A testing week

This was the first week that my year on a shoestring began to feel like a real challenge.  I guess the first couple of weeks were a novelty anyway and having just had Christmas I didn't feel the need to go near the shops really.

This week I had to buy two new baby gifts and also look for three children's birthday presents which were coming up - so I had to brave the town centre!  I decided to go to the retail park where Mothercare and Boots the Chemist were near to each other; so I should have been able to do all my shopping in those two stores, thereby minimizing the temptations!  As well as the gifts, I also needed to get three essentials for myself: a toothbrush, make-up remover and a nail file - which sounds straightforward.  I started in Mothercare and was managing well.  It dawned on me, though, that I could enter Boots and be very easily swayed into the aisles with all the lovely hand creams, bubble baths etc.  So a last minute tool that saved the day - a piece of card and pen from my bag on which to jot a quick list of those three items to help me keep focused!  It worked; I did veer a little off course near the nail files, but looking at the list was enough to then send me in the right direction to finish my essential shopping and get out of the shop again!

As well as finding my lists useful this week, I also learned something interesting about myself.  I always thought that if I had more time, I would spend more time filling my wardrobe and house with lovely things from the shops - but that doesn't seem to have happened.  A friend said to me today "I never took you for a shopper, I thought you were too busy".  I see what she means but I have only recently worked out that since I have taken some time off work, and been less busy in general, I now seem to need the little retail rewards less.  I suppose that before I did not have time to do the activities I enjoyed for myself such as walking, swimming or reading - and so I made myself feel better by buying myself a treat (which only worked as a short term feel-good solution).  Now I have taken stock and re-assessed what I can fit into my busy week with three children and a job. I've focused more on spending time with my children and on activities for myself rather than immersing myself so much into work - and as a result I find that I don't need to shop!

Bye for now