Does anyone feel guilty about spending these days?

[elle]

Buy your jeans Harriet - esp if they''re on sale and they''re a great fit! Outlets have great deals these days - I found signature bootleg Hudsons for $79 at TJMaxx vs $176 on Shopbop.

I''m more cautious and am holding off on big ticket purchases - no new bags this season, and cutting back on small luxuries - like manicures, massages, blowouts etc but if the item is needed and if replacement is due, I say go for it.

Dh says we''re sound and to quit worrying but the little ol'' chinese woman inside is still pretty uneasy after hearing about the people who have lost or are losing their jobs/life-savings/college funds etc coupled with the fact that our net worth is a miniscule fraction of what it used to be too.

 

[Elmorton]

There are no realistic big ticket purchase items on my wishlist or DH''s, so I guess there''s nothing to feel truly guilty about. But when I do a little shopping or buy something small for fun, no, I don''t feel guilty then, either. I figure if we all stop consuming completely we''re not doing anything good for the economy''s recovery.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Not me. Guilt is the heartburn of life, and I refuse to have heartburn.

 

[JSM]

Do I feel guilty? Not really, because I''m not really spending on much anyway. I''m saving madly for my elopement/wedding in 5 weeks (OMG!), but for that we are only spending less than 2.5k anyway, which is way less than what it could have been, so I''m actually quite proud!

I felt really horribly guilty when I did my wedding registry, though. I definitely put less expensive things on there than I would have a year ago.

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 2/22/2009 3:04:25 PM
Author: MC

Date: 2/22/2009 12:10:42 AM

I am so guilty of this . . .

Penn - Part of the reason I won''t spend very much on kids'' clothes is because I have grease/stain issues. It''s an OCD trait where I will chase my boys around the house with hand wipes to be sure there isn''t even a tiny stain on their clothes. If anything gets on their clothes, I toss the items! lol My husband says I have a ''problem!''


Are you planning for more kids? I thought you posted something before??? If so, than ''investing'' in a few nicer clothing items for kids makes sense since often items can be handed down. I''m not a huge fan of ''hand-me-downs'' as my younger son''s main wardrobe, so as ridiculous as this is, I buy my younger all new clothes, plus he has his brother''s shirts, and his dresser is about ready to explode! Sometimes the drawers won''t close! lol

Wow, that is some major OCD. I''ve never considered throwing out anything. I would hope the twins take after me and are into clothes, but that is probably a pipe dream.

I apologize if I''m thread jacking, but yes, we are planning more kids, but I don''t know if we''re going to have babies again. I think we''re leaning towards adoption the second time around. We''re not one of those couples that will only adopt if they are able to get an infant. We were actually going to adopt the first time, but one of the big issues was my age. Apparently, 23 is too young. And since we''re talking about spending, surrogacy breaks the bank. We can afford it, and we wanted the genetic link, but we would feel just as blessed to adopt a child or two that need a loving home.

 

[Hera]

I have been super spendy lately. I finally finished school and I have a part time job. My husband (whose in the military) and I bought a house so I''m enjoying my new house sooo much! I had to move on even though I had an oceanfront apartment on the beach. The apartment had no central heat (which wasn''t super important in San Diego) but I would get coooold.

I have this terrible habit of nesting in the wintertime and I start decorating and cooking comfort foods. I just bought a rug from Pottery Barn and got a great deal ($200 for 8x10 size). I am trying to resist every fiber of my being from buying designer chairs because I already have a set.

I would be lying if I admitted that I didn''t feel guilty about what I am spending money on. I mean, buying luxury furniture isn''t a necessity. There''s other things maybe this money could go to, right? There''s never enough retirement, savings, college funds for unborn children, impoverished children in third World Countries. I know there are breakdowns and percentages and I abide by those, but it does make me think if I''m doing enough.

 

[geckodani]

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!

Hee hee - that''s whay DH and I keep telling ourselves as we buy stuff for the new apartment.

 

[Catmom]

No, we don''t feel guilty. We live well within our means and would never purchase something we can''t afford. Besides if everyone stopped purchasing think of what would happen then!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I work very hard, and I made decent money...my DH and I are totally fine right now and I feel like since we''re actually able to spend, we should.

I think if our situation were different, if one of us was on the fence with work...or we were at risk in some other way, I''d stop spending money in a heartbeat. But seeing as how we''re stable, I think not spending would be a disservice to what America is trying to do right now which is breaking fear and reenergizing the economy.

So maybe my little petty spending doesn''t change the world...but I can do it, so I do.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

No I am spending and saving the same as I did before this all happened. My job is safe, so holding back based on other peoples situations will not help the economy in my opinion.

ETA: My BF's job is not safe, and I might be moving somewhere where he will have trouble finding a job if he decides to come out. So expenses that involve both of us (ie travel) we are cutting back on.

 

[Tuckins1]

No, not really. But, DH and I have always been pretty careful spenders anyways, so we don''t typically make a lot of big purchases....

 

[that_someone_special]

There were a few months that were really tight for BF and I. We figured out the bills and then came into some money that paid off CC''s, bills etc.

Now with the money we got in dec and tax money I''m ready to spend! haha. Actually I''ve been spending his money a lot lately. I''ve been trying to keep it in check and buy things we need and a few things we WANT (ahm, new tvs and xbox360 and diamonds!) haha. But we''re actually pretty frugal and I''m obsessed with getting deals. I hate paying full price on anything.

Do I feel guilty? A little. When we do buy things for the house or a diamond I think about "hmm that''s x amount of weeks for food.. or that couldve gone towards these other bills." But, then I remind myself that it''s ok to treat ourselves. He works his butt off and I do a lot for him (sometimes I feel like a non-paid assitant) hehe. And, there is no tomorrow if I die today. hahaha that''s my new motto