Adam and I were on a mission today to go to the mall to return a bunch of stuff. Two weeks ago, Adam and I went shopping for summer clothes and I bought a bunch of stuff from Aeropostales, only to find similar stuff for a lot cheaper at H&M and the AE outlet (I know some of you cringe at the thought of returning stuff, but I'm all about the buy first, decide later policy that all retail stores push for hahahaha).
Now there was a halter top I bought at H&M (without really trying cuz the line was too long) and a pair of jeans from AE that didn't fit me right. These items costs $5 and $14 respectively and many people would say, oh why bother trekking all the way to the mall to get $19 back. And they are probably right, but since I need to return a large $$$ worth of stuff at Aero anyway at the mall, why not right? If I don't, they would just end up sitting in my closet (like another shirt I bought for $7 at H&M) with the tag still on and never be worn.
So I'm at the H&M store, holding my $5 piece of cloth and the line was ridiculously long. I'm at a cross-road here. Is it worth the time to line up? One might argue, yes, you're there anyway, what's another 15 minutes, $5 is still money, while another might chastise: $15 minutes is worth way more than $5.
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Last week, when I went camping, I noticed Adam's cousin-in-law with a beautiful looking pedicure. I've never gotten a pedicure before, and have only gotten manicures twice. If you can find cheap places, a mani+pedi is $30. If you don't look hard enough, a mani can cost you $25 while a pedi $45.
Now, if you decide to do your own at home you can buy your own nail polish for $5 and the top coat for $7. And if you want really do it up, a nourishing undercoat for $10 or add a kit (like I did) for $40 and you can get french tips or stamps of designs for $45. Ok, so the cost is about equivalent but with a spa treatment you get to have exfoliation, scrubs, aroma oil, massage while with a DIY kit, you can do your nail polish over and over and over again, up to 20 times(!) with the same amout of money.
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Sometimes, when I have a rough day at work, and I don't feel like cooking, we eat out. Sometimes I have a rough week at work, and I run into this dilemma: We've been eating out for the last two days, there's produce in the fridge that's rotting, but I'm so hungry and exhausted and by the time I'm done cooking I'd be insanely hungry and cranky and we'd still have to clean...but if we eat out, the food is expensive, and the produce would be wasted AND it's less healthy.
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Some of those who values the importance of money would tell me: stay in line and return the shirt, buy your own nail polish and do it yourself, and eat at home.
Some of those who values time, convienence, and comfort might tell me: don't stay in line and donate the shirt, go treat yourself at the spa once in a while.
What do/did I do? I stayed in line and returned the shirt--it's going to clog up my already collapsing closet. I have bought my own expensive nail polish kit before--my enthusiasm lasts for about two times and now i have ugly nails all the time. I sometimes suck it up and cook, sometimes we end up eating out for a week.
Growing up and living an environment where we're more privileged than many others, there really is no right answer. My only solution to this cognitive dissonance is a philosophy to not be wasteful. If I don't return that shirt, I'd be wasteful. If I buy nail polish I'm never going to wear I'm going to be wasteful. If there is food at home and I don't cook it, I'd be wasteful.
That's my goal now..less waste the better, though I might still have ugly nails because I'm too cheap to go get manicures often, but at least I won't have bottles of nail polish in the closet that dries up before they are done.
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2 comments:
I think normally I am one who values time more than money. But then again, I think I waste my time doing nothing most of the time.
If I were going to the mall to return something and had that $5 shirt to return, yes I would return it, provided the line is within 15 minutes. If it's too long, I will just bring it home and leave it the closet until (some time later) I find it unworn with tag attached one day and decide to donate it.
Nails - I bite my nails, end of story.
Cooking - I usually like cooking when I am not tired, but I have been tired for the past two months and I think I have cooked (a real meal) three times in the last two months. Most of the time if I don't eat out, I eat instant noodle :P I tried to be frugal and budget for about a month (actually keeping track of all my spending) it was a good feeling for a month, and even better to know how much I was able to save. But you know, that feeling doesn't outlast my laziness.
hahaha @ you biting your nails. you're too funny. next time i see you i wanna check them out!
i think the reason why i've been thinking about this is just purely based on the fact that we have all these preconceived values but there's no right answer to what should and should not be done. I waste my time too, but i feel like sometimes time is well-wasted if it makes you feel better/de-stresses you...haha...at least thats my excuse.
i eat instant nooodle all the time when adam is not around too. saves time AND money...awesome!!
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