Money matters and shopping advice from Mrs. Scrooge.

So I was at the salon last Friday for another installment of Gadgets’ “beautylab” to have my first-ever take on highlights and lowlights and a haircut to evenly distribute the massive volume of my curly hair… all of this sounding rather funny when I say it because I’m really not all that conscious of what would make me beautiful or if “texturizing” my hair can actually do that.

Indigo Salon nevertheless, did a fabulous job (my hair is now a streaky purple/blonde and lots of layers) -  much thanks to Tita Paz for allowing me to review her salon and to Paolo for hooking me up with such a contact; I say a free trip to a high-end salon isn’t something to be passed up… as well as for all the other times he’s hooked me up just to help me with my articles. =)

But that’s not what I wanted to talk about.

Actually, it’s this article I read in that Oprah magazine while I was having strips of my hair wrapped in foil and I was fighting an inevitable redbull crash.

It was something about increasing your “joy dividends” (I typed some of the more memorable quotes in my phone so I wouldn’t forget the point I wanted to make with this)

So it begins with this little factoid about how the average American will make about 700,000dollars in their lifetime. And so the thought-provoking question here is: What will you do with your 700,000?

Then the article went on about people’s differences in values and stuff, yada yada yada… and there were just a few lines I wanted to remember the next time I made my next purchase:

“Spend life’s earnings that will create the most satisfying experiences” and “maximize the joy dividend in all money decisions.”

Then there was this story about how the author had this friend who was once dirt-poor but then somehow accumulated a sh*tload of wealth (my words, not the author’s)… and she assumes that this background is what helped develop her friend’s shopping habit of buying only the things that she loved as well as needed… which is a far-cry from those who only buy things that they love… or think they love, only because they can either easily afford it, or (for the more not-so-painfully-obvious reason) they think having these items will make them cool or “in” or trendy. (Maybe people think they can buy love by buying things people will love about them… *hums at sudden epiphany of aforementioned idea*)

This year, my biggest purchases were a stove, a sofa, and a tv. My fiancé bought me a camera (after my sister lost mine at the club because she insisted on putting it in her stocking *???!!!*) and a very grown-up refrigerator. Now these things may seem ridiculously left field-ish from the usual shoes, bags, clothes, jewelry, god knows what else… but just to make my point about the whole joy dividend argument… I love to watch tv. I love living rooms. I love the satisfaction of getting everybody you love in just one common area and making them feel at home. I love being able to go home and just plop on my couch after work and watch Law and Order reruns on cable. I love to cook. I love to do the groceries. I love being able to put fresh basil on EVERYTHING and feel grown-up and awesome doing it. I think cooking and grocery shopping is extremely therapeutic. And I love cooking for people I love and seeing their faces light up at what I’ve prepared.  (Of course, the camera is for capturing all of these wonderful moments and then some… only now, mine has got a beauty shot function that just makes everything more beautiful than it already is. =)

Apparently, it’s called PSYCHIC INCOME: Intangible benefits above and beyond the utilitarian value derived from a purchase.

So yeah.

I dunno if I wrapped that point up as nicely as I would’ve liked but as I’ve gotten from a lot of people, I really do talk like I write and vice versa.

Ergo (forgive me for the long-ass intro but anyone who knows me by now understands my love for the melodramatic and lengthy linear introductions)… I have this year’s Christmas wishlist (all of which I already know I probably will end up getting for myself as the year progresses but hey, ain’t no harm in hinting. =)

 

N82 Battery… or new N82 phone. (Actually, I wrote this list before I wrote everything else but earlier today, I got a text message from Nokia telling me they were gonna give me a slightly-used N82 to have after reading one of my articles about my phone dying on me. So MERRY frikkin’ CHRISTMAS! =)

UPLB centennial license plate

22-inch flatscreen tv

Makeup caboodle

Full-sized bedsheet with comforter set (Preferrably, green)

Helluh gift certificates at Blue Water Day Spa for a CELLULITE MELTER MASSAGE (or someone to just “rub it down and make it smooth like lotion” … everyday. *ahem*)

HID-effect headlights for my car

Car speakers

Pretty red hooker heels

Curtains

Vacuum tumbler marinade machine (as seen on the Home Shopping Network)

A black sofa “throw” rug/blanket, whatever you call that home accent

Vintage distressed levi’s or type-ones

Celeteque anti-wrinkle moisturizer (this is helluh effective)

A pair of thin-framed glasses (with my grade, of course)

(Ok seriously, someone who can pay for one month’s worth of groceries =)

….

Damn, what else?

Throw pillows

TV speakers

Baking pans

Steak knives

2 Tickets to… Korea (Hi daddy… *giggles*)

And…

An engagement ring HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Pre-empt that mother*cker! *winks*

 

……

 

Happy Christmas shopping y’all. Word of advice from that article I read… Spend top dollar for things you love AND need, bottom dollar for things you need but don’t necessarily love, and the rest on things you love but don’t need though only occasionally. Make sure it’s one of those real love type loves, and not just a passing fancy. =P