Without My Credit Card

July 6

Yey! I wasn't able to buy ANYTHING! Well, except for an eye contact solution but I need that. No new shoes, no new bag! To think that there was a mall sale. Whew!

What I did though was pampering myself to a perm, magenta highlight, manicure, pedicure and foot spa. :)

*sigh* The last time I pampered myself was ... ages ago. So I thought, I need this. I really do. My nails look like they've been scratching against trees and my feet just needed the loving.

I did a little calculation in my head. My mom's birthday is on August 14, a saturday. I decided to surprise her with a small meal and a few of her close friends and relatives. It's sad to admit that we, her kids, rarely surprise her. So I thought if I can save enough money, I'll have enough money to buy a cake, ingredients for my spaghetti, and maybe one viand. I'm not sure what that would be. An ice cream is an option but not really a priority. Maybe I'll just let my sister add her own ideas. I already have invited 2 people (a highschool batchmate of my brother's and a family friend). I'm yet to invite her cousin's family. That's all I'm planning to invite.

All of these preparations - without using my credit card. Ugh.

Good luck to me.

Without My Credit Card

July 1

Because of the stress I've been experiencing, I think I deserve something nice. :)
Work was brutal the moment I sat down on my chair. Non-stop calls. One email after the other. Order expedites. Follow-ups. Delayed stock. Ugh. Just the thought of them makes my head ache.
But since my credit card isn't with me, that nice something must not worth more than 1K. 500 pesos is better. But knowing me ... sigh. BUT NO! I MUST BE FRUGAL! I MUST LOVE THE FLEA MARKET. I MUST BE VIGILANT! I MUST ... Oh hell.
So I decided that instead of a pair of shoes or bag, maybe just a cute dress, or nice accessories will be fine. I'll add on there a glass jar because the one that we have here at home is practically useless not that I broke the cap. Candies + a unprotected glass = not a good combination.
Well, let's see what I'll come up with. :)

Without my Credit Card

June 29

So far so good. Am not looking for my little plastic friend again. I just need to be stronger though. My office is behind Megamall and we all know Shangri-La and Galleria aren't far behind. All those malls and those stores! Ugh

Anyway, it's a good thing that I got that promotion. More money means more allocation. :)
I need to close out my current ATM savings account and open a passbook account. It would be more difficult for me to withdraw money but for now that's a good thing.

I already paid my team mate for the pair of shoes I bought from his wife and I completed paying another officemate for the shoes I bought (which I gave my sister). Do you see a pattern? hehehe

The paluwagan I had with my team is over and it has a traumatic ending. 1 member failed to complete her payment before going to Dubai and another one resigned before she can pay her share. The latter is more mature but the former is .... better not comment anymore.

The marketing team has their own version of the paluwagan but this one has interest and payout is after a year. That sounds awesome. More vigilance is needed for this one.

Money is a very sensitive issue. It took me 25 years to realize that. Great.

Without My Credit Card Saga - Day 3

June 27.

Ok, this isn't good. All that I know I can buy with my credit card are flashing in my head. The new Charles and Keith shoes, the shoes in Multiply, the Secosana bag, the beautiful necklace I saw in SM Dept store. Ugh. It's terrible. I think I'm already having a withdrawal.

But right now, I wanna buy my food and open a new account in another bank. I'm thinking of applying for a passbook this time instead of an ATM savings account. But I'm torn. A passbook requires a very high amount of starting balance and it's not going to be easy to withdraw in times I need it. On the other hand, an ATM account is TOO EASY for withdrawal. I'm just a financial mess.

Without My Credit Card Saga

In an effort to put a stop, or at least slow down, my uncontrollable shopping, I gave my (sob) credit card to my trusted friend to keep for a while. I need to get serious with paying my bill and saving if I want to go to Singapore next year.
With the recent debacle I had with my savings bank this morning, I had the kick I needed to do what I need to do. It's a pain and a heartache but the timing can't be more perfect. I'm just thinking, I was able to save before with no problems at all - so maybe, just maybe, I can do it again.

Day 1
I didn't even miss my little plastic friend. Well, maybe I did but I wasn't itching for it. Good start. Good start.

Day 2
Not much change - although I did visit the Charles and Keith website and a multiply contact's website and I was just itching to buy at least 2 new pairs of shoes. But no! I must be strong! I still have bills to pay and if I will buy those shoes, I have to buy them the hard way - pay cash. Ugh ... *sigh*

Updates to come ...

Shoe Confessions 1

I believe that there are 3 things women must NOT leave their house without - their wits, their lipstick, and their perfect pair of shoes.

I was never really a fashionista. Whenever I hear that word, fashionista, I always think of Dior, Versace, Prada - you know, the high end clothes and accessories. A person has to have at least 3 of these names clinging to their bodies and wear them with all the glamor they have in their souls before I can call them the "F" word. But don't get me wrong, I am not one of those girls who go gaga over these names. I actually do not see the reason behind buying a $900-pair of shoes when I can buy it for $45 in another brand. True, it may not be as glitsy, but they're still as classy and pretty.

Recently, I came to realize that my love for shoes has come to a nasty pinnacle in my life. I JUST LOVE SHOES. When I was in highschool, it was accesories. In college, bags (you wouldn't believe how many bags I owned). Then my craving for anything sparkling sizzled for about 4 years. Then it slowly emerged itself. It started from a 400-peso pair to buying P2,500. It wasn't bad, I deserved something nice. But the total number of my shoes staggered me. I am no Carrie Bradshaw, but it looks like I'm planning to be one.

I keep the shoes in their boxes. I feel like it's giving the brand respect if I keep the boxes. No biggie. But now when I look at the number of boxes I have and can't remember what's in them AND STILL THINK I don't have enough, that's where the problem begins. I actually have to avert my gaze and look at something ugly just so I wouldn't look at those beautifully-crafted shoes. Whate's worse, the mantra "I don't need these" and "The heels are too high, I'll easily trip" aren't working anymore. It's like whenever I try a pair of shoes, it always seems to magically transform itself into something I need. I imagine the clothes I'll wear with it, when, and where. Now my mantra is "Please don't have a size 8 or 9" (and when they don't I'll act disappointed but I was really relieved)

I didn't add pictures on here because it will just cause me pain to look at pictures of pretty shoes.

Who am I kidding?!?!!?

The Shoe Sale - Final

When the cashier asked me what shoes I want, I was still thinking things through. The SALE sign was already there and I knew it was the moment. I was so torn and tired of thinking things through I considered dropping both of them and just walk away. I wasn't happy at all - which was bizarre. Other people would go gaga over the fact that they have 2 good - no, GREAT - offers. They would even probably take their time and see which shoe can give them the best deal. But not me. It was stressful and emotionally draining.

It wasn't worth it.

By Wednesday, I finally made my decision. I was nervous when I came to work that day. But it was a good kind of nervousness - like a giddy kid about to tell her parents she's graduating with honors. It's very rare I feel like that. I was excited - so I knew I made the right decision. The waiting game was finally over. Well, for me anyway. I enjoyed the 3 hours I had to let my boss wait for my decision. And when I finally told him, hehehe, the reaction I got was priceless. Not to mention that the other bosses were happy as well.

It's a different story with the other team. I'm not sure though what kind of story, but it's definitely not a happy one.

This whole experience reminded me why I bothered with this job for nearly 4 years. And now I know what I REALLY want from it. It may sound as a selfish wish for some, but in reality, it's something we all want. It's a long way ahead, but I'm willing to risk it.

And the challenges now begin.