Author Topic: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!  (Read 189451 times)

repman

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 34
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #650 on: March 28, 2018, 06:50:17 AM »
no more buying of:
- coffee, sweets, chocolate
- books: I have first to read all the old ones

cheers
repman

Rosy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2742
  • Location: Florida
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #651 on: March 29, 2018, 06:38:39 AM »


I think it is a good exercise to reflect on your spending and set limits, but $200 max a year does not put me in gazingus pin territory since I can easily handle it out of my monthly discretionary funds.

It's a personal challenege so obviously you set your own parameters, but I don't think ability to afford has anything to do with what a gazingus pin is, as defined in the first group.

If it did, I could buy hundreds of nail polishes or yards of fabric every month.  The issue is habitual buying of things you don't really need.

@iowajes - yes and no. I do agree with you that habitual buying of things you don't really need is an issue and a reason/definition of a gazingus pin. However, for me, books fall into the non-negotiable, this adds value to my life category.

I do exercise control of my impulses along with fiscal responsibility by curbing the book spend, using libraries and asking for gift cards. Books may be considered an indulgence by others if you purchase them outright instead of living with what the library has to offer.
You may call them personal spending "habits", but I disagree.
Books are important to me, they are not a "thing" like nail polish or jewelry.
Just like the occasional big trip or the pleasure I get from designing our big, organic garden, it is intertwined with my core values and way of life.

Books are not necessary for survival, but I'd forego eating for a good book and actually have on rare occasions in the distant past. That alone shows where my values lie, even though I am a foodie, I'd still choose a book.
Notwithstanding the ultimate pleasure of sippin' something or the double indulgence of eating chocolate while reading:)

I view my jewelry and gemstone addiction as a serious gazingus pin. I do not like that it has become a habit that is hard to kick for good. It was beginning to actually cause financial damage, which is completely unacceptable. The jewelry and gemstones do add great enjoyment to my life and even add monetary value, but if this particular buying habit goes unchecked, it can cause trouble since my financial resources are limited.
In truth, I have enough, still, it is proving hard to abstain from "habitual" buying and acquisition. I've actually never before had a true buying addiction like this one and I am rather unhappy with myself over it. It is hard to admit, but I am still tempted, although not as much.   
 
So you see I agree with your analysis that affordability is not the absolute measure or even a reason (although in my case it was part of the reason) for a gazingus pin.
But controlling your spending habits is the ultimate reason - I am in agreement there .

I want to severely limit, if not eliminate entirely, my jewelry/gemstone addiction, but I do not in the least feel that buying the occasional book rates as a gazingus pin in any way.
To the contrary, I would consider it a good habit:)

Sure, I'd prefer not to have to spend a dime on books, but that is not realistic or even desirable, given that without authors who can actually earn a living from their writing, the library would not have any books either.
I'd support an author any day before I would support a merchant. You buy a book - you buy an idea, entertainment, escape from reality, knowledge or an education.

But being able to -afford- something has nothing to do with whether it is a gazingus pin or not.

It is "the non-essential that you keep on buying even though you don’t need it, you already have some, and it’s just not necessary! It’s your kryponite, your habit, your addiction. Your collection. Your irrational obsession."

If you think books are essential, you need them and they are necessary- then it isn't a gazingus pin at all.  That they fit your budget doesn't matter. All my gazingus pins fit my budget (and also are a huge part of my stress relief, and therapist prescribed mental health care; though using, not buying...)  But just because I can afford more doesn't mean I need more.  What makes them not a gazingus pin is that to you they are necessary purchases.  Not that you are spending only $200 on them.

@iowajes - agreed:) - whew.

@lifejoy - I'm wondering why this month still seemed so tough for you? Is there some trigger point that you haven't admitted to yourself?
 You are not your jewelry:)? - true, but then, "who are you without your jewelry?"

Update: Looking forward to gold star #3 - extra sparkly, please:) I've only been mildly tempted this month to buy jewelry. In two months I will be totally free of jewelry payments too. I could pay it off now, but I want to remind myself of past transgressions:)
 
Three more days ...
 

I'm a red panda

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8186
  • Location: United States
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #652 on: March 29, 2018, 06:43:51 AM »
I'm getting a gold star this month too :)

diapasoun

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4426
  • Location: California
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #653 on: March 29, 2018, 08:16:50 AM »
I should also be getting a gold star this month -- I had to buy a book for book club, but since that's a Licensed Out for this gazingus pin, I feel perfectly fine about it. It's the first time I've had to use the out this year, too. And both of next month's books are available via our library....

middo

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1772
  • Location: Stuck in Melbourne still. Dreaming of WA
  • Learning.
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #654 on: March 29, 2018, 07:03:35 PM »
Still no tool purchases for me!  I would like a third gold star too.  I'm actually quite impressed with myself.

lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #655 on: March 30, 2018, 03:54:52 PM »
Yay! Can’t wait to give out stars :)

This month was particularly hard for me because my ever-lovin’ husband kept offering to buy me a piece of jewellery! (Which he normally never does, haha oh man).

But I stayed strong. Thanks for the help, everyone!

One of my cardigans has a hole (oops) but I have a clothing swap coming up in two weeks. Hopefully I’ll replenish then.

My mom’s walking shoes don’t work for me. Too bad! I am going to buy some good support shoes, but I’m counting it as an athletic/health purchase instead of fashion. My sport is walking! I wouldn’t consider cleats a wardrobe purchase. So yeah.

CrustyBadger

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1085
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #656 on: March 30, 2018, 04:11:29 PM »
I had ONE slip up again this month (early in the month) so no gold star for me again.

But....

I've only had two slip ups in two months.   So I can confidently say I am developing strong new habits against snacking from the vending machine at work.  And April will be a new month (and short one because the first week is Spring Break for us!!)

RetiredAt63

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *
  • Posts: 20709
  • Location: Eastern Ontario, Canada
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #657 on: March 30, 2018, 05:12:30 PM »
My mom’s walking shoes don’t work for me. Too bad! I am going to buy some good support shoes, but I’m counting it as an athletic/health purchase instead of fashion. My sport is walking! I wouldn’t consider cleats a wardrobe purchase. So yeah.
I think this is perfectly legit.  My coffee out dosn't go in my food budget, it goes in my socializing budget, because I only get coffee out when I am meeting friends.

I too have been "good" this month, gold star worthy.

Poundwise

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2076
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #658 on: March 30, 2018, 07:37:01 PM »
Not sure if I qualify for a star... I bought some craft supplies for my son's project, and we used most of it up although some was left over (i.e. we needed only one out of the two packages of safety pins).  But I did not buy any craft supplies for myself.

OTOH, I have been spending money this month on what seems to be my new hobby... fish.

So crafts is a continuing gazingus pin, but I do go through these fads as well.

Inkedup

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 175
  • Location: USA
  • Striving for FI.
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #659 on: March 30, 2018, 08:19:17 PM »
Continuing to drink down the stash...daily...without making too much of a dent.

Good grief, I have a lot of tea. I'm down to using my last bag of coffee, though.

No purchases this month. I'll take a gold star for March :)

mspym

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9710
  • Location: Aotearoa
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #660 on: March 31, 2018, 12:20:38 AM »
aw yiss gold star for March.

lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #661 on: March 31, 2018, 07:14:58 AM »
Haha you tea drinkers are a good influence on me! I nearly bought a few boxes of Tazo tea (it was on sale!) but then I thought, hmm, don’t I have a full drawer of tea at home? Lots to drink up before I have these new flavours!

Yay for less clutter. Yay for focusing on what you already have.

In other news, since I’m not buying clothing or jewellery I have to confess I’ve been buying HOUSEWARES. Thrifted tea cups, platters, and a mirror (it’s gorgeous). In general, the overall spend is less than what I would normal spend on jewellery and clothes. But the habit of “needing” to buy and collect is still present. I’m going to tackle this impulse for April.

Anyone else finding that they’re replacing gazingus pin spending with some other category?

Laura33

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3460
  • Location: Mid-Atlantic
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #662 on: March 31, 2018, 12:47:45 PM »
Anyone else finding that they’re replacing gazingus pin spending with some other category?

YES!  I am dying on my grocery challenge, because that desire to treat myself is still there, so instead of teas, I am heading down to the local pizza-and-ice-cream shop.  All things considered, not sure that’s really a win.  😉

But at least I get a gold star here - zero teas this month!  And the best part is that as of yesterday, I got all of my canisters of tea into a single row in my cabinet, instead of 2-3 deep, and I have cleared out about half of what was in the open shelving.  I would guess I am at most one more month from completion, which would be awesome.

Inkedup

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 175
  • Location: USA
  • Striving for FI.
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #663 on: March 31, 2018, 02:07:03 PM »
Anyone else finding that they’re replacing gazingus pin spending with some other category?

Yes :( Sigh.

Stationery is another gazingus pin, as are books. Although I have been doing well with abstaining from book buying, the notebooks are a different story. I like to take notes when I read history books, so one interest definitely feeds the other. While I have purchased fewer items overall this year, I have admittedly accumulated far more than I need.

Shall I focus on the fact that I'm still doing better than I otherwise would have during my out of control, accumulation years?

Inkedup

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 175
  • Location: USA
  • Striving for FI.
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #664 on: March 31, 2018, 02:08:51 PM »
Anyone else finding that they’re replacing gazingus pin spending with some other category?

And the best part is that as of yesterday, I got all of my canisters of tea into a single row in my cabinet, instead of 2-3 deep, and I have cleared out about half of what was in the open shelving.  I would guess I am at most one more month from completion, which would be awesome.

Great work, Laura33! That's amazing progress.

RetiredAt63

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *
  • Posts: 20709
  • Location: Eastern Ontario, Canada
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #665 on: March 31, 2018, 02:11:08 PM »
Try decluttering your house to get it ready to paint and sell.  That has drowned any desire I have to buy anything (except maybe alcohol, but I am holding steady there too).  Except if my shredder dies it will definitely need to be replaced.  The blue bags and blue bags of shredded paper I have put out for recycling, sigh.  And today I just filled another one.

mspym

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9710
  • Location: Aotearoa
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #666 on: March 31, 2018, 03:10:32 PM »
Anyone else finding that they’re replacing gazingus pin spending with some other category?

YES!  I am dying on my grocery challenge, because that desire to treat myself is still there, so instead of teas, I am heading down to the local pizza-and-ice-cream shop.  All things considered, not sure that’s really a win.  😉

But at least I get a gold star here - zero teas this month!  And the best part is that as of yesterday, I got all of my canisters of tea into a single row in my cabinet, instead of 2-3 deep, and I have cleared out about half of what was in the open shelving.  I would guess I am at most one more month from completion, which would be awesome.

That is really awesome, Laura. I've been barrelling through my tea stash as it's my alcohol substitute but there's definitely one Less Favoured Tea in my collection that is a bit of an act of will to drink, although I am learning to appreciate it.

diapasoun

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4426
  • Location: California
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #667 on: March 31, 2018, 06:50:11 PM »
Anyone else finding that they’re replacing gazingus pin spending with some other category?

I'm getting a lot more books out of the library - so I'm still not reading down my own library nearly as much as I'd like. It scratches the itch for New, and for particular books, quite well and for free - and I read every library book. So, not really a gazingus pin, but still an "accumulation" in some ways.


lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #668 on: April 01, 2018, 05:19:22 AM »
Try decluttering your house to get it ready to paint and sell.  That has drowned any desire I have to buy anything (except maybe alcohol, but I am holding steady there too).  Except if my shredder dies it will definitely need to be replaced.  The blue bags and blue bags of shredded paper I have put out for recycling, sigh.  And today I just filled another one.

Oh man, such a good point! I have moved 5 times in 7 years, and I have one or two more moves in my near future. I’ve got to remember how much I end up hating the majority of my possessions when I have to move all of them!!

lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #669 on: April 01, 2018, 05:22:54 AM »
Confession: I tried to buy a pair of shoes. Comfy shoes for walking, but not “walking shoes”. Just as fate intervened for Rosy, it did for me, too! Order could not be completed because they went out of stock!

Erm... I also had ordered some shoes on amazon (free shipping, free returns!) and they were on SALE but I have just cancelled that order even before it shipped.

It’s important that I didn’t manage to buy these shoes because they were more for fashion than function. I can survive the next 9 months with my athletic walking shoes, and the fashion shoes I already own.

Anyways I find this hard but you guys are great for me to have in mind when I need to steel my resolve!

lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #670 on: April 01, 2018, 05:51:50 AM »
Well, I spoke too soon! Too bad about April because I just bought a diamond tshirt, which means I didn’t make it for BOTH of my gazingus pins this month... it was on sale for $999 so I couldn’t resist!!!! Sounds crazy, I know, but it’s designer. So yeah. Psyched about my purchase so I guess I don’t really mind.

HappierAtHome

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8015
  • Location: Australia
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #671 on: April 01, 2018, 06:14:48 AM »
Good one :-P

zeli2033

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 508
  • Location: West Coast
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #672 on: April 01, 2018, 08:39:29 AM »
Checking in to officially claim my star for March! No books bought - woohooo! I love the library.

RetiredAt63

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *
  • Posts: 20709
  • Location: Eastern Ontario, Canada
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #673 on: April 01, 2018, 08:54:17 AM »
Well, I spoke too soon! Too bad about April because I just bought a diamond tshirt, which means I didn’t make it for BOTH of my gazingus pins this month... it was on sale for $999 so I couldn’t resist!!!! Sounds crazy, I know, but it’s designer. So yeah. Psyched about my purchase so I guess I don’t really mind.

You ARE having fun today, eh?    ;-)

lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #674 on: April 01, 2018, 08:55:00 AM »

Well Respected Man

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 237
  • Location: About Town
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #675 on: April 01, 2018, 07:46:27 PM »
I hate the very idea of gazingus pins, so I applaud all of you who are making the effort not to acquire any more. There are shiploads of containers of gazingus pins arriving daily at a port near you, and it is all BS busywork. Why don't we all switch to virtual gazingus pins, where people pretend to make things, and other people pretend to buy them, and everyone still gets to eat.

Regarding the Tiffany jewelry dilemma, I think a Tiffany gift is about as gazingus-y as it gets. Literally the color of the bag or box is cause to charge 2-3x a comparable jewelry gazingus or 100-500x a comparable functional item*. Give a functional or consumable gift, not a gazingus.

* I have a Tiffany keyring, which cost who the hell knows how much, but it's solid silver and from Tiffany, so I'm guessing it cost 100-500x what a regular loop of steel would cost. The damn gazingus has a ball screwed onto one end so that you can modify your mix of keys, and the ball works itself loose every so often, so that you risk losing your keys.

lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #676 on: April 01, 2018, 11:41:31 PM »
I hate the very idea of gazingus pins, so I applaud all of you who are making the effort not to acquire any more. There are shiploads of containers of gazingus pins arriving daily at a port near you, and it is all BS busywork. Why don't we all switch to virtual gazingus pins, where people pretend to make things, and other people pretend to buy them, and everyone still gets to eat.

Regarding the Tiffany jewelry dilemma, I think a Tiffany gift is about as gazingus-y as it gets. Literally the color of the bag or box is cause to charge 2-3x a comparable jewelry gazingus or 100-500x a comparable functional item*. Give a functional or consumable gift, not a gazingus.

* I have a Tiffany keyring, which cost who the hell knows how much, but it's solid silver and from Tiffany, so I'm guessing it cost 100-500x what a regular loop of steel would cost. The damn gazingus has a ball screwed onto one end so that you can modify your mix of keys, and the ball works itself loose every so often, so that you risk losing your keys.

Well.... yeah, I pretty much agree, but I also believe that usually the purpose is a gift is to give something you think the other person would would really enjoy. And she totally would. So yeah.... dilemma.

lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #677 on: April 01, 2018, 11:42:37 PM »
PS but if I had a tiffany key ring I might feel the same way as you ;)

Are you going to join us? Do you buy any gazingus pins these days?

formerlydivorcedmom

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 701
  • Location: Texas
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #678 on: April 02, 2018, 07:48:19 AM »
I totally failed in March.  I was at the grocery store, saw another new release by another favorite author, and into my cart it went.

Apparently I used up all my willpower earlier in the month and should not have attempted to walk down the book aisle.

I'm a red panda

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8186
  • Location: United States
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #679 on: April 02, 2018, 07:58:43 AM »
I get my gold star for march :)

(For the record- I have a Tiffany bracelet. Not the one from Legally Blonde, but a similar one- as that was SO popular when I was in college and my husband gave me it. I wore it always in college and never wear silver now. He was broke in college, so I can't imagine what he went without to get me this! He hasn't bought me a piece of jewelry since we got married so I guess now we are even for it.)

Well Respected Man

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 237
  • Location: About Town
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #680 on: April 02, 2018, 08:04:26 AM »
PS but if I had a tiffany key ring I might feel the same way as you ;)

Are you going to join us? Do you buy any gazingus pins these days?
OK, since you were so gracious about my not very nice post, I'll join. I don't really buy much besides food and alcohol these days, so I'll go with no Doritos or other fancy chips, and no expensive craft beer.

lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #681 on: April 02, 2018, 08:45:30 AM »
PS but if I had a tiffany key ring I might feel the same way as you ;)

Are you going to join us? Do you buy any gazingus pins these days?
OK, since you were so gracious about my not very nice post, I'll join. I don't really buy much besides food and alcohol these days, so I'll go with no Doritos or other fancy chips, and no expensive craft beer.

Very cool! And welcome! Haha and I’m not afraid of a facepunch (when warranted) every now and again, so don’t sweat it.

Serendip

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2208
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #682 on: April 02, 2018, 09:51:13 AM »
No gold star for me in March (for my earlier e-book purchases)..however I am happy to say I have resisted all art courses & even one yoga retreat which I almost sold myself on (it's right after my birthday and run by a friend!)

Poundwise

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2076
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #683 on: April 02, 2018, 10:30:29 AM »
Well, I spoke too soon! Too bad about April because I just bought a diamond tshirt, which means I didn’t make it for BOTH of my gazingus pins this month... it was on sale for $999 so I couldn’t resist!!!!

Ha, you fooled me until I saw the price! And for a moment I had serious doubts about your taste!

Is the jewelry you want to buy your friend over budget? How does it stack up to value of the pearl necklace you never wear? Is she the kind of person who would find it tacky if you gift her a vintage (preowned) Tiffany item rather than a brand-new-in-box item?


lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #684 on: April 02, 2018, 01:12:28 PM »
Well, I spoke too soon! Too bad about April because I just bought a diamond tshirt, which means I didn’t make it for BOTH of my gazingus pins this month... it was on sale for $999 so I couldn’t resist!!!!

Ha, you fooled me until I saw the price! And for a moment I had serious doubts about your taste!

Is the jewelry you want to buy your friend over budget? How does it stack up to value of the pearl necklace you never wear? Is she the kind of person who would find it tacky if you gift her a vintage (preowned) Tiffany item rather than a brand-new-in-box item?

Hehe ;)

Yes, probably about $100 more than I want to spend.

The value is similar to the pearl necklace but I feel weird about regifting. I feel like I would have to buy something else if I went with that. Maybe a jewellery box to go with it? I’m not sure.

I think she’d be fine with vintage/preowned! I looked into it a bit. Trouble is, a lot of Tiffany stuff holds its value and the resale doesn’t have the kind of amazing deals that would make it worth it for me.

MaybeBabyMustache

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5304
    • My Wild Ride to FI
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #685 on: April 05, 2018, 07:57:37 AM »
I'm planning to buy more gift cards tomorrow - $300 in Home Depot gift cards will yield $60 in grocery store gift cards. We are in the middle of numerous home projects, so the $300 will be used quickly, and having gift cards won't impact the total amount we'd spend. (As it might with say, a clothing store). Otherwise, have continued to work down our stash of gift cards & ensure I'm not buying even when tempted, unless the gift card will offset planned spending.

formerlydivorcedmom

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 701
  • Location: Texas
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #686 on: April 05, 2018, 08:23:12 AM »
I thought of you last night, @MaybeBabyMustache  - I was helping my 8-year-old declutter his room, and I found half a dozen (unused) gift cards tucked into various drawers.

I'm glad you've got a handle on your gift cards now.  Now I have to figure out how to help the kid get a handle on his.

After the kids went to bed, I sat in my personal library and looked at all my lovely gazingus pins.  [Yes, I actually have a room dedicated to my gazingus pins.  It's half the reason I bought this house - a lovely open loft area between the kids' rooms that fits 6 bookshelves and two nice armchairs.  All for MEEEEEEE and my preciouses, bwahahaha.]   Part of this challenge, for me, is finding more of an emotional balance with books.    Not just being more intentional with what I buy, but being more intentional with what I keep.

I've done MAJOR book decluttering in the last year (I got rid of about 25% of my collection).  However, I still have hundreds of books (possibly more than a thousand).  It make me anxious to think about getting rid of more (red flag)...yet at the same time I want to give away All The Things because I'm so tired of stuff. 

I'm quite jealous of all of you with perishable gazingus pins.  You are using up your tea and your gift cards.  For the others who, like me, have gazingus pins that translate into stuff, are you planning to pare your collections this year?

diapasoun

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4426
  • Location: California
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #687 on: April 05, 2018, 09:14:34 AM »
I'm quite jealous of all of you with perishable gazingus pins.  You are using up your tea and your gift cards.  For the others who, like me, have gazingus pins that translate into stuff, are you planning to pare your collections this year?

I'm with you: I need to get rid of books, especially because my shelves are overflowing!

I do have a small set of books that I know I don't want, and can either put in one of our Little Free Libraries, or sell to our local shop. Most of them are ones I've inherited from friends, and although they look fun they're just not high up enough on my TBR that I'll get to them this year -- or likely even next year. It doesn't make sense to me to keep books around so that I can read them in five years, especially when I'll probably be moving before then AND these are the sorts of books you can easily find in libraries.

I just need to sit down and do the cull.

formerlydivorcedmom

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 701
  • Location: Texas
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #688 on: April 05, 2018, 01:42:38 PM »
I'm quite jealous of all of you with perishable gazingus pins.  You are using up your tea and your gift cards.  For the others who, like me, have gazingus pins that translate into stuff, are you planning to pare your collections this year?

I'm with you: I need to get rid of books, especially because my shelves are overflowing!

I do have a small set of books that I know I don't want, and can either put in one of our Little Free Libraries, or sell to our local shop. Most of them are ones I've inherited from friends, and although they look fun they're just not high up enough on my TBR that I'll get to them this year -- or likely even next year. It doesn't make sense to me to keep books around so that I can read them in five years, especially when I'll probably be moving before then AND these are the sorts of books you can easily find in libraries.

I just need to sit down and do the cull.

Those were the easy ones for me to get rid of (mostly).  Last night's anxiety - I have ALL the Janet Evanovich books and ALL of the J.D. Robb "In Death" series and ALL of the Agatha Christie mysteries.  So does my library.  Occasionally I reread them.  I'm hoping in a few years the kids will want to read them.  But do I really need to keep them?  And if I get rid of them, well, now I have a giant empty space in my bookshelves!

diapasoun

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4426
  • Location: California
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #689 on: April 05, 2018, 02:00:35 PM »
I'm quite jealous of all of you with perishable gazingus pins.  You are using up your tea and your gift cards.  For the others who, like me, have gazingus pins that translate into stuff, are you planning to pare your collections this year?

I'm with you: I need to get rid of books, especially because my shelves are overflowing!

I do have a small set of books that I know I don't want, and can either put in one of our Little Free Libraries, or sell to our local shop. Most of them are ones I've inherited from friends, and although they look fun they're just not high up enough on my TBR that I'll get to them this year -- or likely even next year. It doesn't make sense to me to keep books around so that I can read them in five years, especially when I'll probably be moving before then AND these are the sorts of books you can easily find in libraries.

I just need to sit down and do the cull.

Those were the easy ones for me to get rid of (mostly).  Last night's anxiety - I have ALL the Janet Evanovich books and ALL of the J.D. Robb "In Death" series and ALL of the Agatha Christie mysteries.  So does my library.  Occasionally I reread them.  I'm hoping in a few years the kids will want to read them.  But do I really need to keep them?  And if I get rid of them, well, now I have a giant empty space in my bookshelves!

Ohhh that one's hard. Very few of my most precious books are easily found in libraries -- they're either too niche, or in the case of a few, too likely to be stolen (see: the Sandman comics series).

How do you feel when you look at those books? Do you feel happy and joyful? Do you feel weighed down?

formerlydivorcedmom

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 701
  • Location: Texas
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #690 on: April 05, 2018, 03:22:43 PM »
I'm quite jealous of all of you with perishable gazingus pins.  You are using up your tea and your gift cards.  For the others who, like me, have gazingus pins that translate into stuff, are you planning to pare your collections this year?

I'm with you: I need to get rid of books, especially because my shelves are overflowing!

I do have a small set of books that I know I don't want, and can either put in one of our Little Free Libraries, or sell to our local shop. Most of them are ones I've inherited from friends, and although they look fun they're just not high up enough on my TBR that I'll get to them this year -- or likely even next year. It doesn't make sense to me to keep books around so that I can read them in five years, especially when I'll probably be moving before then AND these are the sorts of books you can easily find in libraries.

I just need to sit down and do the cull.

Those were the easy ones for me to get rid of (mostly).  Last night's anxiety - I have ALL the Janet Evanovich books and ALL of the J.D. Robb "In Death" series and ALL of the Agatha Christie mysteries.  So does my library.  Occasionally I reread them.  I'm hoping in a few years the kids will want to read them.  But do I really need to keep them?  And if I get rid of them, well, now I have a giant empty space in my bookshelves!

Ohhh that one's hard. Very few of my most precious books are easily found in libraries -- they're either too niche, or in the case of a few, too likely to be stolen (see: the Sandman comics series).

How do you feel when you look at those books? Do you feel happy and joyful? Do you feel weighed down?

Both :(  I might take one or all of these series and hide them in the closet for a month.  I did that with a set of romance books last month;  30 days later it was a lot easier to decide which ones should go and which ones should stay.

diapasoun

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4426
  • Location: California
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #691 on: April 05, 2018, 03:28:26 PM »
Quote
snip't

Those were the easy ones for me to get rid of (mostly).  Last night's anxiety - I have ALL the Janet Evanovich books and ALL of the J.D. Robb "In Death" series and ALL of the Agatha Christie mysteries.  So does my library.  Occasionally I reread them.  I'm hoping in a few years the kids will want to read them.  But do I really need to keep them?  And if I get rid of them, well, now I have a giant empty space in my bookshelves!

Ohhh that one's hard. Very few of my most precious books are easily found in libraries -- they're either too niche, or in the case of a few, too likely to be stolen (see: the Sandman comics series).

How do you feel when you look at those books? Do you feel happy and joyful? Do you feel weighed down?

Both :(  I might take one or all of these series and hide them in the closet for a month.  I did that with a set of romance books last month;  30 days later it was a lot easier to decide which ones should go and which ones should stay.

That's a great way of deciding about it. The distance helps.

mspym

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9710
  • Location: Aotearoa
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #692 on: April 06, 2018, 02:41:46 AM »
I am going through the books now. One of my big gazingus pins was manga - I estimate I spent ~10k on it over 4 years or so, and it would have been higher if I hadn't split up series buying with a friend. Now I am going in the opposite direction and looking to shed the majority of my collection. I have the weight and obligation of I should find someone who will appreciate them sitting on my shoulders, when actually I should just get them out of my life. Sadly my niece would lovelovelove most of them but she is living on a bus and has No Space!

At least with the Kdrama/Jdrama, it was all files so I could delete them and that was it.

Question to the group: I don't know if this was a gazingus pin so open to losing my star if you reckon it was. When I left my last job, work gave me some giftcards to the local craft store, with a 12 month expiry. I used the cards yesterday to buy various bobbins/patterns/bias tape/material that I wanted - which IS a direct violation of my pin [material/patterns] BUT if I had stuck to the zero exceptions then they would have expired before the challenge was up AND I carefully stayed in the total envelope of the cards, rather than spend any of my own money PLUS now I have absolutely no excuses - any future purchases are 100% gazingus pin that's for sure. Judgement?

lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #693 on: April 06, 2018, 08:45:12 AM »
Mspym - if someone gave me a gift card to Tiffany’s that expired this year, well, I’m not an idiot - of course I’d spend it!

In your case I think it’s really great that you stayed under the coat of the gift card. Whether or not it counts as “cheating” - that’s up to you. Did it feel like giving in to a gazingus pin addiction? Did it feel like falling off the wagon? Or did it feel like a random and necessarily blip on an otherwise successful journey?

FormerlydivorcedMom - I am trying to downsize my gazingus pin collections. Clothes I am finding easier. I have a clothing swap coming up. Jewellery I go back and forth. The cheap stuff I can part with unless it’s tied to an emotional event. The good stuff- I largely have a hard time parting with it. I’ve been trying to sell a ring and have had some bites, and I just haven’t been able to meet with the buyers (#babylife) so it hasn’t sold yet. I just got another bite... but recently I had decided to keep it. But maybe I should sell. Gah!

I could part with the jewellery more easily, except I always think “omg family heirloom!”. Plus I’ve gotten such deals, I could never buy them again for the price I originally got them for.

formerlydivorcedmom

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 701
  • Location: Texas
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #694 on: April 06, 2018, 11:14:10 AM »
I could part with the jewellery more easily, except I always think “omg family heirloom!”. Plus I’ve gotten such deals, I could never buy them again for the price I originally got them for.

Are they family heirlooms that were passed down to you, or future family heirlooms that you want to pass down to your children?

A few years before my grandmother died, she called all of us into her room, laid out all her nice jewelry, and told us to each pick one item*.  Everything else, she sold or gave away to friends.  I was grateful, because it meant that we didn't have to deal with it all later, when sentiment would make it harder to make decisions.   I don't own a lot of expensive jewelry - it doesn't fit my lifestyle much - and I wouldn't have had a clue what to do with all of hers.

As for the buying it again...would you want to?  It's a sunk cost right now, and it really doesn't matter if you *could* buy it again at that price if you *wouldn't* buy it again.

*She was closest to my sister and I, so we were each given an extra sentimental piece of relatively cheap jewelry - my sister got Mamaw's rosary, and I received a cloisonne' necklace that my grandfather gave to her when they were dating.   I value (and wear) that necklace much more than the diamond tennis bracelet.


mspym

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9710
  • Location: Aotearoa
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #695 on: April 06, 2018, 03:39:48 PM »
Mspym - if someone gave me a gift card to Tiffany’s that expired this year, well, I’m not an idiot - of course I’d spend it!

In your case I think it’s really great that you stayed under the coat of the gift card. Whether or not it counts as “cheating” - that’s up to you. Did it feel like giving in to a gazingus pin addiction? Did it feel like falling off the wagon? Or did it feel like a random and necessarily blip on an otherwise successful journey?

It felt a bit like a lucky escape- I left ~80 cents unspent rather than risk going over. And now the card is gone and I don't have any excuse to be tempted. But yes, I would have felt like a bit of a chump if I had let a business keep $100 of my friends money and not got any of the promised goods in exchange!

FormerlydivorcedMom - I am trying to downsize my gazingus pin collections. Clothes I am finding easier. I have a clothing swap coming up. Jewellery I go back and forth. The cheap stuff I can part with unless it’s tied to an emotional event. The good stuff- I largely have a hard time parting with it. I’ve been trying to sell a ring and have had some bites, and I just haven’t been able to meet with the buyers (#babylife) so it hasn’t sold yet. I just got another bite... but recently I had decided to keep it. But maybe I should sell. Gah!

I could part with the jewellery more easily, except I always think “omg family heirloom!”. Plus I’ve gotten such deals, I could never buy them again for the price I originally got them for.

This is how I feel about some of my books/vintage frocks, but I have been having a quiet word with myself- Am I ever going to read/wear it again? Would I buy it again now? Do I know someone who would enjoy it as much as I did? Remember how AWESOME it felt to find something AMAZING at a bargain price? Well, why not let someone else have that feeling too? [that last one gets me to donating most times]

I do have the benefit of all my decisions being on the small potatoes side of the financial scale - I am not losing big money on letting things go. The money is already spent, and it bought me the use and enjoyment of the thing for as long as I had it. Now I just need to change from buying things for my ideal self to buying things for my actual self. : /
« Last Edit: April 06, 2018, 03:44:35 PM by mspym »

lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #696 on: April 06, 2018, 04:23:04 PM »
I could part with the jewellery more easily, except I always think “omg family heirloom!”. Plus I’ve gotten such deals, I could never buy them again for the price I originally got them for.

Are they family heirlooms that were passed down to you, or future family heirlooms that you want to pass down to your children?

A few years before my grandmother died, she called all of us into her room, laid out all her nice jewelry, and told us to each pick one item*.  Everything else, she sold or gave away to friends.  I was grateful, because it meant that we didn't have to deal with it all later, when sentiment would make it harder to make decisions.   I don't own a lot of expensive jewelry - it doesn't fit my lifestyle much - and I wouldn't have had a clue what to do with all of hers.

As for the buying it again...would you want to?  It's a sunk cost right now, and it really doesn't matter if you *could* buy it again at that price if you *wouldn't* buy it again.

*She was closest to my sister and I, so we were each given an extra sentimental piece of relatively cheap jewelry - my sister got Mamaw's rosary, and I received a cloisonne' necklace that my grandfather gave to her when they were dating.   I value (and wear) that necklace much more than the diamond tennis bracelet.

Both - some jewellery belonging to my mom and grandparents and great grandparents (not much!) and some is mine which even if I never wear it, I reckon I can have fun giving it away one day.

Oh man I love cloissone. What a beautiful story. My gramma gave me a gold filled (“cheaper”) heart locket bracelet that my grampa had given her. It’s engraved and everything. One of my most prized possessions!

As for whether or not I’d buy my own items again.... if I saw them for such a deal, I’d find it hard to resist!!! It’s more like, if you saw a car or a book or a boatload of tea for an incredibly discounted price... would you want to buy it??? Whatever it is you like to buy, if you saw a helluva deal you’d probably want to buy it. My trick needs to be: stop looking!!!

lifejoy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Canada, eh
  • Lovin' the Mustachian life!
    • Not Buying This
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #697 on: April 06, 2018, 04:23:54 PM »
PS - did I catch everyone up on stars? Let me know if I’ve missed you! ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮

Rosy

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2742
  • Location: Florida
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #698 on: April 07, 2018, 09:47:15 AM »
I thought of you last night, @MaybeBabyMustache  - I was helping my 8-year-old declutter his room, and I found half a dozen (unused) gift cards tucked into various drawers.

I'm glad you've got a handle on your gift cards now.  Now I have to figure out how to help the kid get a handle on his.

After the kids went to bed, I sat in my personal library and looked at all my lovely gazingus pins.  [Yes, I actually have a room dedicated to my gazingus pins.  It's half the reason I bought this house - a lovely open loft area between the kids' rooms that fits 6 bookshelves and two nice armchairs.  All for MEEEEEEE and my preciouses, bwahahaha.]   Part of this challenge, for me, is finding more of an emotional balance with books.    Not just being more intentional with what I buy, but being more intentional with what I keep.

I've done MAJOR book decluttering in the last year (I got rid of about 25% of my collection).  However, I still have hundreds of books (possibly more than a thousand).  It make me anxious to think about getting rid of more (red flag)...yet at the same time I want to give away All The Things because I'm so tired of stuff. 

I'm quite jealous of all of you with perishable gazingus pins.  You are using up your tea and your gift cards.  For the others who, like me, have gazingus pins that translate into stuff, are you planning to pare your collections this year?

LOL @formerlydivorcedmom you are me about eight years ago:) In a sense, I still have that room but I reduced the number of bookshelves as well as the size of bookshelves. It was tough, but once I had a system I could live with it suddenly all worked very well.

In the past eight years, I've gradually let go of some of my book collection when I realized that I lost interest in that subject, which in turn made rooms for books on new subjects of interest.

Feng Shui teaches that one always needs to leave space for new things to come into our lives. I think that is profound and brilliant:)
Besides, I like breathing space and being a bibliophile could easily lead to rooms crammed full of books. I do love that idea on some level:), but in the end, I decided to control that impulse, if for no other reason than that I am not the only one living in that house.

On the gift cards - I carry all my gift cards in my purse in a see through plastic envelope, sorted by restaurant/dept store/home improvement/specialty store. That way I know what I have and I can always use them.
I've never purchased any for myself except for ordering a rewards gift card for Xmas or talking Mr. R. into giving up his rewards as a Valentine's present for me - yeah, I'm like that:).


Laura33

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3460
  • Location: Mid-Atlantic
Re: No Gazingus Pins for 2018!
« Reply #699 on: April 07, 2018, 11:57:54 AM »
PS - did I catch everyone up on stars? Let me know if I’ve missed you! ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮

Where's the post with the stars?  As I am currently working my way through the "meh" teas, I want to gaze upon the wonder of my stars!!!