My Parsimonious Self

Thrifty. Miserly. Economical. Frugal. Whatever adjective you prefer, it all boils down to CHEAP! In an ironic twist, I have found that years of being the sole provider for my family has turned me into the penny-pinching queen. I used to be the girl that wouldn't bat an eye to drop my entire paycheck on a pair of shoes, the perfect pair of jeans or a superb handbag- but those days are long gone! Somewhere deep inside me, the suppressed fashionista begs to be reintroduced to Guess, Seven for All Mankind and make some new friends named Christian Louboutin, Valentino and Dior, but she will have to wait.

I was doing some shopping on my lunch break today, hoping to find some great deals at Kohl's for my kids. They are growing faster than I can keep up with, and have both jumped a size in clothes simultaneously. (Dear Aidan and Lily: For future reference, it would be extremely helpful if you could stagger your growth spurts! Love: Mommy) Along with the cold snap that has finally hit us here in Arizona, I am scrambling to keep them properly dressed! During this quick excursion is when it hit me just how cheap I have become. All of the kids clothes were 50% off, and I still found myself debating in my head over purchases because I know they will grow out of them so soon.

This realization made me feel so old, and completely removed from myself. I am becoming more and more like my beloved Grandfather, who is notorious for keeping a tight reign on the purse-strings! I battle because I don't want to waste money foolishly, however I still want to love the life I live and enjoy myself instead of simply surviving. In light of this lunch time revelation, I have made a vow to myself to continue being a good steward of the means I have been blessed with, but to not become a Scrooge. Aidan- enjoy your jeans that cost more than mine...please don't rip them anytime soon!