Q: Isn't there a way that one can be fiscally responsible and still enjoy having a weekly manicure? A manicure is something that I enjoy, so why do I need to give up my manicures?
A: Of course there is. For me the word "cheapskate" is about balance. I know that might sound weird, but you have to understand that for a good portion of my life I was way out of balance. I was a credit-card junkie.
I spent all we had, plus I ran up all the credit anyone would give me. Debt nearly destroyed my marriage, my family--my life!
Since then, I've experienced a real change, but it didn't happen without a change of heart, mind and a long journey to financial freedom.
What I learned is that I need to live according to a formula: I need to give to make sure I don't become greedy, I need to save so I don't lie awake at night worrying that we're going to run out of money, and I need to not spend money I don't have. To me, that is balance: Giving, saving and living below my means.
As for your manicures, you be the judge. Is that ten dollars money you should be saving or paying toward debt? Then you probably can't afford it. But if you're giving, saving and able to pay all of your bills without depending on credit and still have money to spend, getting a manicure is one of life's pleasures.
If that's the way you choose to spend your money, then enjoy it to the fullest!
Excerpted from Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill with a Credit Card? And Other Financial Questions We're Too Embarrassed to Ask! (DPL Press, Inc., 2009)
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