m doing rather than not doing.
It’s working pretty well. Some of the folks in my book groups are doing it too. I didn’t buy at all for several months, and when I stopped, I restricted myself to my very, very favorite authors.
“Anti-Buying”???
300+?
Dayum! I read approx. 3-4 books/week, but I’ve never had a To Read List that long…
Maybe you need Bookaholics as well! 
Oh, yes, we need an MPSIMS thread. I am so IN for this!
Trouble,
who went to Wal-mart for dogfood and spent $150.
I probably didn’t explain it very well.
It’s the same as not buying, only with Anti-Buying you trick your mind into making it a positive act. Something you’re doing rather than not doing. So when I wasn’t buying more books, I was doing something – anti-buying.
It’s almost like a shopaholic filling up a cart and then leaving the store. I’d never do that in a real store, but I’ve done it on-line. It’s very satisfying. You have the satisfaction of shopping – the browsing and choosing – but you don’t spend the money and you don’t fill up your house with stuff you don’t need.
It works. There used to be books in the mail every day. Now it’s down to a couple a month, and I’m actually reading more books than I’m buying.
I imagaine most people will cherry-pick what rules they will put into practice and which ones they will ignore. Grooming might be a big category (nails, hair, cosmetics) for some people but for me, it’s a non-issue. Whereas I spend a lot of money on food, I could cut down both on eating out and buying fancy-schmancy stuff from the grocery.
I’ll tell ya what gets me is the tail-end of the big stuff.
We just re-did our bathroom. No problem. We budgeted for it and had been planning on it for a couple years.
We go to pick out light fixtures, towel racks, toilet paper holders, etc. etc. etc. last weekend.
“Well, this perfectly function toilet paper holder is 15 bucks, but that one there for $45 is real cool, and we just spent mumble thousand on the bathroom, so what’s an extra $30.”
Same with my bike. I got a bicycle last year. Then, I started riding seriously with a club. Next thing you kow, it’s shoes, pedals, helmet, shorts (I avoided it for a while, but you really do need those things), tires, tubes, car rack!!
Once you’ve crossed the “threshhold of misery” with money, it’s dangerous. You might balk at spending 1500 bucks on something, but once you’ve spent it, that extra $150 doesn’t really feel like much.
Just don’t spend it if you don’t have it, and you’ll be all right.
I’d give you a pass on the sunglasses. I understand eye protection against sunlight and glare are recommended by doctors. On the other hand, if you lose them every other month and have to replace them, then that’s a whole other kettle of fish.
What Trunk said. I rationalize like that too. Spend too much on one thing, try to save somewhere else, or tell yourself you’re protecting your investment.
I have a friend who enables me. We go to estate auctions together, and her mantra is something an auctioneer told her once: “You never regret the things you buy, just the ones you pass up.”
Auctions are a whole other area of concern. I can’t leave Target without spending $100 either, but try competing with someone for an item, and see how long you last!
Yarn! Yarnyarnyarnyarnyarn. I have a Koigu fetish. And a Mountain Colors fetish. Thank god for Knit Picks… it has kept me occupied this month, for minimum damages.
I have a yarn problem, too, Sattua. I just discovered KnitPicks two days ago. I hid my debit card.
“But it’s only a $1.79 per skein! Free-shipping on orders over thirty dollars?!? Oh my god, I’m going to knit a billionty one sweaters!”
hides debit card in American Experience textbook where it will never be found
I like the “anti-buying” thing.
I have done that a bit–I need to do it more often!
Then again, we (daughter and I) went shopping today (she needs a new pair of black dress slacks and shoes)–we hit a Kohl’s sale and got her a pair of shoes for $5. Original price=$45.
Me likey.
(I bought Sudafed for myself–boring, but neccesary–I cannot hear anything at present, I am so stuffed up!)