I have been really tight with money for the past several years in order to obtain a financial goal of paying off my student loans. I'm talking getting by on $25 per week on groceries (it's enough to feed me healthy meals and toiletries but no room for entertainment) and squeezing pennies for everything else as best as I can. I've been suffering with depression and anxiety over spending too much and the debt looming over my head feeling like it has control over my life. I'd for example literally stand in the grocery aisle contemplating for at least 30 minutes if I should buy a can of store brand tomatoes that's over my budget or go without, then finally leave the store empty handed. I'd have anxiety attacks and nightmares of getting myself into a car wreck that would put me further in debt, and resolved to only leave the house to go to work or grocery shop. It was my 3 year work anniversary at my workplace and they gave me a gift card to go to the movie theater. I hadn't been to the movie theater in several years and I genuinely missed going (I've always dreamed of working in the entertainment industry since I was a kid and I'm the type of person to play movies on DVD at home over and over and hyperanalyze the special features interviews to learn how they make their craft in the business and stay and read the entire credits at the end of a movie). Went to see Ready Player One and the ending hit too close to home (I'll try not to spoil it but it was an overlying message of don't live your life in fear but live and enjoy the present moment). Getting out of the house and the weather finally warming up really helped lift my spirits and I can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel (if I stay on track, 6 more months and I'm done paying off this crap). Being frugal is good and all but don't take it too far that you risk your mental health.
April 22, 2018 at 04:20PM
