Adult Things

For the past 3 years while here in Boston I've lived pretty damn well, shamelessly spending cash here and there, mostly on new triathlon gear but pretty much on everything else that catches my eye. I go out to eat almost every week, hit up the bars every other Friday or so, and often treat myself to coffee on Newbury and those awesomely functional running shorts I've had my eye on for all of 5 minutes. I spend about $800/year on race entry fees alone, including marathons, half marathons, triathlons, 5ks, 10ks, and indoor time trials.

I didn't think twice when I bought a $100 bike fit, a $300 GoPro camera, 3 new pairs of running shoes, an almost $200 North Face zip-up, a new computer, a new phone, a $150 cycling rain jacket, an Osprey pack for overnight backpacking trips, new tires for Mac, and about 100 other little things I absolutely could not function without. And don't even get me started on how much I've spent at Sunset Cantina on their margaritas and nachos.

So it's no wonder that I spent about $3,000 last semester alone.

The whole, 'poor college student' has nothin' on me. And I have absolutely no idea where I get the money to buy all of this stuff because my parents haven't given me money since, well, a long time ago. Well, yes I do, that 60 hour/week farm job this summer might have something to do with it....

Anyway, I find it absolutely shocking that a person such as myself who claims to be the non-material, low maintenance, doesn't-take-much-to-please-me type has found a way to spent 3 grand in 5 months. Especially when I don't pay rent or buy groceries.

No wonder my room is so cluttered I don't even sleep in my own bed anymore. Between my guitar, my bike on my trainer, and all the rest of the crap I've dedicated my bank account to...I mean honestly, WHERE DID ALL THIS STUFF COME FROM!?

And why do I need so many clothes? Everyone knows my daily attire consists entirely of spandex and racing shirts, WHICH ARE FREE AT THE RACE.

I think I need my old pal Rach to get in here and clean out all this stuff. Once in highschool we had a sleepover and she literally had me in tears throwing away all my stuff. But it was so freeing and I felt so cleansed after. I need a Rach. Bad.

So in light of the recent situation of my bank account dwindling and room being too cluttered to walk through, I offer a proposition. A self-help, if you will.

I'm taking a page out of my friend Kristy's book and I'm going to start writing down everything I buy and each week I'm going to review it and see where I can make improvements. I want to spent money on experiences, not things that clutter my life up.

I think there's a word for this....

.....ummm....

shoot....

.........channeling my Jeopardy skills.....

BUDGETING! I think real people call this budgeting. Us Katies are not used to budgeting. We've never budgeted before. But I think this could be a good thing.

Ah yes, budgeting. How adult of me. Growing up one dollar at a time.

So now all I need to do is go out and buy one of those little notebooks....well shit there I go again.

This might take a while.

Love love love

me

Ps. I told you I had clutter.