Sunday, January 26, 2014

Keeping Track

Are you the kind of sewist that keeps track of your purchases and what you spend for the year/month etc?   I've never been that kind of person until now.  I've always admitted to being a "shop till you drop" kind of girl and some of those purchases unfortunately have been impulse buys that have been the downfall of a very "healthy" stash.

2014 is or "has" to be a year of reflection and a little less spending.
I took an early retirement starting January 1st of this year and since i'm not 60, I don't get my pension until January 2015!   EEK......   I did plan ahead a little by setting up a fund and I put money in each week but that's not going to last an entire 13 months so I have to be selective and penny pinch a little.

So, in saying that, when hubby and I went away 2 weeks ago to Florida and I asked for a little trip to a quilt store I'd seen spotlighted in Quilt Sampler Magazine he was very accommodating and drove me there and to the Quilt Expo.
Hubby paid for all my purchases at the shop, Thanks Al!  but at Expo I was on my own.....and truth be told, I think I restrained myself quite well.  The only thing I bought there was the snowman runner on the left, the thread and if you look in the back of the picture and see the little flag pattern, that's all I bought!  My restraint in the fabric areas was phenominal!   So, I see it can be done but it's going to be hard!!!

I'm keeping any receipts for purchases and at the end of each month I'm going to tally them up and see over this year how much I spend.  Should be a challenge but I know I'm up to it.....2 sewing rooms full of fabric, kits, and bundles attest to that !!!!

Peggy

3 comments:

moosecraft said...

I've never kept a count on what I spend in the hobby dept... but I do know I've spent significantly less in 2014. Now that I have the time to actually stitch on the projects (in stash) I realize the incredible amount of time needed for each piece... which brought me to the realization that I already need to live to be 134 to finish what I already have? lol!
P.S. I have that Snowman Runner pattern too! :-)

Anonymous said...

Good luck with your restraint! I am doing the same, but trying not to think about it too much. Not too long ago, when my family was purchasing our home - I did this analysis exercise and knew I was spending too much on fabric and not enough on savings. I try to focus on those kits and projects I had already bought and was so excited about at one time - I bet I'll be just as excited when I get them out again!

Conni said...

Never have tracked my fabric/quilting purchases, but have done so with my groceries! I'm not a big spender to start with, but it was interesting to see just how much I was spending, and where it was going. I have been eyeballing that snowman pattern for the past 2 months. I have seen it at several of the shops I have visited recently, and have been quite tempted!