I normally don't like taking advice. I think this is pretty solid, though.

Yesterday morning a co-worker of mine was wearing a super rad sweater. I'm fairly picky about clothes - I have to really love it to even consider buying it - and this sweater was so perfect. It was one of those urban myth sweaters...you know, the ones that are professional enough to wear to work but also cute enough to wear out? The color would go with almost everything I have, not to mention put all of my summer tank tops to good use (whatever, you find this stuff totally interesting).

Having lusted after it all morning, I asked her where she had gotten it. She cited a store near where we work, and I immediately made a plan to go right after work to score one of my own. I was so exited about it that I even thought about going over my lunch break. "I'll just buy it and make up for it later," I thought to myself, as I planned out my purchase. "No one has to know about it. All they'll know is that I look super cute in my new fall sweater!"

And right here, kids, is an example of the brilliant logic that got me into this situation in the first place: "I want it, therefore I should have it. Now."

I'm only ten days into this venture and already I'm looking for ways to cheat? For a sweater that I can probably find at almost any other store carrying fall/winter trends. C'mon.

PS - I've decided that the Final Countdown is boring. It kind of helped in keeping me accountable in terms of how much I spend and what I spend it on, but it's also a real chore to have to pull out all of my receipts and list my expenses every day on here, etc. So unless there's a call to keep it, I'm scrapping it and will instead talk about the budget in the posts.