I’m a bit of a magpie by nature, if something shiny catches my attention then I’ll swoop in and claim it. My mission to save money and become mortgage-free resulted in me gradually learning to tame my inner magpie and become a more mindful consumer. It wasn’t an easy journey, but with practice it did get easier, especially as I started to reflect on what I already owned and realised that I had enough.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a compulsive shopper, but I do have one particular area of weakness and it’s one that provides great value for money when you consider the cost to enjoyment ratio. The culprit? Books! Yes, books are my weakness and I’ve tended to buy more than I’ve been able read over the years which has left me with a surplus. I didn’t realise this until I organised my bookshelf a couple of days ago and found that there are 43 books on there that I haven’t read! Bearing in mind that this doesn’t include the 18 books on my kindle (confession – I bought 5 last month as they were only 99p) which brings my grand total of unread books to 61. Yet prior to this revelation, that familiar magpie mindset had swooped in and I was thinking of buying more! Not anymore. My prediction is that I’ll have enough books to see me well into 2021, so I’m going to focus on what I have and stop spending unnecessarily.
The experience made me reflect on the many ways I controlled my magpie mind during my mortgage-free journey and the processes I used to help me realise that I had enough, because let’s face it, when that shiny thing comes along and catches your attention, it’s not always that easy to walk away. And it’s worth pointing out here that this doesn’t just apply to coveted items, humans are instinctive hunter gatherers which means that the magpie mindset can strike at any moment whether you’re at the supermarket, garden centre or watching tv. But there are little habits that you can develop to help you become more mindful of what you already have. These steps can be applied prior to any potential purchases to help save you money and curb the urge to spend.
Simple steps to stop spending and start saving:
Sort out your stuff: Whether it’s a new item of clothing, gadget or even a food splurge, before you part with your hard-earned cash make sure you sort out of what you already have. Spend some time tidying and organising your possessions that are in a similar category to your coveted posession and the chances are that you’ll not only realise how much you already own, but will also discover some hidden gems that you’ve forgotten about.
Simple substitutions: If sorting your items hasn’t curbed your magpie mind, then it’s time to consider whether there’s anything you already own that you could use instead. Get creative and see if you can substitute the item or repurpose something that’s sat around gathering dust. Being flexible in your thinking is the key to help you save money and realise the value of what you already own.
Avoid waste: It may be that your sorting journey has resulted in you discovering many half-used (or even unused) items – if so, congratulations! Be sure to use them up (if it’s safe to do so) before buying any more and save yourself some money in the process. Cleaning products, toiletries and make-up seem to be common products that people have in excess, although every household has it’s own unique mix of stockpiled items. Take advantage of the opportunity to save money by using up what you have. Or if you know you won’t use it then consider selling it or donating it so that someone else can get value from it.
The book stash challenge:
Hopefully you’ve been inspired to take the first step in tackling your stuff and saving money. In my quest to practice what I preach, I’m going to focus on reading the books I have before I buy any more. I like to keep myself accountable so I’ll be keeping a running total of the number of books I’ve read at the bottom of this blog post. Feel free to check on my progress (and give me a nudge to get on with it if the number stagnates).
If you use any of the steps above or have any that you’d like to add then please leave a comment below.
Book stash challenge: 2/61