January Budget Blues

Every January, after the excesses of Christmas, I feel the need to put my wallet away. I stop spending on almost everything that isn’t essential. Every purchase is thoughtfully weighed in my mind. This year the zipper to my six year old parka broke. I can still use it by stepping in and out of the coat and then zipping it up. I was using a paper clip to pull the zipper up. This is my thought process about what to do about replacing or fixing the coat:

1. Is it a needed item? Or is it a wanted item? A winter coat is a definite need.

2. Is it usable? Yes. But not in social situations. (Sorry, I am not stepping into my coat when I put it on at work!) It has now become an outdoor work coat which I did need.

3. Can I fix it? I cannot get it unstuck but maybe a family member can. I can purchase a cheap zipper pull from Jo-Ann Fabric for a few dollars.

4. Should I repair it? I don’t know. It is stained and looks a bit worn. I do need an outdoor work coat. I don’t want to come into work with hay on my coat like I did a few weeks ago!

5. Do I have something else to use instead? Yes! My long, dress coat is toasty warm and quite usable. I can wear the old coat for doing work or sledding or dog walking, and the dress coat for “social situations”.

6. If I don’t repair it, can it be bought second hand? Not likely! I have often searched for nice coats at garage sales and thrift stores. You can get some children’s coats that look nice but most adult coats, if they are in good condition, are quite dated.

7. If I need to buy it new, do I have the money to pay cash? Are there any good sales, etc? Luckily, it is a great time for sales and I need to get one before the coats are gone.

My solution, right now is to wait to get a coat. I have a second coat I can use and the parka is still serviceable for around the house. I will keep track of sales, coupons and dig into the budget to find the cash for the coat. If I can’t find the cash before the end of March, I will look for a new one at the garage sales this summer.

When I feel strapped for cash in January, thinking of other solutions to an issue does two things. The first is it saves me money but the second is it gives me piece of mind to actually do something different so I do not have to lay out the cash for a purchase. I try to find other solutions for expenditures at all times but often forget. January serves to remind me of my frugal roots and gives me a push to be more frugal.