What we like to spend our money on

Now that I have given my sob story, let me tell the fun part of our spending; the part we are going to miss.

My Husband: Buys everything electronic. He loves the latest computer gadets and games. He is a gamer. He plays World of Warcraft and many others. He is never without his computer. He also very much likes to go to Kroger about 6 times a week. He is the grocery shopper and cook in our family. I think he was a little surprised to find we are spending 6-700 a month on groceries, but tried to explain it as the family holiday dinners. He doesn't spend a lot otherwise, though he does take random and sometimes pricy trips to Walmart and the like from time to time.

Me: I have never met a bargain I didn't like. I rarely almost never pay full price for anything. I am a bargain/clearance rack/off season shopper. I get so much more for my money that way. Of course, I put those bargain purchases on credit cards. I can also get sucked into buying something I may or may not need just because it is on a good sale or I have coupons or free shipping or whatever.

My other downfall is my collections & ebay. I have always been a collector, but during our poor times broke the habit. I didn't look at ebay at all. I didn't buy frivolous stuff. Before we got married, I was big into vintage purses. I don't buy those as often anymore (in fact, I think I have bought one since we got married) partly because they are expensive, partly because my interests have changed, partly because they are getting harder to find. But they are still special to me and displayed in my home.

Now I am into dolls. I have a large American Girl collection, which has really been my downfall the last couple years. I also collect Ellowyne Wilde, Karito Kids, and ball jointed dolls, which are particularly pricy. In the past year I have only bought one AG doll (on sale), one Ellowyne doll (a custom repaint off ebay) and one ball jointed doll which I had paid on layaway (onto my credit card). I don't feel that that is unreasonable, but I have spent hundreds of dollars on stuff for my dolls - particularly my AG dolls. American girl is retiring dolls and things especially fast lately. Last fall, I was buying up things for Samantha before she retired. This fall, it was Kirsten. I have most of Kirsten's collection already, but didn't have three of the priciest items. I only got two of them, but that was around $250 right there. I only buy AG stuff on sale or free shipping, but when those are options, I do spend a lot.

My doll habit is going to have to be the first thing to go. I have budgeted a very small discretionary amount for each of us, but it isn't going to begin to give me what I am going to want to spend. Already, there is an Ellowyne doll and outfit on the WI site that I have wanted for years that is on last call & sale, and I have to sit on my hands not to get her. Speculation is that American Girl may retire two dolls next year. Ouch. All that stuff I will have to pay elevated prices on ebay later. I have a BJD doll head that doesn't have a body. She will have to stay that way another year. I am just trying to tell myself how good it will feel to be able to pay cash for my purchases in the future, to know I can afford them, and not have to stress about the credit cards going up.

In the interest of full disclosure, I did buy a very expensive doll this week. This is a doll I have wanted for a year and a half. I struggled with this decision, and is in part what sent me on this debt-free panic-attack path. He is in final production and will never be available again, except possibly on second hand markets. He is a limited edition of 20. In the world. (Justification, justification). He is very special, and I am at peace now with my decision to get him. Was it the smartest use of my money? Hell no. Does it appear to minimize my committment to my 2010 plan? Probably. But it doesn't. Think of it as that big "last meal" before you start a diet. I paid for him in full and in cash. And I don't expect to get another doll in 2010 or until we are credit card debt free and I can pay cash in full again.