Source: CR Artist http://www.flickr.com/photos/crartist/3784241787/
Let’s see: how can I start off a post with the most annoying and redundant phrase of our era? Oh! I know! With this phrase:
“IN THIS ECONOMY…”
Don’t you hear it everywhere? In this economy, it really pays to shop (i.e., spend all your money at) Wal-Mart In this economy, peanut butter has become a staple for frugal moms due to its surprisingly high protein content and ability to shut the kids’ whining up. In this economy, pants are a luxury that some are dispensing with. In this economy, _____. C’mon, you try it. It’s fun! It’s almost like those Wacky Mad Libs we used to play when we were kids, only now we get to thumb our nose at the global financial crisis that threatens to destroy us all! Yay!
Seriously, though, if I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard that exact phrase over the last three years, my personal economy would be making out quite handily. And yet, as grating on the ears as the phrase might be, unfortunately there’s legitimate cause to use it a lot these days. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the proper use of money and resources. For example, when I look back at the way I spent money in college, buying $200+ of clothes many months and yet many times not keeping up with my car insurance, I’m appalled at myself. I’ve grown a lot more responsible since then, and yet somehow, I’m still, on a much lesser scale, guilty of mishandling funds from time to time. It’s hard when there’s so much to want.
But this is exactly where my new idea comes in. It’s my little way of motivating myself to live on a budget–and like it! I’m calling it the “Use Watcha Got Challenge”. It’s not really complicated. You just use the things you already have in order to feed and dress your family, take care of your home, entertain yourself, and do all the things you’d ordinarily have to shell out to do. I know, in short, it’s just being frugal, but the emphasis is on being frugal by not buying rather than frugal with what you do buy. My hope is that this will be a way to re-acquaint myself with all the nice things I already have in my possession, things which frequently go ignored, some of which have never really even been used, as I run after the next shiny, new thing. This is my way of, instead of feeling the pinch, feeling contentment and thankfulness for all the things that are right under my nose and which I so easily forget.
Do you have any ideas for how you can “Use Watcha Got” at your house? Please do leave a comment. I’d love to hear! For my next post, I’ll talk about one of my ideas–and you may even get the see the dark underbelly of my closet or pantry!
Homeschooling One 
I’m also appalled at the way I used to spend when I was younger. I’ve become much more frugal. I like to reorganize from time to time so that I can take out things I have and I forgot. I have this rule, if I haven’t used it in six months or a year, and I’m not going to use it or wear it or finish it tomorrow, I get rid of it. I give away lots of things, take only what I’ll be using, I barter a lot, and that’s how I reuse what I have. It takes lots to train the will and bend it to not succumb to wanting new things…ah, another thing is to have a wish list and to never get anything unless three or more months have passed. You’ll be surprised as to how many things make it out of the list. The things that stay after a serious scrutiny are the only things worth saving up for to purchase.
Silvia, thanks for your comments. I love the wish list idea. I bet that really allows you to see how your desire for things really ebbs and flows and to roll with it. In the world today, with all the beautiful and clever things that get made, there will always be more than we need or could ever have. I started a wish list with Mustard Seed since reading this. I have a rule that she may not ask me for stuff at stores. The most she is supposed to do is comment that she likes something. Sometimes she slips up though. I told her for Christmas, we can start a wish list using the Memo feature on my phone. Closer to Christmas, I’m planning to go back over it and she can tell me which few she would most like to receive. She’s already been warned she won’t get all of them. And we are really trying to use much of the money we would have spent on presents for doing service projects instead. The funny thing is, some of the things she wants me to put down are so inexpensive–like the chia heads they sell at the Michael’s check-out or the gyroscopes at Hobby Lobby. It really helps me to see that she delights in little things just as much as big ones. It was great to see you again! I hope you and your family have a blessed Christmas.