Mapgirl’s Fiscal Challenge

“Not as many wants being considered necessities” - Anonymous Commenter

Aye. Isn’t that the rub?

This quote was left by a commenter last week. But I think it’s the hardest struggle out there. It’s in your *head*, not your wallet. I know when I splurged two weeks ago that I was going to need a spring/summer corporate wardrobe, but I knew I didn’t need the Spring 2006 Lilly skirt I bought. I wanted it, and wanted it very badly. Buying it was the fulfillment of some long held fashion dreams. I wish I had bought it on sale, but I know it was a want and I could have fulfilled my wardrobe need at Marshalls or TJ Maxx. In fact, I’ll probably fill the rest of my wardrobe need this year at my favorite sales site, Lands’ End’s Overstocks Page.

I’ve watched many a girlfriend at the mall convince themselves they ‘needed’ something, new lipstick, shoes, skirt, cute blouse, etc. For instance, Lilly is known for the use of bright shocking pink. I would love bright shocking pink shoes to match, but I realized that I was telling myself I needed a pair to match the skirt. Then I realized that I could get away with my older pink Armani Exchange slides and will not have to buy any new shoes at all. (Long time readers are probably saying to themselves,’But I thought you were a Frumperella?!’ Usually I am, but I do have a few high-end fasionable clothes, usually bought on sale.) Consumers really generate false needs and they do it from a very early age. My friend’s two and half year old son has started begging for things by telling his mom that he *needs* it. Even a toddler can fool himself and try to fool his mom and dad about what is necessary in life. It’s a bad habit that can stick with you until you die.

I just switched over to a job with a corporate dress code and I know I am not dressed as professionally as I ought to be. I need a new summer corporate wardrobe because I have worked largely in business casual tech job environments since I graduated from college nearly a decade ago. I don’t really own enough of a wardrobe for a full season and it’s not ok to wear the same 4 outfits everyday. I wish it was not this way, but when there’s a dress code reminder email floating around from management, you tend to wonder if it’s directed at you. Thus my claim of needing a new wardrobe. I don’t really think I need one, I just don’t want to be admonished at work for wearing Diesel T-shirts that reveal my navel when it’s summer. Nor for the sake of my vanity do I want to look like I’m ready to attend a funeral in July.

One of my friends thinks I’m a miser because I don’t think I need a whole lot. I know pretty confidently when I’m buying something because I want it and I try not to fool myself about which category it is.

Be honest with yourself. Do you really need it? Are you going to die if you don’t have it? Does it fit into your budget? Were you planning on buying something else with your budget when you saw this item? Having a budget and sticking to it really helps here. Manufacture the need to stick to your budget not the need for more stuff.

This kind of goes back to the Suze Orman post.