Ladies, I appreciate the kind, awesome empathizing y’all showed me when I was so upset. This job is NOT permanent, it’s a one to two year position. So, yeah. I am learning a lot and growing because of difficult situations, but it’s difficult. And I should probably stop talking about work in case I want a job someday and someone comes across my little blog and won’t hire me because I’m a whiner about work. Whew.
Anyhow, it’s been 10 whole days of April, so I figured I should give an update about how Buy Nothing is going.
Things I want to buy but can’t:
- A new SD memory card for my camera. My puny one (512 MB) has stopped working for some reason. (Excitedly telling me it had “No Image!” and “Memory Full!” simultaneously.)
- Hair products! My mousse and curl spray are almost out. (And you know how I love wearing my hair* curly now!) Thank God my interview this Monday is over the phone. (Yes, a job interview. Maybe that helped me feel better yesterday…) Also, I will have to stop being lazy and break out my flat iron.
- Clothing. Last weekend, I was going to Columbus for a conference and SO BADLY wanted to stop and shop. Not because I need anything in particular. To be honest, I can’t shop with Mike. He’s so freaking reasonable and asks questions like, “Why do you need that?” I feel guilty and materialistic. So being alone, I wanted to stop and just see if I could find a cute spring trench coat. Or maybe a pair of flats. Or, you know, some retail therapy.
- Really, that’s all. So far, I have not slipped up. Grocery shopping is my new retail therapy.
The part I realized I have more of a problem with is disposable, individually packaged food. Like coffee stirrers, sushi containers, Panera stuff (organic chocolate milk juice box and a chocolate croissant. The cashier made fun of me for my child-like lunch), sandwiches with wrappers, and plastic straws for my iced caramel macchiatos, because let’s face it, the best part is sipping straight caramel through straw as it mixes with the milk and espresso. It’s just not the same without a straw! Although – my threat to myself that I could not have coffee if I forgot my travel coffee mug was verrry powerful. I have not left my travel mug at work in TEN DAYS. This is pretty much a miracle for me. (I’m the kind of person who puts leftover spaghetti in the freezer, cereal in the fridge, and milk on the pantry shelf. And, most recently, lost my husband’s bank card without realizing it. Thank God for honest, kind joggers.)
It’s been a bit of a challenge, but not too difficult (so far). I need to do better in my disposable usage (No Impact Man has a great list up today to get me started.) I’d save more money if I forced myself not to drive to work. Maybe this summer when it’s nice out and I don’t have to work until 8:30 at night, I’ll break out the bike as my mode of transportation…
* PLEASE disregard those gross pictures of me. Don’t judge.
I saw your straw comment and had to say that you can buy (no, you are trying not to buy right now, but later!) reusable straws! No, not the cheap crappy ones that are huge or split in two seconds. Real, honest-to-goodness heavy plastic straws that you can reuse forever. They’re made by Zak Designs and you can get them on Amazon (or any small kitchen-type shop that sells this brand).
As I am writing this, I am realizing how silly I sound telling you about straws when reusable ones are not a new thing. Oh, well. At least they’re better for the environment in some way than the Starbucks disposable ones….
Grocery shopping is currently the only shopping I can barely afford to do and it is my FAVORITE. I could easily spend five hours in the grocery store. easily.
I try to put cereal in the fridge, too–why is that?