Week 1: Stop buying stuff Update

I am honestly surprised I am only a day off for posting my first week update. How did this magic happen??

So! It's been one week since I have bought anything I didn't NEED (school supplies, groceries, and spices have been purchased.)

The day after I made this pledge to myself, I had to go get some spices that we were out of. I like to get them from Penzy's, a super awesome spice store over on Manchester. If you haven't been, go. Quality spices makes all the difference in cooking. 

Anyways, when I was out, I passed 5 different stores I wanted to go into. All 5 stores would have been full of things I absolutely did NOT need. However, all awesome stores, and many of them small businesses which I will eventually absolutely support. One of my goals down the line is to support one small business a week. But we'll get there.  

It is also not a good idea to just be wandering around stores right now because I am bored or need to decompress, you know, because of Covid.  But this goal definitely stopped me from going into one, because I totally could have justified going into at least one for self care. 

I also have realized what a sucker I am for Facebook ads. Typing that sentence definitely makes my face sad. Like REALLY Justine?? Falling victim to that malarkey?? Facebook ads are absolutely how I got into dip nails. 

But I am not sad about that journey. Dip nails are my JAM and the first time in my life I have been able to stop biting my nails and have pretty and healthy nails without spending hours and hours on them. And I got things at a great discount. 

Anyways. I have seen myself want to click on an ad and check it out. I have also realized I would just browse Amazon or Market Place for no damn reason and end up finding cool things. I didn't always buy those things in the past, but sometimes I totally did. 

Wish is another dangerous place, however I have been off the Wish train for a while now. 

There has been one purchase I wanted to make that I felt was actually worth. My friend Sim Kern wrote a novella called Depart, Depart,  and they posted that they were only $20 away from having their book advance covered by sales, meaning they would be able to start earning royalties, AND that the genre was picking up steam (climate fiction). It's about a Jewish trans man whose life has been devastated by a terrible hurricane in Huston, Texas. I can't wait until next month when I can get it and read it. (If interested, here in a link to it: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53385708-depart-depart)

Anyways. This week has shown me that YES I am using shopping to self medicate my anxiety, stress, and boredom., and that I have absolutely been doing it too much.  I knew this, I just didn't realize how MUCH I was doing it. 

So. On to week 2. See you in 7 days.