Uncommon Cents

I turn 41 on Monday (which in social work years is 287). I’m often tempted to get myself a big ticket item on my birthday, especially one that’s a milestone like last year, when I turned 280, uh, 40 (as an aside, age 41 for males in the tradition of Japanese settled in Hawai’i is considered “yakudoshi”, a crucial year in life with significant changes, so I guess this birthday is also a milestone). I’ve had my eye on a new notebook for awhile as my faithful but long in the tooth iBook G4 keeps begging to be replaced; the seat covers in my truck need replacement; my Cannondale 14 speed seems like an antique; my 3G iPod is (literally) generations behind the times. And that’s without my self-declared midlife crisis–I could do the stereotypical thing and spring for a new sports car, I guess, although I only drive trucks.

I’m not extravagant, but I’m not a monk, either. I admit it’s nice to treat yourself to new stuff–as long as new stuff doesn’t mean new debt that’ll keep building upon itself even as your new stuff becomes old stuff that needs replacement by newer stuff. This week was MacWorld and the MacBook Air looks drool worthy. But $1799 ($1699 with my educational discount and a few bucks less with my National Military Families Association discount) is way out of my ballpark.

First, I hold the line on spending on myself by reminding myself constantly of my long term goals and asking myself how a big ticket item right now will help me reach them. Yes, a new MacBook of any genre would be a big improvement over my iBook G4 and it would make recording my podcast easier, but how’s it going to help me retire early? If this blog starts picking up enough steam that I need to post more regularly and the speed of the iBook makes that unbearable, then yes, it might help, but for the most part, my iBook can still limp along until I’ve set aside enough money for the replacement notebook.

If I’m still tempted–seriously tempted–by an item, I play mind games with myself, like trying to figure out the cheapest way to get ahold of it. I can spend lots of time using the Internet researching prices and trying to figure out if I can get some kind of discount with a membership I hold or maybe even through the use of a certain credit card. I can also argue with myself on timing a purchase. Usually I can do this well enough that the immediate urge to buy something is past.

My third line of defense is to read some personal finance blogs, particularly posts that deal with frugality. Get Rich Slowly discussed ways to avoid gadget envy, which is one of the things I deal with all the time. I especially like the three month rule from The Simple Dollar; I also wait at least that long once I start thinking about buying a new notebook, partly for the price to come down, partly to see if there’s any problems with the model I’m lusting for, and partly to see if a new model is on the horizon. The longer I can put off buying it, the less likely I’ll be to put out the money.

Finally, when I’m down to it–if, despite my best efforts to talk myself out of it, I decide I’m going to spend money on this new computer or similarly priced item–I then spend even more time researching prices and vendors as well as trying to time my purchase. I tend not to buy late in the week, usually telling myself the Sunday ad might bring a better deal; I also tend to buy just after my credit card statement ships, buying myself another month to pay. Every day I can avoid spending the money on a big ticket item is a day when I get a little interest on it and the chances I’ll actually ever buy it go down a little.

In short, yes, it’s my birthday in two days, and yes, I am tempted to get myself some new computer equipment (especially today, after my iBook limped through the Skype conference recording I made for my new podcast). But even though it would make my life easier, I’m not convinced it’s worth spending the money on it, and I’ll play all kinds of tricks on myself to not spend the money or at least thoroughly research and delay the purchase. Now, if someone wants to give me a new MacBook for my birthday, I’d be thrilled, but I also know I can live without one–at least for awhile.

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