Monday, February 26, 2018

It's Not a NEED Just Because It Makes You Feel Good


Ms. DebtFree here with an individual spending update.  We try to keep our focus on generating positive vibes to our readers and social media followers, but we also like to toss in some harder truths now and then.

Lately I've been thinking about how often I justify my wasteful spending by saying "I need this" or "I deserve to reward myself because I met my student loan payment goal."  Blah, blah, blah.  This is purely bullshit that my brain generates to make me feel better about spending money on crap I don't need.

Come on brain, get it together!

We started this blog as a way to publicly journal our spending as I pay off SL debt and the Mr. pays off his mortgage and works towards early retirement.  So if this is my public journal, I can't lie to you guys (let alone lie to myself).

I waste money every month.  There.  I said it.

I'm not going to excuse it or pretend to feel bad about it because it is what it is.  It would be like when I pretend I don't know why I'm not losing weight faster when I known damn well how much I eat delicious food and how little I work out.

The hard truth is I love going out with my friends on food and movie dates and I enjoy getting my hair done.  I'm not spending money I don't have on these outings and so far it hasn't impacted my monthly loan payment goals.  These expenditures, however, are absolutely NOT a need.

To say I need to spend money to spend time with my friends would be a lie.  We know we can easily hang out at each other's homes and spend almost nothing.  We choose to go out because it makes us feel good.  But it is absolutely not necessary.

My point in writing this is to call myself out for being a little whiner about my loan payoff date.  Complaining about my spending and acting like I have no idea why I can't spend less money is laughable because it's right there on my Mint app.  Everyone prioritizes their budgets differently and that is OKAY!  I'm not here to judge what you guys like to spend money on unless it turns you into what Mr. Money Mustache calls a "complainypants."

If you have made peace with a slightly slower debt payoff date so you can spend a little extra on fun stuff then go for it.  Well, as long as you aren't increasing your debt to do so!

But guys, don't act like spending money on self-care is a need.  There are so many ways we can recharge and pamper ourselves without spending.  If we're going to spend money on wants then we have to own it and be honest.  I don't know about you, but I feel an overwhelming sense of guilt when I act like I'm spending $ on a need when it's just something to make me feel good.

Well, that's my take on my "I deserve this" spending and I'm sure this will resonate with at least one other person.  Have a good week guys!

Ms. DebtFree's Bullshit February 2018 Spending:


Victoria's Secret: $155.86
-sport's bra, regular bra, undies.  Bras were actually needed, but I easily could have gone to a cheaper place.  Instead I went the VS route because "it made me feel pampered"

*cue the eye roll*

Macy's: $29.41
-pajamas.  Yeah, not a need.  "it was such good deal" "it was on sale"

Where is that vomit emoji on here?

Hair: TBD because my appointment is tomorrow
-again, 100% not needed.

Lunch with a friend: $20
-it was delicious and it had bacon.  Enough said!

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