My guilty pleasures.

Everybody has them.

A guilty pleasure, the ONE thing you LOVE to indulge in.

It seems to me, that I have 100 guilty pleasures. Everything I love is a guilty pleasure.

WHY DOES THE WORD GUILTY HAVE TO COME FIRST?

I have some friends who really really like shoes. And then I have some friends who really really like Starbucks. or who really really like home decor. or who really like to dine out. who like to drive around or do things. people who can't say no to magazines at the check out stand.

I seem to have been plagued with almost all of the above.
I could really care less about dining out.

BUT.

I REALLY REALLY like home decor. and shoes (this is a new one... ). and clothes (this is not new.) and Starbucks (I'm trying really hard on this one...) I LOVE LOVE magazines (I have a collection). I REALLY love Diet Coke, and I really like to spend money doing things. or at least I used to...

Since last June, Eric and I decided to get really serious about budgeting and how we spend our money, and we have been doing a REALLY good job. We are not perfect, we (and by WE, I mean Eric) still get fast food for lunch every now and then, we ( and by WE, I mean me) still buy some things at full price just because its new when we probably didn't need a brand new one (in reference to baby items), etc etc. BUT. We have improved, a lot. By this, I mean we pay our bills in full-when they're due, and we grocery shop instead of order out, Craig and his List have become our best friend, and we don't go out. ever. We don't buy new clothes even when we need them and we go without a lot of things we once thought we needed (RIP Bumble and Bumble shampoo).

We save a lot of money by staying in each and every night, getting a red box and calling it a date. Sometimes, this is the BEST date, and sometimes I fall asleep (Like, for example when we rent horrible movies).

Lately, I have been having a power struggle within my mind. On one hand, getting out of debt will be so rewarding, I know it. And on the other hand, I feel like I am missing out on experiences with my husband and my family (and even friends) simply because we're too cheap. It's hard to decipher whether it's important or if I think it's important because I just want to. Does anyone else feel like this or is it just me? It's okay if you say it's just me! I grew up in "Yuppy-ville" as Eric likes to call it, and I realize that sometimes I am too casual about my money spending habits.

Anyways, we got our tax return last week and here's what I did with it :

This was a little piece of heaven for me. I put one on the belt and then I kind of freaked out and grabbed 4 more. Eric was in jaw dropping shock at me, but he didn't say a word. This, my friends... is how you know you married the right man.