Monday, December 18, 2006

Spending frenzy

Why is it that when you're running dangerously low on money, you spend more?

What? Just me? Oh.

Paul and I had a rare Sunday afternoon to ourselves, so we decided to go out to lunch (and holy calamari, was it good). This makes perfect sense, because we had just had a long talk the day before about how we need to cut back on the daily nonessentials: the People magazines, the Starbucks venti lattes, and all of the other $4-$5 purchases that we can certainly do without. (Thank God the National Enquirer is less than $4. How else would I be kept abreast of the status of Britney's barn door or the size of J-Lo's badonkadonk?). So, since fancy coffee was out of the question, we opted for lunch and drinks instead. Because that's certainly not $4-$5. It's more like $40-$50. So that's okay. According to our new rule. (You see, when we put our minds to it, we have a great deal of willpower and stick to our resolutions. In fact, for the new year, we're resolving to talk nicely to each other at all times. I'm working on how to say "I hope you choke on your ziti" with a loving smile and goo-goo eyes.)

We weren't hungry yet for lunch, so we decided to pop into a store or two to see if we could pick up a couple of Christmas presents. Closest store: Yankee Candle. Location: directly next door to Starbucks. But we held our breath and walked quickly by. And? Saved $8.56 in the process! See how strong we are?

Let me just say this next part really fast and get it overwith. In the course of fifteen minutes and twelve seconds we spent upwards of $150 and we were only supposed to be browsing in the off chance we saw something that someone might like for Christmas and THANK GOD WE DIDN'T CAVE AND GET THE LATTES! I mean. Whew. Because then we'd really be in trouble.

The good news is, I have presents for my children's teachers for every Christmas right up through graduate school. The bad news is, the Discover bill comes in two weeks. Am I the only person who gets heart palpitations when I see credit card bills in the mailbox? Seriously, I think someday the UPS guy is going to find me sprawled out on the front lawn near the mailbox, Discover bill in one limp, sweaty hand, the other hand outstretched toward him, gasping "HELP...ME!" Followed by a perky, "Hey, is that box from Amazon or LL Bean?"

So, tell me I'm not the only one. Please. I know we're all maxed out on money at this time of the year, no matter what our financial status is, so it would be helpful if we could all reassure each other that we're not alone. And then we can all hold hands and sing "Kumbaya." Or "We Are the World." Or maybe we could all file for bankruptcy at the same time, sort of the way we ladies like to go to the bathroom in groups of three or more. Wouldn't that be nice?

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are not the ONLY one! Very funny Karen!

8:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are not the only one. I always hate to see the bills come in around Nov/Dec. It happens every year and we always work it through.

12:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ever since I can remember having money (that was not an allowance) and a checking account, I have always! wanted to spend money when I didn't have it, and was disinterested in shopping when I DID.

11:11 PM  
Blogger Colleen said...

This the season to be spendy. fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

spend it now, then do a bendy (bend over when the bill comes) fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

spend it here, spend it there la-la-la-la-la-la-la

do you really need that sweater

fa-la-la-la-la. la-la-la-la.

10:57 AM  

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