Monday, July 27, 2009

I'm slipping into that credit mentality

All it takes is one swipe.
I swear sometimes I feel like I am on a 12-step program. I can empathize with alcoholics and drug addicts. Not in the sense that I feel I am addicted to debt but moreso that I understand how just one _____ can send you sliding backwards so fast. Even after staying on the right path for so long.

What happened? I used my credit card. I used it and I had no idea or intention of paying back right away. It's not like this was for an emergency or anything. I was going to a friends birthday party and had nothing to wear (blame that on weight gain) and I wanted to look cute. So I bought a dress. Actually, backtrack, I almost forgot what set all this off.

It started with a flat tire. My car had one and I had to pay $80 for a new one. Which I put on my CC b/c I didn't have the money. Once I swiped that first time, it was like unlocking the door. Then I bought the dress and it was like opening the door. Once the door was open, it was like people running out of a burning house.

Okay, I exaggerate but still, I spent a lot. I don't even want to sit down an calculate it but i figure somewhere in the range of $350. I already returned some of what I could but it wasn't everything. The positive thing is that I made about $45 doing some freelance writing for people. I also am going to get a check from ehow this month. I know I would be happier if I just had the extra income without the extra expense.

I'm just going to call this one a mistake and learning experience.
Since misery loves company, what's the dumbest thing you've done while you were trying to get out of debt?

2 comments:

  1. I definitely agree with the "one swipe" mentality.

    It's so easy to swipe $400 of Bose headphones on there, until you actually have to withdraw the money from your chequing account to pay for it LOL

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  2. This doesn't really count, since I don't think I was trying to get out of debt at the moment but I booked tons of trips in college thanks to my good ol' friend Blue (Amex). I realize how stupid it was now to be taking trips all over the US while living on a college student income but all we can do is take it and learn from it. I do agree though, once you start it feels like you've opened the door to more spending.

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Hit me with some tough love