This winter has been unseasonably warm here in southern Ohio. While we would normally expect daily highs in the twenties or thirties, we’ve mostly been in the fifties and sixties for a while. Thursday will be 76 degrees.
I tell you that to say this.
Our spring flowers and shrubs are confused.
I plucked this little daffodil from my yard last night and brought her to a vase inside. There are at least a dozen more ready to bloom today or tomorrow.
This cartoon comes to mind this week.
These gals typically bloom in late March or early April so this feels super early. This is what we call “fool’s spring” so I’m trying not to get too attached to the idea that the earth is stirring to life.
Meanwhile, when you’re in the presence of a daffodil, the appropriate response is to smile. So I’ll just keep smiling.
Yesterday brought a break in the No Spend Challenge for a little Adventure Day. I intended to stay home and use the time to do a couple of projects, get some rest and read. But the forecast for sunshine and 41 degrees was simply too tempting to ignore.
Instead, I set off early and headed to Dayton to hike at Aullwood Audubon where I visited the trolls or the forest giants, depending on what you call them. It was 21 degrees and the weather app said it felt like fifteen but I was so happy to be in nature I did not care.
Then I hit up the Waco Air Museum in Troy.
And, I needed lunch so I found a fantastic little diner nearby. It was cramped and busy so my pictures are all awful but the food was delish and I really liked it there. I will tell you all about it soon.
And I mostly window shopped at Antiques Village but did score a couple of good deals. This is one of my favorite antique malls so I couldn’t leave town without a stroll through.
It’s funny because I was so happy at home and focusing on my January No Spend Challenge that I never felt deprived. However, this day that was heavy on experiences and light on spending was just what I needed. I felt more like myself than I have in a long time.
It was a long day but I would have stayed out longer. We are probably lucky that I didn’t continue West when I found myself on the National Road. Don’t think I didn’t contemplate running away from home to the great state of Indiana!
Along the way, I chatted with people, looked at some interesting things and even saw a mink in the wild. So check back to hear more and to see more pictures!
Still no measurable snowfall here in southern Ohio but we did receive just enough Monday night to make the roads messy.
I scurried out before work yesterday to feed Scout’s hungry birdies so he would be entertained while I was busy. He spent most of the day luxuriating in the window like it was prime time television. We had dozens of birds on the yard and I did grab a few pictures with the camera. You’ll have to settle for a phone snap today.
The birds were thrilled for the meal and Scout was pleased to have so much commotion outside his window. It’s the small things that make a huge difference in quality of life for me, Scout and for those hungry little creatures outside our window.
It is winter in Ohio and we have yet to see any measurable amount of snow this year. It has been warm and rainy with sunshine mostly on days when I’m at work and unable to get out and enjoy it.
We did have a white Christmas but it didn’t last very long at all. It prettied up the landscape for a few days but now we notice the ugly dead foliage and brown grass more than ever.
This week, the forecast is for highs in the upper thirties and forties with snow showers possible one day. That’s barely cold enough for a jacket – much less my collection of cute winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves. I look forward to wearing each year.
Meanwhile, my Wyoming friend has complained that she is shoveling several inches at a time. Maybe we should trade places.
Sigh.
Here’s hoping February will be better.
Note: the photo used here is from last January when Old Man Winter understood the assignment.
Each year, I challenge myself to not spend money on unnecessary purchases during the winter. This No Spend Challenge began on December 30 so I’m starting day seven and feeling good. My initial goal is to make it through January but I really want to go through February.
Here’s the deal. This isn’t an excuse to shirk responsibilities. In my version of the No Spend Challenge, bills are paid and gas goes in the car. I eat out if I have to (almost always because of work) and I still tip generously. I buy the things I need. So if I blow the heel on my work shoes, I first shop my closet to see if there’s something usable. If not, I will go buy the needed shoes but won’t go looking for other stuff for fun.
My pantry and freezer tend to be well stocked enough that I am able to use some of those reserves. This is intentional as I live in the country and you never know when you won’t be able to make it to a grocery store when the weather turns sour. This week, I need some cat food and a dozen eggs. Maybe some bananas.
You get the idea.
It’s actually kind of fun. Ohio winters are an ideal time to hibernate. I stay home, try new recipes, feather my nest and catch up on my rest. This week I actually sat down at the piano for the first time in over a year and I have a list of small indoor projects to work on.
In fact, I wrote out a list of about fifty things I can do that don’t involve spending money. It’s mostly things here at home and using what I already own.
Society pushes on us these ideas of buying and needing stuff from the time we are born. It’s easy to forget that we are more than consumers.
When I was a kid my She-Ra action figures came with a small story book and checklist designed to help kids see how many more action figures they needed to collect the entire set. Spoiler alert- you could never have the entire set because there was always something new.
That’s right. There is ALWAYS something new. From home decor to fashion to a new flavor of chips, there is always something new to buy.
Advertising messages as far as the eye can see sell us creams to make us younger and pills to remedy all our problems. Foreigners are often surprised that pharmaceuticals are advertised as commonly as a box of cereal in America. There’s no end to the products being sold.
We even have access to the perfect pant. Yes, ladies. According to an ad in my Facebook feed last night, Spanx has created a fashion marvel so incredible they literally have named it “The Perfect Pant.” At just $158 a pair, these black pants are guaranteed to change your life or at least drain your checking account.
There’s a meme that sometimes appears on Facebook. I have mentioned it before. It asks what it takes to blow $10,000 a year. The answer is $27.40 in needless daily spending. You might not be wasting $192 a week…. Or maybe you are. It’s an interesting thing to consider.
Classic marketing slogans like Burger King’s iconic “Have It Your Way” and the unforgettable contribution from Rent To Own that assures consumers that we all deserve nice things tell us that it’s our right to drain our wallets by spending with their companies.
If I am to really have it my way, I’ll have my money in the bank where it can gain a few cents interest in anticipation of adventures on the horizon. And that is a great motivator – this idea that a dollar saved today will fund a trip to somewhere memorable later.
Lots of people seem to think I’m somehow neglecting myself or denying myself things I need. They often try to find ways around the rules on my behalf. They’ll offer to buy my lunch or argue that a gift card gives me permission to go shop. A kind, if not misguided gesture.
I tend to be quite strict with this, only occasionally stepping outside the box to buy deeply discounted items that are both a future need and a robust bargain. Last year, I found a box of Christmas cards for ninety percent off at the grocery store. They were cute and I was glad for my $1 box of cards this Christmas. Before purchasing, I did at least stop and consider my decision, choosing also to forgo the rest of the clearance section which was packed with stuff I did not need.
It is a fine line to walk. If there’s a true deal on something you will need soon, it’s silly to pass up the deal in favor of following the rules and spending more later. There’s another line to walk in all of this. You see, it is tempting to say no to everything now and then binge shop when the challenge is done. That’s why it’s important to modify behavior and thinking so the urge to spend is lessened by the end of the challenge. This could actually be a future blog story as there are several things I do to make not spending money much easier.
How will I occupy my time through this No Spend Challenge? Come back tomorrow and we will talk about it. I can assure you, I will not be bored.
Have you ever done a No Spend Challenge? I would love to hear about it!
Still no measurable snowfall here in southern Ohio but we did receive just enough Monday night to make the roads messy.
I scurried out before work yesterday to feed Scout’s hungry birdies so he would be entertained while I was busy. He spent most of the day luxuriating in the window like it was prime time television. We had dozens of birds on the yard and I did grab a few pictures with the camera. You’ll have to settle for a phone snap today.
The birds were thrilled for the meal and Scout was pleased to have so much commotion outside his window. It’s the small things that make a huge difference in quality of life for me, Scout and for those hungry little creatures outside our window.
