I'm cutting Target out of my life for the next 30 days. As I've written before, I love going to Target. There's just something about all those shelves of brightly colored stuff. But I've been feeling the need to downsize our collection of clutter. I tried very hard at Christmas to give only non-cluttery gifts, and I think I did pretty well. It's been a week since Christmas, and I haven't tripped over any new plastic junk yet. Even better, we're getting lots of use out of the presents we did get. The girls have been going on daily bike rides with me or B. And we've been towing Campbell along in the new bike trailer.
I was feeling pretty pleased with myself, but then I read this blog, and it got me thinking. I'm not ready to give up buying things for a year - I'm not sure I could do without new books and new yarn and new running shoes. But I am willing to give up Target for a month again. Maybe I'll be able to stretch it out longer than that.
In anticipation of this change of lifestyle, I made one last trip to SoooopeeeerrrTarget today, to pick up a few last things and say good-bye. I'm really proud of myself. I made it out of the store without any extra stuff. We bought three bike helmets - one for me, one for Lily, and one for Campbell - which I had planned on, but that was it other than groceries. I didn't even buy any junk food groceries, despite the girls' plea for ice cream.
I wavered in the DVD section, though. The other night we watched the new Pixar Shorts collection at our neighbors' house, and we all loved it. I had looked for it before Christmas, but it was out of stock then. I almost bought it today, but then Ella and Lily got in a debate about the new Harry Potter DVD. I didn't want to buy two new movies, but I didn't feel right about buying one that we won't let Lily watch yet. So I told the girls we weren't going to buy any movies this trip.
Ella started the waterworks, crying about how much she loved Harry Potter and how I had promised that she could watch the movie when it came out on DVD and she's been waiting since December 11 for it and she wanted it for Christmas and didn't get it and it isn't fair. Sob. I asked her if she loved Harry Potter enough to pay for half of the cost out of her own money. That question stopped the tears pretty quickly. I explained that my parents had made me help pay for things I really wanted, and that it had helped me learn to really think about what I wanted to buy. In the end, she decided to go home and count her loot to see how much she would have left if we bought the DVD. I was pleased with her response. Ella loves to save her money and almost never spends any of it. I'm glad the lure of Harry Potter hasn't changed that trait in her.
So now for 30 days without Target. I won't even go in for the bag of dog food I forgot to buy today.
5 comments:
Being in Norway, I have also changed my spending habits quite a bit. It is so expensive here, I have a hard time justifying buying 'fluff'. I hope it'll last once we return to Canada.
Good luck - I am sure it'll be hard for a the first few days, but then you'll adjust :)
LOL about Ella. My C boy is the same - not really willing to pony up his own money!!
Heidi
Have you checked out The Story of Stuff yet? It's online. It'll keep ya outta Target for awhile. Watch it on a bad day of temptation...
You're punishing the dog? How rude!! I was just in Target yesterday - and I loved it! They sell Diet Coke, after all.... :-)
Hallie
I'm not punishing the dog. I'll be buying her food at the regular store. It's hard to go crazy and buy lots of crud at the regular old HEB.
Rewind to november-
Sarah: Harry Potter comes out on DVD December 11th. Can I get it for Ella for Christmas?
Heather: No, she doesn't really watch the 4th one and I think it would be too scary.
You could have saved yourself some waterworks at Target and Ella would have been thrilled with her gift.
Post a Comment