No new things

[flexagon]

I forgot to mention that I've set some sort of kooky record for maxing out my 401(k) for the year -- yes, for 2012, on January 13! They not only paid our bonuses out earlier this year than they've been doing, they also raised the maximum allowable withholding from som ithing like 60% of one's paycheck to 100%. Being the nut that I am, I cranked it up to 11, and WHAM. One paycheck for which my net pay was $0.00, one bonus and it's all over. Awesome.

So will I do "no new things" time this year -- the couple of months where I don't buy physical objects, that used to usually end at bonus time? Yes. I'm pretty sure that I actually started on the 10th, before which there was the usual little spasm of "okay, I'm going to order about five things that I really want, first". (I bought a knitting technique book, and dragonfly wall decorations, and a couple of books, and pens.) So my plan is to go until March 10, even though nothing dramatic marks the end of that time.

Interestingly, it's my first "no new things" period -- and that needs a catchier name, doesn't it? -- with a Kindle. I don't necessarily plan to buy more books (my friends left me very well-supplied with that sort of thing, both the Kindle and dead-tree kinds), but this year for the first time I could.

Comments

[miyyu.livejournal.com]

I agree. It's hard for me to be so disciplined that I don't buy anything but controlling it is still important. Total denial of anything tends to end in binges anyway. And while my husband is more indifferent to it, I need to feel like I can spend a little of my own money and not be accountable to anyone, even though we share finances and financial goals.