To buy or not to buy

Ever wanted to buy something but then after looking at the price tag, you stepped back and forgot about it?

I have done that a lot of times. Everytime I go to the department store and plan to buy something, the price becomes a big deal to me. It is the first factor that I consider when I look at items. This is the result of my characteristic of being so conscious on saving money.

My thrifty attitude started when I was in high school. I had a weekly allowance of fifty pesos, exclusive of fare, because I just walked from the school to my mom's office, I was not supposed to take recess, not because I was on a diet, but because I aimed at saving my allowance. I would also use it for paying minor expenses in school.

I've grown up in a family where practicality is a big issue. My mother is always lecturing on saving money and in instilling in us on how significant it is nowadays. Everytime she sees something being wasted, especially food, her temper just blows up and she starts her never-ending sermon.

In the family, I am the only one who has inherited my mom's character. In fact, I am thriftier than she! Everytime I want to get hold of something and get discouraged by the price, she thinks otherwise. She even pushes me to pursue that item no matter what the price, especially if the quality is good. It sounds a bit weird because I am even more conscious on spending, considering that the money comes from my parents' pockets and not mine.

When I reached college, I became even thriftier. Living away from my family really made a big impact on the issue of money. My parents send me money and I take care of the budgeting. I make sure that it does not slip my hands in a blink of an eye.

Thriftiness has become part of my life. In fact, I consider it as an important and useful "asset" because I tend to develop the skill which, I deem, is so important nowadays. Also, this prepares me in being totally independent in the future. However, I feel sad whenever I turn back on something I really want to have. Sometimes my attitude is misplaced, I don't dare buying some of the essentials in human life like clothes. I don't go for the latest trend in fashion and rather stay loyal to the usual t-shirt-jeans-slippers outfit. It's depressing, at times, but I never regret my decisions.

Conserving things, especially money, is undeniably essential especially today when prices keep on rising and everything important is getting scarce. Then again, the thing is to make sure that it is applied at the right place and time.

So, if you need something that is really a matter of life and death, don't hesitate to buy it because the feeling of contentment, joy, and satisfaction is priceless.