Day 4: Being responsible

This week I paid for a new year of contact lenses and renewed the registration tags on my car. I didn't stress about how I would pay for it or what I would need to juggle. While my budget is still not where I want it to be, I at least have enough control and savings buffer to not totally panic at these sorts of annual expenses.

And it's largely because I keep telling myself "no" to all the frivolous Shiny Things that tempt me.

I'm not always perfect. I do still buy silly things. But not as frequently.

I keep catching myself browsing clothing sites and making carts and seeing what kind of savings I could get. But the key is that I'm not hitting the "check-out" button. The next day I may still think about that shirt, and I may go back in and create a new cart. But still, I refrain from checking out.

By not spending $100 on clothes I don't really need, I don't have to panic about buying the things I actually do need. Like the ability to see and drive myself to work.

Or by being generous and splurging on the fancy cake for a friend's birthday instead of a cheap cupcake.

Or by treating my mother to games of skeeball as we walk down memory lane at an arcade.

It's still hard work. I still have to actively tell myself "no." But I'm seeing rewards. Just gotta keep going.