Reply #57: I would say that a carefully considered purchase doesn't count [View All]

Don't feel guilty "for being such a consumer"! You needed a new TV, you love the one you chose, you've got a plan to pay it off. I usually find that spending a little extra to get something that truly satisfies me is better than buying something just because it's a good deal. (Having been raised to buy only bargains, it took me years to unlearn that habit, and it cost a lot of money that I "saved" by wasting it on things that didn't really suit my needs or bring me any pleasure. If only I'd taken William Morris' dictum, "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful," to heart earlier in my life... I wouldn't have acquired nearly as much crap.)

Buying stuff isn't stupid--buying stuff you don't need, can't pay for, or don't particularly want is misguided.

Enjoy watching the games with your family!