Depth Year update: Here’s what I spent on myself this month

You might recall, dear reader, that I am having a Depth Year.

A Depth Year can be many things. For me, 2019 is a Low Buy Depth Year. The aim is to bring as few new and shiny things into my life and to go deep with and appreciate all that I already have.

In fact, when I see something I SIMPLY MUST HAVE, (clothes and baubles and shit like that) I remind myself, Land Fill Alert!

I ask myself, do I still want to be part of the MORE MORE MORE society?

It’s time to wake up, right, or our grandkids will be living in a TOXIC TIP.

When I think of those seething landfill dumps, spewing fast fashion and discarded cosmetics in all directions, the urge to shop, to own, to cart stuff home, to grab for the new and the novel, disappears almost instantly.

Almost

Books are another story.

Unlike many others, I have not included books as a No Buy. Or even a Low Buy.

I’m an author! How could I ever encourage people not to buy friggin’ books?

I am, however, doing my Depth Year one book at a time. That is, I can’t buy a new book until I’ve read the one I’m reading.

HARD!!

But it leads to much more thoughtful choices. Thanks Depth Year!

I am desperate to get my hands on Jane Caro’s, Accidental Feminists. I’ve been making up all sorts of GENIUS excuses to buy it NOW.

But, truth is, I’m still reading some other books. And they’re beautiful and important in their own right. I owe them and their authors, my full attention.

Meantime, somewhere along the line, I decided to keep a notebook and document all my personal spending every month.

Then publish it on my blog.

Every month.

Hardcore, hey?

Scary too.

Holy mother of the dear little baby Jesus, I feel exposed.

Oh, and here’s a funny thing. The moment I decided to document my spending, I thought, oh goodie, now I can go buy a shiny new notebook!

Buh bow.

I had a perfectly good one attached to an old Flow magazine.

So, here it is. This is a record of my personal spending for this month.

Total: $1603.79. (This is a lot for me, but there were several one-offs and a few gifts for Elsie, too…)

In terms of Low Spend, I failed miserably.

In terms of Low Buy, I did really well!

I’m proud to say a HUGE percentage of my jingle went on services rather than goods.

You might notice I had a DNA test. I’ll blog about that later. When I get the results. I’m exploring my lineage as part of my spiritual journey.

A Womankind magazine crept in. But seriously, every woman who gives a rat’s about her sisters should be reading this mag.

A few vintage (and secondhand) gems also came home for Elsie (our little cottage).

A snooze chair and matching footstool for the studio. The secondhand dealer who sold me this said the house (a deceased estate) had nine of these chairs. And no couches. I don’t know why, but I find this vaguely creepy…

Op shop find! Vintage china, made in Japan, hand painted. No Depth Year was ever going to separate me from these babies.

 

Market find. China deer for my altar. Eight dollars! There’s a longish story attached to this purchase. Suffice to say, my guiding Goddess is Elen of the Trackways. She with the antlers and enigmatic nature etc.

And in case you wanted to see my deers again. Here they are in the herb garden…

Okay. So. I had to do some fast talkin’ (to myself) when I came across this.

It’s NOT a book, right? It’s a journal.

And, well, look at it! I nearly wet my pants when I saw it. It is friggin divine.

It’s a bit US-centric but who cares? It’s a thing of true beauty and the girl who wrote and illustrated it deserves all my love. And a little bag of my dosh for good measure.

It’s not a normal journal, either. It’s a journal with clever questions and quotes and boxes to tick and lists to make and flowers to press and, well, it’s like a scavenger hunt in the wild. It’s GORGEOUS!

In other news, the sting is finally (slowly) going out of summer and we’re getting some cool nights, some gentle mornings and some new growth.

I cannot tell you how happy this makes me!

Until next time, dear reader,

May your year be a good year.

Much love

Jen xo

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