I am a mom of one with another on the way and why I am now starting this journey is because in some ways life has come to a head. My husbands work has been so overwhelming for both of us and our busy lives of both of us working full time with a child and two dogs has left us asking for more, or in a way asking for less. It’s not that we can’t afford our current lifestyle or that we are not happy with it, it’s that we we want to simplify our lives while living in this suburban life. It’s about saving more and focusing on our goals and dreams, like retiring early, building an addition on our house and traveling and exploring with our children as they grow up.

I am not going to start out with this massive ban on shopping, but I am going to use this blog as a way to document my journey of living and spending less. It’s so easy to just swipe a credit card and not look at your statements until they are due in a few days and then pay them off. It feels like this endless cycle of spend / pay off and it just repeats. It leaves little for savings and paying ourselves first.

The feeling of guilt already overwhelmed me as I spent $48 dollars to launch this blog on WordPress. Mind you, I did use a coupon and saved 50% off but that is besides the point, we are not bargain shopping here anymore. I am spending with the intention of a need instead of a want, with quality instead of fast production and fashion. I want to support sweatshops less and really be intentional with where my money is going. I want to be intentional with what I am sewing into with the money that I work so hard to gain.

Some things I want to share about myself:

I am not a writer

I don’t claim to be one, or peruse to be one, I merely just want to document and keep myself accountable on this blog. I feel I am always working my grammar and run on sentences, but maybe in some way this blog will help me refine these skills. If people read this wonderful, but if not I am totally fine with this going into the ether and floating in internet space for eternity.

I love to shop

Yes, yes its true, I love shopping. I also love fashion and expressing myself through clothing and accessories. It’s fun researching a new product and then finally buying it and then waiting for it to come in the mail. I enjoy tracking and following packages and looking forward to receiving something during the week. This will be hard for me to break out of but I must share the honest truth if I am going to continue with living and spending less.

I am a highly creative person

My mind is full of colour and worlds outside of the one I live in. I create small messes in piles because I am constantly fluttering to one idea or to the next and I can’t seem to keep a project going for more than a few days at a time. It’s hard for me to commit because I want to create all the things all the time. I am at my best when I am creating, ideating, researching and exploring.

Above all else, I love my family

I can’t express or say this enough. I deeply, truly love my family. The reason this entire blog is starting is because I love my family. I want to leave a monetary legacy behind for my children and I want to be a better mother and role model for my children with finances, spending and living with less. I want to teach my children how to shop their closest, that hand-me-downs are not a dirty word and that sales are not a path to spending less but spending more.

My next few posts will outline my goals for spending less and simplifying, but for now I wanted to set my goals and intentions out on paper. It’s been on my mind for several days now and it feels so good to finally get it out. There is no doubt, this will be a hard journey and I am sure I am going to fail at some points but there has to be a beginning to any journey and this is mine.