Friends vs. Wallet

Today, I stumbled across The Blog Carnival at 20something bloggers which is terrific because I always miss them. The topic of this carnival touched home, and it runs along the lines of living up to others lifestyle. Now my situation can be looked at a few different ways, but I'll let you decide.

Before college, I did not care what I wore or what type of purse I carried. I frequently shopped at Payless for shoes and Claire's for jewelry and purses. Once I joined a sorority in 2005 and was introduced to the lifestyle of some of the women, it easily rubbed off on me in a way that I was not conscious of. No longer did I shop at lower end retail stores, I began shopping at Coach, Guess, MetroPark, ALDO, etc. Anything that was out of my means was fair game. I tossed away my cheap bags, and bought my first Coach purse. I carried the same Coach purse for over 2 years, simply because of its name and the fact that it looked better than anything that had ever adorned my shoulder before. It became apparent that appearance is/was everything, as most of them drive the best cars and buy the most elaborate/expensive clothing.Which leads me to my next point...

...there are some things that women cannot sacrifice, and each of us has our own guilty pleasure that we can't live without. Mine is hair, nail and eyebrow maintenance. I shriek at my desk just imagining not having a perfect manicure, or an overgrown hair in my eyebrows. Chipped nail polish is a no-no, especially if wearing sandals. So yes, if I was down to my last $20, a $13 manicure and $7 eyebrow waxing is in order. May not be the most frugal way of living, but it is definitely something I've grown accustomed to and can't live without.

However, after becoming more responsible for myself and my expenses, I realize that that lifestyle is not for me. I've severely cut back on mani/pedi days, and although it takes 3 more hours than my stylist I've been perfecting my hair at home.

My pockets have thanked me! So to anyone attempting to fit in, or living a lifestyle according to the means of others, you should really consider reevaluating who you are and what truly makes you happy, and seek personal fulfillment from there. Making those changes for myself led to a Financial Fitness Score of 73, meaning I'm on the right track for being in great financial shape!

Love GAB :-)

Disclaimer: This post is part of the 20SB Blog Carnival: Friends & Money, sponsored by Charles Schwab. Prizes may be awarded to selected posts. The information and opinions expressed in this post do not reflect the views or opinions of Charles Schwab. Details on the event, eligibility, and a complete list of participating bloggers can be found here.