Trading Places

So I have an unusual relationship with my friends and clothes, I think. For example, last Friday, my friend and I were meeting another friend at happy hour. I went to my friend's place to pick her up to go to the happy hour. My skirt, which I haven't worn since last summer, was bothering me. The elastic was stretched -- it didn't fit anymore. My friend whose place I was going to quit smoking and has outgrown her clothes. She had a big bag of her old clothes for me to sort through. When I got to her place, I gave her my skirt and she rummaged through the bag to find something for me, and she did. So I went to the happy hour wearing her old skirt. At the happy hour, my other friend gave me a purse that she'd bought at a garage sale because she knew that I'd been looking for a black one for a long time. So that night, I got a new skirt and a new purse for free.

When I go through my closet, a lot of my clothes are hand me downs from my friends. Sometimes it drives me crazy because I feel like I want my own clothes. Other times, it's nice to shop for free and I can't think of anything greener than swapping clothes instead of buying new ones.

Celebrating Paying off Debt

I can't believe how different it feels now that my student loan is paid off. I didn't realize it, but for the last year I've really been very aggressive about not spending $ so I could pay it off. This weekend I finally felt like I could let myself spend some $ on things I need. I have wanted a fire-proof file box (I'm such a geek) for about a year. So I ordered that online. Mostly though I bought clothes on a shopping trip (spree) with my friend. I realized the last time I really bought clothes, except for the bathing suit this summer, was last January, also with her, when I bought a new suit for work. Most women that I know would not have survived, haha. Anyway, it felt really great to buy some new clothes because I really need them. A lot of my clothes are 10 years old and some are starting not to fit anymore. I've been purging my closet as I switch to winter. That also feels good. To know I've used something for so long, I definitely get my money's worth out of my stuff.

Summer Spending

During summer it's more difficult to be frugal, no? For me it seems that way. One of those reasons is travel. I'm going on vacation in August. The travel and lodging will actually be just about free, even though I am traveling internationally. But, I have to buy some stuff to bring with me. One of those things is a bathing suit.

I haven't bought one in probably five years plus. Yesterday I went shopping with my friend at an Upper East Side boutique. We had a great time and tried on a million of them. I bought a tiny black one, for a total of $166. I think that price is insane. Earlier in the day I bought another one for only $63. Before this shopping trip, the last suit I bought cost about $80 and I thought that was a lot. And then on top of that I bought $28 flip-flops. Why? Because they were there and I needed some.

The experience was fun, but I keep feeling bad/uneasy about spending so much money on such unimportant things. I don't know how people get into credit card debt for frivolous things. I can understand if there are necessities or a medical emergency, but considering I feel uneasy about spending on something frivolous even though I know I can afford it, I need it and I don't have any debt, I can't imagine buying something like that knowing I didn't have the money in the bank to pay for it.

The trip was also a good case study in "factors that make you spend more $ than you intended to." One, I went with a friend who encouraged me to buy an expensive suit. I knew this was the case going in, but that influence is undeniable. Two, when you are in an expensive store, you will buy expensive things. I could have waited and bought the flip-flops somewhere else for half the price. However, since I was there and needed them I bought them.

At this point my bathing suits and flip flops are costing more than the trip!