Does anyone feel guilty about spending these days?

[Harriet]

From September till a few weeks ago, I just couldn''t bring myself to spend, even though we''re fine. I''m not referring to big ticket items either. I''m sorely in need of new jeans, but haven''t bought any. Does anyone else feel the same way?

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Kind of, yeah. Mostly because now that both my kids are both in school, I'm not technically working during the day and am not bringing in any money. DH and I always planned that I'd be a SAHM, and during that time, my kids kept busy enough that buying stuff was part of my "pay," and I could justify it.

A few weeks back, I purchased a new pair of 7s jeans, but that was my first purchase since summer. In the fall, I did spent quite a bit on kids' clothes (it's amazing/scary how quickly costs add up to dress two kids), but that is different than buying me stuff!

I'm suppose to be starting a job soon. It's a bit in limbo right now. Frustrating. When I do start it, I'm going to put all of my income into savings.

ETA - you work FT though, and are comfortable, right? Why not buy a pair of jeans? My view is that a new pair MUST be purchased every six months!

 

[Fleur_de_Lis]

Honestly, not at all.

 

[Harriet]

MC,
Like you, I wear 7s, which aren't exactly cheap. I grew up in modest circumstances, and have always been a tightwad (e.g. I shop mostly at sales). It's my hubby who's taught me to relax a little and enjoy life. I'm not working anymore. I quit last year because the lifestyle was ruining my health. It wasn't a choice I wanted to make.
P.S. I hope your job situation gets resolved soon!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Thanks. The pair I bought were $158. . . not the most expensive of their styles. Recently Nordstrom Rack had a bunch for $99 a pair! Unfortunely none of them fit right.

 

[steph72276]

Yes! I bought a few things last weekend and that was the first clothes purchase for myself since March of last year!! I am a SAHM and my hubby works in the auto industry. Although his company is doing pretty well, there is still the fear of layoffs. We have an emergency fund that we are adding too just in case, so I would rather it all go to that than on things for myself until the economy gets a little less shaky.

 

[Steel]

Yes.

For example I just saw a beautiful LV - and cheap too! DH said I should buy it for my birthday but I don''t think I even want a birthday present

. Not when we have yet to save to complete building our house.

I have cut out all my luxury products and changed my supermarket to save money on necessaries. So I am certainly not going to spend € on luxuries.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

B/C of the economy you mean? In that case, not any more than usual. I have always perused fliers and shopped sales but we need or want something I just buy it. Guilt is a useless emotion!

cheers--Sharon

 

[puffy]

i am BAD, i have actually been spending more than usual, on myself, on DS, DH, and on the house.
i am a SAHM so DH and i are comfortable with me spending ''X'' amount of money on things. but all this spending is AFTER all the bills are paid and after we have saved some money in our savings and some for DS''s account as well.

 

[Rhea]

Because of the economy? No. We''ve never been big spenders and we''re in our early 20s, a time in people''s lives when they seem to acquire things. We are careful about spending but always have been. We are buying more house items, but I think that''s down to where we are in our lives. We finally have a flat big enough to have company over!

 

[purrfectpear]

Nope.

Guilt isn''t really part of my life

 

[miraclesrule]

I feel the same way. I don''t feel like spending money on anything, especially clothes, which I need in a really big way.

I feel that way even though I am fairly secure. I am even considering canceling a trip to D.C in March. I think things are going to get worse before they get better. Unfortunately.

I am glad I upgraded my cable and finally am truly in the digital age. I don''t know how I ever lived without DVR. I am offically an Ellen Degeneres junkie.

 

[snowflakeluvr]

i don''t feel guilty about spending on the house, kids, groceries but yes i have definitely been more conscious of spending. dh works for one of the "big 3" and we recently moved for this position-lots of $$$ promises which have quickly faded into the abyss. he is actually taking a pay cut this spring, so with 5 children(2 in college, one in diapers) i am starting to stockpile things like soap, toothpaste, tp, etc. it''s difficult to put things aside in a big way though with a large family. i am itching for a new watch but will have to wait awhile. i did get to spend a great deal initially on new furnishings, window treatments for the new house and i have one more chair on order so i have that to look forward to receiving.
buy yourself the jeans-you deserve it. if i had a great bod and could wear the $$$ ones many have mentioned, i''d certainly help the economy by a purchase or two... i used to think that if you left the house, you''d spend money, but now with internet shopping, which i find very convenient, well, one has to resist temptation even at home!

 

[DiamanteBlu]

No. Not me, in any case.

 

[Harriet]

Yes, because of the economy.

Sharon, Purr,
Any tips for ridding oneself of guilt? I''m afraid my mother exercised it on me when I was growing up.

 

[elle_chris]

Not guilty but being very careful.
My hubby works for a bank on Wall. It''s a german bank and they didn''t get a bailout here or in Germany. But a few weeks ago we attended his boss'' birthday party. During dinner his boss gave a speech. He kept going on and on about the economy, how it was only going to get worse, etc etc. We felt like we were at the last supper.
Hopefully DH will still have a job next year but who knows. So we decided no unecessary spending as living on my salary alone in nyc would be pretty rough.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

If you have the money to spend you should feel good not guilty about spending it. By you spending money you are *helping* the economy. I say buy those jeans!

 

[purrfectpear]

Date: 2/21/2009 8:17:29 PM
Author: Harriet
Yes, because of the economy.

Sharon, Purr,
Any tips for ridding oneself of guilt? I''m afraid my mother exercised it on me when I was growing up.

That''s because you''re a good girl

I, on the other hand, live by the motto "I''m #1" (easier to get by with when you''re single and the kid is grown).

That''s OK, the world probably needs more people like you and less like me

 

[Harriet]

Date: 2/21/2009 8:55:19 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
If you have the money to spend you should feel good not guilty about spending it. By you spending money you are *helping* the economy. I say buy those jeans!

Good reasoning!

 

[Harriet]

Date: 2/21/2009 9:11:45 PM
Author: purrfectpear

Date: 2/21/2009 8:17:29 PM
Author: Harriet
Yes, because of the economy.

Sharon, Purr,
Any tips for ridding oneself of guilt? I''m afraid my mother exercised it on me when I was growing up.

That''s because you''re a good girl

I, on the other hand, live by the motto ''I''m #1'' (easier to get by with when you''re single and the kid is grown).

That''s OK, the world probably needs more people like you and less like me

Aw, shucks. Thanks.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 2/21/2009 9:23:35 PM
Author: Harriet

Date: 2/21/2009 8:55:19 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

If you have the money to spend you should feel good not guilty about spending it. By you spending money you are *helping* the economy. I say buy those jeans!

Good reasoning!

I am well known for my enabling skills. Just think you might be SAVING a job by buying those jeans

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Yes, and no. Yes in that I feel bad for wasting money on anything unnecessary and I am making sure we eat food we buy, etc. However, I feel like spending is also a good thing (as long as you are saving and have the $$) because it''s putting at least some money into businesses that need it.

 

[TravelingGal]

No, simply because I am not a crazy spender.

 

[marcy]

I am a yes and no on this too. We generally buy what we want within reason but springtime is always tough for us. We have to pay for our car and truck plates (the state where we live makes you pay % of the car value so combined they are about $1000), we have to pay Federal taxes, my DH had a procedure on his back that won''t meet our deductible so we''ll pay for all of that and I am getting a gold crown that I will have to pay 50%. We honestly don''t need any clothes so I have really cut back on buying new clothes; I only buy things I really love and that is on sale. We are taking our lunch instead of eating fast food - more because we are sick of fast food but that does save money. I think we are being somewhat cautious because but we do try to do our share and help the economy.

 

[Kaleigh]

I guess it''s a high class problem for anyone to be immune to what is going on. I am not there, and am saving every penny. I don''t know what lies ahead. I for one am scared. So yes I would feel guilty about spending right now... We can darn well make due with what we have and then some. Plus I have another going to college next year. That will make 2 in college. Yikes!!!

 

[Cind11]

I haven't felt guilty lately because I have cut back on my spending. I used to have rather a bad clothes buying habit but have been trying to be really good; Twenty one people were laid off at my DH's company which was rather scary. So, I have been curtailing myself, but it's been hard. Fortunately, I am not like the character in Confessions of a Shopaholic, I am able to stop. Ha Ha.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 2/21/2009 6:13:24 PM
Author: MC
Thanks. The pair I bought were $158. . . not the most expensive of their styles. Recently Nordstrom Rack had a bunch for $99 a pair! Unfortunely none of them fit right.

$158 bucks for a pair of jeans? guess i''m too old. i don''t know these expensive brand names.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 2/21/2009 10:12:09 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 2/21/2009 6:13:24 PM
Author: MC
Thanks. The pair I bought were $158. . . not the most expensive of their styles. Recently Nordstrom Rack had a bunch for $99 a pair! Unfortunely none of them fit right.

$158 bucks for a pair of jeans? guess i''m too old. i don''t know these expensive brand names.

DF, you don''t even want to know how much you can spend on garbage for babies these days. My friend just bought her 15 month old a $100 cotton long sleeved shirt. It was cute, and she rarely spends money on herself (and makes good money) but it still is a lot of money to spend on something a kid is only going to wear a couple of times.

 

[Dancing Fire]

nope, i don''t feel guilty. if i like it and have the money, i''ll buy it. can''t take it with you. the older chinese generation just save,save,save and don''t spend a dime in their whole life.

when they go belly up, the kids will do all the spending for them. dinner time!!

 

[grapegravity]

nope, I don''t feel guilty... what''s the point of living if I can''t purchase the things that I like?