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Do you buy too much stuff?
My answer to this question would have been "probably yes" before we took on our BIG life change and traded in an overpaid job for a new career as an entrepreneur.
I've always been pretty frugal. I grew up without money, lived on welfare when my family immigrated to the U.S., and those experiences influenced me to always try to spend less, not buy things we don't need, and to generally be conservative about money. But even with that foundation, once my husband and I had a solid income we bought things we didn't need. Nothing big or fancy, but a cute T-shirt here, a fun DVD there, an awesome new toy for our daughter -- all of these added up to a bunch of stuff we don't really need.
We've become much more disciplined about our spending while I pursue my entrepreneurial dreams, and you know what? It's not made us any less happy or more stressed. Sure, last week I saw this amazing pair of boots I REALLY wanted to buy but not giving in to my desire and instead doing the responsible thing -- not buying them -- actually made me feel OK. Not buying things I don't absolutely need removes any buyer regret (say, for that incredible pair of high-heeled shoes I paid too much for and wore exactly once) and makes me feel proudly economical vs. wasteful.
OK, I am painting a slightly rosier picture. I'd love to have a bit more spending freedom and not agonize so much over each purchase. But in these times of economic turmoil (understatement of the year, I know), I am glad we've become practiced in our more frugal ways.
Do you tend to buy too much stuff? Are you changing your habits now that the economy is doing poorly?
Nataly Kogan is the co-founder and CEO of Workitmom.com, an online community and helpful resource for working moms.
Check out Nataly's recent posts on the Work It, Mom! Blog:
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