Frozen Assets

Several years ago, I either invented or read a great idea to curb credit card spending. Throughout the years, as I struggle to budget or at least stick to a budget and try to save I keep coming back to the idea of frozen assets. The original idea was a literal one. Find a Tupperware container, fill it with water, throw in the credit cards you would like not to use on a regular basis and stick it in your freezer. Originally, I used a quart sized cylinder. The result was a magnificent tube of ice, credit cards suspended inside. As the ice crystallized, the numbers were challenging to read. When the weekends rolled around and I felt tempted to spend out of boredom or entitlement, I was forced to actually think about each purchase. In order to use the cards, I would have to wait for my ice to melt and for my assets to be released. Most times, the prospect of literally waiting for ice to melt was enough of a barrier that I found something else to do. In my super 30 year old sophistication, I am able to control spending in less literal methods, you know, like just using good old-fashioned self-control. This is what I am doing now.
However, blogging about what I would buy if I could buy things also really helps the fashion urges.
Here is what I would get if I were not freezing my spending right now:
1) A dress for my brother-in-laws wedding
a) I LOVE this one shoulder Phillip Lim dress from neiman marcus online. The lipsticky fuschia color would be super flattering and I love the ruffle on the one shoulder look, it softens it and takes away any Pebbles look to it.

b) I also really like this mint navy blue dress from shopbop. I am super attracted to rosettes, ruffles, and ombre right now - all of the pretty little embellishments that there is so much of right now.