Self-Delusion #1: I Work Hard, So I Deserve to Spend Money

It took some irrational thinking to get me so far into debt and to keep me from doing something about it much earlier.  I’m trying to address some of the ways I deluded myself.

I work a lot.  I always have, but now more than ever.  I have never been a big spender, but small purchases can add up (especially when you really cannot afford them), and after working all week, sometimes I like to shop just to distract myself from things I don’t want to deal with and because I have convinced myself that because I work hard, I deserve nice things.

The self-delusion is that it’s not about what I deserve.  It’s about what I can afford.  And, right now, since I’ve convinced myself I deserved all of these things, I now cannot afford even the occasional shopping trip.

It’s true that I work hard, but that should be all the more reason for me to get myself out of debt.  Right now, my money isn’t going toward anything.  I spend it on things I don’t need and bank fees.  I am working hard so that I can stay in debt.  What a waste of all that energy.

I can sometimes get grumpy and even resentful that I have to work so much, especially because I am surrounded by grad students who work part-time or not at all.  I know, cry me a river, but it is frustrating sometimes. Paying down my debt, though, gives me extra motivation during those long nights at work.  I have a goal.  I can see the results of all the hard work I’m putting in.  This is so much better than spinning my wheels.

Related posts:

1. Self-Delusion #2: If I Buy Everything Now, Then I Won’t Have To Spend Later
2. How Other People Spend Their Money
3. How Do You Decide What to Spend Money On?
4. What This Experience Has Taught Me About Money