ComPact 2014 -- November - Page 3

DL2843 · ‎06-18-2010

The frustration of knowing what to keep and what to throw. For several years I have saved all my used gift cards. They were just too pretty to toss. Every once in a while I would think about it, but in the box they stayed. My school is having a fall themed door decorating contest. My class picked Black Friday as the theme. Now my used gift cards are part of the door. The kids made a border of fake dollars and gift cards. When things like that happen I get paranoid about tossing any thing. The frustration of it all!

jackthebear · ‎03-11-2010

On 11/4/2014 DL2843 said: The frustration of knowing what to keep and what to throw. For several years I have saved all my used gift cards. They were just too pretty to toss. Every once in a while I would think about it, but in the box they stayed. My school is having a fall themed door decorating contest. My class picked Black Friday as the theme. Now my used gift cards are part of the door. The kids made a border of fake dollars and gift cards. When things like that happen I get paranoid about tossing any thing. The frustration of it all!

You would hate me!

They would have been tossed before you could have thought about it. ${#emotions_dlg.biggrin}$ At least you used them up, which is good

aprilskies · ‎03-09-2010

Alright, I cant believe that the old let's go buy something is back. Maybe not as strong as before but it is there lurking just beneath and if I am not mindful, it could be disasterous. This year I have been able to curb my spending quite dramatically. It is helped that I was getting rid of stuff in a major way the last couple of years so it just didnt make sense to add more back. While I would like to get some things, I dont want to go overboard. So it made me realize that I have to be extra vigilant this coming holiday season so I dont go crazy.

DL2843 · ‎06-18-2010

Hang in there Aprilskies. Tis the season to buy, buy, buy especially beauty products. I used to stock up this time of the year with all the good deals. Maybe taking a really good inventory of what you have and what you may need in the next six months will allow you to purchase some new things that you know will be used in a short amount of time.

Beauty$Junkie · ‎05-14-2010

Aprilskies, hang strong. I have been visiting my 'stash' frequently just to remind myself that I need nothing. However, the urge to buy does not go away. I did purchase some makeup brushes at Big Lots, but the stash is not going away. I have been working on it, even discovering things I had forgotten all about.

aprilskies · ‎03-09-2010

Thanks DL2843 and Beauty$Junkie, I am caught off guard by the feeling. I think that is a great idea, ladies. I will revisit what I have, that does help immensely. A few weeks ago I opened my linen closet to get something and had to move a couple of things out of the way, I found items I had forgotten about. Yes, this time of year was always bad for me too. So many new things, sales, etc, so tempting. I will think of a few things and focus on those. I really dont want to find myself in the same spot I was a couple of years ago. Thank you.

just bee · ‎03-10-2010

On 11/7/2014 aprilskies said: Thanks DL2843 and Beauty$Junkie, I am caught off guard by the feeling. I think that is a great idea, ladies. I will revisit what I have, that does help immensely. A few weeks ago I opened my linen closet to get something and had to move a couple of things out of the way, I found items I had forgotten about. Yes, this time of year was always bad for me too. So many new things, sales, etc, so tempting. I will think of a few things and focus on those. I really dont want to find myself in the same spot I was a couple of years ago. Thank you.

Temptation will never go away. But when I see something and am tempted, I ask myself why. It's always the same story: Something is going on in my life and I think that buying something will be the solution. Right now I'm looking at Alegria closeouts and there are a couple pairs of shoes I've been thinking about. I have one pair in that style and they are incredibly comfortable. I always said that if I saw more of that style in other colors -- on sale, of course -- I would buy them. So far I have resisted. There was a pair in black that I should have jumped on but I didn't. I'm still breathing.

Now I see a couple pairs in colors I really don't need, but days have gone by and ... well, I'm going back and forth. Eventually my size will sell out and that will be the end of that. Or I might fold like the Chicago Cubs and buy them because I'm exhausted and I think I need some kind of reward for working like a dog.

It's all emotional/psychological. I just know I feel worse when I buy something and then never use it.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~

aprilskies · ‎03-09-2010

You are right, Just Bee, there will always be temptation. I am just surprised the feeling came back stronger than it has in a long time. But, yes, hmmm, I am feeling overwhelmed, stressed, etc and a little bored with things. I am looking at eyeshadow kits and I havent really worn mu in like 2 years. That is just insane. My bigger danger is clothes. I just love new clothes and I havent bought much this year so I have to keep mindful. After donating so much of it, I dont want to find myself with stuffed closets again. It has been quite refreshing to open my closet and breathe.

I took a look at the alegria. I am looking for a comfortable pair but the ones I looked at were out of my size. I figured they would be my comfortable weekend or running around shoes. I dont always like to wear sneakers but I dont have anything really comfortable for a lot of walking. I really liked the black clogs and some other ones. How do they run size wise? I use to be an 8.5 but it seems everything I pick up these days is a 9 but they dont always fit right.

Stay mindful, ladies. It is going to be a long November and December, at least for me.

jackthebear · ‎03-11-2010

This and the post Christmas sales is a tempting time isn't it.

Stay strong

Kay SD · ‎03-09-2011

justbee, you hit the nail on the head in your recent post. When you boil it down to its essence, want to buy something because we think we will feel better by having it. And, really, that's the same reason we do everything, isn't it? Even when we do something for someone else, we have the idea we will feel better in the doing of it.

So what it comes to is that maybe we can pick things--with more awareness--that have better side effects. Like a walk may have better side effects than buying another fragrance of shower gel. Or a box of chocolates might have better side effects than a new sweater! Who knows--everyone's details are different.

Or, we could go even deeper and just feel better...and then do whatever occurs to us, because at that point, we already have what we want! Don't know if I'm making sense to anyone else. And I know it's easy to say "just feel better," but not always so easy to do it. Maybe it's a habit, always paying attention to what feels better. Seems to me I could avoid a lot of confusion if I had that habit.

Of course, if I don't believe I can feel better, I guess some diamonds would be a nice consolation prize! ${#emotions_dlg.laugh}$

Anyway, cheers to all of you on this board, and thanks for putting up with my occasional philosophizing. We are heading straight into the season when we can dream up some pretty good excuses for buying things! I've taken to thinking about not cluttering up the closets and cupboards of the people I give gifts to!