Frugality Game : Episode 1

Disclaimer : This pic is not mine and is used compliments of cyberescue.co.uk

   My sister Jane was convinced that she could succeed in spending virtually no money this month. As in zero dollars. On Wednesday when I was telling her that she has to spend money SOMEtime, she said in a very serious voice "No, I can spend no money if I cook everyday, if I don't go out with friends, if I don't leave the house, if I don't do anything."

   I rolled my eyes at how serious she had become. This game has really brought out her competitive streak. As soon as I got home Wednesday evening she announced that she had spent no money that day.

   "How much money did YOU spend?" She asked brightly.

   "I don't wanna talk about it." I mumbled.

   "Haha! See? I'm winning already!"

   "Yeah, yeah. Don't judge me. I had to buy lunch."

   "Well, if you would cook in the morning like me you could bring your own lunch to University."

   "But I can't cook.

   "Well, whose fault is that? You're so gonna lose this game."

   Ooooh, that was low.

   I turned away from her and consoled myself by planning my next blog post.

   However, my buying lunch is no longer a problem as my sister has relented and said lunch doesn't count. Nor do grocery bills or anything like that that is absolutely necessary. I mean, you've gotta eat, right? Instead, only the purchases that are not necessary, like say, buying a snack when you've just had lunch, or eating out for dinner when my mum has already cooked dinner, will be counted.

   Anyway, my other sister Jackie has also joined the frugality game. She like me, is a shopaholic used to be a shopaholic. In fact, sometimes I wonder if I get some of my impulsive shopping habits from her. Therefore, I was worried that she might not last out this game. However Jackie has actually spent the least amount of money out of the all of us so far.

   But onto the struggles of yours truly in this darned game. Well, it's been really tough on the Misnomer so far. And was especially hard this week as the mall I work in had a mall-wide sale.

   Yup. Mall-wide. And up to like 60% off in certain stores too.

    Can you imagine how an alcoholic feels when being confronted with liquor after two months of being sober? Well, that's how I felt when I was confronted by the giant sale sign after being clean for three days.

Lets play a game.....

Disclaimer: Pic compliments of www.lilitu.com

 
My sister has just suggested that we play a game. I perked up hoping she meant something like Uno or Poker or something interesting.
   "I propose we play a game this month. I've decided to play this game with my friend T and we decided to challenge each other to see who can spend the least money this month. 'Cos we're both trying to save. Do you want to play too?"
   My shoulders immediately slumped and I went back to frowning at the laptop screen. I thought I knew why she was mentioning this game to me. Earlier this very night I had unwittingly allowed her to read my last blog post on being a shopaholic. Still in denial about how horrible my shopping habits have become, I kinda don't think I need to play any silly frugality games. Pssh. I can stop my shopping anytime. And I will. All on my own.
   Yes, these were the thoughts that raced through my head in the seconds that followed her announcement. Then I figured what the hell, I might as well play this game. I mean, I only have a part time job while my sister has a permanent full time job, so she makes more than me, so she is probably going to spend more than me. I should win this game easily.
   Then I remembered something about my sis Jane: she is the sensible sister. And she doesn't like to lose.
My other sister Jackie and I are far more flighty, live-for-the-moment people. We're both shopaholics, we're both random, and we both have odd senses of humour. Jane is special too, but she's just always got her head on more than us. She's dedicated, passionate to what she loves, and single-minded. And she doesn't like to admit it, but she can be very competitive. She will be a worthier opponent that I had previously thought.
   And so without further ado....let the games begin.
  This will be a series I will try to blog about at least twice a week till the end of this month-long game. Should be interesting seeing how a shopaholic will cope against a sensible sister. Lets do this.


   p.s. By 'month', my sister means that this game will commence from today, Sept 21st till Oct 21st, as September has nearly ended (and thank God for that. September has not been my best month. lol)

I've got a problem...

Disclaimer: Photo courtesy of sodahead.com

   

Last Saturday afternoon found yours truly in a dressing room slithering her way into a white maxi dress. The maxi dress was-- as most maxi dresses are-- far too long for my five feet two inches. I stumbled out of the dressing room to show my friends, M, K and L. They gave me a look that said, put it back, but I totally ignored them, and started to rationalize why this would be a good purchase.

   Well, obviously, I could alter it. Or I could just wear heels with it. I mean, like six inches of it was dragging on the ground, but I have five inch heels that I can wear, and in that case only one inch would be left dragging. Which is totally normal. Plus, I could artfully wrap the excess material (I swear it was made for a giantess) in a knot at the bottom like that woman I once saw in a Caribbean trip advertisement.

   I launched these ideas to my friends who gave me a deadpan expression that showed they were not amused. K pointed out that I always say I'll have clothes altered, but I never get around to it. L said that if I was gonna spend 60 bucks on it, the least the dress could do was fit me properly. And did I really want to spend more money on getting it adjusted? M just shook her head at me and sighed. Then I realized I don't even wear those 5 inch heels that often. Plus, that tying your dress in a knot thing might only work for Caribbean tourists.

     So with a heavy heart, I trudged back into the dressing room, clawed my way out of the white parachute and later re-emerged to hang up the white monster back on the rack. It was then that I realized I may have a problem. Because if my friends had not been there, I might have very well bought that dress. And do you know why? Because in that dressing room, I had started deluding myself that I could indeed have that dress, and I had started formulating all these great excuses to launch on my friends as to why this dress was clearly made for me.

   I am, my friends, what they call a shopaholic.

Chronicles: A mockery is made of the best laid plans.

Disclaimer: Pic compliments of yallin.com

   I had a plan of how I wanted the first day of the new semester to unfold. I was going to fall asleep at 8.30 pm the night before so I could awake the next day all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I would hop out of bed refreshed and hopeful, ready to meet what would be a great day.

   Yes, I had decided to grip September by the horns and make the most out of it. This would be the beginning of a new era for the Misnomer. A new month, a new attitude, a new positive outlook on Life.

   However, even though I duly clambered into bed at 8.30 pm, I didn't fall asleep till after twelve...Mainly because I soon clambered out of bed to eat double chocolate chip ice-cream and reminisce on what had been a great, lazy summer.

Pretend it's September 1st...

   So I was going to post yesterday but then I realized I didn't have anything to post about and that I only wanted to post because it was the first of September. 

   Ahhh September 1st....the day you realize you're going to have to write on everyone's facebook wall every single day because half your friends are born in that month. 

   The day when you realized that if your Hogwarts letter had come in the mail like it was supposed to you would be on the Hogwarts Express with all the other wizards.

   The month where every fashion conscious woman scratches her head and tries to figure out how to update her wardrobe to encompass the fall season. (Garance Dore wrote a great post on how hard it is to leave your summer clothes behind here. ) 

   The month where University students like myself reluctantly trudge to school while starting the countdown to next summer.

   The month where leaves turn orange and fall off the trees and hit innocent Uni students in the face as they study on the grass below them.

   Okay, so maybe September isn't my favourite month. Mainly because every September I happen to look in my wardrobe and realize I need a wardrobe overhaul. This happens every year. And I'm not the only that is worried. Why is it that every September we women look in our wardrobe and realize there is nothing to wear? And it's not just the women in the temperate climates. Where I live doesn't even have a proper autumn (well the leaves fall off the tree, but that's it. It doesn't really get colder). So why can't I find anything to wear? What is it about September?

   I think it's because, like Spring, people kind of view September as a new beginning. For some people, It's the beginning of a new season: Autumn. For others, its the beginning of a new term / semester at school.           

   Basically, for many of us, September heralds in something new. I dunno why, but stuff happens to happen in September. Particularly in September. I'm a bit upset about leaving the laziness of summer behind, but I really do need a wake up call for my lethargic brain. So let's do it. 

  I'm ready September. Snap me awake and make me busy.

  Bring it on.

 Give me all you've got. After all, I just might survive it.

Painting entitled September Morn. Disclaimer: I do not own this image. Image compliments of Sniggle.com

I found this great painting on sniggle.com called September Morn and I think its really beautiful and aptly depicts how I feel about September in general. I feel vulnerable, uncertain, kind of like I'm naked, but hell, at least I'm there. And I haven't run scared. 

  How do you guys feel about September? What, if anything, is new that's going on in your life this month?