All Of My Purchases That Were & Weren’t Worth It In August
After reading Holly’s piece on her saddest wastes of money for 2017 thus far, it got me thinking about where I am currently spending my own money, and whether I’m happy about these choices. As a financial shit show, I had an inkling that going through my bank statements and receipts with a fine tooth comb would ~enlighten~ me into understanding my own spending habits better, and therefore improve them with that awareness.
To be perfectly and completely honest, I fucked up in August. Badly. I spent way too much money on stupid, frivolous expenses that did not bring me any joy or improve my wellbeing or life in any way. I honestly had trouble finding anything I felt happy, or at least not guilty, spending money on. Everything I purchased was almost always fueled by instant gratification, be it from going out to eat to cheap accessories from Target (as opposed to better made, higher quality items).
Ugh. Hopefully, next month will go better.
Shit I Regret Spending Money On This Month
Hungover McDonald’s ($6.87)
I went to visit my old college town before one of my good friends starts his PhD program in cellular and molecular biology (casual). We got a little carried away and I felt terrible the next morning. It’s about an hour drive back to my apartment, so I grabbed McDonald’s on the way home. It just made me feel more sluggish, as well as guilty, because I’m really trying hard to treat my body better — and drinking like a college kid and then eating fast food is definitely not a way to achieve that goal.
All the office lunches I spent money on ($58.73)
Yiiiiiiiiiikes. My wallet is emptier, my waistline is fuller, and I am pissed at myself for spending almost $60 on things that have taken me farther from my goals of physical and financial health. I’m starting a remote position this month, so hopefully that means I’ll be less tempted/unable to spend money on lunch out, but alas, time will tell. Hopefully guilt will actually propel me into better choices this September.
Target purse that ended up breaking in two weeks ($40.00)
It was beautiful. It was a mid-sized and olive green with a structured shape, possessing this very sophisticated and #adult look that I had never sported before. It also was like a Mary Poppins bag, because I could fit so many necessities in it. I had to have it.
Around two weeks after purchasing it (and throwing out the receipt and tags, fml), I went to grab it from my car’s passenger seat, and the strap was broken beyond repair. I don’t even know how it happened. Cheap purse probz, I guess.
Anyway, I wish I had just saved that $40.00 to put towards a better made purse. They’re called investment pieces for a reason. Lesson learned (I think).
Total Wasted: $105.60
Shit I’m Glad I Spent Money On This Month
Student Loan Payment ($256.67)
Yes, it can be slightly painful to shell out almost $300 on an expense that isn’t exactly tangible and without any instant gratification. However, I am so beyond goddamn lucky to have been able to attend college. I know this, but I definitely need to improve my acknowledgement for the extreme privilege associated with higher education. After all, attending my university has provided me with so many opportunities that I know are unavailable to many Americans because of financial circumstances, among other reasons. To groan as I fill out my Nelnet payment is actually fucking shameful, considering what this degree has done for me.
This month, and every month moving forward, I will be grateful to pay $256.67.
NYX Eyeshadow Primer
As I’ve touched upon in previous posts, I really love makeup. I used to work for Sephora and I’m always watching beauty gurus on YouTube to find inspiration for ~*fresh lewks*~. For me, it helps me feel more pulled together and confident, as well as gives me a way to express myself creatively.
But, as anyone who wears makeup knows, it can get pretty pricey, and quickly. (Shout out to the tiny Sephora bags that can hold $75.00 worth of product! You the real MVP.) This month, I started taking an honest look at my current collection and am trying to shift some of my products to less expensive ones that can deliver just as good results as the higher end options.
One item I can’t live without is eyeshadow primer. My eyelids tend to be oily, and eyeshadow and eyeliner will just slide off in a manner of a few hours if I don’t use it. Previously, I had been using the Urban Decay Primer Potion in its original formulation. Although it lasted forever, around $20 a tube is pretty damn expensive, especially if I can find a primer that’s cheaper and works just as well. And so, I decided to pop into Ulta and check out an NYX eyeshadow primer instead. My twin sister uses it, and says she doesn’t notice a difference between it and a high end primer. I have to agree. So glad I tried it out and saved almost $15.
Total spent: $262.66
Molly is an assistant digital strategist by day and a writer by night. She drinks way too much coffee and can be found on Twitter here.
Image via Unsplash
