2010-03-16 My Purse

I don't think it's any surprise that in the last year a lot of people I know have been pinching pennies due to the economy. I'm incredibly lucky to have a long-time job that I like and still find challenging, even after all these years. But I, too, am affected by the ills of the economy, being a bit upside down on my house (ie, its worth less on the current market than the mortgage owed).

I'm only very slightly upside down, but I know some people who are $100K in the hole and wonder how to dig out. Me...I'm just trying to keep my finances in order, and one of my goals this year was to increase my savings account and possibly make headway in paying my car off early.

But all this economy and stinginess in my spending is somewhat of a bummer...I do love shopping. And in the past, there have been times I've indulged a bit too much. When I used to live near the Bridgewater Mall in NJ, I could hardly stop myself from stopping in on the way home and checking out the sales.

These days I don't live very near the nice mall, so I don't have that temptation, but I would love to go on a spree. Sometimes you look in your closet and you just see old old stuff, and right now, I could really use some new clothes...don't get me wrong, I have a million garments in my closet, but they feel wrong. Like they're not for me anymore...like someone else bought these clothes. Often I find I don't have the clothes I need for certain occasions. I've given away a lot of clothes to Goodwill over the past 5 years since I moved to Florida, but it's left me with a "non-functional" closet...no more nice suit for networking lunches, not enough casual dresses for nice dinners out, shirts and shorts that have been worn over and over.

But I'm not sure what to do...do I jump in and just get what I need/want or keep focused on my goals for continued financial success? I think I need to keep my financial goals in line. I will be so much better off in the long run.