I'm the stingiest person I know besides my husband. I'm always amazed at the amount of money people think it's normal to spend. The worst is those Mastercard commercials. $6000 engagement ring? Please. $96 for peep toe pumps? I agonized for days last month over a $13 pair of Walmart sandals, and that chick bought shoes to match her toenail polish? Good lord.
Incidentally, this is one of the reasons I'm a fan of the Fair Tax. Our family would come out waaay ahead if we only got taxed when we spent money!
Last weekend at the Milblogs Conference I nearly had conniption fits spending money. We simply don't do it around here. Popcorn and cokes at the movies? Forget about it. A taxi? Get real. A hotel with a flat screen TV? Gulp. I wonder if CaliValleyGirl noticed the pain on my face as I bought $6 beers. That buys a case of beer around here.
So what I did Thursday is mighty out-of-character for ol' Sarah. But I did it anyway. Money is just money, right? There are times when it should be saved and times when it should be spent. So I spent. I bought a plane ticket to Hawaii for the event of the year, my blog friend's wedding.
She's worth it.
I'm glad you decided to go. You will have a blast!
Posted by: Jennifer at May 12, 2007 08:06 PMI hear ya. I don't understand the way some folks spend money either. I spend money, but in other ways. I have a hard time spending money on myself. Every time I go shopping, intending to spend money on myself, I end up buying something for my kids and/or husband instead. Can't help it.
I'm glad you decided to go to your friend's wedding. Have a great time!
Posted by: Robin at May 12, 2007 10:37 PMSuper special occasions for super special friends are worth spending the money on. Have a great time.
Posted by: Butterfly Wife at May 12, 2007 11:31 PMAnother stingy twenty-something! Yay! I've always been a saver (that's what I prefer to call it). My dad was (and still is) a cheapskate and it rubbed off. I got my first and only pedicure last year with one of my friends and after I found out that it was going to cost $30, the only thing I could think about was how many groceries that could buy. :)
Posted by: Nicole at May 13, 2007 12:00 AMI too am a supporter of the Fair Tax. It sounds too good and therefore, doesn't have a chance in hell of making it into law.
I don't have to be stingy because my husand (he's a CPA) has all the stinginess in our family. I always tell him, it's MY job to spend money. HIS job is to earn it. (BTW I'd worked 25 years before getting to quit my 2nd "day" job and be a stay at home mom.)
Posted by: DebbieKinIL at May 16, 2007 11:28 AMHey there! It was nice to meet you in DC. I hear you on the spending thing. Fortunately for me, I'm a cross between my mom and dad - I cut costs and pinch pennies as a rule, but am quite comfortable breaking the "rule" when it seems right. I break the rule a lot when I'm shopping for care packages ;-)
Angel Lisa-in-DC
Posted by: Lisa in DC at May 17, 2007 10:31 PM