Between Wants and Needs

Have you ever spent sufficient time walking around a store putting items into your basket, and then at the end you put back everything? I have, multiple times. And I recommend it. If you are trying to live frugally, there is a certain feeling of empowerment to begin and continue distinguishing between wants and needs.

Living in a highly commercial society, of course we always want or think we need to buy one new thing or another. For me, I put food as a top priority. I need to buy healthy and organic food to stay healthy so that I can be an active mama. I want to buy pretty stationery every time I see it because I enjoy writing handwritten letters, but I don't do so. At least not every time I see it (; What amazes me is that we are supposedly living in a time of economic crisis and recession, yet basic needs such as housing still appear unbelievably high, fruit and vegetables cost far more than they should, private healthcare is simply unaffordable for most - must I continue?

Our family puts our needs first and then our wants. When my daughter picks up random toys or other items at the store I simply let her play with them a bit and then I put it back explaining that the toy is not really hers, it belongs to the store. And surprisingly, she has not once screamed or cried at having to put something back.

While unshopping doesn't support capitalism, it does support your pocket book.