Comments on: Feeling Guilty to Spend Money on Anything

By: Stacey Grindal

Stacey Grindal — Thu, 29 May 2008 00:46:51 +0000

Well I can completely relate to wanting to save up to 505 of your weekly salary. I think to myself well I am here for 40 hours a week every week except Christmas. Public Holidays.I have gotten to the point where I have told myself to stop. In a few years I have managed to save a significant amount of money for my future an amount most can only hope for when they retire. To me it is never enough. I feel gut wrenching guilt when I spend money on myself even for a trip to the salon. Now it has gotten to the point where I have nothing to wear literally as I have worn my expensive levis for so long they have a hole in it. Pretty much everything expensive has worn out at once and I have just reached my goal. I need these things. I am dressing like I am poor when it is the exact opposite. Its gotten to the point that I feel anxious and un deserving for something I have worked so hard for. So now I am trying to un do my harsh ways and get a healthy balance because this isn’t healthy. I don’t need to punish myself. The voice in my head is saying try harder don’t be so weak. So I am making myself fo these expensive purchases this weekend so I don’t have people pittying me. Ultimately it is my fault for letting it get to this extent. So to all those stresser you do deserve to have nice things for the amount of work you put in. If you have already put away enough for the year that you esitmated give yourself a break. Dont go without clohes. Enjoy life, live happy, if buying that nice dinner out will relieve a bit of the daily grind stress do it. Find a balance

By: MoneyNing

MoneyNing — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:08:56 +0000

Mrs Micah: I’m not sure if quality of life is the same as a happy life. I think a happy life is more important though!!!

By: Mrs. Micah

Mrs. Micah — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:16:01 +0000

I sometimes even feel that way about food. Could I eat even cheaper? Could I eat less? It’s a hard mindset to get out of sometimes. But the point of saving, is , afterall to increase our quality of life, so it’s important to develop a good quality of life…a happy life (even if it’s on the cheap).

By: MoneyNing

MoneyNing — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:44:15 +0000

Andrew: Actually what you said about the clothing is so true. So many of us don’t spend anything on our clothes and we don’t realize how much opportunity we’ve missed to present a good image.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:25:48 +0000

I go by feel. If I feel like I really need a stress reliever (night out) or a reward (buying a coffee instead of using the company’s free tea) I do it.

Cost is not the same as value. I try to maximize (present happiness + expected future happiness). For example, I could buy really cheap toilet paper (that would make me unhappy many times a day) or I could buy a fancy brand (which would make me unhappy when I pay my grocery bill).

I’m happiest somewhere in between, e.g. good quality on sale for something I need. Or, if I need a new shirt for work, I find one at a good price (relative to the market) which makes me feel like it’s a deal (happy I’m saving), but ABSOLUTELY MUST fit well and make me look great (not just for my self-esteem, but my boss is happy to introduce me to other managers and clients because I make the office look good which helps at salary time).

Like Jim said, saving is only a means to an end not an end in itself.

By: MoneyNing

MoneyNing — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 22:32:53 +0000

Carl: Wow that was probably a better call than any stock will give you Congratulations on that and hope to see you back in a few years!!!

By: Carl

Carl — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 21:56:04 +0000

MoneyNing:

I sold my house in Irvine, CA and moved with my wife and dogs to Raleigh, NC in spring of 2006. I could see the writing on the wall, and wanted to lock in my profits. I think we will move back to Orange County in a couple of years, but there is no hurry.

By: MoneyNing

MoneyNing — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 21:30:44 +0000

Carl: Good advice $500 a month is a good chunk of money to be able to spend it on anything!

Btw, you mentioned that you used to own a house in Irvine (I’m assuming Irvine, CA). Where do you live now?

By: Carl

Carl — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 20:45:21 +0000

I used to have this problem, especially when I owned a house in Irvine. What I have found helps is to budget some “play money”. For example, my wife and I budget about $500 a month to do whatever with. We can go out to eat if we feel like it, she can buy some new jeans, I can get a new CD… it doesn’t matter since we already have a budget. This way you don’t need to feel guilty because you are still keeping to your sound budget

By: MoneyNing

MoneyNing — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 20:38:37 +0000

Lise: Work towards your goal. As long as you have the desire to accomplish this, you will be able to do it.