31 days of change :: day 17 {changing how i shop}

Confession # 2: I like to shop.

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I like to buy things.  Clothes... shoes... purses... crafting supplies... home decor items... stationary... books... accessories... gifts... You get the picture.

Problem is, we are a one-income-seminary-student-debt-recovering-trying-to-afford-adoption-family right now... aka, we.are.broke.

Okay, okay... maybe not broke, per se.  But there's currently not a whole lot of extra shopping-spree money lying around.  That kind of sucks when you like to shop.

But I'm learning.

I'm learning that I don't really need another pair of flats.  I'm learning to get rid of clothes before I bring more clothes home.  I'm learning that I should have a place/purpose in mind before buying useless home decor.  I'm learning that I don't need craft supplies if I'm not crafting.  I'm learning to save and wait before purchasing my next piece of photography equipment.  I'm learning that you don't always have to leave a store with a bag-in-hand.  Yes.  I am learning.

A few weeks ago, I went with my girlfriend to Forever 21.  We spent an entire Saturday afternoon in the massive store... 3 hours to be exact.  I walked out completely empty handed.  Yes.  You heard me.  It was a major accomplishment, no doubt.  But I had a plan... I was shopping for her... not me.  And shockingly, it worked.  I made it my mission to help her jump-start her new wardrobe... pulling pieces in her size, color, style, etc.  I got quality-time with a favorite girlfriend, plus any shopping-urges out of my system for a while.  Win-win.

Little by little... changing how I shop.
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 For the month of October I'm doing a 31-day series on "change."  Go here to see the full line-up of "change" posts.