I have to agree. It doesn't take much talent or creativity to run a machine or use special materials to do your crafts for you. I'm not being critical of you Margerie, just a general comment. I have absolutely no artistic talent, for example, yet even I can make cool stuff using some of the kits available. But the real beautiful stuff comes from doing things from scratch.

My wife does a few "crafty" like things. But she can do for practically nothing what many people spend big bucks on. Anything you find at Michael's you can find at Walmart, thrift stores, or flea markets for 1/10th the cost. Sometimes, depending on where you live you can even collect stuff out in nature, although that is probably less likely for quilting. There are also very few tools you should need and you probably already have those.

Can you make your own yarn and do everything as traditionally as possible? Think what that would do for your tips! You might even be able to sell your work on ebay or something if it is completely handmade.

Honestly, even aside from the issue of saving money, it is a lot more impressive to me when people do everything from scratch.

It can sometimes be helpful for people to see just how many financial responsibilities they will have in the future to put everything in perspective. This may or may not help but when I meet with clients during financial planning sessions many of them have never thought about what their kids would do without life insurance if they passed away, how much medical care could cost for themselves or even your cats and dogs! ( I am an animal lover) The fact that people will continue to live longer and longer and earnings potential goes down over time. Heck, go to a retirement calculator website and input your information, when you see how much you need for retirement compared to what you have saved that is as much of a scared straight approach with your finances as you can find. Also, with over 15% REAL Unemployment don't expect to keep your job forever either.

You can follow my blog here: http://financeinlife.blogspot.com/2012/ ... -time.html

Focus on debt. Get in touch with nature.

When you feel like spending money, spend it on paying down your debts. That way you can get the pleasure of "spending" money but it goes to your goal.

Second, try going outside, outside of the city that is, where you can see plants and animals and stars at night. Read Walden. Watch nature/space documentaries. Realize this is an amazing world you live in and the consumer "stuff" will start to seem less important.

we all want, we all need, some people advise that you determine your priority and establish if this is a want or a need.
I think it goes deeper than that. I am personally on a mission to change the foundation, which is my belief, I am changing my beliefs from those of;
-lack of
-don't deserve
-low self esteem
-unhealthy
and changing those to beliefs of- I deserve abundance, my body can heal itself and that I am a healthy person and that my body is able to fix any imbalances.
I have experience a variety of successes over my lifetime in business, jobs, acquiring most material possessions that i have ever wanted, but i always managed to destroy it through beliefs i wasn't even aware i had, so i end sabotaging my success which i mention in another post.
If you can admit that there is a problem and that you want to do something, you are already on your road to improvement, you are headed in that direction.
Finding the right help is the next solution...
Check on youtube for a video by Bruce Lipton or Greg Braden, check out a method called Pysch-K from the originator Rob Williams. That will point you in the right direction.

I really love the answers so far. But one habit that has REALLY helped in recent years is what I call "active gratitude."

We have SO MUCH in comparison to others in this world, this country, this planet. So I find that if I verbalize my gratitude for what I DO have, it's less urgent to want what I DON'T have.

I also think the advice to volunteer at a shelter for the holidays was EXCELLENT advice. Nothing makes your life look so blessed as to observe others who are less so.

Well this is a really specific idea, but it could work for you.

I started a cheap hobby of making things out of old t-shirts. I ask friends and the bf periodically for old t-shirts. I also go through the shirts at the thrift store about once a month during a bag sale. I have a book called Generation T and its sequel. I made the BEST yoga pants out of a big, comfy t!

I'd been on a REALLY tight budget the last several months and one day I was wanting a hanging plant. Believe it or not, I couldn't afford it ($14), so I went to my book and found instructions for making a plant hanger. I bought a plastic pot from the dollar store and cut notches around the edge for my hanger ropes. I then spent the entire evening making the plant hanger out of 2 old t-shirts. I was really proud of it and everyone compliments it when they come to my house. It was another month or so before I bought a little plant on clearance to put in it.

I recently decided I'd like a toilet seat cover. Yep! I'm gonna make one. I decided I needed the perfect shirt for it and found one at the thrift store with a picture of a squirrel with a stick that says "Protect Your Nuts". Classy, I know.

I think the reason this works is that I'm not telling myself "no". I'm getting the things I want; I've just found an enjoyable way of delaying the gratification. Of course, there are things I can't make, but my hobby has jump-started a certain creative part of my mind that seeks out creative solutions and alternatives.

Maybe you can find some way to enjoy delaying gratification.