After all of the taxes are paid and refunds are received, it’s now time to think about spending. I fall into one of those traps of wanting to spend on things that I don’t really need. But, like most people, I find myself trying to justify that spending. For example, ever since Apple released the iPad 2, I had this loud voice in my mind that I need it for my Google Reader, e-Book, Web Browsing, and movie watching activities! Then there’s a thought of letting my wife and kid use it for their entertainment. So, obviously it’s a $500 well spent, right? Well, in that little tablet computer world, it’s not exactly an easy choice. Acer and Asus came up with their own Android OS based tablets that cost less. But the problem is the Android OS: it’s new, it’s buggy, it has crappy user interface. On the other hand, the hardware is much nicer: faster CPU, external storage, and HDMI built-in. Then there’s the support for Flash, which we, unfortunately, still need.
But, I digressed…
The thought of spending doesn’t stop at the latest electronics gadget. I want to go to Disneyland, and going to end up spending more there. We want to take a boat cruise and spend a lot more there. Heck, I even want to get a new car since I’m not happy with the performance of this Civic! (Read: Mid-Life crisis!)
Then there’s the obligatory Mother’s Day, Daughter’s Birthday, and my oh-so-favorite, Father’s Day gifts!
When will this spending end? There’s only one way to curb this and it’s to come up with a budget. I don’t have a bottomless pit of a bank account and I live on my bi-weekly paychecks.
This is why I still don’t have a DSLR camera. I still don’t have a new TV. I still don’t buy into Blu-Ray and “upgrade” my DVD libraries. I still don’t buy new movies.
Instead, what I’m doing is cutting down on my eating out. I’ve started to eat healthy and cut down big meals (especially dinner). I’ve cut the cord by using HDTV antenna and Netflix/Hulu. I’ve cut my phone bills from $25 to $4/month by using Ooma Vo-IP.
Now I’m left with things I do need to spend. I still can’t telecommute and have to pay extra for gas since it’s at a ridiculous price of $4+/gallon1. I need to upgrade my desktop computer because I do more video editing. And let’s not forget the stuff I need to fix around the house (and garden).
Thinking out loud here. Either way, I don’t think I’ll ever stop spending money.
Photo Credit: lms0814
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