{Side Note(s): 1. My goal is to be more consistent with posts 2. I promise I drafted this post in January, but had doubts about whether to publish or not 😂🙄}

Happy {belated} Holidays and New Year to you all! {I drafted this post in January, hesitated to post, but decided to just go for it} I don’t know about you, but there’s just something about the first month of a new year that gives people the itch to participate in self-improvement challenges, setting home project goals, etc. Seems to be about the only time where change of a variety of sorts is pledged, sought after, planned and even welcomed; however, old habits and what one might term “stability, comfortable and/or safe” returns back in the life routine in one shape or form. We are a funny species in that way.

While that’s the case, buddy, I’m right there on the bandwagon with the majority! As of January 2018, I’ve started:

1) a rather organized and very much visible Home Projects Spreadsheet, refusing to let projects go undone month after month

2) training for a 5k with a good friend of mine {side note: we truly did start in November so as to not fall into the “new year’s resolution pit”}

3) I’ve really jumped in with both feet on a Dave Ramsey project with my husband as of January.

That said, after a financial discussion with my husband that truly led us into a laughing fit {these are the types of financial discussions I prefer}, I’m tightening up my own money belt in January to recovery from the Holiday shenanigans and our Dave Ramsey project.

Anywho, so I meet my mom for lunch — she is one of my best friends {like it or not, Mom} — during which I’m just talking practically non-stop about all the things I just mentioned above. Per routine, a lunch with my mom is usually not complete without a trip to TJ Maxx. We decided to go under the guise of finding an iPhone case for her new phone. . . which she has been keeping in the iPhone box this whole time afraid she will break it.

Before entering the glorious automatic double doors of TJ Maxx, I’m already mentally coaching myself: “Alicia, remember your goals. Yes, you were under budget for the holidays in your best guestimation, but don’t get crazy.” Whilst perusing up and down the aisles, I was able to talk myself out of a good 20 or so items until I hit the rug section. I have a long history of an obsession for rugs. To be honest, most rug prices aren’t bad at all at these stores making them even more tempting.

I see one of those durable, cushy kitchen mat type things all rolled up with a tag that says $19.99. My husband has been saying that he would love one of those cushy kitchen mats for when he cooks and cleans as our floors are rather hard. So, of course, I want to keep him comfortable in the kitchen since he does the thing that I loathe: cook. I tell myself aloud “I can swing $20 this month, especially if it’s for the comfort and health of my husband” knowing that I probably shouldn’t even try to swing it. I should just walk away at this point. But then I unrolled it and I was hooked.

I’m a sucker for things with positive phrases. I can be a real crab, but to have such things like this can whiplash me right out of my silly mindset to focus on the positives.

I used a couple of TJX gift cards and there ya have it, a free kitchen mat.

Per usual though, here is a comparison on savings if I had actually spent money: by purchasing from TJX instead of Bed Bath & Beyond, I saved about 40%.

As always, happy shopping!