This poor little bird is both bored and scared. It just got kicked out of the nest and doesn’t yet have the wings or funds to go hang out at the mall with the other fledglings.

Back in the day, my house had 4 residents and one cat. All of them needed stuff and ergo shopped incessantly. Except the cat, although even she went through her share of toys and food and litter. Speaking of, sometimes the Amazon packaging piled up until it became a part-time job just disposing of it all.

Cue the music for No-Buy July. It’s a thing, although I suspect that, like church, participation is rare…and fading. Nonetheless, the idea stands strong—and gets some attention, including an empowering column by WashPost money writer Michelle Singletary who reminds us of some of the spending traps we can all fall into when seeking that short but mighty high that happens when scoring something seemingly special.

• Beware of “Sale” Merch

Is anything NOT on sale anymore? At least when you leave the supermarket and enter the boutique or department store? Case in point: I recently bought a dapper seersucker jacket that I simply could NOT live without. I’m sure part of the allure (in addition to its undeniable coolness) was that it was buried on a CLEARANCE rack. At 50% off. Funny, though (or not), the price was higher than seemed appropriate.

But upon a bit of embarrassing reflection, I’ll admit and confess: Had the thing been priced the same but without the compelling discount and in its normal department, I would have likely fondled, pondered, and passed. Instead, I fell for the old “spend to save” trick.

As I often say when someone compliments something I’m wearing, “Oh thanks! It’s by my favorite designer…Clearance!”

• Shun the “stupid stuff”

Singletary visits some Reddit and other online forums to find that, for many folks, there’s some thing or things that become almost addictive. One shopper can’t stop buying new! improved! tech gear. Women often go gaga for seasonal wardrobe shopping. A few friends can’t stop procuring wine. Tip: Identify those money pits, and stay away. 

• Don’t ID yourself as a consumer

The US economy is 70% shopping by consumerism. Heck, during a downturn, Prez George Dubya Bush implored people to go shopping! And then there’s the holidays; even Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and July 4 have become an exercise in consumption. Yet few of these purchases will have much, um, shelf life. 

To quote the Merriam-Webster dictionary, consume means, “to do away with completely, destroy; to spend wastefully, squander.” Yep. Sounds pretty American to me. 

• Avoid social shopping and spending

Minnesota is the inventor of indoor shopping malls. And I’m okay with that; winters are long and it’s nice to have somewhere to wander, meander, and hunt. But when you see gaggles of teens giggling their way through the mall and schlepping several bags of Lulu and whatnot, one hopes they work at Subway and are not spending Daddy’s hard-earned salary. 

Or worse: Racking up credit card debt.

• Don’t give yourself credit

Did you know that the average credit card rate right now is ~22%? That’s usurious, and I’m serious! Even worse: The credit card debt in the US has topped $1.2 trillion—and the amount of that that is “seriously delinquent” keeps growing and (some money mavens say) could lead to a recession or crash if & when people stop paying, yet keep spending, and the banks (and stockholders) are left holding the tab. 

All to say, your Shopping Advisors at BreakAway urge you to spend more time outside…and spend your money cautiously.

And of course, enjoy your no-buy July. I hope it’s going swimmingly!