I have a friend, who I've known for a long time. For the sake of concealing identities, I will identify her in today's blog post as 'Princess.'
My friend is smart and funny, and makes a great first impression. There's just one thing about her that makes it a good thing we don't hang out much anymore. She spends money like water.
I think she has it to spend, BUT. I don't know how much she saves. I'm sure she would tell you she takes full advantage of shopping the sales. Whether or not those shopping trips are necessary? Well, that's another story.
Her wardrobe and jewelry? Second to none. Purses and shoes? Beautiful. House? Large and well furnished. Both she and her husband drive expensive cars (but, 'they're not brand new.'). As an added bonus, Princess can justify every single purchase.
What's the biggest danger in having a friend like Princess? You can be perfectly content and happy with your lot in life. Spend a little time with royalty, and slowly, quietly, almost undetectably.......you start to want the same things.
Your purse was perfectly fine until you went out to lunch with Princess. Then, right before your eyes, that same handbag had several flaws that made you start thinking about replacing it. With something 3 times more expensive.
Your little house is cozy and furnished just the way you like it. Until you pay a visit to Princess. All of a sudden, YOU want state of the art surround sound, the latest coffee maker, and art work that cost a hair more than the 'starving artist' special that graces your couch. Having a cleaning lady like Princess starts to sound pretty darn attractive, too.
Just having a converation with Princess can be revealing. Almost every single sentence is punctuated with what she wants to buy next. How she's going to redo her bedroom, again. Her next vacation (never mind the last one was a month ago). She's warm and witty and smells really good, so why WOULDN'T your brain be beguiled into thinking these whims of hers could be replicated in your own life?
SNAP OUT OF IT, THRIFTNERD!!
We know life is more than possessions and constant shopping at the mall. We have dreams and goals that require us to be frugal with our funds. I'm not saying get rid of Princess as a friend, but you might want to limit the time you spend with her. Instead, seek out those who have similar finances and spend accordingly. It's like when you're watching your weight. You don't want to go out to eat regularly with folks who consume 3 times their body weight in food at one sitting. It's better to nosh on veggies and fruit with friends who are as serious about weight loss as you are. They are good examples for you.
Here's an example from my own life: my brother and his family live out in the country (way, WAY out). They are homeschoolers and survivalists. Their lives revolve around gardening, canning, raising livestock, and saving as much money as possible. Guess what kind of friends they hang out with? Folks with the same interests and pursuits. It just makes sense. They recently started buying rental property, and fixing it up to become landlords. You can bet, they'll make friends with those who are also rental property owners.
So, send Princess a Christmas card. See her when she comes into town, and do the same when you travel her way. But, before you do, give yourself a reality check.
Don't be blinded by the bling.
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