I'm listening to Pink Floyd's "Money" right now. How apropos.
Recent experience has refreshed this thought: even our most frugal friends have things they are willing to spend money on.
After the Dairy Queen comment (in the last post), one girl (the one who said Dairy Queen was expensive) went on to talk about a recent pet peeve - baby clothes turning dingy after only one washing. I'm somewhat acquainted with her buying philosophy, and I'm sure she
1) doesn't like to spend money on baby clothes;
2) doesn't like to spend money on laundry detergent;
3) I'm also sure that she is using a cheaper quality washer or dryer (just because that tends to be the case in most rentals).
This is what I like to call a compendium of cheapness. I feel for her. When Sammy was brand new (as her baby is), I too was guilty of this same cheapness complex. One of these three on its own may not lead to dingy clothes after one washing. But cheap clothes and cheap detergent thrown into a cheap washing machine? A fatal combination.
I'm telling you this story not to make a judgment about this girl's choices other than to say that she's choosing to spend money not on baby clothes, neither laundry, nor fast food. However, she has a brand new iPhone.
My friend and I both have found balance in our budgets, even though we've weighted things differently. I would love to have an iPhone, but I don't. I spend a little more on baby clothes.
I'm not saying that I've bought any Burberry shorts, Hugo Boss suits, or Armani Junior shorts for Sammy - 'cause I haven't. But having experienced the results of buying cheap baby clothes (and because I use cheap detergent), I watch for sales at Baby Gap, Nordstrom, J. Crew, Gymboree, and the like because I've noticed that their baby clothes last through many, many washings even with the cheaper soap.
All that being said, what are some areas that you feel are worth it to spend a little more money on? What are some things that you're not willing to spend money on?
(Now as I finish this post Dire Strait's "Money for Nothing" is playing. Interesting.)
3 comments:
I will always buy the branded Q-Tips. :) Also, quality hair products are often (not always) worth the extra cash. Also a gym w/ classes v. trying to structure my own exercise, because I am no good at that.
We have a strict grocery budget-- but, you better believe I manage to find room in our budget for exotic ingredients like quality cheeses or specialty ethnic ingredients. That means we use value brand for pretty much everything else, rarely if ever get pre-prepared snacks and foods (unless with a coupon it is rendered cheaper than the value brand), and eat meats that Eric's family has hunted (because there is a never-ending supply of free pheasant and duck available to us if I can just get past the texture and flavor differences). So we don't have pork or chicken all that often-- but we do have fun in our culinary creations! Is a package of quality capers, fresh hazelnuts, fresh lemongrass, or freshly imported gouda an indulgence? You bet it is! Culinary luxuries I make room for in the grocery list every week because it matters more to me than soft TP. Others might judge me for spending so much on one or two items, but hey, I figure as long as I'm keeping in budget, I can do what I want.
This year we have decided that spending money on our children's education is worth something to us-- so preschool for Gwen and educational materials for Caroline have climbed up in value in our wishlists while a kitchen aid keeps moving down that wishlist. and a flat screen pretty much fell off the wishlist. Some people might wag their fingers at us for paying for preschool instead of just doing preschool at home. but then, they have ipads.
I am not judging people for having ipads. I hear they are handy. Economics is a funny thing. I remember in class the teacher had a box of donuts and auctioned it off for a ridiculous amount and we were all aghast that someone would spend such an obscene amount of money on them. He pointed out that the student didn't HAVE to make the purchase, he obviously was happy to spend his money that way, so we should just be happy for him. Kind of blew my mind. Not saying I'm so great at doing that. (Okay, I judge people who purchase toys for their kids that cost thousands of dollars or send their kids to school in designer clothes when they can't pay for health care). But for the most part, I try to remember that people are prioritizing their money to spend in a way that is satisfying to them.
Wow. This comment has turned into a mini-essay. I'll wrap it up. Like you said, just a matter of priorities.
@Brooke - I agree with you on the hair products! I used to try to make the .99 cent shampoo work, but then my sister gave me some shampoo (can't remember the brand) that you can only get in a salon. Um. Huge difference. Now I buy stuff that's somewhere between those two extremes.
@Elisa - I love your mini-essay. I agree whole-heartedly. The example from your econ class is particularly interesting - we *should* be happy for people regardless of what they paid for something, if that purchase made them happy.
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