Thoughtless spending. I do it all of the time. Grabbing a coffee on my way to work when I have a perfectly good Keurig at home AND at work. Getting groceries (that I actually need) at Target and adding on a pair of jeans and a cute mug. Stopping for food on the way home from spin class when I have a refrigerator at home filled with healthy, yummy food. Watching a YouTube video and buying some beauty gadget that I REALLY don’t need from Amazon just because it is the latest and greatest.

Any of this ring a bell? Just me?

I have decided to put a hold on my spending for the month of February. I have recently noticed myself being extra caught up in the more, more, more atmosphere that can come from social media, our culture, and being inundated with ads and products all day long.
Never being satisfied.
Always needing something NEW.

The second I decided to really monitor and diminish thoughtless spending, I realized how many parts of my day were consumed by thoughtless spending, that I wasn’t even aware of. The worst part of it all is that I already have so much STUFF. Stuff that I don’t use. Clothes that I fold up and forget about. Beauty products that I push to the back of my shelves underneath my counter. And I still want more.

Then factor in the eating out. I LOVE trying new restaurants and grabbing food with friends, it’s one of my favorite things, and I don’t think it is bad or that it needs to stop long term. BUT, I think I need to take a step back and evaluate the money I am spending on food outside of the house, and how to thoughtfully plan out my eating with my friends. It is NOT a bad thing to want to go out, be social, and share a meal with good friends. It’s actually the opposite, in my opinion, but if that is my opinion, then I need to take a true look at where else I am spending money on food that I really don’t need to be. I can SAVE from eating in more, meeting with friends to do something free occasionally, and maybe even inviting friends over for dinner parties where everyone can contribute.

If you know me, you know that I love going to coffee shops, it is where I feel the most creative and honestly where I can center myself, put my airpods in, and just hustle. I am actually not going to take coffeeshops out of my spending completely. I may think more about the purchase and time spent, but I think that for me, going to coffee shops is productive and good me-time. Purchasing a random cup of coffee itself, like stopping at Starbucks to grab a coffee before work when I have a Keurig at home and at work, or getting coffee from Nordstrom just because I feel like it, doesn’t make sense. But the time where I work and create, I can grab a latte (gotta get the wifi code, ya know?). I still think that this will make a difference during this month and I also think that if I try to cut out literally everything that makes me feel like myself and is a part of my normal routine, I might be setting myself up for failure. I don’t think this month or this new habit is about taking away everything that you love to or that you spend money on. But I want to change my mindset to spending X amount of money on this coffee to enjoy this experience that makes me feel creative and at peace, and in turn I am going to make sure that I am not grabbing Chick-Fil-A for no reason or ordering a new laptop case for my computer just because I saw someone post about one.

This exercise is so that I can see exactly where my money is going and how cutting out frivolous spending can increase the amount that I get to save towards my goals. I am constantly stuck between saving everything for the future and also living in the moment. I want to invest in memories but I also want to be prepared for the future.

So, this upcoming month, these are the categories I am sticking to:
Gas
Groceries
Bills
Thoughtful time well spent (Coffee shop or planned time with friends)

No more throwing things in my Amazon cart and tapping 1-Click Buy. No more stopping by a jewelry stand and purchasing off a whim. No more buying items of clothing JUST for a night out.
If I want to add a ring to my jewelry collection, I will think about it and see if I still actually want it in a week. If I want a dress, I will make sure that I will wear it more than once. There are times for shopping for fun, and there are times to be more conscious about what money is coming out of my wallet. That time for me, is right now!

I have started a list in my phone of things I have reached for or thought about purchasing. The list is there for two reasons. The first reason is that anything I want to buy, and am still thinking about next month, that makes SENSE to add to my belongings, I will feel free to get. For example, I am going to buy next months book for my book club. I don’t think that making thoughtful purchases for things that you want is a bad thing, I really don’t. I think it’s the excess, extreme, and psychological high I personally get from buying things, that needs to be taken under control.

The second reason that I am starting this list is sort of to survey my mind/life. How many things am I actually going to add to this list? I think that I have an idea of how much pointless crap is going to end up on there, but I still may be surprised at how many things I would have purchased and not needed, had I not been mindful over my bank account this month.

I want to be debt free. I have essentially racked up credit card debt to keep up with blogging, culture, fashion, etc. when in reality if I had just spent my money on a more expensive, good quality trendy jacket I actually NEEDED or a trip that I went on and had actually saved for, I wouldn’t have gone into debt. It’s pretty simple, when I think about it like that.

What do I need? vs. What do I want?

I urge you to take a look at your week. Take a look at your Amazon order history. Or whatever online retailer you click to without thinking. Take a look at your bank statement. Did you need to stop by Whole Foods for a fresh juice? Did you need to buy that turtleneck? Did you need that new water bottle or plant? Maybe your answer is yes. This is a totally personal and subjective response. The answers and spending-addictive habits are different for everyone. But I can guarantee that there are some things you could live without in order to grow your savings, pay off student loans, or put towards that trip you have always been wanting to go on.

I would love for you guys to do this with me if anything I have said in this post resonates with you! I think that one of the main reason that I am writing this post is for accountability. Yes, I want to draw awareness to our culture of more, more, more, but I also will be much more apt to stick to this spending freeze/conscious spending habit if I tell people about it and can remind myself that I have accountability for this decision. I will do a post after February is over to discuss how much I was able to save (or put towards debt), how I succeeded (or failed), and what I learned from this.

Write a comment on this post or send me a DM on Instagram (@MadisonCrowley) if this is something that you want to join me in! I would love to hear your thoughts on the topics of spending, saving, and our culture’s habits.

‘Till next time,
xx Madison