Mea culpa! I neglected this lovely little corner of my world for much too long… Time flew by the last few weeks and things got complicated on the way. Let’s just say that this Low Buy Summer did not go as planned.
My Low Buy July
July was a quiet month filled with preparations for our upcoming vacation. Apart from exceeding my book budget — using the excellent excuse of needing just another beach read — I stuck to my routine. After all, our vacation would cost a few Euros, so I kept saving for that.
And it was absolutely worth it. Seven days at the beach, reading, swimming, listening to the waves, great Italian food (pizza, pasta, and THE typical beach snack: french fries), summer heat, and summer storms. Italy at its best, at least for us. Everyone was very careful, always wearing masks, keeping their distance, and enjoying their time. I read seven (!) books in two weeks — what a wonderful time — and now am (still) four books ahead in my Goodreads reading challenge. Long story short, we enjoyed some careless, sunny days, and a typical vacation to recharge our batteries as well as possible.
Financial shit hit the fan when we came back, but in a good way — and threw me a bit off my low buy track…in the second part of my Low Buy Summer 🙂
My rather turbulent (read: failed) Low Buy August
Let’s start with the most important things that happened: I changed my surname (a technicality but one I’m glad I finally got around to settling) and I got a payout. The second helped with the first, since a name change comes at a price. Besides, investing several hundred Euros in a well-named future made me prone to ease up my spending habits, so I ended up buying some stuff from my wishlist that could have waited until next year. I didn’t totally ignore my Low Buy rules, but I also did not stick to them the way I should have. Especially not regarding books…
Shop ’til ya drop this Low Buy Summer
In the photos, you see everything I bought on my short shopping spree. With three exceptions — the silver ring, sunglasses, and the small Kaweco pen — every item was on my wishlist for at least a month, most of it much longer. Some were practical items that have been very useful since — I love working with my Traveler’s Notebook Passport Size and the new pen, and I’m really glad I bought it now and did not wait until sometime next year. I also love my new backpack. It’s a timeless piece I will have for many years. It has a perfect size, larger than my Kanken, but still small enough to use as a daypack, easy to handle, and very accessible thanks to its design.
My ‘biggest’ Low Buy failure is the pair of shoes I bought secondhand. I had them on my wishlist for more than a year until I found exactly the pair I wanted. Once I found them by chance while deleting some of my stuff on eBay marketplace, I couldn’t resist. Then there’s the wallet — I’m constantly on the lookout for a wallet in the perfect size and shape. For now, I’ve found it (again).
The bikini was not on my wishlist, though I thought about getting sustainable swimwear for some time — just not this year. Of the 2.5 bikinis I own, all are 10+ years old and one I had to discard during our vacation because it fell apart. So, while on my spending spree, I decided to support our local Patagonia store. Also, it was on sale, so I bought regional, sustainable, and economical. The shirt was a low-buy slip up — but I love it 🙂 To support our neighbors, an excellent vegan restaurant just around the corner, I also bought their shirt (the black one). Another slip-up, but happy about it.
Overall, August was turbulent on the Low Buy front. And I could see myself slowly falling back into a reckless attitude regarding spending money and shopping. After all, who cares if I get something nice for myself? Well, I care. Fortunately, I got back on track quite fast, not least thanks to Wonderguy, who kept reminding me of my plans, how much I’ve already accomplished, and that I should not throw all that away just because I f*cked up a few times. So I gathered what was left of my pride and willpower and moved on. ❤️
What’s next?
Or rather, what’s happening right now? Because my Low Buy Summer is already over and we’re entering Low Buy Fall.
It’s September and I’ve been back on track from day one. OF COURSE, I’ve already spent most of my book budget by now (September 20), and because I’m totally stressed out because of academic obligations I’m losing myself in J.B. Fletcher mysteries, so I won’t really need any new books until next month.
Being stressed out and feeling under a lot of pressure, I also tend to not cope that well with being around people right now. I’m still not at my best pre-lockdown tolerance level regarding people, and I doubt I’ll ever get back to this. Maybe I don’t even want to. Anyway, this results in a natural withdrawal from the outside world whenever possible, meaning I consciously omit coffee and lunch/dinner dates, which saves additional money.
I have a rather important thesis presentation in early October, so there’s a lot of work to do. This keeps me occupied and entertained… Isn’t it great how time flies by when we’re having fun? 🙄 Until then, I wish you all the best, stay safe and healthy, and take care!
See you soon 🙂
