The Hustle of Sistah Ant

I was sooooooooo bad this weekend.

Everything started out okay.  I spent some time Saturday afternoon reconciling my receipts to my accounts, checking my credit balances to see how much more I’m allowed to spend (if my credit card balances start to approach an amount at which I can’t pay the balance off at the end of the month, I have to stop spending), and doing stuff around the house, which was pretty productive, kept me out of trouble, and which set my mind at ease.

Then Sunday was a whirlwind of activity.  On Sunday I decided that I would finally go shopping for work clothes.  I didn’t spend the entire $80-$100 I budgeted myself, because I didn’t find enough clothes I liked and fit to spend that amount.  But that was the end of my clothes shopping for that session, and I wound up with a new jacket (which I really needed), a new blazer, and a new blouse.  Then I went to the laundromat, where I spent a nominal amount on an on-the-go lunch and getting change for the machines.  So far, so good. 

Two things happened next that made me spend more money than I thought I would:  First, I was invited, last minute, to a birthday party for my cousin’s daughter, so I bought her a few books (my signature gift to children is always the most fun books I can find).  These weren’t expensive, but they were unexpected, and I don’t like unexpected expenses.  I could’ve attended without a gift, but I really wanted to give this precocious three-year-old some new pages to turn.

Afterwards, on the way home, I decided to pick up some bath mats for the bathroom.  My honey’s bath mats needed to be replaced, and I was already sick of looking at them for a week.  I went to my favorite, Tar-jay.  There, I found the bath mats I wanted.  Great!  Problem was, I found some other stuff I wanted, too - slipcovers for my honey’s ugly couch, a kitchen mat (on sale!), bedroom pillows (on sale!) - it was great!  Until I saw the total at the register - $100.00. Arrggghhh!  But I wanted the stuff - all of it.  When I got it home, I was thankful for each and every purchase.  But it was still an UNEXPECTED, UNPLANNED FOR expense, which I could have postponed until after my next paycheck, because every little bit counts - all those little expenses and unplanned expenses add up.  Half the stuff was on sale, but it’s not like I really saved money because it’s money I wouldn’t have spent if I’d just bought what I went in there for and left, like I usually do.

The good news is I can afford to pay it off at the end of the month.  The bad news is, I could have used more restraint and I consciously chose not to do so.  The worst news is that this means I will put less money towards paying off debt because I spent beyond my allowance, which means I’ll pay my debt off slower and it will probably still be with me in 2008, delaying my jumpstart on saving for the house.  See how the evil snowball of debt works?

Let this be a cautionary example.  You can have all the planning and enthusiasm in the world… you can have a track record of stoic and championed restraint when it comes to spending, but you still have a choice to make every time you’re faced with the opportunity to spend.  One wrong choice, and you WILL have to deal with consequences.  That said, I forgive myself, right here and now as I type this.  Feeling guilty won’t do me any good.  I’m already dusted off and back in the saddle.  Let’s see if I can still push through to make my deadline - I might have to sacrifice something I wouldn’t have had to sacrifice before, but I still have a fighting chance!