I've recently taken up the "art" of coupon and bargain hunting. It's amazing how much money can be saved on daily groceries, restaurants, gifts, the list goes on. For almost anything you could ever want, there seems to be a deal going for it, just expired, or just getting ready to begin.
This is GREAT because it means I can be a better steward of our money. I can buy more, for less. I can create a mini-stockpile (I don't have anywhere to store anything bigger than mini). I can use that same stockpile to give items to friends who are having a rough time financially or give things to the local homeless shelter. It's so exciting to see how much money is NOT coming out of our pocketbooks each month for things we need and use.
This is BAD because I find myself buying things we don't necessarily need. I have more shampoo than I can use in a year and yet I catch myself feeling drawn in to buy more because it's on sale and I have a coupon and it will be less than 50 cents; never mind that I have absolutely nowhere to put it and by the time I get close to needing new shampoo there will have been a dozen similar sales between now and then.
January is one of the BEST months for cheap items and I almost can't resist stocking up for next Christmas. It's especially difficult to refrain from buying things when it's been something I've been looking at for awhile and now it's really cheap. The problem is that after Christmas, we NEED to buckle back down again... and yet I'm surrounded by deals that I've "just gotta have".
MODERATION
Isn't that the key?! I read a rather sad article recently about self-discipline and our lack of control. (More on this topic tomorrow)
Deals are great; saving money is a wonderful thing. However, spending money on things you don't need, just because they're on sale, is still spending money that could be better used elsewhere.
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