I have been socking some money away for a few weeks now in anticipation of a day trip to RIC to visit a friend for some shopping. This saving thing has been quite an endeavor for me because once I get a hold of some money, it starts burning a hole in my pocket. Isn’t that always the way, though? When you’re out and about without one red cent, without two nickels to rub together, that’s when you spy those gotta-have shoes that are now %75 off, or that I-will-give-you-both-my-kidneys-and-the-title-to-my-car dress that is in your size and the only one left on the rack. Of course, when I do have some money or a gift card or some type of tender, I wouldn’t be able to buy cup of water to put out a fire.
I carry around a copy of Real Simple Magazine in my bag so that I can read the articles during my 5 minute snatches of quiet time, and I love, love, lurve it! They have this section called “Your Words” which is where they pose a question and ask their dear readers to answer it however they see fit. They’ve had questions like, “What is the one beauty product you can’t live without?” (under eye concealer), “How do you stay in budget during the holidays?” (Budget? What’s that?), and “How do you get out the door on time?” (Do as much as I can the night before and have an air-tight schedule in the morning).
Several issues back, Real Simple asked, “If You Had an Extra $100 What Would You Spend It On?”
Ohhhh, the possibilities.
At first, my wheels started turning and I knew that all of the little piddly things that I keep meaning to pick up (make-up, cross trainers, books, stationery) or check out (restaurants, movies, shops) would be on that list and my $100 would be but a fond memory. Why spend it on the mundane things that you probably end up buying or seeing in your day to day activities?
At the same time, I wouldn’t want to hoard it like a bottle of premium champagne or my wedding china — only to be used for special occasions. I mean, how often do you come into a hundred bucks? Sounds like a special occasion to me. But still, it seemed to me no matter how I rank ordered what I wanted to do with that money, the more I felt limited by my choices. Basically, a hundred bucks can be as good as spent faster than you can say Benjamin Franklin.
I mean, when I was a teenager, $100 seemed like hitting the MegaMillions. One hundred bucks could buy a lot of Barbie accessories and still leave you with some change for a Ring Pop, some Pop Rocks and some Pixie Stix — not that I still played with Barbies as a teenager or anything, I mean. . . .forget that last part.
Anyway, when you think about it, should we be be surprised that $100 can only take you so far? I mean, would you watch a show called, “Who Wants to Be a Hundred-aire?”
Have you ever heard anyone talk about how old they were when they “made their first hundred”?
Dr. Evil wasn’t going to hold the world ransom for one. . . hundred. . .dollars!
Seems as though ol‘ B. Franklin has lost some cache over the years. Still, if someone was handing out hundred like Altoids, I’d be asking if I could have one now and one for later.
So, if I had $100 — and it would have be a hundred either in $5 or $10 dollar bills so that it could seem like a small motherlode, if only for a hot minute — what would I do?
Why don’t you open up your wallet and we’ll find out. . . .
