It seems I'm obsessed with shopping lately but in actuality what I'm obsessed with is spending less for what I need and want. The other day I loaned someone my cape (doesn't that sounds funny? I mean the thing you put on someone to keep hair bits and dye off of them while you do their hair) and never got it back and forgot who I loaned it to. Today I had my first client and had to borrow a cape from someone else. After class I walked down to the 99cent store near my house and bought another one. Likely not the best quality and it may not last too long, but for a dollar who cares if it falls apart eventually or if someone forgets to return it? Ofcourse I looked around a little while I was there. These 99cents stores near my house have all kinds of stuff and today they had an assortment of pretty green flower pots, the kind with drain holes and an attached saucer to catch the water. I got this one but they also had a flared cylindrical shape in three sizes. I wanted to buy them all and have a collection to group together or spread out through the house but I resisted and just bought the one. Another useful thing they had in stock were heavy duty extension cords (20 feet for $7.99) -I can't decide if buying a bunch of these to string together for weed whacking really is safe or if the savings is significant, the ones I was looking at on Home Depot's website were $50 but I think they were 100 feet. Anyway, I left them for now but it's good to know they're there. Overall I'm just excited about rediscovering less expensive alternatives. Why spend $50 to over $100 on jeans when the shop one the corner has cuter ones for $20? Why spend $10 on a hairdressing cape when I can get one for $1? Salad in a bag is about $5 at Ralph's and, again, $1 at another nearby 99cents store.

When I started earning more money at my last job there were things I decided to change like allowing myself decent shoes. I never got very comfortable with spending a lot on just one item or on buying brand new rather than thrifted/used. I wrote a post awhile back about how I always like a deal and bought both my car and my computer used (in fact I have never had a brand new car or computer) and I feel really good about the way I make purchases. These days I'm finding better stuff than I used to find and for significantly less and I'm wondering what I was thinking these past few years. How did I forget the satisfaction of getting what I needed and wanted for next to nothing? I'm happy to be back to it.