In the PF blog community, a lot is written about where money is spent and why. A lot of people, both inside and outside of the PF blogosphere, feel that how we spend our money reflects our values. In other words, the things we spend a lot of money on are important to us, while the things that we scrimp on are unimportant. I agree with this idea to a degree; for example, I spend a lot of money on high-quality food because I think that what we put in our bodies really matters health-wise. Also, I’ve flirted with eating disorders in the past, so shelling out extra cash to really nourish myself also makes me feel psychologically well.
On the other hand, I totally, totally scrimp on hair and beauty products. I buy CoverGirl makeup at Target, and usually only if it’s on sale. My shower gel is Target brand, and I would never, ever spend more than $3 on face wash. My friend A colors my for me from a box (I also only buy my hair dye when it’s on sale), and I get $15 haircuts at the Hair Cuttery.
But it’s weird because I really value looking nice. I think that when you look your best, you feel good. And I like to feel good, especially because I’m speaking all day in front of 150 teenagers. So why do I scrimp so much on hair/beauty? I’m not sure. I guess it reflects a different value that I have: you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to look your best. But I don’t scrimp nearly so much on clothes and shoes…so I’m not so sure I can really explain this one…
What do you scrimp on? Do you think this says anything about your values?
