Carrie Bradshaw, the Queen of Investment Shopping
I don’t want to wait! I kind of want to enjoy it now, not in a year.
Ahhh … delayed gratification.
No one wants to wait for an iPod.
But you know what, unless it’s a fridge or something really essential to your daily life and habits.. it can wait.
Even if it’s a BBQ, and it’s in the middle of summer, with the steaks sizzling all around you.
If you can’t afford to pay for it in cash and still make all of your bills, then don’t buy it.
Hey, at least I didn’t buy the $150 version.
Buying the $50 one is like saving $100!
SPAVING, even.
(FYI: Spaving = Spending + Saving or Spending to Save)
I l-o-v-e-d using this justification when I shopped blindly.
It was such f*cked up math and logic, but it worked in my head to let me justify a bad purchase.
Nothing is saved until you put the money in the bank and leave it.
I deserve a treat, it’s a reward for such a long, hard day at work
You had a bad hair day, someone yelled at you, and you need a pick-me-up.
So you head to the stores and SPEND.
Retail Therapy right?
Trust me, I know what kind of high it is.
It feels awesome to get the purchase, you feel like a lion who has just scored a big juicy zebra.
But that high doesn’t last. It’s fleeting.
And afterwards, you kind of feel sick, looking at your unnecessary, probably UNWANTED purchases.
Who really needs another black top in their wardrobe?
Sure, financial security isn’t as sexy as buying a flashy pair of red patent leather heels.
But without the security, you feel unstable.
Being financially secure and of having solid savings banked to help you weather through tough storms, is a feeling of security, not sexiness, that will last and help you sleep better at night.
Think of it as an investment in sleeping better and de-stressing.
You only live once
We’re young! Live once in your life. Spend. Money will always come and go.
But when you’re old, whatever shall you do? Eat out of cat food cans? Beg for money? Wish you had done things differently?
Regret always leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.
It’s an investment
Yeah. Investment shopping. You buy new clothes and shoes for your wardrobe because you go to work to make the dough.
Those clothes and shoes are an investment in your career!
True. But that only works once. After that, you’re just wasting money on a false justification.
A true investment is something that makes you money over time.
If your shoes or suit does not appreciate in value over time, then it is not an investment.
What are some of the lies you tell (or have told) yourself?
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year.
Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about 
There are times when “spaving” makes sense (and there are times when it doesn’t). For example I eat a bit extra now that I’m in later stages of pregnancy. I could buy one granola bar every day for $2.99, or go and get 10 for $20. But in the later case I know, I need them, I’ll eat them all, and won’t regret it. Same with socks, underwear… etc. Essentials.
my issue has definitely been doing well for say… three weeks, and then getting fed up and frustrated at how i haven't 'bought anything or gone anywhere fun' and then i drop more than i would have in those three weeks. sigh….
My recent post happiness project
"You're only young once" is valid but really young people might not realize the really awesome opportunities available to them once they have saved up a nice wad of cash–opportunities they can take advantage of in 10 or 15 years or so but only if they've been putting away significant amounts of money all through their 20s and 30s.
Also, you're still young when you are 40. at least, pretty young. You are going to want to do 40ish type thing when you get that old and 40ish type things COST MONEY!!! LOL!
I totally agree! 40ish type things like vacations definitely cost money. I\’d save as much as possible with the little bit that I earn just to be secure first.
I think the other problem is that people ASSUME they will make more money each year, as every year goes by. They start at $20k and think they\’ll be at $200k in 10 – 20 years, which sometimes never happens.
So they don\’t save.
Great article! I added a link from my blog, Declutter Your Life, because it continues on with my recent sub-theme of "Stop Clutter".
Thank you!
Ha Spaving should be in the dictionary somewhere. I get caught up in the deals. "If I don't buy this now, I will never be able to find it at this price again!"
I have been totally trying to get away from 'spaving'!
Found your blog through your guest post on "And Her Little Dog Too" — adding you to my Google Reader!
I really like "spaving". I see this justification all the time just hadn't figured out the play on words. Nice one!
My problem is that I try to not spend anything but then I come home, total the receipts, and realize it was a $200 day. And often, I have nothing to show for it!
I think I may suffer from the "floodgate" spending you mentioned. I will meet a friend for coffee at the mall. Then, after we finish coffee we wander around the mall and I come home $200 lighter. . . I've got to learn to change my habits!
I think the biggest lie I use to tell myself was "I have to buy it now, I'll never get it at this price again!" …… but like we all find out eventually, there are deals everywhere on everything.
Have you been eavesdropping in my mind or something? I am guilty of all of these lies. :-/
But no more, right?
My favorite excuse is "I have the money now, I might not have it later!" Both my husband and I are deeply guilty of using that excuse.
Who needs another black top? I do. I totally always need another black top. But that's neither here nor there. 🙂
My friend likes to use a variation of #5: Amortize it over the time you'll use it. aka: cost per wear. Well, fine, but that doesn't negate the fact that you're still spending that amount of money (she only uses that argument on me with the really expensive items. Terrible friend) – you don't get to amortize the payments for free! *drives me NUTS*
Ditto on the Consumerist mention – what a nice shout out!
I admit I have been guilty in the past of all of the above shopping justifications – especially how I'm really saving money by spending it (how does that work!? stupid brain!)
And I totally agree with the Triggers you mentioned. I am more apt to spend when with friends who are spending AND once I start – watch out! So, I only shop alone lately – and if I go out with my spend happy friends, I can only watch and advise – it's almost as much fun! It's the decisions and comparison shopping that I really love…
Mine would be, "I like it, I take it, it's mine!"
Ouch. I'm guilty of all you have stated. It makes me think why am I punishing myself in such ways. But anyway, I have learned a hard lesson.
Very good post. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
shop, buy, justify
I can justify spending almost anything on my dog. He's pretty great, you see. And you will see us someday on ESPN, winning the big dogs agility class. That said….
I've successfully spent nothing recently by declaring that I am "in training" and putting a moratorium on anything other than running. Mind you, I'm like, the world's worst runner ever, but somehow, in my mind, hey I am far too busy to shop. I have to get in shape to keep up with my ultra-good dog.
You only live once…
So you believe that when you’re reincarnated that you get to keep all your money? Or is “You only live once” a lie for some other reason?
My excuses are usually: “Well I’m going to buy it in the future anyway, might as well get it on sale rather than pay full price later!” or similarly: “It’s such a good price! It will never be this cheap again! (which is usually true)” I’m always craving buying things because they’re on sale. I don’t buy the “would you pay full price for it? if not, don’t buy it on sale” mentality (pun intended).
Oh nice excuse! I think I used that once or twice too. “I’ll but it ANYWAY…”!!!
I never thought of it this way. It really opened my eyes so thank you.
Now I'm off to end the Spaving habit!
Usually I used the young once and I deserve a treat but, after moving this last time and having no place to put all of our stuff I have now decided to simplify my life and get rid of things that either dont give me pleasure, have not used in forever or whatever.
totally agree with this post. and i'm definitely a spaver! i just recently talked about this on my blog too. hahaha
Congrats on the Consumerist mention!
I hate the “I deserve a treat” mentality. You don’t ‘deserve’ anything. I’m not knocking the occasional splurge, but the sense of entitlement people have for just living their lives is absurd at times.
.-= Frugal Urbanite´s last blog ..Chocolate Fondue with Homemade Marshmallows – Cheap Potluck Idea =-.
Thank you kindly 😀
I definitely thought I deserved treats when I was my younger, more impulsive self. Then I realized I was just being silly. Thank goodness.
Of course you "deserve" a treat now and then! Anything you can purchase with money you actually have is well deserved, it's kind of the point of working for profit.
A sense of entitlement is only bad if you AREN'T entitled, as in you're taking from others to get your treat.
The urge to not "waste" a coupon by not letting it expire falls under Spaving and I've done that.
Oh but you’re spaving in a smart way!
I am talking about buying something totally frivolous that you really don’t need or use, and then saying: well I got the smaller sized iPhone not the 16GB so I spaved.
Oh my… what don't I tell myself? I deserve it, it's the only thing that will cheer me up, I'll wear it a million times… But 9 times out of 10, I always regret it and get that awful, sick feeling post-purchase. Not worth it!! Here's to a frugal 2010!
P.S. That is one of my FAVE Carrie Bradshaw outfits… le sigh.
That’s what I hate — the awful, punch-in-the-gut guilt.
It’s not worth it… you can do it. Stand strong!! 🙂
I think at some point we have all used the above "lies" to justify spending. I have made an huge effort this past 18 months to do up the list of needs/wants, prioritize it, set a spending limit and then carefully comparison shopand buy on cash. It's been a long process, but I'm finally getting smarter about my spending!
It took me a year or 3.. HAHAHA!!! But I am finally coming to grips with the shopping thing.
I have found that my problem is triggers. Being with friends, and if I spend ONCE — around $20 or whatever, the floodgates open and I go wild, spending up to $300 without a care (until later).
So the trick is not to spend at all, or to go out for a specific want — like a winter coat or something.
ah i like "spaving"! umm i like to tell myself "I deserve a treat" and usually when i get paid, it's at the end of a 2 week night shift. but now i'm a-changing!