Monday, April 26, 2010

Little Rewards


In the middle of my chaos today … is a perfect cup of hot nonfat latte, with a hint of ground chocolate and cinnamon sprinkled on top. It is my reward for getting up and facing the world this morning, running errands this afternoon, and driving kids where they needed to go tonight.

We have a lovely little coffeehouse downtown, which is my stop at least once a week. I don't go in the mornings - our daily coffee is made at home.  But I have a deal with myself – if I save at least $10 in coupons and on sales and it’s going to be a late night like tonight, with much to get accomplished, I pick up a latte.  I'm not a shopper.  When the girlfriends and I get together, it's at someone's house, not out.  My family doesn't eat out often, maybe pizza once a month.  I don’t think a weekly cup of coffee is much to ask for.  A large is $3.50, and I consider it my treat for being a good girl.

It got thrown in my face last week (figuratively, not literally... or this would be another whole post!) when Hubby once again spent money taking folks from work out for someone's going-away sendoff.  I knew he was going out, I knew he’d buy a drink or two… I just didn’t realize the tab would once again be over $50 (the third time in two months), or that once again I’d be notified not by my Hubby but by an automatic email alert telling me over $25 had been spent on the credit card. As we were discussing the situation (okay, I was pretty ticked – I mean, he doesn’t even take ME out for drinks or dinner!), the empty cup next to me was brought into question, as in “well, you buy coffees downtown”.

Really?!?  Is he kidding me?!?  Part of our budget allows him $15 a week so he can buy his daily large ice coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts (or wherever he wants). Our budget only allows me a latte when I have clipped coupons or found a bargain on something we needed. The answer to this dilemma was to offer him two options: he can stop buying other people drinks and still get his ice coffees, or he can go on a cash allowance, $60 per month, and spend it as he sees fit.  At this point, he's selected Option #1.

I’m still buying my weekly latte. I deserve at least that much.

So, do you have a “little reward” you allow yourself daily, weekly, or even monthly? Do you feel like you need to justify it to anyone else?

3 comments:

Zephra said...

I do reward myself if I have had a particular long stretch of stress (weeks) with a day off, sleeping on the couch. On those days, I do nothing I don't have to. It is nice.

Maria said...

Let's see...since deciding to bring kids into this world I quit smoking, pretty much never drink anymore, and kicked the D&D habit which foreces me to now make my coffee at home every morning. The only vice I have left in this world- my every 6 weeks hair appointment where I hide the gray. Minus the salon, my husband has kicked all the same habits and would prefer I didn't go as often. My hair, however, is nonnegotiable! Hang in there!

Anonymous said...

Oh wow! The husband and I just had this conversation today! We are trying to save money for a (badly needed) kitchen remodel and we were discussing other's expenditures. Ugh.