Prioritizing Your Smaller Wants and Needs
Now, I may be trying to get out of debt, but I’m not crazy. If I get $20 for my birthday, I’m going to spend it, not put it toward my debt.
But what to spend it on? If I keep the cash in my wallet with no clear plan, I’ll end up blowing it all on McDonald’s and clearance-rack clothing that I’ll never actually wear. And since our tight getting-out-of-debt budget leaves little money for things like new shoes, makeup and entertainment, I have limitless ideas of how to spend the money.
Instead of blowing my birthday money on impulse purchases, this year I made a list of things I want and ordered them from most to least important in Ta-Da Lists (www.tadalists.com). Here’s my current prioritized list:
1. Emergency fire escape ladders for the upstairs bedrooms
2. 2 pairs of jeans for stepson to replace the ones he ripped
3. Clinique foundation (wait ’til Bonus Time beginning March 9)
4. Baseball opening day tickets
5. More long-sleeve casual shirts
6. New Pumas
7. Train ride into the city to see the Bodies exhibit with family
8. Black patent round-toe pumps
9. New Victoria’s Secret IPEX bra
10. Develop pictures for photo album
11. Swiss Gear Zurich Upright Suitcase
12. 4″ Satin Nickel Standard House Numbers from Restoration Hardware
13. Michael Kors Jet Set watch
14. Banana Republic enamel heart necklace
15. Set of 6 satin nickel wallplates from Target.com
16. Fiona Apple Tidal sheet music
I purchased items 1-3 with my birthday money, and plan to use the list in the future when I extra money to spend.
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