To spend or not to spend...THAT is the question

I've been thinking alot about money lately, especially my spending habits and what I choose to spend my money on. I know I'm not the only one, everyone goes to work everyday with bated breath wondering if they themselves or their coworkers will have a job at the end of the day. What is important, what will enrich my life, and by enrich my life it may be as superficial as will these boots make my days this winter a little happier. Today, in this economy, is it ok to be superficial or should we be restricted to the necessities? I received my March issue of Real Simple yesterday and this question seems to be a very relevant topic. This magazine is my absolute favorite. It puts a smile on my face when I pull it out of the mailbox. One of my favorite parts is the editors note page which always strikes a chord with me and this month was no exception. Here is an excerpt...

I don't know about you, but I'm having a really hard time figuring out how or when to spend money these days. Almost every one of us has suffered in some way from this recession, but one weird fallout for me is a new cognitive dissonance that goes something like this: Everything is on sale! I should be taking advantage! versus Do not spend a single unnecessary dime, because the amount of money our family spends on food alone every week nearly gives me a panic attack!

I went through this same back and forth with myself yesterday in Target. I had been eyeing up this pair of boots for most of the winter and there they were on sale and not just any sale a 75% off sale. They had my size and I put them in my cart with a smile on my face...$8.54..what a deal! As I made my way around Target checking out the home decor, an argument was going on inside my head. The old me, who would have never given a second thought to $8.54 boots, was now confronted by the new me, who was questioning whether I needed another pair of boots no matter what they cost. I tried to ignore this "new me" but somehow I couldn't, she was probably right. I went and put the boots back on the shelf and smiled knowing that I had made the right decision.

This months issue of Real Simple is about how to live your life on less. How it's not necessarily about sacrificing but making smart decisions...like putting the boots back!!