Friday, December 05, 2008

T.M.I. Friday: Bare Necessities

Welcome back to T.M.I. Friday, an occasional (or more like rare, as is probably best) feature here at My Open Wallet, where personal finance sometimes gets waaaay too personal. I'd like to share with you a little experience I had recently, where you could say I took a commando approach to attacking overspending... that is, a going commando approach.

For the last few months, I've been working on my health and my wealth by going swimming most mornings. This adjustment to my daily routine has led to me working out far more often, and it's changed my breakfast habits so that I eat cereal or fruit or yogurt at home in the morning instead of buying food at the deli near my office. I'm not a morning person, but I seem to be able to drag myself out of the house early enough by getting up, putting my bathing suit on under my clothes, and then showering at the gym.

But for this plan to work, there is one key thing I need to remember, and the other day, I totally forgot until my subway train was in the middle of the Manhattan Bridge, when I suddenly sat upright and realized "Oh @!%$#, I forgot to bring underwear!"

I was appalled, but I took it in stride-- after all, some people go without undies as a matter of preference! And people in third world countries don't always have the luxury of wearing undies. And I suppose it was only a few hundred years ago that undies were even invented, and even more recently that anyone started referring to them as "undies." So I knew it wouldn't be the end of the world not to be wearing any, but it did seem potentially uncomfortable.

First solution that pops into my head? "I'll go to the Gap at lunchtime and just buy the cheapest pair I find in my size." Like many other problems, this was one that could be solved by spending money. But as the day wore on, my desire to remedy the no-pantie situation wore off. It probably helped that I was having a really busy day and didn't want to take the time to go to the Gap, but foremost in my mind was the thought that I'd bought new underwear quite recently, I have a drawerful of underwear that is all in good condition, and why should I spend $3 (if I was lucky) or $6 or $7 or more (as would be more likely) just to avoid feeling like a character out of a bad porn movie? Of course some people spend lots of money precisely because they DO want to feel like a character in a bad porn movie... not that there's necessarily anything wrong with wanting to feel like a character in a bad porn movie... but there's a time and a place for everything... and sitting in a meeting at work is not when I want to feel like a character in a bad porn movie... usually....

Anyway, where was I? The point is that sometimes it's great to JUST SAY NO! I will NOT spend even a few extra dollars if it's not absolutely necessary! It's one of those things that is self-reinforcing: the more you say it, the more you'll find it an easier rule to follow. Try it sometime... but don't feel you have to try the no-undie thing too.

14 comments:

DogAteMyFinances said...

This is hilarious. I am cracking up. Thanks, I needed a laugh.

Anonymous said...

Too much information!

Nothing fancy to think of .. said...

Been there, done that. I might not have worn a skirt (which you don't state your clothes preference of the day) :)

As you said, take it in stride, don't focus on it, and you got home by 7:00 or so, and you were able to do what your normal home routine is :). Heck if you really were feeling bad, you could have worn your swim suit.

Finally, needs and wants. Did you need to spend the $7 or was it a want because you wanted to be, ummm, comfortable :)

You could be in my position. I forget, probably on the scale of once a week, to zip my fly in the morning when I get dressed. So much so, that I have a routine before I leave the house. Wallet, Cell Phone, Keys, Handkerchief, Badge, Sun Glasses, and check the fly :) It all takes 3 seconds and is done in a couple motions, like a police line search at the air port :)

Gord said...

Underwear isn't an issue for most guys I think; at least not me. But I have noticed that if everything isn't falling into place in the morning routine, if I get interrupted I will usually be missing something essential when I get to work. Like the coffee I packed. Or my pen and notepad......strange.

Beyond The Horizon said...

HA HA!
That was a good read... definately had me cracking up!

I often do this with deodorant. I know its going to be a bad day when I forget to put on deodorant. And the couple of time I did this, the two mom and pop stores near my job were completely out. What are the chances! I didn't even have a choice to spend the money or not.

Thanks for the laugh!

Dawn said...

I wanna feel like a bad porn movie more often, if that is all it takes, I'm all for it! hehe!

Anonymous said...

Bronx Chica..lol ..was this on a list of "Must do's before 2009"? Thanks for sharing :)

Anonymous said...

Too funny! :)I tend to do that with socks. I am also NOT a morning person...so much so my boss mentioned to me that he doesn't approach my desk until near noon. How DID you get to pull yourself to hit the gym in the morning? I've had a few incidents that I had to skip gym due to work/meetings and I was bumped I didn't get to work out. I am contemplating on hitting the gym in the morning as to ensure I get my workout first thing. Any tips you can provide is appreciated!!

Miss M said...

What a funny story, I take it you weren't wearing a skirt that day? I've gone commando, in fact I had a hippie phase where even in a skirt I was undie-less. It feels a bit strange now, I forgot a change of undies for the gym the other day and had to go without after showering and changing.

Anonymous said...

Good for you! ... Several years ago I decided that I wouldn't wear undies on summer day. I wore a summery floral A-line dress to work (in a lawfirm) that day. I figured when I was at home on weekends wearing a sundress I wasn't wearning underware so what's was the difference? It was cool & comfortable. The only problem though was a constant wedgie everytime I got up out of my chair. Other than that, it was funny and I felt like I was "protesting" something. I am glad I did it ... I think it is something many women thing about doing but are afraid to do.

MEG said...

I go without "undies" at least a couple of days a week. In some outfits (particularly certain fitted dresses) there is just no way to conceal a panty line. So I've gotten used to going without. Who cares? Now forgetting a BRA would be something I'd have to go home for.

moocifer said...

One of my exgirfriends *hated* wearing undies. She is a very attractive, intelligent and generally *fantastic* woman who has a Ph.D in Mathematics.

Point is, not wearing undies doesn't make you cheap!

Congrats on avoiding spending the unnecessary cash. Somethimes it *is* great to "just say no" to unnecessary spending. And how much of our spending is unnessary!

Madame X said...

I was wearing jeans-- rather low-cut hip-huggers!

Bleacher Bottom Babe is... said...

Funny! I'm a little late to post but this is a BIG moment~ it just happened to be based on undies! A bra, I would have to agree, would be worth the cash (DD here but A or B may could swing it!). I hear Oprah never wears undies... maybe that is how she is stacking her cash! Maybe it is the way to go! $7 a pair x 7 or more per week + 14 more pair minimum for back up, over a lifetime= $thousands!