I'm In Recovery

Hello, my name is Jody and I am a shop-a-holic.

No matter how long you have been “on the wagon” you fight every day to remain there. Especially this time of year.

I remember back in the mid-90s. I was making really freakin’ good money. I was extravagant in my gift giving. Jewelry, clothing, expensive toys, trips. Yep, I spent what I earned- and then some.

What went beyond my cash flow was covered by credit cards. I didn’t pay attention to interest rates or annual fees. I lived in my own little world full of stuff.

I’ve gotten better about my spending habits over the years- but not without some very rough patches. With Doug being self-employed and me staying at home we have to stick to a pretty tight budget.

It’s still difficult, though, when I find the perfect top (because it so rarely happens) and it is beyond my price range. Or when I see a “thing” that I would like to have but just can’t justify.

It took me a long time to realize what a credit score was. Too long. And there weren’t any places to get your free credit report. Now our credit score is something I keep track of pretty religiously. OK, crazily.

And I am always aware that any purchase- cash or credit- can have an impact. Do I still buy things that we don’t absolutely need? Yes… But now I'm aware of it and can stop myself before I buy just to spend money.