What have we learned?

So, I found this auction site called pennypurses.net where they auction designer bags. The catch is, you have to pay for your bids, then the price of the bag if you win. So basically you're paying for the opportunity to purchase a designer bag. Not only do you have to pay for your bids, but every time a person submits a bid, it adds 10 seconds to the auction clock.

Great business plan. Sucks for the bidders.

Last night, there was a coach bag that I desperately wanted. I've seen this bag before and I decided that I was going to bid on it.

So I bought some bids. Then ended up in a 3 hour bidding war, spent $140 and didn't get the damn bag.

my husband was mad.

not near as mad as I was. Not that I didn't win the bag, whatever, but that I spent so much money trying to win the bag.

This brought up a very sensitive topic, and I hope this doesn't offend anyone. My husband turned to me and screamed "Why are you such a fucking jew? Just buy the damn bag already and get on with your life."

Little does he realize that we wouldn't be able to afford a lot of the things that we have if I weren't so frugal. How do I have Gucci glasses and several pairs of Uggs? I'm thrifty.

And before you jump on the "oh my god, Uggs are hideous" bandwagon, they aren't the classic style and they are damn comfy.

I clip coupns and shop sales... I stockpile groceries and cut expenses where I can. By shopping in a better way, we've had enough money to pay off all of our credit cards and still have some money left for the things we want. Since giving birth, I've been going through a lot of emotional stuff and I'm trying to cope with it the best I can. This time, unfortunately, I've been using major retail therapy to fill the gaps in my life.

I have spent more money of frivolous things in the past few months than I think I spent on the same sorts of things last year. Why? Hecka sales on children's clothes, bakeware, electronics and home goods.

Why? Because the economy is in the crapper.

Why? Because people spent more than they could afford.

Why? To fill the gaps in our lives and to stay happy.

Case in point, I am not happy. See previous posts for details.

Now, before you start throwing stones and telling me that I could stay home if I weren't buying plush hamburger shaped CD cases, let me just be honest. I couldn't. This is using excess money from my job. Yes, I get paid pretty well.

If I can make it through December and get that bonus, I will be able to stay home with my daughter, be a lot happier, and hopefully cut back on the excess shopping.

In the mean time, I made a fatal miscalculation in our budget and my husband and I spent a crazy amount of money at Best Buy yesterday... long before the stupid auction. I checked our bank account only to realize that our car payment has not gone through yet. Whoopsie daisy...

Now I'm pulling money out of savings to make sure that nothing happens before my paycheck goes in. After I get paid, I can probably transfer all of the money back to our savings account-- after I pay our sitter.

I don't want to pay our sitter. I think she's doing a terrible job and she isn't living up to our agreement. But I have to. She is watching our daughter while I'm at work so that I can get a paycheck which is worth the pay.... I guess.

So I guess I'd better get back to clipping coupons before I kill our budget 2 months in a row. Buying things is fun. I wish I didn't think it was, but I do. Now I just have to learn to live with it. Hmm... maybe there's a sale I need to know about...