No Stupid Spending Year

Happy Friday!

Last week, I talked about my rationale behind really critically looking at and evaluating my wardrobe. Sometimes (okay a lot of times) when I was bored I would shop or buy things I really didn't need. I love a good deal, but I have had to remind myself that I have more than enough. I didn't need another item for my closet- I wanted it. 

When I was in college we had a speaker on campus as part of an organization I was involved in. His name was Jeff Shinabarger and he talked about his book called More or Less: Choosing a Lifestyle of Excessive Generosity. This is a wonderful book- one I still have sitting on my coffee table. It highlights the idea that everyone has some area in their life where they have more than they need.

One example he gives in the book is how many people find extra gift cards in their wallets with just a few dollars on them that have been sitting there for years. We forget about them and then don't usually get around to using them. He argues that this is something small that we don't even think about that is an excess in our life. If we take some time to think about what we have and where we have excess we can begin to start using this excess to help others. 

I liked this concept because it was a simple way to start to reframe your perspective on giving back. It takes a different approach to civic engagement and being part of a community. Like if you have an excess of food in your pantry, that's an opportunity to share it with others who may need it more. Or if you have too many clothes (sounds familiar...) that's an opportunity to get rid of the things you don't need and share them with those who do. 

Now I know that in my life I have a lot of privileges and blessings that give me the time and ability to think about how I have excess items like clothes and shoes. That's not always the case for everyone. And I think the true focus of this book is to challenge me as the reader to reframe how I see the world around me. Instead of thinking I need more to buy, think about what I have more to give. It's a wonderful concept. One that I hope to continue to embrace during my "No Stupid Spending Year." Because the reality is I have an excess of clothes. 

I am not saying that I am going to be a minimalist tomorrow (LOL), but I can work towards changing my mindset when it comes to clothes. I can use what I have and think about what I don't use, don't like, don't need, or don't want anymore. It's about the way I see my wardrobe. Not as a quest to have more, more, and more. But as a journey to see what I love, what I want to keep, and what could be doing better work somewhere else or in someone else's closet.