Sunday, June 29, 2008

Am I a Material Girl?

No. I don't listen to Madonna.

Let's just make that abundantly clear right here and now.

However, I~having recently acquired a paycheck for two weeks of laborious labors~ have experienced a very typical American reaction to getting money.

The dire & mindless need to spend it as fast & shameless as humanly possible.


Prior to receiving the said paycheck I had schemed down on a list (oh, how I love to make lists, and lists of lists) how I would divvy up each paycheck for optimum financial gain.

10% - Tithing ( we're hoping God knows a good credit repair guy)
10% - Long Term Savings (liquid)
10% - Investment Pool
20% - Outstanding Debt Service on Credit Cards and Student Loans
30% - Provo Rent and other obligatory payments
20% - Feel Good Money

I was very proud of this little formula until I actually deposited the funds at my local Wells Fargo.
Not two weeks later and I am now back where I started. No I didn't blow it on ammo, cheap thrills and gadgetry (more on that later) the student loan sharks took most of it, and then OPEC claimed a nice chunk, and then I have myself to blame for some luxuries associated with food and racquetball.

Too much month and the end of the money - they always say. Damn straight, people.


However, I have one happy discipline story to be had from all of this.


As the Moores already know, I haven't had a phone upgrade since '04, and the darn thing is nearly busted. Well, yours truly had his eye on a pretty little iPhone competitor called Sprint Instinct. Which has a number of advantageous features over the the Gen 1 iPhone, mind you.

Unfortunately the plan for all the bells and whistles would end up being some where around $1000 a year..... I'm not going to pay a grand just so I can check my friggin email in between classes or on the road, and even if the GPS and touchscreen and 8GB memory and digital voicemail and web browser and hi resolution streaming video are all super snazzy I can't justify the cost compared with what my avg usage would be. So, I've decided to dip my toe into the icy waters of the law of sacrifice pool by getting a simpler phone that will not be so hard on a wallet that's already been shot and bled dry. I know. Big step for us 21st century saints - giving up the latest and greatest communications device, but there you have it. Tuesday is payday again, and this time I'll be biting the bullet and render unto Caesar that which is Caesar and unto Caesar's pizza...well you get the idea.

10.33 - time to shuffle on downstairs and get ready for another day.

Growing up sucks. The End.

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2008/06/23/daily23.html

1 comment:

Susan said...

So at least you talked yourself out of buying that outrageous phone! You may have found it cheaper on ebay, but the monthly bills still rape you dirty.

Aubry wants the iphone too and was willing to switch networks for it, but after I did my research I decided to tell him that it may not be a good idea. So Aubry read that google may be coming out with a new phone too.

Anywho, I'm with you about being an impulse buyer...if only the money came in fast enough to fill my addiction. I need my hit!