Monday, July 14, 2008

Economics and Sociology

I do believe we are in a recession. It is unreal to me how much things cost these days. We are at the end of our pay period and out of food, so I took my last $50 to Walmart today to see how far I could make my dollar stretch. When did a head of iceberg lettuce start costing 94 cents? That is about double what I expected to spend. I went with the generic cream cheese because Philidelphia was $1.79! I remember I used to buy a block of it for $1.00. These little things don't really seem like that much...what is 79 cents more? Just 3 quarters or so. Not a big deal right? Well it is a big deal when every item in your cart is double the price.

Then as I was driving home, my gas light came on. I drove by a gas station, saw the sign advertising $3.95/gallon...and just kept on driving. No effing way. When I got home, I unloaded the groceries (btw...$44 got me 5 bags of groceries. I swear it would be cheaper to eat Taco Bell every day). As I was carrying the bags inside, I saw Jeffs lawnmower gas can...I looked inside and it is full! 5 gallons of gas just sitting there...waiting to fulfull its destiny of powering my family around suburbia. I'm not quite that desperate yet. I am going to fill up tomorrow when we get paid, but I feel a little better that I can dip into Jeff's supply if I am in a pinch.

With all of this being said...life isn't that bad. It's all about choices. And I chose to spend $40 on bows this morning. I know, I have no gas in my truck and I buy a bunch of bows for Kimberly? Bad Stella. However, it wasn't an impulse buy. I think they really are necessary. Kimmy-girl will be in first grade next year. It isn't going to be as simple as Kindergarten. Cliques are going to be formed. The kids are going to become more aware of how their classmates are dressed...and they are going to being to sort themselves accordingly. Trust me, I know.
When I was little, my yard sale clothes and stringy hair certainly didn't get me far. Sure I had friends. Other grubby looking kids that saw me for what I truly was...sweet, funny, and imaginative. But I was also cornered on the playground by a bunch of bitchy and beautiful second graders that made fun of my thrift store look. In my little mind, they were 'right' and I never stuck up for myself.

Now I have rationalized that by spending money to bedazzle my daughter, I am helping my daughter make friends and to be invited to slumber parties. Parents of children that throw slumber parties are involved parents. They are the types of parents that over schedule their teenagers to keep them out of trouble. Kim will be friends with over achievers...not potheads (like her mother). Then she will go to college, go to grad school, get a fabulous job before marrying an educated man and and living a comfortable life.

So see? Me deciding to buy bows instead of half a tank of overpriced gas was a very wise choice.

14 comments:

Sloane said...

I agree 100%. I was the nerdy girl with the questionable clothes who was always on the outskirts. that didn't come into my own until high school where everyone had to wear a uniform so it didn't matter. Yay for having everyone wear the same gross polyester clothes!

P.S.: Don't feel too bad about the bows. A portion of the money is going to a good cause. So you are being charitable at the same time that your daughter gets to be Queen Bee. :)

~Penny~ said...

I agree with Sloane and you. Seriously, getting in good in forst grade is just as important as having a good college letter. It was a good splurge. Who cares if you eat goulash for a week!

Oh and, I am broke. i consider myself a very thrifty spender and I only go clothes shopping every now and then. And I am broke. I just looked at my bank account and I want to cry.

I guess my teeth whitening will have to wait.

AND....

You better keep readin ma blog ;)

Anonymous said...

I just love you. I love your blog. I love your rationale. I love everything about you, except that you live a freaking hour away from me. Keep writing and I'll keep stalking.

Mrstx said...

Aww, thanks ladies. I'm thinking that Jeff wont agree with my 'financial planning' but he isn't a girl.

Sloane-I know, I was reading her blog and I read about her babies from Guatemala.

Penny-Of course! You and Sloane (and also Rage and Audra)...in no particular order...are my first stops every morning! :D

Mrstx said...

Sara-

We really should get together...Memorial Mall...The Galleria...The new outlet Mall. What else is between us? IKEA? I need to hold your baby. :D

Jadeny said...

Gas is killing me too. It averages $4.29 around me :-(

Anonymous said...

I just bought gas today at lunch. $4 effing 33 a gallon here in the Chicago suburbs. It hurt. My gas tank was already 1/4 of the way full and still cost me $50. That will last a week. Iceburg lettuce - forget it. They wanted $2.79 a head last week, so I bought Romaine (it was actually cheaper!!)

The money spent on bows was money well spent. I never had those nice things when I was younger and I also had the cheap (or handed down) clothes. It's the little things that make girls feel good! Boys (men) don't understand because they've got it easy.

tara said...

Of course men wouldn't agree bows are more impt. than gas. (they REALLY are though!)
I paid $4.12 a gallon for gas (boo to having to use super premium!)
This is when I miss my mini-van. (like I could ever tell my Jeff that.)
Yes, kids (esp. girls ) care at how other kids dress, but nor so much in the early grades (I think SLoane was in 3rd when this developed).
I have learned this from Sloane . And Unfortunately in the area where we live they (the kids) have expensive taste. But if you know how to bargain shop you'll survive!(By reading this entry ,you do!)

Unknown said...

See Hannah has no hair to bow up but I definately want her starting kindergarten dressed well. No more 2 dollar t-shirts for her *sigh*

rage said...

You rock!

Anonymous said...

be very wary of those over-achievers and their parents...the kids drink & smoke pot & have sex in the stairwells at CRHS and wreck their brand new cars up and down 99 and the parents can't figure out what happened to their idyllic sons & daughters...hahahhaha

I love your thinking! Bows are definitely the key to success in grade school :)

ps-as for gas, the cheapest around here is the Kroger on Westheimer Parkway-$3.89.

Keikicakes said...

Guess who went out and bought bows for her little "texas" girl! ME! I spent a $30+ on 7 bows! I LOVE them.

I would buy bows over gas. I just bought bows over food!

Anonymous said...

Yes you do need to hold little Miss Lourdes. You will want another one. OH MY GOSH... little girls are AMAZING. I'm intoxicated with everything about her. I look at her and feel like I'm drunk on love. Never been drunk a day in my life (been tipsy twice though I'm a lush, I know)... .but if this is what it feels like, I LOVE IT!!!

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Brilliant. Positively BRILLIANT!! Who needs the scary drug talks when you have hair bows?!? I am SO running out to get some today (even for my boys. Think that's a bit too much?)

:)

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