New Year. New Budget.

I am not frugal. I am not thrifty. And I have been known to spend an exorbitant amount of money on a handbag and/or Cashmere cardigan sweater (I can't help it, it was the first 100% Cashmere item I would own AND it matched my tweed pants perfectly). However, in my defense I will say that I am wise enough to keep myself out of debt; I just tend to have expensive taste (something Hubs will never understand).


When you're married to a man who has a double degree in Finance, you can't help but live your spending life guided by an Excel spreadsheet. In Hub's defense, he is brilliant when it comes to managing money (although I will admit, he is a little... economical when it comes to the unneccesary) which, in reality, makes for a very successful businessman.


In recent months, Hubs and I have proven that we're not exactly the "budget" kind of couple. I can't even begin to recant the numerous spreadsheets we've created that delineated everything from "Student Loans" and "Dining Out" to "Dry Cleaning" and "Manicures/Pedicures." We always start off strong, but shortly thereafter the budget falls by the wayside.


Until now. I know we're only 15 days into 2009 but that's a big deal for us. We're quickly becoming budget pro's and I've actually begun to enjoy saving money. Not only is it fun and exciting to watch our long term savings account grow, but I'm getting a kick out of all the funny names I've come up with to rename our account ("The Great Big House Hunt," "Future Millionaire's Club," "Chump Change.") Okay, so I might be the only one who gets a kick out of it.


What's even funnier is my bi-weekly allowance (or stipend) as I prefer to call it.


Yes, you heard correctly. Every two weeks, my husband hands over my cash allowance for what he likes to call "my habit." And if you were to reference one of the many Excel spreadsheets, you would take note that this money is to be used for the follow things:

• manicures


• pedicures


• anything involving a spa and/or salon


• JCREW


• unecessary shoes

I'm not kidding. It's actually spelled out so as not to confuse. Don't get me wrong, I love that Hubs continues to let me indulge in the finer, uneccesary things in life, but do you know how difficult it is to stretch 140 dollars over two weeks? My eyebrows have seen much better days but I just can't fathom spending $12.00 to have them done when that $12.00 could clearly be put towards this new houndstooth jacket I've been eyeing at JCREW, or the pair of Under Armour Fleece Team sweatpants that would make early morning dog walks that much more bearable!

I guess maybe it's time to say goodbye to my $20.00 tubes of Dior Show Mascara (gasp!) and go back to the days when I was strictly a Great Lash Blackest Black Maybelline girl. And who needs a new pair of brown riding boots anyway? I guess I could wear one of the three pairs of tall UGG boots that I have.

::dejected sigh::

I did mention that I'm really enjoying saving all this money, right?