A new bike for my birthday today! Woo-hoo! Yup, I coulda bought the $89.99 model at Wal*Mart, but I wanted a Gary Fisher.
She’s beoooootiful.
I bought a new Canon Digital Rebel XTi a couple of months ago. I used to be a real shutterbug, and I’ve lusted after a dSLR for a while, but it’s not like I have a lot of time to get out and shoot anymore. But I had a perfectly-sized bonus from work and we had a trip to Costa Rica coming up, so what the hell?
Oh, and then there’s the trip to Costa Rica itself, but I’d argue that my soul really needed some tropical air.
Books of course. Every so often we go to Recycled books in San Jose and spend $60, at least. The sad thing is that I have at least 1,000, and maybe 2,000 books I haven’t read yet. But it is for the collection, so it is alright.
And jigsaw puzzles. I have stacks yet undone, but when we go to the thrift store there are always a few I get. For 99 cents, who can resist?
It’s not money that’s the problem, it is space.
Books and lots of them.
I collect coins and am eyeing one up.
Starbucks Grande caramel macchiatos on the way to work. My personal vice. There are 2 Starbucks within 50 metres of my office, and 2 more that are on the route I take to and from Waterloo station in the morning, so fighting this temptation is pretty difficult. They’re the equivalent of $6 here for f’s sake!
I don’t often buy “things” I don’t need, though; it’s more like I spend more money than I should on things I do need. For instance, I bought a vacuum on the weekend. I could have bought a Hover for like 40gbp. Instead I bought a Dyson for 170gbp. Instead of 3.05gbp at Starbucks, I could buy nearly the same thing at Costa Coffee for 2.00gbp. But I don’t - I don’t know why.
Seems most of my spending money goes for restaurants, parties / drinks with friends, and travel.
On Saturday I really, really, really didn’t feel like cooking, so I went to the restaurant in my town that makes a sort of a pizza, and got one to bring home. (The concept of pizza delivery has only recently reached Bulgaria, and it only exists in the largest cities.)
But it only cost 3 leva (1.50 euro), so I don’t feel particularly guilty about it.
The last REALLY frivolous stuff I bought was in February. I went to Sofia for a three day weekend and just went apeshit. I bought foot lotion, hand lotion, three tops, some other stuff I can’t think of now, I ate at the Indian restaurant, the vegetarian restaurant, this really good sandwich place, oh yeah, actual fresh ginger…it was great. It was like being in another country. Sofiastan.
Ditto.
I have a radio/CD player and a portable radito/TV audio/CD player, but I just purchsed a radio/clock/nature sounds/CD player for $10 at the thrift store.
The craft store is deadly. I have so many unfinished sewing projects, yet I continue to buy patterns and fabric and cute buttons for that magical day when I have enough time to make myself a new wardrobe.
I’m restoring a 48 Chevy which definately isn’t something I need to do.
So by definition anything I need for it is really something I don’t need.
And books… Why do I buy two more when I have fifty I haven’t read? Because I want to!!
Hmm… Wonder if there’s any parts I need on eBay… Back later!
So far, this year, it’s been tea sets. I’ve bought four different tea sets, and a hutch to put them in (although the latter is part of a broader-scale redecoration of the living room).
A Panasonic 42" flatscreen hi-def plasma TV. Thank goodness Best Buy allows two years to pay it off. (I’m not going to take nearly that long, though).
Still, I think I should sell a LOT more crap on eBay to help pay for that thing. 
I just bought the 3-disc Collector’s Edition of Hot Fuzz. Definitely not a need.
And I’m trying to save money but for spring I splurged on a houndstooth pencil skirt from L.A.M.B. Expensive but incredibly awesome.
Now that you have that you need to buy a good sound system to go along with the t.v. Because if you don’t, the t.v. is just going to waste.
Since last Friday:
Civilization IV - Gold Edition. Like I need another computer game. WoW is already enough of a time sink.
A Day Timer. Because the Palm Pilot is to big for my purse? (it’s not, the Day Timer is a tad large though, but I luuuub it)
2 ebooks. I haven’t read the 3 I bought 3 weeks ago, or the 4 I bought 6 weeks ago yet. The only good thing is that these don’t take up actual space in my house. I’m just terrified my computer will die now.
Lunch last week at the bar. I had food at home, but everyone else was trying their new special and it looked so good…
I just bought tickets to three different concerts for me and my boyfriend (there was a fourth concert purchase in there too, but those were a graduation present, so don’t count!).
Baker, my twin National Geographic collector, there lies yet another reason I adore you. I started purchasing them after seeing a mentor professor’s collection and, although it’s probably not as comprehensive as yours, it is fairly extensive.
Purchases I don’t need… hmmm… that’s almost everything nowadays but the two I make with any regularity now are good Scotch and guns (that’s purchase, not use).
Single malts usually between 18 and 24 years in the cask, although I just found a delightful one that’s 30.
The guns are just something that it’s nice to have a well-made piece of, whether it be pistol, rifle or scattergun. As much as anything it’s just being appreciative of a work of art and craftsmanship. Some I’ve never shot but simply enjoy taking from the case to hold and admire for the care and skill someone put into design and manufacture.
I bought a beautiful new laptop this weekend. I have a desktop, but I’ve never liked it. It’s functional, but I don’t like working on it and I’ve had it for about five years.
I also spend a lot of money on books, but try to limit it to when I get my cashback rewards (I use them on Borders gift certs). I also have several magazine subscriptions - I used to try to get them at the library, but I found myself buying them at the library and it was cheaper to just subscribe.
Oh, yeah, and food out. I had been really disciplined because I’m trying to lose weight but I’ve been sick a lot lately and have dropped more weight than I anticipated (about 15 pounds over the last week and a half; before that, I had already dropped about 10 pounds from a previous illness and I was no longer considered heavily overweight). Now that I can finally eat solids again, I’ve been buying lunch out (and even bought breakfast once!) for the last two days mostly out of laziness, but also because I’m still tired at night. Plus, now that I can finally eat things other than crackers, I’m hungry! Still, I better slow down on that now or I’ll be broke and overweight with high cholesterol again.
This week I bought a used washer/dryer from Craigslist after burning up the motor in my old (hand-me-down, free) washer. I bought two paperbacks from the used bookstore. I bought 6 pairs of black and 6 pairs of white socks at Wal-mart (But it was my annual sock purchase!) and a $5 clearance bra that’s going back because I didn’t like the way it fit. It was a terribly extravagant week. I really hated buying the washer/dryer. I needed it, though. The nearest laundromat is 12 miles away, and the gas alone will pay for it. I will have to renew my car tags this week.
StG
Oh yes, I’ll agree with you folks there. Hubby knows if he wants to make a trip to Lowes, he can just leave me at the craft store nearby and I’ll be there hours later. Same goes for bookstores.