It really is. I've made that mistake before. More than once, I'm embarrassed to say. It's so easy to get in over our heads with credit in today's consumption focused world. The sad thing is, all of the stuff really isn't making us happier. :clapping: I typed 'credit card' but I probably should have said 'credit and debit cards'. I pay cash for everything too, but that doesn't mean that I don't overspend some times. It's true that it's paid for and I don't have interest charges, but the fact that I could have done something better with the money is unchanged. Stay strong - you know there are other things you want and having that money will make it easier to get them! Sorry that you're having a tough time finding work. My husband has been out since December and has only had two interviews. It's tough out there. Something will turn up for you, but I know it's a stressful time. :hug: Yeah, it does suck. I know how that feels, only too well, because I made the same mistake in my early 20s. I dug my way out but it wasn't easy when I moved out, wasn't making much money yet and had rent to pay, food to buy, etc. I had more than a few 'WHY did I do this?' moments. I don't really mean to preach; people are adults and are going to do what they're going to do. It just felt a bit like a buying energy was building in the thread so I thought I'd say something because we committed to having each other's backs. Nothing wrong with buying make-up if you can afford it and you're in control.
That's really why I posted what I did. We're not on no-buys, just low-buy. Nothing wrong with buying within our goals. It just felt a bit like the tone of the thread was starting to shift a bit and the energy was changing. Oh, I wasn't calling anyone specific out. Not at all; hope I didn't make anyone feel defensive. We all know what our goals are, and there's nothing wrong with buying within them. As I said above, I typed 'credit cards' quickly, but I really meant 'wallets and plastic'. I really like that this thread doesn't have the same 'Buy All The Things!" energy as a lot of the others; I value that and am just trying to help keep our safe place. YAY! I totally agree that organization is the key to knowing exactly what we have and actually using it. If things are stashed away in nooks and crannies and we don't have a good sense of exactly what we have (quantities, colours, etc.) then it's easy to keep buying indiscriminately. When we have an inventory and can see our full stash every day, it's a constant reminder. TO ALL: I genuinely wasn't trying to preach at or judge anyone. Just doing my small part to try to help keep us on track. If you see me coming off the rails, please do the same.
