A Day Late . . .

[Jenifer Madson]

..., and a few dollars short after a trip to Phoenix with my husband to meet our new granddaughter.

Have you ever found yourself pampering someone in a way that didn't support you financially? The first thing that usually happens is the justification of why we're doing it. We typically start our rationalization by making it about the other person, instead of acknowledging what we're getting out of it at the same time.

In my case, not having any children of my own, I was not intimately familiar with the draw of children's clothing and toy stores--until I met Mea. Then I wanted to buy every colorful outfit and twinkly toy in sight. After all, she should have it all, right? Never mind the payback for me in being able to spoil her.

Well, after a somewhat indulgent afternoon at a couple of children's stores, I realized that having it all, especially for an infant, doesn't mean having a stressed-out adult around. It means having someone that is free to hold you without the tension from overspending.

If you've read my book, you know that spending is not about affordability, it's about making decisions that financially make sense. And does it ever make sense to go off the deep end with a gift if it means you can't relax and enjoy the giving?

Take A Minute:
Are you indulging someone else in a way that doesn't make sense for your finances?

Make A Minute:
Find the happy median of gifting without guilt. If you need to decrease the spending, you can always increase the sentiment, by spending more time with the person instead of more money on them.

We're home now, and what really makes sense to me is to open a college fund for Mea. And I'm sure I'll be back in the children's stores again too--with a clearer understanding of how to make it work next time for everyone.