New Year, Same Me?

Happy New Year! I cannot believe 2024 is over, and I am so relieved.

If you’re like me, you use the New Year to start fresh.

New Years outfit: still keeping it sparkly :)

In previous years my “Resolutions” looked like:

Get in shape
Stop buying new clothes and shoes
Meal prep

This year my goals (because I’m done with “resolutions”) look like:

STOP BUYING S*** YOU DON’T NEED
Rebuild emergency fund
Meal prep

Hot & Sour Soup: original recipe here. My modified recipe here.

Not much has changed when it comes to what I want to do and what I’ve done about it.

Until now. We are exactly two days into the New Year and I have had exactly two days of SPENDING ZERO DOLLARS. Except bills, because I have to pay them.

I returned over half of what I ordered this year instead of keeping all of it like last year.

While it might sound silly, it was usually two days into the New Year that I would have broken whatever goals I had set for myself that year. My fresh start spoiled, I would just resume whatever bad behavior was easier to continue with.

Some things are different this year.

It’s my first year without several special loved ones: Alyse and my grandma. Grief absolutely destroyed me. I lost all self- control, all discipline. I really did some damage. But some of Alyse’s LITERAL last words to me were, “you have to stop spending.” She knew me well, she knew my struggles with addiction. I now need to honor her by listening to her. She would want me to be better.

I also think of my grandma, who grew up with little to nothing. How she collected things the way I do. I think about how she held on to things maybe longer than necessary, but only because at one time all she knew was NECESSITY. Am I honoring her and all she and my grandfather worked hard to build, and save, and give to our family?

Loved ones passing can have a significant impact on our finances in more ways than we realize. But our loved ones also wouldn’t want us spending frivolously, masking our pain with mindless spending. We can honor them by striving to do better and make better decisions with our money.

Mila & Winnie. Artwork by **Melanie Ramser** :)

It’s my first year with a significant loss of income: my grading contract with the FEC ended in December and it was my first time in over a decade without a full time job or multiple part time ones.

I have been working part time at Target. I work in the Starbucks there. Despite my disappointment with Starbucks brand, I love my part time job. I have always enjoyed being a barista.

Obsessed with these gold boots. One of my December purchases AND birthday present. Worth. every. penny.

I LIKE having a break from being at home. I DO NOT LIKE being away from my family.

Interacting with others outside has really helped me rebuild confidence in myself. I feel purposeful. I see the results of my work. I have routine and structure. We have more financial stability and less financial stress.

The discount doesn’t hurt, but I have also made a conscious effort to not spend while at work. Noticing my spending habits return to business as usual the first few weeks of work really snapped me into reality.

another Target purchase, but at least I got my discount! Look for it next time or secondhand: **Women's Santa Print Christmas Festive Graphic Cardigan - Pink**

Mila was wiped out on Christmas…finally as we stood and looked at “yights” :)

I have taken some steps to reduce spending at work by:

Using order pickup and drive up: reduces time spent wandering around shopping and finding things to buy I don’t need.
Making my own food to bring instead of buying food out
Making my own syrup instead of buying $6 drinks (we don’t get anything free)
CONTINUED REVIEWING OF SPENDING: seeing the insane amount of money I was spending at the place I work made me really mad.

A winter fit I LOVED. The red tweed blazer is thrifted Sag Harbor. Faux fur stole borrowed from Lynn Ramser :) The skorts are back! (thank you TikTok shop). Black boots: Just Fab (I also bought on clearance in cream and am obsessed).

It’s our family’s first year with significant car issues: can we talk about how USELESS INSURANCE IS? Like, on multiple fronts. Including the fires in California. But also in the case of multi-liability accidents, like the one Matt was in.

Matt hit no one. He was essentially hit by two people. We have to drive around with a trunk that won’t close and an oil pan leak until the insurance companies figure out who is liable. Good thing we have insurance?!

Mila’s little fur coat was $7.99 and a true vintage. OBSESSED.

It’s my first year coming to terms with my behavior, my choices and my priorities.

I have had my reckoning. I have had my breaking point. I very much realize that my SPENDING HABITS NEED TO CHANGE.

I knew that change was necessary, but I didn’t realize how much and how hard it would be.

Santa breakfast at Kennywood & our digital Christmas card this year. Sustainable, eco-friendly and saved on postage!

I have taken some steps to make actual real change:

I tell someone before making any and all purchases. Usually Matt, but I also enlisted my friend and my mom. Saying what I want to buy out loud makes me re-evaluate if it is actually necessary.
I started reading The Year of Less by Cait Flanders. I read it for book club and it really stuck with me. I really loved her shopping ban list and would like to try one of my own.
I watched Buy Now on Netflix. A documentary on shopping culture and the impact it is having. The part on waste and end life of products was particularly disturbing and made me reevaluate my shopping behavior.

I did my December monthly money calendar, and did not do well. Luckily January turned out much better and I will happily post it next month.

I’m still me. I bought some new jeans. Partly because they are one of the few things I have trouble buying and liking. These jeans by Halara are basically sweatpants. Since they are also a work purchase, they were approved.

Jeans I can’t stop wearing. Halara jeans. Basically sweatpants but look amazing on.

I haven’t been to the thrift store since Thursday December 26th. I didn’t buy anything that day since my mom was with me and bought my birthday present. Two beautiful coats and this skirt.

It was 50% off all clothing including coats at my Salvation Army. I was WAITING for that royal blue velvet coat to be half off, but just ran into the full length vingtage fur coat and gorgeous white pleated silky midi skirt.

This skirt in the snow?! Can you say snow bunny? Cardigan is thrifted vintage Cache.

I have no idea what the brand is on this coat, it just says made in U.S.A.

Money Wins:

19 days of not thrifting
12 days of zero impulse buys
First month without taking money out of savings
Paid off tax bills and tolls

Alternative to spending? A snow day photo shoot in wild outfits.

Money Goals:

Finish month of no thrifting/impulse buys
Pay off credit cards
$1000 emergency fund: currently $643.08 - need $356.92
List 10 things to sell
Resist buying things at work by meal prepping

Jackson posing with me for cardinal photo shoot.

Instead of buying more storage we swapped out Jackson’s old “headboard” (a diy with a shelf from months ago) and put it in the living room as: countertop for their kitchen area/ramp for Jackson’s trucks :)

Jackson’s new headboard? A folding foam playmat that was in the basement covered with a red blanket. Put in a few nails to keep it in place and voila!

Another goal? Get off all Meta apps from the 19th through the 26th. You may have noticed I put this up on my social media, I deleted all Meta apps on my phone for now. If you want to understand more behind why this is happening, you can read more here. Also now that TikTok is working again, here is another explanation.

I’m definitely doing better on resolutions so far this year than in years past, and that is a win.

Did I buy some food out? Yes.

Did I buy some fun stuff? Yes.

Did I INTENTIONALLY buy those things as part of my family’s spending plan? ALSO YES! It’s ok to buy fun things when they are included in the budget and/or you have the money for them.

So while I might not be sticking hard and fast to my New Years resolutions, my money goals for this month are looking manageable and even ACHIEVABLE.

We’re back :).

What were your resolutions for the New Year?

Outfits I’ve Worn & Loved:

All the Feels

This is Fine.