Okay, here are the oxymoronic money habits that I know that I have… I do these things over and over and I KNOW that I do them, but I keep doing them, even though they make very little since…
I will drive around looking for a gas discount, for a saving of 2 or 3 cents a gallon, for a total savings of about 1.00 per tank of gas! But, I will go into the store, pay 1.29 for a diet mountain dew, and 50 cent for a paper to read. In other words, I will SEARCH for cheaper gas, and then pay WAY over what is necessary for a soda and a paper.
I will go to MULTIPLE grocery stores in order to save 5 to 10 dollars on groceries, and THEN go to a fast food restaurant and buy a 5 to 10 dollar meal. I think, if I would just go to one store, I would do MUCH better, save gas, and be home in time to fix a cheaper lunch or dinner for myself at home.
I will not pay more than 1.00 for a 2 liter diet mountain dew, but will pay (as mentioned earlier) 1.29 for a 16 ounce diet mountain dew at the convenience store. This makes no since, but I do it over and over and over and over.
I buy cheap, inexpensive tools. Then, when they break, I have to replace them. I THINK I am getting a deal, but in reality I end up paying much more than I would have had I gone with quality initially.
I am obsessive about turning of the lights in rooms where no people are (a good habit) BUT, I leave the computer and the TV on almost 24 hours a day! This is crazy.
I change my own oil, but I will pay 10 dollars for a drive-through car wash! Insane.
I NEVER buy clothing at retail, I NEVER buy anything for myself unless it is on sale… Great right? Then, I turn around and eat so much food that I have to buy bigger clothes, thus wasting the clothing that I just purchased.
I Pay 30 bucks a month for a gym membership, and I go 4 times a week. This is a good deal. But, I usually blow all of the work-out goodness by eating junk food the other 3 days of the week. Self-sabotage!!!
Do you have similar oxymoronic financial habits? I’ll bet you do. (Well, not actually BET you, because I don’t gamble…BUT, I do from time to time purchase stocks based on nothing more than the recommendation of some dude on CNBC…Crazy)
After some reflection, perhaps I do the “smart” things that I do with money, just so that I will be able to turn around and do “dumb” things with money. Maybe that’s how everyone has to be, to some extent. If you ALWAYS do the “smart” thing, you might go completely insane, and, if you ALWAYS do the “dumb” thing, you just go broke. Perhaps the key is to maximize the “smart”, and enjoy an occasional “dumb”.