One girl’s splurge is another’s necessity

“What I do understand is that I’m still a firm believer in spending whatever the hell you want — as long as you’re not bankrupting yourself or your future.”

This is quote from a post on “Stop Buying Crap” wherein the (male) author is trying to understand how anyone would pay more than $40—let alone $166—for a pair of jeans. I don't get it either but there are other women who can't live without their expensive denim. Clearly, we all have different priorities.

Let me say right now that I have no interest in keeping up with the Joneses.  If I did, I'd have a new car. Instead, my sensible Hyundai is going on 6 years old. If I was concerned with keeping up appearances, 50%+ of my wardrobe wouldn't be second-hand, with most of the rest having been purchased on clearance from Target. Heck, I'm a woman who makes her own laundry soap and washes her face with witch-hazel and oatmeal. However, even I have my frugality limits.

I readily admit that I won’t buy pineapples if they cost more than $2.99, but I don’t blink at spending $4 on a cupcake. I keep my thermostat at 58 degrees during winter nights to save a few cents, but I will shell out almost $4 for a half gallon of organic milk.  We all have different priorities. Maybe for you, it’s weekly manicures. Or quality chocolate. Or designer shoes. (There are ways to save on all of those things too.)

So you might think I’m nuts for taking the time to make my own laundry soap or clip coupons. I get that. Maybe you won’t want to implement all of the strategies I have. But consider what even a few minutes each week can mean. Say that each week you save $2. At the end of the year, you’d have saved $100. It’s not going to single-handedly fund your next vacation, but it’s $100 that you can use to buy a new coat, get a massage, pay down debt, add to your savings or donate to the cause of your choice. And if it’s that easy to save $100, think of what you could save if you devoted a little more time.