Underbuying

As I mentioned before, I just finished reading Happier At Home, by Gretchen Rubin.  It's a sequel to The Happiness Project that I read a few years ago, and also enjoyed.  It's actually the reason I started this blog.  One of the things she talks about in this book is the way people shop.  There are underbuyers, who always buy just enough of what they need and are always frustrated because they don't always have what the need when they need it and overbuyers, who buy too much and end up with lots of things they don't need.  I am an underbuyer.  An extreme underbuyer.  I'm so glad I've learned this about myself.  It's helping me to change.  I wear clothes with holes, I am constantly doing laundry so I don't run out of pants. (Perfect example, after Ellie was born and I lost a lot of weight, I owned one pair of pants.  Not one pair of good pants, one pair of pants.  Including pajama pants.  Underbuyer.) 
The other thing that is helping me not be an underbuyer is my new favorite site vine.com.  I just got my first two shipments from Vine and the other familyhood of sites.  I LOVE IT!  I can grab the ipad or run to the computer when I'm thinking about something I need, add it to my shopping cart and when I reach $50 (free shipping) I order.  I bought dog food, kitty litter, rat food and bedding, vitamins for me and the kids, pacifiers, contact solution and a Bumbo and it all arrived in two days.  I will say that the packaging isn't so green, lots of bubble wrap, but what's the alternative?  I love that I can check Vine first, see if there's a green options that will work for me, if not I know I can find it at one of the other familyhood sites.  The goal of $50 for free shipping helps with my underbuying too.  I now will opt for the two-pack instead of just getting the single box of trash bags what will be gone in a weekend after Evan does leaves. 
I'm also trying to look at things with fresh eyes.  Instead of seeing my green tee, I now look closer and realize it's really in pretty bad shape.  The rubber is coming off my shoes, that pair of underwear has seen better days.  I need to rethink about needs and wants.  I usually dismissed my needs (new shoes, TWO pairs of pants, shirts without holes) as wants.  But  I need to look at things a little differently.  I'm not going to buy 5 new pairs of shoes, just one that I can wear with jeans and also to the YMCA that won't hurt my toes because I bought the wrong size.  Now that I realize I'm an underbuyer, it's a little easier to force myself to actually buy a little more because I know that I'm not really overbuying, I'm just adding more than I normally would to reach the correct balance.