If you’ve been here for a while, you know I am a pretty conscious consumer. I try to make things myself when I can, and love a secondhand item. I’m always thinking about the lifespan of my purchases and how they will fit into my life— in terms of physical storage and my lifestyle.
I have subconsciously done a several-month purchasing pause, limiting my purchases to essentials only. However, lately, it feels like I am on a spending bender. Like I am paying for things, one thing after another. And I’m okay with that.
I want to break this down for my own record keeping, but I am choosing to share it because I think it is interesting and somewhat insightful, and maybe you will too.
So here is what I have been spending my money on:
A Kayak. Yeah. This was a big one. I got lucky because my husband found a great kayak for me that we were able to purchase for $550 off of Facebook Marketplace. I’ve already enjoyed this kayak quite a bit and especially love the opportunity it allows my husband and I to enjoy the hundreds and hundreds of miles of water to explore in our own backyard. I bought this with the idea that it’s not an entry-level kayak; it’s going to be fun for me for a long time. Also, it will re-sell easily in the future if I ever decide to upgrade.
A lifejacket. $100 for a lifejacket that I will most likely have for the rest of my life. Or at least, as long as I have a kayak, I will have this life jacket. It is comfortable and was purchased brand new locally. There isn’t much for a re-sale market in lifejackets. I hope to always live near water, so I will likely always need a lifejacket. I don’t anticipate this being a great re-sale item, but it’s a great vest, and I would be happy to donate it to an outfitter or school in my area in the future if I ever didn’t need it.
A paddle. $120 and I got it for a good price at a local outfitter. Paddles make all the difference in paddling so a mid to higher-end model was my only option if I was going to set myself up for success.
Is this excessive? Nahhhhh Running Shoes. I paid $100 for a pair of running shoes that replaced a pair that has had better days. This was exciting for me and I was able to purchase from one of my favorite local stores.
Another pair of running shoes. This was a bit harder for me to pull the trigger on, but I purchased a pair of $220 racing shoes. I have been training hard and enjoying the prospect of “competing instead of completing” an upcoming half marathon so much so that I purchased a pair of what I consider to be insanely expensive super shoes.
So yeah, if you are adding things up, I am already up to over a grand. I feel like I should feel guilty about these expenses, but they support a lifestyle that I enjoy for myself. I don’t feel guilty; these purchases make me feel healthy and proud of where I am with my mental and physical health. I have so much more time and energy to enjoy these activities than I used to, and that feels like a win to me!
But wait… there is more…
I paid $180 for a physical therapy session to straighten out a (likely) running injury that is preventing me from training the way I would like to. (Good thing I am a kayaker now so I can spend lots of time outdoors even when my legs are not cooperating!)
$50 for a kayak roof rack that is nicer and easier to use than the one I previously had. I bought it from the same man I purchased my kayak from. PS. If you are auditing me, my husband also bought a kayak, a lifejacket, and a paddle.
A bike rack for $440. We have 2 other racks that we need to sell as our bike needs have changed since we moved to a place where fat-tire bikes make sense and a rack that can accommodate those fat tires is necessary.
And while I am confessing all of my expenses, I want you to know that after a tip I paid $150 for my last haircut.
A past version of myself (and still kind of a current version of myself) wants to be annoyed with myself for paying so much money for physical therapy and a haircut, but I know that I deserve expert care that helps me feel good. I want to roll my eyes at all of these purchases that happened in a short time-span, but I am not going to. Instead, I am going to make great use of these items and enjoy the world I live in more deeply than I could before. It feels hypocritical to talk about consuming less and still be purchasing more, but when purchasing is thoughtful, financially planned for, and intentional, it still feels worth talking about.
As a note here, all of these purchases were fully funded by a savings account we set up through the last few months. We won’t need to purchase many more “big things” for a little while, but in the meantime, we are financially planning and saving for a truck.
Oh, and I bought another tube of Chapstick and also have been contemplating my next shampoo/conditioner purchase, but I’ve been told by people who love me that maybe those types of things don’t need to be included in my newsletter. At the same time, small things can make a big difference so I am pretty considerate about those, too.
I’d love to know something that you have purchased lately and how much consideration you put into it.
As always, thanks for reading!
Love ya,
Laine
Love reading these posts! They encourage me to make small and big changes in how I spend and invest in things that will sustain! Thank you for writing!
Are you looking at shampoo/ conditioner bars or powders? Moves away from plastic packaging.