Yah, I find it hard! I tend to get a case of the "poor me's"!!

I find it very hard!! Every time we go to visit my family down in FL, my sister wants to go shopping, and she goes to really nice places like Ann Taylor and it always makes me want to buy new stuff!! And sometimes at the grocery store I do notice alot of people w/all kinds of things in their cart that I would like to get but we can't really afford to splurge on! I ate out all the time when I worked, and to be honest I miss it alot sometimes!

I guess I'm the flip side... I see those shopping diva's and I immediately wonder if thye are digging themselves deeper into debt? Are they going to be able to pay that off when the bill comes? Are their retirement funds fully funded? Etc, etc, etc.

I am more likely to think pitying thoughts of that person than envy them. I know too many people like this that shop and buy and buy and buy but are still not happy, they are broke and depressed so they go out and buy, buy, buy some more. And thus the cycle repeats again and again.

Now the eating out thing...it depends. I have neighbors that eat out or have something delivered 4-5 times a week, maybe cook a meal at home once a week. I'll pass. I would rather eat at home most of those days. My food is better than generic takeout or delivery. I would like to be able to eat out more ont he weekends, but honeslty we already average once a week, which I feel is more than enough.

Perhaps a mind reset is in order?

I don't feel pressured to spend when others are...it's just not my personality at all.

I couldn't agree more. I used to see the new clothes and things that people that I work with have, and want more for myself...but now my thinking really has changed--and I'm fine to use what I already have. For me also, as a single mom, I bought quite a bit more when I was married to my dd's father--and I really think it's because I wasn't as happy. Now, I am so much happier, and don't feel a need to spend.

__________________
Heather

For me it's stuff like seeing friends get new furniture, new cars, etc. My furniture is old and stained and I drive a 6-year-old minivan. Yes, it makes me get a little envious sometimes but I don't think it's made me abandon my frugal ways. I know that when it makes sense for us to buy these things we will.

__________________
"Ordinary riches can be stolen: real riches cannot. In your sould are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken away from you." -- Oscar Wilde

Visit my Forget the Joneses blog - new entries added recently
Check out the Mommysavers Group on Facebook
My frugal tips are on YouTube
I've been posting frugal tips in the Mommysavers Photo Gallery