I’ll be honest, I hide my spending most of the time. And no, the irony is not lost on me that I am a personal finance blogger who promotes saving overspending and yet I hide my own spending, but I am human after all! I can’t help it if I sometimes make a few big purchases that I’m not necessarily proud of and choose not to share them with the world.
Remember that great deal I got on that leather jacket from Nordstrom Rack in Portland? I’ve worn it once! And it’s not because I don’t like it or anything, but most of the time I just forget I have it, or I’m afraid that if I’m out and have to leave it at coat-check, something might happen to it. Do I wish I had omitted that $200 purchase from one of my blog posts? Hell yes!
The thing is, I may hide my spending from you guys (no spending reports to be found on this blog!), and sometimes from my BF, since our finances are separate despite us living together, but it’s all relative. I love that saying. My friend used to say it all the time, and it really is the best way to conclude any argument.
Anyways, what I mean by it’s all relative is that I may hide my spending, but it’s because I’m really only accountable to myself at this point in my life. I don’t have any kids to provide for and my BF and I are financially independent from one another. My spending is my business, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.
That being said, if I was in debt or had people to provide for and was spending money I didn’t have or wasn’t mine, then hiding my purchases like that chick from Confessions of a Shopaholic would definitely be a problem. But I’m not in debt, I only buy things I can afford, and I usually do a lot of research before making any big purchases (unless I’m at Nordstorm Rack, f*** I love that store!).
Now, that doesn’t mean that I don’t still get embarrassed by some of the things I buy. As supportive as this personal finance community can be to those looking to better their financial lives, it can also be very judgmental (hence the reason I keep mum about my spending on my blog).
Praise is given to those who use coupons, buy things on sale or heavily discounted, or score freebies left, right, and center; but no one’s giving anyone a high five for buying a new pair of expensive shoes they saved up for. Listen, I tried doing the whole Coupon Queen thing and the freebie-fetching, and I found both to be big wastes of time. I of course like to find a good deal and try to avoid paying full price on anything, but sometimes the price is right even without it being on sale.
I think the one thing that we sometimes forget about in the personal finance world is that money should be enjoyed just as much as it should be saved and invested. It’s ok to spend your money, that’s why you save it in the first place! On that note, I think it’s time for a bit of early Christmas shopping.
Do you hide your spending? Do you think it’s a good or bad thing, or does it depend on the situation?
