Last night I spent $25 to see the movie Hangover 2 with a friend. Twenty-five dollars! And that didn't include the popcorn and soda ($11, which she was kind enough to pay for). The movie was funny and the company was excellent, so I suppose it's money well spent, but I don't think I needed to see Zak Galifinakis' poorly shaved, lumpy head on the super "XD" wraparound immersion screen with ultra-surround sound, which apparently I paid a $2 premium on each ticket for. The seat were damn comfy though, I can't argue with that.
As my month long experiment comes to a close, celebrated with a larger than life biopic of the underground Thai party scene, monkeys and ladyboys included, I wonder how my habits as a consumer and personal financier are going to evolve from here. I'd like to think that the feeling of satisfaction I've gotten from making smarter choices is going to outweigh the attraction of instant gratification the world seems to constantly push down our throats. I could have declined the premium theater showing last night and waited an hour for regular old "D" theater...but I already had my wallet out and card in hand when I learned I was being extorted in the guise of some fancy tech bells and whistles that I'm not sure I even recognized during the movie anyway. So I bought the tickets and ground my teeth at the extra charge.
We are assaulted on all sides and at all times by this kind of crap. The hunt for value, quality and utility in a never ending sea of mass-marketed corporate sludge is a daunting task, to say the least. We're getting an IKEA here in Denver soon, and while I'm excited because I believe in their reputation for affordable quality furniture, I also know some of their stuff is junk and you have to be careful about what you get. And they're one of the more highly regarded "big box" retailers. Maybe that's true of any purveyor of goods, but it just seems more prevalent to me in the corporate retail setting. It's as if in the pursuit of profits the lowest common denominator of cost and quality are always met.
I like the idea of getting back to supporting smaller vendors and business. It's tough though. In order to do so you might have to drive a little further, or pay higher prices. I guess that's where the idea of value comes in. Is it worth more to help support a family business or a fledgling partnership instead of further lining the coffers of some profit-consumed mega-conglomerate? I'd like to think so, but I've got to protect my bottom line first. And that's where the conflict comes in. Make do with a morally and ethically superior purchase or spend less cash by going to Walmart?
I had a mentor when I lived in Philadelphia that used to practice what he called "recreational paranoia". In other words, always be on guard for someone trying to take advantage of you, but don't get stressed out about it. Take your time and look something over, consider it's quality for the price, and most importantly, if you can't afford it...don't frickin' buy it man! Maybe I need a little more recreational paranoia at times.
Tomorrow starts a new month. I've been debating if I should continue this blog or leave it encapsulated by the end of the experiment. I summed up in my last post that I know I still have work to do. Writing this blog has been a big part of staying (mostly) on track. I think I ought to keep doing it. Not sure I will keep updating it on Facebook though, after all we're grown up now. Paying our bills like big boys again. I guess if you want to keep reading, you'll have to check in on me here from time to time. For those of you that have stuck with me this far, I owe you all a great deal of thanks. I tried to write with some humility and honesty, and that feels vulnerable at times. I appreciate the support and good wishes.
So until next time, get paid, don't spend, and be careful if you ever get drunk in Bangkok. Seriously. I just watched a movie about it, that shit looks dangerous.
Keep it rolling.
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