Another SYCer reporting in. First, Laura, about the beautiful bag from Sandy...in the beginning of this challenge, didn't you say that items could be borrowed from a friend's closet? Maybe you could "borrow" the bag from Sandy for awhile?
Thank you for this challenge. I'm also finding I'm being discerning and not feeling deprived...yet. I survived the Alaskan cruise week without buying any of the much touted jewelry or a single tee from the trip. You've probably saved me from wearing a moose on my chest or some double entendres involving spawning.
April's Talbot bags are a bigger temptation.

Yes, yes, BORROW! Brilliant, Joy!

Joy - you enabler (of a different sort ;-)!

okay, just HAD to check in -- y'all have some amazing willpower, and i don't think i'd have the ability to join you even if i tried :P.

that said, laura -- joy's suggestion of "borrowing" is pretty much genius. DO ITTTT.

Laura, I think you are doing an amazing job! Having said that, I applaud the suggestion of borrowing the bag It can be borrowed till January, and then bought.

I am still in !! Though it was very hard because I was on vacation for almost 3 weeks and I had the jean short dilemma, then my only pair of board shorts no longer fit and we were going to do alot of water activities...but I held tight and wore ( ta-da ) my bathing suit !! Then my lens fell out of my eye glasses right before I left and I mangled my frames - but I still held on and a wonderful lady where we vacationed fixed them for me. It also turned out to be cold at night and I did not bring a polar fleece - so I wore practically everything I had..........not to mention all the tempting things that I saw WHILE on vacation.

You vacationers have my undying admiration! Way to hold strong in the face of moose t-shirts and mangled glasses! I have a personal rule never to buy artwork while on vacation (i.e. painted driftwood does NOT translate well in Chicago), so perhaps the same should go for jewelry and spawning double-entendre t-shirts.

Hmmmm. The idea of borrowing ... that certainly IS genius, Joy ...

congrats, isabel! such strength in the face of adversity.

Borrowing = I have a party to go to and I go grab a necklace from a friends closet.

At the risk of sounding like the SYC goody two shoes, I have to say that "borrowing" and paying for the bag later is just being a bit too creative with semantics.

Reminds me of when we left our older 2 home alone for a week and specifically told them they couldn't have anyone over. Got home to find out that they had a friend spend the night.... when I asked DS16 if Joe had spent the night, he said "no".. when I later confronted him that he flat out lied to me, he said "I didn't lie, because we didn't sleep here... we went to hang out at Mike's house and didn't come back here till morning."

Wow, you vacationers really did well. You are an example to the rest of us

I think that's awfully nice of Sandy to let you borrow the bag then pay after SYC is over. Maybe just keep it in the closet as your SYC reward to use after the challenge is over. I really find some of the insight SYC participants are learning interesting. I too am guilty of shopping as a hobby, shopping for items I lusted on others but don’t genuinely “need” and shopping to rebuild an image of myself that I just don’t like. My worst shopping moment comes about once a month when even chocolate is not enough to satisfy. Of course, bottoms shopping at that time is definitely off limits. Stay strong SYC-ers and keep passing along your wisdom.

You all are going to hate me, but I bought a shirt yesterday. I am in desperate need of tops, and I said from the beginning that not shopping entirely until Jan was not my goal, just cutting back. I'm the red headed step child of the SYC group. I've actually had a hard time finding what I want/need and forcing myself to spend the money. This shirt is a denim tunic, and was a great deal, so I am happy. I also came home and got my packages from exchanging my pants/shoes. The jeans are great, but the oxfords go right back. I guess I will try another pair in exchange.

Khris, it sounds to me like you are meeting your goals just fine! I'm happy to hear that you found a shirt that fills an important hole. I can't imagine any of the SYCers being mad at you!

I am so impressed with all the vacationers. Isabel (MA), I am doubly impressed with holding out while cold! That is one way to bring me to my knees . . .

Sandy, I'm watching SYC from the sidelines, but in your case I think you really should hold off using the bag till January. It will feel that much sweeter to use it then!

Khris... I think you stated from the beginning that you had some holes to fill. No problem.

Khris, you are completely within bounds. Hope you post an outfit with your new tunic! I bought something yesterday and decided to just do it. I needed underwear and decided that there was no way I was explaining why and putting it up to a public vote. There are limits! So I certainly wouldn't feel bad about filling a hole in your wardrobe when you'd already announced that.

I have decided against using the handbag until Jan. 1. Ultimately I would just feel guilty anyway and I had to agree with those who thought it was skirting the rules, although I appreciated the people who were trying to find a way for me to enjoy that handbag now

Another insight gleaned: Last night, I was reading new fall catalogs. Usually I would mark pages with things I might want to purchase. (Since Aug. 1, I have generally just been throwing catalogs out without even glancing inside the cover). But I looked, and after a few longing pangs, I decided to see which looks from the catalogs I could recreate from my own closet and was surprised that I found quite a few. (So, so grateful I bought that cream KC tunic at NAS because it allows me to do a lot of new looks). I ripped those pages out and stacked them in my closet.

underwear is completely legal in my book. no vote necessary.

Laura, you have my complete and utter admiration! I'm glad you made a decision you feel happy with...

I suspect this comes under the qualifier "you know your addicted to YLF when..." BUT I was driving home today wondering what you would decide AND it occured to me that giving you the bag before you paid was a gift....althought the bag itself isn't a gift...but offering you the use of it before you pay for it is. To me. FWIW

Keep up the fab work, SYCers.

Laura, will you post a link to your magazine article once it's published?

Yes, absolutely! The first story won't appear until Oct 1, though. We'll be (weary) veterans of SYC by then.

Do what your heart says,Laura.
Queenie,I like your thought about enjoying the things that we already have and replace things when needed.
I am also hanging in there.As I am losing the baby weight,not many clothes actually fit me right.I have more clothes kept aside for alterarions than the ones in my wardrobe.I have a feeling that I might fall off the wagon anytime but lets' see how far I can go with this.

Well girls, I'm very proud of you all still!!!

Laura I think you are doing the right thing... but I'm a rule follower and very much a goody-two shoes so the creative options just didn't work for me! And I think anytime you start to waver you can go and look at the gorgeous bag and know that its all worth it!

And despite thinking I was just going to be a side-line cheerer, I am going to actually join you girls for the month of September! (Well, Sept 2 onwards - I bought a scarf on Sep 1 before I decided!).

This month I'm taking part in a 30 Day Live a Better Life challenge (you can read about it on my blog if you are interested), and one of my tasks for September is to cut down on my spending - so joining you girls was the perfect way to start!

Also, seeing as the first ever Aussie YLF meet is happening in October in my states capital city, I'm more than happy to save as much shopping as possible for then!

Hopefully I can do just one month!

I'm definately having to stick to the SYC challenge Marley my cat needs a tooth out and a kitty teeth scale and polish and the bill could be around £250!!!!! so NO shopping for me for the next couple of months!!! x

Theresa, this is exciting! Glad to have you on board. And Louise, sorry about the kitty expenses. But glad it will keep you with us. Ruchi, the stage you are in makes it really hard not to shop - the body changes and the psychological pick me up as well.