Author Topic: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!  (Read 189697 times)

mspym

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #500 on: February 23, 2018, 03:52:17 PM »
If anyone is the tiniest bit crafty, and likes draped tops, look up Simplicity 8452. You can practically make it from the cover image, and the instructions bear this out. There are some nice reviews for it as well from people who have made it. (NINETEEN DOLLARS! how could you sleep at night charging that much?)
Do you actually have to pay the price on patterns? The stores here always have them half off, and often have them for 99 cents or 1.99. I didn't know anyone sold them face value. Thats insane.

This is because you are Not In Australia*. It is bonkers here, and I assume we are subsidising a lot of the 99 cent patterns in the States.

I have bought a LOT of patterns from op shops because I can pick someone else's never realised fantasy pattern for 25 cents instead of paying the envelope price.

*It was a Christmas miracle when my Spotlight membership meant I could buy a lot of the patterns for $5 each instead of $18. Even with the discount though, Vogue patterns were still ~$15

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #501 on: February 23, 2018, 05:40:07 PM »
Have $50 Bestbuy Reward Card, very tempted to use it to buy kindle or Alexa. I don’t need either and I know it’s just a gadget lust...

Put it in cart and went up to payment quite few times :-) but in the end have not bought it till now. Help me avoid the purchase. If I carry through end of Feb it would be two months without any unnecessary purchase.

Stay strong! February is almost over, & you want to keep your positive momentum going. The time delay will also give you time to really evaluate your purchase & whether it's worth it.

Rosy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #502 on: February 24, 2018, 06:35:05 AM »
The Kindle really isn't necessary, you can get the free version from Amazon plus you can get the library apps for free too.
Wait - who knows what cool gadget they will come out with next year?:) and you may have more gc's to spend by then too.
One year of restraint - you can do it:)

Rosy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #503 on: February 24, 2018, 07:04:59 AM »
Working through my existing gift card stash & spent 2 gift cards yesterday on a few things we needed. My son also spent his birthday gift card, which means 3 less things to carry around in my wallet.

I have a gift card worth $15 that i'd like to sell, but I'm having a hard time finding a place to sell. Local FB group turned up no interest. My group is way less active than it was a year ago, sadly.

In other news, not my gazingus pin, but I did also commit to not buying more tea until I worked through my stash. Have finished 4/5 boxes of clearance teas (purchased for less than $1/each). Liked the first two, hate the last box I'm working through. After that, I have two boxes of decaf green tea + some loose leaf tea. Looking forward to one day actually spending the money to buying a box that I will fully enjoy! :-)
@MaybeBabyMustache
Never thought of gift cards as a gazingus pin. I am not sure why it would be?, you are not buying them yourself, are you?
I have a stash of HD and Lowe's cards for the spring gardening that I ogle with glee while I plan my garden. All the other cards I use for fun or when the budget is too tight that month.
That's nothing to feel guilty about and if you decide you don't want the gc you can sell it if you prefer cash or give it away - so I am slightly confused about why this would be a gazingus pin?

LOL about the tea - looking forward to one day actually spending the money to buying a box that I will fully enjoy:)

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #504 on: February 24, 2018, 07:57:55 AM »
@Rosy - I explained when I first posted. I'm always buying gift cards as "a bargain" and "to save money" when they are slightly on sale or offered with a discount/reward of some sort. And then, they sit in my wallet for 3 years saving up space, and eventually forcing me to spend money at Subway, when we may or may not have ever eaten lunch there had I not purchased said gift card. I've done it in the past because I felt like I was saving money, and it became clear that it's not much of a money saver. So, my goal for 2018 is to only buy those which I will immediately use. We also have Home Depot gift cards, because we are working on our house. And a few others.

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #505 on: February 24, 2018, 08:22:51 AM »
 Just curious - which of you hope to maintain your willpower forever, and who among us (me with the *shifty eyes* again!) is planning to buy TONS of gazingus pins in 2019?

I’m kind of analyzing how stupid it is for me to stop for a year so I can go crazy next year :/

Serendip

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #506 on: February 24, 2018, 08:39:48 AM »
@lifejoy :)

I am definitely planning on this being a longer-term approach.
The no-buying ban is one year but I hope it will show me how I really don't 'need' the things I convince myself I NEED.

Not hoping to rely on willpower, since that is limited. They say repetition builds habit, so I suppose I am hoping to build long-term mindfulness through this practice if that makes sense?

 It's definitely helping to have this gauntlet as well as my 'no-shopping' experiment with my SO..I've seen appealing courses & books & earrings and they all fire up the reward centre in my brain...
I get activated, don't act on it and then move on. 


Rosy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #507 on: February 24, 2018, 08:47:37 AM »
Got it @MaybeBabyMustache
Hearing it in this context makes a difference (and I do remember now reading your first post). Yes, it is certainly a much better strategy to reduce your gc purchases to imminent need/want, otherwise, it only reduces your available cash at hand - which then limits your choices.

I suppose this is another example of mindful acquisition, because it really does save you money.
Yet, if you save say five or ten bucks, but lock up $50 or $100 in cash repeatedly it is no longer such a good idea? Pure math says it is a good thing - but your actual behavior patterns show it to be detrimental to your budget - interesting:)
Just ruminating - so many of our financial choices can unwittingly turn into a money trap.

The only gc buying we ever do is take advantage if one of the credit card rewards gc's goes on special or our favorite restaurant runs a promo. Saves maybe $40 a year, but hey, these things add up.






Rosy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #508 on: February 24, 2018, 08:59:30 AM »
Just curious - which of you hope to maintain your willpower forever, and who among us (me with the *shifty eyes* again!) is planning to buy TONS of gazingus pins in 2019?

I’m kind of analyzing how stupid it is for me to stop for a year so I can go crazy next year :/

Basically, I hope to have strengthened my willpower enough to resist ongoing temptation. I stopped once for about eight months and then slowly revved up to a roar - I.will.not.repeat.that.outcome.
I had allowed myself certain expenditures and then made the stupid mistake of using monthly payments for purchases (at zero interest, but still).

So this time, I will allow for jewelry gifts, but all my own purchases have to be paid in full on the spot. If you can't pay for it without impacting your goals, you can't afford it!
No hiding behind monthly payments!

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #509 on: February 24, 2018, 09:52:21 AM »
Just curious - which of you hope to maintain your willpower forever, and who among us (me with the *shifty eyes* again!) is planning to buy TONS of gazingus pins in 2019?

I’m kind of analyzing how stupid it is for me to stop for a year so I can go crazy next year :/

I'm not planning to unleash the beast again in 2019. I'm hoping to learn better tools to optimize, and when "a bargain" is truly a bargain. I've had this problem with other things as well: clothes, toiletries, etc. And then you move &  discover that you have 32 bottles of shampoo because they were "a great deal". I love deals, & I will certainly look to optimize our cash flow. But, I'm really looking to build better habits & mindfulness. If I'm being mindful, I'd ask myself why I'm buying a discounted gift card to a clothing store, when in reality, I'm trying to reduce my clothing shopping, and that locks me into one store which may not have what I need.

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #510 on: February 24, 2018, 09:55:25 AM »
Got it @MaybeBabyMustache
Hearing it in this context makes a difference (and I do remember now reading your first post). Yes, it is certainly a much better strategy to reduce your gc purchases to imminent need/want, otherwise, it only reduces your available cash at hand - which then limits your choices.

I suppose this is another example of mindful acquisition, because it really does save you money.
Yet, if you save say five or ten bucks, but lock up $50 or $100 in cash repeatedly it is no longer such a good idea? Pure math says it is a good thing - but your actual behavior patterns show it to be detrimental to your budget - interesting:)
Just ruminating - so many of our financial choices can unwittingly turn into a money trap.

The only gc buying we ever do is take advantage if one of the credit card rewards gc's goes on special or our favorite restaurant runs a promo. Saves maybe $40 a year, but hey, these things add up.

Yup. There are plenty of ways it works for us, but I need to be more mindful vs just getting the quick thrill of a bargain that will result in spending that wouldn't have otherwise happened. It's worked so far. And, the getting rid of gift cards is simply enjoyable at this point, because I carry them around in my bag & there are a ton of them taking up space, as well as mental energy (don't forget to use that X gift card!)

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #511 on: February 24, 2018, 12:39:28 PM »
Got it @MaybeBabyMustache
Hearing it in this context makes a difference (and I do remember now reading your first post). Yes, it is certainly a much better strategy to reduce your gc purchases to imminent need/want, otherwise, it only reduces your available cash at hand - which then limits your choices.

I suppose this is another example of mindful acquisition, because it really does save you money.
Yet, if you save say five or ten bucks, but lock up $50 or $100 in cash repeatedly it is no longer such a good idea? Pure math says it is a good thing - but your actual behavior patterns show it to be detrimental to your budget - interesting:)
Just ruminating - so many of our financial choices can unwittingly turn into a money trap.

The only gc buying we ever do is take advantage if one of the credit card rewards gc's goes on special or our favorite restaurant runs a promo. Saves maybe $40 a year, but hey, these things add up.

Yup. There are plenty of ways it works for us, but I need to be more mindful vs just getting the quick thrill of a bargain that will result in spending that wouldn't have otherwise happened. It's worked so far. And, the getting rid of gift cards is simply enjoyable at this point, because I carry them around in my bag & there are a ton of them taking up space, as well as mental energy (don't forget to use that X gift card!)

Plus if you lose your wallet! That would be a problem!

Tris Prior

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #512 on: February 24, 2018, 01:06:31 PM »
I figure that after this challenge I might go to a one-in-one-out policy. If I buy new socks or tights, a pair that I don't wear any more or is worn out or doesn't fit or starts doing that thing where the tights keep slowly creeping down your bum and legs as the day goes on, gets tossed (because I don't think you can donate socks? Maybe to a shelter? They won't want tights, though, I don't think). If I finish one box of tea I can buy another. That seems more reasonable to me.

(Though this doesn't mean "I just bought 10 things at Sock Dreams so now I'm going to toss out 10 that I already have!" Moderation would be good here, I think. I will never need 10 new footwear items at once.)

I am down to 1 box of tea, in a flavor I don't really like. Nghhhhhhhhh. :(

Laura33

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #513 on: February 24, 2018, 01:58:24 PM »
Just curious - which of you hope to maintain your willpower forever, and who among us (me with the *shifty eyes* again!) is planning to buy TONS of gazingus pins in 2019?

I’m kind of analyzing how stupid it is for me to stop for a year so I can go crazy next year :/

In the middle.  I need a better habit of buying teas that I will drink, rather than buying tons of different varieties just because they sound cool and then not drinking them and letting them clutter up my pantry. 

TBH, I am starting to feel the pinch a bit - I have gotten to the point where I realized I have to start alternating teas I don’t like so much in with the ones I love, or I’m going to drink all the delicious ones first and end up with a month or two of “meh” teas.  And the little gremlin in my head is saying, goddammit, you make money, you can buy some damn tea!  But I just need to rein the gremlin in, because the whole point is to stop being so wasteful - life isn’t getting exactly what you want, the minute you want it, and it’s not healthy to fall into that expectation.  My days of meh teas are my penance for my excess in years past.  But like any penance, it chafes!

Tris Prior

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #514 on: February 24, 2018, 04:14:21 PM »

TBH, I am starting to feel the pinch a bit - I have gotten to the point where I realized I have to start alternating teas I don’t like so much in with the ones I love, or I’m going to drink all the delicious ones first and end up with a month or two of “meh” teas. 

Welcome to my current life! I rationed out the teas I love, and ran out anyway. Blah.
 

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #515 on: February 24, 2018, 04:18:05 PM »
Just curious - which of you hope to maintain your willpower forever, and who among us (me with the *shifty eyes* again!) is planning to buy TONS of gazingus pins in 2019?

I’m kind of analyzing how stupid it is for me to stop for a year so I can go crazy next year :/

In the middle.  I need a better habit of buying teas that I will drink, rather than buying tons of different varieties just because they sound cool and then not drinking them and letting them clutter up my pantry. 

TBH, I am starting to feel the pinch a bit - I have gotten to the point where I realized I have to start alternating teas I don’t like so much in with the ones I love, or I’m going to drink all the delicious ones first and end up with a month or two of “meh” teas.  And the little gremlin in my head is saying, goddammit, you make money, you can buy some damn tea!  But I just need to rein the gremlin in, because the whole point is to stop being so wasteful - life isn’t getting exactly what you want, the minute you want it, and it’s not healthy to fall into that expectation.  My days of meh teas are my penance for my excess in years past.  But like any penance, it chafes!

Well said.

I bet the days you have “good” teas are extra delightful!

mspym

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #516 on: February 24, 2018, 04:29:37 PM »
In the middle.  I need a better habit of buying teas that I will drink, rather than buying tons of different varieties just because they sound cool and then not drinking them and letting them clutter up my pantry. 

TBH, I am starting to feel the pinch a bit - I have gotten to the point where I realized I have to start alternating teas I don’t like so much in with the ones I love, or I’m going to drink all the delicious ones first and end up with a month or two of “meh” teas.  And the little gremlin in my head is saying, goddammit, you make money, you can buy some damn tea!  But I just need to rein the gremlin in, because the whole point is to stop being so wasteful - life isn’t getting exactly what you want, the minute you want it, and it’s not healthy to fall into that expectation.  My days of meh teas are my penance for my excess in years past.  But like any penance, it chafes!

It's like eating something you are not mad for- don't leave it all to the end, or the meal will end in sadness
:)

I like the idea of alternating the favourites and not-so-favoured. I wonder though if you only drank the not-favourites would you start appreciating them more? Like when you cut out sugar and suddenly fruit starts blowing your mind?

Tris Prior

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #517 on: February 24, 2018, 04:44:49 PM »

I like the idea of alternating the favourites and not-so-favoured. I wonder though if you only drank the not-favourites would you start appreciating them more? Like when you cut out sugar and suddenly fruit starts blowing your mind?

In my experience, no. I'm drinking so much tea these days as a substitute for what I really want - baked goods, wine, cheese, pasta, bread, food in general (am dieting via counting calories). Subbing good tea for what I really wanted to be eating and drinking was somewhat helpful to my mental state, and I did find myself really enjoying my favorites. Having to sub tea I don't like SUCKS and reminds me that tea isn't what I really want in the first place.

HappierAtHome

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #518 on: February 24, 2018, 05:02:51 PM »
Just curious - which of you hope to maintain your willpower forever, and who among us (me with the *shifty eyes* again!) is planning to buy TONS of gazingus pins in 2019?

I’m kind of analyzing how stupid it is for me to stop for a year so I can go crazy next year :/

I'm hoping to be more MINDFUL going forward after this challenge. Tupperware is my listed gazingus pin, and I do want to be more selective in 2019+ with that, and definitely but less than I have in the past.

I didn't list clothes as a gazingus pin, but I'm not buying any clothes whatsoever in 2018 (separate challenge). The interesting thing is that I had already been a wardrobe minimalist for several years, so not buying anything in 2018 almost certainly means that I'll be scraping by towards the end of the year as items fail, and I will be buying several items in January 2019.

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #519 on: February 24, 2018, 05:09:28 PM »
I’m selling some jewellery, which is a win for me :)

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #520 on: February 24, 2018, 06:28:15 PM »
Just curious - which of you hope to maintain your willpower forever, and who among us (me with the *shifty eyes* again!) is planning to buy TONS of gazingus pins in 2019?

I’m kind of analyzing how stupid it is for me to stop for a year so I can go crazy next year :/

Planning to be reasonable in 2019. There's no need to return to stockpiling mode, and space is finite anyway. I have so much tea that it feels like a relief to settle in to enjoy it and reign in the impulse to consider what to buy next. When I consider the current stash, I ask myself which teas I feel meh about and which ones I love enough to re-buy and have only a handful in the latter category. That's pretty revealing.

Thanks for the positive reinforcement and feedback!

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #521 on: February 24, 2018, 07:17:33 PM »
@lifejoy I don't know if I'll do a hard cut in 2019 like I'm doing this year. Part of that depends on how many of my books I read this year. What I think my eventual goal needs to be is to read down my book collection - to always be at some percentage read (say, 90% of the collection). Not gonna lie, that's going to take a while! I'm helping right now by not adding to the collection, but I met too work at it from the other direction, too.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #522 on: February 24, 2018, 09:33:20 PM »
Quote from: HappierAtHome

I'm hoping to be more MINDFUL going forward after this challenge. Tupperware is my listed gazingus pin, and I do want to be more selective in 2019+ with that, and definitely but less than I have in the past.

This for me.  I suppose I want a sort of capsule wardrobe for my horse stuff.  This year will help me crystallize the items I really want to have, and not buy stuff I won't put to good use.

chaskavitch

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #523 on: February 25, 2018, 06:52:32 AM »
Just curious - which of you hope to maintain your willpower forever, and who among us (me with the *shifty eyes* again!) is planning to buy TONS of gazingus pins in 2019?

I’m kind of analyzing how stupid it is for me to stop for a year so I can go crazy next year :/

I'm hoping to be more MINDFUL going forward after this challenge. Tupperware is my listed gazingus pin, and I do want to be more selective in 2019+ with that, and definitely but less than I have in the past.

I didn't list clothes as a gazingus pin, but I'm not buying any clothes whatsoever in 2018 (separate challenge). The interesting thing is that I had already been a wardrobe minimalist for several years, so not buying anything in 2018 almost certainly means that I'll be scraping by towards the end of the year as items fail, and I will be buying several items in January 2019.

This is what I'm going for with clothes, too.  Now that I've started looking at what I ACTUALLY wear, it's a very small portion of my winter wardrobe.  I probably don't wear half of my sweaters, for work or at home.  I'm assuming summer will be the same.  What I'm struggling with is that it's a lot of different clothes than I wore last winter - I'm really hoping my tastes aren't that variable all the time and I'm just honing in on what I like?  Maybe?

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #524 on: February 25, 2018, 07:12:15 AM »
Join us! We give out gold stars ;)

Well, stars, at least. I’m staying away from gold, myself. Lol

And if you download Tapatalk you can easily have us on your phone...

So when will your month begin? Sounds like you have a bad case or FOMO! (Fear of missing out).

Hi lifejoy!

The FOMO is definitely strong with me! Realizing this is a good start, next is taking steps to work on the problem.

The official start will be March 1st. I will go a full month without purchasing or drinking any beer. I may leave myself one cheat day - we have a work happy hour coming on 3/15 (I'm a tax accountant and its one of our deadlines). Those drinks will be work provided, so at least I won't be spending my own money!

I've unofficially started - one of my favorite local breweries released a new, tasty-looking DIPA yesterday and despite the intense pull to head there to try it after I left work I came directly home instead. Baby steps!

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #525 on: February 25, 2018, 07:23:54 AM »
If anyone is the tiniest bit crafty, and likes draped tops, look up Simplicity 8452. You can practically make it from the cover image, and the instructions bear this out. There are some nice reviews for it as well from people who have made it. (NINETEEN DOLLARS! how could you sleep at night charging that much?)
Do you actually have to pay the price on patterns? The stores here always have them half off, and often have them for 99 cents or 1.99. I didn't know anyone sold them face value. Thats insane.

This is because you are Not In Australia*. It is bonkers here, and I assume we are subsidising a lot of the 99 cent patterns in the States.

I have bought a LOT of patterns from op shops because I can pick someone else's never realised fantasy pattern for 25 cents instead of paying the envelope price.

*It was a Christmas miracle when my Spotlight membership meant I could buy a lot of the patterns for $5 each instead of $18. Even with the discount though, Vogue patterns were still ~$15
I suspect it is similar to our drug prices. We are told we bear the r&d cost.

Vogue is always more expensive here.


lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #526 on: February 25, 2018, 08:06:52 AM »
Join us! We give out gold stars ;)

Well, stars, at least. I’m staying away from gold, myself. Lol

And if you download Tapatalk you can easily have us on your phone...

So when will your month begin? Sounds like you have a bad case or FOMO! (Fear of missing out).

Hi lifejoy!

The FOMO is definitely strong with me! Realizing this is a good start, next is taking steps to work on the problem.

The official start will be March 1st. I will go a full month without purchasing or drinking any beer. I may leave myself one cheat day - we have a work happy hour coming on 3/15 (I'm a tax accountant and its one of our deadlines). Those drinks will be work provided, so at least I won't be spending my own money!

I've unofficially started - one of my favorite local breweries released a new, tasty-looking DIPA yesterday and despite the intense pull to head there to try it after I left work I came directly home instead. Baby steps!

Woohoo! Way to prep for March!!!

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #527 on: February 25, 2018, 08:13:44 AM »
Update:
almost two months in - have resulted in freeing up $200 in my upcoming March budget! Better yet, if I stay on course it will help me save up that extra $1K I discovered I need for my trip by June.
I'm not looking at jewelry
I'm not buying jewelry
I am not lying awake at night - thinking about all the jewelry I will buy as soon as this challenge is over.

... regardless, I know temptation can still strike at a weak, unguarded moment ...

@Jim Fiction - the first month is the hardest:)
I guess I am a beer snob, I'll be happy to try something new, but I am firmly in the stout, dark slightly sweet beer camp, although I'll go for a good Pilsner or May Doppelbock in the summertime.
There is a craft brewery downtown St. Petersburg (well, there are several:) but this one has one called "1516" brewed in accordance with the German Reinheitsgebot - it is da bomb:) Smooth and surprisingly light tasting for a dark beer.

Hi Rosy! Thank you for the encouragement. At heart I'm a hop-head and thus a big IPA fan, but I enjoy most varieties as long as they're done well. For example ,I've enjoyed some tremendous porters and stouts the last few months (they're "in-season" here in CT due to the cold weather). Probably the best thing I've had over the last few months was actually a scotch ale from a local spot (Relic Brewing). I'm sort of a beer snob in that I go for local stuff over anything else, but I don't dedicate myself too heavily a particular style, though IPAs/DIPAs are my favorite style and the most popular in this region and breweries are constantly putting out new beers in this vein so there is always something new to try.

Rosy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #528 on: February 25, 2018, 09:16:50 AM »
@lifejoy I don't know if I'll do a hard cut in 2019 like I'm doing this year. Part of that depends on how many of my books I read this year. What I think my eventual goal needs to be is to read down my book collection - to always be at some percentage read (say, 90% of the collection). Not gonna lie, that's going to take a while! I'm helping right now by not adding to the collection, but I met too work at it from the other direction, too.

Not exactly to your point, but now that I am no longer buying jewelry, my book buying has suddenly reached "stack" proportion. Books will always be a weakness of mine, but it is a habit that I thought I had under control.
I'm not adding it as a gazingus pin, because it is not anywhere near that level, but now there will be a max budget for books going forward.

It is so strange to me - in the past I never had unread books in the house, because who buys books and then doesn't read them? When I struggled with at least putting a damper on my jewelry spending last year, I started buying books, but I kept up with reading them and then donated them.
Unless they qualified for one book in - another book out, within my mini-collections on various subjects.

This year, I bought both new books and used books and I find I don't like seeing stacks of them - it makes me antsy.
In the past, I would have been happy just to look at my book acquisitions, but I graduated to curating with strict requirements.

So I am back to mindfulness - which takes commitment and mental effort. I don't envy you the pain of deciding how to deal with your book collection and your book acquisitions going forward. You can do it over time and with a long look at what you value in your life.
It literally hurt letting go - people with no affinity for books cannot possibly understand what they mean to a bibliophile.

Books will always be important to me, but these days I can curate, let go or update. It is such a hard-won victory that just the thought of backsliding raises my anxiety level. 
Letting go of a jewelry gazingus pin may be hard, but nothing compared to the deep-rooted emotional upheaval I felt about reducing down to three bookshelves.

CrustyBadger

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #529 on: February 26, 2018, 05:29:08 PM »
I have failed this month -- no star for me! 

I have had some very troubling times this past week, and a bad weekend.   Went to work today without a proper breakfast or lunch and feeling emotionally overwhelmed.  At the first break  I thought, "What would really pick me up would be a nice jolt of cheesy salty oil crackers!"  AKA Doritos.   I'll be honest, they didn't solve any of my problems, but I did feel good eating them, even though I knew it meant no stars for me.

diapasoun

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #530 on: February 26, 2018, 05:58:57 PM »
@lifejoy I don't know if I'll do a hard cut in 2019 like I'm doing this year. Part of that depends on how many of my books I read this year. What I think my eventual goal needs to be is to read down my book collection - to always be at some percentage read (say, 90% of the collection). Not gonna lie, that's going to take a while! I'm helping right now by not adding to the collection, but I met too work at it from the other direction, too.
[snip't]

So I am back to mindfulness - which takes commitment and mental effort. I don't envy you the pain of deciding how to deal with your book collection and your book acquisitions going forward. You can do it over time and with a long look at what you value in your life.
It literally hurt letting go - people with no affinity for books cannot possibly understand what they mean to a bibliophile.

Books will always be important to me, but these days I can curate, let go or update. It is such a hard-won victory that just the thought of backsliding raises my anxiety level. 
Letting go of a jewelry gazingus pin may be hard, but nothing compared to the deep-rooted emotional upheaval I felt about reducing down to three bookshelves.

Books, and my personal library, are absolutely a deep-seated THING for me. It's changed and it's generally become healthy for me over the years, although I couldn't do what some friends have done, and reduce my library to a single shelf that never gets any larger. I appreciate having a personal library waaaay too much, for reasons that could probably extend to a multi-thousand-word screed.

That being said, I've got a few strategies I want to rely on in the future:

1. Get rid of any book that I read and just didn't enjoy much. This is a small but non-zero part of my collection, and these books should absolutely go out into the world and find owners who will appreciate them more. I currently have a stack of five or six books  that I'm going to take to my local bookshop for re-sale, or plonk into a nearby Little Free Library. This will increase as I...

2. Read all of the books in my collection. This is going to sound a little woo, but I feel like when I buy a book and never read it, I'm disrespecting the book. Like I said above, I'd like to get to at least a 90% read rate, preferably higher.

3. Even after this gauntlet is over, I want to continue using the library as my primary way of experiencing new books, instead of buying them from the store. I'm doing really well on the need to purchase new books; it doesn't itch at me. That means that I should prioritize using my library, which (a) supports the library, (b) saves me money, and (c) means I avoid the whole Book Collecting thing generally.

If I do all these, I'll get to a point where I have a collection that FITS me. It will be a collection of books I've read and loved, and which I actively want in my home. That sounds like how I want my life to be.

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #531 on: February 26, 2018, 10:24:49 PM »
I have failed this month -- no star for me! 

I have had some very troubling times this past week, and a bad weekend.   Went to work today without a proper breakfast or lunch and feeling emotionally overwhelmed.  At the first break  I thought, "What would really pick me up would be a nice jolt of cheesy salty oil crackers!"  AKA Doritos.   I'll be honest, they didn't solve any of my problems, but I did feel good eating them, even though I knew it meant no stars for me.

Hey, so sorry to hear you’re having a rough time. I think you’ve been doing a great job overall and I hope you’re feeling ok to get back on the bandwagon :)

We’ll be here, cheering you on!

Many years ago, my counsellor told me: doing a thing once, or twice, or a few times, does not make you A Person Who Does That Forever. Each day we are born again. Every day is a new day. You can choose to be whoever you want to be <3

Maybe instead of a star, you get hearts <3 <3 <3

Hang in there.

formerlydivorcedmom

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #532 on: February 27, 2018, 08:49:37 AM »
That being said, I've got a few strategies I want to rely on in the future:

1. Get rid of any book that I read and just didn't enjoy much. This is a small but non-zero part of my collection, and these books should absolutely go out into the world and find owners who will appreciate them more. I currently have a stack of five or six books  that I'm going to take to my local bookshop for re-sale, or plonk into a nearby Little Free Library. This will increase as I...

2. Read all of the books in my collection. This is going to sound a little woo, but I feel like when I buy a book and never read it, I'm disrespecting the book. Like I said above, I'd like to get to at least a 90% read rate, preferably higher.

3. Even after this gauntlet is over, I want to continue using the library as my primary way of experiencing new books, instead of buying them from the store. I'm doing really well on the need to purchase new books; it doesn't itch at me. That means that I should prioritize using my library, which (a) supports the library, (b) saves me money, and (c) means I avoid the whole Book Collecting thing generally.

If I do all these, I'll get to a point where I have a collection that FITS me. It will be a collection of books I've read and loved, and which I actively want in my home. That sounds like how I want my life to be.

I struggle with the "Get rid of books I didn't enjoy all that much" when they were written by one of my favorite authors.   I like the idea of having a collection of all of their works...but, honestly, I'll never read that particular book again unless I choose to hate-read it (which I do occasionally).

I did go through my TBR pile and give away a lot of books that I know I will never read.  Most of those were given to me, and after looking at them for a few years, I know I won't ever pick them up on my own.

My goal is to get my books-for-pleasure down to 3 bookcases, and my research books (I write Wikipedia articles and do genealogy) to fit on another 2-3 shelves (half a bookcase).

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #533 on: February 27, 2018, 09:17:32 AM »
@CrustyBadger Don't beat yourself up about the lapse. You didn't eat, you needed some energy to get you through the day.  However you have done so well throughout so you still are a winner for the month!

I'm pleased to say that I don't think I've made any craft purchases since that unconscious one. I had to swallow the $7 grommet purchase, because I'm afraid to step into Jo-Ann to return it.  But I stood strong in terms of not going to buy blackout cloth for our projector screen. Instead I burrowed into my fabric stash and it turned out that I have enough blackout cloth already!  So the challenge has saved me money and stopped me from adding to clutter!

I do confess that hobby spending this month is not zero.  I started an aquarium as a birthday present for one of my kids, and though I got the big tank for free and still had many supplies left over from our last fish, we did splash out on a new filter, bubbler, and some other supplies.  I'm not going to feel too guilty as we would have spent money on something for him, though I am a little worried that the aquarium will be a money pit.  Beats a video game, though.

Tris Prior

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #534 on: February 27, 2018, 09:24:15 AM »
It doesn't count if someone gifts you a gazingus pin, right?

I got a care package in the mail yesterday that included a pair of socks that say "I am a delicate fucking flower." I laughed hysterically.

zeli2033

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #535 on: February 27, 2018, 09:24:32 AM »
3. Even after this gauntlet is over, I want to continue using the library as my primary way of experiencing new books, instead of buying them from the store. I'm doing really well on the need to purchase new books; it doesn't itch at me. That means that I should prioritize using my library, which (a) supports the library, (b) saves me money, and (c) means I avoid the whole Book Collecting thing generally.

If I do all these, I'll get to a point where I have a collection that FITS me. It will be a collection of books I've read and loved, and which I actively want in my home. That sounds like how I want my life to be.

+100 - this right here. In all honesty, I should have quoted all 3 strategies diapasoun shared but I’ve gone to far now on the tiny phone screen and have to stick to this :) i also love the part I bolded for emphasis. There’s something really amazing about actively pursuing a life you want when that involves consuming less and intentionally using what you already have that continues to bring value to your life.

lifejoy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #536 on: February 27, 2018, 09:27:08 AM »
It doesn't count if someone gifts you a gazingus pin, right?

I got a care package in the mail yesterday that included a pair of socks that say "I am a delicate fucking flower." I laughed hysterically.

1. I want those socks!!

2. For me, part of what’s amazing about this challenge is that when or if I get gifted a gazingus pin, it will feel AMAZING instead of “oh, I just bought five of these today. Here is another one. Cool.”

So I think that’s great!!

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #537 on: February 27, 2018, 09:28:27 AM »

Rosy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #538 on: February 27, 2018, 12:50:12 PM »
@diapasoun
Quote
If I do all these, I'll get to a point where I have a collection that FITS me. It will be a collection of books I've read and loved, and which I actively want in my home. That sounds like how I want my life to be.

Yes, that is it in a nutshell!:), brilliant!  ... and it is where I am at present.

Books do not really fit in the consuma sucka mold. Far from it, we use them to better ourselves, open and mold our minds and study a myriad of subjects. Libraries are a wonderful public service, but they are not the be all and end all. Perhaps they are for mainstream literature or romance novels, but books go past entertainment and education.

I grew up in a household where I had access to books and to a nearby library. No one ever told me about certain subjects not fit for children, I read whatever interested me, a lot I didn't understand and when I discovered my local library had young adult books it was a revelation. My summers consisted of riding my bike to the pool and reading my books in the shady area under trees. It was a huge outdoor facility with lots of grass and trees, three different pool areas, a kiosk and an outdoor cafe.
Even buying the annual pass for the pool entrance was an expenditure planned for in advance. A couple times a week I might have enough money to buy a coke or an ice cream cone there - doesn't mix well with reading:)
   
Anyway, I have a small collection of books that I re-read every few years. I love it when I discover that my perception has changed. It is amazing to me when I suddenly see certain passages in a different light. It shows me that I have grown wiser as a person, more forgiving or sometimes less forgiving, depending:).
Maybe I see clearer now what shattering consequences certain actions and behaviors can have?
I have one book about poetry that makes me cry every time I read it:) How I came by it or why I love it so much is a mystery to me - I'm not "into" poetry as such, but I do appreciate the work of certain authors, from the old Persians to Morrison - if it touches the soul it is good and will resonate for another thousand years - powerful stuff those books.

@formerlydivorcedmom - somewhere along the line - I decided that my time was too precious to waste on finishing reading a book that I clearly found less than, and I am certainly not using my precious bookshelf space for a book that I do not like. Even our favorite authors sometimes miss the mark - it happens.

Once I let go of two romance book collections by favorite authors - I never looked back. Unless I am about to read it, you will not find a single romance book in my house anymore.
These days, I regularly cull my books - sometimes I lose interest in a particular subject, so I let go of my mini-library of art books. I've had books about my favorite painters since I was nine years old - no more. For whatever reason, I do not need them anymore.
Besides, one needs to leave room for new passions:), right?

Next on my list for a cull is my cookbook collection - that is not too hard, I'll keep my favorites and three that I hardly use, but love dearly and one amazing thrift shop find. A very old German Christmas cookie baking book - elevated my cooking baking to stellar - no lie. Best macaroons and best vanilla, sugar, butter cookie recipes ever.

So yeah, books do not compare to a gazingus pin like jewelry buying, but nevertheless, mindfulness in acquisition and culling principles are a necessity lest one lose control of one's possessions:)

Sorry, I'll shut up about books now. Ahem, I will be ready for my second extra sparkly gold star tomorrow ...:)

diapasoun

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #539 on: February 28, 2018, 11:22:29 AM »
I love all the love for books on this thread. :) And glad that other folks have found strategies for their book acquisition tendencies, too.

DTaggart

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #540 on: February 28, 2018, 02:06:23 PM »
Checking in to claim my star for the month of February! No outdoor or fitness gear purchases for me.

I FIREd at the start of the month and I have to say my "aspirational" purchasing tendencies have all but disappeared. While working I would often feel frustrated that I couldn't be out hiking or playing outside and would buy stuff to compensate. Now when I find myself thinking "Gee it's a nice day, it would be nice to do an outdoor thing," I just get up and go do an outdoor thing!

I've been out for longer hikes at least twice a week, training up for some backpacking trips I have planned this summer. I load up my big pack with extra weight (extra water bottles and a small dumbell) and stagger my way up a mountain. I've been able to go running around my neighborhood somewhat consistently, as of yesterday I'm up to 4 miles. We've been taking the dog out for walks everyday too - he's up to 2 miles at a stretch. Even if we don't get out to one of the "hiking" areas, just walking around our neighborhood scratches the "go outside and play" itch.

I went on my first overnight backpacking trip a few weeks ago and finally got to put my backpacking gear to a real test. I admit I have identified several items I want to buy, but I feel more like they are legitimate needs at this point then wants. The weather was REALLY windy and I had some issues getting my stove to boil water so I think a windscreen is in order (I actually had to eat my dehydrated chicken and veggies while they were still a bit crunchy since it was taking so long to boil water). I've also been considering buying an inflatable pillow and after my trip I'm more inclined to get this item - my original plan was to use a stuff sack full of clothes as a pillow but I was wearing all my clothes because it was so cold. I tried using my backpack as a pillow but it wasn't comfortable at all.

Also, for a trip coming up in June I'm pretty sure I'm going to need to get a real rain cover, as well as a duffel bag to transport my backpack in since we'll be flying (a lot of people recommend this when checking your backpack as baggage since the straps and buckles can get caught on the conveyors and wreck your pack).

I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out if I'm just rationalizing getting these items, but I don' feel like they are the mindless aspirational purchases I've been trying to avoid. Having been on the trip without the stove windscreen and pillow and realizing that having them would have made a meaningful improvement, I feel comfortable that those would be bought for an actual purpose rather than just making me feel a certain way. Ditto for the rain cover for my pack. The duffel bag bugs me a little since I feel like it's not something I will use regularly, but I don't want to risk my pack getting f'ed up.

My plan though is to wait for my birthday in May and ask for some of these things as gifts. The duffel bag I will look for in thrift stores or on ebay, and hopefully get that used fairly cheap. I also have a few things I don't use that I will try to sell on eBay or Craigslist and can use the money towards the new items, so I'll at least end up with a net zero increase in "stuff" :) I'm also not running out and buying any of these things on a whim, but holding off until closer to the trip to make sure I still think they're necessary.

As to lifejoy's question about what I expect for my habits after 2018 is over: My goal is just to be more mindful of my purchases. I don't want to buy things as a lame substitute for actually doing the things I enjoy, and I don't want to buy things impulsively because they seem like a good idea/useful. I only want to buy things if I legitimately have a need for them and if they fulfill an actual purpose. So, yet another long-sleeved running top (I already have several, and it is rarely cold enough that I need long sleeves) is not a valid purchase. A lightweight frying pan so I can cook pancakes on the trail (I have numerous food options that do not require a frying pan) is not a valid purchase. A pillow so I can get a good night's rest and not end up with a sore neck? Well, I've tried the alternatives and I'm convinced that this is something I will use and get value from - valid purchase.

RetiredAt63

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #541 on: February 28, 2018, 05:43:44 PM »
Also checking in to report a successful month.  When I went to the local yarn store for needles all I bought was the needles I wanted.  I looked a tiny bit at yarn, but more in a window-shopping mindset than a oooh look at that I want it mindset.

diapasoun

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #542 on: February 28, 2018, 07:35:58 PM »
DTaggart, it seems like you've found a good equilibrium.

I too am here to report a gazingus pin-free month for February. Huzzah!

horsepoor

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #543 on: February 28, 2018, 09:21:53 PM »
No star for me - but I did just buy the one sheet for my horse, which I've used several times already, and didn't use the "fail" as an excuse to buy other things, so feeling OK with that.

Onward to March!

middo

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #544 on: February 28, 2018, 09:56:33 PM »
I'm checking in for my star too. No tools in February, and i survived just fine.

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #545 on: February 28, 2018, 10:46:35 PM »
I'm due a star too :-)

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #546 on: March 01, 2018, 12:54:31 AM »
Reporting in for my star!

formerlydivorcedmom

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #547 on: March 01, 2018, 08:14:30 AM »
Congratulations on FIREing, @DTaggart !!!  I am envious of your ability to go do outdoors things whenever you want.

Great work to everyone else last month.  I bought the one cookbook, but that was it, so I think I get a gold star as well.

My library is moving this week from a very convenient location next to my daughter's school to a less convenient location across town.  That will present a bigger challenge, but I'm up for it!

For this month, I'm thinking about using my book purchase to get a book for my son.  He's on the list to get it from the library, but it will probably be months before it's his turn.  I hadn't originally intended to keep the kids' books as part of my challenge, but the children seem to think it covers them too.  My son asked me last night for chores so he could earn money for other books he wants.  I don't know, maybe I'll just wait and give him this one for his birthday. 

Next year, I need to make frozen cookie dough my gazingus pin challenge.  I have a weakness for both cookies and cute kids selling stuff for school...which means we have a lot of cookie dough.

Poundwise

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #548 on: March 01, 2018, 08:18:25 AM »
Since I earned a star under false pretenses for January, but stood strong for February, just please leave me as I am, lifejoy! 

Good work, everyone who earned a star-- and also for everyone who resisted even a single temptation throughout the month!  Perfection is good, but better is best!

Rosy

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Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #549 on: March 01, 2018, 08:43:03 AM »
Yay - one more extra sparkly star for me, please:)

Only one occasion of intense temptation - saved by the universe aka computer glitch.