Inches, Pounds, and Ahas!

After 31 days of no sugar, no fake sweeteners, and low starches, I stepped on the scale and saw that I was down 7 lbs. from where I started on January 1st. Each week I measured my chest, waist, hips, and thighs, and after a month of cutting out sweets and curbing the snack attacks, the loss of a few inches and half inches were making themselves felt in the fit of my clothes. And while it's nice to see those kinds of results, other, unexpected lessons crept up during the month that made the most significant impact. 

Lessons like...

• Realizing that I was addicted to sugar and didn't see it.
• Recognizing that I turned to sugary coffee drinks for comfort on bad days.
• I used food as a reward for hard days or other "sacrifices" I had made.
• When I felt frustrated with life, I replaced going to God with going to Starbucks.
• For someone who prides herself on being very self-aware, I snacked mindlessly.
• Since I was trying to buy less stuff...I made up for it by buying more food.
• Worst of all, I taught my kids that "treats" should be a regular occurrence.

Bottom line: food, specifically sugar, had become an idol. I worshipped the temporary "high" that a stop at Starbucks would give me. I bowed at the altar of donuts.

Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash

With the revelations of January fresh before me, I made the conscious decision to extend the lifestyle changes another month, and potentially longer. Not only was I seeing the physical benefits of the choices I was making in what and when I ate, but I also felt better than I had in months, if not years. The unexpected discoveries of the hold that sugar had on me just added to my desire to continue down this path and see where it led. 

Although at first, I missed my Starbucks stops and late-night binge snacking, I found that I much preferred the feeling of being satisfied with less. It was equally, if not more addicting than the temporary sugar rush that accompanied eating a doughnut the size of my face or downing a large Diet Coke. I became aware of the number of times I unconsciously associated going somewhere with picking up a treat. Drop the kids off at taekwondo, stop and get a coffee. Run errands on Saturday morning and bring home a Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit for the Hubs and me.

Treat, when used as a noun, is defined as: an event or item that is out of the ordinary and gives great pleasure. But when the event or item is no longer out of the ordinary, can it still be called a treat? When a doughnut truck came every week to a local parking lot, and I started stopping more and more often...was it still a treat? Or had my kids (and I) come to expect it? 

Several years ago, when the Hubs and I were laser-focused on paying off our first mortgage, we only allowed ourselves to go out to eat once a month. After money was less of an issue for us, going out stopped being a treat and became routine. "Do you feel like cooking tonight? No? Me neither. Let's go out." 

Last month I was reminded of that austere time in our lives as I once again began to deny myself the "treats" that had become expected and regular. In fact, I found that it became easier to tell myself "no" the longer I did it. Why? Because I wanted the rush of actual treats. Something that truly was out of the ordinary. Something that was unexpected, rather than something that was commonplace. 

I've told myself that I can now have one treat from Starbucks every month, using the gift cards I received for Christmas and my birthday. But instead of rushing towards the drive-thru on February 1st, I discovered there is even more joy in waiting. In fact, as I type this, with the end of the month rushing towards me, I have yet to go. 

The surprise "Aha!" of the last two months has been that the discipline of being more mindful of what I eat, what I spend my money on, and how I prioritize my time has made me want more. 

• More of the feeling of accomplishment when my waistband isn't digging into my stomach. 
• More of the sense of freedom that comes from paying cash at the grocery store and sticking to the budget. 
• More guilt-free time to spend reading for pleasure because my work isn't hanging over my head, and dinner is in the Crock-Pot. 
• More of Jesus, less of me. 

Idols don't always take the form we might think...sometimes they are shaped like bite-sized sugar bombs and time-sucking YouTube videos. Sneaky little things... So I'll close this with a question for you to ponder: What idols are ensconced in your life? If you take time to think about this and be honest, you might find yourself to be just surprised as I was. 

Hold That Impulse!

I recently found myself on a website of a store that I hadn't visited in some time. In fact, it had been several years since I had been a regular customer of theirs. But after a conversation with someone triggered an idea for a future gift, I typed their URL in my browser and was immediately sucked into the "Additional Discount Sales Vortex." You know the one? When something that had originally been $50 is marked down, with an additional discount "added in cart," to just $15. I not only purchased the originally intended gift, but I threw in four more items for good measure. The whole thing, including shipping and tax, still fell under $100, but these days, that's more than I have in disposable income. I know I'm not alone in this.

Photo by Xiaolong Wong on Unsplash

With the cost of groceries ever skyrocketing and getting excited when Kroger has their 18-count eggs on sale, 2/$7, I really don't have money to throw around on items I don't need...and didn't know I wanted until I saw the sale price. When it costs over $100 to fill up the Hub's work vehicle, and self-employment taxes are looming over our heads, it really doesn't matter how cute the item is or what kind of deal it appears to be...bills before thrills. 

January is always the hardest month for me. My ancestral Scotch-Irish frugality comes out of hiding as soon as I see perfectly good items - things that I would want to buy anyway as future gifts - now flaunting themselves before me with clearance stickers and preening around under giant "Semi-Annual Sale" banners. If I stick to my list of people and gifts, then I can definitely stretch a dollar and get more for them than if I was paying full price, but the problem is...I see those discounts and suddenly things that I never needed before (like cute winter-themed car air fresheners) end up in my cart as well. If you're curious how I know this...I'm staring at one on my desk as I type this. 

So how can we avoid those impulse purchases? Is there anything besides good, old-fashioned self-control? I've got a few little ideas to toss out there...do with them what you will.

• Sleep on it. I'm sure you've heard this one before, but if you're tempted to click, "Buy Now" - stop. If it's a sale item, it's possible that your desired size and color may not be there tomorrow. But then again, by tomorrow you may have forgotten all about it.
• Carry cash. If you know it's sale season (as it is every January with certain body-care and lingerie stores), give yourself a budget. In cash. And then go to the store, guilt-free. If you find things, you have the cash. If you don't find things, you get to take the cash home. And if you find more than you have cash for...you have to make some hard in-store choices and walk away from the rest. 
• Regret fixes nothing. You're going to flub up every once in a while. We're all human, we all do it. You're going to click "buy now" on Amazon without following rule #1. You're going to come home with something not on your list from the Aldi Finds aisle. You will be swayed by the "additional 40% off" pop-up on the website. So when those things happen, don't beat yourself up about it. If you regret the purchase, pull out the receipt and head back to the store or pack it up to go back to Amazon. Regret fixes nothing, but returns do. 

Remember those items I purchased on impulse? The ones that started with a gift idea and ended up being mostly for me? I knew I didn't need them, but I sure could use a couple of cartons of eggs and a gallon of milk. So after thinking about it for a few days, I returned two of them to a local branch of the store. I walked out with $42 back in my bank account, and a smile on my face. Don't let a momentary impulse throw off your financial groove. Pick yourself back up, return your mistakes, and move on. Tomorrow is a new day. 

Enough.

One question. Three words. Two of them just one syllable. 

When the Aldi Finds post comes up on Instagram, and the first thing that comes to mind is, "Oohhh...I need to stop by there!" follow that thought up by asking yourself, "Is it necessary?" 

When the sale flyer lands in your inbox and you see your favorite store is taking an additional 40% off the clearance price, instead of clicking on the link, ask yourself, "Is it necessary?" 

This simple question goes along very nicely with others, such as...

• Do I really need it?
• Will my life be better if I have this?
• Could I use something I already own?
• What could I use the money for instead?

And my personal favorite...

Why did I not need it before I knew it existed? 

Photo by Tamanna Rumee on Unsplash

I'm currently reading How To Break Up With Fast Fashion: A guilt-free guide to changing the way you shop – for good, a book written by Lauren Bravo and published in January 2020. While much has changed in the world since its publication, including COVID, lockdowns, supply-chain issues, recessions, and $5 cartons of eggs, the idea of mindless buying or overbuying, has not. In fact, if anything, the 2020 pandemic made the problem worse, when we were all stuck inside, but Amazon was still delivering. And now that the financial status of the U.S., among other countries, is on the verge of insanity, it often feels that our only option for clothing our kids and ourselves are the cheaply made t-shirts and one-season pants offered by "fast fashion" vendors like Old Navy and Walmart. 

I get it. I have five kids. Although the eldest is out on her own and hasn't wanted me to buy her clothes in a few years due to a difference in style taste {ahem}, the other four are all still in their growth spurts and it feels like a never-ending cycle of buying fast fashion, because it's what we can afford, only to have it fall apart, wear out, or simply give up months, and sometimes weeks, after purchase.  

In 2020, I read Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale by Adam Minter, which I found both fascinating and thought-provoking. After spending four years living and working in several developing nations (or, a little less P.C. - third-world countries), I wasn't entirely unaware of the situations described by Minter and Bravo in their respective books. When we lived in a small country in southern Africa, we commuted almost daily past a local garment factory where GAP and Levis jeans were made. In one Southeast Asian country, down a bumpy dirt road, I found beautiful pottery bowls in a store, stamped with the official emblem of Williams & Sonoma, and was told they were made in a factory not far away. And yet in each case, a new pair of GAP jeans or a set of mixing bowls would cost more to buy than the worker who made them would make in a month? Two months? Six months? It was, and is, sobering. 

And so, I ask again, is it necessary? Or do I, in fact, have enough? These are the questions I'm pondering and have been for quite some time. And of the things I have, how much do I donate (and thus contribute even more to the "global garage sale") and how much do I keep in the hopes that I can repurpose it? I'm not an environmentalist, and I don't think we can save the planet (I mean, Revelation is a bit of a spoiler alert on that idea), but I do believe that God has entrusted us with this creation of His, and we are to be good caretakers and stewards of the resources He gives us. And beyond that, and even more importantly, we are to love the people in this world, as He does. Am I loving them well by sending them my junk or supporting the working environments I've both observed and read about, by buying fast fashion? I don't think I am. 

This is not the end of the conversation, but it is the beginning. I'm still pondering, still reading, still learning. January 2023 was a month of changing habits and beginning a journey of becoming a better steward of many things, including my body (what I eat and how I treat it), my time (what I spend it on), my money and resources, and now, apparently, my closet. I don't know where this will end, but I suspect that ENOUGH just became my word of the year. 

Small Victories

In years past, I have set goals. I have picked words. I have started strong. And I have fallen off the wagon somewhere around March or April. And it is for this very reason that this year, I'm focusing more on the small victories. The things that sound small on paper or in a blog post, but I know would actually make my daily life better. It's not about running the marathon, it's about taking the first step.

Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash

And so here I am, working on blog post #13 of 2022. I aimed for twelve this year, and at the beginning of the month, I had only written eight. But then I decided I needed to work on making the time I had work for me. I needed to fight the urge to kill time after a long day and instead use it to pour into something I used to really enjoy doing...writing. And suddenly, using the same amount of time I had before, I have written five blog posts, found images, and hit "publish," bringing life back to a part of me that has been dormant. It's a small victory. 

And what about those other small victories? Well, here's a quick list of what I'm aiming for in 2023:

• Lose 2 lbs. a month
• Read 1 book a month (for fun)
• Write 1 blog post a month
• Walk a minimum of 3 days a week
• Use up the tea stash (I *might* have a tea collection problem)
• Clean various areas of the house once a month
• Try "No Spend" weeks
• Instead of hitting "buy now" from Amazon, put the same amount in savings daily/weekly

Find the Joy

I've been on a bit of a purging kick since the week of Thanksgiving. Before hosting 22 people last Thursday, I went through my kitchen and pantry and filled six large boxes with items to be donated to our local Goodwill.

It was good stuff, nice stuff, never-been-used stuff. Holiday dishes, mixing bowls, cloth napkins. It represented a realistic look at my fantasy life/family that I imagined I would have when I was in my 20s, and the reality of my (wonderful) life/family in my 40s.

 
I know what kind of mom I am...not the kind that needs 100 cookie cutters. I know what kind of hostess I am...the kind that is a raving fan of the nice holiday paper plates from Hobby Lobby. I routinely choose ease over fuss, simple over hard, and ready-made over made-from-scratch (most of the time...I have my moments).

 
Since then, the purge has continued. Three more large boxes have been packed up since the pre-Thanksgiving load, including more holiday decor as I've been going through the containers from our basement, decking the house. 

I've boxed up Christmas dishes that my mother gave to my grandparents when she and my father were poor newlyweds (a set of four, split between their two parents). One of the plates broke in a move we made 22 years ago, and the other three have been pulled out and used a handful of times since then. They hold memories...for my mom, but not for me. And so they are being passed on to someone who can love and use them, rather than collecting dust in my cabinet. 

In many ways, this purge has been more about examining the reasons I've been keeping these things, and less about the items themselves. It's not about whether they are useful or beautiful (a la William Morris), rather, it's asking myself if the only reason I'm holding onto them is for the memories associated with them, even if they aren't my memories. What I'm realizing (thanks in part to Let It Go: Downsizing Your Way to a Richer, Happier Life by Peter Walsh, $4.99 for the Kindle version as of the time of writing, and worth it if you're simplifying, downsizing, or preparing to move loved ones), is that the memories are enough...I don't need the things too.

While working on dinner this week, I looked up and "saw" this candle on the ledge of the pass-through window to the dining room. I say "saw" because it's actually been sitting in my kitchen ever since a friend gave it to me for Christmas...several years ago. I've seen it almost every day, but never took the time to do anything with it. It just sat there, as life went on. But as I looked at it this time I suddenly knew...it was time. Light the candle. Enjoy the smell, the flame, the reminder to find JOY at that moment. And when the moment is over, toss or pass it on.

 
I am thankful for these simple truths that are being revealed to me this holiday season. Find joy, use it up, share it with others, enjoy it, and cherish the memory without holding onto the stuff. Life, and specifically Christmas, is about so much more.

February: Let's Talk Money

When I originally decided to focus on 12 things this year (one per month), it made sense to me to make one month all about the money. I knew we had some big expenses coming up (some home improvements we'd been putting off for years that could no longer be put off, a possible family vacation, college for our eldest, on top of a huge job transition), and after focusing on the cleanout in January, it was time to spend some time focusing on how to curb the outflow of cash. Here's the short version...

1. Save a Penny. I finally took our jar of coins to the local CoinStar machine and came home with an $83 gift card to Lowe's that we could use to purchase supplies for the home project.
2. Holly Jolly Savings. I transferred the equivalent of saving $12/day for 28 days from our checking to our Christmas savings fund.
3. Trade it Out. I took a stack of books and movies we no longer read or watched to our local used book store and came out with a bag of replacement books for free, plus credit to put towards a future purchase.
4. Curb the Coffee. It's been 21 days since I last stopped at Starbucks, and there have definitely been days this month when nothing sounded better than a warm decaf caramel macchiato, but I've stayed strong!

When I decided to focus on ways to save for the second month of 2022, I wasn't sure what all this was going to entail, other than a general idea to set aside $12 a day into savings. But as the month progressed, new ideas came to mind and I started to think outside the saving box and get a little creative in our ways to save.

Let's talk about Save a Penny. I've kept a jar on my desk for years now, into which we dropped our change after using cash to pay for something. Although I use change to pay for things, I seem to be the only one in my family who likes using coins, so this has been adding up. As I was focusing on cleaning off my desk in January, I was reminded of the jar and decided that it was time to do something with it. My original plan was to take it to the bank for a straight cash exchange, but on the way there I decided to stop by the grocery and check out the CoinStar options. I was sorely tempted to change it all over to a Starbucks gift card, but since I was supposed to be giving up pricey coffees this month, and as we were at the beginning of starting a couple of large home improvement projects, I "sacrificed" and went for the no-fee Lowe's gift card instead. The Hubs was happy with the outcome, and the jar is on its way back to filling up again for the next time.

Although my original idea did include transferring money from our checking to savings all month long, when I went to make the first week's transfer, I realized I needed to decide if it would go in our general savings or our Christmas fund. It only took about half a second to opt for the Holly Jolly Savings route instead. I'm always a sucker for gifts, especially with the kids, but this last Christmas (and the ensuing purge of the house) made me realize I want to be more intentional this year, and that not only includes what I give but how much I spend. Much like the ongoing purge of the house, even after the official month ended, don't be surprised if I continue to intentionally add to this pot throughout the year.

When it comes to books and DVDs, I am a fan of saving through buying used. This is nothing new, nor are my treks to the local used book shop. However, I had gotten out of the habit during COVID (buying more through Amazon), and it was only as I was cleaning out last month that I realized I had a rather large stack that I should take in and see about Trading it Out. Although they have become decidedly picky (apparently I'm not the only one purging!), I was still able to trade several books and DVDs for other books and movies that had been on my list. And what they didn't take went straight to Goodwill, along with the rest of the donations.

And finally, as of the posting of this article, it's been 21 days since I last pulled into the drive-thru of my favorite coffee spot. And it's been a doozy of a month, with more sickness, stress, and time spent sitting in my car, waiting on kids, which are exactly the types of days when I feel that I "deserve" warmth and cheer in a Venti cup. However, Curbing the Coffee has not only helped nix the $5 and $10 trips but it's also helped me get a jump start on my summer goals of losing 12 lbs (4 lbs. a month) because even the "skinny" drinks are calories I don't need. I'm trying to view this as a win-win, but honestly, this has been the hardest thing to give up this month.

*   *   *   *

So here we are, month two. Blog post #3 of the year. My car is currently packed with another load to drop off at Goodwill, and my bank account is seeing both incoming and outgoing income, which some days wants to drive me to drink (coffee, people, COFFEE!), but overall I am thankful for the lessons that I've had the opportunity to learn and work on so far in 2022. How about you?

Moving On...

If you ask me how many items left our house during the past 31 days, I am afraid I cannot tell you a set number. If you ask me if it was more than 12 items a day - per the original plan - I would say without a doubt, yes. And if you're wondering if I have noticed a massive dent in the amount of stuff floating around our 2,000 sq. ft house, the answer would be, sadly, no. Oh sure, I might notice a slight difference in our closet or bedroom, where piles were purged and items relocated to their appropriate places, but what the last month showed me was that we not only have a lot of stuff, we are drowning in it and didn't even realize it. So was January's purge a success? Yes, in that it opened my eyes to the fact that this is only the beginning.  

As we walk into the second month of 2022, the goal (of 12) that was set for February was to move $12 a day into our savings account by cutting out Starbucks stops and other fluff expenditures. The timing of this is quite good as we just received word that the contractors are finally coming to replace our leaky roof. The bill for that will be painful enough (and probably make me want to flee to Starbucks for a little pain relief!), but it's also a good time to put a little back into the pot, even as we take out a chunk to handle this home repair. 

Like everything else in this life, it's all about choices. So even as I choose saving over a skinny decaf caramel macchiato, I must also choose the great over the good. As I did a final sweep through my closet this week, I pulled out several really good pieces. These are items that are in nice shape, that I paid good money for, that still fit my style (even if the size no longer fits), but that I know I either haven't worn in the last season (or two or three) or won't wear, because when I do I am constantly tugging or pulling or tucking because it's too short/long/small. They are good, but they are not great. 

At 40, I've decided that life is too short for good. 

So making the choice to choose great over good, to choose comfort over discomfort, to choose a healthier savings account over a month of mochas, feels less like a sacrifice and more like the smart thing to do. Maybe it comes with age or experience, or perhaps it's just more carryover from the last two years, a reminder of what's important and what's not. Whatever the case, the lessons of the last month have been good ones, and I'm looking forward to continuing "the purge," even it if comes without an overpriced beverage in hand. 

Here's to continued learning, simpler living, and money to pay the bills! Welcome, February.

The Twelve in 2022

It started when I saw a post from Jules at Pancakes & French Fries, about her goal of writing 12 blog posts this year. As soon as I read it I thought, "That's just one post a month. That's totally doable. I'm in." But what started as the number of posts I was willing to commit to writing in 2022, soon morphed into a monthly self-challenge plan, with various ideas coming in rapid succession. I don't know about you, but I need deadlines and bite-sized goals to motivate myself. 

Photo by Thor Alvis on Unsplash

WINTER 2022

January: Removing 12 items a day from our house in the Great Whole-House Purge of 2022. The twelve would not include trash, because I think that's cheating...I could throw away twelve items of junk mail in a day and call it good, but that wouldn't actually get me where I want to be! So we're talking actual removal of gently used/unused items (to a box, bag, or sack) for donation, with trips to our local Goodwill on the calendar once a week (look for updates throughout the month on the Facebook page). 

February: I will move $12 from our checking to our savings every day for a month. Two drinks at Starbucks is almost $12, depending on the size you get, so if I cut out Starbucks and various treats and unplanned stops in a month, that should be completely doable. 

March: I will dedicate 12 minutes each day to cleaning out and organizing our pantry and additional food storage area. Timer in hand, trash bags at the ready, I would love to think that I'll be done with this in a week, but I've seen my pantry. Photos and updates will be posted to the Facebook page, for accountability. 

SPRING/SUMMER 2022

April: The number of books I'll aim to read in one month. It seems like a lot, considering the hecticness of my life, between working freelance and homeschooling, plus running kids to their various activities, but since I set a higher reading goal for myself in 2021, and exceeded it, why not aim higher still? Follow me on Goodreads for regular updates on this.

May: 12 minutes a day, five days a week, spent on lesson planning for the 22/23 school year. I have struggled with staying on top of lesson planning this year, having tried something new (which didn't work), so I'd like to get a jump start on the next school year, even as this one winds up.

June/July/August: The number of pounds I'd like to shed, healthily, this summer. I'll give myself three months for this one. That means cutting back on my snacks and finding a way to get active again. The last two years have not been good to me, or my waistline, and the time has come (the time being me turning 40 and my pants no longer fitting). 

FALL 2022 - TBD

I've yet to decide what 12-themed things I might focus on for the remaining months of the year, but I'm okay with that because if the last two years have taught us anything, it's that we have no idea what the future holds. By this time in the year, we could all be rolling around in giant plastic bubbles, or building bunkers to survive WWIII, or fighting off the next superbug that's taking over the world. After all, as James 4:13-15 reminds us...

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

If it's the Lord's will, I'll be back with my first post of the year next month. I hope to see you here, and in the meantime, I'd love to hear what your goal is for the first month of 2022 and/or for the entire year. 

Would you consider doing something like the 12-themed goals? If you're interested, I'd love the company and accountability on the journey. Join the conversation over on the Busy Nothings Facebook page, or chime in here in the comments. Are you ready?

Let's make 2022 the year that we "spur one another on" - to love, good deeds, and personal growth, 12 things at a time! 

My Simplified Why: Follow the Money

FROM THE ARCHIVES ➤➤➤ I originally wrote this post in January 2020 - before the whole world came to a screeching halt, and life as we knew it, stopped. However, as I've been attempting to blog a little more consistently this year, I decided to pull up some of the posts I had started and saved as drafts, and this is one of them. While similar to the post I shared last week, as I read through it, I was reminded of where we were a year ago, and I realized that I had, in fact, made some good financial changes over the past 12 months. For example, this year our savings accounts are much healthier than they were a year ago, and that's a good thing! But I also realized that some of my points made in this post were still valid, and good reminders of other ways I could cut corners and save, so I decided to post it anyway. Maybe you, like me, will find a little nugget to take away and dwell on and then do something with this year. May we all continue to grow and improve in 2021! 

In 2012, we paid off our house. In actual fact, we paid off the remaining 54% of our mortgage in just 7 months of 2012. It came down to focusing in on a big goal, saying "no" to a lot of other things, and a whole bunch of self discipline. And it felt great when we were all done.

Which is why when, earlier this month, I found myself stressing over looming bills and shrinking bank accounts, I was pulled up short when I realized I was right back to where I was in 2011. How did that happen? Well, I'll tell you: old habits and new kids.

Old habits like, "I don't really feel like cooking tonight," (which, even as I was typing that, reminded me that I needed to start the Crock-Pot for dinner) crept back in. Only this time there were seven of us, so Japanese takeout now costs $70, rather than $20. 🙅 The occasional stop for ice cream after a school event takes $30 when you're dishing up six bowls instead of two, and now that some of them are getting older, a stop at Starbucks is often a $15 splurge, rather than a $5 treat. It all adds up.

Although most of the time I'm pretty good about telling myself I don't need the new pair of pants or that cute sweater, it's harder when I'm out and see clothes on sale that would fit my kids. I mean, I'm saving money, right? They're so hard on clothes, and it's nice not to have to pay full-price for something when I have a stash downstairs that I got on clearance. But you know what's NOT a bargain? Hitting up so many sales that I forget what I have and when I finally dig it out...they've outgrown it. True story, I'm embarrassed to admit.

Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash

In 2018, I was becoming totally overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in our house. When it was just the two of us, I kept it fairly tidy, though we still had way too much, but once the kids came, I felt like I was swimming against the tide. Despite keeping Christmas to a minimum and refusing to throw extravagant birthday parties where all of their friends were invited and we were flooded with gifts, it was like a never ending stuff parade coming through the doors of our house. Even though I instigated regular purge sessions, piles continued to creep up on my desks, kitchen counters, and even on top of bedroom dressers.

Feeling thus overwhelmed, I signed up to take part in the Uncluttered course (nope, that's not an affiliate link) that minimalist Joshua Becker hosts several times a year. All participants receive a lifetime membership to participate in the course, and also maintain access to the private Facebook group. I can't say that the course itself was particularly life changing for me...but the private group has been a great source of ongoing encouragement. Seeing what others are doing, purging, changing, has been a reminder that I shouldn't give up. 

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that people were beginning to share their "why" for continuing the clean out. One woman said that her why was becoming debt free, and as soon as I read it, I knew that I needed to get back on the bandwagon. While we're not in debt - outside of a mortgage (yes, we paid it off but, long story short, we once again have a small mortgage on our home) - we're also not exactly rolling in savings. Another woman shared that whenever she thought about buying something, she transferred that same amount into her savings account, which triggered a memory of a time when I was doing the same thing (see: paid off house in 2012). It's just one of many good habits that need to be pulled from the mothballs.

This year, my WHY for minimalizing and simplifying really comes down to the money. It's not just about making multiple trips to donate excess goods, but about stemming the tide coming in as well - not just because it's stuff, but because it represents resources that could be much better spent elsewhere. As I look ahead at current and upcoming expenses, I realize that the not-so-little $40 and $70 expenditures, even if it's "saving" me money, have really added up. It's time to remember that every time I'm saying "yes" to something with my money, I'm saying "no" to something else...something that's probably way more important.

My why for #minimalismsimplified in 2020 is about financial freedom. Or, as Becker put in on a post he shared last week, "Just because it's on sale, doesn't mean I need it." 😏  

$27.40

Strange title for a blog post, right? It comes from a graphic that Joshua Becker shared on Facebook last year, and again not that long ago. That's the daily spend amount that it takes to waste (or save) $10,000 in a year. Let that sink in for a minute.

Photo by Michael Longmire on Unsplash

Now, I'm sure some of you would argue that you don't have $27.40 to throw away on miscellaneous spending every day, and I get that. I don't typically spend that in a day either, but also keep in mind that number is an average. So let's take a look at a few of the ways that this can add up, and I'll use our family as an example.

• If we take our family of seven for take-out Japanese it costs us around $75. Let's say I do that once a month—that's $900 a year. 
• If you've got kids in sports, like we do, the monthly fees can quickly add up. Let's say you spend $400 a month on lessons and gear for two or more kids—that's $4,800 a year.
• You know I like my Starbucks stops. They're like a mini-vacation in a cup on stressful days. But at an average of $5 a pop, estimating a conservative four times a month, buying for only one person—that's $240 a year.
• The kids have done really well at school, so that calls for a celebration and a stop by our local pay-by-the-ounce ice cream shop. Cha-ching! Since we don't usually take the Hubs as he's at work, and I limit the kids to three toppings each, we can typically get out of there for around $25-30. But if we go 5-6 times a year—that's $180 a year.

You can probably see where I'm going with this. Before you know it, you're well over half-way to that $10k point, and that's not counting the stops to pick up something you "need" at TJ Maxx, or the sale you hit on clothes for the kids at Old Navy, or Christmas or any of the birthday gifts required by all those classroom invitations (a definitely bonus of homeschooling - no more class parties!). You and I might not spend $27.40 a day, but I bet if we stopped and begin counting up all the big and little expenditures, we'd be surprised at how quickly they add up, just like my examples above.

Compared to many, I would consider myself a frugal person. For over two decades, I've packed lunch for the Hubs, we've cut each others hair (and now our kids), made coffee at home (most days), shopped sales and used coupons, saved and repurposed. We don't pay for cable or Netflix, we almost never go to movies - even before COVID, and we don't take vacations. If you asked some of the kids, they'd say we're downright Scroogy! 

But the fact of the matter is, when my 1099 arrived last year from my largest client, I was shocked to see the amount and spent some time wondering where it all went last year. Yes, we were paying for private school at the time, so that took a large chunk, and yes, we paid cash for a vehicle that then needed a lot of TLC (read: parts) to get it up to speed. But despite these, and other big expenditures that happened, as I thought back over the year, I knew that my $27.40 days were definitely involved. 

So in the midst of this "no spend" month, I'm calling myself out for it. It's time to tighten the belt, not just this month, but every month. And when splurges do happen—and they will—that $27.40 needs to be in cash. Not only is this more painful for me, but it's a good visual for the kids, who often have a difficult time grasping the concept that when a card comes out, so does money. The habit of splurging has definitely shown itself already, as I've had kids light up and say, "Oh, can we get 5 Guys for dinn..." and then remember, "oh, no. It's February." Maybe if they saw me whipping out four $20 bills each time we stopped for a "quick bite" it might impact them more than a square of plastic. It's something I'm considering...for March. 😉

What about YOU? Cash or card?

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What makes up your $5, $15, or $27.40 splurges?

Today's The Day

What have you been putting off doing? Procrastination is a universal habit, you know. It doesn't matter what your culture, country, political affiliation, or views on religion, because there's always something that you can put off until tomorrow...and usually do. For me, it's been dealing with our spending habits. And more specifically, my spending habits. But for the next 28 days, I'm forcing myself to focus on where the money goes and pay attention to how often I find myself on Amazon, ready to hit the "buy now" button. 

Photo by rupixen.com on Unsplash

Let me be clear, we have money in the bank, never carry a credit card balance, our cars are paid for, and we're actively paying off our home mortgage ahead of schedule, so I'm not doing this because I need to dig my way out of a financial pit. I'm doing it because I know I could do better. I know how easy that Amazon app is when something comes to mind that we need. And sometimes it is a need - most recently it was socks for one of the kids, because the ones she has are literally two sizes too small - but not always. Books are my nemesis, and the offer of free credit for Kindle purchases can be quite appealing. Come on, Bookworms, you know exactly what I'm talking about! 

I also know how easy it is to find an excuse to pick up dinner on the way home. I forgot to thaw the meat...I forgot to put something in the Crock-Pot...I don't feel like making dinner tonight...we're in town anyway, so I'm just going to pick up something from our favorite Thai spot... you get the idea. When it was just the two of us, those meals out were a little more excusable...and less expensive. But with a family of seven, most of whom are still actively growing and therefore hungry, a dinner out (even takeout) can be upwards of $80 or more. That's nothing to sneeze at! 

As I mentioned in my post last week, I made the decision not to give up my Starbucks stops this month...but I'm even reconsidering that as I think about those $5 and $10 stop-offs and how quickly they add up. My Starbucks card is on automatic reload, which makes it so easy to stop by and not think about the dollar amount racking up. For one month, couldn't I plan ahead and bring my hot tea or coffee with me from home while I'm sitting in the car, waiting on kids, reading a book from the stack? Lest you think I'm a Starbucks junkie who is there every day, we're talking maybe once a week...but once a week would add up to $20-30 a month, or more, depending on whether I was just buying for myself or if I decided to treat the kids to a hot chocolate or our oldest to her favorite beverage or grab a coffee for the Hubs, just because. 

But it's not just about money. As I said in the beginning, procrastination is universal. I have several habits that I'm trying to solidify at the moment, that really require nothing more than self-discipline and the determination not to give up. From faithfully using the lotions and potions for the rosacea that I'd given up doing anything about, to refusing to allow myself access to the computer until my quiet time with the Lord is done (and not rushed), and even to getting back into the habit of blogging, I'm finding that it's all about not allowing myself to make excuses. If I want something to happen, then I just need to do it. And so do you. 

So today's the day. It's time to start doing whatever it is that you've been putting off, whether it's related to money or weight loss or some other discipline. Come along with me for the next month and let's see what we can accomplish together!  

The "No Spend" Month

2020 changed my perspective—much like it did for many of us, I'm sure—about what matters. Stuff might make us temporarily happy, especially in a year when it felt like everything else was taken away (opportunities to go places, eat at our favorite restaurants, even the ability to see our families), but it doesn't last. And then when the high is over, you're just drowning in stuff. There's a reason why Amazon stock is soaring, and our USPS and UPS drivers are drowning in boxes. Money can't buy experiences anymore, so it's buying us the next best thing—fleeting happiness in an Amazon box, arriving tomorrow (thanks, Amazon Prime).

Photo by Blogging Guide on Unsplash

But 2021 is a new year, and I've decided that it's time to set some new goals. As I was reading through The Little Book of Lykke, I noticed that the author mentioned The No Spend Year by Michelle McGagh. I remembered watching her TEDx talk a while ago, but hadn't thought about it since then. So when I suddenly saw her name pop up in the book, it triggered a little idea in my head, which has been growing ever since. 

In addition to continuing the push to purge the house (or simply USE UP what we already have) thanks to my stint following the Uncluttered Course, and then creating a usable organization system for what remains (I'm homeschooling four kids, so I have to have a system for their school work, like it or not), I'm now planning to try out a NO SPEND month. I'm not ready to commit to a year, but I think a month is doable...and perhaps the shortest month of the year would be a good one to start on, just in case I get crazy and decided to try this again later.

With this in mind, my goal for what remains of January is to make sure we have anything we might need (because my kids never tell me they are out of any toiletry item until it's completely gone, so I always keep a stash on hand for those 9 PM panic moments), and then for the month of February, I'm publicly committing to spend nothing except for regular household bills, car-related expenses, and food/groceries. The hubs has even suggested the idea of no takeout during the month, which will be a little more challenging on those days when I don't have anything planned and there are seven hungry people to feed, but would definitely help the budget. I might even take a break from Starbucks, but then again, that might be pushing it a little too far for the first round. 😏

I want to not only own less, but I want to prove to myself that I don't need to replace it either...for myself OR for my kids. If one of the kids needs something during the month of February (clothing or shoes...I don't see either of those on the horizon, but they're growing like weeds, so you never know!), I'll put it on a list and deal with it, responsibly, in March. Here goes nothing!

Interested in joining me on this crazy venture?

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Leave a note in the comments!

Finding Contentment

Yesterday I listened to a man talking about being content. In his example, he said that he would walk his neighborhood, praying and thanking God for different things, and as he walked home, he would come down the street and look at the back of his house, and start thinking about things that he would like to change. A bigger deck, some improvements to his landscaping, etc., right after he'd been thanking God for what he had. 

As I sat there, listening, I gulped a little bit. Or maybe a lot. And I started making a list of all the things that I was putting in the place of contentment. It was truly amazing how quickly I wrote down 8-10 things that I was actively seeking--from home additions to Starbucks stops to me-time--that had sneakily become things that were taking away from my contentment. 

If only I had...a day off from the responsibilities of parenthood, a caramel macchiato, a couple of extra rooms in the house, my own office, that sweater that I saw on sale...then things would be better. This stupid virus and the way it's impacting and changing everything wouldn't be so bad because I'd be content in my (bigger) house with (more) rooms for the kids to hang out in so that I would have (me) time to do other stuff and spread out a little while sipping coffee in my (new) office.

Do you see how easily the seeds of discontentment can sneak in? It sure hit me like a ton of bricks yesterday. And I hated it. I hated that I had become so dense to the changes in my outlook, and I hated that I had slipped into the mindset that anything (from more rooms to a coffee) would make me happier, kinder, or more grateful for what I've been given.

We ate a meal with some friends recently, and the wife apologized that our younger kids would need to use the smaller dessert plates for their meals because she only had one set of dishes, and not enough big plates to go around. I thought I had misheard her. Only one set? Really? Even with all of my clean out sessions and purges, I still have enough plates to feed 100 people at once. And, sadly, that may even be a low estimate. And then it struck me, as we were talking, that every time they had been to our house, I had used paper or plastic plates with them...because I didn't want to have to clean up afterwards. All those dishes...sitting in their cabinets and cupboards, and I'm using paper.

If I'm not grateful for what I already have...if I don't take care of what is already in my possession...if I'm not using my existing things...then why would more be better?

As I walked our block this morning, and looked at the back of our house, I listened to Philippians 4, and asked God to help me be content in Him. Content in everything, in plenty and in want. Content in the situation in which I currently find myself (homeschooling five kids - by choice), content at the desk in our bedroom, content with the Starbucks Via coffee that I can make at home for a lot less, content with the clothes in my closet. But not content to stay as I am, in the mindset I'm in, lacking the Fruits that I want from the Spirit.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go dig some dishes out of the cabinets...

Counting the Cost (of Coffee)

Here's the deal: after dropping the kids off at school (especially if it's a rainy day), I love to stop by my local Starbucks and grab a tall, decaf, white chocolate mocha. Or, since I started paying attention to the calorie counts (oof!), a tall, decaf, caramel macchiato. And once they start handing out those Pumpkin Spice Lattes...Katie, bar the door! I. AM. THERE. I may totally disagree with their corporate politics and anti-straw stance, but I am a sucker for their coffee.

While residing in Central America for two months to finalize the adoption, one of our few moments of relief from the continual stress we were under was to stop by the lone Starbucks, located (conveniently) right off the highway that took us to our rental. And when the giant billboard went up on the road home, announcing that #PSL had arrived, I almost cried tears of joy. A taste of fall in the summer-like heat! Glorious.

Once we returned to the U.S., life was chaotic for quite some time. True story: the Hubs and I would take turns sneaking out through our bedroom window to get groceries after the kids were in bed, grabbing a moment of quiet sanity and - occasionally - a detour to Starbucks to grab a couple of specialty coffees that we would sneak back into the house to share with the spouse who stayed at home. This soon became a habit that led to Gold Status, setting up an auto-refill amount on our Starbucks card, and downloading the app for quick scan and pay at the drive-thru. They made it so easy to buy, we didn't notice right away how fast it was adding up.

Photo by Hans Vivek on Unsplash

Financially, we've been all over the map during our eighteen years of marriage. We've been laser-focused, targeting our home mortgage and reducing the balance to $0 in just 11 years (out of a planned 30), but we've also had times when we've had to watch the bank account balance vs. the credit card balance, borrowing from savings to make sure we don't carry it over to the next month. In short, self-discipline in the financial department has been a long-term struggle. And the coffee isn't helping.

As much as I love my Starbucks stops, a few months ago I realized it was draining our wallets and adding to our waistlines (like I said, those calories are killer!), and something needed to change. So we slowed down on the stops, and I started looking for deals on grocery store Starbucks to make at home. In addition to making real coffee in our French press, I discovered that their little Via packets, when paired with Coffee-mate, Natural Bliss, Sweet Cream flavor cream (from the dairy section), really aren't that bad. Even the Hubs was surprised. And better still, I got them on clearance for $2.99 a box. That's 7 cups of (yummy) coffee for less than the cost of two cups at the drive-thru. Cha-ching!

As we've recently switched back to a 50/50 system (cash for half of the stuff we buy monthly, and the other half - known expenses - on the credit card to earn points back), it's made us even more aware of how much we were mindlessly spending - and not just at Starbucks. Dave Ramsey's point that handing over cash hurts a lot more, is spot on. So while there is, at least for us, still a time and a place for those #PSL stops, it's now been budgeted and thought out, not just a random stop when the day has been stressful. It seems that my desire for simplicity and minimalism has now extended to my wallet. Sorry, Starbucks. 

If you're interested in learning more about simple living, enrollment for the uncluttered course from becoming minimalist blogger, Joshua Becker, opens one week from today (August 24). If you want a reminder to sign up, fill out the form HERE. 

The Moving Conundrum

We live in a house with three bedrooms, three bathrooms (thank you, Lord!), a great kitchen, a large yard, and a small mortgage. When it was just the two of us, it felt spacious and inviting and we couldn't imagine ever moving. This house was turned into our home through a lot of hard work. I'm super proud of the fact that the brick wall on the outside of our house was laid by my hands, that my stud of a husband built and raised the back wall of our kitchen by himself, ingeniously using a system of ropes and pulleys, that I faced my fear of heights to help him hoist every 4 x 8 sheet of roofing up through the attic, and that the tiles in our bathroom were all cut by me and installed by the Hubs. This house is an outpouring of our blood (literally), sweat, and savings. In the words of George Stanley Banks, I love this house.  

When we decided to adopt four kids (before it bumped up to five), we knew we had a short window of time (and money) to finally renovate the front half of our 1940 bungalow. Being a few years older this time, we hired out more of the work, but still put in plenty of sweat equity in order to complete the job. By the time we were done, the front bedroom included a walk-in-closet, an upstairs loft, and an en suite bathroom. The living room and dining room looked like we always imagined they could, and the original 9' ceilings were back in all their glory. I never wanted to move.

And then we were matched with five kids - including a boy - and suddenly, instead of putting four girls in two rooms, we were going to put all four in one room (with the loft) and the boy in his own, smaller room. And the house started to shrink. Still, I knew that I didn't want to take care of much more than what we already had, so when people asked if we were planning to upsize our home, we rebuffed the idea completely. While in Central America to adopt the kids we all lived in a two bedroom, two bath, 900 sq. ft. condo, so when we returned to the States two months later, our house felt palatial! Until one day it didn't.

What we - as brand new parents - failed to factor in was the differences in nighttime habits and bedtimes between a 4 year old and a 12 year old. And suddenly, the need for another bedroom became clear. At first we discussed ways to add on to our house - AGAIN - or create a fourth bedroom somewhere in the existing space, but each idea came to a dead end. This left us with the option of moving - something we never would have considered in years past, but found ourselves discussing more and more often.

In fact, this last week we went beyond talking and actually went to look at three different houses. It felt a bit like Goldilocks - this one is too small, this one is too tight, and the price on this one (before the necessary gutting and renovating) is just right. There's something about stepping out from theory and actually looking at houses to make you appreciate what you already have.

Yes, we still see a move in our future, but what these houses showed us was that the timing wasn't right - we were forcing it. There are financial goals that we'd like to meet before we upgrade and house projects we'd prefer to complete before taking on something new, so for the time being, we've settled back into a life that's working - if not perfectly, at least well enough. Home is, after all, wherever you are loved, and we have plenty of that to go around.

Clutter, Stewardship, and The "One Touch" Rule

There's a part of my personality that absolutely abhors clutter - in all it's various forms. Curious thing though, had you walked into our home two months ago (or into our basement for any of the 15 years we've lived in this house), you might have wondered if that side of me had gone into long-term hibernation.

During the days of waiting on adoption paperwork and country decisions, there's not much that these two recovering-INTJs can control. We'd filled out the forms (in triplicate), made copies of everything, shipped it all off to be processed, and were feeling a bit out of sorts with the time we had on our hands. However, it was during this lull in activity that the blinders to the household chaos seemed to come off, and we were truly appalled by what we saw.

Stuff. Everywhere. Stuff in the closets, stuff on the counters, piles upon piles, and enough empty cardboard boxes to move an army. The switch flipped and we went into major purge mode.

For the first time since we moved in, you can walk through all areas of our basement without tripping over Styrofoam coolers, shopping bags that used to hold jar candles but were now just housing the empty paper wrapping, and a plethora of "we might be able to use this some day" mistake purchases.

The result of cleaning out the clutter was more than just peace of mind and tidy spaces, it was a very timely reminder of a large chunk of our lives when we were less frugal than we would like anyone to know.

In the weeks since our purge, we have both implemented the principle of "touch it once" - meaning that when something comes into the house, we aim for the goal of touching it one time. It comes in, and we deal with it. We file it, store it, toss it, or use it immediately. It doesn't find a home on the kitchen counter for the next month. It doesn't get tossed on the basement floor to be dealt with later. If we don't know where to put it, we find a permanent home so it doesn't get flung into a spare closet to disappear for years.

In fact, part of this purge came about when we found out we needed to turn our guest bedroom into a room for a little boy (we were set up for 4 girls, but when those girls had a little brother... bye-bye guest room!). Losing the guest bedroom meant we also lost the last remaining "spare" closet in the house, so everything in there had to either find a new storage home or disappear. It's amazing how much of it left after we realized that we hadn't pulled it out in years. Lack of storage can be a (first world) pain, but an excess of it can be just as bad when it causes you to keep stuff you don't need, don't like, don't want, and don't use. 

Over a month out, our kitchen counters are still clean, our dining table is still free of piles, our basement is actually a pleasant place to spend time, and our wallets are more securely stowed. Developing a habit - good or bad - doesn't happen overnight, but one day at a time. One day at a time, we're choosing to pick up, put away, and deal with the mess in the moment instead of putting it off for later. It makes me wonder...

...what else in my life have I been putting off until later that would free up mental space if I just did it now? 

Something to think about...

Dear Online Friends...

Yes, I'm still alive. Over the holidays a family friend asked me if I was still blogging. To be honest, I almost forgot I had a blog.

I posted a few times in 2015, but then - as always happens - life got busy. Work, projects, God's process of working on me: these are the things that took the place of my blogging.

And I'm okay with that.

And now it's a new year. 2016. If you follow my Busy Nothings Facebook page, you'll know that it has essentially taken the place of my blog. It has given me an outlet (correction: a QUICK outlet) for sharing my "in the moment" thoughts and photos. It's faster and easier than formatting a blog post and making sure everything looks just so. Maybe that means I'm lazy, or maybe it just means that I got tired of feeling the need to maintain a perfect blog - either way: please come join me on Facebook. I'd love to connect with you there.

If you haven't been following my Facebook page and you're wondering what happened in 2015 and what's planned for 2016, here's a brief overview...

2015

• My pesky gallbladder acted up one too many times and was removed
• I continued my work as a contractor with Weaving Influence as their Book Launch Director
• I freelanced as a copy-editor on the new Chicago Architecture Foundation website
• Speaking of Chicago - we spent 3 days there on a mini-vacation in September
• I got to meet a new doctor this fall as I had some issues with my heart checked out (all clear!)
• We celebrated Thanksgiving with friends and family - including new members from Ecuador
• I freelanced as a writer/editor on a really cool Advent Calendar project with a friend
• We closed out the year with a trip to the Biltmore... and Star Wars, of course!

2016

• Getting healthy - while the heart tests this fall showed no damage to my heart (yay!), they also brought home my total lack of self-control when it comes to exercise, eating well, and handling stress (mildly high blood pressure). This year, both the Hubs and I plan to change that, and since Christmas week we have both been faithfully using our treadmill and stationary bike to build our energy, increase our health, and decrease our waistlines! It's 2010 all over again (minus the South Beach portion)...
• Practicing #JoyfulStewardship - after we paid off our house in 2012, we let our financial discipline slip a bit (okay, okay - a lot). You don't have to be in debt up to your eyeballs to be a bad steward with what the Lord has entrusted to you, so along with our physical health, we've set some new financial health goals for 2016: saving for future needs, being mindful of where the money goes, stocking the freezer for those nights neither of us feel like cooking (rather than running out to grab a hamburger and fries - not good for EITHER health goal!)... and doing it all with JOY and the understanding that nothing belongs to us, but it's all been entrusted to us.
• Being content - along with being joyful and mindful in our stewardship, it's important that we learn what it means to be content in any and every situation this year. It's easy for us to give in to the desire for new things or an Amazon "deal"... but having those financial goals in front of us should help us say "no" to the now. But saying "no" isn't the same thing as being content - whether that's being content with what you have or being content with where you are or the job you do. This is a big one for us. But bigger still is...
• Maintaining an Eternal perspective - we're both INTJs, and most days we still struggle with our low tolerance for people. But God calls us to be lights for Him, and that means getting involved with people, diving into the messiness, being willing to get our hands and lives dirty and opening ourselves up to the jobs, situations, and people that God calls us to. We could have great health, flush saving accounts, and even complete contentment... but unless we have a love for people and a desire to die to self and live for Christ... we'll have missed the mark. 
• Following God's Story for our lives - in November 2012, God started writing a new chapter in our lives. We fought Him for a year, until we became more afraid of telling God "no" than of taking on the project He was clearly laying on both of our hearts. In November 2013 we took the first step out of gut obedience... and we've been baby-stepping in obedience for the last two years. During that time, God has broken us, mended us, shaped us, and opened us up to the idea that His plan for our lives - although it looks NOTHING like our plan - is far better. After two years of following in obedience, it's looking like 2016 could be the year that the next chapter of His story for us opens. We've been quiet and vague about it to all but a select few, but as soon as He opens the door, we'll let you in on it. This is most definitely the story GOD is writing, and it's been terrifying and exciting to be called by Him to do something we never would have thought to do on our own. In the mean time - pray for us. The future will change our little world as we have known it... but I wouldn't have it any other way.

What's new in your life?

#My2Cents: 3 Financial Myths People Believe

If you've ever had these thoughts...

1. Having money will make you happier than you are now. 
2. If you just had a little bit more money, life would be easier.
3. If you buy the item on sale, you're saving money.

Then you need to keep reading!

Money will make you happier than you are now. This is one of the biggest myths out there. The tragic deaths of Marilyn Monroe, Robin Williams, and Michael Jackson are proof that this is a myth. Money cannot buy happiness. It can buy experiences - which can make you happy for a moment, and it can buy comforts - like a large house or a fast car, and it can even buy so-called friends; but when the house is empty and the car is no longer new and the "friends" move on to the next loaded pockets, you will still be left with an emptiness that no amount of money can fill. I have personally met happy paupers with (literally) one chair to their name, and miserable folks who have everything money can buy. Don't subscribe to the idea that having money would make you happy. Happiness comes from within, and it is my belief that true happiness can only come from God.     

If you just had a little bit more, life would be easier. This is oh so easy to believe when you are on the lower end of the pay scale. Having been on the lower end (while working with humanitarian organizations overseas), and now on the very comfortable side, I can truly call this one out as a myth. What I have found is that when you have less, you watch where every penny goes, because every penny counts. When you have more, you pay less attention to where it's going, and before you know it, you're wondering, "How come my bank account is still empty?" Having more money has the potential to make your life easier, but it also requires the same amount - or more - of self-control. Without self-control, you'll quickly find yourself in the same situation: wondering where the money went!

If you buy the item on sale, you're saving money. January clearance specials are everywhere, when everything that you wanted before Christmas is now marked down 50, 60, even 75% off. I know as well as anyone how dazzling clearance stickers can be, but before you fill a cart - virtual or otherwise - step back and take a look at the original price tag. If you have a smart phone, do some quick comparison shopping online. In many cases you'll find that the clearance price really isn't any better than the pre-Christmas sales, or the original price is so jacked up (because no one ever pays full price these days), that even 60% off is more than the item is worth. Unless it's a quality item (e.g. I usually purchase clearance cashmere sweaters in January from a high end store), or something that won't be out of date by next Christmas, you're probably not saving much - if anything. Don't buy into the myth that you need to "spend to save" - money leaving your pocket is still money.

What money myths would you add?