Office shopping temptations

I started a new job with an office, coworkers, and a commute. Previously, I worked from home in my pajamas, blissfully ignorant of the many shopping temptations that accompany an office job.

Working outside the home I found…

• Lots of opportunities to buy food and drinks.
• More consumer products, fashion, and gadgets. Hmm, that Kindle is smaller than mine and looks cooler. Should I buy new work clothes like those?
• More opportunities to shop. I can easily shop on my way home or walk to a store during lunch.
• Thoughts of grabbing dinner on my way home.

And finally, I felt compelled to buy something on my way home Friday. You know, as a reward for a job well done at the office.

In the end, I didn’t change my spending habits this week. But I can see that it’s easy to spend when you’re exposed to so many products and stores.

What do you think? Do you feel more compelled to buy things when you work outside the home?

Go old school. Use a basket

My daughter grabbed a basket at the supermarket.

“Let’s get a cart in case we want to get something big,” I said.

“But this basket holds less. I’m trying to save you money,” she insisted.

And so we shopped with a basket.

We found a few things that weren’t on our list (pretty typical when shopping with a child). However, since we had less space and had to carry everything, many purchases were averted.

The basket forced us to carefully consider our purchases. We stuck to our shopping list like glue.

Which got me thinking… when were shopping carts invented? Shopping carts first rolled into stores in 1937. The concept was delightfully simple: make shopping easy for customers so that they’ll visit often and buy more.

Ah, but of course!

If you want to put the brakes on your spending (and improve your upper body strength), go old school. Use a basket.

What tactics do you use to buy less?

What does frugality get you?

A year ago I was laid off. One day I was employed and the next day I was home in my house pants dreaming of cafeterias and cardkeys.  

It was a humbling (and scary) experience.

However, getting laid off helped me tighten down my spending hatches. Not spending money became a game. How many days can I go without spending one thin dime (stop shopping, it’s easier than you think)?

A year later I’m working again, spending dimes and saving quarters. Recently, I spent a pile of quarters on an investment. An investment that I hope will generate passive income - a rental house. Nothing fancy, but once the house is paid off, the rent will be a nice source of income.

How did I buy this? My paychecks are not huge, but I’ve minimized my spending and maximized my savings. My savings started as an emergency fund and grew into a rental house.

I truly believe that frugality helps you get what you want and keep what you’ve got.

How about you? Why are you frugal?

Buying used

I’ve bought my share of used things the past few years, but never used shoes. Until now.

My daughter and I recently went on a quest for dress shoes. We went to our local used store and had a ton of fun (I almost felt like I owed the store a few bucks for the entertainment).

Entertainment? Sure. Trying on used shoes is fun. You don’t have to wait to see if they have your shoe size. Instead, any shoe you see is fair game. Stilettos. Clogs covered in beads. Biker boots. Ever wonder what it feels like to walk in someone else’s shoes? No need to wonder, you can find out instantly! 

My daughter tried on nearly every size six shoe. Some she tried on seriously - as in “Mom can I get these.” And others she tried on just for fun (she knew stilettos were out).  

We spent a good half hour trying on shoes. Naysayers might jump in and say that used shoes are not a good idea. Used shoes have molded to someone else’s tootsies and won’t fit your tootsies properly.

Maybe.

However, I’ve been thinking about getting a boot-like shoe and this one is quite nice. 

Cost? 10 bucks.

My new used boots appear to be lightly worn, so hopefully they haven’t molded to someone else’s foot.

I’ve worn these boots three times and they’re comfortable (for a dress shoe).

Not sure I’m ready to buy used everyday shoes, but used dress shoes? Sure. I wear dress shoes infrequently and don’t feel compelled to spend big. 

Buying used saves you money and saves resources (a win win).

Do you buy used? Used shoes anyone?

Green is expensive, right?

Standing in front of an aisle dedicated to printer paper, I asked my daughter which printer paper we should buy. I read all our options: premium, copy, multi-purpose, laser jet, inkjet.

And she asked, “Is there recycled paper?”

A huge smile appeared on my face (and my heart grew three times larger – oh wait, that’s another story).

We searched for recycled printer paper. It wasn’t front and center, but it was available. Envirocopy™ paper. The price? 5.99 for 500 sheets, or one dollar less than the multi-purpose paper.

Wait a second! I thought I had to pay more for green products? Or do I?

Angela over at My Year Without Spending posed this same question today. “Is it more expensive to be green?“

What do you think? Is green expensive?

Or course the greenest choice is no paper (not buying new products), but no paper is a tough sell with school age children. If you’re interested in green frugality, check out these great blogs:

• The Greenest Dollar
• Consciously Frugal

And of course this one. :)

Don’t spoil what you have

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things only hoped for.”
-Epicurus   

Have you ever thought that desire for what you don’t have can spoil what you do have? If your mind thinks about what you don’t have, can you really appreciate all that you do have?   

Sorry retailers, but the holiday season has me reflecting on wants and needs, and how much is too much.

If your basic needs are met and you have friends and family, what more do you need? A Zhu Zhu pet hamster? An iPhone? New boots? Will these things bring you sustained happiness?

So far the holiday shopping season has been disappointing for retailers. C. Britt Beemer, chairman of America’s Research Group, recently said: “shoppers are more frugal and cost-conscious because they have less money to spend.”

Less  money, yes. But maybe, shoppers have also realized that they don’t need to buy so much.

How about you? Have you cut back on holiday gift $hopping because you have less money, or for some other reason?

Me? I’ve been working long hours and have money to spend. In fact I felt the urge to reward myself, but I’m ignoring the urge to splurge. I plan to recharge, have fun, and savor time spent with family and friends.

p.s. The Epicurus quote is courtesy of Gretchen’s excellent Happiness Project blog.

Built to last

Last week I hung out with my parents in the home that I grew up in – from 5th grade on anyway. They’ve lived in the same home for 32 years (is that right? - my how time flies).

While I was home I ate at this table:

My parents bought this table when I was born, 43 years ago. Many meals, games, art projects, and conversations have taken place around this table. My parents have no plans to replace the table. Why would they? The table is solid wood with leaves and an indestructible finish. It’s the perfect table.

In our increasingly disposable world, it’s so refreshing to see something built for the long haul.

Take a bite out of landfill waste:

1. Buy quality – things that are made to last.
2. Take care of your things, so you don’t need to trash or replace them.

My kitchen table is ten years old and I hope to play cards on it with my grandkids someday. I don’t need a new table. My table is accumulating memories and it’s built to last.

How old is your table?

Sidenote: I’m not a Deadhead, but found it interesting that ‘Built to Last’ was the thirteenth and final studio album by the Grateful Dead (released in 1989).

See it, like it, buy it

In the United States we are so very fortunate. Most people can buy whatever they desire. If we go shopping and see something we like, we can buy it.

See it, like it, buy it

However just because we like something, doesn’t mean we need to buy it.

On a recent flight my daughter liked this Skymall item:

Forest Faces: Show everyone which team you’re rooting for with this outdoor ornament sensation.

This new outdoor craze is only $19.99, so it’s easily within my reach.

Should I buy one? Let’s see.

Can I live without it?

Yes. My trees have been bare for years and haven’t been yearning for ornamentation (as far as I know).

Would I use it regularly?

No. The ornament serves no real purpose other than promoting a sports team that doesn’t need further promotion. 

Is it going to improve or simplify my life?

No.

Asking yourself these questions can help you prevent clutter and debt. It’s possible to see something, like it and not buy it.

See it, like it, don’t buy it

The result? More money in your bank and less things in your home. Sounds good to me.

Interested in consuming less, decluttering and organization? Check out Monica Ricci’s blog: “Your Life. Organized.”

Focus on doing interesting things rather than buying interesting things (from Zen Habits).

The marshmallow experiment

The marshmallow experiment is a famous test from the 1960s, where a group of four-year olds were given a marshmallow. The kids were told they could eat the marshmallow now, or wait 20 minutes and get a second marshmallow.

The marshmallow test video

Cute kids!

The researchers from the 1960′s marshmallow test documented which children waited and which did not. They then followed the children for 18 years and compared the two groups: the marshmallow eaters vs. the kids who waited. The results? The children who waited for the second marshmallow did better in school and in life.

Why is this?

The ability to delay gratification is an important skill for life success. 

Now apply the marshmallow experiment to shopping. Instead of buying something when the idea strikes you, keep a list of things you’d like to buy on your fridge. After 30 days evaluate the items on your list. Do you still want them? Can you afford them? Can you delay a little longer?

Try this experiment. Delaying purchases should result in fewer purchases, and what you do buy will be sweeter because of the wait.

Spending less than you earn

Trent Hamm over at The Simple Dollar started a new series summarizing his money and life principles. First in his series is a great rule that I follow with fervor: Rule #1: Spend Less Than You Earn. Hands down, this is easiest way to get control of your finances and get on a path of peaceful saving. 

After reading Trent’s post I thought about why I find this rule easy to follow. Here’s what I came up with:

Why I Find it Easy to Spend Less Than I Earn

1. Peace of mind.  I’m a saver and I prefer not worrying about money. I’ve learned first hand that employees are expendable, but I don’t worry about losing my job because I have an emergency fund.
2. I’m saving for my kids’ education.  I’d love for my kids to get college scholarships, but in case they don’t I save.
3. I love working 30 hours a week.  I limit my spending so that I can work less. I enjoy picking up my kids from school and spending the afternoon with them.
4. I don’t need to spend money to be happy.  Some of my best weekends are spent with my family doing free stuff or digging in my yard. The three things I used to spend money on are books, plants, and music. The library and the Internet are great resources for music and books. Pandora Internet Radio streams free music; it’s like a radio station without ads. And plants are everywhere and don’t need to be purchased, because gardeners love to share their wealth. I mainly spend money on social experiences, like concerts and events.  
5. I’d like to retire someday.  Someday I’ll retire and spend my days reading, writing, and photographing my view of the world. 
6. I really don’t need any more things.  If anything, I need less. I get great satisfaction from removing things from my home, not adding them.

All of these reasons make it easy for me to spend less than I earn.

The Get Rich Slowly blog offers this formula:

[WEALTH] = [WHAT YOU EARN] – [WHAT YOU SPEND]

As mundane as it may sound, the way to build wealth is to spend less than you earn.

How about you? Do you spend less than you earn? Do you find it easy? What are your motivations? Please leave a Comment.