No! No! No! well. . . . maybe?

As everyone does in the new year, the Stahly's have made a resolution. This years resolution involves us becoming close friends with a guy named Dave who is going to help us become Debt Free!! For those of you who aren't local, Dave might be a stranger. But around these parts, you either love or hate or fear Dave. Dave would be Dave Ramsey, the author of the Total Money Makeover. Dave has a radio show each day where he tells people how to work their way into being debt free. He is very black and white on how it should be done, and has steps in his book that you can follow to become debt free. His favorite line is . . . If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else. So, Jeff and I have decided that we are going to do it. We are going to have the zero balanced budget, we are going to do the Debt Snowball, and we are going to adopt the envelope system. We are ready! (really we are)
However, the hardest part for both of us is one little word that we as a society do not say enough of . . . NO! Am I ever guilty of not saying that word enough? I love to be busy and I love to be helpful and be involved . . . and so often I say yes to just about anything I am asked to do. My kids know that I am weak in the 'no' area and know the way to ask for something and the number of times to ask before their sweet pleading eyes and adorable faces will get the 'yes' they are wanting for that piece of candy before dinner or that toy at the checkout or that McDonald's meal when I don't want to eat there. And the person I have the most trouble saying NO to . . . that would be . . . ME! I am admitting that I am a shopaholic. And that saying Yes to things I want for me, or the kids, or Jeff, or the person I think might like this or that . . . is one reason that the debt snowball is happening. But last night I made my first step in progress and think everyone should be oh so proud of me . . .
There is this purse. It is a bright red big purse! It is so cool looking! I met 'purse' for the first time on Saturday. I passed by it in my favorite store and picked it up and held it. And put it down. And picked it up. The store associates were in the process of swapping out sale signs for next weeks ad so I was unsure if it was a deal or not. One of the associates asked if I wanted her to price it out. I said . . . yes. The price she gave me was more than the sales sign so we concluded that purse would be a better price on Sunday. Last night, I had to run an errand that took me right by the store where purse was sitting. Again, I went in and looked and held and put down and held and put down. And all the while . . . . no , no, no . . . kept drumming through my head. And so, I put purse down said goodbye to it and left it sitting there in all its coolness.
When I got home I explained to Jeff the great accomplishment I just had. His jaw dropped to the floor and he couldn't believe it. I think he might have asked "Are you going back for it tomorrow then?" No I said. I have a purse. I don't need a purse. I said NO! YAY ME!
I am now on board with Dave and ready to live (pretty much) like no one else, so later I can live like no one else. So if you see me in a store just staring and touching items just know that I am in the NO struggle zone. And come help me by pulling me away before my NO turns into a Maybe and then a Yes.