Getting a little tired of being so frugal...

[ScrimpAndSave]

I know. I'm going to be complaining and/or rambling at the same time.

But I'm really tired of watching where every single dollar goes. I currently send $500 a week to my ING account and I am closing in on a savings total of $20,000 within the next month. I did this in one year on my $47,000 salary. Not too shabby if you ask me - but it really didn't leave a lot of wiggle room for very much.

I'm getting a small raise this month ($1,800) and a much larger raise in September ($8,000)...I do plan on still aggressively saving...but I think I need to consider spending a little more on myself.

For example - I absolutely love to cook. I currently shop at the Wal Mart supercenter for my food and I try not to spend more than $60 every two weeks. Although this saves me a lot - I absolutely love shopping at Wegman's...but I don't allow myself this luxury very often. Even when buying Wegman's store brand items (which are a great buy)...I don't save nearly as much as I do at Walmart.

But shopping at Wegman's makes me HAPPY. I think I need to branch out more and enjoy myself...especially after this horrible broken engagement. I have no been very happy lately.

[Broken Arrow]

Do you have a small amount budgeted for entertainment?

You are allowed to enjoy your money.

I was kind of the opposite. When my marriage collapsed, it turned me frugal. (I was kind of frugal to begin with, but the collapse made me go into over-drive.)

[GREENBACK]

I think you should consider spending some on yourself for a while. Your thread sounds like a dieter that's getting fed up with always being hungry. Treat yourself to some things you like. Go to Wegman's. Allow room in your budget for fun.

You sound like you have extra cash to spend so go have a good time but be sensible about it. Don't let this keep building to the point where you throw in the towel on saving completely.

[wincrasher]

If going to a particular grocery store is considered "unbudgeted fun" then something is seriously F'd up in here.

You are obviously needing to fill the void left by that no-account ex-fiance.

Get out of the house, go out with girlfriends, join a dance class, cooking class or a book club, whatever.

Put yourself in situations where you might meet men that will lift you up, not drag you down.

I know, I'm a dinosaur and/or a pig.

[zakity]

I am in the school of thought that shop there if you can afford it. Being frugal is great, but you also have to enjoy life. And, if you don't need to be extremely frugal, then enjoy some of your money.

[boosami]

Consider this: The majority of Americans say "Hey, I need to be spending some money on myself. I deserve some fun" while they are upside down on a home they can't afford, have a maxed out HELOC, $10,000 credit card debt, and $0.00 in the savings account. You are in a tremendously better position than they are. If they can rationalize some fun money, you sure as hell can too.

[My English Castle]

Hey, I go to the upscale grocers when I need something special. Build some room into your budget for that. I stop, smell the flowers, eat the samples, peruse the $60 wine selections and buy what's on sale there. If your winter is like ours, call it a mini-vacation.
Give yourself $5 or so to just enjoy there. You deserve a little treat occasionally.

[Cylenchar]

I agree, budget some fun in. If you try to reduce your expenses too much, you will burn out and overcompensate by spending too much later on. For the next couple months, don't save quite as aggressively, knock the ING down to $450, and use the extra to go to Wegman's, or to buy a cd or 2. Go get a massage and relax. Unwind. YOU DESERVE IT

[EEinNJ]

FWIW, my wife told me a customer of her's was saying that Wegman's has lowered it's prices. She said it's the prepared food that people overspend on. So go ahead and shop there. Food is one of the great pleasures in life. If you're saving as much as you say, you're already doing great.

[Pitman]

Who wants to live a life feeling deprived? Most definitely not I.

I know exactly how you feel ScrimpAndSave. 2008 was the most frugal year of my life, granted I'm only 24, but still. It may sound cliché, but you only have one life to live, why not try to live to the fullest. I'm not saying cash in your savings, and run to the nearest casino, like my uncle did who's currently living paycheck to paycheck, but if its financially viable, buy yourself something nice. For example, I paid off 10K worth of debt, and saved more money than ever. I deserve, yes deserve to spoil myself a little, so at the moment, I'm saving for a new car, which won’t effect my monthly contributions to my savings nor touch a nickel from my savings. I could buy the car now, but I’m going to wait a few more weeks, I’m leaning towards mid/late March.

[simpletron]

you have a 1800 raise coming this month. why not spend the 80 or so per month increase in net pay on yourself? it should be more than enough to cover shoping at wegmans regularly plus some other things. you'll still be saving over 40% of your income, which is impressive for anyone.

[Thriftina]

Originally Posted by boosami

Consider this: The majority of Americans say "Hey, I need to be spending some money on myself. I deserve some fun" while they are upside down on a home they can't afford, have a maxed out HELOC, $10,000 credit card debt, and $0.00 in the savings account. You are in a tremendously better position than they are. If they can rationalize some fun money, you sure as hell can too.

I know, right?

Girl, you are my She-ro!

[Thriftina]

Originally Posted by ScrimpAndSave

I know. I'm going to be complaining and/or rambling at the same time.

But I'm really tired of watching where every single dollar goes. I currently send $500 a week to my ING account and I am closing in on a savings total of $20,000 within the next month. I did this in one year on my $47,000 salary. Not too shabby if you ask me - but it really didn't leave a lot of wiggle room for very much.

I'm getting a small raise this month ($1,800) and a much larger raise in September ($8,000)...I do plan on still aggressively saving...but I think I need to consider spending a little more on myself.

For example - I absolutely love to cook. I currently shop at the Wal Mart supercenter for my food and I try not to spend more than $60 every two weeks. Although this saves me a lot - I absolutely love shopping at Wegman's...but I don't allow myself this luxury very often. Even when buying Wegman's store brand items (which are a great buy)...I don't save nearly as much as I do at Walmart.

But shopping at Wegman's makes me HAPPY. I think I need to branch out more and enjoy myself...especially after this horrible broken engagement. I have no been very happy lately.

How are you able to do this? What type of food do you purchase?

[zetta]

I follow the All Your Worth philosophy of 50% to needs, 20% to savings, and 30% to wants. The author says having too low of a percentage going to wants makes most people feel deprived.

When I budget, I count our regular grocery store to Needs, and shopping at Trader Joe's to Wants. Perhaps you could do the same with Wegman's.

[irmanator]

I think you should feel blessed to get an 1800 raise. A lot of people get less or get laid off. You should shop at Wegmans if you want, certain things there are cheaper than walmart and the produce and meat are fresher.

[disneysteve]

As I said in an earlier thread, you need to trim back on the saving rate and bump up the spending rate. You've saved 20K on a 47K income. That's over 42% going to savings. While that sounds fantastic, I actually don't think it is in your case. I think there is a point where one can be saving too much and other areas of life suffer as a result. Surely, you don't need to be saving 42% to meet your financial goals.

Cut back that savings rate even by 2% to 40%. That will give you an extra $75-80/month to spend on whatever. If you want to spend it at Wegman's (pretty much the only place we shop anymore), go right ahead.

And I haven't even counted your upcoming raise. That'll give you another $80/month so you could actually keep saving just as much and spend the added income. That's fine too.

Bottom line is you need to enjoy life today while simultaneously preparing for the future. You can't do either one by itself. Far too many people live for today and don't save for tomorrow. You've been doing just the opposite and you should stop and find some better balance in your life.

[jIM_Ohio]

I agree with steve. 30% savings rate should be plenty and do not obsess about every penny. I don't obsess over the money we spend (our savings rate is about 22% and we spend freely around $300-$400/mo).

I miss Wegmans... I could probably shop there for 3 hours... tell Danny I said hello.

[snafu]

scrimp&save: I hope you will follow the practical suggestions that have been offered. Would you consider taking time to focus on the balance in your life? Perhaps your savings efforts are skewering balance. You need not stick to a $50. weekly food budget and you need to shop at your preferred store. Why not bump up your allocations to reflect your raise! Do you know a square of quality, dark chocolate helps raise endomorphs and lifts the spirit. Ah... play positive tapes in your mind and enjoy life

[GREENBACK]

I don't mean to get off subject here but I don't know what "Wegman's" is. Can someone clarify. I'm in the midwest so maybe it's an eastern thing. Google turned up nothing for me.

[ScrimpAndSave]

Thank you all for your feedback.

I thought about just using the $1800 raise into my "play money"...but then I started to think, isn't that how people get into trouble? They get raises and then adjust their spending so that they keep spending beyond their means? I don't know...I guess I just recognize key phrases where people usually go wrong...

"I work hard so I deserve to splurge."
"I got a raise, so I can afford it now."

I started aggressively saving because my exfiance had about $140,000 in student loans...so I figured I would try to save every freaking penny I could to make our situation the best that I could. I'm not in that situation anymore...but I do want to save for a house (hoping to have $40,000 by the end of this school year).

I'm going through a lot of emotions obviously...and I need to get out more.


Thanks all.