I’m quite surrpised at how easy I’m finding Frugal February. Then I remember that I don’t actually have any money.
There’s not very much to spend on things that I don’t need. But pushing that aside a little, I wanted to discuss something more pertinent. The act of… how best to put this… pissing money up the wall.
I bought tickets for two events last week. Neither particularly expensive – I think they were about six or seven pounds each. But here’s the key thing: I didn’t go to either event. The reasons why aren’t the issue (quite valid reasons in both cases, if perhaps a little pathetic – I could have gone to both), but my lack of consideration for the money in my pocket surprised me.
On the face of it, I’d bought cheap tickets for two events. In reality? I might as well have given my money away. I think we do this a lot – whether it’s for getting to return a top we decided we didn’t like after all, or deciding that losing a small deposit is an option – we’re careless with money.
Not returning our library books when we should because we’d rather go out after work, buying a bargain in the sale even if we might not use it, buying a vintage dress that we promise to alter and never do. It’s all a waste of money, yet there’s something in our brains that tells us it’s OK because it’s not a lot of money, or even worse – we’re saving money because something is reduced. How can you save money when you’re wasting it? That’s crazy logic.
So despite me not spending a mass of money this week, I have wasted my pennies and pounds and I’m a little annoyed with myself. I can’t give myself the thumbs up financially if I’m going to have no regards for where my money is going. I’m not suggesting that I should force myself to go to an event when I’m totally exhausted and would fall asleep, but I should perhaps refrain from getting so caught up in buying a bargain that I buy without really thinking. I didn’t look in my diary last week and I’m out of pocket because of it.
And you know what they say: Look after the pennies…
{Image: Images_of_Money}
