Confessions of a Woman on a Budget and Her Trip to Target

My trip to Target yesterday didn’t go as planned.  You see, the couple’s PB & J Halloween costumes we ordered came back to announce “we’re sorry for the inconvenience but we do not have your costume available for delivery.”  Argh!  {Truth be told, I wasn’t too jazzed about them anyway.}  So off to Target and Party City we went.

Emma {the 5 year old} used her creative genius to come up with an idea.

Emma: I’ll be Rapunzel {which we had planned from the beginning because it was a birthday gift to her back in August}, Shyloh {2 1/2 year old} can be Pascal, Daddy can be Flynn, and you can be a CASTLE!

Me: Wow.  Neat.  Mom loves being climbed all over.

Then reality set in and I realized I could HIDE in a Castle costume box!  WIN!!  No pants needed to button up for that.  😉  And second win was that the castle could be made for FREE!!

(All I need to do is paint the box like a castle.  I hope I can!!)

(Shyloh’s “Pascal” Costume is actually a Tinkerbell costume we had.  I just covered it up with an index card and leg coverings for her arms and legs.  ….  we just have to use our imagination! lol)

FREE…UNTIL…

My trip to Target.  Yep.  Like a bulls eye right into my budget.

There I was with energetic and passionate children.  Just two of them.  It was the afternoon and I was exhausted.

I had already spent the $40 budget at Party City.  Then went the rest of the trip.  I think I felt SO guilty about not meeting budget that I racked up another “few” items.  They were necessity, right?

We can “afford” it, I thought.  We COULD if I decided to ignore our debt.  {This is not recommended.}

So here went the thought process.  Into my head we go…

Castle’s aren’t cute.  I want to look cute.Ohhh!  Those gray leg warmers are CUTE!$10.00…great! 

(Into the shopping cart they went.)

And oh my, I can’t have gray cute leg warmers without some cute gray leggings to go with it.  And look at that!  It must be the favor of God…  They’re only $16!  And if I buy the leggings AND the leg warmers, they’ll give me $5 off!  Praise Jesus.  He must love me.  Can’t wait to blog about Jesus’ love. 😉

Thoughts like that helped me rack up $97 at the cash register.  Whoops.  That was not in the budget.

I came home and realized what I had done.  I really really really want to wear those leg warmers and cute gray leggings because Castle’s just look better with heels, leg warmers, and leggings…  BUT, I have gray jeans that I can wear.  And I will.  I also have gray wanna-be Ugg boots.  Those could work too.

CONFESSIONS of A Budgeter.

You got it.  It’s a struggle.  Always.  Every trip to Target.  Every month.  I have to make strong Yeses and strong Nos.  I really want what I want but it’s not the time for it.  We still have about $45,000 to go in order to get out of debt.  Yes, we have paid off $139,000 but we’re still not there.

I get tired too.

I have desires too.

But I can change my mistake.

So today, I will be going to Target.  But this time I will walk straight passed those $1 bins that scream my name!!  And I will walk straight to the unorganized area that somewhat resembles my home at times, then I will return those items.

Dear Focused Financially Friends,

If you just went to Target and spent more than you were supposed to.  Take your receipt, your item, and return it.  No shame.  😉

Let’s not have such a scary Halloween.  Let’s start this next month with the great momentum, not guilt!

Task:

Write down how much you bring home every month.

Then don’t go over that.  Live on LESS than you make.

We can do it!!!!!

All my love as we do LIFE together!

Jamye

Don’t forget to follow me for my #LifeHappens posts on instagram.  I’m posting what I eat daily.  All five meals.  If it goes in my mouth, it goes on the post.  Day 5 is today.  I’m down 3 pounds already but who’s counting!  😉 It will be worth it!!