My Economic Stimulus Check -- Do's and Didn'ts

    First, thanks to everyone for your wonderful and kind comments on my FINALLY CREDIT CARD DEBT FREE post last week!

    I did not do a happy dance (if I wasn't at work, I probably would have), but the spirit may move me at any time when the full realization of what it means to be credit card debt free means and I may spontaneously break out into a belated happy dance!

    I will keep blogging, of course. I've got a lot of things I need to do with my money. And I will still be Debt Hater -- because I truly hate being in debt bondage and that will never change!

    Last week, before I finished off my credit card, my "economic stimulus" check ("tax rebate" or whatever else the press is calling it now), was deposited to my regular savings account.
    I had not planned for this bit of cash (which is never a good idea. When you don't have a plan for your money, it tends to be spent on stupid things. ASK ME HOW I KNOW!). So, I just let it sit there until I had a plan.

    Then it hit me like a lightning bolt. DUH! Your plan was to pay off the credit card this month, then use the money you normally put on the card back into your mini-emergency savings plan and BAM!, back up to $1,000. So, silly DH, put the eco-stim check in your mini-emergency savings account and there! All done!

    But I sorta didn't.

    I went to visit my family this weekend for Mother's Day (Happy belated Mother's Day shout outs to all my mommies out there!!). All we ever do is go to the mall and the movies, as you've read here before. But, this time, I actually wanted to go to the mall. All I really wanted was The Simpsons Season 10 DVD, but the fye in the mall was charging $50. I ain't never paid that much for a DVD set and I wasn't about to start, credit card debt free or not!
    So I checked out the mall with my brother and my little cousins, bought them a snack (only set me back $7 people, don't jump on me yet!) and decided to stroll into one of my favorite stores, Banana Republic.
    I... went... CRAZY!
    I tried on whole outfits -- not just a piece here and there on sale, whole suits with accessories. Most stuff I tossed onto the "this ain't working" pile and was about to walk out of the fitting room with nothing at all. I got my jollies, no need to head to the cash register.
    Except for the yellow top that I loved and was just what I had been looking for for two months. And the linen skirt that I couldn't leave the store without -- they were both on sale. Oh, and the banging brown skirt suit. And the bright coral shirt that looked fabulous with it. From those few pieces I visualized about 10 different outfits using them and things I already owned.
    So, I boldly strode to the cash register and rung it all up:
    Lined linen skirt
    Coral 3/4 sleeve button-down shirt
    Yellow Top
    Chocolate pinstripe suit jacket
    Chocolate pinstripe suit skirt
    TOTAL: $334

    Yes, you can gasp. My 14-year-old skater punk cousin did! (When we got home, he promptly told everyone how much I spent. No one asked him).
   
    Ok, so, yeah. I didn't save all of my gub'ment check.

    I immediately did the math -- that's $266 left of the check. That will immediately go into my mini-emergency fund. Next month, though, I still plan to put the whole $600 into my mini-emergency fund. That was the plan before I got the economic stimulus check, so that's the plan right now too.

    And, in case you're wondering, I found my Simpsons DVD at another store for $16 less. I bought it. So, I guess that's $231 left of my tax rebate check.

    DH

Comments

[BK]

hmm whenever I do FINALLY get my money I'm stimulating the economy too.. cause by then it will be time to buy school supplies, school clothes, and put money on school account for lunches!!! LOL

[Single Ma]

Funny how we make split second decisions when we KNOW we know better!

Now my sensible side wants to suggest, put $200 in your efund so you will only owe yourself $400 next month.

Then my spendthrift side says, GIRL YOU STILL HAVE OVER $200 TO SPEND!! DOES THAT MEAN WE'RE GOING TO THE SPA IN TWO WEEKS?!?!

*returning to my normal state*

Ahem, see...what I meant was...