Monthly Check in: January 2014

This month has been trying for a lot of reasons--work functions, restlessness, feeling down, and just plain boredom has tested my resolve. I am happy to say that I have successfully declined all of the temptations this month, but not without some bumps along the way.

Best Practices

• I am truly happy that I am no longer bombarded by sale emails any longer.  My first instinct on any email that I receive now is, "Do I need to get this? How do I unsubscribe?" I feel like a lot of pressure has been lifted off of my shoulders now that those emails aren't in my face letting me know what they know I'd love to buy.
• I've successfully gone through the last month without using my credit card. I think the main reason why I haven't used it is because I'm holding myself to the promise that if I use my credit card, I have to go home and pay for that purchase out of my savings.  If I can't afford it, don't buy it.
• I did not touch my savings in January for any silly purchases.  I did have to dip into it to pay for a yearly eye appointment and new glasses, but necessary purchases like that are going to come up.   

Still Needs Some Work

• Food purchases continue to be the most difficult thing for me to say "no" to. Refusing myself a meal or snacks for the house seems wrong. With many work functions and a family reunion this month, I haven't been very good about coming up with planned meal ideas with the boyfriend, and he's picked up the slack for when my food budget went dry. I really want to work to get better at planning meals, declining going out and spending my boyfriend's money, and asking for help in cooking when I feel too pooped.  The boyfriend may go to school and work all day, but we both have to pitch in and I know he wants to help.
• The house is a bit of a mess after the holidays and the first month of the year.  I want to work on putting more energy into simplifying my home so I can feel calm, comfortable, and at peace when I get off of work. 
• With my focus on paying off debt and giving myself some future security by boosting my savings, I had not expected the void and sadness that I feel in the absence of buying, buying, buying shiny things. When I was sad or feeling a lack of control in my life, I planned what things that I would buy to make me feel better. Buying that new comforter would make it all okay. That dress would totally calm me down.  Without the quick and easy outlet of buying things, I am feeling down these days. Down about my future, down about what control I have over it, and down that I'm in this position to begin with. I've realized that while I'm making a lot of goals about my financial future, I'm thinking about it so much that I'm putting myself down. I have to realize that debt is a part of life. It's okay. What's not okay is when you have no regard for how much debt you have. While my focus on simplifying my financial situation is very positive, I also have to give myself a break. I'm doing the right thing and it's human to be in this pickle. And while it's unfortunate that I have to pay off X amount of debt every month instead of putting it into savings and planning for the future, the positive thing is that I am addressing it now before the situation gets too big and scary.

To going easy on myself, but keeping resolve in February!