saving, shopping, shoes and stuff

so js and i are saving to buy a house. this has been a challenge for both of us, i think...probably more so for me, unfortunately. i like, scratch that, make that love to shop and shopping for shoes could be a very fun, although expensive hobby for me. i have really tried to bring in the reigns on my spending habits. let me tell you it's not been easy! i don't know how good of a job i've really done.

i have my favorite places to shop and so when i'm out and anywhere near one, it seems to have a force field that reaches out to me and pulls me in. i have to admit that i'm not going unwillingly but am going guiltily. shoes seem to be the worst. i can't seem to pass any shoe store without at least just looking. i can look and not buy, it's difficult but i can and have done that very successfully many times. so if one of these excursions is not so successful in the saving department, i feel incredibly guilty and down on myself.

js and i have a rule that if we buy something we have to get rid of two other things that we don't use or need any longer. this method of purging helps when it comes to packing all of our stuff for a move, local or cross country. we tend to get rid of even more when we're getting ready to move. we do this method so that we don't become the focus of the hoarders tv show on tlc.

i guess this purging method is good until we have so many bags and boxes to go to the thrift shop, not enough room in the car to get it there and end up having to make two or more trips. if we keep up with it we probably take three or four boxes of stuff every three or four months. it helps to keep our closets clean and junk free.