I Spend $60 a Month I “Should Not” Here’s Why

Here’s something you might not hear a girl say. I HATE spending money. Not just money on myself, but money period. My husband is much less conservative about money leaving us than me. But he is great about communicating about if and when he spends money. I have a spreadsheet with all of our monthly expenses that I update fairly frequently. And just because we all experience this thing called life, some months that budget is pretty much useless.

Recently, my husband experienced a lay-off. The first ever in his career. So, of course, we had to sit down and look at our finances. Where is our money going? Where can we cut back?

We are not even close to big spenders. We don’t really have electronics for our kids; Seriously, one tablet for four kids. Our phones are both paid off as well as our cars. We don’t have childcare or tuition payments of any kind. We don’t have cable or satellite TV. Our older children do have a few after-school activities but that cost is minimal compared to what it could be. The lady who cuts our hair does it for free. I don’t go get my nails done or a regular basis. My nails look horrid most of the time because I don’t want to spend money on a manicure that will chip and peel within a few days. I don’t go to the spa, although I probably should. We don’t have big credit card payments. I buy our clothes and groceries at Walmart or Target.

You get the drift. I don’t like spending any more money than needed.

And the money I do spend, I would rather spend it on experiences and things of lasting value rather than stuff.

So, why do I spend, without apology, $60 a month on myself?

Because I need the experience of doing something that betters me. As a wife, mother, and human I am a better person when I take care of myself, have some alone time, interact with other adults, and become physically stronger.

Less than five miles from my house, in the same room, my daughter takes dance lessons, I spend an hour after they go to school at a Barre class. It kills me, makes my legs feel like mush and causes muscle pain. I am almost always the ‘biggest” girl in the class. And I don’t look as good in yoga pants and tank tops as almost all of the women there. I go maybe once or twice a week because of my insane schedule.

I have trouble with my back, right ankle and my toes (surgery will do that) so I can’t do everything the way it “should” be done. The simplest and “easiest” things you can think of will make you sweat and hurt in places you would never imagine.

But……. I LOVE it! I don’t love the discomfort but I feel fantastic when I am done!

And it’s making me stronger, physically, in all those places that I listed earlier. Because I am building muscle, I am actually gaining weight BUT I feel better and I  have noticed that it is easier for me to carry about my disabled children when there is a need.

So really, it’s for me and them. But honestly, mostly for me. Sometimes you just got to do the things that are painful.  Every month I think, “I could be saving $60 instead of spending it” but a second later that thought leaves and I click that SUBMIT payment button.

It’s worth it.

I am also supporting a small business. A fellow mama trying to share her passion with others and care for her kiddos at the same time. I get that. I am the same.

So my aversion can be tossed to the side. Long term investments are some much more important.

There are hundreds of Barre classes all over the county and some in other counties too. My fellow writer Wendy also loves Barre classes, check out her post to see why. Click here to see the barre community in the South shore area.