[Pishi]

Hi MassLaw, my goodness, yes, I am very unhappy at work! Oh, I know it! I have a very stressful position, and I tend to think: well, if I have to work like a dog, at least I have this beautiful object (insert shoes, bag, etc) which is a physical manifestation of all the stress and I can enjoy it.

DH and I have been having a lot of arguments about the spending. I don't like being told that I am being "unreasonable". It just crushes me when I think...I can't buy anything...and I have to work like crazy...and my DH thinks I'm crazy...yikes! I use it as an outlet. Changing jobs at this point is not really viable, so somehow I have to stick it out.

So, the challenge will be to find other ways to make me "de-stress" and feel like I am getting something out of working other than the money that disappears into savings, bills, etc. I am TRYING to focus on our upcoming vacation. We're going to France, and I am hoping that if I'm good between now and September, then when we go to France DH will allow me to treat myself.

Anyway, I really admire what you are doing personally, MassLaw. To take control of your situation is the hardest part, and once you set your mind to it (and you sound like a girl who can and has!) the positive karma will accumulate. Good for you, to be on the road to making your life the way you want it!

[Zophie]

I have a very stressful position, and I tend to think: well, if I have to work like a dog, at least I have this beautiful object (insert shoes, bag, etc) which is a physical manifestation of all the stress and I can enjoy it.

I know that feeling! I don't hate my job but when I work my butt off and get really stressed I'll want to buy myself something to make me feel like all that work was worth something. I just kind of feel like I have enough bags for now and need to save up for other things so I'm banning myself for a while.

[blew415]

Originally Posted by MassLaw15

Hi & welcome to the thread! Purchasing a home is always fun & nerve-wracking at the same time! I am a bit in love w/ LV ronds & cles' so I hear you! Cheaper but still a lot of money in the grand scheme of things!

May we ask since this is "another" house are you moving or investing or flipping? I have a soft spot for real estate! Its what I plan to focus on once I finish law school!

Moving,flipping, and investing! We are going to move into the larger one we just bought and then flip the one we are currently living in. I am still planning on holding on to the current one for at least 6 yrs(to pay it off) and then sell it. The area we are in does really well, avg houses range from 350-750k-most on the higher end. We will see!

[MassLaw15]

Originally Posted by blew415

Moving,flipping, and investing! We are going to move into the larger one we just bought and then flip the one we are currently living in. I am still planning on holding on to the current one for at least 6 yrs(to pay it off) and then sell it. The area we are in does really well, avg houses range from 350-750k-most on the higher end. We will see!

Hey! Thanks for your response! That's so interesting! I would love to try & flip a house. My DH is a finish carpenter & he & his brother (also a finish carpenter) have remodeled one home & demo'd & completely rebuilt a second home.

In my current home w/ DH we have basically replaced & upgraded everything ourselves, from soup to nuts! Sooo... I think we have the knowledge, now we just need the investment money! Definitely a project for AFTER law school!

[GyrlLayney]

Hey MassLaw15 and all you wonderful BBB's!

I'm baaaaack from vacation Disney was fun but waaaay too hot and humid

I am sooooo excited to see that this thread has continued to flourish! I'm looking forward to reading everyone's posts and catching up to each and every one of you gals...

And as for my ban... I STILL have NOT purchased a new bag since July 2nd (20 days and counting!) EVEN THOUGH my sister in law and I spent 1/2 a day at the Orlando Premier Outlets last week. I visited Dior, Fendi and Coach but left those stores without buying a single thing!!!

It was pretty nice also staying away from the internet for awhile... a very cleansing experience. And now I'm hoping to regain focus of my mission in life: to attend graduate school.

[angelthelson]

^^^ yeah!! you're back!! i'm glad to hear that you enjoyed and never got tempted to buy something =) that's a big improvement (and hard too!!)

[MassLaw15]

Originally Posted by GyrlLayney

Hey MassLaw15 and all you wonderful BBB's!

I'm baaaaack from vacation Disney was fun but waaaay too hot and humid

I am sooooo excited to see that this thread has continued to flourish! I'm looking forward to reading everyone's posts and catching up to each and every one of you gals...

And as for my ban... I STILL have NOT purchased a new bag since July 2nd (20 days and counting!) EVEN THOUGH my sister in law and I spent 1/2 a day at the Orlando Premier Outlets last week. I visited Dior, Fendi and Coach but left those stores without buying a single thing!!!

It was pretty nice also staying away from the internet for awhile... a very cleansing experience. And now I'm hoping to regain focus of my mission in life: to attend graduate school.

Hey! Welcome back!

Glad you had FUN! & no bags, GOOD for you! I love this thread & have tried to "keep it going" while you were away! Some really great, interesting & inciteful posts!

Honestly am visiting the "Money Talks" section 100 times more than any of the other sections!

And graduate school... HOW EXCITING!!! THAT IS AWESOME!!!!

So glad you're back! We missed you!

SORRY! I TRIED TO USE THE SMILIES & IT WOULDN'T LET ME! (CRAZY TECHNOLOGY, LOL)! JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW I'M HAPPY YOUR BACK! =)

[EmilyAnne_SD]

I too am glad that this thread is still hopping! I was on vacation last week and now am back to work. Unfortunately, I hadn't purchased a bag since July 7th and then I bought one on July 21st. I guess you can say I had a setback. I am starting the ticker again and setting my sights higher in figuring out why I have a tendency to crazy-spend on things. If anything, I didn't buy the $600 COACH purse that is supposed to hit stores this Thursday. I will be staying away from the mall and internet for sure. I have though started a weight loss/well-being improvement lifestyle change for myself to help me reexamine my habit. One step at a time, one day at a time.

[GyrlLayney]

Originally Posted by MassLaw15

Okay Layney & the Gals:

Originally Posted by MassLaw15

An update & some questions....

Yesterday I cancelled my Sears, Kohls, Macys & GAP card! The only one I am keeping is NM & I have only ever used it once!

I also called on all 6 of my major cc & found that three have GREAT fixed APR's. I will be cancelling the other three once they are paid off.

This is what I currently owe:
Citi: $2116.29
Bank of America: $1927.51
Chase: $3,134.01
Capitol One: $138.23 (as soon as they receive this payment the card is being CANCELLED)
Discover: $6,197.68 (this one makes me feel the WORST because 10 weeks ago it had a zero balance)
Washington Mutual: $3,928.47

Grand Total: Aprox: $17, 440.00 (I didn't add in the change).

So $17,000 in the hole. Not good. I have been selling a bunch on eBay & actually beleive my total should probably go down roughly $2,000 once checks I have RECENTLY written get applied to my account but still...a lot of money!

I have sold 2 Chanel's & a BUNCH of LV (think 10+). I still have MORE to list & auctions that are currently going on right now, so hopefully MORE $$$.

Masslaw - so are ya still down to $15,440 or does this figure need to be updated to an even LOWER number??? I can't wait to hear how much MORE you have wittled this debt down! I'm so proud of you cancelling some of these cards...YOU GO GIRLFRIEND!!!

[pl888]

Hi, guys! I just got into designer bags within the past year, after I graduated(no longer a starving grad student!!) and I've def. noticed that bag buying can be addictive. Even though I thought I was playing it "safe" by buying from the lesser known, trendier designers (Bulga, Gryson) I still ended up buying 1-2 bags a month, and it added up....so I'm putting myself on a bag ban for an indefinite period. Glad to hear there's so many like-minded people in this forum!

[MassLaw15]

Originally Posted by GyrlLayney

Masslaw - so are ya still down to $15,440 or does this figure need to be updated to an even LOWER number??? I can't wait to hear how much MORE you have wittled this debt down! I'm so proud of you cancelling some of these cards...YOU GO GIRLFRIEND!!!

Hey! Okay...I am in a better place!

I have transfered my Citi balance to my Chase card. Citi was a variable rate currently @ 27%. I didn't even know, until I called them & asked. Guess, I wasn't paying attention, huh? So, my Chase is a fixed 9.9% & 0% for over a year on balance transfers. So... went from 27% to 0%! UNREAL!

Also...just today I switched my WAMU card balance at 17% to my Bank of America Card which is 7.9% fixed & 1.1% on balance transfers for over a year!

I also had a bank check drawn on my eBay account today at the bank for exactly $1500 to put on my Discover Card. I already put $400 on it about 2 weeks ago. So that will be $1900 paid on it in one month! My Discover card is 12.9% fixed. A bit higher but I've had it a long time so don't want to ax it. I asked for a lower rate & they said not this month but try again next month...whatever that means... But if I don't use it and/or pay it in FULL once it is paid off then it won't matter!

I also had a yard sale this weekend! Didn't have a lot of stuff & I live in the middle of NOWHERE but I still made $300 bucks! Today I deposited it & then transfered it to my ING savings acct. It now has a little over $700 in it which isn't a TON but before, that money would have just been GONE!

Also, DH & I have put every 5 dollar bill we get into a jar for the last couple of weeks & have about 80 bucks. Again not HUGE but AGAIN, before that money would have grown wings & flown away!

So YES! The number should be LOWER! I'll have to check my balances & update you all!

Oh! And I rolled $46.50 in change today! Hey, every penny counts! LOL =)

[MassLaw15]

Originally Posted by Pishi

Hi MassLaw, my goodness, yes, I am very unhappy at work! Oh, I know it! I have a very stressful position, and I tend to think: well, if I have to work like a dog, at least I have this beautiful object (insert shoes, bag, etc) which is a physical manifestation of all the stress and I can enjoy it.

DH and I have been having a lot of arguments about the spending. I don't like being told that I am being "unreasonable". It just crushes me when I think...I can't buy anything...and I have to work like crazy...and my DH thinks I'm crazy...yikes! I use it as an outlet. Changing jobs at this point is not really viable, so somehow I have to stick it out.

So, the challenge will be to find other ways to make me "de-stress" and feel like I am getting something out of working other than the money that disappears into savings, bills, etc. I am TRYING to focus on our upcoming vacation. We're going to France, and I am hoping that if I'm good between now and September, then when we go to France DH will allow me to treat myself.

Anyway, I really admire what you are doing personally, MassLaw. To take control of your situation is the hardest part, and once you set your mind to it (and you sound like a girl who can and has!) the positive karma will accumulate. Good for you, to be on the road to making your life the way you want it!

Hi Pishi! Thanks for the kind words!

Your trip to France is soooooo exciting! I went 9+ years ago & LOVED it! DH & I love to travel but that has taken a VERY far away back seat to my financial undoing!

Maybe something will come up for you in the job arena so that things would be better for you. I know what its like to have a job you despise & watched my father do it while growing up. It really sucks the life out of you. I hope something better comes along. You never know! Anything's possible!

[jadecee]

Originally Posted by MassLaw15

Hey! Okay...I am in a better place!

I have transfered my Citi balance to my Chase card. Citi was a variable rate currently @ 27%. I didn't even know, until I called them & asked. Guess, I wasn't paying attention, huh? So, my Chase is a fixed 9.9% & 0% for over a year on balance transfers. So... went from 27% to 0%! UNREAL!

Also...just today I switched my WAMU card balance at 17% to my Bank of America Card which is 7.9% fixed & 1.1% on balance transfers for over a year!

I also had a bank check drawn on my eBay account today at the bank for exactly $1500 to put on my Discover Card. I already put $400 on it about 2 weeks ago. So that will be $1900 paid on it in one month! My Discover card is 12.9% fixed. A bit higher but I've had it a long time so don't want to ax it. I asked for a lower rate & they said not this month but try again next month...whatever that means... But if I don't use it and/or pay it in FULL once it is paid off then it won't matter!

I also had a yard sale this weekend! Didn't have a lot of stuff & I live in the middle of NOWHERE but I still made $300 bucks! Today I deposited it & then transfered it to my ING savings acct. It now has a little over $700 in it which isn't a TON but before, that money would have just been GONE!

Also, DH & I have put every 5 dollar bill we get into a jar for the last couple of weeks & have about 80 bucks. Again not HUGE but AGAIN, before that money would have grown wings & flown away!

So YES! The number should be LOWER! I'll have to check my balances & update you all!

Oh! And I rolled $46.50 in change today! Hey, every penny counts! LOL =)

Mass - this is AWESOME!! Thanks so much for sharing with all of us! It is definitely inspiring and motivating to see you work so diligently at your goal! I've recently opened up a HSBC Direct account which is basically along the same lines of the ING account to help put my savings for the move into a "bucket". I was also able to take advantage of one of their promotions where if you opened up a new account and have at least a $100 balance by the end of August they'll deposit $50 into your account - not bad huh?

I agree with you - every little bit counts and while each action monetarily may be large or small - I think the effort/thought behind it and the conscious decision to do something financially-wise is HUGE!

You deserve a HUGE pat on the back for all the progress you've made this month! Congrats!

[vanojr9]

Ladies, I'm glad to hear you are making progress! I have been doing ok, finally feeling financially secure and then the only bad thing that really could have happened at this moment did...my car's "check engine" light came on tonight. Last time the light came on it took $1300 in repairs to turn it back off again (only last fall, not even a year ago). I literally feel like someone has kicked me in the stomach so hard I want to vomit. I want to cry and scream and scream some more. I can't sell the car broken down, and I almost surely can't afford to repair it. I guess I drive it until whatever problem is plaguing it now kills it. I've got a Honda Accord, which is supposed to be a great, reliable car, but it breaks down like clockwork every year and costs a fortune to repair. I haven't sold it because it was a gift and I'm afraid that doing so will cause some family tension (I have a very tenuous relationship with my stepmother, who gave it to me used). Up until now I figured the repairs are worth not having a family breakdown, but now I have little choice.

Granted, I don't know what's wrong with the car, maybe it's not horrible, but ladies, it's always horrible with that car. I either max out my credit card again or pay cash, thus keeping me from being able to pay my rent. I really can't afford to do either, frankly, I think I'm going to let it sit and bum rides for a few months and hope the problem doesn't get worse.

Why now??? I was finally getting back on track, it just kills me that it's now, during the summer, when I'm working three jobs to get by. I guess I'm heading back to eBay to sell any items I still have that are worth money (I still have one nice bag and wallet). It just kills me to live this way, with this constant knot in my stomach, and now it's back. Sorry to vent, I'm just beside myself.

[GyrlLayney]

Originally Posted by angelthelson

hi sistah layney!!! sorry for the late reply, so here goes my story: well, i'm a housewife, just moved here in the states last year, i'm 25, no kids and yes, i can't work yet coz of my visa status. my hubby is a computer programmer/analyst and he is a great guy but he doesn't want me to spoil with material things. he gives me allowance and thats $10 bux a week (he's cheap grr!!) but yea, he wants me to learn how to save coz i splurge a lot whenever i can. eversince i got here, i've been returning/exchanging stuffs which he hates a lot. i haven't saved a lot of money foing crazy things and i can't even remember where the money went (insane, right?) so last week, i bought an MK wristlet which made him really mad and tells me how materialistic i am. we had a huge fight over this coz he wants me to stop buying bags (i have a few, i still don't have that designer ones coz can't afford it as of the moment. i only have 2 coach bags, a wristlet, the sak) so yea, we almost had a divorce over this so i decided to stop my shallow obsessing and i got ban for 2 yrs!! so girls, i am all proud of you and i hope all our bans will work =) we have to make it work =)

Angel...so glad you had the courage to share your story with all of us! Your DH is like mine (and I'm sure many other BBBs' dh's) in that he just can't understand what a new bag means to us.

Although we've got what seems like "enough" bags... we feel that our collection is incomplete when we start looking at other tPFers' collections and hear about how much they desire a certain bag or absolutely love a new bag they have or another person might have. Then we wonder if we should have that bag, too, and if we could also feel as wonderful too if only we had that new bag...

But then some of us enter compulsion... when wanting becomes NEEDING that feeling again... because it goes away all too quickly soon after the object of desire has been lusted for, hunted down and brought home. So we want to return the bag we fell out of love with and start all over again. In fact some of my a$$hole exboyfriends were like this too...

I, for one, will start about using a technique mentioned here in this thread: I'll walk around the store with the bag in my cart, then use all of my willpower to leave the cart and its contents behind and walk out of the store. Angel - why don't you try it too, and let us know what you have successfully left behind without purchasing or exchanging for a returned bag! Then add up all your savings (which will be PRICELESS credits to your marriage!) and share with the rest of us! You can do it!