This has quickly become one of my favourite posts to write in this Month in Review/Monthly Planning series that I do. It makes me so much more intentional about what I purchase, what I do with my money, and I do stick to it, and if there is something that comes up in the middle of the month that wasn’t in the original plan, unless it is a true and urgent need, I save it until I can plan out the next month’s buys. It’s become a really interesting experiment in intentional shopping. Not that I haven’t done any impulse buys, one of the things I’ve already bought this month was partially an impulse buy, but also not really because I’ve been thinking about it for over a year. But it has really reduced the impulse buys, I do think that living where I do has been the biggest thing for reducing impulse buys, I used to just go to Shoppers Drug Mart, or Anthropologie, or to the mall, and buy stuff, whereas now I have a plan when I go shopping because it’s an hour drive to Shoppers and 4-5 hours to a mall, but I do think this has also had an impact.
I don’t have explicit specifics for some of these products, I am going to Winnipeg for the long weekend and do hope to do some in-person shopping for a few things, so I’m not pre-selecting those items, I’m in it for the hunt lol.
Nespresso machine (and pods). This is the item that I wasn’t really planning on buying, but have been thinking about for over a year. My sister got my mom one for Christmas 2020, and then I lived at home mid-January to mid-March and really loved it. I have wanted one since I moved out of their house. On Friday I had an eye doctors appointment to see if I am a candidate for Lasik (I am!), and I was early and I went to Canadian Tire to get some under sink organizers for my bathroom and saw that Nespressos were on sale. So I got one! I got the Nespresso Vertuo with the Aerocinno (milk frother). I set it up right before writing this post and it’s nearly 6pm so I’m drinking decaf, which isn’t really my vibe, but I’m still so happy. I also keep having the Material Girl TikTok Audio in my head with it. I also had a terrible Nespresso customer service experience? but after I got hung up on for the second time I was able to fix it on my own. So whatever. There is a Nespresso store in the Polo Park mall in Winnipeg, so I’ll get some pods in person when I go.
Home Edit Organizing Crates. I really love these, I used to say, why buy something to organize when we all already have so many containers. And I still do use a lot of empty candle containers to organize, but the stackability and visibility of these containers is amazing. They aren’t cheap, but I measured and planned and got exactly what I needed and no more, and my bathroom drawers and under the sink have never looked better and all my stuff actually fits. I may go get one more of the open front big stackers. I had orginally planned for them to go under the pipe, but they were too tall for under there, so I switched it to the other side, and now there is room for a third, and I think it would make it even better.
Denim shorts. I did a big closet clean out, I had some stuff that was just done, sweaters that are pilled and worn beyond repair, dresses and shirts with pit-stains that are just too far gone and are never coming out. And then some stuff that doesn’t fit. Some of the stuff that doesn’t fit I kept, because it’s very close or because I really truly love it and I am not emotionally there yet. I had two pairs of denim shorts and neither of them fit anymore, and they are a staple of my summer wardrobe, so I need at least one replacement pair. I am really glad that longer shorts are trending right now, I really prefer a 5″-7″ short inseam, like these ones, but maybe not exactly these ones, we’ll see what I can get in person.
Contacts. I may now know that I am a candidate for Lasik, but I still need to see in the meantime, so I got 6 months supply of contacts. And I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, benefits are the best think I have ever experienced. I don’t even know if I should include these in this list, because I didn’t pay for them (I mean, you do pay for them, you pay for your benefits out of your paycheque, but it feels different).
Bras and sports bras. As we head into warmer weather I need some more bra options, I need smoother bras for under t-shirts (and thicker for less headlights), and a plunge strapless bra for certain dresses. My sports bras are also done, they are perfect for lounging, but not so great for actually working out in.
Exercise Dress. This one is a question mark still, I really like the idea of one of these for something to throw on for wearing around the house or to run errands. Especially come July and August when it’s going to be about 40 degrees and deathly humid. But I’m still not certain if I will feel comfortable in one. I think the solution is to buy one and try it on, or maybe find one in Winnipeg to try on. I really want a Girlfriend Collective one, but I may try on a similar one.
I’m also allowing myself to live a little free and fancy when I go to Winnipeg, I’m going to set a limit of $200-$300, probably $200 that will just be stuff I see that I like and just allow myself to get it. I’ve been working really, really hard lately and making huge strides on my financial goals, and I’m not going to ruin my progress, but I just want to live a little. I need to live a little or I am going to go insane.
So that’s all I have planned for this month!
Laura
Thoughtful Millennial 