A huge source of our discretionary spending is being bored and going somewhere as a result.
Usually Target.
Okay. Almost ALWAYS Target. I think of some legitimate reason to go (diapers, medicine) and end up wandering around. Which is dangerous when I’m having a good day and need to celebrate/having a bad day and need a reward/just breathing. It’s a way to indulge and relax all at once. Sometimes to kill time with my little sidekick.
So, in an effort to maybe NOT spend all of our money just because I’m bored or emotional, I made a list of 10 things for me to do instead of going to Target. And I’m sharing with YOU to keep me accountable.
- Cook or bake. Bonus: at the end you get to eat it.
- Go for a hike. Yes, it’s getting cold, but not so cold that we can’t just bundle up a little more and rough it.
- Do a puzzle and watch Friends. My favorite way to relax – it feels so luxurious to just watch TV, but I’m also doing something with my hands.
- Get rid of 3 items in each room – throw away or donate. This helps me realize how much stuff I have and might make me less inclined to go accumulate more. Plus! My house is more pleasant when it’s rid of the things I don’t use or need.
- Go treat myself to a latte. Why does a latte feel so much more frivolous than Target? It’s maybe $4 and I don’t end up with more junk in my house afterward.
- Sew something. There is something about creating something with your own hands that is so incredibly rewarding. My craft of choice is sewing, but I haven’t made anything in ages. Perhaps it’s time check in with DoYouSew.com and get some insporation! I could fire up the ol’ machine and finally use that train fabric I have for Gabe.
- Buy a gift. So you want to spend money, Ash? Perfect. Just make it for someone else for Christmas or birthday or just because. Then you get some retail therapy with a purpose.
- Go grocery shopping. The only kind of shopping I can do without a hint of “Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t buy this.” Again, I can spend money but don’t feel guilty! And it’s consumable so no junk left in my house in the end. (Unless I buy too much fresh produce. RIP, shriveled cabbage currently in the vegetable crisper.)
- Hang out with friends. Getting lunch or spending an evening with my friends is better than rewarding myself with Target time. I think I crave community and social interaction that I’m not getting as much without my day job, so this keeps the restlessness at bay and I won’t fill an emotional void with crap. (That might be taking this too far/crazy. Not sure. I am married to a psychologist.)
- Go on an adventure with Gabe. Like I said, a lot of times Gabe and I end up at Target together if I want to get out of the house but have nowhere I need to go. SO. Let’s go somewhere else! Go get some donuts together, or walk around a new park, or take advantage of the free Thursdays at the art museum. We have been doing more “Mama-Gabe Ad-bentures!” as Gabe says. It’s so fun.
We are totally guilty of this. George will ask where we are going and I will say Target to which he replies “I love that place!”
I laughed so hard when I read the title of this post. I am equally guilty of walking into Target when I’m bored or to get just ONE thing and I walk out with $50 worth of STUFF. cute stuff. but still stuff. I’ve decided that while CVS is often more expensive, in the long run I might save more money by just going there when I need odds and ends. No shoe section. Less temptation.
Oh my, I have the same weakness! Or at least I did before I had 3 children. They have curbed my Target therapy need, because it is much harder to keep everyone in the cart/aisle/my line of sight, and therefore browsing the aisles isn’t so much fun anymore. But I really appreciate your list. And the idea that spending $4 on a latte is less expensive than $100 on things I don’t really need at Target? Genius!
Hello from a southern buckeye! :) love your blog! Curious, what brand are those leggings? Do they hold up, stretch out, sag, etc? Im having the worst time finding good ones that wont break the bank, and ive only just discovered the amazing wonderous place called Target. (Mostly because the closest one is 45 minutes from me lol.)
I just got them yesterday, so I can’t tell if they hold up! However I *did* sleep in them and wore them all day today and they are going strong.
They are Mossimo in capri length with a thick waistband, but I sized up. I found them in the Juniors section hanging on a rack!
Haha, I seriously need this post. I don’t go to Target because I’m bored but I go for a similar reason- I need like 1 thing and end up with like $100 of stuff AH. I honestly haven’t been there in months because I just can’t go. I can’t be trusted lol. I’m really not an impulse buyer usually but something about that place, everything is just so useful! Or not, but I think it is!
But you look CUTE so Target is totally worth it.
I’m not helping, am i?
Thank you for writing this, because I could definitely use it! I’ve been to Target 3x this week…
ha bookmarking this for when i need a healthy dose of self-control! we live within walking distance from Target (a blessing and a curse!) but I try to frequently walk there so I’m limited in what I can bring home!
Why would you try to find activities to NOT go to Target? Haha! Can you tell I am a Target addict myself? Maybe we should start a support group… ;)
I’m *trying* to become a minimalist, but Target has made that difficult for me some days! Especially that I have discovered the Cartwheel app and have a Target Red Card. There’s no reason for me to have four pairs of the same Target canvas shoes in all different colors!