On the Cheap

Howdy folks. I come to you from my recliner. Where I am watching my old fashioned, square television. [American Idol, recorded] Sometimes I feel like the only house in the world that still has these antiques....these crazy SQUARE TVs. Seriously! I have had so many people ask me why we haven't upgraded to the big HD and all that.

Well.....our TVs still work. It's hard to me to justify buying a new TV, despite the great technology, when my TVs still function perfectly well. Now, when one eventually breaks, sure! I'll check into this modern HD deal. I'm just tired of people expecting me to keep up with the Joneses. That was a pretty rampant plague when I lived in Dallas and I guess I expected it to be less here, but no. Seems like there's always someone around you who has something you don't. I think you should only be concerned if you care.

I see a lot of people around me buying, buying, buying. As the resident cheapskate this sort of freaks me out. I just have a hard time understanding buying a new car every year, having a house full of cutting edge technology that's going to change and be outdated in six months, buying all the trendiest shoes, coats, and clothes, taking extravagant trips 6 times a year so you can talk about them to your friends. It really wears on a person. Is it wrong that I just don't care?

I like stuff, I do! Would I like all that stuff? Sure....if it was free! But I can't see the spending. It truly hurts my stomach to see it going on. It pains me to pay full price for a book, a sweater, or a....okay, fine, anything. It pains me to pay full price for anything. It physically hurts me. I even freak out a little inside if none of my organic brands of milk are on sale. I mean it's MILK FOR MY CHILDREN. You'd think I could splurge for that.

I can't stomach the idea of debt. I hate taking money out of savings. I love coupons. There is a slight chance that I might be 85 years old.

To summarize, here's what I don't like: feeling like people are judging my darn square TVs, my FM radio, my Target sweater, my 2005 car, and my non-internet connected phone. I don't understand why people care. If I'm happy with my stuff (and my spending, or lack of), why should anyone else be concerned?

But if anyone sees something good on the cheap, you let me know. ;)