I've noticed that since Nick and I put ourselves on a strict budget several months ago, I've started to get really, inordinately excited about every small extravagance (I'm not sure if this makes me feel "proud" or "horrified" but I digress). We go to the movies once every other week or so (on half price night!) and I look forward to those outings like a crack addict looks forward to their next fix. Nick unexpectedly buys me a coffee and I'm still kind of smiling about it hours later.
Tonight we're going to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (before you start thinking our budget can't be TOO strict if it allows for dinners out, we have a giftcard there, leftover from Christmas). Even in the gloriously wasteful pre-budget days, The Cheesecake Factory has always been my favorite restaurant, and now that we don't eat out much? I'm literally embarassed by how much I'm looking forward to dinner tonight. It's 4 pm and I am sitting here planning what I will wear later, what I'll do with my hair and makeup, do I want to wear my warm coat or my cute one (the restaurant is walking distance from our place).
The same is true in other areas too. Where a trip to Sephora used to mean grabbing whatever I actually needed and then loading up my basket with 3 or 4 other little novelties that caught my eye, now it means saving up until I can afford the things I need, and being excited about that purchase, never mind the shiny new lipglosses at the checkout counter. Where I used to get a full head of hilights every few months, now every other time I go to the salon I get a partial because it's cheaper (please, you don't expect me to give up my hair color, do you?? Let's not get ridiculous here. I'm 24, I need good hair.) I used to buy lunch at work every day or go out and get Subway, or Au bon Pain... whatever u felt like eating that day. Now every morning I make lunches for both Nick and I. I can't remember the last time I bought clothes or shoes. The last books I had that didn't come from the library were courtesy of a Barnes and Noble giftcard Nick's dad gave me for Christmas. The budget has definitely changed our spending habits completely.
But if I'm going to be totally honest? It's really not that bad. I mean, obviously some days it sucks, no question about it. Some days I feel like the world is going to end if I can't go to dinner/ buy a new pair of jeans/ restart my daily Dunkin donuts routine. Sometimes I am consumed by bitterness that I made so many thoughtless choices in the past and that fixing them means going without a lot of things for a long time while we pay off the debt that we've accumulated. Some days I would kill to find a hundred dollar bill on the ground and on those days I know that if I did find that hundred dollars, I'd be spending it in the nearest shop inside of five minutes. But most days? Most days I am struck by how much money we used to throw away without even realizing it. Most days I am awed and a little embarassed by how quickly dinners and coffees and lunches and DVDs and cute sweaters (half of which I don't even wear)Padded up. Most days, far from being regretful that we are stuck with this budget, instead I wish we had started the budget sooner.
Yes, I look forward to the day that I can go to dinner/ grab a coffee/ buy some new clothes without breaking the bank or having to use a credit card. I look forward to the day when our debt is paid off and our budget can be a bit more relaxed. But in the meantime? I'm glad for the budget, because as hard as it may sometimes be, it's forcing us to adopt more responsible spending and saving habits. It's reminding us that we really don't need a lot of the things we used to spend money on. We don't even miss a lot of the things we used to spend money on. I think in the future, when our credit card balances are at zero and our budget includes a "personal allowance" category, we'll appreciate that money all the more for going without that category for so long. I think we'll give more thought to our purchases and avoid the impulse buys we've both been prone to. We'll live much more carefree lives without the stress of this debt hanging over our heads, but we'll remember what this time in our lives was like, and it will keep us on track financially in the future.
And in the meantime, we're making the best of it and tonight? Tonight we are going for a fun, romantic dinner at The Cheesecake Factory and I can't freaking wait.
My husband and I are on a self imposed budget, too. Our reason is so that we will only have to work for 6 months out of the year. Being frugal, saving every penny we can, and budgeting during the working months means we can relax the other 6 months. It is definitely worth the effort.
Posted by: Karen | January 29, 2009 at 01:48 AM
This is helping me feel motivated about needing to do the same thing... thx for sharing. Maybe it will get easier as time goes on (or after we win the lotto, lol).
Posted by: spleeness | January 22, 2009 at 05:03 PM
Good for you!!! Wish I could be more like that,...but I'm still like you BEFORE your budget. Oh and I LOVE,LOVE,LOVE Cheesecake Factory,...my girlfriends and I go there and drink their Lemon Drop Martinis, they are THE BEST. They are like dessert. Try one when you go, you'll be hooked forever. Have fun tonight.
Posted by: Angel A. | January 20, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Budgets are hard but unfortunately necessary because we are a wasteful nation! Good for you, I hope you see the benefits soon.
Posted by: Molly | January 20, 2009 at 12:52 PM
Wow, it sounds like you made that budget your little bitch. Good job!
Posted by: bex | January 20, 2009 at 11:18 AM
i've never been to a cheescake factory! i don't think we even have one around here, sad... right?
i've put steve and i on a budget too as of jaunary first and it's not so bad... but it isn't fun but i suppose it could be worse. we spent so much money onthings we just didn't need. good luck!!!
xoxo
Posted by: Rachel | January 19, 2009 at 08:17 PM