Friday, March 13, 2009

Habit Forming

Being frugal is habit forming. Since the stock market hit the big slide around September 2008 we've been cutting back little by little. Some people more than others but I can only speak for ourselves. We don't eat out as much, we haven't seen a movie in awhile, we haven't really bought much of anything from a consumer perspective, we've just cut back. This allows us to save some money and pay some bills off.

I received a couple gift cards for my birthday. $ 50 each at 2 different stores. I've been in each store twice now and I cannot spend them. The $ 50 isn't enough to get what I want and what I want I'm not sure I really need. I'd have to put some of my own cash into buying it and I don't really need it so I'm having a lot of trouble committing. Isn't that odd?

I think once you get in a habit of considering your purchases a little closer and holding your money closer to your vest it gets a little more difficult to part with it. I wonder if that's why people who are really cheap get that way? They've developed a habit that becomes harder and harder to break, so much so that you can't stand being with them because they won't spend a nickel. I can't imagine ever getting that way, but you never know.....

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