The rules of buying on paper.

I can’t remember where I read about this, but if I do I will link it here. It’s pretty simple, the concept of buying on paper, anything that has lasting power (i.e. takes up space in your home and won’t decompose) is off limits.

In my opinion, it differs from just wanting something and writing it down. It has to be something you would actually purchase, if you were the old you. So for me, June me would buy x, y and z without much thought vs. July me, who would write down x, y and z and feel a sense of satisfaction from “buying it on paper”, with money still in the bank. The point of this exercise is that it puts a break on our desires to consume easily and immediately.  The act of writing actually sort of (not really) produces the same feeling. But you do get a good feeling from seeing what you’ve abstained from.  The thinking goes that by the end of the month, you will no longer desire those things. Delayed gratification.

If you still wanted the item, you would be allowed to buy it, but you would see how fleeting those desires were.  For us, I’m counting anything my husband or I purchase.  Nothing counts for baby right now (especially since we bought her an exersaucer, or as my husband’s colleague calls it, the “ignoresaucer”.  In the future, I will practice minimalism with baby as well, but for now, I need to get myself sorted.