No Stuff vs. No Spend

Update on our no spending (as of March 7):

It's going really well!  So far the only things we have needed to buy: a left-handed baseball glove for our lefty daughter (and I need to get some baseball pants for her too...since it's the one color we don't already have from our son), and a phone case for John.

Pretty great!

Deleting shopping apps, not going to Target (or TJ Maxx, Dollar Store, etc), and shifting my mindset have been the biggest help.  I don't think about buying more of anything, my brain is learning to not even want to accumulate.

There are things I wanted to buy, for sure!  Those decorations at the Target dollar spot I heard about are adorable!!  New organizing stuff!!  The new drugstore makeup that is just as good as the high end stuff!! But I just put it out of mind.  Out of sight- out of mind.  If I don't have to make the decision whether or not to get something every time I go to the store- I can do this!

Spending vs. stuff

Just to clarify, my purpose isn't a no-spend.  We have bought tickets to multiple things, we haven't cut back on food budget, and are traveling.  For example- I found tickets for $45 for a year pass to our local mini golf/go cart/laser tag place, and I think it would be so fun to get those!  That is the pace I'm at right now- its close, the kids would love it, and we can go after school sometimes.

"When you own less stuff, you find more money, more freedom, less stress, and less worry." -Joshua Becker, Becoming Minimalist

For us, this is about having less stuff.  And less stress, more focus on what matters.  We have always been very careful with our money.  We've never had credit card debt, and have always sacrificed and saved for things we want- car, renovations, tickets, travel, etc. or just gone without.  Which means we didn't buy hardly anything all the time for a couple of years in college!  We've been taught and instructed to not have debt and to pay off our home, so we follow that.

One thing I haven't figured out yet...the kids rooms.  I LOVE organizing kids rooms!  And I've done theirs many times.  But...there is still a mess in there.  Even when it's clean, it quickly piles up!  I've been working on a solution (which will involve buying stuff!) for the boys' room, and I am almost complete.  It's hard to figure out a balance of keeping their 'special' stuff, and then also make it relaxing, easy to clean, etc.  They can clean it...and I keep making it easy for them to take care of...but we haven't hit that sweet spot yet.  Getting there!  I have been trying to figure out the problems, and also thinking hard about solutions before I jump in and get anything.  I want their rooms to be relaxing and a place for them to go for their own space, so I am working hard to make that easier! (yes, we have gotten rid of things, yes, they have to clean it up very often, and yes, they can make it a disaster in minutes).