Where I’m Spending

Sale PSA: Drawstring linen pants from J.Crew, now 60% off, Manolo Blahnik BB pumps, now 60% off (try these Gianvito Rossis for similar, also 60% off, and these have a nice low heel, also 60% off), and a leopard print midi dress from Ganni, now just $138.

I was talking to a friend the other day about how our spending is being reallocated during Covid-19. How certain costs (gas, travel) are going down but are going up in other places. I shared that even though I’ve been shopping more these past months, I’ve actually still spent quite a low amount, on a relative basis compared to before, on clothes – first, a bunch don’t fit (thank you stay at home diet), I don’t have anywhere to wear fancy shoes, etc etc. But there have been certain areas I’ve been spending more. Here are some categories I’ve been allocating more of my dollars to – I’d love to hear yours!

Takeout. We are spending so much on takeout. I don’t feel bad about this because a) I’m going out of my mind as it is trying to cook and put together snacks and doing the dishes, and b) it’s helping the restaurants we love so why not? I have some friends whose restaurant spend has actually gone down during this period, mostly because they had fun lives where they ate out at a ton of fancy restaurants and drank and laughed the night away – my husband and I are at a point in our child-rearing where we were rarely eating anywhere with breakable china however, so I think our spend has gone up. As a plus, we’ve found some great new places and every week endeavor to try either a new restaurant, or some new menu item on a old favorite.

Books. I already bought lots of books before but now I am buying even more. For the kids mostly, because the library’s been closed and they also just need more entertainment – but also for me! I also write books (well, I wrote one) and so why not support the industry? I’ve been buying all sorts of stuff – novels, coffee table books, graphic novels, finance tomes, etc. Oh and some fun notebooks. I have a very bad addiction to notebooks. I am already looking forward to the 2021 paper agenda shopping season to begin, even though my 2020 agenda is quite blank (sigh).

Puzzles. I used to be a huge puzzle fan a long time ago, but at some point stopped doing them. I started buying them again (kiddie ones) once I had children and had been tempted to buy some adult versions, but the amount of time just seemed so wasteful, you know? Like, in that baby/toddler stage – who has hours to put together a picture? But the other day, on impulse, I bought this Ravensburger, and it was extremely satisfying to work on. And, more importantly, stress reducing. Yes! I’ve found that puzzling is so calming for my head, and really, something that this whole pandemic has really nailed home is that mental health is very important. Now I’ll gladly spending 15-30 minutes puzzling each night and it’s a wonderful way to wind down.

Next on my list: this cat one, this Frida Kahlo, and the one in the photo above is from Anthropologie – I cheated, I haven’t done it yet, it is on order!

Backyard furniture. Like everyone with kids who is fortunate to have some outdoor space, we have been spending a lot of time in our back yard. So I’ve been buying chairs, blankets, sofas. My latest purchases – a little side table and another patio umbrella. Note that nothing really looks that *good* – everything in our back is kind of a mish mash of colored chalk drawings, random toys that somehow my kids negotiated to get to bring outside, etc. BUT at least it is usable and comfortable. I get quite a few requests for interior decoration posts, but my house is definitely not photo ready. It’s just livable. And that’s all I’m aiming for right now.

What have you been spending on? Anything new post-pandemic?