Spending Freeze Starts Now

I admit it. I'm weak. I have a hard time passing up a good deal. Thus the pre-Christmas shopping season always takes me for a ride.

But I'm done now. No more.

I've unsubscribed to a bunch of emails so that I won't be tempted. As soon as Christmas is over and the 12 days of Christmas contests on Facebook are over (one day I'll win something good) I'm unsubscribing to those pages too.

I just need a way to get my computer to filter Amazon so that it only shows me household things I might actually need, like toilet paper and laundry detergent.

I actually needed most of the things I bought this fall. Cisco did need a new, shorter girth - his regular girth is up pretty high with only a couple of holes left. And it does need to be the forward girth groove type of girth. Thus the Total Saddle Fit Stretchtec girth.

Cisco modelling his new Rambo shipping boots.

The Gel-Eze leg wraps are going to be used as a non-slip underpad for both horses - it made a huge difference on Cisco so I'm hoping it will work the same way on Phantom, who likes to throw me to the right at a canter, and I totally like to oblige her.

I'm still waiting for Phantom's chaste tree berries - this apparently is a necessity to her, as evidenced by last winter's tying up episodes when I skimped out and didn't put her on it at the start of the year. I'll start her on it as soon as it arrives, which will hopefully be this week.

I totally succumbed to an email from netequestrian. I bought a pair of Kerrits winter full-seat breeches, which I've been eyeing for quite a while, but hadn't bought yet. I have a couple pairs of knee-patch versions, but knee-patches are so slippery when you are used to riding in full-seats! So I'll save those ones for the colder days when I'll throw my full chaps over them.

They are cob sized - the right height, but I wish they overlapped at the front. Not sure if they don't because they're a bit stiff, and if it will go away once they break in. I can always throw on a set of bell boots if I feel I need to. 

I did not need the Rambo shipping boots. I bought a set of Amigo ones last year from the same place. But who wouldn't want Rambo instead of Amigo? The Rambo's were $37 USD, and I should be able to sell the Amigo's for about the same price that I paid for them last year since they've never been worn. I think they were only a couple of dollars cheaper than the Rambo's when I bought them.

I'm still waiting on a bungee trailer tie that I can use to tie Cisco up since he's discovered that he can untie lead shanks. He hasn't figured out how to set back and release a quick release clip yet, so I'm hoping that this will work. Plus it's fun to watch him see how far he can stretch the bungee.

The lining is so pretty!

I didn't really need the new Flip Belt that I ordered this morning. I already have one in aqua. I really like to wear them when I'm riding to keep my phone on me, or when I'm wearing breeches that don't have back pockets. The teal one gets dirty really fast. When I take it home to wash I keep forgetting to bring it back out with me. So I've been looking for a deal on a second one. Unfortunately, the deals have only been happening on the fluorescent green or pink colours - I just couldn't do that. Today a purple one that I've been watching dropped to $26 instead of the regular price of $40 on Amazon. So it's on it's way to me.

I also bought an Instant Pot this fall - and it's amazing. It could be considered a horse expense - when I get home from the barn at 10 pm and haven't made supper yet I can make something faster and avoid picking up fast food on my way home.  I'm also getting better at freezing some of the rather large dishes that I've made so far to be able to pull some leftovers out of the freezer when I'm in a pinch. There have been some accessories to buy (again, off Amazon) but so far I'm super happy with it.

Taco pasta might be my new comfort food.

So that's it. I'm done.

I have a few planned expenses for this winter/spring - Phantom needs her hocks done, Cisco might need his teeth done, I'm looking to buy a Wow saddle. Once I get some free time in January I'm determined to hit up my garage and figure out what I can sell. I really hate selling things online, as people are idiots. However, I don't want to pay the consignment fee at the local store. I'll probably take a table at the spring used tack sale, but that's not until March. 

Please feel free to harass and publicly berate me should I fall off the wagon and talk about something I bought that isn't a necessity!