Another week has flashed past, and I am still going strong.
It is hard to believe that my detox is nearly over. Discussions with various peers, co-workers and my inner-self has lead me to the realisation that the end of June will see me transition from Shopping Detox, to Shopping Rehab. What this will look like is still to be determined, the rules will probably remain very similar with a few minor adjustments and spending caps. I simply cannot keep seeking permission to purchase things like needles and thread. It would seem that if I want to make 'conscious spending' a permanent part of my life, it will have to be a long-term commitment. And while I have yet to reap the financial rewards of my non-shopping, I sense I will over time.
I have even started reading my library copy of Flirting with Finance, which I am finding a lot less patronising than I expected. Indeed, it is seducing me with its dating metaphors and feminist undertone (yes, these things can co-exist) whilst whispering sweet nothings into my ear. Things like "Financial Freedom and Independence". Interestingly, it is helping me reconstruct my shopping detox and journey into financial understanding and control as a sort of pro-feminist affair.
An idea that was reinforced when discussing my detox with someone who made the comment "your other half having to pull the reins in then". My response, without even thinking was "no, I am pulling the reins in for myself. It was just something I had to do".
The moment was an interesting one as it highlighted the general assumption or 'rule' I suppose, that women's non-essential spending is often curbed by their male partners. Or at least it is frowned upon by their partners and is consequently hidden from them. When I thought about it I realised that I have had many conversations with women whose spending is in some way inhibited by their male partners. Not in a scary, domestic violence kind of way, but in enough of a way for me to notice.
Now, I have needed a lot of help during my detox but not a single one of my helpers has been male. Alright, so I do not have a lot of men in my life, but it never even occurred to me to ask the ones that are floating around for help or advice. Perhaps this is because in my family, my mother is the money savvy sista, with my own poor retail habits having been learnt/inherited from my father. Or perhaps it is my own hang-ups around seeking expert advice from men courtesy of a long history of being patronised by men in computer and electronic stores. Or perhaps I simply think too much. In any case, I find the whole thing very intriguing and I like the idea of fitting my Detox-turn-Rehab into a broader social context. Because you know, that's what I do.
I think my ultimate moment of realisation over the last week has been . . . .
I am already a Smart, Sassy and Sexy woman. But now it is time for me to get Savvy.
And that, is what I think this whole thing might be about.
