shopping ban

Guest Post: Jill Chivers on What I Learned About Shopping (and How it Changed My Life)

by Sally on March 16, 2012 · 23 comments

Today’s amazing guest post comes from the very talented Jill Chivers. Jill is an Australian reformed shopaholic who is now an advocate for conscious shopping. After successfully completing her own year without clothes shopping, Jill launched the world’s first online membership site for other women who want to slay their own shopping dragon and create a healthier relationship to shopping, themselves, their wardrobes, and their wallets. Jill has been interviewed about compulsive overshopping by countless media outlets, including ABC4, NBC affiliated King 5, the San Jose Mercury News, the San Francisco Chronicle ,and the Wall Street Journal.

Since I have undertaken my own shopping bans and experiments, and since I know that many of you are interested in shopping habits, relationships with money, and related topics, I thought that sharing Jill’s story here would be helpful and enlightening. And if her words resonate, do take a moment to check out www.shopyourwardrobe.com. It’s a great resource.

Read on for Jill’s story.

* * * * *

Imagine standing at the bottom of a large mountain. The day is blustery and a little chill. You look up and see in front you a large mass of earth and rocks and scrubby bushes. You can’t remember getting here, but here you are. The mountain is real. You’re at the bottom. And there’s only one way forward.

This was me in early December 2009. The mountain I found myself in front of was a shopping problem. Well, more accurately, an overshopping problem. It had dawned on me slowly – I was buying too much. I was wearing too little. I had racks and racks of stuff I didn’t need, or even want. How did it get there? How did I get here?

Recognising I had a shopping problem was quite painful for me. I wanted to pretend I didn’t have a problem, and I succeeded in doing that for a long time. Months. Over a year. But the whispering – you have a problem with shopping! – grew louder, and louder. Until it became a shout and I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

I had become very good at minimising the problem – surely it’s not that bad! It’s just a few shoes for goodness sake! – through to justification – well, I have the money to cover it and we’re not in credit card purgatory – how bad can it really be? And finally landed at acknowledgement – well, it’s real, it’s here, I can’t ignore it anymore – my shopping is spiralling out of control. And blessedly, shortly after that came action – what can I do about it?

A key moment for me was the insight: I needed to stop shopping for a year. I talked to my husband and close friends about taking a year off from clothes shopping and all of them responded positively. “Do it”, they said. The best ones said “You can do it”.

And so on December 15, 2009, I started my year without clothes shopping. Fear was my constant companion for many months. Fear of failure. Fear of other people’s judgement, criticism and ridicule. Fear of something I couldn’t even describe – the best I can describe it is that I feared missing out on something.

I had many ups and downs during my “year.” I had a few tears and some frustration. Some self recrimination. I had moments when I wondered why are you doing this stupid challenge? What are you trying to prove? At times, I was listless and directionless and dispirited.

And I also experienced great grace. Flashes of insight so clear and bold that they took my breath away. Feelings of utter presence and completeness that confirmed I was on the right path. Connections with others so profound and meaningful that I knew there was richness and purpose to my journey. It was truly a profound and life changing journey. I learned much about myself, my shopping, my relationships, my failings and talents.

Now over two years “clean” with my own overshopping problem, much has changed. I no longer feel a compulsion to shop and my life is so full and varied, I can’t imagine wanting to spend a day at the mall.

I still love clothes and style, but now it’s geared more toward “shopping my wardrobe” than shopping in the stores. There’s so much creativity to be found in creating a unique ensemble out of pieces I have owned for years!

The online program I designed to help other women who shop too much and want to stop, My Year Without Clothes Shopping, continues to attract members from around the globe, and those who have finished the journey report its transformational impact on their lives, their wallets, their wardrobes and their self-esteem.

I am asked to share my story regularly with entrepreneurs and women’s networks. I am invited to work with others frequently, to write articles, create videos, and deliver teleseminars and workshops. And I have appeared in over 40 media stories in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Europe. And none of this would have been possible without that first step. That first step of acknowledgement. Of stepping into the fear, rather than away from it.

And then taking the next step. Then the next.

Image courtesy justbe.

{ 23 comments }

Saving and Spending

by Sally on December 6, 2010 · 47 comments

A reader sent me this question via e-mail after reading our discussion of women and money:

I’m spending within my means and always pay bills etc., but I spend mainly on clothes and accessories and I don’t have any savings to speak of, which is worrying me. It doesn’t help that I’m a post-grad student on scholarship. I find that I’ve developed this attitude where I think, “When I start earning real money, then I’ll start saving,” which, of course, is a very dangerous one to have. (What if I never earn “real” money?!) I don’t own a house while most friends my age do, so I feel I’m a bit behind.

I was wondering if you can share with the benefit of hindsight with shopping ban, etc, what helped you to gain control over your spending? I really need help to shift my attitude from wanting new, nice clothes all the time, to being happy with what I have and getting my priorities right – but how not to “want” is my stumbling block. I can only go a couple of days/week or so before I want something new again, even if it’s just 10 or 20 dollars!

I could completely relate. If I’m being totally honest, my spending is still a little wacky, too. The constant influx of newness from the bajillion style blogs I read makes it hard to quench that want, want, want feeling.

I pay all my bills on time, save for retirement, save for personal reasons, have a Roth IRA, a pension, minimal credit card and no other personal debt … and yet I would never hold myself up as a paragon of financial responsibility. Mostly because I believe that every person should decide for herself how money should be spent or saved. But since this reader asked for my input, here are some things that I suggested to her, all of which I do myself and some of which might be helpful to some of you folks, too. Especially if you find yourself in a constant, unstoppable state of lusting and shopping.

  1. Cut back on blogs, catalogs, and mags: When the temptation of seeing new things is removed, the urge to shop diminishes. Simple as that.
  2. Make saving automatic: I have $30 per paycheck deducted and socked into a savings account at a credit union. It’s not my main bank and I frankly have no idea how to withdraw money from it! It’s building slowly, but it’s there. If you can take money right out of your paycheck, you won’t even consider spending it.
  3. Make a list of unworn items: This is a huge one for me. Whenever I buy something new, I add it to this list. And whenever I do outfit brainstorming, I go through my closet and add to the list any items that are underutilized. Whenever I get that aimless urge to spend on something, ANYTHING, I look over my list. Because it is long. I have lots of stuff. And remembering that I have fun, new or newish items that are yet to be worn curbs the spending urge.
  4. Create a savings goal: When I have no real reason to save, it’s much harder. I was able to sock away money for our Iceland trip fairly quickly and easily. Whereas just putting it aside for … a rainy day? Car repairs? The future? If you want a house, make a house fund. If you want to travel, make a trip fund. If you want lasik surgery, make a lasik fund. Imagining a larger goal can make saving less difficult.
  5. HALT: This is an AA trick that I’ve mentioned before. If you’re itching to spend, ask yourself if you’re also feeling hungry, angry/anxious, lonely, or tired. All of those emotions are triggers for addictive behavior and sometimes just identifying what you’re truly feeling can help you dampen the urge.

My shopping ban taught me that my money issues have to do with control. If I can’t control my money, I feel powerless, frustrated, and rebellious. So putting a “no shopping” rule on myself just backfires and I end up overspending once the ban has lifted. I’ve had to find other ways to work around my urges. If you’re wired like me, some of the ideas listed above may help.

But if you’re not, they may not. When you feel caught in a non-stop spending spree, how do you motivate yourself to step back and reconsider? What are you saving practices?

Image via giftmonger.

{ 47 comments }

Women and Money

by Sally on October 11, 2010 · 92 comments


Body image is very personal. VERY. Issues of shame and guilt and self-worth swirl around when body image is discussed, and many women are reluctant to share their inner thoughts for fear of being judged. My hope is that the more we talk about how we view our bodies, how we feel about them, and how we wish we could feel about them, the more that reluctance will ebb.

Spending habits are also very personal. Issues of shame and guilt and self-worth swirl around when finances, shopping preferences, and money matters are discussed, too. And my impression is that leveling judgment on a woman for her weight or stylistic choices is considered by many people to be cruel and inappropriate,* but those same people may feel perfectly free to chastise her for blowing a paycheck on a new pair of heels.

Why is that? Why are people – especially women – subject to open scrutiny and critique for how they manage their finances? If someone else spends her money differently from how you spend yours, does that affect you directly in ANY way? Why does it matter to you? I suppose I could understand reactions of outrage if people found out that Melinda Gates spent 70% of her money at Prada and Chanel and gave nary a dime to charity. But even then, it’s really none of our business what she does with her dough. Her money, her choices.

Two years ago, I began a 6 month shopping ban. You can read the epic saga right here, but, in a nutshell, I was shopping and spending unchecked, causing financial damage, and feeling utterly lost and out-of-control. So – as many style bloggers have done before me – I decided to create a self-imposed ban. I knew quitting cold turkey would just backfire, so I allowed myself $10 per week to spend on used clothing, shoes, and accessories. Nothing new for 6 months besides gifts.

I did it entirely for myself, because I was feeling awful about my relationship with shopping, not due to any outside input. It was fun and it was hard and it was weird and Already Pretty readers had varied reactions. Many were supportive of my project, many more fascinated by my progress, and a small minority quite judgmental about my slip-ups. And since then I’ve become wary of posting about my finances and shopping habits, or publishing photos of my shoe collection, my closet, and my jewelry. Because whenever I do, sprinkled in amongst the inquisitive, friendly, and respectful comments is the inevitable handful telling me that there is clearly something wrong with me, that I need to seek help for my shopping addiction, that I am setting a bad example for other women simply by owning so much shit.

And I’ve justified myself until I’m blue in the face – it’s my hobby and passion, the blog is my side business, I have both the money and storage to support my shopping preferences – but I honestly don’t understand why I should have to do so. What I do and don’t do with my money is my business. No one knows how much of it I have, or where it goes, or why – not even my husband. I cannot wrap my head around the hostility that my vast shoe collection prompts from a certain segment of the population. I’m not spending anyone else’s money on those shoes, or storing them in anyone else’s home. Where does this disgust and resentment come from?

These may seem like questions with obvious answers, but I’d like your honest input: Why are women so harshly judged for how we choose to spend our money? Why is it so distasteful for a woman to be observed using her disposable income to buy clothing or shoes or accessories, or anything related to style, fashion, beauty, or appearance? Why do people feel so free to hand down judgment and unsolicited advice about financial management? What do you perceive to be the differences between how people judge men and how people judge women in matters of money?

*Not all, obviously. Cattiness still exists, of course, and plenty of people of both genders feel free to judge on weight, style, and outward appearance alone.

{ 92 comments }

Shopping Ban Update: One Year Later

by Sally on March 26, 2010 · 108 comments

(For the entire Shopping Ban saga, click here.)

I think we’re overdue for a shopping ban update, but things have been a little wild and wooly lately, as you’ll soon read … so hopefully you can forgive the lapse.

When last I wrote about my post-ban activity, I’d been having a tough time saving. At this point, I’m having a tough time checking my spending … but I have done A LOT to ensure that I’m saving more. As usual, though, I’m gonna hit you with the bad news first.

I got an unexpected wad of tax return money a few months back, and although I had grand plans to pay down some debts and sock it away for an upcoming trip, that didn’t happen. Not a dime of it remains. And, as often happens when I encounter a large windfall, I have had a hard time reigning in the spending of my miscellaneous income SINCE then. The Sunday Shoes feature will continue full force for many, many weeks to some thanks to the recent – and even ongoing – binge.

And it may sound like rationalization, and maybe it is, but let me tell you, my dears, it has been a tough six months. Tough. My sister became very ill over the holidays. I was having almost daily panic attacks for a while. I became depressed and gained unexpected weight. I found out I’m glucose intolerant and basically need to stop eating sugar and carbs. I became an insomniac quite suddenly, partially due to chronic back pain. I’ve been battling some … ehem … ladyparts problems for nearly a year. I fell out with several close friends within the space of a few months. All of that on top of working a full time job, keeping up the blog, Shop Local Shops, style consult clients, reader mail, and several other projects I’ve got in the hopper. Not to mention going to the gym four times per week, trying to maintain a social life, and tending to my marriage.

Now I don’t use this space to vent or throw myself pity parties, and as I said above I realize that none of these events entitles me to an endless shopping spree. Nor will any of these events be made better by an endless shopping spree. But at a certain point? I’ll do anything to make myself feel a wee bit better. Shopping helps, at least momentarily. Bringing something undeniably good into my world, treating myself to something that makes me feel pretty – all temporary balms. Is that healthy? Fuck no. But I’m not binge drinking or smoking weed or hurting anyone. I’m paying ALL my bills, I’m not debting a dime, and as you’ll see below I am actually saving far more than ever before. So I’m gonna cut myself some slack and hope that better times are coming, and with them, decreased shoe purchases.

Now. Let’s talk accomplishments.

Many of you recommended funneling money into a separate account, one that I couldn’t touch. That is the smartness. And, as it turns out, I had an account just waiting to be used. When I took out my car loan at our credit union, I had to set up a savings account there. It had been languishing with the requisite $10 in it, and I figured it would be the perfect place to squirrel away some cash. Mainly because I have NO FLIPPIN’ IDEA how to withdraw anything from it. I’d have to actually go to a branch and talk to someone, and even then I’m not so sure I could pry the dollars loose. Ideal, no? I’m only socking $30 per paycheck into that account, but it’s been really fun to see the balance grow. And I hope to increase that amount soon.

I have also been able to save in my normal cash savings account on a regular basis, and without making too many shoe-related withdrawls. In fact, I had enough in there that, when HM and I finally settled on dates for our upcoming trip to Iceland (!), I could easily fork over the $800 without feeling as if I had emptied my personal coffers. I will now have to put some focus on saving for the remaining trip costs, which is already proving difficult. But I am excited to travel for the first time in years, and that’s a big motivator. (See this post for an explanation of why I have been loathe to travel recently.)

Finally, my car loan AND student loan will both be paid off within the next month. I’ll still have a my credit card debt, but once that’s gone I will be free of personal debt. And what’s more? I am excited to have cash freed up that I can start putting into my various retirement accounts. Yes, indeed, I am excited to save!

I have hope, ya know? I’m still in a tough spot right now, but it doesn’t feel permanent. It feels like I am in the middle of some hard life changes and turning to an old addiction to ease the transition. I am aware of what’s going on, and why I’m buying, buying, buying. And that awareness has gotta be worth something.

- – - – -

Once again, I’m going to ask you all to be respectful and kind in these comments. This is a difficult and deeply personal matter for me. More so, in some ways, than body image. In my last post on this topic, I got an outpouring of support and incredibly helpful suggestions, which I both appreciated and applied (as you read above). But in the past, I have been lambasted and judged for my honesty in these shopping ban/financial posts, so I am eternally wary. As I said six months ago, you may think countless nasty things about me because of how I’ve handled my post-ban behavior and finances, but I will not publish those nasty things here under any circumstances.

{ 108 comments }

Shopping Ban Update: One Year Later

by Sally on October 2, 2009 · 91 comments


Here goes …

One year ago, I began a 6 month shopping ban. You can read the epic saga right here, but, in a nutshell, I was shopping and spending unchecked, causing financial damage, and feeling utterly lost and out-of-control. So – as many style bloggers have done before me – I decided to create a self-imposed ban. I knew quitting cold turkey would just backfire, so I allowed myself $10 per week to spend on used clothing, shoes, and accessories. Nothing new for 6 months besides gifts.

It was fun and it was hard and it was weird and Already Pretty readers had varied reactions. Some were supportive of my project, some fascinated by my progress, and some mean about my slip-ups … which is why it took me until now to give a real update. And when it was all over – back in April of this year – I went to SF and shopped my little heart out with Audi to celebrate my freedom.

And then I continued to celebrate.

And seem to be continuing, even now, to celebrate the end of the ban. Which is to say that, although I have not dented my savings – the $1,300 that I wanted to keep as my safety net – I have not actually saved. Which means a LOT of money has gone out the door and a LOT of gorgeous things have been procured. And a LOT of guilt and anxiety over it all has been experienced.

To be clear, a portion of my paycheck goes directly into retirement accounts. I have a pension. HM and I have a joint savings account to which I have contributed faithfully, every month. My credit card is still hidden in an undisclosed location, I have been paying it down, and will not retrieve it until it is paid off and an emergency arises. Lest you think I am utterly incapable of fiscal responsibility, I share with you these facts.

And yet, I have not put one thin dime into my personal savings account in six months. And despite the aforementioned guilt and anxiety, neither has eclipsed my desire to spend. I feel like I am still rebelling against those self-imposed restraints, still panicky at the idea that, any minute now, my ability to buy things I want and love will be stripped away.

I said to Cal, “I think I need another ban.”

And she said, “Um, I think what you need is ANYTHING BUT another ban. You purged for six months and have been binging ever since. Try another tactic.”

I said to Trinknitty, “I have such issues with shopping.”

And she said, “Seems like you’re fine with shopping. You love doing it, it’s your major creative outlet, you’ve got the space for your acquisitions, and you’re not putting yourself into debt doing it. YOUR problem is with saving.”

And it’s good to have friends with brains, who understand me and can lay down the law. Talking to them forced me to do the thinking I’d been avoiding for so very, very long. So here comes the really personal, confessional style stuff.

Cal and Trin are both right. Although I learned a lot from my shopping ban, and it was a journey that taught me about my reasons and triggers for spending, and it put me in a better financial place, the bottom line is that it didn’t actually CHANGE my behaviors. It gave me insight, but it did not change me. And another ban will not change me, either. The root of my problem isn’t shopping. I love shopping and have the financial and storage capacity to shop regularly and allow myself to enjoy it. I express myself through my style, and making that activity forbidden just makes it all the more tempting.

I have money problems. I have had money problems since I was 10 years old and discovered the power of money and started taking $20 bills out of my dad’s wallet on the sly to buy candy. The main problem I have is that the act of spending money is strongly linked to both independence and power in my mind. I love to feel independent, love to feel powerful … so spending whenever I want to is a behavior I find hard to keep in check. Whenever I make a large or unnecessary purchase, just before I hand over the debit card or click “buy,” I actually do hesitate. But then an insistent voice pipes up, saying, “HEY. It’s YOUR money. You can do whatever you want with it.” And I buy. And I feel momentarily in control, and independent, and a little rebellious. And I have not figured out what, if anything, can be done to create balance.

Other contributing factors:

  • I don’t get a lot of buyer’s remorse: I LOVE the stuff I buy, and only return it if it doesn’t fit. I’m not buying willy-nilly, I’m buying quite mindfully.
  • I don’t enjoy saving. I get no pleasure from seeing a big balance in my savings account, and am yet to feel like my savings are a great accomplishment or asset.
  • I am not emotionally in touch with any savings-related goals. I’m in a place where building my wardrobe and exploring my style is pretty close to top financial priority. (I realize that will change as I age, but for now … that’s where I’m at.)
  • Two years ago, my house was broken into and both our cars stolen. I was in NYC visiting friends at the time. I am STILL scared to travel for long periods, freaked out about leaving my home unattended, which means a fairly normal savings goal for someone in my position (travel) is actually a bit repellent to me.
  • I am stubborn and have a hard time changing my own behaviors.

Trin also said, “Just pick an amount to put into savings every paycheck. Anything outside that, you get to spend.”

It is a simple plan, and for a while it worked. I have backslid since then, to be completely honest, but I still think this is still my best option. And I am doing it now.

I don’t need to shop less. I am the only one who gets to decide when I have enough shoes and dresses and necklaces. And as someone who regularly donates clothes to charity, gives items away to friends, repurposes items, and sells on eBay, it is likely to be an endless cycle of things I love coming in and things I’m done with going out. And that’s completely fine, considering my life and lifestyle. What I need to do is spend the money I have earmarked for SPENDING, and save the money I have earmarked for saving.

So that’s where I’m at. I am yet to connect with my emotional motivator to save money, but I’m going to try to just make saving a habit. Not necessarily conceptualize it as saving “for” something, but just saving to be wise and prepared. I want to make my peace with this aspect of being an adult that has simply never clicked for me, but I don’t really know how or when that will happen. Still, I need to prime the pump and become accustomed to regular, uninterrupted saving. And the plan of simply saving a chunk of each paycheck and spending the leftovers seems simple and makes sense.

So here goes …

- – -
Not to be repetitive, but while constructive comments are always welcome, spiteful ones are never welcome. You may think any number of nasty things about me because of how I’ve handled my post-ban behavior and finances, but I will not publish those nasty things here under any circumstances.

{ 91 comments }

Shopping Ban Update … Sort of …

by Sally on July 11, 2009 · 49 comments


I’ve had several people ask for an update on the shopping ban now that it’s been over for several months … but I’m afraid I’m not ready to provide one just yet.

I got some really, REALLY nasty comments from readers about the ban towards the end. I didn’t publish many of them because they were so hurtful and, I felt, not the least bit constructive. I cheated a few times as things were winding down, and some readers told me they thought I was setting a bad example, being irresponsible, acting stupidly and selfishly, buying stuff I didn’t need, and all sorts of other judgmental stuff that was very difficult to hear … especially as I was doing this experiment for myself, with no intention of setting any example, good or bad.

To clarify, I used the shopping ban to explore my own spending issues and work on a behavior that had challenged me for a long time, and I chose to share that journey. If my actions were inspirational to people, that’s fantastic! I never encouraged anyone to follow in my footsteps, but if they wanted to, that was just fine. Being told that I was disappointing people by not living up to their standards for ban-behavior, however, felt upsetting and unfair. I understand that publishing writings about myself may make me a minor role model, whether I want to be or not. But I felt maliciously judged by some of these comments in a way that shamed me for being honest about my missteps. Like I was being told that anything less than perfect-superhuman behavior was unacceptable. And, as I’ve said, I am far from perfect. FAR, people.

Now, I do love it when my readers challenge me, and disagree with me, ask me the tough questions, and get fired up about issues that we can all discuss together. So don’t get me wrong and think that I expect everyone to lavish me with praise no matter what I say or do. Not at all. But I am even more sensitive about money than I am about weight, and sharing the shopping ban was even more difficult than sharing my body-image hang-ups. To get a big dose of comment-based shame for my actions has made me very wary of sharing that type of information again.

So I’m not immediately ready to write about ban-related matters, especially as I have continued to struggle with my finances in the aftermath. In October, once a full year has gone by, I promise a mondo recap … but I’m simply not ready yet. I need some more distance on the whole experience before I’m ready to share again.

Image courtesy uvm.edu

{ 49 comments }

Shopping Ban: Over to You UPDATED

by Sally on May 6, 2009 · 3 comments

Don’t forget to check out the wonderful women who have undertaken shopping bans of their own, and chosen to share their journeys. Collected links and commentary here.

{ 3 comments }

Shopping Ban: Over to You UPDATED

by Sally on May 2, 2009 · 20 comments


Many of you have commented that you’ve undertaken shopping bans of your own. Some, like me, need to get your finances in shape. Others are overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of clothes already amassed and want to force a shopping slowdown. Some of you are broke or laid off or otherwise UNABLE to shop to your heart’s delight. And I’m sure there are countless other motivations for the many bans in effect worldwide.

If you’re restricting your spending now as a personal project, please comment here and let us know where we can read more about your experiences! I will revise this post in a few weeks to include links and comments from the Beautiful and the Banned so that anyone contemplating a similar endeavor can pore over the gamut of perspectives before crafting her own plan.

Image courtesy Sarah and Mike …probably.

Here are our lovely respondents!

Simple Elegance: I actually just posted a re-cap of my Spring budget, and I’m getting ready to plan my summer budget. I’m going to install some new “shopping guidelines” for the summer. I can’t take on a full shopping ban, because I’m still lacking a lot of essentials, and I want to beef up my work wardrobe a bit. But I’ve begun to really re-think how I shop, and I’m trying to learn to re-kindle my love of thrifting.

wimbittworld: I am semi-playong along with The Wear Everything Challenge. So, my personal goal has been to not buy myself anything at all to wear from April 1st until July 1st. I have found that there is a lot of stuff in my closet that virtually never pull out to put on, and there are quite a few things that when i put them on, i take them right off and drop them into the charity box. I didn’t realize I had so much stuff that I do not ever weven want to wear. you can find me at http://wimbittworld.wordpress.com, but it is a daily personal blog, not a fashion thing. Some posts are about the clothes and some are about college and you know, just my life.

Soon to be PhD: I started my own shopping ban, referencing your blog for inspiration in fact. The purpose of my ban is to refocus my energy away from shopping (since I tend to over research the heck out of my purchases) to my actual work. My blog references my story…

LeeHovey: Hey Sal!
I just started my first shopping can May 1st (to run the full month), though a few have commented that the $30 limit I put in place makes it more of a “diet” than a ban. I did this because the thought of having NO money to buy anything made me feel like I was having a heart attack, so I did the math. If I only spent $30 a week for a whole year, thats only $1500 (approximately), which seems reasonable to me on my salary and lifestyle. I probably spend twice that right now.
Anyway, one of the rules I set was that I MUST blog about it, so fee free to follow! :)
(Doll, I can’t access your profile – will you let us know where to find you?)

Solo Lisa: I did a ban for almost 5 months last year and summed up my experiences in these posts: -the beginning of the ban-the time I totally caved and asked my readers to chip in about what to do-some tips to help others get started-what happened when I ended the ban-post-ban reflectionsWhew, I think that’s it. :)

modern eve: i just started mine…alittle scary, but it is going to be so good for me.

In Kari’s Wardrobe: What a good discussion! I started on a brief “shopping ban” recently because there is a good chance that I will be unemployed for part of this summer and I am very cautious about spending less than I earn & not dipping into savings/emergency fund. However, I re-evaluated my finances and decided that I had room for a couple more things (namely holes in my shoe wardrobe) provided that they are smart and long-lasting purchases. I will most likely be on a ban of indefinite length beginning this summer, though, and I’m interested to see how other bloggers tackle this issue.

My Fashion Chronicle:I just sort of jumped in head first with a shopping ban – four months, no new clothing, shoes, or accessories. I’m in a transitional phase in my life and don’t need to expand my wardrobe, so I thought this would be a good time to experiment with a ban. Ultimately I hope to become smarter about spending money on clothes – no more buying items that get worn once or twice then die a slow death at the back of my closet. The other goal is to learn the art mixing and matching. Instead of buying something new to fill a perceived gap in my wardrobe, I should figure out how to put together the items I already own in new ways.

I’ve had a lapse (as you know – thank you so much for the kind words of encouragement!) but don’t regret my purchases, which (I hope) means that these lessons are starting to take root.

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