To be stingy

Over the past few months, I have discovered something about myself: I hate spending money.

Paying bills. Grocery shopping. Buying clothes. Filling my car's gas tank. Hate it. I do those things because I have to, but there is nothing rewarding about it.

Even doing activities that I find enjoyable like going to the movies, or a concert, or bowling. The experience itself is great, but I cringe a little inside knowing I spent money to do it. I appreciate eating out but shudder to know I'm paying money for food that I could cook at home. For me, there is no such thing as therapeutic shopping.

If this makes me stingy, so be it.

However, there is one kind of purchase that I do find satisfying. Those special little items that bring a smile to my kids' faces. Be it a bag of popcorn for movie night, their favorite flavor of cereal, a knickknack from the dollar store, Christmas and birthday gifts, or batteries for the Wii remote because the old ones died. Seeing their joy makes the money spent worth it.