Things you really don’t need

Derek and I have tried those “no buy months”, where you ideally don’t purchase anything than you really need (i.e. food) in any given month. That means, no eating out, no entertainment, no clothes, no unnecessary home décor or miscellaneous items. We usually make it to week two and give up. Running a blog, it’s my job to stay current and on top of the latest trends and beauty products to share with my readers, so it makes it extra hard not to shop. Since we don’t make new year resolutions, we try to set mini goals for ourselves, i.e. travel more, try something new at least once a week, and now… cut out 5 daily habits.

First up, no coffees out. Derek and I enjoy our morning cup of Joe together. It’s a time where we sit and chat for an hour or so, enjoy each other’s company and just prep for the day. When we’re out and about, you can often catch us with a Starbucks in our hand. It’s extremely tempting when you’re in the mall, to just grab that fancy coffee you can’t make at home, but at $6 a drink, it can add up quickly. Instead, we’re going to try and bring more to-go travel mugs with us and just brew our coffee before we leave the house.

Stopping alcohol with dinner. Derek and I tend to eat a lot of our meals from home. Being a vegetarian there isn’t a lot of food options out there for us. Restaurants are getting better, but a lot of them still only offer up salads and pasta as an option. We often think, why are we paying for this, when we can make the same meal at home for a fraction of the cost. When we are eating out, we usually get sucked into the drink specials. We often feel like it’s part of the experience to treat ourselves to a cocktail or two. The menu always looks so refreshing, we can’t pass it up. This month, no fancy drinks for us.

I must admit, I’m a magazine junkie. I also love to collect coffee table books. I’m all for buying books to help educate and keep our minds active, but there’s the public library for a reason. It’s a great way to keep reading, without having to spend money. Let’s face it, how many books do you own that you’ve only read once. We hold onto them like their trophies hehe.

New apps and in-app purchases are my weakness. I’m not actually addicted to games, I don’t even think I have one on my phone, but I love a good photography app. I have fun experimenting with Instagram video apps, photoshop tools and other fun ways to spice up my Instagram, but truth be told, I never end up using any of those creations. I like to keep my photos as natural as I can, with no touch-ups or edits, but I still have fun seeing what I can create.

Impulse buys at the grocery store. I have my set grocery list, the items I eat on the regular, but how come my cart is always full of food items I don’t actually need? I know having a list ensures I get everything I need, but how does it stop those impulse buys? I guess I’m just going to have to keep my head down, focus on my list, and get in and out as quickly as possible.

What I Wore- Tee- c/o Zink Made, Pink Jacket- Zara, Purse- Gucci, Watch- c/o Victoria Emerson, Jeans- Target, Slip-on Shoes- Town Shoes

Makeup done by Samantha Blatnicky Makeup & Lash Artist