green with envy?

Today I am posing a question. How do you save money without missing out on things that only come around once?

                                             

For instance around Father's Day..Keith's FIRST ever! He was spying out a great watch that he loved he didn't "need" it, but we're only human and wants find their way into our lives. 
So I decided that his father's day gift from Noel & I would be to splurge and purchase this watch..when will he ever have a first father's day...that's right NEVER! and sometimes a material gift is just what the doctor ordered! 
We also followed this same logic when purchasing our MacBook Pro. 
We needed - larger than we would have liked- money to have our lateral sewer line replaced..talk about LITERALLY flushing your money down the drain..oy! 
But in doing so we needed to use a loan to meet this borough requirement, no choice here folks!
In the mean time BOTH of our old desktop computers crashed and we were only left with Keith's mac that is provided to him via the school district (yah!) however we do not have any administrative rights on there (i.e. no downloading anything) plus this computer gets turned in @ the end of the school year and updated and wiped clean..goodbye pictures! 
So we felt that it would be a wise financial decision to extend our loan for the previously mentioned sewers to also purchase a good computer that would last us a long time, rather than sinking a couple hundred into something and a few years down the road having to replace it as well..so LONG term we're saving money. 
So Happy first Mother's Day to me and probably the next 10 birthdays!
So the question still looms for other things...should we really buy this? we don't really need it..but it makes sense to do it NOW purchases.


Now that is certainly not to say all of our 'splurge' purchases are wise...but who can resist a pair of  baby jeggings @ the baby Gap on the clearance! ....buyer's remorse?..nope!  you should see them on Noel! 
Of course I haven't even begun to talk about bigger purchases..like a new TV? a car? or even a home? how do you make a wise decision when other things in life seem to be hindering on your decision? 


Here's some Keith & Elissa financial logic: (not necessarily in priority order)

• If it's over $30 it takes some consideration (I realize this is a small amount, but it's amazing how one trip to Target with a little of this and a little of that..and woah!)
• How is this affecting quality of life? (not just trying to keep up with the Jones)
• Is there a need for RIGHT NOW?!! give it a day of not owning it to determine the need.
• is there a change you can make somewhere else to make up for the new need/want (think no more morning coffee in exchange for membership to the gym)
• where does it fall in your financial priorities list? savings, debt, college funds?

Now that we are responsible for a small human being we have some other major goals we need to think about:
Life Insurance [my lack there of]
Retirement Funds [again my lack of] we prioritize this ahead of college savings for Noel, because we (I) believe it would be far less burden for her to pay for some of her college than try to support us when we're old. 
Noel & future peanuts' college funds
and SO in need of a larger vehicle.


Plus it would be great to not have to wear 'mom' jeans & be a somewhat trendy parent :) 
oh the responsibilities! ha ha!