Happy New Year! Here's to 2026!
> What I Bought:
I got another taste test gift card (which is basically a loaded visa card) which I used to purchase a vase from the Murray Art Museum Albury while I was there. It was $44 so I say it was free with the gift card. It's kind of like what I like about some art by The Pottery Paade and Ebony Russell combined, so I felt like I should get it.
I also got a Christmas decoration when I went to Chadstone to do the taste test. I'd wanted it for a while, so I sacrificed some coins and finally got one. I'd have liked the white, but silver is okay too. It was $3.95.
I bought a gremlin ceramic by Kaspar Teves ($20) at Coburg Night Market. I travelled specifically for it. I would have liked a larger piece, but they were sadly out of budget. The piece I got I wanted for a specific spot in my walk-in-wardrobe, so it's like my little clothing guardian. That same day, I went to David Jones to use my $15 voucher and ended up getting two Christmas baubles ($2.94). They retail for $14.95 each but were 40% off.
I finally got a Jack Durling art piece - an ornament actually (£22.00/$40). I've liked his art for a long time but said I'd wait until I can get a tapir, and gosh darn it, he released one, so I jumped on it. I'd like a bigger piece but given the price of them, I would wait until I could see/purchase in person before committing to one.
During my belated birthday trip to Ballarat, I found a Christmas bauble ($3) which I thought would be a souvenir until I went to the Ballarat Art Gallery shop and bought a Guardian of the Flame work by Chris Wright ($65). I had also bought a t-shirt ($30) that day at Tim's Toasties (read more here), which I'd wanted since forever.
And I pre-ordered the Faramir pop vinyl ($22.50) which I've wanted since the creation of Funko - literally. It'll probably be my last pop vinyl purchase apart from any new Keanu Reeves ones that take my fancy.
Total: $187.39
I went to the theatre for Cats (free ticket and programme) and cinema for Merrily We Roll Along ($0).
> Temptations:
I was at a local market and almost bought both the Lord of the Rings Lego Game on PS3 as well as The Lego Movie Lego Game on PS3, but I wanted to look them up online first before deciding. I might regret my decision.
At Coburg Night Market, I liked some WOZWASTE earrings that were made from upcycled toothbrushes.
I liked a lot at Murray Art Museum Albury but only got that one thing.
Have you seen the Bunnings Mystery Box Mini Bears?! They are so cute. I've never gotten a mystery box before and they sound fun. I won't get one, but I'm still tempted, nonetheless.
I'm very proud of myself because I went to Chadstone before Christmas and was able to put everything I liked back on the shelves. I specifically remember a pair of earrings, but some Christmas stuff too.
I liked an additional pair of Christmas earrings too at a local chemist store.
Post-Christmas, I went to the shops just a little after the Boxing Day hype had calmed down. I didn't buy anything, but I sold some old PlayStation and Nintendo items/games, so I actually made money.
> What I Learnt:
Well, it's the end of the year and I'm proud of how I've done but also horrified. Not necessarily by the number of items I purchased, but also the amount of money I spent. I think a lot of my spending came from boredom. I really want to get better at how I spend my time/money next year. I haven't fully decided if I'm going to do a no or low buy next year - maybe a combination of the two, where I will aim to buy nothing but also won't beat myself up if I do purchase something small. I'm have a ponder about that.
Interesting that I bought four pieces of art and four Christmas baubles this month...
It's clear to me that art was the biggest issue this year - and I think that came about from trying not to buy shoes and clothing. I basically swapped one for the other, which really is a bad way at looking at things. I think I justified it by telling myself that art goes up in value so it's an investment - and while that is true for some art and artists, not all art holds the same value. So, I always say to buy for love and not potential financial gain.
I end the year with $661 owed on my zip pay account (that's for concert tickets and one night's hotel stay last month) and an additional $800 owed on a piece of art, which I'll be paying off until August at the very latest.
I've been trying to add more joy into my life this month and that doesn't mean it involves spending.
x
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