ComPact 2015 -- January - Page 9

just bee · ‎03-10-2010

A few of you are intrigued by the idea of abandoning the purse. All I know is that I grew up with a mother who only carried one when she went to work because she waited tables and needed something to tote her tips. But on her days off she left the house with only a small wallet.

And now after all these years, as I become my mother, I've abandoned the purse.

It starts by asking yourself a few questions.

1. What do I really need to have with me when I go to work?

2. When I go to the grocery store?

3. When I walk the dog?

4. When I go out erranding?

5. When I go to _________?

When I go to work all I need is a pen, my car keys, a lip balm, my driver's license, AAA card (in case the car dies), debit card (in case I stop for gas), a bag of food items, my work badge, my phone (for emergency use only), my water bottle, candy to fill the jar in the nurses' area. I do use a small tote bag to carry the water, pens, food, phone and candy. My wallet and lip balm are in my scrubs pocket and I wear my badge. I do not have a locker at work to store anything.

When I go to the store I just carry the small wallet and I usually have the unnecessarily large Stupidphone with me.

That tiny wallet was perfect when I had the flip phone because it has the capability of holding the phone and also has a loop of fabric to secure a pen. I love this thing! But it's beginning to wear and I'll have to bid it a fond adieu one day. I need to keep my eyes open for a suitable replacement.

ETA:

The wallet even holds my keys and a lip balm. I will miss it. ${#emotions_dlg.crying}$

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

kitty45 · ‎11-05-2011

I just went on line to get my credit card statement. I almost fell off the chair. It is more than I make a month. I didn't realize I spent so much. I am going to try hard to use nothing but cash from now on.

I used to live a very simple life. Not much in the way of possessions. I think what changed me is that one day my sister laughed at my lack of ¨stuff¨ & it made me think that I was missing out. The people I had around me including co-workers all talked about their stuff & the things they bought. Then some people close to me died one after the other, I think that's when I went crazy with buying.

It's like I was trying to fill a void. What I've come to realize is that things don't help you emotionally, it stressed you out especially when the bills come or when you can't walk in your closet without bags hitting you in the face.

nicker · ‎03-09-2010

Great thread Just Bee!

Please keep it going. I spent the time over Christmas looking for a larger purse. I have smaller ones here, that are like new. Why buy, when I am already pursed up? I am going to pare down all the junk I am carrying, and use a purse I already own.

just bee · ‎03-10-2010

On 1/3/2015 nicker said:
Great thread Just Bee!

Please keep it going. I spent the time over Christmas looking for a larger purse. I have smaller ones here, that are like new. Why buy, when I am already pursed up? I am going to pare down all the junk I am carrying, and use a purse I already own.

I love that! "Pursed-up." I think I'm shoed-up. I started buying "real" shoes when I realized I needed them to work in a hospital. One or two pairs would have been sufficient, but...

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

just bee · ‎03-10-2010

On 1/3/2015 islandgirl67 said:
I just went on line to get my credit card statement. I almost fell off the chair. It is more than I make a month. I didn't realize I spent so much. I am going to try hard to use nothing but cash from now on.

I used to live a very simple life. Not much in the way of possessions. I think what changed me is that one day my sister laughed at my lack of ¨stuff¨ & it made me think that I was missing out. The people I had around me including co-workers all talked about their stuff & the things they bought. Then some people close to me died one after the other, I think that's when I went crazy with buying.

It's like I was trying to fill a void. What I've come to realize is that things don't help you emotionally, it stressed you out especially when the bills come or when you can't walk in your closet without bags hitting you in the face.

I hid my credit cards when I decided to go to nursing school and pay for everything out of pocket. I was making very little money as a tech and in my final year of school I had to drop to part-time and pay for my health insurance. In the previous century I graduated from a California university and my quarterly tuition was $69. Yes, you read that right. All my books and supplies would generally come in under $100. Let's just say times have changed.

Fast forward. Because I wasn't charging everything my credit score took a bit of a hit. Then my Subaru was rear-ended and destroyed and I was forced to buy a new car. I was living off my savings. This was ugly.

But here's the good news. I bought a more -- dare I say? -- ComPact car and last week it was $17.76 to fill my tank. I'm making a car payment but it's a small one and it's helping restore my pristine credit. The world wants you to owe. You just need to know whom and how to owe to benefit yourself.

I'm trying to find the one card I have left and I have no idea where it is. I have to call the company and thank them for not canceling my account. (Another card company did that and now they miss me and want me back. Ha! They are dead to me now. ${#emotions_dlg.angry}$ )

But when I bought a house 20 years ago I started to fill it. I needed to buy things to maintain the house. Tools. Appliances. Filters. Parts for things. And it didn't help that I was working and socializing with people who liked to spend money. It was the 90s and suddenly I was doing the stupid things that everyone else was doing: Buying coffee at Starbucks. Eating out – a lot. Buying trendy gadgets, clothes, jewelry. My dogs were in doggie daycare five days a week.

There are things you can do to avoid the unnecessary spending. You're smart to look at what you're spending and how you're spending it. That's where you will begin.

How much of what you purchased were things you wouldn't have been able to live without? Now go from there.

Godspeed.

~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

Here is some Seinfeld comedy. I posted this on the other thread as well. Thought it was funny. Not sure it will post right, but here goes. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HfYzlSNHapA

just bee · ‎03-10-2010

On 1/3/2015 aprilskies said: Here is some Seinfeld comedy. I posted this on the other thread as well. Thought it was funny. Not sure it will post right, but here goes. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HfYzlSNHapA

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HfYzlSNHapA

Aprilskies, thank you! This is brilliant. ${#emotions_dlg.thumbup}$

~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

On 1/3/2015 islandgirl67 said:
I just went on line to get my credit card statement. I almost fell off the chair. It is more than I make a month. I didn't realize I spent so much. I am going to try hard to use nothing but cash from now on.

I used to live a very simple life. Not much in Pthe way of possessions. I think what changed me is that one day my sister laughed at my lack of ¨stuff¨ & it made me think that I was missing out. The people I had around me including co-workers all talked about their stuff & the things they bought. Then some people close to me died one after the other, I think that's when I went crazy with buying.

It's like I was trying to fill a void. What I've come to realize is that things don't help you emotionally, it stressed you out especially when the bills come or when you can't walk in your closet without bags hitting you in the face.

Yes, it is a amazing what seems like innocuous spending really adds up. This here, that there, that there, this here and by time you know it, it has racked up to the point of wondering what you bought. It gets out of hand when you aren't paying attention. I just recently in my head started to add up some of my purchases as of late and I couldn't believe it. I don't even want to look at my credit card and I am not counting my Christmas gifts I bought for everyone. So, it is back to being mindful for me.

aprilskies · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/3/2015 just bee said:
On 1/3/2015 aprilskies said: Here is some Seinfeld comedy. I posted this on the other thread as well. Thought it was funny. Not sure it will post right, but here goes. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HfYzlSNHapA

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HfYzlSNHapA

Aprilskies, thank you! This is brilliant. ${#emotions_dlg.thumbup}$

Thanks, Just Bee. Sometimes those links work and other times... Not sure if it is the iPad or user.

. That piece gave me a giggle.

just bee · ‎03-10-2010

"All things on earth only exist in different stages of becoming garbage. Your home is a garbage-processing center where you buy new things, bring them into your house and slowly cr_pify them over time.

My point is simple: Everything is thrown out in the end. We are thrown out in the end, my friends."

-- Jerry Seinfeld

(Thank you again, aprilskies! Wink )