Christa, Day 36: It's About Spending, But Made Me Think About Saving

I've mentioned in at least one previous post that I like to keep track of how many days I can go in a row without buying anything directly. Once upon a time, I could maybe go a couple of weeks because I was single and had access to laundry and didn't mind eating the weird food that somehow ends up in everyone's pantry even though no one in their right mind would buy it. Now, I have a child and a job and a house and a car and so must maintain some standard of comfort less the child rebel and the house fall down around my head and the car decide not to go anymore. As for the job, every now and then I do buy a piece of clothing or two - but I'm lucky enough to live close enough to come home for lunch.

Today's simplification idea:

Learn what “enough” is. Our materialistic society today is about getting more and more, with no end in sight. Sure, you can get the latest gadget, and more clothes and shoes. More stuff. But when will you have enough? Most people don’t know, and thus they keep buying more. It’s a neverending cycle. Get off the cycle by figuring out how much is enough. And then stop when you get there.

Not to toot my own horn or anything - toot toot! - but I feel like the mister and I are fairly good at living with enough. There have been times a plenty when we could have bought on credit or splurged on shiny or whatever else it is people are into these days, but we always stop, sometimes on the brink, and ask ourselves why and whether we need the thing we're lusting after and what the point of it all is. We're very introspective people, I guess.

What's the old saying? Make do or do without? As it turns out, there are plenty of things one can do without just fine. Two items conspicuously absent in our own kitchen come to mind: a dishwasher and a microwave. Thanks to the 72 Ideas Project, we've actually been staying on top of the dishes so there's no longer dish drying overflow on the counter adjoining the sink. And the only time I ever really miss a microwave is when I need to melt chocolate and I'm standing over a double boiler. Because I melt chocolate all the time, I tell you.

But what is enough, anyway? Let's look at and then critique my shopping list of what I bought today:

• Heavy duty floor glue
• Shoe Goo (a home use shoe repair glue)
• Prescription migraine medication
• Sunglasses for the P.
• A diet root beer
• Bobby pins

Three of the items were necessary. We have some flooring coming up. We each have a pair of shoes that needs fixing. And I can't function with a migraine. Or I do function, but I do it badly and bitchely. Three of the items were not. The P. could wear a hat with a brim (though I have uber sensitive eyes and can't live without sunglasses so I'm not going to make her live without them). I could drink water. And I could do my hair differently or cut it short.

I'm not sure how any of these items fits into the enough philosophy, really. I suppose my own cross to bear when it comes to understanding what enough is isn't spending but rather saving. No, we don't have oodles in the bank, but I would rather save than do just about anything. When is there enough money to feel safe and not worry about having to bag at the supermarket at 95 years old to keep from having to eat cat food? My guess is for me, never. My challenge to myself with regard to today's simplification idea is this: For the rest of the week, stop worrying about having enough money in the future and start being grateful that we have enough money right now.