I asked Dave what one of my bad habits was and he said, "always saying your ugly." This kind of made me chuckle because I am currently 13 pounds heavier than I was 8 months ago, my hormones are out of whack; therefore, my 'teenage acne' is back and I just don't feel pretty. I honestly feel ugly at the moment, but I know with some work I can be beautiful. ha ha
Anyways, I would have to say that one of the bad habits that Dave and I have recently realized we have as a couple is thinking we have enough money, but then realizing after the fact that we don't.
Now let me explain: I am very meticulous with our money. I calculate all of our money out to the last cent and I always freak out (which entails extreme buyers remorse and many tears) when we accidentally spend over our limit. I love but HATE our overdraft on our bank account. I love it because it provides a very nice cushion, but I HATE it because I always feel so ashamed when we have to use it.
We very rarely have to tap into this resource, but after our Black Friday shopping extravaganza last week, we dipped a little too far past my comfort zone.
*Dave really needed a motorcycle cover for poor little Jade (his Honda Shadow) so we went to Lowe's and bought him a tarp and two bungee cords.
*I was in need of some maternity tops because all of my regular shirts become belly shirts as soon as I put them on and Dave has really wanted a track jacket.. so we went to Kohl's. While at Kohl's we found some hats and a onesie for Peanut (our child still in the womb) and I bought my step sister her Christmas gift.
* We still hadn't found any fitted mattress sheets for Peanut's bed so we went to Kid to Kid. I LOVE THAT STORE! head bands, bows, flowers, hats, clothes, toys, sheets, blankets- they have everything there a first time mother and father could go crazy over... but we didn't. We stuck to what we needed and got two newborn hats for peanut, 3 headbands and two fitted sheets.
* Dave and I don't find television interesting; therefore, we don't pay for satellite, cable or what ever else they have out there- we are movie watchers. So we purchased four movies at Shopko, Edward Scizzorhands, The Pebble and the Penguin, Kindergarten Cop and Leave it to Beaver.
You may be thinking to yourself, "Gosh, these Owen's must have spent SO MUCH!" Well, you are wrong. We spent just under $200.
What Dave and I didn't think about was how we had gone to a movie the week before ($12- with the military discount we get), eating out (which we have been doing a lot lately) and groceries (I go through a gallon of milk in one week and Dave goes through produce like a cow in a field of good weeds).
We aren't that far in the hole, but it has really been a testament to Dave and I that we need to be more careful with our money. This is going to be a hard habit to break because we enjoy buying things on the whim and going out to eat on the whim. We continually justify our actions with, "Well when Peanut comes we won't be able to do this, so we have to do it now", but this is not smart thinking at all when you are two months away from having a child.
So anyways, that is my/our bad habit that we wish we didn't have.
**At least Dave and I got our Christmas shopping done for each other and my step sister! **
I'm pretty sure that most everyone has this habit. I checked my bank account right before I came here and realized I've done something I have never done in my life before. Bounce a check. I'm still upset with myself over it. I had the money too, it just wasn't in the right account. Dang it! The way Matt and I keep to our budget, is we pull out cash for all of our budgets for the month. $40 for eating out for example. Then, once the money is gone, it is gone. It works for us. You probably don't really need the advice though. If you two are done shopping for each other already you are doing great!
ReplyDeleteThat is a good idea Brooke! Dave and I have talked about doing that, or putting money on a pre-paid card of some sort and JUST using that. Thanks girlie:)
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