Do I need to spend more???

[writeleigh]

Okay, DH and I have gone a bit over budget with holiday spending. However, we both understand this is likely to happen and will spend only on absolute necessities for Jan. and Feb. So it's not completely out of control Still, I certainly have spent more on everyone (me included!) than I first intended to. However, there are still 2 things I want to buy
1) a new winter coat for me.
2) shoes with more structure for Liam.

Coat: I actually spent all of last winter and now part of this winter telling myself that I really need a long winter coat, rather than the short jacket I have.

Shoes: Liam definitely needs some shoes with more structure now that he exclusively walks and is walking outside. He currently has just soft leather moccasin-type shoes.
So, I'll definitely get Liam shoes.

But I *could* talk myself out of the coat for me . . . after all, I do have a jacket, it just isn't ideal.

Can I justify spending on a coat, with the understanding that there will be no more purchases until March?

[ellies mom]

I'd check out the after Christmas sales, if I found something I liked at a good price I'd probably get it. I know how you feel. I'm really wanting a new coat this year too, even though I don't technically need one. Hmmm, maybe I'll follow my own advice....

[egoldber]

Can your DH get you the coat for Christmas instead of something else? And can you get the shoes for DS instead of one of the gifts you have for him? It just seems to me that stinting yourself of things you need for two months in favor of less needed gifts just isn't worth it. Truly not trying to offend, just my perspective.

HTH,

[KBecks]

Agree with PP that after Christmas sales will be very good on coats and such.

Do you really need the coat? Is your old one wearing out or not warm enough?

You can decide if it's truly a need, and go from there. Perhaps set a spending limit on the coat.

[C99]

I have needed a coat for the past 2 winters. I just skipped it because I didn't really *need* it because I had a jacket, although I did just buy one for a really good price (to me, a good price for a coat is under $100). After 2 years of waiting, I figured that it was time. BUT, if I truly did not have the money, I would have skipped it again this year and made do w/ the jacket I have. Kids shoes are a little bit more of an issue. You say that you want to buy them, not need to buy them. If it were me, I would wait until he needs them, especially if money is tight. And Beth (egoldber) had some good suggestions about getting things you need for holiday gifts instead of things that are more frivolous.

[writeleigh]

Ya'll have made some good points, and Beth's points too. The thing is, we actually got Liam very little for Christmas becasue a) he recently had a B-day, and b) the grandparents are getting him lots of stuff too. Right now he's too young to compeltely understand it, so we decided not to get too crazy. Liam really does need the shoes, so I
'm probably going to treat those as a Christmas gift.

The coat I'd get would be from Loehmann's, so it is a big discount on price. I'm still contemplating it. I guess the thing is, I've been telling myself I need a long coat for so long and I keep putting it off- if it were not a need, wouldn't I have kind of forgotten about it by now? LOL.