A Minimalist Lapse: The Urge to Splurge

At the beginning of the year, I got a full-time job after a year of near unemployment. I had started working on a few contract jobs, but they did not provide a regular income and sometimes it took a little while before the payments would arrive. Two weeks into the new year, I received my first salaried paycheck and two contract checks at the same time. Together, they totaled more than half of my income from last year. I felt rich! I shouted “woo hoo!” Zac the cat looked up from his nap, slightly annoyed that I had disturbed him.

Now, I don’t think of myself as a materialistic person. What minimalist does? However, I had tightened my belt for a long time, so when I got three paychecks at once, I loosened it a notch. Maybe two. I felt a weight fall from my shoulders, knowing that in a couple of weeks, I’d get another paycheck. I sat on the couch, looking at the balance in my account several times. My mind began to race—I could replace my old refrigerator, I could get a new couch, I could buy all the books I wanted! I felt giddy with excitement!

I allowed myself to dream a little but eventually came down to earth. I didn’t want to rename this blog “Minimalist Gone Wild!” So I reminded myself that my savings had dwindled down to nothing and that jobs are not guaranteed forever. Instead of making a big purchase, I transferred a big chunk of the checks into my online savings account just as I had always planned to do once I got a job. Then I paid my mortgage (plus extra on the principal) a couple of weeks in advance, a practice I plan to continue. I still had plenty in my account to pay the monthly bills. And I breathed a little easier.

Over the past month or so, however, I did relax my spending habits. I purchased e-books, bought favorite magazines, went out to eat more often, and replaced a few articles of clothing. Ok, that’s not too bad, right? But it adds up. Then I purchased two end tables for my living room. They weren’t expensive as far as furniture goes, but they cost more than a few e-books and magazines.

One weekend a friend and I went to a festival that had a couple dozen vendors. I saw some paintings I liked by some young local artists. I haven’t bought any art since moving to Florida, so I told myself that it was fine to look, perhaps even buy a piece. I didn’t act impulsively. I looked at the paintings and told the artists I was interested but wanted to look around first. My friend and I listened to some music, had a snack, and made the rounds again. I was still drawn to the paintings. The artists discounted the prices as I wanted two. I got them both. Again, they weren’t very expensive as the artists were young and starting out, but it adds up. Do I regret getting the paintings? No, they definitely spark joy.

Buying the art, a luxury item, was like getting dessert after a good meal. I didn’t need it, but it was delicious. I was already satisfied, but it put me over the top. As quickly as the urge to splurge had come, the hunger for more quickly dissolved. I stopped thinking about how I could spend my salary and more about how to use it more wisely. I continue to put money into savings, track my spending, and search ways to budget effectively. Eventually, I will have saved enough to replace the old refrigerator and fix up my home more, but I’m back on my minimalist track. I must admit, though, that it felt good to have a short-lived minimalist lapse.

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