Shinyitis Support Group

[redeuce]

I’ve come up with a new plan on vaping equipment. If I need it, buy it. If I want it, it’s in the budget and reasonably priced, buy it. If I want it, but I have to hide the transaction or lie about it, think twice. Lol.

 

[mattiem]

I bought batteries and cases for them last night. I actually needed them so I don't think I need an intervention for this purchase. After all, they are not really shiny

 

[stols001]

Batteries, juice and coils and necessary supplies for DIY juice and coils are exempt from this thread, I believe was the consensus.

Anna

 

[Jingles]

Ok, I went to brunch. I did stop in the vape store afterwards, but I only bought some cleaning wipes for my car windows and a package of premade coils for my new Ares tank. They threw in a free 15 ml. bottle of juice. Less than $20.00 out the door. I avoided all the shiny mods and tanks. I paid cash, so it wasn't added to my Discover card with all the other Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases. I think I didn't do too bad.

 

[Letitia]

I'm lucky, my local shops sell Smok for the younger crowd. No temptation, haven't been in one for months. Not bashing Smok, just not for me. The local shop in town where I work is better and carry an excellent variety of juice. I diy now, so not been there in a few weeks.

 

[tazzle]

About Vaping shinyitis, I'm being forced to curtail, because of new regulations in my country ... but while I could, I did stock up on a lot of stuff, so I'm not going to be without a tank, a mod, or juice. So, well, this shinyitis problem is mostly of out of my hands now. I can still buy some stuff, but it will be a lot more expensive, and a lot of things I would normally buy won't be available. So purchases will be very few and far between unless things change again.

But I wonder what I'll be filling that gap with, because I WILL, if history is any indication. For a long time I just spent money having fun, going out to eat, going out partying. That was a nice time. Then for a while, I was too poor to buy anything (not related to the first part; it was a change of location / opportunities problem). At that time even groceries for supper was not an infrequent challenge. (I bought a lot of dried beans. Not very shiny! )

Once the budget became more forgiving, I started buying DIY jewelry-making stuff. I had an idea I might sell some things, but I never did (I never even tried). But I bought a whole lot of shiny things, bit by bit. I still have a lot of that after making myself as much as I wanted and giving away more than anyone else wanted.

I just liked getting that stuff in the mail, really.

Then I got into essential oils etc for DIY perfume oils. AGAIN, I have way more than I ended up using, needing, or giving away. I don't really do anything with that anymore, but yeah, again, it was just fun to get it in the mail.

After that, I updated quite a lot of my kitchen stuff, buying decent pots and pans, a couple of high-end dutch ovens, a couple of deluxe multi-ply frying pans, and nice bakeware that wasn't shedding cheap teflon into my banana bread (&etc). That buying period is not something I regret, and I still happily and productively use it all. Win!

THEN came the vapetime. I spent so much of my vaping-instead-of-smoking time being worried that I wouldn't be able to acquire the things I wanted in the future that I spent a ton acquiring multiples of pretty much everything I liked, and still feeling worried. Now I'm in that future time I worried about, so I'm actually pretty glad that I overspent (I did honestly overspend), yet still kind of worried I didn't get enough of some stuff. Never mind, it is what it is. I'm happy to be pretty well stocked.

So, but now what am I going to do? I can't start being a wine connoisseur because I really need to be drinking less, not more ... plus we don't have storage space. I already buy too many books, and I've stopped with a lot of games, because I feel time just running through the hourglass with those.

Maybe I could just cowgirl up and get over my apparent addiction to getting fun things in the mail! [Narrator: She won't]

 

[stols001]

tazzle... This thread is for you... I'm picturing you on intervention .

Maybe we could all band together and just send you stuff in the mail? I have spent much of today with the husband unpacking and cleaning our entire house (but, it's coffee time, thank GOD). Mainly, my mom is coming, and we felt bad about her thinking we are living out of boxes, but now we are NOT, and the house looks GREAT Except the master bedroom which comes after coffee.... But TONS of stuff I will be donating to goodwill.... All you pay is postage, and it will be an "exciting" surprise.

I am glad you are secure in your vape gear however. I feel similarly at this point, nothing is required.

I do, however, enjoy spending my disposable income, but at the moment, I'm really trying to SAVE it. Christmas, etc.

Welcome to the thread!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anna

 

[Obi Wan Vapori]

@tazzle I can relate to the: "At that time even groceries for supper was not an infrequent challenge. (I bought a lot of dried beans. Not very shiny! )" Was a time (for months) years ago when I lived on spaghetti, hot dogs and vitamin pills. A hamburger was a luxury.

 

[tazzle]

Ah, stols001 you are such a sweetheart! ♥ However, probably not a good idea, since stuff from US is examined with a fine-tooth comb here, and customs would find a way to make us pay for the least expensive item! (A friend sent us a pile of t-shirts from a goodwill -- because of funny graphics on the Ts, like Teletubbies, etc -- and we had to pay 50 euros to get the package handed over, though she spent only around $5 on the Tshirts. Just one of a few bad experiences.)

But I hug you, sweetie!

Obi Wan Vapori, yes, fist-bump! It's good for one's soul / character / growth / empathy to have this experience and knowledge, I think. It's also really, really, really good to get past it, if one is lucky enough. {hug}

 

[mattiem]

@tazzle I can relate to the: "At that time even groceries for supper was not an infrequent challenge. (I bought a lot of dried beans. Not very shiny! )" Was a time (for months) years ago when I lived on spaghetti, hot dogs and vitamin pills. A hamburger was a luxury.

I think most of us have found ourselves in that position at some point in our lives. It used to be if we wanted a big ticket item (washer, dryer, etc) we would just save until we had enough put back and do without other things. Back then (and still kinda like that today) we wouldn't go into debt for anything. We just saved until we could pay cash. To this day we still put back a dime for every dollar that comes in. Younger folks would be surprised at how easy it is to do and how quickly it adds up. One just has to put it back and forget about it. It is too easy to spend if one thinks about it.

At this point in our lives we could buy pretty much what ever we want within reason but we still try to keep within our budget. Occasionally we splurge. I just purchased 2 Provari's (one new and one used) but both were at a very reasonable price so didn't stretch our budget to far out of balance. Saving for a rainy day sure has helped us out during the lean times.

Giving up the smokes made sticking to the budget easier. Even my shinyitis over the past 6 years hasn't cost as much per year as those smokes I burnt up during 45 years of smoking. Vaping CAN be a lot less expensive if one can control their shinyitis Sometimes much easier said than done though

 

[Obi Wan Vapori]

@mattiem Oh, I am still that way. Save for everything. Got rid of all my credit cards twenty five years ago and never regretted it. If I buy something online I just go get a gift card for the exact amount. Don't have to worry about anyone hacking my CC number either.

 

[stols001]

I've been richer and I've been poorer... Much poorer. I have found that my attitude really determines how I'm going to manage whatever situation.... But I feel rich in the fact that I'm alive, I have a happy family with a GROWN UP son, who is surprisingly rational (if you met his bio dad, you would understand my fear there, LOL, I used to pray the kid got the ex's looks and my brains) but in fact he kinda got the best features from both of us, and his OWN brain, LOL. Family, friends, and my health returning to me.... I'm happier than when our household was earning about $150K, honestly.

I've also found that when I just keep my Creator in mind, I have more than I need (usually) and certainly EVERYTHING I've needed has occurred. So, I don't worry as much these days regardless of the situation... I feel rich in life now, not so much possessions.

I think I can beat shinyitis I did it with SHOES, LOL. It was hard, and when I actually REQUIRED some dansko clogs for being on the go all day and on my feet, it took me a few months to BREAK through my "no shoes ever" rule.

Anna

 

[Letitia]

@tazzle You could use up the oils making candles. Use shiny jewels to bling up a mod or tank or get some cheap small picture frames and bling them out. For the fun mail I have no ideas except supplies for a new hobby.

 

[Obi Wan Vapori]

@Letitia When you mentioned "fun mail" made me think of pen pals. GOD, really showing my age there.

 

[the wind]

I thing i'm over my shinnytist unless that includes 18650's?

 

[tazzle]

Letitia, ooh, candle idea is good! Maybe I could put some of the jewelry stuff there, too ... remember "treasure candles" or whatever they were called? Of course, by the time I burned down the candle, I would still have the beads/jewelry bits again ... but maybe I could just make them and leave them around on my walks for people to discover. hmmm.

 

[stols001]

Pen pals were the greatest... especially from overseas. I miss that aspect of the mail these days, honestly. Even cards now-- the e-card. But yes, there is something lovely about getting things in the mail besides bills and solicitations.... It is this kind of weird, exciting feeling....

All replacable and needed vaping supplies are exempt from this thread

LOL, we need a rulebook now. (And you're welcome to whoever said I wrote a manifesto... Sweet! Although it needs more rules, those were just the steps to recovery, LOL.

I am thinking of writing a REAL one. Ya'll don't have to read it, I promise, but I am a manifesto geek, I LOVE them....

Anna

 

[stols001]

Random gifts of found jewelry is bound to improve your life, Tazzle, and for the people who FIND them.... Although selling them isn't a bad idea either.

Anna

 

[Letitia]

@Letitia When you mentioned "fun mail" made me think of pen pals. GOD, really showing my age there.

Used to have a few of those. Back then it was expensive to talk on phone. Miss letters to look forward to.

 

[Obi Wan Vapori]

@Letitia "Back then it was expensive to talk on phone." Party lines, you could talk to the other two people on the line for free. Each person on the line had a different number of rings.

I gotta stop reading you posts.