Honestly, sometimes you have to “eat the cookie and buy the purse“ like Joyce Meyer says. Retail therapy is a wonderful, therapeutic thing. With everything going on right now I have not really taken anytime for myself. So I made the decision I was going to go shopping and I was not going to come home until I had at least one new thing to show! I called up a friend to go with me, because yes I am that girl who doesn't like to shop alone. Birthday money is also a fantastic thing, and I am very thankful for it! At first I felt a little bummed, I need new jeans/crops. Summer is almost here and I don't fit into my old ones. Of course though there were none to be found! Isn't that always what happens?! But I was not going to let myself get all crankish. No I chose to look at the bright side, now I have the perfect excuse to go back to the mall! (Insert diabolical laugh here) Seriously, I think we all do the guilt thing about shopping for ourselves and not our kids. We need to stop thinking like that! Mommy needs new clothes sometimes too and that's ok! For the curious, I did leave with 4 new shirts, new sunglasses, a blingy ring, and just for kicks aromatherapy soap from bath and body works…the stress kind of course.
My retail therapy did not just stop with me. I decided to finally start working on redecorating my daughter's room. That is a retail therapy that is not only satisfying but actually needed so there is no room for guilt. I wish I could blame it all on Pinterest but I can't. It has been more like a catalyst of natural urges. Before discovering Pinterest, I had plenty of ideas swirling around in my head. I would be reminded of them every once in awhile and think “ok, this week is the week” or “this month I'm going to get her a big girl bed.” That's where the process would end though. Now I have the glorious “K Bedroom” board and I can see it all the time! As much as I wanted to start making my ideas come to life I have been stuck between wanting to and keeping her a baby forever. Don't judge, with her graduating kindergarten this year I am a mess! But I digress…
She of course has been ready to get a new bed for awhile now. I just kept saying soon…Well soon has arrived. I made the decision to buy her a twin mattress and before I could talk myself out of it, I went and got it. After finally getting it tied down to my explorer with the help of my very pregnant friend and carrying it up 3 flights of stairs I was ready to start working. I took apart the toddler Disney princess bed with only a few tears and got the new mattress set up with her Tangled bedding. It will look even better once the frame is delivered but I knew if I didn't start the process while I had the nerve it might not happen! Anyways, she LOVED it and I am working on another post completely about her room about decorating on a budget.
Yes I am spending money on her and not me but it still is kinda for me. One of my favorite things to do is organize and design. By redoing her room, I get to do both of those things. It brings me joy to take chaos and make it ordered or turn plain into awesome. And isn't that what retail therapy is about, doing something to give you joy? She is happy, I am happy, it is a win-win situation. Oh and husband is happy because this is all on a dime. Make that a win-win-win (a la' Michael Scott).
I said all this to say it is ok! Spending some money on yourself or a hobby you enjoy is perfectly fine. No need to feel condemned because you enjoyed shopping for yourself. Now, do not become a spendthrift and rack up a bazillion dollars in debt on credit cards. If you do then you will get no sympathy here. But if it's reasonable and within your means go for it. My grandmother always says if you work hard and don't treat yourself once in awhile what's the point? You work hard ladies, so forget all the drama and go shopping!
“I like my money right where I can see it: hanging in my closet” -Carrie
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