JustAnne.

Transitions.

That shopping problem thing that I had. I haven't spoken about it for a while. Months in fact. So it is probably time for me to make a few notes. Now, if Friday night's booze fuelled impulse purchase of tickets to Good Vibrations (on my iPhone!) is anything to go by, I am not 'cured'. But come on, how could I say no to Salt'n'Pepper? And besides, The Universe clearly wanted my friend and I to have those tickets. I know this because It later saw fit to play Shoop at the pub. *cough* 

But seriously, I think I have been doing fairly well. And now that I am living out of home and am forced to budget for things like food, I am shopping remarkably less. Although, I did just spend $80 on materials to make my costume for my housewarming. But lycra bodysuits need a lot of fabric, you know? And I am sure I will wear it again . . . 

Actually if moving did anything for me it once again highlighted just how much crap I already have. Particularly clothes and accessories. I have a lot of those. Okay, so I have made more than one summer frock purchase, but these were not made in the same frenzied way that purchases were made prior to the GSD. And I am slowly taking on board the message of thrift - many of these frocks were purchased at Op Shops. It's hard not to shop when each season takes you on a journey to a new look. Last summer was all about the denim mini. This summer is all about the frocks. With an occasional denim mini, worn in a nautical way. So yes, I have shopped. But responsibly. 

Indeed, I keep having all sorts of mini-victories where I look at and lust after things, and then put them back and walk away. It makes me feel so virtuous. Like when I find a fantastic frock at Lifeline and it costs $12. And do you know what? I even restrained myself when purchasing Tupperware. I DID NOT order the $50 Christmas Cookie containers. It was an agonising decision let me assure you.

So I am definitely not 'cured', but I think I am transitioning into a new phase where I've reintegrated responsible shopping into my life. Certainly it feels much less manic when I shop now. But I still love it . . . 

Shopping Rehab - Month One

*cough*splutter*cough*cough*

Alright. No, it's okay. Really. Sort of. Okay. Well. Actually, no. It's not been too bad. Mostly. Eeek.

Month One. Shopping Rehab. Lapses? More than three, but no greater than five. I think. Purchases made on credit cards? None. Definite win. Although, I did find myself spending money I had put aside to pay off my credit cards. Money transferred out of savings? Yes. Tragically. But still, no money spent on the credit cards!

The reasons? I am not entirely sure. My idea of tracking my spending only lasted about a week. Although I did spend $160 on accommodation at the Sunshine Coast (tax deductible, next financial year). And I bought Britney ($220) and Parklife ($140) tickets. And I got my hair done ($145 - totally worth it though). And I had to replace practically all of my skin care products (easily $80 - $100). And then there was all of that going out and living it up malarkey (turns out being a lady about town is quite expensive these days). So basically I have be hemorrhaging cash at an almost epic rate. But not on meaningless clothes, accessory and make-up shopping. Well, for the most part.

I did get a new iPhone on my second day out of detox. But it was totally well thought out, calculated and approved by my rule mistress. Some of my downloaded aps and iPhone accessories however, were not. And okay, I did have some unplanned clothing purchases. But they were thrifty! Some strategic op-shopping got me three skirts, two dresses and a t-shirt for around $35. And my other purchases got me a dress, a top and two pairs of shoes for under $40, new. So it wasn't too bad. Not like those $300 dresses hanging in my wardrobe that I still haven't worn (but I will in the summer!!). Sigh. They're so pretty.

So what will month two of Rehab bring? Well, I might give tracking my expenditure another go, and continue to remain strong in the face of shopping malls and department stores. I haven't been perfect this month, but when have I ever been perfect? Perhaps, maybe, I could take a break from all of the partying. It is costing me a bomb, and surely all of that alcohol cannot be good for my skin. Perhaps sobriety can save me money? But then, my sober activities do not come cheap either. Reading, sewing, watching movies or DVDs, these all have hidden costs (mostly overdue fees). I am not sure what the answer is. Although I am beginning to suspect it may involve sitting indoors and staring at walls. Unfortunately I am not that fond of walls, so I shall have to come up with something else. Hopefully this next month will bring some inspiration, and maybe even a positive balance in my bank account.

We can always hope.

Shopping Rehab - The Rules.

I have only just realised that the commencement of my Shopping Rehab coincides with the Financial New Year. It must be a fateful time for new beginnings because the first of July also marks my first anniversary of Weight Watchers.

So without further ado, I present - The Rules . . . 

• Credit cards OUT of the wallet
• Only take keys and membership card to the gym (two out of three of my semi-local GloboGyms are located in shopping centres) 
• When grocery shopping - stick to the list! NO additional beauty products to 'try'. NO buying things just because they're on sale or a multi-buy. NO impulse magazine purchases.
• Only ONE magazine purchase is permissible per week.  
• When experiencing boredom, hangover, emotional crisis or hormone-related mood swings, I must try to avoid shops and food. Instead I can call a friend, see a movie, sew a cushion cover, blog, or stare listlessly at a wall. These things are all preferable to the aftermath of shopping and/or eating.

Free-Purchase Conditions.

I am allowed three 'free' purchases per week. These purchases must be under $20. Any purchases over $20, or additional to my three 'free' purchases must be discussed with and approved by one of my two Rule Mistresses. Any purchases over $150 must be approved by both Rule Mistresses. 

Just to clarify . . . 

• Going out to dinner and 'hitting the town' do not constitute shopping.
• But concert and theatre tickets probably do. So in future, I must seek permission for these in accordance with the Free-Purchase Conditions.
• Holiday transport and accommodation costs do not constitute shopping, but holiday shopping budgets must be negotiated with both Rule Mistresses.

Date for Review: 1 October 2009

During this period I will also be tracking all of my expenses so I can develop a realistic budget. Pre-GSD I was just too terrified to record any of my binge-spending but now that I am feeling more in control of things I can actually stomach recording my spending. Although I am sure this process will still reveal many a scary insight into my consumption. Goodness knows how much I spend on bottled water every month just because I have left my recycled water bottle at home/at the office/in the car/at the gym. 

I am not sure I really want to know just how much my absent-mindedness is costing me . . . Sigh. But I suppose I will never be a fabulous financially-independent feminista if I do not face up to these things.

Alright peeps. Game on.

Great Shopping Detox - Final Days.

Wow. The month is just about over and I have money in my bank account. And thank goodness because I have just committed to Britney and Parklife tickets.

So what have I learnt? Well, I've learnt that I need to make some of these changes long-term and sustainable. So, as I have mentioned earlier, I am transitioning into Shopping Rehab. The rules will be fairly similar, but I will post them in more detail shortly. 

People have been asking if I am going to go completely nuts this weekend. And the short answer is -  not really. I will be buying some earrings for some Bollywood performances, and I am going to buy the Little Boots album (which I am incredibly excited about as it is part of that whole 80s pop thing that I am loving the shit out of right now).

I will also be going op-shopping with my mother and under my developing Rehab guidelines I have negotiated a $50 budget, which I am interested to see how far I can stretch. I am keen to see what kind of second hand Tupperware might be available. A girl can always use more Tupperware. (Did I mention that I had to move my recycle bin outside because I needed more cupboard space for my Tupperware? Because I totally did).

Now I must confess, I did have a bit of a lapse last weekend. I impulse bought a scarf. It was $3 and I just couldn't say no. I almost made a friend buy it for me and then I would pay her back outside the shop. But that was just too shameful. I decided to suck it up and make the purchase myself. If I was going to break the rules I should at least take some responsibility for it. I have no regrets, it is an awesome scarf. It's a pink, blue and cream number with a rather dashing stripe and flower motif. It reminds me of my grandmother - but in a good way. It is a bit like some of the sundresses she used to wear that, I assume, were in a 70s fabric.

So my total number of lapses this month were 2 and the total cost of those lapses was $4. Not too shabby. Although I must also confess that I am yet to finish the Thrift Book. I got totally distracted by the Flirting with Finance book. There is just too much self-help literature to be consumed. 

Oh God. I cannot believe I have reached that point in life where I am accessing self-help 'literature'. But there it is. I stand here as an otherwise intelligent young woman who is nurturing a love of glossy women's mags and the self-help/advice section of the library.

Man, I have no idea how to reconstruct that so it fits in with my ideals and world outlook. I am definitely going to need a bit of time on that one. Shopping Rehab on the other hand, slots very nicely into my journey of womanly empowerment and independence. So at least I can feel good about that.

Great Shopping Detox - Week Three.

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. 

Great Shopping Detox - Week Two.

So I've made it to the half-way point. Hurrah!!

• Number of Temptations: A few. The label maker at Spotlight did look at me devilishly . . . 
• Number of Lapses: 0 (Woo!)  
• Number of Authorised Non-Grocery Purchases: 1   

Okay, so a couple of things have made the last week a bit easier than the one previous. The first, was being stuck on the couch for a week. The second, was the mountain of clothes I have inherited from friends cleaning out their wardrobes. Clothes swapping is so completely awesome. The books and the websites always go on about how wonderful and cost effective it is, and they are right. Although, it only works if you have friends the same size as you. In my case it feels like all of the karma I got giving away clothes to help justify my shopping excesses has finally come back to me. My wardrobe is now even more stocked. Mwaha.

Although, I have found myself having some rather strange thoughts. Like: "Maybe I don't need any more denim mini skirts. Perhaps four is enough". And even more disturbingly: "Perhaps I do not need any more jeans. I do have eight pairs . . . ". Goodness knows what is to become of me. 

What I cannot believe is that even though I am not shopping, I'm still completely broke. The best I can figure is that my money is being spent on not so fine dining and reasonably fine wine. The lesson? Clearly I can't afford to go out and go shopping at the same time. No wonder I am in so much debt.

I read this story the other day and was reminded about just how much Kevin Rudd has to answer for my sorry situation. Spending for my country was the ultimate excuse for retail excess and I was more than happy to use it. Extensively. And now look at me. Sure, the country is doing well but what about my holiday plans and my ability to move out of the g-flat and into a stunning bachelorette pad? I cannot believe I lost sight of these things amidst a what I can only describe as a consumption haze. 

I've had another look at the GSD rules and alternatives to shopping, and I'll toot my own horn and just say it - I have been doing rather well. I have been extremely crafty, juicy gossip has been heard and generated, and boy have I been blogging. Still need to learn how to ride that bike though. But I won't beat myself up over it, I have other things that need doing first, like investigating hip-hop dancing and trying rev up my health and fitness. I have a lot of work to do after sitting in bed, feeling miserable, drinking milo and eating ice cream all last week. Not too mention all of the crafting that needs doing. I am about to embark on a great T-Shirt Surgery Adventure. Let's see just how 80s I can fashion my tired old tees. They'll go great with the pair of almost-stone-wash jeans I just inherited. 

Not shopping is giving me lots of time and space to be more creative in what I do with my time and my wardrobe. I'm not sure what the results are going to look like, but it'll be an interesting ride! 

Little Miss Thrift.

Day Four of my not-so-swine flu saw me arise feeling slightly less shite, which was very exciting. To celebrate, I got out of bed, showered, put on clothes that were not pajamas, acessorised, had a cocktail of pseudoephedrine and Coke Zero and headed to my local library. Why? Well, apart from generating the odd blog entry, and in between all of the coughing and the napping, my week has been spent absorbing craft/sewing blogs (and vlogs!). I have gained much inspiration, but did not quite have the energy to haul my ass out of bed to my 'sewing station'. I have also been slowly clawing my way through the Thrift Book (you know, the one I impulse purchased pre-GSD), which has served to make me more excited about sewing and crafty things in general. It was the following quote that got me nodding along vigorously:

“Add the not insignificant fact that you’re peacefully sitting at home, fully engaged and being creative and self-sufficient, rather than running about town spending money and acquiring hangovers” 

Yes, I may be about to go 'full-nanna'. But at least I will remain a Nanna with a penchant for good wine and gentlemen who know how to show a lady a good time. 

I haven't been to the library in years and yes, I had to pay $6 worth of fines from goodness knows how long ago. Those folk at the Brisbane City Council Libraries, they never forget. I love libraries, there's something about the smell of books and the quest for knowledge that I just find absolutely intoxicating. But yesterday was the first time I walked into a library and could almost smell the Thrift. And I am embarrassed to say, I found it quite exciting. 

Now, I am not sure I would ever consider Thrift sexy, but when you are trying to change the way you do things, finding a useful tool is very exciting. I've grown up around books, and I love buying them. My parents are very much 'book people', with the Lifeline Bookfest my mother's idea of heaven. I have discovered one of the byproducts of being privileged with plenty is that the concept of borrowing things like books is not something you are ever exposed to. My father is now at a point in his life where even the concept of renting DVDs is beneath him - "Why rent when you can buy?".

Unfortunately the income of a community-based social worker and a GP are very different and my motto must now be - "Why buy when you can rent on a $2 Tuesday?". In my father's defense he does buy ex-rental DVDs, which are much cheaper than the new ones. Although he has now started buying Blu-Ray . . . 

I wandered in a flu haze through my local library being impressed with the different levels of Thrift on display. I think the most impressive examples were the elderly gent coming in to read the paper, or the women borrowing magazines. And while I am not sure I will ever be ready to borrow magazines from the library, I am absolutely ready to borrow 'how-to' books with the express intention of photocopying relevant sections. And while I do harbour some guilt around this and feel that it is perhaps a bit too 'tight-arsed' - I just don't have the cash to buy the books, or pay for sewing lessons. 

So I walked out of the library with a pile of sewing and quilting books and a feeling of mild guilt. But also a feeling of self-importance and piousness, which I suppose counter-balances the guilt of copyright infringement. I put a hold on Flirting with Finance, so hopefully that will help me get to a point where I can start buying books again. Although I suspect I will find it patronizing, in the way books written to explain finance to women generally are. But at least I won't have paid for it.

Great Shopping Detox - Week One.

I did it!! One week down, three to go. So how is it going? Well . . . 

• Number of Temptations: Thousands.
• Number of Lapses: 1. 
• Number of Authorised Non-Grocery Purchases: 2. 

I am actually quite proud of myself. I went into KMart today and walked out with two boxes of tampons and some batteries. Boring, yes. But it was exactly what I had gone in there for. And believe me - the siren call of the 'hoodie aisle' was ringing loudly in my ears.

My lapse? The purchase of a $1 wristband at the Dreaming Festival. It happened so unconsciously I was actually quite shocked. My friend was buying something, spotted the bands, suggested I buy one and I just bought it. It wasn't until we were walking away that she turned to me in dismay realising that I had just 'shopped'. I was mortified! No wonder I have no money, I must do this sort of thing all the time. Impulse, at the counter purchases -a dangerous, dangerous thing.

What have I learnt so far? Well, I have learnt that I am the office go-to girl when it comes to discussing shopping. I had no idea I talked to so many different people about shopping, and how excited and supportive I am of their purchases. Particularly in the field of clothes and accessories. Clearly I project my love of shopping and can always be relied upon to support and encourage people's purchases. Do I want this to change? I'm not sure. I love shopping, but I am out of control. Perhaps I need to be more mindful of encouraging people to shop responsibly rather than just promoting excess. Although in most cases encouragement is around items that just look fantastic on people, and are particularly representative of their personality/style.

The process of having to seek permission to make purchases outside of necessity has been useful. I have appointed a second Rule Mistress so I am not constantly harassing one person. It is an 'on call' position after all. It is a lot easier to give something up when you know you just cannot do it. It's like giving up a food due to an intolerance vs. giving it up because you know you really should. I suppose the issue will be around sustainability. I was saying to someone that I should go on shopping detoxes all of the time as this week has seen me making much more reasonable and thought-out decisions about my spending. And you know what, it feels pretty good.

Although I did experience significant angst in Myer today - there were so many scarves and shoes and stockings on sale. I actually had to pull a runner on my mother, and ended up at the food court. Which is somewhat concerning in itself - I will have to watch out for that this week. 

Week Two of the GSD - Bring it on!

Great Shopping Detox - Day One.

It has begun. Day One. And somehow, I am still whole. I have been discussing the GSD ad nauseam with many of my co-workers. Waxing lyrical, being overly self-reflective - you know, social working myself. I think my favourite comment has been "just think, you'll actually be able to go through every different outfit in your wardrobe". It was harsh, but fair. Although I have to admit, the shopping pixie that lives in my soul thought 'but what happens when my co-workers have seen all of my outfits . . ?' 

No, I think Day One has been helped along by my very low quality final shopping experience yesterday. It was just awful. I was ready to buy anything, but nothing took my fancy, at least nothing I could vaguely justify to myself (i.e. it was not on sale). I couldn't even find anything to buy in Kikki.K!! All I ended up with was a pair of gym pants and a calculator, both of which I needed. It was just wrong.

Ok, so the day before I had a strawberry, chocolate and wine fueled 45-minute shopping jaunt that lead to the purchase of multiple accessories and underwear. I have yet to even survey the quality of these purchases, as they are currently sitting in a large pile of stuff I left at a friend's house. Which begs the question - did I really need them to begin with?? (I am absolutely sure I must have . . . ) And how am I going to survive on just $10 until Friday?

So far I have discovered a couple of great little things that I can do instead of shopping. I was cooking at a friends house last night and she introduced me to these amazing little Tupperware-esq things that let me microwave an egg for breakfast in 20 seconds! 20!! Rather than going out and immediately buying them, she is lending me one to test-drive until July when I can decide if I would like to buy some for myself. And look, so far I have been pretty impressed, but at least when I buy them it will be an informed choice! 

The second moment of specialness was while lamenting my inability to find a small but cute pencil case pre-GSD. I suddenly realised - I have fab kitsch fabric from Japan, zippers and a sewing machine. I can make one!! I know, I know, it is so simple and obvious - but it felt revolutionary.

So I am actually quite excited about some of the alternatives to shopping I will come up with over the following month. And unlike some other folk out there in the world, I shall document them all here, where other 'over-shoppers' can access them - FOR FREE! 

Tomorrow will see me face my first big hurdle - shopping at Spotlight for work supplies. I must be strong and say NO! to impulse button purchases.

Might go read my book on Thrift. It is my penance for thinking bad button-related thoughts. 

A Kick Up the Financial Bottom.

Alright. So I caught myself sliding down a finance-induced emotional black hole yesterday. The cause? The completely unanticipated three-figure car service that has stripped my holiday savings back to a meagre $17. I couldn't put the service on my credit card thanks a long history of over-excited and ill-thought out shopping (at least I look great and have an awesome range of Tupperware - right?). 

It was that sort of hideously confronting moment where you realise that the control you once had over something is completely and utterly gone. I now have to face facts - I spend more than I earn, and now I have to give up the prospect of overseas holidays until I get back on top of things. 

Then I caught a glimpse of my financial (and shopping) future. It was my father's past. A man who in one of his more monumental moments of retail therapy, bought a grand piano. It was then that the feeling of overwhelming dread slipped in. 

So. I have now received my official kick up the financial bottom. This whole 'Conscious Spending' thing has become more than a lofty ideal. It has to become a reality. Otherwise, I will never get to go to on holiday to Maroochydore. Let alone India. So tonight I will snuggle up in bed with my freshly purchased book on Thrift, and remain open to inspiration.