Whew. Trent over at The Simple Dollar has decided to go on a ONE YEAR moratorium on books. He's not going to buy any books for ONE YEAR. OUCH. That seems like such a long time to put oneself under the law!

I find that I do the same kind of thing that Trent talked about – going on the little spending sprees – but for me, it ends up being things I have needed, but have not planned for in our budget! Here are a few things:

Shoes $22
In the past couple of weeks I had to buy a new pair of shoes because mine were wearing out to the point that my feet were aching. The old ones aren't totally worn out, but they aren't supporting my feet. Aching feet cause a person to be cranky and tired.

Replacing my “house” shoes $16
I have a pair of shoes that I have had for the past five years that I wear around the house and for milking or doing chores. They are a little slip on pair, that I have worn so much that there are holes in the soles, rips on the sides and the insides are ripping out. I used to go barefoot as much as possible until this Plantar Fasciitis cropped up, and now my feet kill me if I go barefoot for any length of time, especially since the injury while doing the Taebo workout. So I had to invest in a pair of slip ons that had enough cushion to support my poor footsies. I tried to find a cheaper pair, but my feet hurt while at the store testing the shoes. I invested in a pair that are walking shoes, but can be easily slipped on.

Speaking of shoes, I bought a pair of Aerosoles online that were discounted to $28 including shipping. I love them, but they are too narrow and hurt my feet. So those are being shipped back.

Two pairs of jeans for work $28
I've been wearing only one pair of jeans for work, day after day (I usually buy a black pair and a blue pair, but when I had to buy the next size up I thought surely I'd be back down to my “normal” size so I only bought one pair) and the inner thigh area has become threadbare. I've tried patching them in the past, but it didn't work out so great. I read on a blog recently about turning jeans with holes in the knees into a skirt, so I'm going to try that with these jeans, only I'm going to add some colorful material (which I already own) to the center area. We'll see how this works out.

Belt $9.99
And then my belt that I bought from Walmart for $8 three and a half months ago was a total piece of junk which has separated and is falling apart. Walmart lets you bring back items within 90 days, so I'm just a couple weeks past that. I really need to wear a belt, so we stopped at Ross Dress for Less and I found one that retailed originally for $37 marked at $9.99. It seems to be good quality, even though it was made in China.

Organic Coconut Oil $70
We use coconut oil instead of other oils, and we'd run out, so I purchased two gallons to the tune of $70.

Night splints for Mr. A and I $70
I injured my heel doing a video workout to Taebo so I need to wear a splint at night – Mr. A also has Plantar Fasciitis and so I bought us each one night splint. They are interchangeable for one foot or the other, so we will wear the thing on the left foot one night, then the right foot the next night. Apparently my heel is healing during the night while I sleep and bearing weight on it in the morning is ripping it all over again. So those night splints were $70. I did click through one of the rebate sites and should get 10% back.

Investing in my health (and Mr. A's) $145
To aid my adrenals, I invested in a two month supply of a supplemental protocol, which seems to be helping me feel better. However, since Mr. A also exhibits symptoms of adrenal fatigue, we're having him take the vitamins, too, so it's really only one month supply. I usually do nothing, thinking I'll be upset if it doesn't work for me, but I have gotten desperate with being so tired all the time. I really should invest in a visit to a naturopathic or homeopathic doctor, but for now I'm trying this.

Bedroom fan $20
We keep the house at 77°F at night, but I still have to have a fan blowing directly on me, or I find it difficult to sleep. I'm not one of those people that can go without sleep, so anything that helps is a necessity. I have to get the type that is elevated on a leg with a stand at the bottom, and I found one for $20, which also has a remote control and a timer. The stand also seems sturdier, as it is a round panel, instead of the type that has an “X” at the bottom to hold it up. More and more often when I turn my fan on, the fan doesn't turn. I have to stick something into it and push it to get it going. So I just decided to get a replacement one. I've had this one for over five years. You can't expect cheap things to last FOREVER. The old one seems to be hanging on for a few more days, so I'll use it until it stops working.

I plan to compose a monthly update post this weekend. I worked on our finances this past weekend, and to tell you the truth I was so bummed out I have been having difficulty thinking of anything to post about. I guess laying out the whole sordid ordeal would probably make a good post… we'll see if I'm willing to bare my soul and make a True Confession or not.

I am looking forward to my one year anniversary at Out of Debt Again. I am planning a contest to celebrate. Consider subscribing now so you don't miss anything.

Thank you for visiting Out of Debt Again! Subscribe to receive free email or RSS notifications and don't miss anything!