I've been working at getting into that very frugal, instead of mostly frugal, headset.

Today I went to the Canned Foods Outlet (a friend calls it the Used Food Store) and I almost felt guilty, like it was cheating to buy groceries 2/27 before starting the challenge 3/1. Then I realized, it would be sillier to avoid doing a regular shopping run. I bought what I would normally buy, without regard to stockpiling during my lean months.

It's funny, I just posted about buying $80 shoes (that I don't regret-Dansko's-love them) but other items I am so price sensitive. I was upset the Canned Foods store had no conditioner under $1.99, even though the $1.99 was a big bottle. I searched long and hard for 99 cent antiperspirant. I "splurged" on a fifty cent asian pear, because I've been trying to be less stingy about fresh fruits and vegetables.

However, it's not too contradictory-I get really good value from my Dansko's, and I am totally brand insensitive to conditioner (which I don't even use every wash) that I might as well save on conditioner to have money for shoes.

Spending money on my priorities-huh, not contradictory at all.