Sep 29
Here’s my tally for the month of September:
1. One new sports bra and cushioned socks, both necessary for my half-marathon this weekend.
2. Two cashmere scarves (on sale!) during my visit to Scotland.
3. One eBay black dress and one eBay black slacks – both bought during August, but invoices were not sent to me until after September 1.
And that’s it! I have been a bit surprised at how easy it was to stop myself from shopping this month. I think going cold turkey, with the hard-and-fast rules, is the way to go! I did find myself going into “automated-shopping mode” a few times, but I was able to stop myself and think about what I was doing and whether or not I wanted to spend the money. However, I was never seriously tempted to break the diet.
What helped: avoiding the bloated fall issues of fashion magazines; avoiding the mall; deleting shopping websites off my Favorites lists; keeping count of every penny spent in a spreadsheet; and enjoying the fact that I could do things with my money that were much more fun, necessary, and deeply satisfying than buy new clothes. I restarted my Flickr feed for the Wardrobe remix group. I got a foot massage after a two-day conference where I stood leading focus groups the entire time. I bought a friend flowers for her birthday. I baked pumpkin bread. I trained for my half-marathon. In general, I just enjoyed myself in ways that didn’t break the bank and sometimes didn’t even involve money.
I’m not saying the next 11 months are going to be easy. But I am much more optimistic about this process than when I started.
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Tagged with: culture, diet, money, shopping
Sep 26
Well, I have to go on a make-up diet, or there will be no money saved. How I love to peruse the Sephora site, where I am a VIP customer. Why? I already have more than I could possibly use in a year! Base, blush, eyeshadow, mascara, concealer, you name it, I have at least six. I can do real damage on that site, so, for now, it goes with TGAAD. Bye bye, Sephora. Sob, sob.
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Tagged with: base, blush, concealer, customer, diet, eyeshadow, Make-up, mascara, money, VIP
Sep 15
…because you’re trying to save money in general, the Nordstrom’s fall accessories catalog is a dangerous, dangerous thing.
It’s now in the trash. Underneath some kitty litter.
Used kitty litter.
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Tagged with: catalogs, diet, humor, shopping
Sep 14
…I can’t believe this month is going so fast! I’ve been on the diet 14 days, but they’ve been 14 days so busy that I’ve barely had time to think, much less shop. When works slows down and life gets a little more boring, that’s when temptation is most likely to hit, for me.
I have bought shoes, though, as the weather is changing and I’d already identified my need for low-heeled-yet-dressy booties in black and brown. Add to that one pair of red high heels (on sale) and my fall shoe wardrobe is pretty much complete. Normally I get a bit obsessed with footwear at this time of year, not least because boots are so beautiful, but I’m looking forward now to cooler weather where I’m not really thinking about what else to buy.
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Tagged with: diet, Shoes
Sep 11
I am now home from Scotland and have much to think about, including my wardrobe. I always overpack, and I don’t think that’s unrelated to the fact that I also overshop, overstock, and overspend. Part of it is that my wardrobe is a bit of a crutch when I travel; I compensate for being unfamiliar with a new area by propping myself up with clothing and jewelry and toiletries. Instead of wearing just a few things that I know make me look good, I feel like I need to take half my closet “just in case.” Up until now, I’ve never asked myself – “just in case” what? Do I really think that, as a published researcher with a great job and a lot of experience in my field, I need a certain dress or pair of shoes in order to have confidence? Coming prepared for the terrain or the weather is one thing, but I shouldn’t need more clothing to feel prepared for more emotional travel challenges.
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Tagged with: diet, packing, travel
Sep 10
So I’ve made it through my 8-day trip in Scotland without buying clothing! This was harder than I thought it was going to be. Simply being mindful of my clothing shopping urges – stopping myself from buying a souvenir t-shirt, or not walking through a department store near the hotel – was very helpful. I didn’t realize how many times I day I find myself thinking about clothing! I still spend a lot of time noticing, interpreting, and re-envisioning what other people are wearing. But I managed to control my clothing acquisition urges.
I didn’t completely control my shopping urges. I did buy whisky, and I did buy a cashmere scarf that was of unmatched quality, at that price, anywhere else. But 95% of what I bought were gifts for other people, or something consumed as part of my experience (the local pub, a visit to the distillery, etc). I still need to balance my budget, and probably spend very little, when I return home, but I think I won’t miss arriving home with too many shopping bags and too much buyer’s remorse.
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Tagged with: diet, shopping, travel
Sep 08
Of course, the fact that I am in Scotland and am distracted by (a) a conference, (b) good whisky, (c) tea and scones, and (d) castles is a large part of why I am not feeling any urge to shop! However, I hope this 10-day break from my usual routine will in fact be the help I need to break from my regular shopping diet (and splurging). It’s been nice, actually, to make do with the little clothing I brought (it makes me appreciate what I left at home, for one thing) and to worry less about fashion and more about what fun things there are to do here. Last night I dressed more casually for a party than I have in a long time, and I had a blast! So maybe I am breaking away, a little bit, from letting fashion take over my life (and my wallet).
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Tagged with: diet, travel
Sep 03
So the TGAAD started on Sep 1 and on Sep 2, I flew to Glasgow for a business trip! Normally I will do a bit of shopping while on business trips, but this will provide a great environment for me to redirect my attention and my money! For starters, I don’t have extra room in my suitcase. I have the perfect clothes for the conference and the weather. I would like to spend my money on experiences (although the museums here are free), and on taxis, and on local single-malt scotches! Given all that and the exchange rate (which is not favorable for the dollar), I should be able to keep my shopping impulses in check, relax, and enjoy myself.
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Tagged with: diet, fashion, shopping, travel
Sep 02
And I’m doing better than I usually am on the 2nd day of any diet. 
My copy of Lucky magazine came in the mail today, and I was going to throw it out. But I figured I would keep it and leaf through it once. For one, I’m going to be exposed to fashion advertising whether I like it or not, so I might as well train myself to ignore it. Second, I will be able to resist buying new clothes if I can get back in the habit of being creative with what I already have, and I will most likely be using fashion advertising for inspiration. Third, I want to remind myself how RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE a lot of clothing is, and Lucky is actually good for practicing my “They want $235 for that sweater? Get real!” attitude.
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Tagged with: diet, fashion, shopping, temptation
Aug 30
OK, maybe I really am a clothing addict! We’re close to the starting gun and I REALLY felt like I had to go shopping today! The idea of not having new fall clothes was just so odd. I need to think about why. Part of it is, I think, simple conditioning; I’ve been taught to believe that each change of season requires a new style, and not just a change of clothing to be appropriate for the weather. That’s what this diet is all about, I suppose, and that’s why it’s a good idea.
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Tagged with: diet, fall, style
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