Achievable vs Sustainable

I have a personal philosophy concerning change. I have been thinking about it since recently a couple of my friends have embarked on life changing projects that are spectacular and dramatic. And so have we, with this savings project.

My philosophy came about few years ago, when the baker and I embarked on a weight loss program, let's call it WW. We did brilliantly and still maintain ourselves around the old landmines of Christmas, Easter, birthdays and such. But we worked hard. You had to do a lot of thinking and planning. You had to make some choices and changes that would be there forever. It wasn't a short term stint, we followed that program for more than 12 months.

To successfully complete the program, you do six weeks of 'maintenance', where you work out how to stop losing weight and live 'normally' again. About half way through our journey I found myself using this finishing point as a motivator. Like 'Ohh, I'm going to have butter on my toast again when I get to maintenance,' and 'Ohh, I'm going to have 60gms of cereal when I'm on maintenance,'. Then one day the leader suggested that I add up all those things that I was going to go back to eating on maintenance, and see if I could do those things while successfully maintaining my weight. I would not.

I had to look again at what I was doing everyday, the choices that I'd made that I wasn't intending on continuing with. And I had to think again about what I could do, as opposed to what I would do. My choices had to be achievable, and sustainable. I could live without buttered toast, but I wouldn't. I had to choose something else.

Thus my philosophy was born. Achievable vs sustainable. I find myself living this way again with our savings plan. We certainly do without many, many things, but what about later? What are we just going to go back to buying, having, using? And what are we using, having, buying now without even thinking about? Are we denying ourselves some things and mindlessly consuming others? The powdered milk episode is a perfect example. I can use it, I did use it for a few weeks, but now I don't. I don't like it. So I'm back buying regular milk and looking for alternative product substitutes.

I had to think about my philosophy as I shopped at our local, huge supermarket for the first time in months. I didn't have the time or energy to go to Aldi, so, list in hand, budget in wallet, I hit the shiny, tempting-product laden aisles of the megamarket.

I did well. Very few branded items, nothing other than what was on the list and within budget. I saw aisles and aisles of things we don't use or need, and I saw what I buy week in, week out. I realised that shopping at Aldi has re-trained me, and I know what we need. I also noticed that there's very few things I'm leaving out or missing on the weekly shop, which is good. A sign of sustainable changes.

I hope a burst of my philosophy helps my dear friends who are facing similar choices to reach their own goals. Can you see yourself doing this in a month, by Christmas, next year? Will you still be doing it then? Will you be able to? Check back. The end goal is a massive motivator, but if the way you're living now isn't a part of the end result, you will find yourself doing this over, and over again. Change is hard, change is challenging. The hardest part is to stop fooling yourself that you've made a change when you haven't.

To my more paranoid friends- the last paragraph is not directed at anyone specific. The 'you' isn't necessarily you, I could mean me, not you. You are all brilliant and I am ever supportive of all your endeavours.

a d&m about aldi

We went on a family excursion to Aldi yesterday. Our first visit to such an establishment, but most likely not our last. Although I wasn't that excited when I was there, it has left a lasting impression on me. Actually, it's been a bit of a revelation.

Yep, it's cheap. But that's not it.

I have said before, I hate shopping. Well, this includes supermarkets. I hate having to trawl up and down those huge, huge, life sucking places. It takes so long, even just to run in and get milk. The time and energy it takes to simply do the shopping is dire. Consequently, by trying to avoid it I spend too much, because I buy a months worth of groceries at once. Either that, or I end up doing over the budget by 'shopping' at the milkbar.

Then there's the amount of choice and the time it takes to work out the prices. The things that always get me are cheese and washing powder. In London, (it must be the law) there is the tag with the price and the cost per weight/piece/mls. It was brilliant. Here, I'm standing in front of the dairy cabinet trying to work out the price of ten different cheeses at 350gms, 750gms and 1kg. For crap cheddar. Forgetting there are other cheeses in the deli section as well! Argh. I makes me bonkers.

At Aldi I realised just what I need to buy at the supermarket. Basics are all I go shopping for, and it's all Aldi has. Not aisles of specialist ingredients, Asian, Mexican, ready-made, fresh frozen blah, blah, blah.. No endless rows of everything to fill the cupboard and blow the budget. Nope, just the basics, all in a space covering under an acre. Perfect.

Moreover, it's not just the basics, but the bare basics. No choice. Or not much. One brand and no branding. My first revelation- how much I am influenced by labels and packaging. When wrestling with price comparisons has drained my energy, I end up grabbing any product I like or have seen advertised. That's how brand identification happens. We are a Devondale/Surf/Weet Bix family. Without even thinking about it. And here emerges the larger issue. In my mind we are NOT a 'no-name' family. Buy why?

Early in life an image was planted in my mind of someone sweeping the factory floor and scooping that stuff into a no name yellow-and-black bag. My impression of home branded products is that they are the scraps off the end of the line. And I can't shake that image. Some of the products are not tip-top, like the watery, nasty baked beans, and the chocolate. It is worst grade. But things change, don't they? Well, this could be the test.

Currently I have an issue with nappies. I know that Aldi nappies are cheap and have had them recommended by many people, but I can't come at the idea of no name nappies. I know they they are not made from the sawdust and scratchy cotton leftover from other sanitary products, but I'm still reluctant to embrace the savings. Which are considerable. My earlier rabbitings about the Huggies sale tells you that I will pay up to 38c a nappy. Times 6-8 nappies a day times seven days times the number of days until MB is toilet trained. A lot. Aldi nappies come in at much less than this. It adds up quickly. So what is wrong with them? Or me?

Here I realised how indulged I actually am. Because I have a choice. I choose to shop and buy what I do. I think I'm being restrained but really, that's not the case. If I want to I can fill my trolley with anything that takes my fancy, whack it on the card and not think about it again. I can buy whatever I want. I choose not to, presently.

Undertaking this process and raising my own awareness, I now see people who don't have a choice. They have to think about everything the do, carefully, or live with consequences that can snowball. A life of 'need this but missed this bill so didn't pay that so couldn't pay this'....It's a way of life I fear, but not one I live with. I only ever had to drop off a luxury or two to get by. I worry about not being able to have what I want, when there are those who fear not being able to get what they need. Presently I am quite aware of what we need to live, and what is left over is, well, brilliant. Because we have something leftover after taking care of our needs. Using a cheaper nappy would give us more. So I think I'm going to get over it.

We shopped for most of our basics at Aldi and I spent under $50, even with impulse buys (gotta test the chocolate, don't we? I think it's a real Cherry Ripe in a different wrapper!). The milk is 60c cheaper than the cheapest I can by locally. Even factoring in the travelling- 8kms, not so convenient- it's worth the trip.

No way to know but to try.