Shopaholic

I just did the math on my shopping addiction.  I went through my credit card statement to see how much money I've spent on clothes and shoes this year because I feel like I'm constantly shopping and that it's starting to get out of hand.  I'll think about stuff I need and then I have to go out and find it right then.  I have a list right now of so called things I need and I don't plan on buying anything that's not on it until June when I go on my Vegas trip with my sisters.  Because of all the shopping I've been doing the list is very short now.  I'll deal with my oddly insufficient supply of long sleeved shirts come Fall and I need to start trashing those $10 or $15 off coupons they send me because that is usually what gets me shopping in the first place.  Okay, I do have one awesome one that I will allow myself to use for 50% off at The Limited but that's it!!!  I gotta cut it off before I turn into a bonafide shopaholic.  Now for the damage.  Jan:  $244.75, Feb:  102.41, March:  84.80, April:  286.84.  I've spent a grand total of $718.80 on clothes this year!!!  I did get good deals and I didn't go into credit card debt to do it but jeez!  It feels very excessive.  I'm embarrassed to even admit it.  I pay off my credit card balances every month so I only spend what I can afford to but still.  I already have savings that I put aside but technically that could have gone to saving even more.  I'll be going to Vegas in June and I also need to think about the maybe possible Europe trip down the road in October.  I don't want to stress myself out over having enough for Europe even though there is a good chance I can't go but if I do I'll need to add to that.

My latest purchase was a pair of perfect white Joe's Jeans skinnies.  I had to have them and not even the $169 price tag did not deter me from my mission.  The good thing is that there was a 25% off coupon that saved me $42 bucks and they ended up being only $136.  Score!  ONLY?  I know.  But designer jeans just fit so damn perfect.  A lot of my other very expensive jeans are too big now so it's nice to have some that have a really nice fit.  I ended up with 26's.  That's an expensive pair of jeans to get too fat for but I'll worry about that later.  I tried on a size 1 in junior jeans and I was very surprised to see that they fit perfectly.  I didn't get 'em of course because of the whopping cost of the other ones. 

I remember the days when I could not shop.  At all.  My anxiety about money has gotten so much better. Before, even if I had it to spend it was hard for me to do so.  It used to be damn near crippling.  Part of why I'm okay now is the way I manage my finances and the other part of it is just that together with hubby we're doing okay.  Having him in my life makes me happy and more relaxed so that I don't feel so anxious and worried about spending.  It used to kill me that I couldn't contribute as much as him but I had to get over that.  I'm just glad that I can and that I'm able to treat us to dinner and pay for things for both of us.  When we first met I had nothing.  Money was tight so I was very rigid about spending money on any extras and being on my own was scary.  There was no back up.  There is always a part of me that wants to save more, more, more no matter what because it never feels like I'm doing enough.  I'm getting ready to up my 403(b) retirement fund contribution.  My dump of a condo finally foreclosed a couple days ago.  It's a huge relief to have that load off my back.  It almost broke me.  I've socked away all the money I've been collecting in rent from my tenant and not paying the mortgage with.  I will no longer have to pay my monthly $180 HOA dues so some of that can go to additional retirement savings.  Then, I should be getting a raise for my credits that I took in school (not much only about $150 per month) but with that I'll probably contribute a little more to one of my savings accounts.  I have four savings accounts (five if you count our joint savings) and two checking accounts (a joint and individual).  I'm about as anal about my finances as I am with my diet and there is a reason for that.  When I was broke as hell savings is often the only thing that saved me.  I bought my car in cash and have no car payment because of savings.  If you don't make a lot of money you have to be smart with what you do have and save.  You also can't afford to have credit card debt because how will you save if every extra penny goes to debt?  Even if you have it that doesn't mean you should spend it right then.  You don't have the luxury of knowing that you have a $10,000 pay check coming in next month.  If I don't save it I won't have it and saving is what allows me to spend.  That's the way I see it.  Some people think I'm crazy for having thousands of dollars sitting there that I don't touch, don't look at and don't even have an intended use for.  It makes me feel good knowing that it's there.  I get anxious when I don't have money sitting in savings accounts and when I'm not contributing to savings.   You never know what's going to happen in life and you should always have an emergency fund.  It's better to live below your means and save so that you can be prepared.

Says the girl who has spent and average of $179 per month on clothes so far this year.