Falling Off The Wagon?

**Michelle68** · 09-29-2009, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Minner77

I don't get people who refuse/ are too embarrassed to buy used. I chuckled once when I ran into a friend in a Goodwill, as both of our sons were cowering in the cars, mortified that someone would see them (or their moms) shopping at a (gasp!) thrift store.

LOL, sounds just like my 13 year old son! For some reason it's okay to buy used clothes off of Ebay for him, but not from a thrift store. I guess because it cuts out the potential embarassment factor. Go figure!

**ShellyB** · 09-29-2009, 10:15 AM

OMG, just like my 15 yr old daughter. She almost died when I parked the car on the row end. Someone might just recognize our car she said.

**Moor** · 09-29-2009, 10:20 AM

I have gotten my kids to love going to the thrift stores. They know when all the sales are. LOL Like there is a salvation army one that on one saturday a month almost every item of clothing is 50% off. They love to go to those.

They like the fact that they can get more for their buck their!

**geckoace** · 09-29-2009, 10:27 AM

my son is about to be 6 and he thinks the flea market is a toy store LOL he asked my mom can you go to the flea market and get me a toy school bus... he thinks toys r us is just a place to play trains LOL

i will be so sad when he grows out of this and become a

teenager yuck

**ShellyB** · 09-29-2009, 11:14 AM

My grandson is so cute. He asked his mother if the next time they go to garage sales if he could get a new pair of spiderman PJs.

To him garage sale is new.

**tervsforme** · 09-29-2009, 12:08 PM

I find that if I don't have any money in my wallet, I've fallen off the wagon. The most obvious to me is going out for lunch. I usually bring my lunch, but if I go out one day, it just starts to snowball into more and more days. I have to make sure I'm planning my meals, especially lunches.

**SueAnne** · 09-29-2009, 12:33 PM

I have fallen off the wagon, also. Not real bad (no credit card debt) but my dad passed away in August and it started with going to the thrift stores and yard sales. Suddenly I was having the time to declutter and needed to drop things off (and ended up buying) and then I also had the time to go to yard sales, and I was soooo sad and missing Dad that I thought a little retail therapy wouldn't hurt. Then I started seeing some awesome deals in WalMart and Fashion Bug on clothes my size.....well, I needed clothes......but I realized I am spending too much even though it was all cheap the real problem is my sadness and using shopping as a way to find some happiness is just plain wrong.

Hopefully I have a handle on it.....the real test will be the next time I have to go to WalMart for some things.

**Libby** · 09-29-2009, 12:37 PM

I'm in the same boat. With my current job situation - well, now former lol - I had been sliding into a funk/depression and couldn't figure out why. Stopped going to the gym, making my lunches, clipping coupons and just being frugal all around. Spending more. Spending b/c I was too stressed w/o realizing how stressed I was. I failed to notice how I went from being frugal to having fallen right off the wagon! So....in an attempt to be more conscious of this I have asked for your input to figure out clues/ways one can catch themselves 'falling' and not having flat out landed off the wagon LOL

For me, lunches out, shopping when I normally wouldn't and almost - almost I said - willing to pay full price for some things.

Now with my situation....back to being super frugal if I can help it. But just for one more day ... I am going to allow myself to be 'free'. Not that I "deserve" it but I feel it's in order...not going to crazy, just pick up a treat - fast food lunch lol from the value menu no doubt! Then the purse is closed until I start a new job.

But but all means...please continue to share how one can identify that they're 'falling' off the wagon

Signs are much easier to spot once you know what you're looking for!

**Luckybustert** · 10-05-2009, 01:01 AM

My falling off the wagon seems to come in tandem with being under a lot of stress, usually work-related. I seem to spend more when life is like that. I used to eat more during those times too, but have at least got the diet part under control right now. I also find when I'm falling off the wagon, I pay LESS attention to my bank and other accounts. When I'm on the wagon, I look at my bank balances every day and my other accounts at least a couple times a month. I also use credit cards more when I'm falling off the wagon. And I also tend to spend less time at FV when I'm falling off the wagon too. The good thing is these falls are much fewer and less frequent as time goes by. I catch myself and get back on track sooner than ever before.