Back in the Game!
Because the market has taken a dip, I put back my 5% 401k plan contributions to get the match, rather than get the match after the January lift the market experiences.
It will ease the blow of the $2-3K in losses I took in November to my retirement account balances. OUCH.
I am going to have to stretch out my dental bill repayment and for some irrational reason, I decided to buy expensive tickets to a show for me and my new boyfriend because I really wanted to go and I sense he does too. Plus it makes a really easy Christmas gift because I’m still figuring him out. (Everybody wave “Hi” because he reads this!)
Actually, I should say right now since I use my nickname in real life and you can Google it and find this blog, that makes life a lot easier. I don’t go through some weird uncomfortable hemming and hawing about being finance-conscious. My friends already know I am. I can say “Gee, London sounds great for New Year’s Eve, but I really don’t think I can afford it” with a certain amount of impunity because it should not come as a surprise that I think about what I can and cannot afford.
As we shopped this weekend, I insisted on buying sodas with my debit card because I saw he was using his credit card for purchases. (It was a credit only line because the register was opened with no cash just for the holiday rush.) I was adamant on putting the soda on my debit card because I explained that you don’t buy food on credit since you can’t return it or re-sell it. I learned that from one of my girlfriends as a result of writing this blog and I have to admit, it’s helped me keep some of my spending in check.
He understood what I meant and told me that he doesn’t carry a balance which is why he was about to charge the sodas. I said that was very nice, but I just watched him spend a crazy amount of money this weekend refurnishing/restocking his kitchen and that I bet he was going to carry one this month. He laughed and told me that this time, I was probably right.
This blog saves me a lot of agony on those “uncomfortable conversations” about money.
BTW, he drinks Diet Coke like a fiend. I’ve been drinking Coke Zero lately. In a blind test, both are disgusting, but Diet Coke tasted better. I admit it. I can be wrong. But next time, he’d better give me the damned cap so I can add it to the Coke Rewards my co-worker and I are collecting for no good reason. I am a slave to corporate marketing!
Msminiducky wrote:
All I can say is, ick! Diet Coke, ick! (BoyDucky also drinks it like a fiend.)
Posted on 04-Dec-07 at 12:36 pm | Permalink
thisisbeth wrote:
:waves hi:
Oddly enough, I really hate regular colas, but I can tolerate diet coke.
Posted on 04-Dec-07 at 1:02 pm | Permalink
Andrea wrote:
Your post is really light-hearted today. It’s good to see you very happy.
Posted on 04-Dec-07 at 1:17 pm | Permalink
Livingalmostlarge wrote:
I’ve weaned myself off of soda pretty much completely. But DH refuses to give it up. We have tons of it. He was however told recently by a Doctor that if he doesn’t stop his 2L/day habit of Coke he’ll develop adult onset diabetes! Yes. All my nagging might work finally!
And nope the guy is super skinny which is why he won’t listen to me. His BMI is 21, he has low blood pressure, low cholesterol. He’s actually pretty good about everything but the soda.
Posted on 04-Dec-07 at 4:14 pm | Permalink
Sistah Ant wrote:
*waving hi*
all my friends and family know i’m really frugal and future-minded when it comes to money. some even know i have a blog and write about it everyday. so i get to say stuff like, “that’s not in my budget” without folks doing double-takes.
Posted on 05-Dec-07 at 2:27 am | Permalink
PiggyBankBlues wrote:
(waving hello)!
i agree, my close friends read my blog, and we end up having great conversations about money that might have never happened…
Posted on 05-Dec-07 at 5:21 pm | Permalink