Fountain pen resolutions for 2024

And other lies I tell myself

I’m a sucker for spreadsheets; been like that since 2014 aka since I entered the workforce way too late to brag but also way too early to feel ready (is anyone ever ready to devote 40h/week + commute of two hours on foot to a job?). Thanks to my obsession, I’ve been able to actually track my budget or, rather, expenditure for fountain pens, and I noticed the steep increase as of September 2023 (thanks, Orlando Pen show :rolls eyes:). My New Year resolution, then, will be: spend less.

But how does one even do that? With all these sales, promos, discount codes, affiliate links, and all them nice cash back rewards¹ that Capital One offers, how does one actually keep track and stays on course?

It’s simple. Not easy, of course; limiting oneself is never easy. But it is simple. Excel spreadsheet is your friend; once you put your pen purchases in perspective, you’ll quickly realize that some bad calls have been made, and there’s always room for improvement.

That is why, my friends, I have decided to do a “no buy January”. The exception is going to be my birthday (1/20, I turn 27 every year no exception, it’s been a thing for the past several years, I accept gifts aka fountain pens/subscriptions) and of course if there is a super amazing promo or…

No! I will be strong. And so should you. The thing is, overbuying pens — or anything, for that matter — leads to fatigue or oversaturation, and you end up not enjoying what you acquired. All of a sudden, you have too many pens and inks, and not enough time to enjoy and appreciate what you have. I’d know. I have 131 pens (well… maybe some more on the way), and that’s after selling off around ten in the past several months. As mentioned in one of my previous posts, there’s a difference between collecting and acquiring; one gets easily into pens, but then the wallet hurts, and you need to make a distinction between the two — and answer the big ol’ question of, are you a user, or simply a collector?

Tastes in pens change. Your tastes will also change. If you can afford the pen, I’m the last person who will tell you not to get it, but ask yourself, do you really need that specific one? Is it a novelty? Is it something you don’t have? Does it have a new filling system? Is it a new brand for you? Is it a new nib you’ve never had the chance to try? Will you be super sad if you don’t have it in your collection because it’s so incredibly cool and nothing like that has ever existed ever in the history of everything?

In that case, go for it. But if you’re getting the pen just because of FOMO, perhaps keep it in your cart for a week or a month. Chances are that you won’t want it in that time. And it’s not that the pen is bad; it’s that capitalism forces us to overspend out of fear we’ll miss out on something that’s a huge thing this month, but is also something everyone will forget the next time something nice and shiny pops up in your inbox.

I’ve noticed the worst offenders are sales. I am, of course, a subscriber to all the major retailers — Goulet Pens, Goldspot, Vanness, Pen Chalet, Cult Pens, Endless Pens, to name a few — and I kid you not, sometimes I get all of their emails on the same day. I am sure you’re also aware of how hard it is to stop piling stuff in the cart; doing that is the equivalent of going to the grocery store hungry and without a shopping list. Sure, you’ll get food… and a bunch of stuff you don’t need and will probably regret.

That’s why, my friends, I have decided to monitor my spending. No more buying things just because I want them. Make a list and prioritize. If I was able to locate my grail a few years ago at a great price and keep it in the cart until I reach my milestone, so can you.

Resolutions for No Buy January (and potentially February) are as follows:

1. Only buy a pen that is a limited edition and also fits one of these criteria: a) not easily accessible/one time offer, b) has a nib you don’t have.

2. If something extraordinary happens, you can treat yourself to a pen that fits the above criteria.

3. Keep the pen you want in the cart for at least two weeks before making the purchase.

It’s gonna be hard, I know it. But it’s necessary; I noticed a lot of my pens that I love are sitting in my pen cases and collecting dust as I don’t really manage to use them — I have so many pens that are great but don’t make my regular rotation.

By the way I also wanted to show you the pens I received as gifts and/or preorder from December (so it doesn’t count totally).

Pens that don’t count so I totally passed this challenge: Sailor 1911L (Ringless, Crab Nebula), Pilot Custom 742 (signature nib), Sailor x Plus PGS (First Snow), Sailor PGS (Moonlight over the Ocean), Pilot Custom 92.

Another idea that I wanted to propose would be to actually use a single pen for however it takes to use up the ink. Grab a pen, put all of your other pens aside, and just that one that you haven’t used in a while until you finish the cartridge/converter/whatever else fill you have. It will definitely make things more interesting.

Now, knowing me, that won’t happen. I have around 35 pens inked at the moment, so I can’t. But you should. Let me know how it worked out for you. I’ll just be in the corner, NOT putting any other pens in the cart.

And I also have to buy pens because what else do I write about? Sci-Fi? No one cares about that anymore. So, I will just sacrifice my wallet for the rest of you. You’re welcome.

Happy New Year, and may the odds of not buying pens be ever in your favor.

P. S. The content is still and will remain free, but if you’re so inclined, you can always support my work by pledges. I have goodies I’d like to share, and also, I would greatly appreciate it. I promise all donations will go towards pen purchases that totally follow the guidelines listed above.

1. Not me not having a credit card before I moved to the US and now, my friends, credit card money is free money basically.