Hi friends. In part of an ongoing, if sporadic, series, let's talk goals. I have a pretty big one coming up. I'd like to spend absolutely no money on anything at all other than groceries, for the whole month of November. I'm a pretty big shopper, and I'd like to rein it in. I'd also like to see what it's like to really force myself to just chill when the urge to get something strikes me. Who knows: maybe a little abstinence will spark creativity and ingenuity the likes of which we've never seen!

Seriously, folks, I come by my hobby shopping pretty naturally. It shows up on several strands of my family tree, much like our unrepentant love for salt. And because I'm a bargain shopper, and because I do consider purchases pretty carefully, and because I'm in a time of my life when I can actually afford to buy the things we need, which is just so freaking nice, I just have been letting myself do that. But I was inspired by the Frugalwoods, and I've been working hard to purge our place of unnecessary stuff, and so with both ideas in mind, it's time to take a breath and take stock and see if I can just put down the credit card (no matter how good the rewards points!).

Can I do it? Sure. I like finite goals and hard-line rules. Proscriptions on sugar seem to only work for me if they're absolute, and likewise, I think I feel the same way about spending. I'm also looking forward to it; it seems like I spend a lot of time on shopping, as much as money, and let's just redirect that, mkay? Plus, despite earlier mumbled threats of a giftless Christmas, we are planning to exchange gifts, and I've been putting things on an Amazon wish list. I find that just putting the things on the wishlist really scratches an itch for me, in the same way putting it in the shopping cart does, so I think I'll keep doing that, on a separate wish list, over the course of the month. It'll be interesting to look back on the list and see what, if anything, I still want/need/have to have at the end of it!

And finally, of course, November is home to my favorite holiday. What better way to focus on gratitude than by appreciating what you have?

If you're wondering if this decision is leading to any last minute purchases, you better believe it. Down-to-the-wire buys include a new blankie for Louisa, a rain cover for our stroller, and the new rug I mentioned Wednesday, which just barely squeaks in when I pick, it up tomorrow.

Anyone wanna join? Should be easy to keep the plastic bags to a minimum if we're not filling them up with crap :). Have a great weekend and I'll see you Monday!

Holy cow! And happy Halloween!