Hindsight’s 2019, and on to 2020. Boy am I glad to have 2019 in hindsight, cause it really belongs there with the exception of my new depression treatment.  A lot of stupid stuff went on in 2019, and there was a lot out of my control, but also a few things I could have controlled a little better.  Like I could have used better coping skills with this mad, mad world, which I’m about to address.

Begone 2019!

Last year I started watching some No-Buy videos on Youtube and reading some articles on Google.  A No-Buy month, year, etc. is just what it sounds like – you don’t buy stuff for a certain amount of time.  I am very aware that there are people who go on these no buy larks out of pure necessity, and I have been there myself.  But most people have at least some disposable income (or take it from another category like coffee for clothing) even if they don’t have money for much else, and that’s what I’m talking about here. 

At the current time, only my husband works outside of the home. I was worried for quite a while how we would make it, but ironically with our lovely system, so much was taken out of my check before by the government which then said we had to pay more taxes because we made more money (including the money they were taking out, not what we were taking home) so – it hasn’t made as much of a difference as I thought it would.  In some ways, such as Thing One’s college tuition, it actually saved us money because now they consider us as poor as we were back when I worked, and the grants combined with scholarships for her grades paid for both her first and what looks like her second semester’s tuition.  And we did that without Bernie paying for college, though he is certainly still welcome to do it.

At least I can pick out Bernie in this group.

Many of the people whose No Buy reports interested me had way too much makeup.  There’s even an entire Reddit about this.  I don’t have a problem with makeup. I don’t wear it that often now that I’m not working (and I stopped a while before then even).  The only time I’ve bought much makeup was when they had a special Disney line of it.  Which leads to the problem – Disney.  I collect Disney dolls, especially limited edition ones which are, of course, more expensive.  My mother collected dolls when I was younger, but I got onto the Disney kick while I was working in order to reward myself.  My Things also have their share of dolls, as you know if you’ve read my blog very long and seen us create strange posts with them.  

I am not ashamed of my dolls; I enjoy them.  Everyone has something they collect, whether it’s car parts (my husband), or makeup, or baseball cards, or cell phones (you don’t need a brand new 1,000 dollar Apple phone each year sorry), etc. etc.  I often collect when the thing represents something that matters to me, because I like to see, hear, and touch.  I’m horrible at museums.  Anyway,  Disney movies matter since they all have messages (besides make me more money). I also got into collecting Game of Thrones last year since I really enjoyed the story of Daenerys – at least until that last season but moving on.  I got into buying those figures too, and then into the world of Funko Pops.  

Quit it with those freakish cute eyes!

Be afraid.  There’s one of them for everyone, I don’t care who you are.

Since recently paying off our car, our only debt is our mortgage and medical bills.  So I’m not using credit cards (we don’t own one) to finance my problem. I have dipped into our savings, though, which is not very big and consists mostly of what we got from our last tax return.  We’ve been fortunate in that people like our church and family have aided with some of the bigger bills such as the dental one (I hate teeth).  I’ve found that buying dolls and collectibles often comes up when I’m stressed, or sad, and gives me that brief rush – only to make me feel bad later.  You see I have plenty of dolls at this point.  I even sold some last year, and I intend on selling more collectibles this year.  

But I’m hoping to first stop buying so many of the fancy Disney dolls.  One thing that has helped me is to learn more about the psychology of shopping.  It’s pretty creepy what advertisers do to lure you in, and we think we’re too smart for it, but fall for it every time.  I’ve followed a youtuber who has some interesting videos, and read some books as well.  I would like to spend this year enjoying what I have, decluttering my house of what I don’t, and just finding healthier habits than online shopping (which is how I buy most things I don’t need.).  With what I save, I hope to put money in savings, pay off bills, and buy other things that would be nice like frames for art (the Things are good artists).  My walls are rather bare and depressing at the moment.

For those wanting the “hospital look”, white walls are in.

So I’ve made some plans for the next year.  

Yearly Goals

Did someone just shoot at that one guy? 

Health: Be healthier overall: keep up with mental health care and other doctor appointments (like asthma etc), more exercise, actual meal plans, better self care, and losing some weight.

Financial: Less spending on dolls and collectibles, fountain drinks, and meals out.  More saving, paying off bills, improving my environment, and my self confidence (more flattering clothes, learning new stuff).

Environment: Clear out clutter, clean (and learn more about how to clean properly)

Listing them as somewhat vague yearly resolutions freaked me out, so I will divide them into months.

Month One: January

Real clipart title: Unrecognizable woman adds healthy goal.

Health: 1. Continue my mental health treatment (post on that coming up)  2.Walk more – I need a specific number of steps each day.  I’m still recovering from first a sinus infection, and then the antibiotics that made me sicker.  But I did spend some Christmas money on a new tracker (gadgets!) which is coming on Friday.  Exercise is supposed to be good for body and mind, or so they say.  I’ll find out. 4. Write more.  Writing is fun, and I like communicating with you guys.

Financial: 1.No spending on dolls and collectibles.  2. Fewer fountain drinks: I’ve mostly drinking the little 8 oz cans of cola rather than getting the drinks from the drive-through.  This goes with health too, come to think of it. 3. Get a bill paying system together.

Environment: Work on my bedroom the most, especially my desk and bedside table drawers.  Cleaning out my desk will help give me a place for keeping track of bills.

I’m not sure how this is going to work.  I’ve already experienced the setback of being sick, so at least I’m prepared for that.  As the year progresses, hopefully I can keep up with my goals.  One thing that helps is not depriving yourself, which is why I’m not cutting out all pleasures (still have coke for instance).  It also helps to have someone to keep you accountable, so I have a couple of friends, my Things, and now you guys.  

Do any of you have resolutions or goals for this year?

~ Alice